2015 Auditorium Theater Gala

Auditorium Theatre Stage taken from Facebook Page

The Auditorium Theater Gala in Chicago was once again one of the highlights of my year.  I was delighted to spend time with my Chicago friends attending the gala and hanging out for the rest of the weekend.  This years gala was held Saturday, November 21 at the Auditorium Theatre celebrating the end of the Billy Strayhdorn Festival (a three month celebration honoring William Thomas "Billy" Strayhorn (November 29, 1915 – May 31, 1967) and what would have been his 100th birthday ) http://www.billystrayhorn.com. The evening once again began with cocktails and d'oeuvres at the Hilton Chicago Normandie Lounge, followed by dinner in the Grand Ballroom featuring a live performance of Billy Strayhorn compositions by Orbert Davis and the Rich Daniels Quintet.  Billy Strayhorn was an American jazz composer, pianist, lyricist, and arranger, best known for his successful collaboration lasting nearly three decades with bandleader and composer Duke Ellington.  His compositions include "Take the 'A' Train", "Chelsea Bridge", and "Lush Life". The event was attended by nearly 300 guests, and $215,000 was raised to support the initiatives of the Auditorium Theatre. Billy Strayhorn Lush Life Tribute. https://www.facebook.com/auditoriumtheatre/

Following the Gala, guests boarded trolleys to the Auditorium Theatre for VIP seating at the finale performance of "The Billy Strayhorn Festival, Lush Life: The Music of Billy Strayhorn." The fully staged salute to Strayhorn was directed by Bruce Mayhall Rastrelli and starred Broadway’s Darius de Haas, local cabaret icon Joan Curto, pianist Alan Broadbent, the Auditorium’s Too Hot to Handel Orchestra, Joel Hall Dancers and a 30-voice-all-male choir under the direction of Bill Chin.

It was an amazing evening celebrating an amazing American Jazz Icon.

Billy Strayhorn

This work is from the Carl Van Vechten Photographs collection at the Library of Congress.

Living the History,125 Years of the Auditorium Theatre Gala in Chicago

For the second time in two years I traveled from Boston to Chicago to attend the gala event for the Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University.  My first time was in November 2012 when I was invited by Board Member, McGhee Williams Osse. This year I was again invited by Board Members McGhee Williams Osse and Dr. Linda C. O'Bannon.

Frantz Osse, McGhee Williams Osse, Dr. Linda C. O'Bannon and James Condon 

This year marked the Auditorium’s 125th Gala Celebration and showcased the diversity and scope of talent that has graced the historic landmark stage since it opened its doors on December 9, 1889. The Auditorium put Chicago on the world map, paving the way for the city to host the 1893 World’s Fair. The storied National Historic Landmark designed by architects Dankmar Adler and Louis Sullivan, along with their draftsman, Frank Lloyd Wright, is helmed by Board Chairman Melvin L. Kattan, and Executive Director Brett Batterson. The awe inspiring history of the theatre was delivered by the evenings host John Mahoney (who has appeard in numerous theater roles earning him a Tony Award and Emmy and Golden Globe nominations, but everyone will remember him fondly as Martin Crane on the television series Frasier for eleven years). The history of the Auditorium Theatre lay claim to once being the largest building in the United States, the tallest building in Chicago and a transition into a bowling alley used as a serviceman's center during World War II.

In honor of the momentous anniversary, First Lady of the United States, Mrs. Michelle Obama, served as the Honorary Chair for the gala celebration and Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Amy Rule served as Honorary Co-Chairs. The Gala Dinner Celebration is sponsored by the Pasquinelli Family Foundation. The Auditorium Theatre will continue to celebrate its 125th anniversary with special programming throughout the 2014-2015 season. For more information on the Anniversary Season visit the Auditorium Theatre’s website.

Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel welcomed the Auditorium's 3,900 capacity audience to the evenings event followed by spectacular performances from Broadway star Patti Lupone, whose great-grand aunt, opera prima donna Adelina Patti also performed at the grand opening 125 years ago on December 9, 1889. (It should be noted that President Benjamin Harrison and Vice President Levi Morton were also in attendance at the 1889 grand opening.) Other performances include the Apollo Chorus who also performed at the 1889 grand opening, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra Brass, Hlengiwe Mkhwanzai and Eric Owens from the Lyric Opera of Chicago, dancers Rory Hohenstein and Christine Rocas from the Joffrey Ballet which has been in residence at the Auditorium Theatre for the past 16 years, Vernard J. Gilmore from the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, and a rousing rock performance by the All-Star Chicago Rock Band, featuring Guitarist Jim Peterik from the rock group Survivor and co-writer of the Rocky theme "Eye Of The Tiger". The closing of the evenings performances not only showcased the performers, but the entire backstage of people who worked to put on this spectacular event. Closing Performance Photo

After the performance, hundreds of Gala dinner guests were transferred to the Palmer House Hilton via motorcoach where a spectacular dinner awaited.

My arrival at the Gala Dinner

The place card is edible chocolate

Evelyn Wheeler and Dr. Linda C. O'Bannon

Alvin Ailey Dancer Vernard J. Gilmore and Linda C. O'Bannon

Evelyn Bakon-Wheeler

McGhee Williams Osse

Although none of us will be around for the 250th celebration in 125 years, I am certain it will be just as spectacular as the previous 125th, because the Auditorium Theatre throws one great party.