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.

An Encounter with the Obama's Date Night at A Raisin in the Sun

New York City is always a great place to go for red carpet events, theater, restaurants and just hanging out in general. A weekend in New York this time turned into one of the most memorable of all times. I was joined by six of my fantastic female friends, five from Chicago and one from Atlanta. We met on Friday, April 11, 2014 with plans for our first night of theater to see Denzel Washington in A Raisin in the Sun at the Barrymore Theater on West 47th Street. We met for lunch at Virgil's for some down-home barbeque, followed by a trip to the theater to secure our tickets before showtime. Upon arriving at the box office we noticed a flurry of activity on the street and wondered what was going on. Being the inquiring ladies that we are, we asked a security guard what was up and he informed us that "the President and First Lady are coming to the show tonight". Okay, after we regained our composure looked at each other in disbelief at our good fortune, we raced back to the St. Regis Hotel to change into our theater outfits, anticipating that our evening at the theater would require more than the average jockeying in line to get to our seats.  There was going to be a lot of security checks in order to get seated on time. We were not wrong in that observation. West 47th was closed between 7th and 8th Avenue and we had to walk to 46th and down to 8th and 47th where a security check was installed. Once through that checkpoint, the entrance to the theater had medal detectors with TSA style security checks complete with bag checks, wans and pat downs.

Once in the theater, I was thrilled to find my center orchestra isle seat in the fifth row (thanks to my friend September who is a friend of the director of A Raisin in the Sun) Kenny Leon. You could feel the anticipation from the audience just waiting for the Obama appearance. My friend Chili and I tried to guess where the President was going to sit. After looking around the theater, the only seats that appeared to be vacant were part of the next three rows in front of us. Chili said he's going to sit here. I said "no way".  Right on schedule at 8:00 p.m. the announcement that the show was about to begin and to make sure cellphones were off, the houselights went down and the side door in the back opened and in strode Obama and his entourage of Secret Service. As the President and First Lady passed in front of me, I was able to shake his hand before and he proceeded to sit in the isle seat two rows in front of me. We were separated by three Secret Service Agents who took the seats behind him. You could have wiped me off the floor. I was stunned. Here I am sharing a date night with the Obamas.

During Intermission, the President and First Lady went backstage to meet the cast. After the performance during curtain call, Denzel tipped his hat to the President.  Not only did I get to see Denzel on Broadway, but I can officially say that I shared a date night with the President and First Lady of the United States.

The President and Mrs. Obama backstage during intermission at A Raisin In the Sun on April 11, 2014

(Photo courtesy People Magazine)

The President and First Lady arrive in New York for date night at A Raisin in the Sun

(Photo courtesy of NYdailynews.com) 

The President and First Lady return to Washington after attending A Raisin in the Sun 

(Photo courtesy blogs.wsj.com)

The Barrymore Theater ready for the President and First Lady date night 

(Photo courtesy pix11.com)

The cast takes a curtain call after a performance of A Raisin in the Sun

(Photo courtesy atlantablackstar.com)

The next day we lunched at the ultra sophisticated Bergdorf Goodman restaurant with great views of Central Park. We reviewed our previous evening and  made plans for our second evening at the theater to see Motown the Musical.

But first of course we couldn't visit BG's without doing a little shopping.  Off to the shoe department for some shoe porn.

Christian Louboutin

Giuseppe Zanotti

Okay enough of that!

Motown the Musical at the Lunt-Fontaine Theater was a complete blast.  Dancing in our seats to Dancing in the Street and all the other tunes from Motown that brought back memories and was the soundtrack of our lives. The cast was magnificent.  Krystal Joy Brown seemed to be channeling Diana Ross. I later learned that she replaced the original star, Valisia LeKae who originated the role and was nominated for a Tony Award.  Valisia left the show in December after a diagnosis of ovarian cancer. Krystal took over the role on Janaury 24, 2014 from Felicia Boswell who stepped in while Valisia was on vacation last fall and previous to her diagnosis.

Valisia LeKae as Diana Ross

Valisia LeKae

Krystal Joy Brown

Felicia Boswell