ABT Kicks Off It's 10th Anniversary Season with 5th Annual Wonka Ball
Chicago, IL -
About Face Theatre kicks off its 10th Anniversary Season with the 5th annual Wonka Ball, to celebrate About Face Theatre’s extensive programming. This year, the festivities will be held on June 9, 2005 at Architectural Artifacts, 4325 N. Ravenswood, from 6:00 – 10:00 p. m. Wonka Ball 2005 will include the presentation of the 5th annual Leppen Leadership Awards to State Representative Sara Feigenholtz and Lambda Legal.
Purchase Tickets for the Wonka Ball
“We are delighted to be able to kick-off our 10th anniversary celebration at this extraordinary party and are very grateful for the support of our chairs Martin Gapshis, Ted Grady and Amy Maggio and a truly great group of hosts,” says About Face Managing Director Greg Copeland. “We are also honored to celebrate the achievements of State Representative Sara Feigenholtz and Lambda Legal by presenting them with Leppen Leadership Awards this year. Representative Feigenholtz’s work to pass legislation banning discrimination based on sexual orientation in Illinois is a landmark achievement, as is Lambda Legal’s track record and ongoing efforts to assert civil rights for the GLBT community, especially their “Out, Safe and Respected” campaign on youth rights in schools, and we are proud to salute them.”
The Wonka Ball, always known for being one of the hottest and most exciting benefits in the theatre community, is sure to be bigger and better this year as guests enjoy About Face at Ten Years. Installations, performances, and video presentations will highlight About Face’s first decade of extraordinary new work, celebrating milestones from the company’s first production, Dream Boy, to its latest, the smash hit Take Me Out. DJ and video services from Fig Media will create an ambient “remix” of the company’s history, and special presentations will provide a vision of the next ten years. Guests will be treated to signature cocktails and classic favorites, provided by Sidetrack, and food from some of the city’s best caterers, led by J&L Catering, including Food For Thought, Entertaining Company, and Hyatt Regency. This year’s Wonka Ball will have a live and silent auction, with items such as a fabulous package from Michael and Michael Salon, dinner for four at Boka, two $100 gift certificates to Glasses LTD on Oak Street, and as up for grabs. And to make this year’s benefit even more fabulous, the gift bags will be unbelievable!
This year, the Wonka Ball is being co-chaired by Ted Grady and Amy N. Maggio, with Martin D. Gapshis serving as Honorary Chair. The Host Committee is chaired by Dr. Peter Georgiou and includes Steve Abrams, J.P. Anderson, Jody Andre, Robert Alpaugh, Bradford L. Ballast, Terry Wittenberg & Kent Bartram, Michael Bauer & Roger Simon, Mark Becker & Doug Widener, Gigi Belser, Chuck Blasgen & Kerry DeMatteis, Jim Cachey, Colette Cachey, Greg Cameron, Daniel Carnahan, Kyle Carstenson, Charley & Shannon Cassell, Armand R. Cerbone PhD., Curt Columbus & Nathan Watson, Nora Daley Conroy & Sean Conroy, William Cosper, Julie Darling, Dirk Denison, Amy Dordek & Steve Dolinsky, Nicole Donohoe, Andrew J. Fay & Anthony Hogan, Chip Howard & C. Douglas Ferguson, David Flores, Don & Lisa Gardner, Michael Halberstam, Jessica Halem, Dawn Hancock, Jason Heeney, Chuck Hyde & Randy D'Agostino, Art Johnston & Jose Peña, Patricia Kane & Kim Osgood, Charles Katzenmeyer, Lance Lawson & Jim Wetzel, Marcia Lipetz, Jim LoBianco, Lisa Lowdin, Amy Matheny, Cristal Mendlen & Jill Balis, Gary Metzner & Scott Johnson, Joel Morales, Mike Noonan, Robert Ollis & Richard Gibbons, Philip Palmer, Daniel Paul, Bob Rice, Greg Simoncini & Ed Dudley, Rev. Stan Sloan & Tom Franklin, Stewart Smith, Coco Soodek & Roxanne Saylor, Charles Stephenson, Rick Stoneham, Michael Sullivan & Mark Robertson, Max Suzenaar & John Folks, and Neal Zucker.
The Leppen Leadership Award is named for Michael A. Leppen, a visionary philanthropist and founding contributor to the About Face Youth Theatre, and is awarded annually to an individual and/or organization that has exhibited extraordinary leadership in advancing the rights of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people, with a particular emphasis on work with the GLBT youth community. Past recipients include Michael A. Leppen, GLSEN Chicago, Joe Hollendoner, PFLAG Chicago, Coalition for Education on Sexual Orientation, and The Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fund (U.S.).
Sponsors for the Wonka Ball include Douglas Kent Design, BBJ Linens, J&L Catering, Jake, Jim Cachey Real Estate, LLC, Progress Printing, Sidetrack, Phil Stefani Restaurants, Tablescapes, Food for Thought, Boystownchicago.com and ChicagoPride.com. Julie Darling, Inc. is the Event Coordinator.
VIP tickets are priced at $250, and general admission is $150. VIP’s will receive special recognition on the night of the event, as well as two tickets to this summer’s About Face Youth Theatre: The Home Project. Tickets are available by calling 773.784.8565 x111.
For more information contact 773.784.8565 x111
Related: 2004 Wonka Ball Photos
Purchase Tickets for the Wonka Ball
“We are delighted to be able to kick-off our 10th anniversary celebration at this extraordinary party and are very grateful for the support of our chairs Martin Gapshis, Ted Grady and Amy Maggio and a truly great group of hosts,” says About Face Managing Director Greg Copeland. “We are also honored to celebrate the achievements of State Representative Sara Feigenholtz and Lambda Legal by presenting them with Leppen Leadership Awards this year. Representative Feigenholtz’s work to pass legislation banning discrimination based on sexual orientation in Illinois is a landmark achievement, as is Lambda Legal’s track record and ongoing efforts to assert civil rights for the GLBT community, especially their “Out, Safe and Respected” campaign on youth rights in schools, and we are proud to salute them.”
The Wonka Ball, always known for being one of the hottest and most exciting benefits in the theatre community, is sure to be bigger and better this year as guests enjoy About Face at Ten Years. Installations, performances, and video presentations will highlight About Face’s first decade of extraordinary new work, celebrating milestones from the company’s first production, Dream Boy, to its latest, the smash hit Take Me Out. DJ and video services from Fig Media will create an ambient “remix” of the company’s history, and special presentations will provide a vision of the next ten years. Guests will be treated to signature cocktails and classic favorites, provided by Sidetrack, and food from some of the city’s best caterers, led by J&L Catering, including Food For Thought, Entertaining Company, and Hyatt Regency. This year’s Wonka Ball will have a live and silent auction, with items such as a fabulous package from Michael and Michael Salon, dinner for four at Boka, two $100 gift certificates to Glasses LTD on Oak Street, and as up for grabs. And to make this year’s benefit even more fabulous, the gift bags will be unbelievable!
This year, the Wonka Ball is being co-chaired by Ted Grady and Amy N. Maggio, with Martin D. Gapshis serving as Honorary Chair. The Host Committee is chaired by Dr. Peter Georgiou and includes Steve Abrams, J.P. Anderson, Jody Andre, Robert Alpaugh, Bradford L. Ballast, Terry Wittenberg & Kent Bartram, Michael Bauer & Roger Simon, Mark Becker & Doug Widener, Gigi Belser, Chuck Blasgen & Kerry DeMatteis, Jim Cachey, Colette Cachey, Greg Cameron, Daniel Carnahan, Kyle Carstenson, Charley & Shannon Cassell, Armand R. Cerbone PhD., Curt Columbus & Nathan Watson, Nora Daley Conroy & Sean Conroy, William Cosper, Julie Darling, Dirk Denison, Amy Dordek & Steve Dolinsky, Nicole Donohoe, Andrew J. Fay & Anthony Hogan, Chip Howard & C. Douglas Ferguson, David Flores, Don & Lisa Gardner, Michael Halberstam, Jessica Halem, Dawn Hancock, Jason Heeney, Chuck Hyde & Randy D'Agostino, Art Johnston & Jose Peña, Patricia Kane & Kim Osgood, Charles Katzenmeyer, Lance Lawson & Jim Wetzel, Marcia Lipetz, Jim LoBianco, Lisa Lowdin, Amy Matheny, Cristal Mendlen & Jill Balis, Gary Metzner & Scott Johnson, Joel Morales, Mike Noonan, Robert Ollis & Richard Gibbons, Philip Palmer, Daniel Paul, Bob Rice, Greg Simoncini & Ed Dudley, Rev. Stan Sloan & Tom Franklin, Stewart Smith, Coco Soodek & Roxanne Saylor, Charles Stephenson, Rick Stoneham, Michael Sullivan & Mark Robertson, Max Suzenaar & John Folks, and Neal Zucker.
The Leppen Leadership Award is named for Michael A. Leppen, a visionary philanthropist and founding contributor to the About Face Youth Theatre, and is awarded annually to an individual and/or organization that has exhibited extraordinary leadership in advancing the rights of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people, with a particular emphasis on work with the GLBT youth community. Past recipients include Michael A. Leppen, GLSEN Chicago, Joe Hollendoner, PFLAG Chicago, Coalition for Education on Sexual Orientation, and The Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fund (U.S.).
Sponsors for the Wonka Ball include Douglas Kent Design, BBJ Linens, J&L Catering, Jake, Jim Cachey Real Estate, LLC, Progress Printing, Sidetrack, Phil Stefani Restaurants, Tablescapes, Food for Thought, Boystownchicago.com and ChicagoPride.com. Julie Darling, Inc. is the Event Coordinator.
VIP tickets are priced at $250, and general admission is $150. VIP’s will receive special recognition on the night of the event, as well as two tickets to this summer’s About Face Youth Theatre: The Home Project. Tickets are available by calling 773.784.8565 x111.
For more information contact 773.784.8565 x111
Related: 2004 Wonka Ball Photos
