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Performing arts lovers turn out for downtown theater
Guests mingle in the lobby of the Fairfield Performing Arts Center during the March the Red Carpet Night, Sunday. The event included a medley of performances from local theater groups as well as a silent and live auction. (Adam Smith/Daily Republic)
FAIRFIELD — Nearly 200 performing arts supporters turned out Sunday to see samples of local shows and to boost music and theater in downtown Fairfield.
The night began with a buffet hosted by several area restaurants such as Favela’s Fusion and the Athenian Grill. There was also a raffle for baskets and services donated from a host of businesses and vineyards.
Guests were then treated to a sold-out evening of musical performances that included the Solano Winds, North Bay Opera, and MST Youth followed by a series of musical scenes from the upcoming Missouri Street Theatre performances “Damn Yankees,” “Les Miserables” and “Shrek the Musical.”
March the Red Carpet Night was the inaugural event in a campaign to help the Downtown Theater Foundation for the Arts nonprofit raise money to support the performing arts scene.
“This is to help keep the doors open,” said Pam Spering, co-founder of the Missouri Street Theatre and one of those organizing the event.
Sunday’s event follows last year’s agreement between the city of Fairfield and the foundation to hold more performances at the downtown Fairfield center.
The fundraiser was described as an inaugural event with plans to stage a more family oriented fundraiser this summer to continue to raise money and to get the word out to the community about the foundation’s activities.
“The main goal is to keep the theater open and also to make it affordable to the community and performers,” Spering said.
Fairfield Mayor Harry Price called the inaugural event “the beginning of something wonderful” and pointed out that patrons had come from all over the county to give the Fairfield/Suisun City arts community a good boost.
“It is obvious that the community is behind the arts theater,” said Alvina Sheeley, one of the guests. “This is very important because what is a community without the arts? This helps us identify who we are.”
Sasha Craig was there to support the foundation and to see her son, John Craig, perform as a member of Missouri Street Theatre Youth.
“I absolutely love this,” Craig said. “This is supporting the arts and it is absolutely incredible support to help the youth grow.”
Reach Ian Thompson at 427-6976 or ithompson@dailyrepublic.net. Follow him on Twitter at www.twitter.com/ithompsondr.
Ian Thompson
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