Stoneham Theatre's 11th Annual Lights Up! Benefit Auction Set for March 16

Stoneham Theatre raises the curtain on Season 13 with its 11th annual Lights Up! Auction on Friday, March 16 at 6:00 p.m. at the Hilton Boston/Woburn Hotel, 2 Forbes Road, Woburn.

A portion of the proceeds of the evening will support Fund-A-Need, the financial aid program of the theatre's young company, where students in grades one through 12 explore the wonders of the stage and receive training in a professional environment.

Since it was formally established in 2007, Fund-A-Need has assisted 150 students with grants ranging from 5% to 90% of tuition and fees. Last year, 31 students received some form of financial assistance. One grateful parent of a former student wrote, "Without the scholarship we received from Stoneham Theater, our daughters would not have been able to pursue their love of acting."

Typical of the correspondence from appreciative young company students is the following: "Receiving a scholarship to participate in Stoneham Theatre's summer program meant that I could continue to grow in the theater, despite extremely difficult financial times that had fallen on my family."

Andrew Sack, a 13-year old from Reading who donated a portion of his Bar Mitzvah gift money to Fund-A-Need, will be on hand at Lights Up! to tell of his own theatrical training and of the importance of financial help to aspiring actors and actresses.

When making his gift, Andrew wrote, "I have been involved with the theatre and the young company for a long time. I want other kids to have the chance to experience the great time I had even if they can't pay."

Radio news anchor Hank Morse of WTTK 96.9 FM will again be the Lights Up! auctioneer. Hank will direct the bidding on the 15 live-auction prizes that include a golfing experience at the famed Del Monte Golf Course in Monterey, CA; a New York City Broadway Adventure; a trip to the Kennedy Space Center in Florida and lunch with an astronaut; and rooftop seats and dining experience at Wrigley Field in Chicago. Over 100 silent auction items will also be available.

Matt Chapuran, Stoneham Theatre's Managing Director, said, "Lights Up! is our theatre's premier event and the official kickoff to our next season. It's become a wonderful tradition for so many of our loyal supporters who love the stage and wish to support Stoneham Theatre's mission in a generous and tangible manner. We look forward to an evening of great fun, and to seeing our friends have a chance to win some fabulous prizes."

Ticket and Sponsorship Information:

Tickets may be purchased online, by calling Kelly Gaudet at (781) 587-7901, or emailing kelly@stonehamtheatre.org.

Individual Tickets: $75.00

Table of Ten: $700

VIP Bronze Table: $1,250 (includes wine for table guests, VIP checkout for purchased items, table captain's onstage participation in unveiling of Season 13, and four tickets to any Mainstage performance)

Date: Friday, March 16, 2012
Time: 6:00 p.m.