North Shore Arts Angels to Host Alumni Benefit VIKING MASQUERS 50th ANNIVERSARY GALA, 6/15

The North Shore Arts Angels have announced that on Saturday evening June 15th, scores of alumni from North Shore High School will reunite to dust off their vocal chords for the "Viking Masquers 50th Anniversary Gala," a one night only fundraising event celebrating 50 years of musical theater on the North Shore stage. The gala, which includes an Alumni Show, a dinner with raffles and an auction, and an exhibit of a giant archive of theater memorabilia will take place at North Shore High School (450 Glen Cove Avenue, Glen Head, NY) with proceeds benefiting a special fund to revive the district's now defunct Summer Theater Workshop. Casting and special guest appearances to be announced.

Performed concert-style with an onstage orchestra, the Alumni Show will honor Masquers founders Bruce Mooney, Robert Hooban and Bennett Lentczner, a renowned music educator who will conduct an orchestra of former students for one of the show's three acts. The event marks the 50th anniversary of the Masquers first independent musical "The Boy Friend" in 1963. The director will be current Viking Masquers advisor Michael Kleba. North Shore band leader David Soto and former band director Jeremy Kempton will also conduct, and retired vocal music director Stephen Goldstein and current vocal director Michael Kerschner will prepare the vocalists. Over 120 alumni from the past five decades will spend the next six weeks working together on-stage and behind the scenes to create an unforgettable night of music and memories celebrating over a half century of Masquers history. This unprecedented fundraising event will benefit a special fund dedicated to reviving the now defunct North Shore Summer Theater Workshop, a program responsible fostering the education of numerous professionals working in television, film, theater and music today.

The Summer Theater Workshop ran for 42 years before being cut a decade ago due to budget constraints. Losing the workshop during that austerity period was partly what inspired the formation of Arts Angels, the North Shore district's booster club for the arts. "We are very good at getting the extra resources and rallying volunteers needed to enhance the district's existing programs but once arts programs are cut from the school budget, it is nearly impossible to replace them," said Rick Bloom, Arts Angels president and a co-founder. "The Summer Theater Workshop was a terrific resource for the community and a great place for kids to spend time. We are thrilled to join alumni in attempting to revive it. Students will benefit from having additional opportunities to learn all aspects of dramatic arts and the community will benefit from having local high-quality summer Theater Productions to attend."? The huge effort to behind raising the $35,000 needed to privately fund the Summer Theater Workshop demonstrates how hard it can be to replace programs once they are lost.

TICKETS - range in price from $20 to $100 with VIP level seating and tax deductible sponsorship levels available can be purchased online by visiting https://northshoreartsangels.thundertix.com/events

NORTH SHORE ARTS ANGELS - Is a fund raising and grant making organization established in 2004 by a small group of parents in the North Shore Central School District to enhance opportunities for students in the fine and performing arts. Arts Angels provides grants to teachers in the music, fine arts and theater departments to fund equipment, services and program support not covered in the school district budget. Members also volunteer their time and expertise to enrich arts programs in the district's five schools. Since its founding, membership has grown to include over 80 families and professionals who share the belief that education in the arts is essential for education.

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