STORY AND PHOTO BY KAREN BOSSICK
Deciphering the upcoming play season of St. Thomas Playhouse won’t be as easy this year as raising a glass of champagne at the annual Girlfriend Luncheon while the roll call is read.
With the luncheon going online due to the pandemic, St. Thomas Playhouse is releasing three videos over three weeks to generate excitement for the upcoming season.
And it’s staging a scavenger-hunt-type Show Hunt for theater sleuths who would like to figure out what shows will comprise the Playhouse’s 20th season ahead of the official announcement on Sunday, Feb. 14.
St. Thomas will release its first video, a retrospective of its first 20 years complete with interviews and photos, on Monday, Feb. 1. The second, slated to be released on Monday, Feb. 8, will highlight the Bilkey Memorial Fund, which provides scholarships for children participating in theater camps.
The third video, to be released on Sunday, Feb. 14, will announce the four shows that will kick off in June 2021. And it will include performances from children and adults involved with St. Thomas Playhouse.
The Girlfriend Luncheon, the annual fundraiser for the Playhouse, will be held virtually. Supporters may purchase a digital “ticket” for $145 at https://www.stthomasplayhouse.org/2021-girlfriend-luncheon.
The ticket includes a $45 gift certificate to either the Mason Family Restaurants, which owns Ketchum Grill and Town Square Tavern, or Rasberry’s; the other $100 is tax-deductible.
Patrons may choose to forego the restaurant certificate and donate the full ticket price. Patrons are also encouraged to make a Paddle Up gift to the H. Edward Bilkey Memorial Fund.
You need not purchase a ticket to the Girlfriend Lunch to watch the videos. Those who forego the lunch may contribute to the Bilkey Memorial Fund.
“It was sad, weird not having a season this past year,” said Brett Moellenberg, who heads up the Playhouse with Sara Gorby. “We’ve watched a lot of thee kids grow up and we missed them. We have Plan A and Plan B and many variations going forward so we feel confident we can run the program, although it may look a little different this year. It will be nice to see the kids from college return with vaccinations and we’ve been watching what the schools are doing.”
Want to participate in the Show Hunt? Here are the clues, which can be found in Ketchum and Sun Valley.
Clue 1: A friend to many creeping, crawling things, this boy loves adventure and wants nothing more than to see New York City. Look in a little “village” with many windows to peek in. You’ll find him with all the play things.
Clue 2: Throw your fist up in the air and stand up for what you believe in with this pack of tough young people. Their hands may be black from the press ink, but that doesn’t stop them from raising a ruckus for the right to a living wage. You’ll find them marching across the window of our local periodical.
Clue 3: These sisters are a force of nature and took movie theaters by storm in 2013. Their bond proved to be stronger than any other. You’ll find them where magic and light explode on the screen.
Clue 4: The favorite of 12 brothers, this young man took a lot of flack from his jealous brothers. This tale may be an old one, but it’s a good one. Vibrant and full of life, you can find him smack-dab in the middle of town where he can take center stage and where you can get a cup of Joe.
Questions? Visit https://www.stthomasplayhouse.org. Or, contact Brett Moellenberg at brett@stthomassv.org.