BY KAREN BOSSICK
Shake off the last vestiges of winter, don a mask and step into a Ridotto, or a celebration with intrigue and elegance, as part of The Spot’s first winter fundraiser.
The Venetian Masquerade Soiree to benefit The Spot theater company will be held at 6 p.m. Thursday, March 13, at the Sun Valley Culinary Institute in Ketchum.
The Culinary Institute will be decked out with masks and videos of Venetian Carnival splashed across screens. There’ll be seafood and other Venetian fare and auction packages that include a Taco & Tequila Experience for 20, a Fiamma Dinner Extravaganza hosted by “Chopped” winner Britt Rescigno and Kinsey Leodler and a four-night stay in a luxurious New York City apartment.
“It’s going to be a magical, fun event,” said The Spot’s Development Director Susan Flynt, who is co-chairing the event with Meg Vorm, a Spot board member. “Dressing up is optional, but it’s a great excuse for those who love to dress up. And there will be masks available for those who don’t have their own.”
Flynt got the idea for the event from a New Year’s Even masquerade party she had a few years ago.
“Everyone loved it, and this is going to be lovely, too. A couple members of The Spot Young Company will sing a couple songs, and a handful of company members, including Yanna Lantz, Kevin Wade and Brett Moellenberg, will provide entertainment, as well. We’ll end about 7:15 so people can go out to dinner if they want.”
The Venetian Masquerade Soiree is inspired by the Venetian Carnival held during the week leading up to Ash Wednesday. It dates back to 12th century Venice when partygoers dressed in elaborate costumes and used masks to conceal their identity and social status in a time when Venice had one of the most rigid class hierarchies in Europe.
Mask makers were revered, and they made masks out of things like porcelain and gold leaf. They hand painted them and decorated them with feathers and gems.
Today contests are even held for “la Maschera piu bella,” or “the most beautiful mask,” with fashion designers coming from around the world to judge the masks.
For tickets to Sun Valley’s version of all that, go to https://www.spotsunvalley.com/.
WHAT IS THE SPOT?
The Spot Sun Valley debuted in 2015 with “Next to Normal,” a play looking at mental illness. It has since presented a myriad of cutting edge plays, including “The Pillowman,” “The Revolutionists,” “Pass Over,” and “Assassins,” as well as some familiar musicals like “Cabaret” and “Sweeney Todd.”
Company members offer private acting and voice lessons, and they provide a tuition-free project for ninth- through 12th graders called “The Spot Young Company. The Spot Young Company most recently staged “Hadestown,” a contemporary look at a Greek tragedy.