On October 29, Ensemble Theatre Company (ETC) threw a “spirited benefit bash,” Ghost Light Night, to raise funds for its performances and for its education outreach programming.
The evening began at ETC’s home, the New Vic, for a lovely reception, with some guests’ cocktail attire cleverly embellished with Halloween-inspired accoutrements. Guests then filed into the theater for an entertaining concert presentation of a Twilight Zone episode with the X-Files creator, Chris Carter, actor Gregory Harrison, ETC boardmember Dana White, and others.
“Act II” of the evening was an elegant dinner party at the Wine Cask, starting in the courtyard with cocktails and a paddle raise by the ubiquitous and entertaining Geoff Green. A gourmet three-course meal followed, with the 150 guests divided up into the main dining room and the equally refined wine library. While generous sponsorships, the paddle raise, and the $500 tickets allowed ETC to net about $160,000 from the event, the absence of other fundraiser staples such as speeches, videos, and auctions made the evening feel more like a large, festive dinner party than a traditional fundraiser.