Theatre Albany set to emerge from COVID with Cheers and Beers event
By Carlton Fletcher
[email protected]
ALBANY — OK, so you’re going to be sitting around — at home or at your favorite watering hole — on Saturday evening drinking beer anyway. Why not do it for a good cause?
Theatre Albany is preparing for its second Cheers and Beers event Saturday at Pretoria Fields Brewery, a one-of-a-kind gathering that should be right up casual adult-beverage drinkers’ alley. It gives individuals who are enjoying said beverages a chance to do something for one of the good things in this community … and not spend an extra dime.
“Theatre Albany volunteer, Leigh Ann Perry Young is contacting supporters of the theater to get everyone’s three favorite songs,” the organization’s Lon McNeil said. “They can be anything: show tunes, pop hits, country, whatever. Just songs folks like to sing along with or would want to hear. That will be her primary ‘playlist’ that Pretoria Fields will have running during the evening.
“This is designed as a gathering to say thanks to everyone that volunteers for Theatre Albany … performers, backstage crew, tech crews, board members, and all TA supporters. And the general public is welcomed. There will be a table for TA to have material, take donations, sell subscriptions, sign folks up to volunteer, check/update supporter contact info, etc.”
As for the beer drinkers who are present and that thing about not spending an extra dime? You don’t have to give any money directly to Theatre Albany to support Cheers and Beers. For every beer that Pretoria Fields sells between the hours of 5 and 9 p.m., the brewery will donate a dollar to TA.
Plus Theatre Albany beer glasses will be on sale for $5. And the popular Tailored Taterz food truck will be there to provide its famous loaded, specialty baked potatoes.
“At some point between 5 and 6, Leigh Ann or I will welcome everyone, give a brief rundown of the $1 per beer, glasses for sale, the sign up/donate table, and then introduce Nancy McClendon to give an update on where things stand with TA,” McNeil added.
McLendon, the current president of the Theatre Albany Board of Directors, will talk about the theater’s first post-COVID-19 production, “Mama Mia,” which is set for a September run (17-19 and 24-26). Auditions are scheduled for July 13-14 from 6-8 p.m.
So, enjoy your Saturday night with glasses of the best beer in town and get ready to belt out some of your favorite tunes. You can give a few bucks to the cause if you want, but just by enjoying your favorite beverages, you’ll be contributing. And if you want to sneak in a few verses of “Fernando,” “Waterloo” and “Take a Chance on Me” somewhere that’s not your shower, well, here’s your chance.
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