Music club plans opera brunch; Stage Crafters doing drawdown

Everyone is hurting for money these days, and arts groups are no exception.

In fact, because they’re often considered “luxuries,” they’re usually among the first to feel the hurt.

Many who are struggling financially are trying to raise funds with events and activities that they hope will appeal to the public.

Among them is Stage Crafters Community Theatre Inc., which begins its 38th season in March with the comedy “Sex Please, We’re Sixty.” Before then, however, the not-for-profit organization is holding an Annual Drawdown Cash Giveaway on Feb. 27.

The event is scheduled for 6-11 p.m. at the Elks Lodge on Okaloosa Island. It will include door prizes, a silent auction, dinner buffet for two and a cash bar.

A drawdown is a popular fund-raising technique used by many groups. Numbered fundraising tickets are sold to patrons and then drawn throughout the event.

The final ticket drawn that night will win its holder a cash prize of $10,000, which is based on a maximum of 500 tickets sold. Tickets are $100 each and include admission to the event, dinner for two and the chance to win the big prize.

To get tickets, send your name, address, daytime phone number, number of tickets you want along with a check for the appropriate amount made out to Stage Crafters Community Theatre Inc. to: Stage Crafters Community Theatre Inc., c/o Denis Milonas – Committee Chairman, P.O. Box 1749, Fort Walton Beach, FL 32549-1749.

You also may call Denis, who is a Stage Crafters veteran, at 850-240-8422.

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The Choctaw Bay Music Club has composed a fundraising event that was a huge success last year, and organizers have hopes for this year as well.

It’s their annual Opera Brunch, scheduled for 1:30 p.m. Feb. 28 in the Niceville Community Center at 208 N. Partin Drive. Big City American Bistro will cater the brunch.

Mascagni’s “Cavalleria Rusticana” and Leoncavallo’s “Pagliacci” will be the subjects of this eighth opera brunch. Local soprano MaryAnn Friedman and the Pensacola Opera Singers will explore the plot and preview the music of the two operas.

The event is held in advance of Pensacola Opera’s performances in March.

Tickets are $20 for adults and $15 for students. They are available at Playground Music and P.S. Gifts in Fort Walton Beach, Bayou Books in Niceville and Navarre Healing Arts in Navarre.

Call Karen LeGrand at 664-6569 or e-mail ChoctawBayMusic@aol.com.

Proceeds benefit the Choctaw Bay Music Memorial Scholarship Fund.

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I enjoyed most of the Grammy show last Sunday, and I’m really looking forward now to the Oscars on March 7.

The nominees were announced Tuesday.

I’m thrilled that Sandra Bullock received a nod for Best Actress. I love her in general, and she was amazing in “The Blind Side” specifically.

Meryl Streep was good, too, in “Julie and Julia,” but I’ll be pulling for Sandy.

The 10 nominees for Best Picture all seem deserving as well (I haven’t seen all 10 yet). So, maybe doubling the number from five was a good thing, at least this year.

Can’t wait to see how Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin do as co-hosts. A couple of TV commercials that started running after the nominations came out are amusing.