Fundraiser for women’s shelter hosts dinner, dance and an on-air love story
Published 11:53 am Thursday, February 8, 2018
- THE GOLDEN DAYS OF RADIO: The production “Otis Loves Olive: A Radio Story,” written by Jonathan Clayborne and Roman Leary, and performed by actors with the independent theater group Alternative Stage and dancers from Moulin Rouge de Danse, will headline a fundraiser for the coming Open Door Community Center at Fox Hollows Farms. (Daily News)
Alternative Stage, Le Moulin Rouge de Danse and Fox Hollow Farms are banding together to create an evening out for a good cause.
On April 27, Fox Hollow Farm will host dinner and the production “Otis Loves Olive: A Radio Story,” performed by independent theater group Alternative Stage as a fundraiser for Open Door Community Center, a homeless women and children’s shelter still in its planning stages.
“It’s a play within a play, set in a small-town radio station — actually in Washington, North Carolina — in 1941,” said Jonathan Clayborne, one of the play’s writers.
It’s a classic approach, Clayborne said: the radio station’s owner wants to sell the station; the on-air talent and staff are determined to put together a radio extravaganza to convince the owner to change his mind.
“Otis is the station’s janitor and jack-of-al-trades and Olive is a secretary and aspiring singer,” Clayborne said.
Rehearsals are underway: music and dance scenes starring local talent from Le Moulin Rouge de Danse, as well as some very entertaining radio skits written by Clayborne’s collaborator Roman Leary,” he said.
“Otis Loves Olive” has a cast and crew of 20 people — Michelle Lynn Pittman plays singing secretary Olive Sharp, and Victor Robert Wright plays singing radio announcer Alphonse Taylor — but along the way, the audience will be invited to cheer, dance and sometimes interact with the performers as Otis, the janitor, tries to win Olive’s heart, and the entire crew tries to save the radio station.
Clayborne said the collaboration between the theater and dance groups came when Moulin Rouge owner Shannon Reising was approached by the Open Door committee about doing a fundraiser; she, in turn, brought in Alternative Stage.
“I just happened to be writing this play, and we pitched it to the committee, and it was accepted,” Clayborne said.
The location for the play is Fox Hollow Farms, an event venue on Corsica Road in Washington. The evening starts with a wine and cheese reception, followed by a buffet dinner and “Otis Loves Olive.”
“It’s a beautiful place. It’s just going to be a very elegant evening,” Clayborne said. “I feel that tickets will go quickly because the cause is wonderful. It’s not our play that is the main factor in this, it’s that all of this is being done for homeless women and children, and you can’t get a better cause than that.”
All proceeds from the event will be donated to Open Door Community Center. Tickets are $35; or $50 each for premium seating.
More information can be found at odccwashignton.org and on Alternative Stage’s Facebook page.