Spotlighters Theatre Announces 2011 Audrey Herman Celebration, 11/19

The evening is a celebration of the 50th season of Spotlighters Theatre and honors Sherrionne Brown with The Audrey Herman Award, for Ms Brown's support of Spotlighters and arts & theatre in the Baltimore Community.

The celebration is Spotlighters largest fund raiser for the year, and is a chance for members and partners to share in the magic of Spotlighters.

The evening begins at 6:30pm with a reception, furnished by local Baltimore restaurants; and a Silent Auction and raffles. At 8pm guests will enjoy a performance of one of the longest running musicals in Broadway history - The Fantasticks.
During Intermission, guests may finalize their bidding on Silent Auction Items, snack on more delicious food from our local restuarants and hear announcements about future ADA renovation plans, and recognize volunteers that are crucial
to Spotlighters Theatre. The Audrey Herman Award will also be presented to Sherrionne Brown at this time.

Sherrionne Brown became involved with Spotlighters in late 1999 on a visit from Texas, her home state, to her husband, Fred, who was working temporarily in Baltimore. He had recently been cast in Come Back, Little Sheba and just for fun, Sherri went along to the first read through. The director, John Sadowsky, asked if she would fill in for a couple of missing actresses by reading their roles. "Absolutely! Playing the ingenue, which was quite a stretch, and Mrs. Coffman, the German neighbor, was a blast." states Ms. Brown. At the break, John and Maria Lakkala, who had the lead, asked if Ishe would accept the role of Mrs. Coffman. It seems she had been auditioning without realizing it! A little astounded, she said, "Yes, but I have to go back to Texas to get my stuff." Taking the script with her, she returned to Texas, packed up the house and a few weeks later, Fred and Sherrionne were on the road in a large van with all their belongings - a very icy road, as it turned out. Snow and ice storms were all across the country and the trip took twice as long as usual. Finally arriving, they pulled into the driveway of their new home, jumped in the car and went to rehearsal. As she opened the stage door, Maria, a big smile on her face, said "Welcome!!" Sherrionne was home.

In the twelve years since, she has worked at Spots continuously as an actor, scenic artist, set designer, director, sometime wall patcher, prop organizer and lobby reupholsterer. She is proud to have been part of a team headed by Roy Hammond that remodeled the backstage area. She has been privileged to act in such plays as The Importance of Being Earnest, The Foreigner, The Night of the Iguana, Veronica's Room, Hamlet and Doubt. Some directing favorites here include All My Sons, The Lion in Winter, Picnic, Gaslight, and A Streetcar Named Desire.

Ms. Brown has been fortunate to direct at other wonderful venues in the Baltimore area. These include FPCT (Three Days of Rain, Side Man, Compleat Female Stage Beauty), Vagabonds (A Doll's House, the upcoming Arsenic and Old Lace) and Cockpit in Court (Proof, Over the River) where she was also resident Scenic Artist and Production Manager for several years.

Ms Brown states that she has had the honor of working with so many talented, dedicated and hard working people who make Spotlighters and Baltimore theatre what it is, that there are just too many to name.

"Audrey, of course, died in late 1999, just after I arrived and it is my great regret that I never got to meet her. I feel her presence, most recently in the old tapes of her which my husband transferred to DVD, the fabulous stories and recollections of her friends and mostly, in the building itself. "

Spotlighters Theatre is thrilled to recognize Sherrionne Brown for her work at Spotlighters, and by her passion and love of Spotlighters, we are able to keep Audrey's dream and vision of presenting great theatre for the Baltimore commuity.

Tickets are $30 per person for the Celebration, and are available online at www.spotlighters.org.
Also, anyone who purchases their tickets before midnight, Saturday, Nov 5th will be entered in a drawing for a Barnes & Noble Nook: Simple Touch (A $185 value). With limited seating (70) the odds are great! - so don't delay, order your tickets now!

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