OCTOBER 18, 2018 // 9
By KATHERINE LACAZE
FOR COAST WEEKEND
T
he Astor Street Opry Company
invites everyone in the commu-
nity to be an angel and come
support the organization while reigniting
the spirit of the 1950s and ’60s with an
interactive recreation of the classic tele-
vision game show “I’ve Got a Secret.”
The sixth annual Be An ASOC Angel
fundraiser is slated for Saturday, Oct. 20,
and promises a meal from Fulio’s served
on TV trays, dessert from Table 360,
live and silent auctions, and the chance
to interact with a few beloved characters
from Astor Street’s iconic melodramas,
such as “Shanghaied in Astoria.”
Replicating the format of the TV
show, the characters will share their
secrets with the audience. Four panelists
will then ask “yes” or “no” questions
to try to guess each secret, according
to Michael Desmond, the company’s
director of communication, marketing
and technology.
“The secret can be anything,” he said,
adding that guest stars are encouraged to
pick “something that is interesting but
not easy to guess.”
The panelists, who will be selected
through a drawing for which attendees
may purchase tickets, will be given
a hint to guide them in asking ques-
tions. Because the audience is in on the
secret, the questioning and guessing can
become entertaining and humorous to
watch, Desmond said.
Judith Niland, who was actively
involved with Astor Street for about
32 years and is temporarily consulting
for them after a management change,
described the game show as “sort of an
improvisational comedy,” because of the
Q-and-A format.
Each time the organization puts on
the annual fundraiser, she said, they in-
clude an entertainment piece since they
are, after all, a theater troupe. The per-
formance feature helps draw in a crowd,
and it’s “definitely ‘us,’” Niland said.
‘Angel’ investments
Before and after the live entertain-
ment, which starts at about 7 p.m., audi-
ence members can bid on silent auction
items. The live auction — featuring
Rusty House as the auctioneer — will
conclude the event.
Chuck Meyer, who created the
fundraising committee after the compa-
ny purchased the building it currently
occupies, started the Be An Angel fund-
From left: Patricia
VonVintage, Paula
Fisher, Michael
Desmond and
ChrisLynn Taylor
will be part of the
show this year at
the Be an ASOC
Angel event.
COLIN MURPHEY
PHOTO
IF YOU GO
Astor Street Opry Company’s Be An ASOC Angel fundraiser
When: Doors open 5:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 20
Where: ASOC Playhouse, 129 W. Bond St.
Admission: $25 per person or $40 for couples
For information, visit asocplay.com or call 503-325-6104. Tickets are avail-
able on the website or at the door.
raiser several years ago. Although he is
no longer on the board, he volunteered
his efforts for this year’s event. Dena
Tuveng, the sponsorship manager, is
another key organizer.
When soliciting donations for the
auctions, Meyer focuses on items that
give people experiences, such as gift
certificates to local restaurants, hotel
stays, downtown Astoria packages,
private lessons with artists, and even
services from professionals, such as
lawyers and accountants. He finds these
items are more appealing because “that
way you don’t end up taking something
home.”
The fundraiser is crucial in helping
the volunteer-based theater sustain itself.
Meyer estimated the money they bring
in from the event covers about 25 to 30
percent of the theater’s annual operating
costs.
In general, the community support
demonstrated through the fundraiser
helps keep the company running, said
Niland, who has taken on many roles
during her time with the theater and also
wrote “Scrooged in Astoria” and “Lewis
and Clark, or How the Finns Discovered
Astoria.”
“We like to call ourselves a home-
grown community theater organization,”
she said. Another aspect of the compa-
ny’s success, she added, is its inclusiv-
ity, which “gives people the chance to
explore the craft of theater without a lot
of fear or judgment.”
Because the Astor Street has operated
more than three decades, members from
multiple generations of the same family
often take part in productions, Meyer
said. Also, every show they produce is
family friendly.
“It’s a good, fun community asset,”
he said. CW