Arty Party at UA President’s Mansion to Benefit Arts Programs

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The Arty Party, a lively spring evening of dinner and theatre at The University of Alabama, will be held Saturday, April 24 at 5 p.m. at the President’s Mansion on the UA campus. A “big top” tent (on the President’s Mansion lawn) decorated with scenes from UA theatre productions will set the stage for the event which will raise funds for theatre scholarships and celebrate the Capstone’s fine and performing arts programs.

UA President and Mrs. Robert E. Witt will welcome guests of The Arty Party to the Mansion lawn for a reception and dinner followed by a performance of the great comedy, “The Rivals,” presented at 7:30 p.m. at the Marian Gallaway Theatre.

The event is sponsored by the College of Arts and Sciences Leadership Board. Co-chairs of the board’s Fine Arts Committee are Barbara Stone of Birmingham and Stella Moore of Tuscaloosa.

Each year, The Arty Party showcases one of the College of Arts and Sciences five fine and performing arts programs: art, creative writing, dance, music and theatre. This year, the spotlight is on theatre. Proceeds from this year’s Arty Party will be divided to support scholarships for undergraduate theatre students and educational needs in the other four fine and performing arts programs in UA’s College of Arts and Sciences.

“We are so proud of the College of Arts and Sciences department of theatre and dance. With more than a century of productions and as home to the only graduate program in theatre in the state, it is one of the best in the region,” said Stone.

“Our goal for The Arty Party is to raise funds for full-tuition scholarships, a critical need for this fine program, and to support all arts programs at UA,” she said.

Individual tickets may be purchased for $100. Other opportunities for participation include Scholarship Benefactor for $2,500, Sponsor for $1,000, and Patron for $150, and each includes recognition in the program All tickets include top seats in the house for “The Rivals” and a private “Meet the Cast” reception following the performance. Tickets may be purchased by phoning 1-800-365-2302.

A shuttle from Birmingham for benefactor and table sponsor guests will depart from The Riverchase Galleria, Parisian entrance, at 3:45 p.m. and return at the end of the evening.

“The Rivals” is a delightfully fast paced comedy of manners that highlights the ridiculous lengths to which people will go in their pursuit of love. Considered one of the greatest plays of the 18th century, “The Rivals” is a precursor to the witty plays of Oscar Wilde and Noel Coward, and it continues to captivate audiences with its hilarious characters including the infamous Mrs. Malaprop, Captain Jack Absolute and Lydia Languish. Mistaken identities, duels, and foiled elopements provide the playground for a plethora of outrageous characters.

“We’re planning a really fun and relaxed evening of good food, good friends, and great theatre, all to benefit our wonderful arts students. Benefactor and table sponsorships are still available,” said Stone.

Members of the Leadership Board Fine Arts Committee include Ann Jones, Marsha Aldridge King, Margaret Livingston, Helen Mills and Patricia Noble, all of Birmingham; Cissy Fuhrman, Jan Mize, Melody Nix, Claire Black Wilson and Anne Witt of Tuscaloosa; Beverly Davis, Susan Helmsing, Nan Lauten and Austill Lott of Mobile; Carla Simmons of Jasper; Katie Mitchell of Decatur; Larry Morris of Alexander City; and William Price of Amarillo, Texas.
The Leadership Board consists of approximately 90 alumni and friends who support the College through their membership on the board.

The College of Arts and Sciences is the University’s largest division and the largest public liberal arts college in the state, with approximately 5,500 undergraduates and 1,000 graduate students.

The department of theatre and dance has approximately 95 undergraduate theatre or dance majors and a comprehensive graduate program with concentrations in acting pedagogy, professional actor training, costume design and production, scene design/technical production, directing, stage management and theatre management/arts administration.

The College has received national recognition for academic excellence, and the College’s students have been selected for many of the nation’s top academic honors, including 13 Rhodes Scholarships, 14 Goldwater Scholarships, seven Truman Scholarships, and 15 memberships on USA Today’s Academic All-American teams.