The event: Closing out the Auditorium Theatre’s 125th anniversary year with a grand flourish, the Royal Ballet of Great Britain pirouetted onto the stage after a 37-year absence.
City and suburban theater stalwarts held an intimate gala for 150 at the Chicago Athletic Association Hotel to welcome these old friends on June 16. At the same time, supporters said farewell and thanks to cherished colleagues as both the Auditorium’s board chairman, Mel Katten of Winnetka, and president Chuck Middleton retire from their respective posts this year.
Cause célebre: “We’re finishing up the 125th anniversary of the opening of the Auditorium Theatre (and) I’m finishing my career as chairman of the board after 13 years so it’s a pretty special evening for me,” said Katten, adding that he plans to stay on the theater’s board “as long as they’ll have me.”
Heads of the Joffrey Ballet, the Harris Theater, the Lyric Opera and the Chicago Sinfonietta were on hand to show support and even Mayor Rahm Emanuel made an appearance.
“Any opportunity that all of the arts community has to come together in support of one of the other organizations is not only helpful to all of us but also helpful for creating a very vibrant city that we all want to live in, work in and be a part of,” said Zachary Lazar of Lake Forest, chairman of the Joffrey Ballet board.
Lazar added: “To anybody living in any of the Chicago suburbs whether it is Lake Forest, Hinsdale…or wherever it may be. The more all of us in the city and the surrounding area are supportive of the arts, culture and civic (functions) in our communities, the more people want to live here, raise their families here and grow old here.”
Bottom line: The benefit raised approximately $68,000 for Auditorium Theatre programming.