Hi,

First congratulations. That is certainly an honor. I have two ideas for fund raisers.

 Last year we did a show with musical highlights from our last 20 years. We brought back lots of people who had originally done the music. You don't have to use the 20 year premise, but Broadway tunes always go over big. Our local symphony does a A Back To Broadway fund raiser every year also. It was simple. We contacted BMI got the rights to do the songs we wanted. We pulled together the music. We got an Emcee. Had a couple of rehearsals and it was a huge success. Sold out every night. We had a great fund raiser and the rights were around $250. It was certainly easier then putting together a full show: no props, no costumes, no big set.

When I taught high school I use to organize a talent show as fund raiser for a local charity. I had three rules for auditions. You had to be able to do what you said you where going to do.(If you were going to tap dance, you actually had to be able to tap dance.) You had to be prepared.( For example tap dancers needed to bring tap shoes and music.) It had to be appropriate. (If it would get you kicked out of class you couldn't do it or say it on stage.)   The show itself lasted no more than 2 hours, and there was one big final number. (That way no one left before the show was over.) We did it in four rehearsals: act 1, act 2, a run thru, and dress rehearsal. Over the years I have had ballet dancers, drummers, yo yo demonstrations (People still talk about that one. It was brilliant.) karate demonstrations, magicians, jugglers, tumblers, singers. I never did you use any lip sync acts. Too much real talent.

I hope you raise the money to take your trip. Good luck.

Linda