The show must – eventually – go on. In the meantime, the San Benito Stage Company is doing everything it can to keep the organization on its feet.
The latest endeavor by the local community theater organization is a Spaghetti Dinner & Auction scheduled for Aug. 29. The event will include a dinner pickup from 4:30-6 p.m. and then the online auction at 7 p.m.
That auction will take place on the stage company’s Facebook page and will include an array of donated items on which participants can bid, said Derek Barnes, president of the nonprofit group.
Residents can purchase tickets for the spaghetti dinner portion of the event on Eventbrite here or by calling (831) 636-0122. Each ticket purchased also has a chance of winning a 40-inch smart TV, Barnes said. Those tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for children and seniors.
“Like a lot of theater companies, like a lot of organizations that are nonprofit right now that are not able to provide services, we’re all economically struggling,” he said.
Funds raised from the benefit will go toward ongoing expenses such as facility rent and, if possible, scholarship efforts.
Barnes said the local Veterans of Foreign Wars organization will help with cooking of dinners, and those buying dinners can pick them up at the Veterans Memorial Building.
The idea came in response to the cancellation of the annual Casino Night due to the pandemic. The stage company witnessed how well restaurants adapted with drive-through and pickup approaches and decided to give it a try. He said Operation Freedom Paws did something similar as a fundraiser as well.
The donated items for the auction were originally planned for Casino Night, Barnes said, adding that participants in the auction can place their bids through the comment section during the Facebook Live event.
Items up for auction include baskets from Casa de Fruta and Suncoast Organic; Tourist Hat coffee items, Mars Hill coffee items and wine; stage company gift certificates, Bill’s Bullpen gift certificates and other items; Pintello Comedy tickets, Irish Whiskey and tasting box, beer, a Panera gift card and more; a John Elway autographed plaque, Kevin Durant championship plaque, San Francisco Giants’ gloves, pennants, apparel and 49ers’ items; back-to-school items, a JJ’s Burgers certificate, a Valley Pizza certificate and face masks; a Mangia gift certificate, Premiere Cinemas certificate, a DVD, wine and more; handcrafted wood items, stained glass art, a Premiere and Valley Pizza certificate and more; a virtual art part, Valley Pizza certificate, games and wine; a San Juan Oaks foursome package, rum, a phone charger and drink shaker; skin creams, various beauty products and more; handcrafted bench and coat rack, fish art and Marich items; a basket of beauty items and bracelets; kitchen items and a Rachael Ray autographed cookbook; Scheid Vineyards case of wine; two theater camp registrations, a camp sweatshirt and a Star membership.
