Peterborough Players Hosts 24th Annual Gala and Auction, 11/3

The Peterborough Players will hold its biggest fundraising event of the year – their 24th Annual Gala & Auction: Denim and Diamonds on Saturday, Nov. 3rd at 5:30 p.m.

The nonprofit professional theatre is beautifully decorated for the evening and becomes a fun-filled auction arena, with a Silent Auction of 75 items, a Raffle for a 1.25 carat diamond, and a Live Auction hosted by Peterborough auctioneer Charlie Cobb. Hearty gourmet hors d'oeuvres from Sage with Thyme Catering, decadent desserts provided by Sunflowers Restaurant and Catering, an open bar all evening, and live entertainment round out the enjoyment of the Gala & Auction. Tickets to the fundraiser are $75/person, through the Box Office: (603) 924-7585.

Broadway husband-and-wife duo, Beverly and Kirby Ward, who performed in I Do! I Do! this past season at The Players, will be part of the entertainment along with Ellen Mandel on piano and Kraig Swartz as master of ceremonies.

A highlight of the evening will be the raffle drawing of a sparking 1.25 carat, round brilliant cut, VS1 clarity, H color diamond valued at $12,000. Raffle tickets are $25 and can be purchased through November 2 at Hobbs Jewelers in Depot Square, Peterborough; at The Players box office; online (www.PeterboroughPlayers.org), or by phone (924-7585). Raffle tickets will also be sold at the auction up until shortly before the drawing.

Auction items include locally prepared fabulous themed dinners (e.g., a Tuscan dinner for 6, a Moroccan or Spanish Dinner for 8); premium Red Sox and Celtics tickets; a 5-course tasting menu dinner for 8 with wine at Waterhouse Restaurant; a cooking class and wine-tasting for 10-12 people at Pearl Restaurant and Oyster Bar; tickets to musical and theatrical events; gift certificates to area establishments, signature jewelry; clothing, to name just some of the items. There are also trips to great destinations including a week in the English countryside, a week at a farmhouse in the Aurunci Mountains of Italy; seven days on Golden Pond (Squam Lake), 2 Nights at the Fairmont Le Chateau Frontenac in Quebec City, 3 nights at the deluxe Charleston Place Hotel in South Carolina, and lots more. Auction items are listed on The Players' website: www.PeterboroughPlayers.org.

The community shows its support of the area's 79-year old nonprofit theatre by pulling together in so many ways for this fundraising event: many local retail establishments and individuals donate goods and services to the auction, and a team of volunteers work hard not only on the night of the event, but for a large part of the year, to make sure the event will be fun-filled and successful. For those unable to come to the event, but who would still like to bid on items, left and call-in bids will be accepted and can be arranged by calling the Box Office (603) 924-7585, or by emailing contact information to: info@peterboroughplayers.org.

The Peterborough Players, a not-for-profit 501(c)3 organization, has been providing professional theatre to audiences since 1933. Peterborough Players, PO Box 118, 55 Hadley Road, Peterborough, NH 03458, (603) 924-9344, www.peterboroughplayers.org. The Peterborough Players is sponsored in part by the New Hampshire State Council on the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts and the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation-Monadnock Region.