Member News
Bas Bleu Theatre Co. to donate ticket sales to Rist Canyon Volunteer Fire Dept. from June 28 show
Artists decide to turn own benefit night into Bleu Flame benefit for long-time partner RCVFD
Bas Bleu Theatre Company announces a benefit performance of Buffalo Gal, 7:30 p.m., Thursday, June 28. All proceeds will directly benefit our partner, the Rist Canyon Volunteer Fire Department, with which we have presented the Bleu Flame Arts Weekend of theatre, art and music.
Typically, Bas Bleu sets aside one night from each play to benefit our artists. Especially after learning that several members of RCVFD left their own homes in peril to respond to the call for help, actors and technicians voted to donate all monies received that night to this beloved mountain fire department.
In Buffalo Gal, playwright A.R. Gurney holds art-imitating-art mirror up to a local theatre company and the virtuous skirmishes required to sustain it. The play reflects on familiar themes of coming home, the shallow state of Hollywood and a Diva’s search for artistic redemption after having “gone commercial.”
Buffalo Gal stars Bas Bleu artistic director, Wendy Ishii, who co-founded Bas Bleu in 1992. Ishii can relate to her character, Amanda, who returns to her hometown of Buffalo, N.Y., to play Madame Ranevskaya in a local production of Anton Chekhov’s The Cherry Orchard. “Amanda and I both share a love of Chekhov’s plays and consider him our ‘absolute favorite playwright,’” said Ishii, who herself was inspired to take up acting after hearing a recording of Laurence Olivier’s production of Chekhov’s Uncle Vanya. Ishii, has played Madame Ranevskaya in The Cherry Orchard three times throughout her career.
The face value of each ticket purchased will be donated to RCVFD and the “bleu bucket” will be passed for patrons who wish to contribute an additional amount to the firefighters. Tickets: $22 Regular $17 Senior $12 Student $10 Youth, visit www.basbleu.org or call 970.498.8949. Buffalo Gal runs through July 8. Bas Bleu Theatre Co., 401 Pine St., Fort Collins, CO 80524.
