ShareAurora Borealis 2010 - the Sky was the Limit!
We lit up the night on Monday, May 3 with an evening of heavenly wining and dining at Aurora Borealis, held for the first time at the newly-renovated historic Hotel Shattuck Plaza in Berkeley. Over 200 guests attended the sold-out fundraising fête, chaired by Deborah Goodman, which raised upwards of $180,000. Funds raised at the gala event will support Aurora Theatre Company's outstanding live performances, innovative education program, and the Global Age Project new works program.
Before dining on a delectable three course meal, guests bid on over 80 silent auction offerings, including an opportunity to rock out with film and music star Kevin Costner at a Kevin Costner and Modern West concert; a VIP sit-in on the make-up "greening' of green witch Elphaba and tickets to a performance of Wicked in San Francisco; Neil LaBute (author of Fat Pig and The Shape of Things, amongst other plays) signed memorabilia; a theater excursion to Ashland and the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, and visual art items from David Lance Goines, Mark Stephen Finein, and Audrey Heller. Guests were also treated to a live performance by local singer/songwriter Nell Robinson (a.k.a. Hilary Perkins), who performed an enchanting set of Loretta Lynn and Johnny Cash tunes.
The evening concluded with a spirited live auction of exclusive items led by auctioneer Grant Snyder and actress Julia Brothers, including an enchanting holiday stay on New York City’s Upper East Side; an authentic Parisian Salon hosted by Aurora’s own resident Julia Child, Board President Ellen Levine, with special guest Artistic Director Tom Ross; a stay at a charming English country cottage in Kent; and a priceless lunch with Oliver Williamson, the 2009 Nobel Prize Winner of Economics.
Raffle winners Carol and Joe Neil will experience the Aloha spirit as they relax for seven days in exotic Maui (with 50,000 United Airlines travel miles to help get them there).
Ginger & Moshe Alafi capped off the festivities with a $25,000 challenge grant from the Alafi Family Fund, which was more than matched by the end of the evening.
A great time was had by all. It was truly a night to remember. Stay tuned for news about next year’s event!
Theatre producer Jonathan Reinis and wife Hilary Reinis (Aurora Board Member)
Nell Robinson (a.k.a. Hilary Perkins) performs with her band for guests
at Aurora Borealis
Actress Julia Brothers (who was featured in Aurora’s World Premiere of
The First Grade this season) and Artistic Director Tom Ross
l-r, Aurora Managing Director Julie Saltzman, Event Chair Deborah Goodman,
and Board President Ellen Levine
l-r, Aurora theater artists Mark Jackson and Beth Wilmurt
chat with Board member Bob Hetler
Aurora Borealis Special Thanks
Event Chair:
- Deborah Goodman
Committee Members:
- Deborah Banks
- Sabrina Fadial
- Sara Knight
- Ellen Levine
- Darrell Louie
- Wendy Markel
- Darra Messing
- Hillary Reinis
- Leigh Robinson
- Sherry Smith
- Lisa Taylor
- Anita Thede
Host Committee Members:
- Ginger & Moshe Alafi
- Elizabeth Burwell
- George Beier & John Caner
- Joy & Jerry Carlin
- Venus & Narsai David
- Mayhill & Jim Fowler
- Stacie Burks-Garcia
- Judith & Alex Glass
- Trish & Tony Hawthorne
- Zandra LeDuff
- Kit & Hayne Leland
- Rebecca Martinez
- Karen & Gary Messing
- Helen & John Meyer
- Carol & Joe Neil
- Janet & Norman Pease
- Debra Silver
- Cindy & Stephen Snow
- Muffy & Harry Thorne
- Emily & Bob Warden
- Carolyn J. Weinberger
- Evie & Gordon Wozniak
- Alison Teeman & Michael Yovino-Young
Table Sponsors:
- Gail & Bob Hetler
- Deborah & Howard Goodman
- Ellen & Barry Levine
- Hillary & Jonathan Reinis
- Leigh & Ivy Robinson
Event Sponsors:
Red Wine Sponsors:
Michel & Grace de Latour
Steven & Linda Wolan
White Wine Sponsor:
Sparkling Wine Sponsor:
Floral Sponsor:
In-kind Donors:
Adobe Road Winery
Alison Teeman & Michael Yovino-Young
Alvin Ailey Dance Foundation
Angels Inn Motel
Anonymous (3)
Asian Art Museum
Audrey Heller
B.R. Cohn Winery
Barbara Anderson
Bay Area Discovery Museum
Bay City Bike
Bellanico Restaurant & Wine Bar
Berkeley Opera
Berkeley Repertory Theatre
Berkeley Symphony Orchestra
Bette's Oceanview Diner
Bistro Liaison
Blackhawk Museum
Bobby G's Pizzeria
Bosko's Picture Framing
Café Aquarius
Café Fanny / Picante
Calaveras Winegrape Alliance
California Shakespeare Festival
Candy Hisert
Carol & Joe Neil
Castello di Amorosa
Charles M. Schulz Museum
& Research
Center
Christine Avakoff, M.D.
Chronicle Books
Chuck Johnson & Kathy Pickup
Cindy & Stephen Snow
Citizen Canine
Clos Pegase Winery
Danielle Reinis
Darrell Louie & Paul Templeton
David Goines
Deborah & Howard Goodman
Dennis Lee
Disney Theatrical Group
Elizabeth Burwell
Elizabeth Colton
Ellen & Barry Levine
Erica Lewis-Finein & Mark Stephen Finein
Exploratorium
Fenton's Creamery
Flora Restaurant & Bar
Fred & Alice Feller
Gail & Bob Hetler
Gary & Karen Messing
Hafner Vineyard
Hotel Shattuck Plaza
iFly SF Bay
Ironstone Vineyards Winery
Italian Colors
Jason Crethar & Larissa Roesch
JC Cellars
Jim & Mayhill Fowler
Joel Altman
Joy & Jerry Carlin
Julie Saltzman
Kevin Costner
La Mediterranee
La Note Restaurant
La Rose Bistro
Leigh & Ivy Robinson
Lisa & James Taylor
Manhattan Theatre Club
Margaretta Mitchell
Marin Theatre Company
Mark Jackson & Beth Wilmurt
Markham Vineyards
Merola Opera Program
Michael Rosen
Moshin Winery
Mt. Ashland Inn
Muffy & Harold Thorne
Murphys Inn
Nan Phelps Photography
Nancy & Tom Lehrkind
Navarro Vineyards
Neil LaBute
New England Antiques
North Coast Brewing Co., Inc.
Oakland East Bay Symphony
O'Brien Estate Winery
Oliver & Dolores Williamson
Oregon Shakespeare Festival
Pacific Coast Brewing Company
Pacific Mozart Ensemble
Parties That Cook
Patsy Garlan & Julie Bloomfield
Pauline Robertson
Peets Coffee & Tea
Playland-Not-at-the-Beach
Poulet
Ravenswood Winery
Rick & Ann's Restaurant
Ricochet Ridge Ranch
Robin Stanton & Holli Hornlien
Robert Reich
Roundabout Theatre Company
Rick Saltzman
San Francisco Jewish Film Festival
San Francisco Museum of Modern Art
San Francisco Opera
Sara P. Knight
Shotgun Players
Skip Battle & Hillary Perkins
Smuin Ballet
Steven & Linda Wolan
Storey Framing
Tahoe Maritime Museum
The Berkeley City Club
The Chanric Inn
The Sterling Trio
Todd S. Ewing
Tom Ross
Trish & Tony Hawthorne
Trahan Winery
Twisted Oak Winery
Valley of the Moon Winery
Wendy & Mason Willrich
Whole Foods Market
Wicked SF
