Timber Lake Playhouse to roll out red carpet for creative gala

Hollywood isn’t the only place that can put on a good awards show. Timber Lake Playhouse in Mount Carroll can bring out the glitz and glam on its own red carpet.

The local theater will celebrate its talent Saturday, Aug. 24, during the annual fundraising gala. This year’s theme will give the event a celebrity “awards night” feel.

The gala, which promises a night of fun for all, will showcase what Timber Lake is all about, as well as an opportunity to meet the cast and crews of its performances.

Dan Danielowski is Timber Lake’s executive director, and one of his roles is to make sure the theater has what it needs so it’ll never have to face a final curtain call – and that includes keeping the bottom line in top shape, providing the resources and facilities for top-notch entertainment and educational offerings. The gala plays a big role in that, and he’s hoping it will raise about $90,000 this year.

Danielowski and Timber Lake’s Artistic Director Tommy Ranieri will emcee the festivities.

“It’s our biggest fundraiser event of the year,” Danielowski said. “We’ve had years where it’s been $75,000, and we’ve had years where it’s been $35,000. Right now, our No. 1 need is operating funds. Our wood costs, labor costs, food costs, everything has gone up so much, and our fundraising has not kept up with that.”

As for the red carpet theme, TLP’s gala committee, led by Laura Kashner of Lake Carroll, are the stars of that production. This year’s gala is the theater’s 17th; past themes have included a Diamond Jubilee for the theater’s 60th anniversary in 2021, as well as a Sherlock Holmes-style Baskerville theme in 2018.

Danielowski says that the gala is a great way to showcase the theater and campus, and introduce people to what’s new there. Among the improvements this year are a gift shop building and new entrance doors to the theater, and Danielowski is leading a crew working on refurbishing the back decks just in time to host the gala’s opening and closing events.

“My hope is that we have many people come to this type of event,” Danielowski said. “The people who come a lot to the shows, they’ll come because they want to get that intimate look at who the company is and get a chance to talk with them afterwards. For people who typically don’t come, I want them to come out and see what we have – really, in one night, everything. You get a chance to see what it’s like. We design the evening to make people feel really connected and have a really special relationship with the theater.”

Tickets for the gala, which include dinner, cost $75 each or $600 for a table of eight, and can be purchased at Timber Lake’s website or through its box office. In keeping with the red carpet theme, attendees are encouraged to dress up for the event in red and black.

The fun begins at 5:30 p.m. with the pre-gala party on the decks overlooking the actual Timber Lake. Guests will be treated to a red carpet experience similar to a Hollywood premiere – arriving in style, the flash of the paparazzi, being stopped for a brief moment by “entertainment reporters” for a question or two.

Following the trek down the red carpet, a cocktail hour will see guests mingle and visit with one another over hors d’oeuvres, wine and cocktails. Live entertainment will be provided on the Lake Stage. Also during the cocktail hour, guests can place bids on silent auction items – gift baskets, home decor, show tickets and more – with proceeds helping the theater’s Fund The Need initiative, which addresses immediate needs in the theater’s overall functions. The ceremony also will have a live auction for larger prizes, one of which includes an opportunity to be a performer for a day during one of its shows.

There’s more to win, too, like a Golden Ticket raffle for a $2,500 American Airlines Cruises gift certificate. Tickets cost $100, with only 300 available, and can be purchased in advance at the theater’s box office.

The gala’s next hour, starting at 6:30 p.m., transitions from a red carpet to a crimson-colored setting for dinner in the rehearsal pavilion.

At 7:30 p.m., Timber Lake’s 2025 show lineup will be revealed in the theater. The theater’s resident company will perform highlights from some of the shows from the 2024 season, paired with previews of upcoming shows and a tribute to the current season’s performers.

Finally, at 9 p.m., the gala returns to the outdoor lakeside decks for more drinks and snacks (freshly made s’mores).

The theater has been a place where several performers have honed their skills before becoming nationally known. Before she starred in “Miami Vice,” Saundra Santiago was a company member in the late 1970s, Jennifer Garner was an intern in the early 1990s, and Michael Gross, who starred opposite Michael J. Fox in “Family Ties,” performed there early in his career. The theater also has been a stepping stone for aspiring local actors, one of whom was Frank Harts of Rock Falls. Among his credits are recurring roles in “Billions,” “The Leftovers,” “The Path” and “Prodigal Son,” and parts in other series, along with roles on Broadway and in movies.

“What people enjoy about the gala is getting to meet the resident cast,” Kashner said. “They’re in four to five shows a summer, and every time you come to a new show, you’re seeing the same faces on stage; and then during the gala, you really get to see them be themselves. It’s a way to celebrate them. When they leave, they’ll go all over the country and world doing their next shows, and people love to follow them.”

The resident company includes about 40 performers, technicians and musicians comprised of both aspiring and experienced performers from throughout the nation, many of whom assist with the theater’s educational workshops when they’re not preparing and perfecting their roles or doing other duties.

During its 62 years, Timber Lake has hosted nearly 400 plays and musicals, totaling more than 4,500 different performances. In addition to theatrical performances from its resident company and education program students, it also hosts concerts, kids movie nights and other special events. The theater’s summer Mainstage Season of plays began May 30 with performances of “The Nerd,” “Footloose,” “Anything Goes” and “The Wizard of Oz,” and continues with “Clue: On Stage” from Aug. 1-11 and “Jekyll & Hyde” from Aug. 15-25.

Go to timberlakeplayhouse.org/mainstage-season-2024 for more information on each play and to purchase tickets.

Timber Lake Playhouse is at 8215 Black Oak Road, Mount Carroll.