Greetings, Natchez and the Miss-Lou!

Natchez Little Theatre’s ninth annual Standing Ovation Awards, celebrating the volunteers and seven productions of the 64th season will be at 6 Saturday evening at the Natchez Little Theatre at 319 Linton Ave. at Maple Street in historic Natchez.

The gala is a fundraiser for Natchez Little Theatre and your last opportunity to join Mississippi’s oldest community theater for the 65th season. Natchez Little Theatre is a non-profit organization and has been entertaining the area since 1932.

Each year delicious hors d’oeuvres donated by local chefs, restaurants and caterers, wine, champagne, a silent auction, live entertainment celebrating the hits of the 64th season’s outstanding musicals and a sneak preview of the upcoming 65th season’s musicals as well as the awards ceremonies, make a memorable evening of friends, fun, food and music. Rusty Jenkins, will once again serve as the master of ceremonies for the gala evening with the ever lovely Lynn Mann, NLT vice president of production as his able assistant.

Entertainment will feature Gabrielle Richardson, Thea Shelton, Lou Ellen Stout, Arden McMillin, Julie Emerick, Bo Allen, Katie Sanderson and Judy Wiggins from “Hairspray;” Jaelin Jones, Patricia Ware and Thea Shelton from “Mississippi Medicine Show;” Lou Ellen Stout from “Sordid Lives;” numbers from “A Natchez Christmas Carol;” “Annie;” and some of the youth participants in NLT’s 2012 Summer Youth Workshop singing “Pure Imagination.”

The winners of 24 awards are determined by eligible members and sponsors of Natchez Little Theatre who have attended all of the season’s seven productions.

The nominees are selected from all the participants of NLT’s 64th Season productions: “Hairspray,” “Mississippi Medicine Show,” “Othello,” “A Natchez Christmas Carol,” “Sordid Lives,” “Southern Exposure” and “The Rivals.”

Natchez Little Theatre would like to thank the many businesses and organizations who have supported NLT financially over the past season.

Their support makes possible the many youth programs and performances offered for more than 9,000 students from Mississippi and Louisiana throughout the year as well as the benefit fund-raising performances for other local non-profit organizations.

NLT’s 64th season was partially funded by the Mississippi Arts Commission, a state agency, and the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency.

We hope you will come enjoy the food, fellowship and entertainment at Natchez Little Theatre’s ninth annual Standing Ovation Awards Gala on Saturday and celebrate Natchez’s leading tourist attraction as well as the near 200 volunteers who put in more than 100 hours of community service per show to entertain you and the guests who visit our historic city.

All tickets are $15 and remember this is a fundraiser, so bring your checkbook, Visa or MasterCard and come prepared to bid on some exciting and creative silent auction items and renew or join Natchez Little Theatre as it celebrates its 80th year of entertainment.

Season memberships will not be available after this event.

Reservations for the gala may be made by calling 601-442-2233, toll free at 1-877-440-2233, or purchase tickets, memberships & sponsorships online at www.natcheztheatre.org.

I hope to see you at NLT.

 

Layne Taylor is the artistic and executive director of the Natchez Little Theatre.