GASLIGHT GALA 2008

2008 GASLIGHT GALA REPORT

by Elaine Coppola

published in The Baker Street Journal

The second annual Gaslight Gala was held at the Manhattan Club on Friday, January 11, 2008.  This year’s Gala theme was “Damsels in Distress” and co-chairpersons Carol Fish and Laurie Fraser Manifold planned the evening full of toasts, skits, and other entertaining Sherlockian pursuits introduced by Masters of Ceremonies Cynthia Wein and Drew Thomas.

After a social hour, the program began with “The Gaslight Damsels” (lyrics by Warren Randall) sung to the tune of “Ta Ra Ra Boom De Ay” (music by Morton & Asher) by Carol Fish, Alex Katz, Elyse Locurto, Laurie Fraser Manifold, Drew Thomas, and Cynthia Wein and accompanied on the piano by Audrey Epstein, Gala Music Director.

Toasts (interspersed with dinner) were given by Sandy Kozinn (Kitty Winter), Will Walsh (Sherlock Holmes), Elaine Coppola (Julia Stoner), Jacquelynn Morris (Violet Smith), and Carol Cavalluzzi (Elsie Cubitt).  Special awards were presented: to Joe Coppola, to the Manhattan Club, and to Sandy Kozinn for their contributions to the Bash and the Gala.  Ron Fish read the Roll of the Societies with members present (39 scions or societies, including BSI, ASH, Bootmakers of Toronto). 

The crowd was delightfully entertained by “The Singular Adventures of Carnac the Magnificent,” written by and starring Donny Zaldin with Ron Fish and Peggy Perdue; “That was no Lady…That was my Watson!” written by Warren Randall and starring Joanne Zahorsky-Reeves, Robert Reeves, and Audrey Epstein;  “The Forgotten Damsel,” written by Timothy Evers and starring Timothy Evers, Becky Robare, and Lyndsey Faye; and “The Great Whimsical Sherlockian Tour of Oklahoma and Texas,” a video by Don Hobbs.

Philip Elliott was the lucky raffle winner of Cynthia Wein’s hand-painted “Damsels in Distress” sweatshirt.  Billy Fields, with Carol Fish as assistant, exuberantly auctioned off

“Clues in the Calico” quilt (made and donated by Catalina Hannan) to Dore Nash; “Damsels in Distress” wood clock/sculpture (made and donated by Joe Coppola) to Ron Fish; miniature Holmes and Watson shadow box (made by John Hannan and donated by Catalina Hannan) and original paintings of Holmes and of Watson (by Kay Castilla and donated by Bob and Terry Thomalen) to Donny Zaldin; Sherlock Holmes flag (made and donated by Joanne Zahorsky-Reeves) to Jim Cox;  “Damsels in Distress” acrylic on canvas poster (made and donated by Laurie Manifold) to Maribeau Briggs; signed copy of “Investigating Chicago: Putting the Great Sherlock Holmes to Work” (written and donated by Patricia Nowak Izban & Donald B. Izban and especially notable for having been signed by Don with his left hand, due to a broken right arm) to Philip Elliott; and a customized magazine cover with her picture and Canonical characters of her choice (to be draw and donated by Laurie Manifold) to P.J. Doyle.

The evening of Sherlockian camaraderie and amusements ended with the singing of the traditional closing song, “To Holmes and Watson’s Time.”

WHODUNIT

Elaine Coppola has been an active member of the Mycroft Holmes Society of Syracuse, NY since 1986.  One of the Society's quizmasters, she also serves as associate editor for the Mycroft Holmes Society Press.