GASLIGHT GALA 2009

2009 GASLIGHT GALA REPORT

by Carol Cavalluzzi, ASH

The third annual Gaslight Gala held at the Manhattan Club in New York City on 9 January 2009 was entitled “The Disguises of Sherlock Holmes”.  Co-Chairpersons, Carol Fish, ASH and Laurie Manifold, ASH,  provided the 80 attendees with a delightful program.  Audrey Epstein, ASH played the “Gala Overture”.  Masters of Ceremonies Drew Thomas and Cynthia Wein, ASH welcomed everyone and made introductions.  Alex Katz, one of our younger Sherlockians, opened the program with a little number called ”The Gaslight Gala-Lad” to the tune of Gilbert & Sullivan with lyrics by Warren Randall, BSI, ASH and a monologue by Ron Fish.

A quiz was concocted by Will Walsh and Bruce Aikin, M.Bt. was the winner.  Toasts by Don Hobbs (to The Old Bookseller), E.J. Wagner, ASH (Escott the Plumber), Dore Nash, ASH (The Stable Groom), and Dave Sanders, M.Bt. (The Non-Conformist Clergyman) were given before dinner.  Toasts by Mike Riezenman (The Opium User), Phillip Elliott, M.Bt. (Sigerson), and Will Walsh (The Old Bookseller) were given after dinner.  Ron Fish called the Roll of Societies; there were 34 represented, including the “national” societies of Canada, France, Germany, and England.  “Sherlock Holmes, MD” was written and portrayed by The Gaslight Players, Joanne Zahorsky-Reeves, ASH and Robert Reeves.  The skit was a witty parody on the TV series “House”.  Part of the allure of the Gala is its young Sherlockians, and what a talented group of people they are.  Tim Evers and Becky Robare, ASH brought a fresh perspective with Tim’s “Two English Speaking Persons on Holiday in Switzerland Discussing the Recent Death of Sherlock Holmes, Consulting Detective”.  Donny Zaldin presented “Sherlockian Name that Tune”, assisted by Ron Fish and Audrey Epstein on keyboards.  The groans and laughs were many as people tried to plumb Donny’s logic.

The raffle prizes were two hand-painted sweatshirts created by Cynthia Wein and won by Michael Ellis and Phillip Elliott.  Auctioneer Billy Fields worked his magic starting with a wooden box (disguised as a Holmes book), designed by Joe Coppola, BSI which was won by Jim Cox. Chrys Kegley won bookplates which will be customized for her by Laurie Manifold.  Tim Evers won an original watercolor, also by Laurie Manifold.  An Inverness cape (made and donated by Joanne Zahorsky-Reeves) was won by Bob Walters.  A sterling silver Sherlockian charm bracelet (handmade and donated by Michael Pollak, BSI), elicited the most furious series of bids, and was successfully won by Donny Zaldin.

The traditional closing song “To Holmes’ and Watson’s Time”, written by Jane Hinckley, ASH was led by Elyse Locurto, ASH and brought to an end another successful Gaslight Gala.  We look forward to next year’s Gala at the Manhattan Club.