Telluride Theatre’s show-stopping Gala, which takes place Saturday at 6 p.m. in Mountain Village, is one of the most talked-about parties of the summer. And, as is Telluride Theatre tradition, it starts as a secret, one that is revealed only once tickets are purchased. If you’re lucky, you’ll be able to snatch up the last few tickets remaining for this stellar event.
The glittering night includes dinner, cocktails, live music, immersive art, and of course, experiential theater. The night is billed as “a summer party to end all parties,” and for the past five years the gala has more than lived up to that reputation. Each year a new theme is chosen, and the night unfolds incorporating it into every aspect of the experience. Past themes have been Alice in Wonderland, Harry Potter, The Trip and Mountaintop Bigtop.
Telluride Theatre’s Artistic Director Sasha Cucciniello and board president Ashley Story have worked together to build the event over the last few years.
“I wanted to do something totally different for 2022 and was inspired by the space we chose,” she said. “This may be the weirdest, most fun Gala yet. I am so excited to share what we are rehearsing. Ashley and I have built this into a major fundraiser for Telluride Theatre, but we also love it as the truly special event it has become. I treat it as its own show and plan everything to give our audience an incredible night, a true immersive theatrical experience.”
The secret theme is the launchpad for the overall experience.
“The secret theme allows us to be super creative and fully surprise our guests with a totally different unique experience each year,” Cucciniello said.
For the first time, the event will take place in Mountain Village, thanks to a generous grant from Telluride Mountain Village Owners Association (TMVOA).
“We have never done the Gala in the Town of Mountain Village. I am so excited to have an accessible space and to work together with TMVOA to make it happen,” Cucciniello said. “TMVOA has been so amazing to Telluride Theatre in 2022. We received a grant to make the Gala possible to offset the rental of the Conference Center. They also gave us a grant to produce children’s theatre in August at the Mountain Village Market on the Plaza.”
More than 30 people within the Telluride Theatre community take part in staging the massive event, from the earliest planning stages to performing, to corralling choice auction items. This year’s auction organizers honed in on not stuff, but experiences.
“This year we did a smaller, more curated auction that is focused on experiences,” Cucciniello said. “We put together a few that are so cool and truly once in a lifetime. But most of our fundraising from the night comes from the paddle raise where guests just donate to Telluride Theatre’s mission. Their generosity is what keeps us going and growing and we are so grateful to our community for their support.”
And when it comes to entertainment, well, these are theatre kids. The show, Cucciniello said, incorporates dance, music, performance, visual art and improv.
“The performers at this year’s gala run the gambit, and we truly have a little bit of everything peppered throughout the night. It’s definitely fun, beautiful and just the right amount of weird.”
The money raised is poured back into Telluride Theatre’s work, theatre that the nonprofit’s leaders said is “your theatre — for and by our community.” The Gala’s fundraising muscle has become a significant portion of the company’s annual budget.
“The Gala has become Telluride Theatre’s biggest fundraiser,” Cucciniello said. “The success of this event allows us to continue the work we do within our community. Telluride Theatre is home to over 100 local artists, has an education program that brings learning experiences to children and adults throughout the year and produces six mainstage shows and countless other events year-round, many in collaboration with other nonprofits and businesses.”
As of press time Tuesday, there were still a handful of tickets available for the Gala. Get in on the secret at telluridetheatre.org.
