If you recall your Thornton Wilder, you know that Our Town‘s second act ends with two sweethearts from Grover’s Corners tying the knot. Well, that inspired the folks at Zach Theatre, who are mounting Wilder’s masterpiece this spring, to provide a matrimonial boost to some homegrown George and Emily. One lucky area couple will get a complete wedding on the show’s set – and when they say “complete,” they ain’t just whistlin’ Mendelssohn. The package comes with: a rehearsal dinner for 15 at Cannoli Joe’s; $500 certificate toward the bride’s dress from Unbridaled; hair and makeup from Rae Cosmetics; floral arrangements from Just’in Blooms and Roses; personal wedding coordination by Amanda Dudley of Big Day Event Productions; local literary light Spike Gillespie to officiate; a fully decorated private event room; wedding rentals from Premiere Party Central; a custom wedding cake by Tammie Barnhill; a bride or groom’s cake by Cake, Please!; reception catering by In Good Taste Catering & Design and Fion; wedding favors from Nuptial Necessities; DJ’d music for the reception by Encore Entertainment; photography by Ron Parks Photography and Meaghan D Photography; and even thank-you notes from Dragonfly Designs. The only catches are that the wedding must take place on the production’s set in the Nowlin Studio on Toomey Road and be held during the run of the show, April 15-May 23, on a Sunday evening, a Monday or a Tuesday, or Wednesday morning or afternoon.
Anybody is eligible, but to be considered for the prize, you have to tell Zach why you deserve this wedding in a 2-minute YouTube video. But don’t dawdle: Submissions are being accepted only through this Sunday, March 28. Then visitors to Zach’s website get two weeks to vote on the entries. The winning couple will be announced on Monday, April 12. For more information, visit www.zachtheatre.org/wedding.
Full disclosure: My wife, Barbara Chisholm, will be in Zach’s Our Town, as will a number of other notable local actors, including Janelle Buchanan, Lana Dieterich, Harvey Guion, Billy Harden, Marco Perella, Scotty Roberts, and, as the Stage Manager, Jaston Williams (Greater Tuna, The Laramie Project, Tru). Artistic Director Dave Steakley directs.
This article appears in March 26 • 2010.