EAST LANSING—Join Friends of Theatre and Friends of Turner-Dodge House for a Great Gatsby Gala, Friday, October 6, from 7:00-10:00 p.m. at the Turner-Dodge House at 100 E. North Street in Lansing. Tickets are $30 (paid at the door) but reservations are required. RSVP at www.theatre.msu.edu or by calling (517) 355-6690. Proceeds of the event will support the two non-profit organizations.

Guests will enjoy a buffet of appetizers and sweets and wine served on the mansion’s main floor, along with period jazz music provided by Beth and Al Cafagna. Step up to the grand ballroom for dancing (get your Charleston shoes on!). Cast members of The Great Gatsby, will offer a Charleston demonstration and guests can kick up their heels. The Great Gatsby is a production by the Michigan State University Department of Theatre running October 13-22 at the Pasant Theatre.  Members of the Gatsby cast will be on hand (watch for bits of action from the play!) and included in the event ticket price is a voucher for discounted tickets to MSU’s production of The Great Gatsby.

The evening will provide numerous photo opportunities and time for guests to enjoy the beauty of the Turner-Dodge House, which was built in 1858. While costumes are not required, they are encouraged and a prize will be awarded for best costume.

The event is part of several community activities related to the stage production of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s classic novel of passion and decadence in the jazz age. Other activities include community book club discussions of the novel and the Friends of Theatre Scripts Class, offered the East Lansing Prime Time. ($40 for Prime Time members; $45 for general public).
The Scripts Class will include a preliminary meeting during which the production and book will be discussed and the script to the play given to class members. A second meeting follows the production of the play at MSU, during which members of the cast and/or production crew will discuss the staged version itself. Included in the registration play is a ticket to The Great Gatsby at the performance of the individual’s choice during the two-week run. Sessions meet October 12 and 26 from 3-5 p.m. Enroll by calling (517) 337-1113 or in person at Hannah Community Center.

Friends of Theatre at MSU is a volunteer community organization that promotes the activities and productions of students enrolled in Michigan State University’s Department of Theatre and the Friends of Theatre Endowment. Friends of Turner-Dodge House are committed to supporting, both financially and in spirit, the continued restoration of the House and gardens.