Published: March 26, 2008 11:24 am         

Stanford style show scheduled

The Stanford House is planning a show, but don’t expect to see a lot of lovely women on the stage.

Although there are many parts for females, all the main roles will be played by males. Eighteen men from the Gainesville area have signed on to appear in the all-male show which is scheduled to begin 7 p.m. April 4 at the Stanford House, 401 W. Garnett St.

Vernon Austin is set to supply music for the production.

The participants range in age from 18 to 80-something, said Donna Freeman, who is on the advisory board for the show and wrote the script.

The men who signed on to play roles in the show have one thing in common: they are lending their talents to a good cause.

The fund raiser did not start out as a comedy/style show.

“The first time we did this, we didn’t think about having it for a fund raiser. It was just something we did for fun, but we laughed so hard we were aching afterwards. We thought maybe it would be a good fundraiser,” Carolyn Castleberry, executive director for Stanford House Charitable Corporation said.

The center hosted the show at least six years. Guests who have seen the men cavorting in makeup, wigs and dresses say the show is ‘hilarious.’

“Some of the men really ham it up,” Castleberry said. “Others are a little shy and reserved.”

Although it is not a major fundraiser for the center the show — held each spring at the senior citizen center— is an important source of revenue for the organization which provides recreation, education and companionship for older Cooke County residents.

Freeman said Stanford House fills a niche in the community. Volunteers teach seniors skills such as line dancing, art and other pasttimes.

The organization offers a time-out program sponsored by the Gainesville Soroptimist Club to give family members of Alzheimer’s patients a safe place to leave their loved ones for a few hours.

Stanford House has game rooms for dominoes, 42 and bridge.

Each Wednesday, the center has biscuits and gravy and bingo for a small donation.

Volunteers and staff members such as Castleberry keep the senior center decorated for all seasons and holidays.

Right now, the center has gone from Easter bunnies and pastel eggs to a Hawaiian theme with leis, flowers and other tropical items on tables and walls.

Besides the show, Stanford House is also raffling away a homemade quilt. The drawing for the quilt is set for April 4, the night of the fundraiser show. Tickets are $1 each or six for $5. (The quilt would be appropriate for up to a queen sized bed, Freeman said.)

Tickets for the show are $10 for everyone and include dessert, tea and coffee.

Castleberry said the event usually sells out. She advises those who plan to attend the show to purchase their tickets in advance at the center.

She said she wishes more seniors (ages 55 and older) would utilize Stanford House.

The center fulfills the need for companionship in the lives of many senior citizens, she noted.

“That’s probably the thing I am most proud of,” she said. “It fills a void in people’s lives. It brightens their day to be around other people.”

Reporter Delania Trigg may be contacted at dtrigg@ntin.net