Eat Your Art Out

On Thursday, June 28, Oddfellows Playhouse will be hosting a fundraising event, Food Improv: Where the Performing Arts Meets the Culinary Arts, at the Wadsworth Mansion at Long Hill Estate in Middletown, CT. This event is to raise money for scholarships and program support for the Playhouse.

  

The inspiration of this event came from the similarities between the performing arts and the culinary arts.  Both forms of art teach fundamental life skills, such as learning how to work as a team, dedication, poise under pressure, responsibility, and especially how to improvise.  Theater and food teach us about other cultures and bring people together from a variety of backgrounds.  At Oddfellows Playhouse, these are the types of essential skills being taught every day.

For the event, fifteen of the best chefs and restaurants around the state will be making tasting style dishes for guests to try.  Restaurants that will be present at the event are: The Riverhouse at Goodspeed, Miya Sushi of New Haven, Amici Italian Grill, Typhoon, The New England Emporium, ESCA, Eli Cannon’s Tap Room, It’s Only Natural Restaurant, NoRA Cupcake Company, Tschudin Chocolates & Confections, A Little Imagination Cakes, Mattabesett Canoe Club, Cold Stone Creamery of Middletown, Blackbird, and Haveli.  In addition, beverages and alcohol will be supplied from Klekolo World Coffee and Thomas Hooker Brewery. 

“A fun twist to the event,” says Elizabeth Cipollina of Durham, Co-Chair of the event, “is that each chef has picked a play title from Oddfellows’ production history as inspiration for their dish.  We thought it would be a neat way of incorporating theater into the food, while giving each chef an added culinary challenge.  We are excited to see what they come up with.  How they improvise.”   There will be also be a performance by the Traveling Circus and a short set by a local improvisational group.

“Not only are we grateful to all the restaurants, but we’ve also had amazing support from our major sponsors, Citizens Bank, Connecticut Rental Center, Centerplan Companies of Middletown, Done on the Run, VerTerra, Cardinal International, and Restaurant Equipment Paradise ” says Mary Murphy, who also Co-Chairs the event.  She goes on to say that “Each of these organizations has generously donated to Food Improv and we can’t thank them enough for all they have done.

Tickets for the event are $75 for individuals and $125 for couples.  All proceeds from your ticket will go directly to benefiting Oddfellows Playhouse.  The event runs from 6 p.m.- 9pm.  There will also be a live auction.

If you have any questions about the event, wish to make a donation, or want to purchase tickets, you can contact do that online or via email by contacting Director of Development Courtney Antonioli at 860-347-6143 or email her at courtney@oddfellows.org.