Baltimore21201.Com - The Blog

Meet Betty White in NYC? Yes, You Can!

The Friars Club is involved. That means it's going to be a bawdy, no-holds-barred evening. Stevedores will blush like girls at their first prom. It'll cost you a few bucks, but it's for a great cause. (And think about it, face time with Betty White is priceless.) 

                          Betty White via CharityBuzz.Com

Here's the scoop from Charity Buzz:

Bid now on 2 tickets to the Friars Club Roast of Betty White on May 16, 2012 plus meet the funny lady herself. The event will be held at the Sheraton Hotel in NYC.

Terms: Valid for 2 people on May 16, 2012 only. Cannot be resold or re-auctioned. Travel and accommodations are not included.

Donated by: The Friars Club and the one-and-only Betty White

The proceeds for this item benefit The RFK Center for Justice and Human Rights.
Learn more about 2012 RFK Center Spring Auction.

All of the details are available on the Charity Buzz website. If you bid, let me know and I'll follow you and cover your antics all the way to you meeting the gal who's Hot in Cleveland.

MECU Neighborhood Grants - Official Information and Application

                        MECU - Neighborhood Event Grants

Does your community dream of organizing a project like a street festival, flea market, health fair or block party?

If so, then help is here. The MECU Neighborhood Event Grants program distributes funds to qualified neighborhood associations and community-based, nonprofit groups for the purpose of strengthening neighborhoods through producing special events.

All applications are judged by a selection committee based on the clarity, design, readiness, value, commitment and urgency of the project or event.

After selections have been made letters are sent along with an agreement that must be carefully read, signed and returned to the Baltimore Office of Promotion & The Arts, Inc. The letter also informs selected organizations of a workshop, which must be attended by at least one representative.

APPLICATION DEADLINE: Friday, March 30, 2012
Click here for the MECU Neighborhood Event Grants Application.

NOTE: After downloading application (Word format), please fill out all fields and save changes; thereafter, e-mail, fax or mail application with supporting documentation.  For assistance, please contact Tara Tharrington at 410-752-8632 or TTharrington@promotionandarts.com.

Events Mandatory Workshop
Saturday, April 21, 2012: 10am – 12:30pm
MECU main office
7 E. Redwood Street, 20th floor
Baltimore, Maryland 21202

For more information on the MECU Neighborhood Event Grants, call 410-752-8632.

Sponsored by: MECU - Baltimore's Credit Union

Tickets for Super Bowl XLVI - Available and Expensive, but for a Very Good Cause

                        Super Bowl XLVI - Incianapolis 2012

Here are the details from my friends at Charity Buzz —

You and a guest will be a part of the biggest game of the year when you attend the 2012 Super Bowl XLVI on February 5 in Indianapolis, Indiana.

This package includes:

• 2 Tickets to the Super Bowl on Sunday, February 5, located at the West Gate, section: 236, Row: 13, and Seats 9 & 10
• 2 Tickets to the Taste of the NFL Party on Saturday, February 4 at the Gleaners Food Bank of Indiana including a performance by country singer, Sara Evans
• The opportunity to meet NFL Hall of Famers at the Taste of the NFL Party
• Signed picture from NFL Hall of Famer, Joe DeLamielleure

About the Taste of the NFL:

Since 1992, the Taste of the NFL has rallied the country's top chefs and the NFL's greatest to raise money in support of food banks throughout the United States. Held on the eve of Super Bowl, this event is a unique way to experience exceptional cuisine, meet NFL players and coaches, and support our fight against hunger.

The proceeds for this item benefit The City of Children Orphanage

Terms: The doors open to the Taste of the NFL Party at 7:00 pm on Saturday, February 4, 2012. 2 Tickets to the Super Bowl on February 5, 2012 located in section: 236, Row: 13, and Seats 9 & 10. Cannot be resold or re-auctioned. Travel and accommodations are not included.

Donated by: CRCF Shinsky Orphanage

Visit Charity Buzz for additional details and to bid on this Super Bowl Package.

'Have a Very Merry Christmas' - from Stephen Brockelman & Jacob Bouknight

                          Our Holiday Greeting for 2011

After your packages have been opened, after your dinner has been devoured, and after your wrapping paper has been tossed...

Sit down and take a deep breath, take a quiet moment to remember one of the very best gifts on Earth: Your Friends.

Jacob and I do. We remember all of you. Every single year.

Merry Christmas, everyone!

The Best Christmas Gift Ever: Freedom and Security. Let's All Say, "Thanks."

Our troops give us the gift of freedom and security. It's important that we remember our troops every day. It's even more important that we remember them during the Holidays.

You won't see a photo of our troops celebrating Christmas captured on a Currier and Ives print. Christmas for soldiers serving in faraway places is not pretty, it's not an image to put on a greeting card.

I wasn't really aware of what Christmas might be like for our troops until a couple of years before I turned 18. Draft age.

Our family watched Bob Hope, on his 1967 USO tour, visiting the troops at Christmastime. During the broadcast my father, who had returned home from WWII with some massive scars and a Purple Heart, reminded us that what were seeing on television was the prettiest face that could ever be put on an ugly situation, a situation that he called "that tragic mess in Indochina." Watching the broadcast was an eye-opener for me.

1967 was a bloody year in Vietnam. Over 11,000 Americans died in the military conflict that year. Enjoyable moments for our troops serving in 1967 were few and far between. There may have been none at all.

Here's the show our family watched from our living room in Kansas.

 

Bob Hope was the first big star to entertain American troops under the USO banner. He entertained at March Field in May of 1941, just 3 months after the USO was founded.

Comedian Joe E Brown was the first top-shelf name to entertain our troops on frontline bases. Brown's USO tour began in March of 1942. (Brown's own son was killed in a military plane crash in California in 1942.)

There are dozens of ways to support and remember our service members and I hope that you'll find one that touches you. There is a perfect way to support our troops through the USO. Follow this link to the USO Wishbook, and take a look around, read, and please do what you can.

Our troops are doing everything they can possibly do—including giving their lives—every single day to help us have a safe Christmas. It's our turn to give a little something. It's the least we can do.

The USO's financials are online for you to review.

Invitation to Watch the 2012 SAG Awards at the Croatian Embassy in Washington DC

Sounds fun, doesn't it? Not so fast, my friends. I'm not going to save the date for this one.

                     The Embassy of Croatia, Washington DC

I've always been drawn to events that cause me to pull my tuxedo out of the closet, dust off my formal shoes, put a silk in my breast pocket, and walk out the front door—with a song in my heart—feeling like I'm in a Busby Berkley movie. Black tie events are fun. Walking down the street, I hum songs like Puttin' on the Ritz or Breezin' Along with the Breeze. Sadly, I can't carry a tune; Jacob can. After a a minute or two of my torturing his sense of song, he gives me the look that says, "How about we just talk?"

                                       Gold Diggers of 1933

I received an invitation via Screen Actors Guild email and I'm passing it along. It's an invitation to watch the 2012 SAG Awards Broadcast on Washington DC's Embassy Row. You don't have to be a SAG member to attend and you may bring a friend, or many friends. And, the event tickets are offered at a price that everyone can afford.

That all seemed more than a little odd to me, but still...

This year I won't be in the actual broadcast audience at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles on January 29, 2012, but this viewing location looked like, at first blush, a sure bet for a mini-gala and a reason to spend a couple of days in Baltimore's southern suburb. Here's the actual invitation text:

You Are Invited to a Viewing Party and Art Reception

Join host Bruce Olvin McBarnette and other local actors as they watch the live broadcast of the SAG Awards, view artwork, win prizes and meet diplomats.

Enjoy wine, refreshments and the art of physiognomy (face reading) performed by Gail Romiti.

When:
    6-10:30 p.m., Sunday January 29, 2012
Where:
    The Embassy of Croatia
    2343 Massachusetts Ave, NW
    Washington, DC 20008

Suggested Attire:
    Dress for this event is black tie for men and gowns for women.

Cost:
    Tickets are $29 in advance or $39 at the door if space is available.A portion of all art sales will be donated to Sukyo Mahikari, a Japanese spiritual organization funding disaster relief. Voluntary donations are welcome.

Noted in the email from SAG: Please be advised that this is not a SAG-sponsored event. Questions should be directed to event liaison Anne Rosenblatt at arosenblatt@AFTRA.com.

Seeing the $29 per ticket price was the first thing that brought up a red flag. Especially for a Black tie event in DC. The open availability of tickets seemed really strange, I went to the website link in the email and was able to order 10 tickets, 20 tickets, it seemed that any quantity of tickets were available. Hey, just bring a bus-load of folks.

So my friends, if you are tempted to experience this awards show at the Croatian Embassy, I just remind you of the phrase 'due diligence'. Take a look around the internet. Do some online research.

And then you can make an informed decision and even think about hosting your own SAG Awards Party. 

Grab a Seat on the Red Carpet for the 18th Annual SAG Awards

Seats are available to you. Yes, you. Any telvision or film fan (or photographer or bllogger) may bid on bleacher seats right on the Red Carpet.

 
               SAG Awards Coverage courtesy AP 

The Screen Actors Guild Awards online auction to benefit the SAG Foundation is offering Red Carpet Fan Bleacher Seats at www.sagawards.org/auction through Nov. 28th.

The first auction in this year’s series, features 70 seats from which fans can see their favorite stars walk the SAG Awards red carpet, take pictures and request autographs.

New to this year’s Bleacher Seat Auction is the combination of bleacher seat sets with hotel stays, dinners, makeovers, SAG Awards Backstage Tours and more.

Proceeds from the Screen Actors Guild Awards Auctions will benefit the SAG Foundation to help sustain their award winning children's literacy programs: BookPALS (Performing Artists for Literacy in Schools), reading to over 600,000 children monthly in classrooms and hospitals nationwide, and Storyline Online, reaching an average of 2 million views globally each month.

The auction also supports the Foundation's Catastrophic Health Fund and emergency services, the Actors Center, and the video preservation of the creative legacy of professional actors. For additional information, please visit http://www.sagfoundation.org.

About SAG:

Screen Actors Guild is the nation’s largest labor union representing working actors. Established in 1933, SAG has a rich history in the American labor movement, from standing up to studios to break long-term engagement contracts in the 1940s to fighting for artists’ rights amid the digital revolution sweeping the entertainment industry in the 21st century.

With 20 branches nationwide, SAG represents more than 125,000 actors who work in film and digital theatrical motion pictures and television programs, commercials, video games, industrials, Internet and all new media formats.  The Guild exists to enhance actors’ working conditions, compensation and benefits and to be a powerful, unified voice on behalf of artists’ rights. Headquartered in Los Angeles, SAG is a proud affiliate of the AFL-CIO.

Screen Actors Guild: As Members We Will Never Forget Our Troops or Veterans

Join us, union members. Make a $25 donation in memory of someone who has served or to help someone who is serving.

A connection to home. That’s what a service member values the most when stationed far away. The chance to say “good night” to a child, “I love you” to a spouse, “I miss you” to a parent.

Screen Actors Guild members can give these brave men and women this connection; your donations are immediately turned into talk time for our troops.

USO Operation Phone Home has provided tens of millions of calls home through satellite services and the distribution of phone cards.

Just $25 can provide a phone card giving a service member an average of three calls home, or it can allow 70 service members to call home using the satellite service.

The calls are equally important on the home front. “I just want to let you know how much it means to us to hear our son’s voice,” said one mother. “So much goes on in a mother’s head when her son or daughter is in an area of the world where there is so much danger. You cannot be there to help them or just be there for them on a rough day. Hearing their voice is a blessing.”

Our troops make so many sacrifices to serve our country and protect our nation – honor their courage today by giving them the chance to phone home.

Watch the video below to see how Operation Phone Home is connecting troops to their families through Skype.

 

This is the link to learn more and donate. 

UPDATE: Halloween Fire Closes Hollywood's Famous Magic Castle on October 31, 2011

                Private Club, the Magic Castle in Hollywood, CA

The home page of the Magic Castle's website reports:

The Magic Castle will be closed tonight,
October 31st, due to the fire that has just occured.

The Hollywood Reporter's first report about the incident read, "An early afternoon fire damaged the attic and walls of the Magic Castle, the famous private magicians club in the Hollywood Hills, on Monday.

The Los Angeles Times provided one of the first online images of the fire and quoted the Los Angeles Fire Department as saying, "The blaze was contained largely to the attic and walls of the historic venue but that there might be significant water damage."

The LA Times continued, "Magic Castle will be closed for Halloween as a result of the fire that struck the complex Monday, according to an update on the club's website. The site said details about reopening would be provided as soon as the damage could be assessed."

As a reminder that there is a whole lot of love in the performing arts community, The Comedy Store in Los Angeles offered to give its venue to the Magic Castle:

           Comedy Store Tweet to Magic Castle, screen capture

The Magic Castle's tagline is "the most unusual club in the World."

I've been fortunate to have been a guest at the Magic Castle twice and I can attest to that fact. A visit to the Magic Castle will make novice guests slightly crazy. The food and the drinks are all top shelf, but the physical and visual magic built into the venue will test your sense of reality every single minute of your stay.

I won't explain exactly why or how your senses are challenged at the Magic Castle. While I'm not a magician, I adhere to the magician's code: Don't Reveal How It's Done.

To the @magiccastle - We are all watching you, we are wishing you a speedy rebuild, and we are here to support you. On this night I believe that Harry Houdini is looking down and supporting you, also.

[UPDATE]

I just received this information from the Magic Castle:

The Academy of Magical Arts is delighted to announce that the Magic Castle will re-open (some of) its doors Friday night, November 4th. This "soft opening" will feature our Parlour showroom, special (unticketed, first-come-first-served) shows in the Palace of Mystery, and closeup magic in the Peller Theatre.

The Castle will be open on a "member +1" basis; only members (with valid membership card in hand) will be admitted with a single guest. No unescorted "guest pass" guests will be admitted. 
Our normal dress code will be in effect.

Our regular valet service will be available. Members will check in at the front desk in the Castle lobby, where they may purchase tickets ($20, which includes tax) to a buffet offered from 6:00 to 10:00. Once they check in, they will enter the Glover Annex through the Inner Circle entrance, where they may enjoy access to all the theatres and bars throughout the Annex.

Donations for our "Inferno Fund" will be accepted at the front desk and throughout the Annex as well. 
These next few nights will be some of the most exciting in Magic Castle history. They'll also be some of the most challenging, though, so we ask your patience and your help in sharing in this unforgettable experience.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Friday Evening: A Peabody Concert at Cathedral of Mary Our Queen

          Organ Pipes, Cathedral of Mary Our Queen, Baltimore

The Peabody Concert Orchestra will return to the Cathedral of Mary Our Queen, 5200 North Charles Street, for a concert of music for orchestra and organ on Friday, Nov. 4, at 8:00 pm.

Conducted by Ruth Blaustein Rosenberg Director of Orchestral Activities Hajime Teri Murai, the program includes Jongen's Symphony Concertante and Respighi's Pines of Rome, featuring the Cathedral's Artistic Music Director Daniel J. Sansone (shown) as organ soloist.

Also on the program is Mozart's Symphony No. 25 in G minor, K. 183.

Proceeds from the concert will benefit the Cathedral Music Program and the Peabody Conservatory Scholarship Fund. Tickets are $20. To purchase tickets, call 410-464-4000 or visit cathedralofmary.org.

Watch the 2011 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in a Private Room with 19 Friends

Is this an off-topic post? Naw, Marching Bands and Street Singers are performing artists, too.

Here's the deal, and it's a pretty darn good one.

                         Photo courtesy CharityBuzz Auctions

From CharityBuzz:

Watch the 2011 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in a private party room for 19 of your best friends!

This absolutely stellar location is on the 6th floor of a NY building, overlooking both 6th avenue AND 34th street. Light breakfast, coffee, and orange juice will be served, including an option for heavier catering as well!

The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade is an annual parade presented by Macy's. The tradition started in 1924, tying it for the second-oldest Thanksgiving parade in the United States with America's Thanksgiving Parade in Detroit.

The three-hour event is held in New York City starting at 9:00 a.m. EST on Thanksgiving Day.

Visit CharityBuzz for terms and conditions.

The projected price for this auction is $5,000 for 20 people. Do the math, $250. per person is not a bad deal. And, don't forget that the package comes with a light breakfast. In New York a glass of orange juice can cost 5-bucks, 7.50 from room service.

Grab your friends and act early. Grab a Bolt Bus and make it a day-trip.

And, the auction sale supports Mercy College.

About Mercy:

Mercy College is dedicated to making a high-quality education attainable offering more than 90 undergraduate and graduate programs within its five schools: Business, Education, Health and Natural Sciences, Liberal Arts, and Social and Behavioral Sciences. The New York metropolitan area college of nearly 10,000 students has five campus locations including: Dobbs Ferry, Bronx, Manhattan, White Plains, and Yorktown Heights and offers more than 25 degree programs online.

Baltimore's Strand Theatre Seeking an Artistic Director

I last wrote about this treasure of Baltimore, The Strand Theatre Company, on this blog in April of 2011.

What I learned to refer to as "pocket-theatres" as an acting student in New York City—theatre companies with less than 100 seats—were the some of the most important venues in my early development and my actual on-the-boards education.

          Strand Theatre, Production Still courtesy Ken Stanek

Here's your opportunity to make a difference in the Baltimore theatre scene.

The Strand Theater Company—recently named one of Baltimore’s Top 5 Theaters by Baltimore Magazine—seeks a highly dedicated, volunteer Artistic Director to oversee the artistic functions of the Strand.

The Artistic Director is responsible for conceiving, developing, and implementing the artistic vision and focus of the organization and for major decisions about the ongoing development of the aesthetic values and activities, in consultation with the Managing Director and Board of Directors. The Strand’s mission is dedicated to providing opportunities for women artists, writers, designers, and directors while focusing on original works, in order to foster a love of theater for a new generation of patrons.

The Strand operates a 50-seat, flexible-configuration, black box theater out of a converted row home at 1823 North Charles Street in the Station North Arts & Entertainment District.

Now in its fourth season and with an annual budget of $30,000, the Strand was recently approved to receive annual support from the Maryland State Arts Council. The Strand offers a 5-play subscription season and a free, bi-monthly play reading series under the Station North Second Saturdays program. In addition, numerous artists and companies rent the venue. Currently under the leadership of Founding Artistic Director Jayme Kilburn, the company also seeks its first Managing Director, to commence in February, 2012, as well as a Technical Director. The board of directors of the Strand currently has three voting members. 

Primary Responsibilities 

• Hire and supervise all artistic and technical personnel/partners, including directors, designers, stage managers, and technical director.
• Develop, implement, and evaluate artistic programs and arts-related rental partnerships for the year, including choosing the season.
• Manage the script submission and evaluation process.
• Develop annual program budget for artistic programming with the Managing Director.
• Act as spokesperson for the organization's mission via public and social appearances and, as requested, at fundraising events or solicitations.
• Foster the development of positive relationships with other cultural organizations by participating in meetings and joint activities. where appropriate.
• Update the Board of Directors on a regular basis on artistic activity.
• Direct at least one production per season.
• A strong candidate for this opportunity would be expected to:
• Possess some experience in a non-profit arts management/leadership position, with knowledge of budgeting and financial management, marketing, public relations, and dramaturgy.
• Exhibit strong interpersonal, leadership, and communications skills, as well as demonstrate a strong work ethic, stamina, and passion.

Interested candidates should submit a letter of interest, professional resume, and theater resume (if applicable), and three references by December 13, 2011. Please email all materials to jayme@strand-theater.org.

Baltimore 21201. The Blog, The Swan Song

That's it for this blog. To quote my favorite broadcast journalist, Edward R Murrow, "Good night and good luck.

To my friends, Keep On Truckin'.

Free Events: from Gregg Wilhelm at CityLit

Free Fall Baltimore is a wonderful collection of city-wide events and 2011 marks Free Fall Baltimore's 6th anniversary.

Here's an update from my buddy, Gregg Wilhelm, Executive Director and Founder of CityLit, about some special events that he's behind. Each one is like a free present, a free gift. The events start as early as tomorrow, October 15th 2011. Put them on your calendar now, be there.

Zuzu said to George, her father: "Teacher says, every time a bell rings an angel gets his wings."

I know, with even more certainty than I know about angels and their wings, that when Gregg Wilhelm says that a CityLit event is worthwhile and worth attending, I know that it's true.

These events are worthwhile. Honestly. It's sort of like a Baltimore Christmas in October. Here are the event details from Gregg: 

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 15 

Born into an Italian-Catholic family in a tight-knit Baltimore neighborhood, Leonora Dixon recalls the happy days of an innocent childhood. But how would she find the courage to leave a horrible marriage, provide for her daughters, and take charge of her future?

"Peachy" Dixon's story is typical of girls born into immigrant families at the onset of World War II. They grew up in the 1950s and '60s immersed in stereotypical roles for women. So when the "man of the family" turns out to be an abusive drug addict, where is a woman and mother to turn? Her story is unique for the time in that she made bold decisions, but the right ones for the safety of her family.

After a series of waitressing jobs at some of Baltimore's most famous restaurants, where she surrounded herself with friends, Leonora now looks back at what has been a "peachy" life.  Meet Peachy at 1pm, Southeast Anchor Library, 3601 Eastern Avenue. 

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 21

CityLit Project and The Love Movement, along with Spotlight UB, will present Across Words, an evening of color-blind storytelling, music and poetry, on Friday, Oct. 21, as part of Spotlight's 2011-12 season. Performers include poets Drew Law, Pages, Temple, Em Sea Water, and Adeke Rose, prose writers Baynard Woods and Matthew Norman, and music by the Wayfarers.

The event will take place at 7 p.m. in UB’s Lucy and Vernon Wright Performing Arts Theater in the University of Baltimore Student Center, 21 W. Mt. Royal Ave. It is free and open to the public.

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 23 

Acclaimed poet and author Elizabeth Spires joins Notre Dame of Maryland University for a tribute to Maura Eichner, SSND, poet and inspirational teacher, at an afternoon reception and reading on Sunday, October 23 from 2 to 5 p.m. in Fourier Hall Library.

A Gathering of Voices celebrates the release “After Silence,” a new selection of poems previously published by Sister Maura, and features an exhibit highlighting fiction, non-fiction, poetry, drama, essays and other literary works published by many of her former students.

Admission is free, but registration is requested. To register and to pre-order “After Silence,” visit ndm.edu (Notre Dame's gorgeous new web site!). Books will also be available for purchase at the October 23 event.

My partner Jacob just read over the listing and said, "These are great events." I responded as George Bailey did years ago, "That's right. That's right."

If you haven't visited the CityLit website, please do. CityLit makes wonderful things happen in Charm City and you could help. Make a donation. Future generations of Baltimore residents will thank you for helping to increase literacy, learning, and language.

Baltimore Needs a Very Special Steed. Help.

      Baltimore Police Officer, Otis Carroll, and Partner 1920s

Did you know that The Baltimore Police Department's Mounted Unit is the oldest, continuous Unit of its kind in the United States? Founded in 1888, the Mounted Unit is still going strong. And, the Mounted Unit can use your help.

Here's information from Peter Merles at the Midtown Community Benefits District:

The Baltimore City Police Department Mounted Unit is in need of two horses.

The Mount Vernon Belvedere Association is once again stepping up to the plate to help raise $5,000 for the purchase of Vernon (nickname Vern), a horse that is currently in training with BPD.

The MVBA Board is offering a match up to $2,500 to help raise the $5,000 needed.  MVBA will match any contribution made by an existing member and MVBA will match any contribution of $100 or more by a non-member, up to $2,500.

            Early Baltimore Mounted Police Officer and Partner

Vernon would love to live in Baltimore just as much as you and I do, but he can't afford to live here without our help. Please contribute today.

All we need is 100 people to contribute $25 each! It's just that simple.

Visit the Mount Vernon Belvedere Association online, www.mvba.org, and let's make this happen.

Visit and click the "donate" button to the left of your screen today to help us achieve our goal and to keep Vernon with the fine men and women who are currently training him. We'd greatly appreciate it.

            Baltimore Mounted Unit, St. Patrick's Day Parade

If you can't afford to donate today, please share this with your friends, business associates, put the information on your Blog, Tweet about it, and mention it on Facebook. Vernon will thank you; I already thank you.

Someone in Baltimore Wants to Sit-in on this Broadcast with the King of All Media

...and I think I know who you are.

                       Photo courtesy of CharityBuzz.Com

You, yes you, can have a great time with Howard Stern and make a big difference in the continuing development of a great cause.

Here's the scoop from CharityBuzz:

Howard Stern fans rejoice, this is a never-before-available chance, an unbelievable chance, to see and meet the Man, the King of All Media, live and in person! But wait, there's more!

This unforgettable experience includes your very own seat in the inner sanctum of the one and only, Howard Stern Show, as it's being broadcast live and uncensored from the SIRIUS XM Radio Studio in New York City. (Think Pace Picante Sauce and say it like you mean it, "IN-NEW-YORK-CITY.")

You'll sit down in the broadcast studio at SIRIUS, adjust your headset, and take part as broadcast history unfolds before your very eyes with your favorite Howard Stern Show regulars: Robin Quivers, Fred Norris, Artie Lange, Gary "Baba Booey" Dell'Abate, and more!

All of the details, terms and conditions are on the CharityBuzz website. Check them out and get on with your bidding. Yes, Ryan Goff I'm talking to you!

This incredible opportunity to witness the uncensored humor and broadcast chaos up close is truly a rare and amazing treat for any fan of the worldwide "King of All Media!"

The proceeds from this item benefit a charity the I support with all of my heart:  Rosie's Theater Kids.

Baltimore Casting News! 8/17/11

Will your dog jump into your arms on command? Will you work without pay to support the SPCA?

Here are the details:

This is a very specific talent request. Feel free to pass this along to someone you know who might be interested.

Taylor-Royall is in need of a Caucasian woman in her 30's who has a dog that is trained to jump into her arms on command. This is for a pro bono spot for the SPCA to promote animal adoption.

If you fit this description and would like to volunteer for a great cause, please email current photos of you and your dog to agency@taylorroyall.com and we will respond with further details.

We love the SPCA and you know you love the little ones. What a great opportunity to support a great cause. And, hey, there's sure to be some on-camera face-time.

[To my fellow SAG members, Remember Rule One.]

Let's Eat! Mermaid's Kiss Oyster Fest 2011

From my friends at the Oyster Recovery Partnership:

Have you ever been kissed by the sea? Well, now is your chance!

The Oyster Recovery Partnership invites you to support oyster restoration in the Chesapeake Bay by attending the 2011 Mermaid's Kiss Oyster Fest!

What: Fundraiser for Oyster Recovery Partnership and "It's My Bay" Environmental Stewardship Awards Mermaid's Kiss offers attendees a waterfront, festive evening including an 8 variety oyster tasting, beverages, and hors d'oeuvres prepared by ORP's Shell Recycling Alliance partners.

Live music provided by Annapolis' own Rob Levit Duo.

Exceptional community leaders who are committed to the recovery of the Chesapeake Bay oyster population will also be recognized.

For more information, please visit: www.oysterrecovery.org. Individual Tickets: $25 in Advance, $35 at the Door ***First 25 tickets sold will also receive FREE tickets to the Maryland Seafood Festival on September 10th & 11th*** Corporate Packages Also Available.

Can You Get Free Pizza in Baltimore on Saturday? You Certainly Can.

It's going to take a little elbow grease for a great Baltimore Theatre to get your free piece of the pie. It's time to help clean up Spotlighters Theatre for the 2011-2012 season.

There is a clean-up of Spotlighters' BackStage & Furniture Room scheduled for  SATURDAY, Aug 13, 10am - 4pm

Here are the details from Spotlighters:

Each year we take a Saturday and re-organize the Furniture/Prop Room. This is where the theatre stores all the large pieces that we use periodically onstage.This year we are also including a general cleaning of the Dressing Rooms and Back Stage areas. It is amazing the dust that can accumulate in a 100+ year old building.

Spotlighters will provide all cleaning materials - including face masks if you need one - plus pizza for volunteers.

Contact Sherrionne Brown for more info - Sherrionne@aol.com

Remember people, you probably don't really need the free pizza. However, Spotlighters really needs you. Contact Ms Brown and commit a few hours to the event. Your work will benefit the theatre and its programs as Spotlighters Theatre benefits everyone in Baltimore.

It's Always a Great Week When You Help the Chesapeake

                          From the Bay For the Bay 2011

From my friends at the Oyster Recovery Partnership:

From the Bay, For The Bay A Celebration of Maryland Seafood
October 2-9, 2011

For a week in October, participating restaurants from Philadelphia to Northern Virginia will be featuring fresh, locally caught Maryland Seafood for their guests.

This will be an excellent way to support our local watermen, while enjoying the best seafood the region has to offer.

October is an outstanding month for seafood with many species available including striped bass, crabmeat, oysters, flounder, dogfish, bluefish, lobster, and scallops being in season and on menus throughout the region.

Each of the participating restaurants is donating $1.00 for every Maryland seafood dinner that is sold during this week to the Oyster Recovery Partnership in Annapolis, MD, a non-profit organization that works to replenish the population of our native and treasured Chesapeake Bay oyster.

Over the last decade, the Oyster Recovery Partnership has replanted hundreds of millions of oysters in the bay. Oysters are a critical species to the Bay's long term recovery -- a healthy oyster reef not only filters the Bay's waters, but also provides a firm, elevated bed that supports a community and habitat for other marine wildlife, like blue crabs and striped bass. So while you are enjoying a great meal you will be supporting watermen and helping to restore this iconic Chesapeake species.

If you are interested in participating in this promotion feel free to contact Steve Vilnit and the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (svilnit@dnr.state.md.us) for more information.