Classical Action’s Up Our Alley 12: bowling bonanza, June 7
Classical music and performing arts industry professionals will descend on Greenwich Village’s Bowlmor Lanes on Monday, June 7, for what will predictably be an underwhelming display of athleticism at Up Our Alley 12: Classical Action’s Annual Benefit Bowling Bonanza. The event attracts scores of worker-bees from New York City’s arts presenters, service organizations, and management and publicity firms, who will reluctantly don striped bowling shoes to help Classical Action raise funds for vitally needed AIDS-related services organizations across the United States. Since its inception in 1999, Up Our Alley has raised $930,000 for Classical Action and its parent organization, Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. Chris Kenney, Classical Action’s Director, has set a new goal for this year: to reach one million dollars in total funds raised.
In the weeks leading up to the event, participants have worked hard to persuade friends, family, and non-participating colleagues to sponsor their once-a-year attempts at physical activity– all in the spirit of putting the fun in fundraising for a cause that unfortunately shows no signs of becoming redundant. Despite the sluggish economy, Up Our Alley 11 raised $80,000 in a few short, fun-filled hours last year.
Kenney reports that while morale is high, contributions are sadly suffering along with the general economy this year. “We are hoping that we’ll get a lot of last-minute contributions, but thus far we are falling short of our goal.” Online contributions can be made through the Classical Action web site at http://www.broadwaycares.org/Page.aspx?pid=824.
Many of the key players from New York’s classical music community will participate in Up Our Alley 12: Classical Action’s Twelfth Annual Benefit Bowling Bonanza. As in past seasons, the event will feature a plethora of mostly atrocious bowling skills, as teams representing such organizations as Opera News, IMG Artists, Lincoln Center, and the New York Philharmonic – as well as everyone’s favorite classical music promotion company, 21C Media Group – vie for dominance in a crowded field of feisty non-professional bowlers. (Note: this year, 21C’s team name is “John Trabowlta in Saturday Night Lieder” and its members will dress up for the event in ‘70s disco garb.)
Classical Action: Performing Arts Against AIDS was founded in 1993 by Charles Hamlen. The not-for-profit organization draws upon the talents, resources, and generosity of the performing arts community to raise vitally needed funds for HIV/AIDS service, education, and prevention programs across the country. Funds are raised through special events, private house concerts, recording and merchandising projects, individual donations, and foundation and corporate support. In the 17 years since Classical Action opened its fundraising doors, it has raised more than $8 million. In 1997 Classical Action became a fundraising program of Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, one of the nation’s leading industry-based, nonprofit fundraising and grant-making organizations. Additional information is available at www.classicalaction.org.
Event details:
Up Our Alley 12
Monday, June 7
6:30 PM – 9:30 PM
Bowlmor Lanes
110 University Place, NYC
# # #
© 21C Media Group, May 2010