Bowling for Dollars

This past Monday, Season of Concern held it's 15 annual bowling fundraiser...

Bowl-O-Rama!

...an event where theatres around Chicago put together teams and raise a great amount of money for our organization.

"Bowling fundraiser."

The combination of those words just sounds silly, doesn't it?

It's like putting the words "Karl Rove" and "rap star" together...

...you just start to giggle...maybe you even pee a little...

But unlike "K-Daddy Rove DAWG!!!," Bowl-O-Rama actually knows that it's wacky and we celebrate our wackiness to the utmost extreme.

For example, teams bowl in wild costumes based on that year's theme.

This year's Bowl-O-Rama theme was "Motown Madness."

Sure, it may not be the most brilliant theme we've ever chosen, but check out these guys from Steep Theatre.

Now, don't ask me how their costumes tie in with "Motown Madness"... ...I'm a white trash, musical theatre fag - - "The Motown Sound" is not present in my iTunes.

However it ties to Motown, these boys were my favorite costumed team of the night. Friggin' brilliant!!

Also, how one bowls in an alley only lit by black light WHILE WEARING SUNGLASSES is intriguing to me - - and makes me worship these guys even more!

I am now officially a Steep Theatre Bowling Team Member Wannabe!

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There was also an incredible matching ensemble sported by the team from Remy Bumppo Theatre.

Remy Bumppo always, Always, ALWAYS is at the head of the pack at Bowl- O- Rama with their cool costume ideas.

This year, they sported matching t-shirts. Check out these women. Aren't they FABULOUS?!?!

A closer look at the logo on the back will show you just how fabulous they are!

"Remy & The Bumppos" and their single "Seriously?" Hilarious!!

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Adding to the wacky factor, I give out bowling medals key individuals at the event.

A medal is given to the bowler who raises the most pledges for Season of Concern.

This year, the lovely Leslie Shook won the honor.

Here's Leslie, front and center, surrounded by her team from DePaul Unversity.

Leslie ain't playin' when it comes to raising money for SOC!!! She's really amazing.

I also give out a medal to the person who has the highest score in the first game that is bowled.

I knew this guy was going to win.


He came with his own bowling shoes!!



Me bowling next to him would be like Tyra Banks standing next to Oprah - - the former is "playing at it" and failing miserably, and the latter is kicking ass and taking names!!

My favorite medal of the night, however, is awarded to the person with the lowest bowling score.



This year, the adorable Heather Schmucker from About Face Theatre (bowling on team sponsored by Victory Gardens Theatre) received this honor.

See? How cool we are? Did the Chicago Bears get a fun medal when they lost the Superbowl? I think not!!!

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Finally, "The Wacky" is kicked up a notch by the bowling alley itself, Waveland Bowl.

You see, during our event, Waveland Bowl provides us with their "Cozmic Bowl" experience, where the lights turn off, the black lights go up and a laser light show accompanies the music videos projected at the end of the bowling alley.

This picture really doesn't do the "Cozmic Bowl" justice, but it's my way of including a pic of one of The Goodman Theatre's teams.

Notice their trucker caps announcing them as "Diana Ross & the Supremes."

Heaven. Sheer heaven.

Thanks to all who participated, pledged a bowler or sponsored a team for our little, wacky "bowling fundraiser." Your donations are vital to the success of our mission...

Season of Concern is the Chicagoland theatre community’s fundraising effort in providing compassionate care to those in our community who are experiencing the effects of catastrophic illness.

This effort supports the fight against AIDS, contributing to programs that provide direct-care support (funded programs provide personal financial support, housing care, meals, medications, legal assistance and a variety of other services for people living with HIV and AIDS) to members of the theatre community and others in Chicago and the Midwest; and emergency needs expressed by theatre community members in their struggles against other life-threatening illnesses.