1812 Productions is proud to announce their annual gala fundraiser, Eventa du Schmancy! A perennial favorite for 1812 Productions' audiences, this year patrons will enjoy a special one-night-only engagement of 1812's classic vaudeville production, The Big Time! Eventa du Schmancy will take place on Monday, April 16, 2007 with dinner beginning at 5:30pm at Konak Turkish Restaurant at 228 Vine Street in Old City. The Big Time will be performed at 8:30pm at The Painted Bride Art Center, 230 Vine Street. Tickets for the full evening are $150 each. Tickets to just the performance of The Big Time are $35. Tickets can be purchased by contacting 1812 Productions at (215) 592-9560 or online at www.1812productions.org.

An event crafted to delight, Eventa du Schmancy dinner guests will dine at the fabulous Konak Turkish Restaurant; a meal featuring delicious traditional Turkish fare, great silent auction prizes, and several theatrical surprises waiting in the wings. After dinner, guests will assemble at The Painted Bride Art Center for a one night only performance of The Big Time: Vaudeville Bill Deluxe. The Big Time will feature performances by Mary Martello as Mae West, Tom McCarthy as W.C. Fields, Jeff Coon as Al Jolson, Tony Braithwaite and Jennifer Childs as George Burns and Gracie Allen, as well as performances from Scott Greer, Gentleman Juggler Dave Jadico, Aaron Cromie, and the wonderful Chris Sapienza!

"We knew that The Big Time was the perfect show for this year's Eventa du Schmancy," says 1812 Productions' Artistic Director Jennifer Childs. "The naming of The Vaudevillian Society was inspired in large part by the great memories that our audiences, as well as all of us at 1812, have of our first Big Time production. It inaugurated 1812's famed holiday show series and it seemed only fitting that our new capital fund should be named for one of our earliest successes."

The Vaudevillian Society is a new initiative at 1812 Productions-gifts to which will provide resources to 1812 Productions' new capital fund. "We've been searching for a home of our own for quite some time now," says Matt Pettigrew, President of 1812 Productions' Board of Directors. "Now, with the advent of The Vaudevillian Society and the enthusiasm we've seen from our patrons, many of whom have been with us since our inception, this year's Eventa du Schmancy gives all of us at 1812 Productions, audience and staff alike, an opportunity to celebrate 10 years of being Philadelphia's all-comedy theatre company-and to look forward to the next 10!"

Company History
Artistic Director Jennifer Childs and Resident Artist Pete Pryor founded 1812 Productions in the spring of 1998 with the goals to entertain and educate audiences through comedy, and to support and hire local artists. 1812 Productions has received 32 Barrymore Award nominations in its life and closed its 2005-2006 season with the world premiere, and Barrymore Award winning, production Daughters of Genius. Their education program, 1812 Outreach, received four consecutive nominations and was awarded once the Barrymore Award for Excellence in Theatre Education and Community Service. On April 20, 2005, 1812 Productions received an honorary citation from the City of Philadelphia for outstanding work and commitment to the Philadelphia arts community. 1812 Productions, while continually on the search for a permanent home, continues to perform at various locations around Philadelphia.