SPARC’ling Evening of Song Raises Over $20,000 for Summit Performing Arts
Final numbers have been tallied, and over $20,000 was raised for the performing arts programs in Summit public schools by SPARC, the Summit Performing Arts Resource Committee, at their 6th Annual SPARC’ling Evening of Song fall fundraiser at the Grand Summit Hotel.
Halloween meets the World Series was the theme of the night, as mask-wearing party guests bid on home-carved pumpkins and broke into a group rendition of Billy Joel’s “Piano Man” right about the time that it was played at Citifield for Game 3 of the World Series. Money raised by the event allows SPARC to help bridge the gap between funds budgeted by the school district and money actually needed for the schools to continue to stage Rising Star and Montclair State University award-winning productions such as Beauty and the Beast, 42nd Street, LCJSMS’s five consecutive years of “Outstanding production of a Middle School Play,” and Sweeney Todd which engage hundreds of students as cast, crew, and pit members.
SPARC, which is about to celebrate its 20 year anniversary of supporting performing arts in Summit, also promotes public speaking through the Speech and Debate program and TEDx; and dancers through the STEP team. Each year, SPARC recognizes student achievement with student scholarships. SPARC also fund theatrical productions at all five Summit public elementary schools.
This year, $15,000 raised during the Reverse Auction will go toward the purchase of the rights for the SHS spring musical, “Mary Poppins” and the LCJSMS spring musical, “Hairspray.” It will also pay for custom costumes for the Hairspray production.
The show was emceed by Former LCJSMS Principal Matt Block, who is now director of human resources for the district. He engaged the crowd immediately with his version of “SPARC’ling Tonight,” based on “Comedy Tonight.” “This was the perfect event for so many in Summit to show their support for Summit performing arts,” Block said. “The venue was top-notch, the piano sounded magnificent, and our singers and accompanists helped raise money for such an important cause. I had so much fun, and am thrilled to have been part of such a successful event!”
Special thanks to committee members Noelle Gray and Stacy Beckett who hand-carved over a dozen re-usable pumpkins with Broadway and Summit themes. The pumpkins were used as centerpieces for the tables, and were raffled off to lucky winners at the end of the evening, raising additional money for the SPARC coffers.
Paul Fessock, of World of Rock, donated the sound system services for the evening. Party Makeup for several on the committee was compliments of Privado Hair Design.
SPARC’ling Evening of Song was chaired by Angeli Breen, Chrissy Floegel and Melanie Wilson. Committee members include President Jean Marie Apruzzese, Stephanie Beardsley, Stacy Beckett, Vice-President Diane Carlson, Noelle Gray, Lopa Gupta, Treasurer Jesse Reyes, Fundraising Chair Nellie Stewart, Secretary Lucy Thompson, and Jennifer Vandersteen, as well as the many volunteers who helped throughout the evening.
For several hours, graduates of Summit High School and current faculty dazzled the musicalloving crowd with Broadway favorites. Performers included:
Melanie Porras, Tim Lynch, Greg Archer, Dan Rufolo, Shabazz Green, Gillian Hassert, Wayne Mallette, Julian Gordon, Lulu Guerrero, Sebastian Madrigal, Keenan Buckley, and Matt McGinn. Piano accompanists included Yoav Efron, Jim Mion, and Julian Gordon.
Donors to the Silent Auction were Quartet Home Décor; Fidelity Title Company; Lorenz Fine Photography; Insiders Network to College; Charleston Shoe of Summit; LCJSMS Drama Club; Lucy Thompson; Fiorino Ristorante, SHS Drama Club; Jim Gordon; Hilltop Tutoring Center; Virginia Liberato, CWI.Design; Dreamcatcher Repertory Theatre; Diane Gallo; PianoPiano; Momentum Cycling and Fitness; Strand Tennis; the Bar Method; Blank Rome, Jorge and Sons; Jodie Pelinsky; Peace and Paradise Jewelry; DVB NYC Laurel Elliott; Privado Hair Salon; Nancy Gorman; Hair Salon Body & Soul, the following families: Beckett, Jilla, Martin, Apruzzese, Mion, Cleaves, Summers, Gray, and Gupta.
Advertisers in the evening’s program were Virginia Liberato, CWI.Design; Hilltop Tutoring Center; Lois Schneider Realtor; Lucy Thompson, Keller Williams Realty; Mayor Ellen Dickson, Momentum Cycling & Fitness Studio; Mondo; Mondo; NYR Organic; Quartet Home Décor & More; Nora Radest for Mayor; Glisel Jimenez, State Farm; The Connection for Women and Families; and World of Rock.
Local realtor Lucy Thompson of Keller Williams Realty placed an ad in the program and donated to one of the silent auction basket items. Additionally, as SPARC board secretary, she was a volunteer for the event. “It is so important to support SPARC,” she said. “SPARC makes a difference to the performing arts programs in all seven Summit public schools, not just the high school and middle school. SPARC enables a well-rounded arts education for all of our students.”
For more information on SPARC, to get more involved, or to make a donation, visit www.SPARCsummit.org or contact Jean Marie Apruzzese at jmapruzzese@draadvisors.com.
(above) Master of Ceremonies Matt Block admires a pumpkin hand carved by Noelle Gray and Stacy Beckett. This one sported an “07901” Summit theme, while others depicted various Broadway musicals. The pumpkins were used as centerpieces and raffled off to raise funds for SPARC.
(above) SPARC’ling Evening of Song co-chairs Chrissy Floegel, Melanie Wilson, and Angeli Breen don masks for the “Masquerade Party” theme. These three recently also co-chaired the lobby display and educational outreach program for the award-winning production of Sweeney Todd at Summit High School. They have already begun preparation for the same for this spring’s production of Mary Poppins, which began with the recent “Let’s Go Fly a Kite,” day last month at Wilson Field.
(above) One of the evening’s highlights was the sing-along to “Piano Man,” when party goers accompanied the talent to the Billy Joel classic just about the time it was sang at Citifield for the Mets vs. Kansas City Game 3. Jim Mion, one of the piano accompanists for the evening, also played the harmonica for this fun tune.
