Media and Local Celebrities to Make Cameo Appearances in Alhambra’s “The Foreigner”

— Alhambra’s Celebrity Week to Raise Money for Local Charities —

Audiences coming the see “The Foreigner” at the new Alhambra Theatre & Dining will get a bonus the week of May 10. New owner Craig Smith announced today the Alhambra’s first-ever Celebrity Week, during which each of that week’s seven shows will feature a cameo appearance by some of Jacksonville’s local media personalities and celebrities.

The big winner, however, will be local charities that each celebrity will represent. The Alhambra is donating a portion of tickets sales from each show to the charity of that celebrity’s choice. Additionally, to make it a friendly competition, the celebrity with the biggest draw – the one who essentially has the most tickets sold for their show — will receive a bonus donation to his or her charity.

Said Florida Times Union entertainment columnist and author of the tracy.com blog, “I get to check ‘perform on the Alhambra stage’ off my bucket list. I cannot wait.” On a more serious note, she added, “There are so many charities for which I have a strong affection, and I chose “Kids at Heart,” the new young professionals group for daniel Kids. I love daniel and I thought this would be a great way to enlighten Jacksonville about this new fundraising troop.”

“I love live theatre and I’m flattered to be asked to participate in an Alhambra production,” stated Melissa Ross, host of WJCT’s “Jacksonville Connects.” She added, “The Second Harvest Food Bank of Northeast Florida serves 13 counties and literally hundreds of agencies across this part of the state that help feed people in need.”

Schedule for the Stars

On their respective nights, each of the guest stars will appear in the same scene early in the second act of the show. The scene is actually not in the original script and is being “written in” by Alhambra Executive Producer Tod Booth, Sr. “The guest stars are going to have a ball doing it, and the cast is excited,” said Booth.

Currently lined up to perform at the Alhambra, and the charities for which they are raising money include:

Tuesday, May 11 Phil Amato, WTLV-TV JaxReStore, Habitat for Humanity

Wednesday, May 12 Melissa Ross, WJCT The Second Harvest Food Bank

Thursday, May 13 Tracy Collins, Times Union Kids at Heart, daniel

Friday, May 14 Arthur Crofton, WEJZ Salvation Army

Saturday, May 15 (e) Surprise guest

Sunday, May 16 (m) Richard Nunn, WJXT-TV American Diabetes Association

Sunday, May 16 Matt Saffer, WAWS-TV Child Cancer Fund

“I am an actor at heart. Growing up in New Jersey, I performed in countless shows throughout my life. In college, I attended one of the top musical theater programs in the nation and performed throughout New York City. Being able to step back onto the stage for a wonderful cause is something I can’t say no to. I’m honored the folks at the Alhambra asked me to do this,” said WAWS FOX30 reporter Matt Saffer.

The Foreigner Synopsis

Imagine yourself so pathologically shy that you move from your native country to the “middle of nowhere” and, to remove yourself from the world, you go so far as to pretend you’re from an exotic country and you don’t speak English. Because people think you can’t understand, you suddenly become the repository for all the town’s scandalous secrets. So goes the tale of Englishman Charlie Baker who finds himself plunked in rural South Georgia by a friend.

Winner of two Obie Awards and two Outer Circle Critic Awards as “Best New American Play” and “Best Off-Broadway Production,” The Foreigner is an inspired comic romp that demonstrates what can happen when a group of devious characters erroneously confess their sins to the wrong guy. Written by Larry Shue, the play ran for nearly 700 performances at New York City’s Astor Place Theatre to rave reviews. The New York Post describes The Foreigner as “a devilishly clever idea.” The Village Voice declared The Foreigner, “a constant invitation to relax and laugh at the foolishness of life.”

The Foreigner opens April 30 and will run through June 13, 2010. Show times are 8:00 PM for evening shows Tuesday through Sunday. Doors open at 6:00, buffet starts at approximately 6:45. Matinees on Saturday are at 1:15. Doors open at 11 and the buffet starts at 11:15. Sunday matinee is at 2:00. Doors open at noon and the buffet starts at 12:15. Group sales are available. Tickets start at $42 and include dinner and the show. Tickets for the Gala are available by becoming a Season Ticket or Triple Play Partner. Call the box office or visit www.alhambrajax.com for details.

The new Alhambra Theatre & Dining

The Alhambra Theatre is the nation’s oldest continually operating professional dinner theatre. Opened in 1967, The Alhambra has hosted legends such as Tony Curtis, Claude Aiken, Sid Cesar and Cesar Romero, and she was the place of Betty Grable’s final acting role. The Alhambra is also home to former Miss America, Orange Park native Leanza Cornett who started at the Alhambra when she was 15. In November 2009, the Alhambra was purchased by Theatre Partners, LLC, headed by Jacksonville entrepreneur and Alhambra patron, Craig Smith as way to give back to Jacksonville and preserve what he believes is one of its cultural jewels.