Follies turn naughty into nice

By DAVID GUNTER

Feature correspondent

SANDPOINT – It seems incredible, but once this coming weekend’s performances of The Follies are in the record books, just shy of 20,000 seats will have been sold to the ribald variety show since its inception.

And because of that, the Angels Over Sandpoint have been able to help the county to the tune of more than $1.5 million as they support those in need.

As usual, the two weekend performances sold out well before the event itself, with Saturday night’s tickets completely gone in less than five hours. Despite some murmurs that the show might be too risqué, its popularity is only outshined by its ability to raise money for a good cause.

According to Kate McAlister, Angels Over Sandpoint president, The Follies rake in about $40,000 every single year. That’s the tally from two packed shows over two nights that attract a total of 1,100 people.

Naughty it might be, but the results are surely nice for the community.

“That it’s lasted this long is amazing,” McAlister said. “The formula for this show just works. When you have something that sells out every year for 16 years, you probably ought to keep it.”

The Angels have their more gentile side throughout the year, with a just-so High Tea fundraiser and other events such as golf tourneys and family friendly dances. But it’s The Follies that do the most to fill the organization’s coffers for the coming year of philanthropy.

In an example of the old axiom, “no good deed will go unpunished,” McAlister pointed to this year’s pushback by some against the show. Even with ample warning on the poster, which plainly states that the performances are “not for the easily offended” and that some content might not be for the faint of heart, there seems to be an impression that attendance might somehow be foisted upon an unwitting citizenry.

Rest assured, even if you were lucky enough to get a ticket before they all disappeared, no one is planning to round folks up and march them into the theater.

“It’s freedom of choice at its finest,” the Angels president deadpanned. “Nobody is required to attend.”

Asked to describe the nature of The Follies, she compared it to another entertainment craze from the past – one that also had a reputation for mischief in its heyday.

“It’s Vaudeville,” she said. “It’s a funny little, raucous show.”

This year’s lineup will feature stand-up comedians, skits, singers and dancers in a pair of shows co-emceed by Dan Simons, Eric Bond and Andrew Sorg. Technical direction will once again be supplied by the able hand of Dave Nygren, direction comes from Dorothy Prophet, with incidental music and accompaniment provided by local funk favorites Right Front Burner.

McAlister, who acted as master of ceremonies for several years running, will still arrive in her persona as The Queen of Ireland, but will relinquish the spotlight in favor of a series of small cameos throughout the evening.

For many who attend, the February tradition has become the perfect antidote to cabin fever. The audience, by the way, isn’t the only group that ponies up when The Follies roll around.

“The best part is, the performers buy their tickets, too, because all the money goes right back into the community,” said McAlister.

Beyond funding the year-round good deeds of the Angels, the event also acts as a shoulder season shot in the arm for Sandpoint businesses – something McAlister knows first-hand from her job as executive director for the Greater Sandpoint Chamber of Commerce.

“It’s a big deal for the local economy,” she said. “We have people who come from Seattle and Spokane. They stay in our hotels, eat in our restaurants and shop in our stores. And then they come and enjoy The Follies.”

One secret to the event’s longevity has been its ability to attract new volunteers and performers every year. On stage, the acts defy attempts to lump them into a precise demographic.

“Our oldest performer is in her late-80s and our youngest is 23,” McAlister said. “And they run the gamut in between.”

With such a successful run and an obvious knack for raising money, it would be tempting to raise ticket prices for The Follies. That has never been the case – admission is still the same $25 fee it has been from the start. The Angels have added an upscale option this year, however, with a $50 VIP ticket that gets the holder in the door early for a complimentary beverage and their pick of seating before the Panida fills up for the night. It’s a solid perk, as it turns out.

“Seating is first-come, first-served and we always have a line around the block of people waiting to get in,” the Angels president said.

Once they get seated, it’s sometimes hard to tell the audience from the entertainers, as each year includes a theme and the attendees pounce on the chance “to dress up and be crazy,” according to the president.

“This year, we have an ‘80s theme, so there’s probably going to be lots of big hair and neon,” she said.

The Angels confess they were surprised by some recent public comments that paint the show in a negative light, but its nothing that two more sold-out houses and another $40,000 won’t take the sting out of.

“We’re doing good work in the community,” the president said. “And every time we can feed a family in need or help a child get medical treatment, we know we’re doing the right thing.”

We’d tell you where to get tickets for Friday and Saturday night’s performances, but they were snatched up almost as soon as they went on sale.

For more information on how the Angels Over Sandpoint benefit the lives of people in the region through everything from student scholarships to the annual event that provides backpack and school supplies for low-income families – more than 800 of them at the start of this school year – visit online at: www.angelsoversandpoint.org