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08/02/2016 01:15 PMWith summer coming to an end, the Madison Beach Club is preparing to host a favorite annual event. The Madison Beach Club (MBC) Follies will have its 80th run this Friday and Saturday, Aug. 5 and 6, following a “Summer Road Trip” theme.
Organized by a team of volunteers, the Follies combine musical numbers and skits. Under the direction of Brian Henry, a New York City-based actor and director who has been running the Follies for 14 years, cast and crew ranging in age from 14 to 80 come together for weeks to rehearse to get ready for the big performance.
“The name of the game with Follies is fun,” said Henry. “It’s always fun for me to come up to Madison, have fun with the cast and crew, and put on a big splashy show up on the stage. And, of course, the hope is for a great night of fun for the whole family to come see.”
The Follies began in the 1930s and has evolved over the years according to MBC Follies History Chair Françoise Williams.
“The Follies began as a means for members to get to know each other, especially the teenagers, which is still true today,” she said. “The Follies has a theme each year and highlights song and dance numbers with skits thrown in the mix. The long-standing tradition of the Follies brings the MBC community together in a unique way.”
Having been around so long, the Follies has now become a multi-generational event, according to Follies Publicity Chair Lauren Watkins.
“Many Follies cast members are third- and fourth-generation Follies participants,” she said. “Among them are James Burris, Connor Salmar, Jamie Watkins, John and Paige Von Ostenbridge, and Jack Thornbury. All of them are teenagers who have had parents and grandparents in the follies in years past, so it is truly a rich and enduring tradition.”
While the event is designed to be plenty of fun, it also raises money for the Madison community, according to Williams.
“Proceeds go to the Madison Foundation and through the Madison Foundation a good portion is distributed to Neighbor to Neighbor,” she said.
The Friday evening performance on Aug. 5 is open to the community. Tickets are $7.50 for children 12 and under and $15 for adults 12 and over. Tickets may be purchased at the MBC Front Desk. The Saturday night performance is reserved for MBC members and their guests.