David Kaye and fiancée Natasha Mortazavi won Best Taste for their “As American as CurriedApple Pie” entry. Kaye’s feminine side was brought out with his polka-dot dressand an adorable blond wig. The Best Display award went to Laura Franck and Mary Beth Feuling with their “Creamy Curry PiñaColada Cupcake,” while Gale Hellpapreceived the White Jasmine pick for her “Spicy Turtle” confection.
Other cupcake contenderswere Girl Scout cookie lovers SarahSmith and Kathy Murphy-Ott; JillDrury, inspired by Oscar film SlumdogMillionaire; and Chris Ewert,inspired by The Rocky Horror Picture Show.Competitor Mark Drzewiecki quicklyran out of his delicious pumpkin cakes.
Other notables includedcelebrity judge/Il Mito chef MichaelFeker; Samir Karimi, from WhiteJasmine, an event partner; photographer JamesConway; and John Augustyniak,with the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. Among tasters werepast winner Emily Silverson of ChezCupcake and first-time attendees RobinButzke and Tammy Raymond.
Helping were Ashley Weber; Aimee Wright, Milwaukee Hurling Club finance officer; Heidi Lloyd, Reader’s Digest veep; andphotographer/food blogger Vicky Sithy.
The event helped toraise funds for Team Comet Dog, which donates pillows, toiletries and otherpersonal items to wounded soldiers. Greeting guests outside was Comet Doghimself, a golden retriever resplendent in his superhero cape and mask. He wasescorted by Air Force Reserve Maj.Julianna Olson, just back from Iraq, whose boyfriend Bill McGinnis launched the project when she was overseas. Emily McDonald and Erica Conway manneda booth promoting the project.
North Woods Mayhem: A packed house at the opening night ofthe Rep’s Seven Keys to Slaughter Peakpaid tribute to retiring Artistic Director JoeHanreddy, honored by a standing ovation. After a 17-year Rep stint,Hanreddy is moving over to UW-Milwaukee’s Peck Schoolof the Arts.
A lobby post-party wasenhanced by karaoke host John (John theRevelator) Seymour and his wife, MadelaineYafet. Mingling and karaoke-ing was the Stackner Cabaret’s Route 66 cast: Danny Calvert, Justin(Squigs) Robertson, Adam Estes andZach Robbins. Liz Marsh, movingto Washington, D.C., the next day, made a great karaokedebut; as did part-time Rep receptionist AndreaRoades-Bruss. Rep intern XzavienHollins, celebrating his 23rd birthday, was honored with a cake.
Among the 13 Seven Keys actors joining the soireewere Lee Ernst (also the fightcoordinator) and his wife, Sandy,the Rep’s associate artistic director, and TorreyHanson, who was joined by his wife, MoniqueDuncan. Other Rep powers-who-be included: Dawn Helsing Wolters and her husband, Tony; Cindy Moran,public relations director extraordinaire, with her husband, Todd Broadie; marketing director David Anderson, his wife, Jenny, and son, Elijah; and box office manager ChristineYundem with friend Michael Evans.
Rep supporters since ’72were Kathy Pederson, Jacobus WealthManagement associate director, and her husband, Gordon, a Humber, Mundie &McClary business psychologist. Others included journalists Harry Cherkinian and his wife, AnneSiegel; Jackie Herd-Barber, Reppast president; subscribers Mike Fischerand Elaine Griffin; and writer PaulKosidowski and his wife, Kathy. Rey Dobeck sported snazzyred/gold-tipped shoes acquired from a costume shop rummage sale.
Yer Momma: The Boulevard Theatre’s opening of thefinal show of its 24th season, It’s YourMother, also had a fun post-show blowout. The entire evening was hosted byart patron Dr. Richard Stone, whoinvited family and friends. Included were his significant other, Sandy Biancardi of M&I Bank, andhis mom, Millie. In the audiencewere Stone’s friends Mary Kay andDomenic Pulito, with his mom, Rosemary,and sister, Ann; attorney Bill Yellin and wife Jean; Boulevard first-timers Nancy Einhorn and her husband, Steve; and E.J. Brumder, accompanied by DodieGutenkunst.
Also partying were Mother playwrights Patricia Durante and Betsy Tuxill, and the cast including Melissa Keith, who bartends at Palominoand teaches at First Stage, ShemagneO'Keefe, Alinea veep, RachelLewandowski, and Boulevard Assistant House Manager Michael Tyburski.
Cheese Wiz: When Andy Hatch tells people he’s “milking cows and making cheese,” hisreal claim to fame is that he’s the cheese maker of the award-winning PleasantRidge Reserve. His insightful talk and cheese tasting at Open Book was attendedby Liz and Barb Franczyk, the lattera Maple Dale teacher, as well as KitVernon, Rod and Joy Botts, GinnyKannenberg, Mark McLaughlin, and Andy’s parents, Lisa and Mick Hatch.
If you have any tips forBoris and Doris, contact them at borisanddorisott@aol.com. Their next column willappear in the April 22 issue of the Shepherd.
