Upcoming Events

~~ Christmas Tree Competition & Auction ~~

The Friends of the Stuttgart Theatre Center are auctioning off 4 fully decorated Christmas Trees this holiday season!  

Families looking for the perfect Christmas Tree can place their bid in our silent auction running 1 Dec. ‘23 to 10 Dec. ‘23.  The trees will be on display in the Stuttgart Theatre Center lobby for the majority of the run of our December production, “The Sound of Music”.  Bidding ends when the Theatre Center closes, after the matinee on 10 Dec. ‘23.  Winners will be announced by 12:00 on 11 Dec. ‘23.  

Winners must pick up their trees between 17:00 and 19:00 on 17 Dec. ‘23.  For an additional delivery fee of $150, winners can have trees delivered between 12 & 14 Dec ‘23, within a 15KM radius of Kelley Barracks.  Payment is required upon notification of winning. If the tree winners do not complete their purchases by 17:00 on 11 Dec. ‘23, the 2nd highest bidder will be given the opportunity to purchase the tree at their bid rate.

To add more artistic fun and charitable giving to our beloved theatre – those who would like to express their love of the holidays, love of the stage, or even exercise their artistic and design prowess, can volunteer to lead a team to Tree Decorating Victory!  That’s right, our auction starts with a tree decorating competition!

Those who wish to give their time and donate decorations to these lovely, but currently barren trees can put together a tree design team.  Each team will be provided with an artificial, pre-lit tree.  It is up to that team to come up with a design theme, purchase ornaments, toppers, tree skirts, and additional decorations for their tree; and set up their tree in its entirety in the lobby of the Stuttgart Theatre Center, between the hours of 16:00 & 18:00, on 27, 28 or 29 Nov.  Trees will be determined complete for auction/competition by 18:01 on 29 Nov. ‘23.  On the last day of the auction, judges will come through with their score cards, judge all competitive trees and also tally the people’s choice votes.

This year, since there are only four competing trees, the possible awards are as follows:

o   1st place – Best in Show

o   2nd

o   Most Festive

o   Most Stage Worthy/Glamorous

o   Most Bougie-on-a-Budget

o   People’s Choice

The rules for Tree Competition are as follows:

·       Each tree is a pre-lit (220V) artificial tree.  Some Trees are 6ft tall, others are 7.5ft tall.  Teams get their tree on a first-come, first choose basis.  Just remember, the larger your tree, the more area to cover; but also, the greater chance of impressing the judges.

·       The minimum starting bid for each tree is $100.  The maximum starting bid for each tree is $400.  For the sake of our designers’ wallets, we prefer if you can keep your design costs to under $100, but also remind you that we cannot start the bidding any higher than $400.  The time, money, effort, and love you put into your tree will most likely be reflected in the final sale.  Please remember, ALL proceeds go to the Friends of the Stuttgart Theatre Center.  There is no reimbursement for competing.

·       All designs must be PG family-friendly.  Décor with sex, nudity, obscene language or messages, political stances, religious exclusions, forms of hatred, or forms of violence will be removed from trees prior to auction and returned to the design teams.  Teams are encouraged to design trees that welcome newly PCS’d families to Germany, are winter-holiday generic, or culturally inclusive.  

Check out our Facebook feed and web-site for design ideas!

For those wishing to compete, please contact the Friends of The Stuttgart Theatre Center either by Facebook Messenger or by emailing FriendsofSTC@gmail.com by 1 Nov. ‘23.

For those wishing to donate competition prizes, please email FriendsofSTC@gmail.com by 10 Nov. ‘23.

For those wishing to make a monetary donation to the Friends of the Stuttgart Theatre Center without competing, please email FriendsofSTC@gmail.com anytime, day or night!

Pre-Auction Viewing is from 15:00 to 18:30 on 30 Nov ‘23.

Those wishing to bid on a tree can either view/bid and vote on trees during pre-curtain, intermission, or post curtain during a Sound of Music performance (ticket purchase required); or between the hours of 15:30 and 17:00 on 4 DEC thru 7 DEC ‘23.

Proceeds from this auction will go to the following projects:

- moving and tuning to the STC’s baby grand piano

- purchase and installation of a new lobby bar dishwasher

- costume racks for the STC costume shop

- a new stage floor

- 6-hour Theatre Day Camp during the Summer Break

- an air conditioning system for the theatre building

We, here at FoSTC, are so excited about this fundraiser and contest, and cannot wait to see what our community turns out for competition!  We want to thank you in advance for your participation and your charitable contributions to the Stuttgart Theatre Community. Hope to see you competing, and Happy Holidays!

Leslie Gale-Dana’y

President,

FoSTC