Gayla Jungmeyer and Kathleen Kennally are linked to Arkansas Enterprises for the Developmentally Disabled for the long haul.
Kennally is the president of the nonprofit's auxiliary. Jungmeyer, a past president, is one of the 30 who were auxiliary founding members in 2009 who are still involved -- now that number has swelled to 70.
Jungmeyer has been the chairwoman, minus the pandemic year, of the nonprofit's annual "Curtain Call" fundraiser, formerly known as "Curtain Call for a Cause." Its 10th anniversary would have come in 2020, so as it resumes in a scaled-back dinner-theater format Thursday at Argenta Community Theater, 405 Main St. in North Little Rock's Argenta district, it's being billed as the "10th year celebration."
The event kicks off with a Red Carpet champagne reception at 6 p.m., followed at 7 p.m. by a seated, served filet mignon dinner and a "Broadway-style show" reprising many of the performances that have been favorites over the past decade. There will also be in-person and online silent auctions, which Kennally has headed up since she joined the auxiliary in 2014.
All of the tables have been sold, but you can still participate virtually via the nonprofit's website (aeddinc.org). A "VIP Bravo Pass" for two, including a filet mignon dinner, wine (with a curbside pickup or delivery option) and live-stream access is $300. A "Bravo Pass" for one, with dinner and livestream access, is $125. Just the livestream access is $50. Call (501) 801-3648.
The event also marks the 50th anniversary of the nonprofit's 1971 founding and a half-century of providing services for children and adults with developmental disabilities.
While the pandemic has eased sufficiently for the gala to return, it has forced the organizers to scale it back, including reducing the theater's seating capacity and trimming what in 2018 and 2019 had been a two-night sellout to a single evening. "Fewer people at a table," Kennally says. "Fewer tables," Jungmeyer adds. Also trimmed back: the name of the event. "We just go by 'Curtain Call' now," says Director of Development Debbie Grooms.
Sponsor is the accounting firm of Little Shaneyfelt Marshall & Co.; for the Red Carpet reception, AAA Business Systems.
In addition to filet mignon, the menu includes twice-baked potatoes, salads, a charcuterie plate, summer vegetables and a lemon mousse with fresh berries.
Catering to You, which has catered the event for nine years (neighboring Starving Artist Cafe, now defunct, catered the first one) is back. But the pandemic has forced some changes there, too: no buffet and no walk-about pre-show hors d'oeuvres service in the lobby. (The servers heretofore have been white-coated clients, members of the nonprofit's "3D" program at the University of Arkansas-Pulaski Technical College Culinary Arts & Hospitality Management Institute.)
The show, this year titled "Thanks for the Memories," is in a dinner-theater format and is the product of Argenta Community Theater co-founder and producer Vince Insalaco. It will feature, among other past favorites, the professional tap company Untapped and jazz pianist Alan Storeygard, who is expected to include his own arrangement of "The Star Spangled Banner" that he performed at Carnegie Hall. Insalaco also plans to incorporate something from the musical "Pippin," with which the theater plans to make its official live theater comeback Aug. 18-28.
"Vince has been very kind to us," Grooms says. "He has put the show together for us every year."
"When we opened the theater, it was the first performance here," Jungmeyer says. "And it'll be the first after it reopens."
Kennally, a retired advertising executive, moved here from Memphis in 2014. She has also volunteered for the Methodist Family Health Foundation; she chaired CARTI's "All That Jazz" fundraiser for two or three years; and she and her husband have coached for Miracle League of Arkansas.
"I know what my talents are, and I know what my talents are not," she says cheerfully.
"The best thing I ever did for AEDD was to get her to join," Jungmeyer says. "She's our Energizer Bunny," Grooms adds.
Jungmeyer is a past Thea Foundation board president and chaired its first "Into the Blue" fundraiser. She has also chaired the Arkansas Governor's Mansion Association and just rotated off the boards of Arkansas Hospice and the Ronald McDonald House.
"Curtain Call" brought in more than $106,000 in 2019 -- for the first time eclipsing AEDD's more casual "Hogs for a Cause" event, held the third Thursday of October -- "but this year I'll be happy to do half that," Grooms says. The organization's 50th anniversary is also the spur for a "50 for 50" campaign with hopes to raise $50,000 by the end of 2022.
AEDD is spreading out the silent auction -- including original artisan pieces such as artwork, pottery, handmade jewelry -- online over several days, starting at 8 a.m. Monday and closing bids at 7:30 p.m. Thursday. "We don't want people sitting at the show bidding on their phones," Grooms explains.
