now get out

Chicago Music Fest Bum Rushes Paying Audience So It Can
Prepare For Fundraiser Dinner

Chicago Music Fest Bum Rushes Paying Audience So It Can Prepare For Fundraiser Dinner

Ravinia, a century-old Chicago summer music festival, is getting hardcore about raising money. This year it sold tickets to a concert performance of songs by composer/lyricist Stephen Sondheim, sung by Broadway veterans and played by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Sondheim is always a big deal for musical theater types, and the event seemed like a home run for both the fans and Ravinia–until the concert ended after 65 minutes with no encores, and the general admission audience was told to leave so that Ravinia could reward their core supporters with a gala dinner. [More]