Some significant refinements this year
The Artie Awards this year will be at Shea’s 710 Theatre on Monday, June 10th at 8 p.m. The doors will open at 7 p.m. as does the bar. The red carpet will close down at 7:45 p.m. The hosts are again Anthony Chase, Charmagne Chi, Amy Jakiel, and Curtis Lovell, with music direction by Philip Farugia. The show begins at 8 p.m.
NOMINATIONS
Artie Award voters are currently attending the final shows of the season. To be eligible for this year's Arties, a show must have opened by May 9, 2024. The nominations will be live-streamed by Anthony Chase and Curtis Lovell from WBFO studios on May 20th. Details will be forthcoming.
TICKETS
The Arties will be a reserved seat event this year. There will be no "standing room" in the auditorium proper. The theater community will have a week to purchase tickets, beginning on May 20th, before they are promoted to the general public. Details will be provided to theater companies. Tickets will be $25. There will also be separate “bar only” seats for $20 which do not allow admission to the auditorium – there will be no standing in the vomitoria. There will be video monitors in the lobby and bar area. Please be reminded that last year, for the first time, the Artie Awards were SOLD OUT. We encourage everyone, including nominees and presenters, to buy tickets early.
SPONSOR AND HOST
Buffalo/Toronto Public Media continues as the sponsor. Shea's continues as our host.
FUNDRAISING
The beneficiary of the event will be the Immunodeficiency Clinic at ECMC, which provides a full range of medical care and support to Erie County residents impacted by HIV and AIDS. Traditionally, theaters take a collection at the curtain call of one show during their seasons to support this effort. In the past, we have raised many thousands of dollars for various AIDS charities. This year, we will again be donating to the Immunodeficiency Clinic at ECMC, which provides services to those in our community living with HIV/AIDS.
PRE-ARTIE PARTIES
In recent years, more and more theaters have added to the festivities by holding their own pre-Artie parties. This is a wonderful addition to the night, but there has been a downside, as these parties tend to encourage latecomers. We have asked theaters to please end pre-Artie parties by 7:20 p.m. at the latest, allowing revelers time to get to 710 Main for check-in and seating. Patrons should know, as well, that Shea’s donates a percentage of the bar on Artie night to the Immunodeficiency Clinic at ECMC, so it helps us if people patronize the bar at 710 Main.
LATECOMERS
The Red Carpet closes down at 7:45. We are continuing a policy that, without malice or judgment, any presenter who has not checked in by 7:45 p.m., will be replaced, no matter how beautifully dressed. As we did last year, late admission to the auditorium will incur an additional $10 charge – of course, last year no one was charged, because there were no latecomers!
PHOTOGRAPHY
Photos from the Red Carpet will be published on the Buffalo/Toronto Public Media website as soon after the event as possible.
Additional details will become available as the date of the Arties approaches, but please begin to plan wardrobe now!