Irene Sankoff and David Hein, writers of the hit Broadway musical Come from Away, will perform live at Cachet Supper Club June 23 in Newmarket in support of residents at Eagle Terrace Long-Term Care home.
"Whatever type of donation that the resident council receives from this absolutely wonderful and creative idea for a benefit for our resident council we would be most appreciative of," said Diane Brunelle-Marleau, executive director of the home.
The performance will begin at 7 p.m. and will be live-streamed so residents and staff of Eagle Terrace can watch remotely.
Brunelle-Marleau said she hopes "as much as possible" is raised for the residents because "the residents will certainly benefit from it."
Pre-pandemic, the council held an annual yard sale to raise funds, but for health and safety concerns for the residents, it hasn't been able to in three years.
The council is made up of residents who determine how the fund is used. According to Brunelle-Marleau, money raised in the past has gone toward things like extra art classes or beatifying the patio with additional flowers and, one year, the council decided to support a fellow resident without family by purchasing clothing.
Marie Michalek, Sankoff's octogenarian mother, has been a resident of the home for about five years. Sankoff said she and Brunelle-Marleau had discussed fundraising but deciding on what to do was difficult because of lockdowns. Now that things have opened back up, the time was right and she and husband Hein decided to put on a performance themselves.
"David and I haven't had a chance to perform since before the pandemic. . . so we thought 'wow, let's just do this ourselves, let's just have some fun performing and try to raise some money for their council fund.'"
When it came to choosing a location, Sankoff said, Cachet came to mind because it's where she and her family celebrate special occasions like her mother's birthday, as well as her own.
"She was excited because she doesn't often get to see me perform," said Sankoff about her mother's reaction when she found out about the event. "And it's been a long, long, long few years and I think this is a great opportunity for her and the other folks at Eagle Terrace."
Sankoff is a seasoned performer, having been on stage in front of 2,000 people, yet the upcoming fundraiser is a little "intimidating," she said.
"This is just me in a small room, so that's a little bit scary to be honest."
Anyone can attend the event on a first-come-first-served basis and Sankoff said she wanted anyone to be able to donate as much or as little as they can. Dinner reservations for the evening can be made in advance through Cachet Supper Club.
"I think it's a wonderful opportunity to fundraise, to donate to a very, very good cause. It's been a really, really tough two-and-a-half years for the residents," said Brunelle-Marleau.
Cachet is at 500 Water St. in Newmarket.
