NWI Symphony Women’s Association wine luncheon marks 50 years
During the decades, the Northwest Indiana Symphony Orchestra has performed with such notables as Frank Sinatra Jr., Carol Lawrence, Olivia NewtonJohn, Doc Severinsen, the Smothers Brothers and Tony Bennett.
When Shirley Jones was in town to headline with our symphony orchestra in May 2008 at the Star Plaza Theatre, she attended (as one of the more than 400 guests) at that year’s annual charity May wine luncheon hosted by the Women’s Association of Northwest Indiana Symphony Society (WANISS) in the ballroom of the adjoining Radisson Hotel.
I was at the 2008 luncheon event to interview the actress, whose famous career includes roles in musical films like “Oklahoma!” and “The Music Man” and playing the iconic TV mom on “The Partridge Family.” Shirley, who is now 88, is always just as nice and smiling as her TV and movie perky persona.
On Wednesday, the May wine luncheon marked its 50th annual gathering in the ballroom of The Center for Visual and Performing Arts in Munster. WANISS President Marti Ross hosted the festivities and it was an honor to attend once again, a tradition I’ve kept for more than two decades.
Chef Joe Trama served up a feast including the delectable main course of turkey divan. And while seated with Ross and her daughter Wendy, I was reminded that Shirley Jones had also appeared as a headliner with the NWI Symphony Orchestra over 20 years prior to my 2008 concert encounter.
On Oct. 3, 1985, Shirley was billed as the star of the annual “pops” performance titled “Shirley Jones In Concert: The First Lady of American Song.” The concert program explained: “Our Pops Series opens with one of the most celebrated and versatile performers of our time. Shirley Jones, famous for her leading roles in Broadway musicals and TV’s ‘The Partridge Family’ will bring her special charm to Northwest Indiana. You can be assured of an evening of pure enchantment.”
Also seated with me at last week’s luncheon table was actress and comedienne Jeannie Rapstad of Hammond and soonto-be retired South Shore Arts Executive Director John Cain, the latter who just returned from New York and shared his Broadway ticket stage experiences seeing Sutton Foster and Hugh Jackman in the revival of “The Music Man” and Patti LuPone in the newly imagined run of Stephen Sondheim’s “Company.” David Mika, who was a market president with BMO Bank since 2010 and also a member of the South Shore Arts board of directors, including past president duties, was also at Marti Ross’ head table and David is now in the role of new executive director at South Shore Arts working with Cain through this month’s transition.
One of my many fond memories of Shirley Jones is when I was asked to be the host of a pre-movie screening audience question and answer session with Shirley back in 2007 at a cinema complex in the Chicago suburbs.
Before going on stage, Shirley introduced me to the sweet and tart delight of apple martinis, which she sipped while nibbling on a heaped plate of french fries smothered in nacho cheese sauce.
When it came to questions about her TV days playing Shirley Partridge, mother to her real-life stepson David Cassidy (from her marriage to actor Jack Cassidy), on ABC’s “The Partridge Family” from 1970-74, she didn’t mind.
“As someone who was mostly associated with movies, I was told by plenty of people not to do television, and especially not a mother role,” she said.
“But it was something I wanted to do. I wanted to prove that I could do television and make it work for me.”
Shirley likes retro and comfort food recipes that are easy to whip up when cooking at home. Her variation for skewers of “city chicken” is a recipe keeper, and ranks just as good as a version provided by our late family friend Irene Jakubowski as featured in my earlier published cookbooks.