THE SWEENEY TODD BALL
Saturday, October 3, 2009
Location: San Mateo Masonic Temple Ballroom
100 N. Ellsworth Avenue (at Tilton), San Mateo, CA 94401
Doors Open: 6:45 p.m.
Dance Lesson: 7:00 p.m.
Dancing begins: 8:00 p.m.
Band: Bangers & Mash
Advance Tickets: $15.00 (by September 26, 2009)
Tickets: $20.00 at the door
Ball website: www.peers.org/sweeney.html

Sweeney Todd the Barber, by God, he were better than the play!
Sweeney Todd the Barber. “I’ll polish ‘em off!” he used to say.
For many a poor young orphan lad
The first square meal he ever had
Was a hot meat pie made out of his dad
From Sweeney Todd the Barber.

Oi. Join us at the Peerless Music Hall for a light-hearted ball in celebration for the Hall’s new production of the musical play, Sweeney Todd, the Demon Barber of Fleet Street.

Bangers & Mash – the finest dance band in Victorian London – plays an evening of 19th century ballroom dance music, including a number of popular song tunes, for your dancing pleasure. Dance rotary waltzes, Viennese waltzes, polkas, schottisches, mazurka waltzes, reels, country dances, and the Patience Quadrille (with music by one of our regular customers, Sir Arthur Sullivan himself).

Mid to late Victorian evening dress – and class – is admired, not required and, as always, vintage or modern evening dress is always welcome. Whether you are working class sporting your tawdry finery, or slumming upper class, you are all welcome, ‘long as you are peaceable on the dance floor and don’t get caught lifting anyone’s pocket watches or jewelry.

The event will feature our Peerless no-host bar (that means you pays for your own drinks, Luv!) and a light snack buffet, including Mrs. Lovett’s delectable meat pies. As usual, your potluck contributions to the buffet are welcome.

Excerpts from the music hall version of “Sweeney Todd, the Demon Barber of Fleet Street” (not to be confused with Mr. Sondheim’s fancier operatic version) will be performed at half-time. This is a sing-along/dance along music hall with the audience as an active participant in the show. Have fun but watch your back.

To order advance tickets for the ball, please send a check for $15.00 each to PEERS at 2144 B Buena Vista Avenue, Alameda, CA 94501. To order tickets online via PayPal, go to the ball site at www.peers.org/sweeney.html and click on the PayPal icon for instructions. The deadline for advance ticket purchases is Saturday, September 26. Tickets will be $20.00 at the door.

If you have any questions, please email peers@peers.org or call (510) 522-1731.