Viewing Single Post From: Emily Performance

Viewing Single Post From: Emily Performance - Fundraiser
fanofgold	Apr 20 2007, 10:52 PM
Novice Posts: 177 Group: Members Member #16 Joined: November 2, 2006	I copied this from Emily's site. Hope someone can check this out in person... Emily Appearing in Edge Out Cancer 2007 Fundraiser Putting on a show to fight cancer Local teen, a former nationally ranked skater, gets Olympic pals to assist worthy cause By MIKE BILLINGTON Special to The News Journal Carla Briccotto laughed softly. “One thing about my son Peter,” she said, “is that you can’t really tell him to take a break. It’s pretty difficult to harness him once he gets involved in a project.” Middletown resident Peter Briccotto, a one-time nationally ranked ice skater and former member of Team USA, is pretty busy these days putting together “Edge Out Cancer 2007.” This is the second year he has helped produce the show, an extravaganza on ice featuring Olympic skaters Johnny Weir and Emily Hughes, and Olympic coach Priscilla Hill. Last year the show raised $11,000 for the American Cancer Society. This year Briccotto, 18, hopes it will raise even more. The show, which will be held May 3-5 at The Pond in Newark, is more than a fundraiser, however. It is also a tribute to Briccotto’s former coach, the late Chris Hefner. “Chris was in the Ice Capades, and he wanted to keep the tradition of those old-fashioned ice skating shows going,” Briccotto said. “His idea was to use figure skating as a way to teach people about the arts and so he founded the Delaware Ice Theatre. Unfortunately, he died of cancer before he could get it really going. After he died, we decided to make the Delaware Ice Theatre a reality in honor of him.” After resuscitating the Delaware Ice Theatre, it only seemed natural for Peter Briccotto and his mother to put together an event aimed at raising money to help find a cure for the disease that struck down his friend and coach. Both have long been involved in charity events in and around Middletown, including the Big Ball Marathon and the American Cancer Society’s annual Relay for Life event. “We knew it would be a huge undertaking, but we just thought we could do it,” Briccotto said, “and we did.” “Peter has a lot of contacts in the skating world, so he was able to get people to agree to do this,” Carla Briccotto said, “and he’s always been willing to work hard to reach his goals. He just seems to have the ability and the enthusiasm to get people involved.” In addition to Weir and Hughes, “Edge Out Cancer 2007” will feature Middletown High School students Kyle Herring and Sarah Bailey, the 2007 National Silver Medalists in novice dance. The show revolves around 30-minute adaptations of four Broadway hit musicals – “Grease,” “The Wiz,” “A Chorus Line” and “Chicago.” “We’re pretty excited,” Briccotto said, “because we’re going to have many of the elite figure skating athletes in the United States along with many singers and dancers from Delaware and New York City. When you merge them together you have a great show.” This year’s show will also feature computerized lighting and Broadway-style sets, he said. “Putting this show together is a huge undertaking, but it’s a real chance for us to give something back to the community, raise money for a very good cause, and honor Chris. That,” Briccotto said, “makes all those sleepless nights really worthwhile.” FOR MORE INFORMATION To learn more about “Edge Out Cancer 2007” visit the Web site at www.thepondicearena.com or call 528-3486. To learn more about American Cancer Society programs in Delaware, call 324-4227. The production is scheduled for May 3-4-5. Tickets are $17, 11 and younger $14. Half of the proceeds are donated to the American Cancer Society in memory of the late Chris Hefner, a former skating coach who died of cancer. The remaining 50 percent goes to the nonprofit Delaware Ice Theatre to fund its educational programs. For tickets and show information, call The Pond Ice Arena at 266-0777.


Emily Performance - Fundraiser · Hughes News