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Road to the Red Carpet
Ivan Schwarz and Shana Johnson (Road to the Red Carpet)
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Dennis Roche and Martin Sweeney (Road to the Red Carpet)
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Lisa Mullin and Dan McMullen (Road to the Red Carpet)
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Chris and Natalie Ronayne with Maria and Ron Kaminski
(Road to the Red Carpet)
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Greater Cleveland Film Commission
“Road to the Red Carpet”
Klieg lights illuminated the Road to the Red Carpet, the inaugural benefit presented for the Greater Cleveland Film Commission.
More than 600 guests, attired in their Oscar night best, streamed into the House of Blues for the event highlighted by a live broadcast of the Academy Awards. Prior to show time, event chairman Shana Johnson and GCFC Executive Director Ivan Schwarz mingled with VIP guests where people enjoyed cocktails and hors d’oeuvres before main stage musical entertainment by Kate Tucker and the Sons of Sweden. A silent auction, filled with unique and priceless items, included a Gibson guitar signed by the 2007 Academy Awards presenters, a walk-on role for “My Name is Earl,” original signed scripts and boxed DVD sets, tickets to the 2009 Emmy Awards, VIP tickets to this year’s Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony and more.
As food stations opened, filled with varieties of HOB’s fabulous cuisine, Cleveland’s Christopher Axelrod began his duties as Master of Ceremonies, providing interlude repartee during breaks in the Oscars’ broadcast, and there was a brief appearance by Mr. Schwarz. According to him, the mission of the Greater Cleveland Film Commission is “to promote increased production of film, television, video and other types of media in Northeast Ohio,” hence generating critical economic benefits throughout the region.
Proceeds from the evening were estimated to exceed $125,000. STORY AND PHOTOGRAPHS BY KATHRYN RIDDLE
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