Over the years, local radio personality and legend Bonnie Grice has helped raise millions of dollars for various wonderful causes. Now, she needs to raise funds to help produce Ed Lange’s Sherlock’s Secret Life at Southampton Cultural Center (SCC) though her boots on the ground theater. As Grice explained, “There is an urgency to our funding campaign. We’re halfway to the goal and only days left. It ends November 15….boots on the ground theater needs your help! We are running out of time! Help us bring Sherlock to life!” She now has less than two weeks to go and $5,000 to still raise.
The enthusiasm of Bonnie Grice is a force of nature when aimed at promoting wonderful East End events and causes. She has always made her platform, that being her radio show, available for so many East End folks to promote their causes, fundraisers and events/shows and concerts. Now it is her boots on the ground theater project that needs some action by East Enders.
The boots on the ground theater was born out of a passion for storytelling, history, and the creative process. Bonnie Grice developed a great love for the creative arts over the course of her 30+ years as a radio host where she interviewed artist of all kinds. She explained that while getting to stretch her creative muscles on air in radio and television, it was theater that has always had a special place in her heart.
After performing in numerous community theater productions in the East End of Long Island, Bonnie decided to jump into the theater world with both boots. boots on the ground theater was established in 2016, with a focus on exploring historical and contemporary stories through the unique perspective of Long Island’s East End.
She relayed, “This play will be a wonderful show aimed at an opening in March 2020! With Josephine Terisi-Wallace directing! I love the late 19th century. The clothing, the way of life. I am very proud of the way we were able to costume The Red Badge of Courage in a very authentic way.”
Grice also feels the strain all play producers feel when trying to raise the funds to produce a play. As she said, “I read so many Sherlock scripts. After being influenced by Robert Downey Jr.’s rendition of the character of Sherlock Holmes in the films, I searched and read many scripts, but there is a certain something special about Ed Lange’s script. It had something new, edgy and punk about the character of Sherlock Holmes. I bought the script and started to put this show together. I started a vehicle to raise money for the show and the information is available through scc-arts.org/sherlock.”
To donate to the boots on the ground theater and Southampton Cultural Center fundraising campaign, visit scc-arts.org.