Around Town: Castilleja auction relives the 1950s Around Town: Castilleja auction relives the 1950s (February 18, 2004)

The 400 parents and school supporters expected to attend the school's annual auction benefit are urged to dress in leather jackets, jeans and high tops for the guys; prom dresses, poodle skirts and black pedal pushers for the girls in a trek back to the 1950s.

"Hopelessly Devoted to ... Castilleja!" will take place Saturday, March 13, at 5:30 p.m. at the Palo Alto private girls school, 1310 Bryant St.

The red, white and black invitations, emblazoned with a red 1950s convertible, advise guests the party starts with a silent auction in the gym at 5:30 p.m. "Dinner at the Diner" begins at 7:30 p.m., followed by a 9:30 p.m. "Sock Hop."

The auction items will include a Mini Cooper automobile in Castilleja's school colors of red and white, a party for 50 in a Casablanca setting, a trip to the Kentucky Derby, a New York getaway with a private tour of Tiffany & Co. and its workshop, and a "sweets birthday party" at Kiki's candy store in Palo Alto.

Parents can also bid on opportunities for Castilleja students to shadow a plastic surgeon, state Sen. Jackie Speier, a therapist for autistic children, and the president of the Global Fund for Women.

Tickets are $125 per person for dinner and $45 per person for the cocktail party and silent auction only.

For more information, call Paige McKerral at 328-3160 or visit www.castilleja.org.

Can opener concert

Local rock bands will be playing non-stop to support local food banks from 6 to 11 p.m., Friday, February 20, in St. Bede's Episcopal Church's Great Hall. Admission is $3 with two or more cans of food or $7 without food. Refreshments will be available. St. Bede's is located at 2650 Sand Hill Road. For more information, call 854-6555 or check www.stbedes.com.

Will Brill in 'Little Shop'

Will Brill of Menlo Park will appear as Mr. Mushnik, owner of the Skid Row flower shop, in the Children's Musical Theater's production of "Little Shop of Horrors" March 5 to 14 at the Montgomery Theater in downtown San Jose. Will, 17, is part of a cast of Mainstage performers, ages 14-20.

Will, a senior at Gunn High School, has been associated with Children's Musical Theater since he was 9 and has appeared in more than 10 productions. He is the son of Mara and Byron Brill of Menlo Park.

Tickets are now on sale at $18 for adults and $12 for children ages 12 and under. For more information, call 408-288-5437.

Republican Women set luncheon date

Orlean Koehle, president of the Eagle Forum of California, will be the program speaker for the Friday, March 5, luncheon of the Peninsula Republican Women at D'Asaro Trattoria, 1041 Middlefield Road in Redwood City. Cost is $30 and prepaid reservations are needed by March 1. For more information, call Virginia Luna at 854-6483.

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