Guild Follies Keep the Politicians Squirming and Audience Laughing
Roasting Rhode Island politicians and quirks annually, the Providence Newspaper Guild Follies is presented the last Friday in February at the Venus DeMilo in Swansea, MA. With the 'Gansett Girls collecting tickets at the door, all of the state's top politicians, along with 1,220 others, attend the event which is usually sold-out. Over the last 37 years, the Follies has become a Rhode Island institution (despite the fact it is held in another state). The Follies is an hour-long musical revue of the events and personalities that made news during the previous year. The show then closed with an appearance by a "mystery guest," whose identity remains secret until he or she appears on stage. This show is produced and directed by Guild members and features as cast made up of Guild members, their friends and family, and assorted ringers. The show is preceeded by a massive buffet dinner that is included in the price of the show. The Follies was born in 1974 as an effort to heal the wounds of a two-week strike by the people represented by the Guild -- the advertising salespersons, news reporters, editors, janitors and the other people who put the newspaper on your doorstep each day.
Narragansett beer night at The Black Raspberry Pub in Plymouth, MA!
The Black Raspberry was a great bar! The band Krush rocked and the crowd loved gansett. So, the 'Gansett team bought the band a round of tall boys... and they were thrilled! Sure enough, they made numerous announcements about 'Gansett being in the house. People became increasingly interested in what was going on. They had the table set up where if you bought a 'Gansett you could pick something from the prize table (either a t-shirt, hat, pint glass, ping bong balls, bottle opener, sticker or a wooden nickel good for one tall boy). Then, when the band took a break the girls went around with the petition. One woman told a story about how her mom and grandmother would always drink Narragansetts on Sundays at her grandmother's house. Now, they recently had to tear down the house, but they all took photos (with 'Gansett of course) inside before. Then, that same day, they saw our 'Gansett truck drive by. "It was like my mother was speaking to me!" she exclaimed. Another great night for Narragansett beer with awewome people, good music, stories and plenty of cold tall boys!
