If you’ve ever been to a show at the Audi, you know full well about the tasty treats at intermission.
You know, the cookies, brownies and bars that fill up a couple tables in the reception area at every show. There’s usually some combination of soda, juice and water to help wash down the sweets as well, and it can all be enjoyed for a small donation. And if you don’t have any bills or coins, don’t worry because you can still have a cookie – just remember to throw a little extra in the donation jar next time.
“It all adds up,” said hospitality chair Joanie McIntire.
You see, over the course of the Audi’s season those small donations turn into a big wad of cash by the end. We know what you’re thinking, how much can cookie donations really turn into? Well, last year it was about $5,000 and the same can be said for the year before.
“That’s just crazy to me,” McIntire said.
And since this little cookie network began many moons ago, the Audi’s famous cookie bakers have brought in around $100,000.
“To think they’ve raised all that money with just cookies,” McIntire said.
It all started when the Friends of the Audi saved the city’s auditorium from being turned into office space. That was 1991. When they officially took over and started to repaint the interior, someone brought cookies.
“Cookies just appeared for everyone who was working,” McIntire said. “Sort of like a cookie fairy.”
Man, we wish that was a real thing.
Soon it morphed into some of the Friends baking cookies for the shows to raise a little money. At first, the money was used to offset the cost of drinks, but there was more coming in than needed to buy a couple bottles of liquid.
So the extra cash flow was then put toward the lighting project. Needless to say, a lot of lighting upgrades have happened because of all those cookies.
“All of our money will go toward that this year,” McIntire said.
For every show, there needs to be four servers to man (or woman) the tables and eight bakers to supply the treats. McIntire sends out an email blast to her list of 50 or so volunteers and is never scrambling to fill the spots.
Each baker makes a batch of treats and either drops them off before the show or leaves them in the combination box out back. The best thing about the number of bakers is all the different kinds of cookies to taste.
“Nothing with frosting because that makes a mess,” McIntire said. “There’s always a huge variety, so it’s kind of like a party with so much to choose from.”
The servers arrive about 45 minutes to an hour before the stage act begins and put on their name tag. They grab the fancy serving trays and put out cups and napkins before watching most of the first act. About 10 minutes before intermission, they make sure the dessert trays are filled and ready for the crowd.
“Everyone comes out, has a little treat and goes back to watch the rest of the show,” McIntire said.
The most McIntire has seen brought in for one show is somewhere north of $200, which for cookies and soda isn’t too shabby.
And in case any of the cookie bakers are reading this, we like cookies, too.
