Just a week and a day from the publication date of this edition of Letters comes the 5th Annual CAMP Rehoboth Follies—a legendary evening of song, dance, laughs, liquor and some very campy naughtiness to benefit CAMP Rehoboth.

These past five years have been a wild ride, with themes, skits, madcap judges, and huge audiences. It may be an evening of purportedly amateur performances but the laughter and cheers turn the Rehoboth Beach Convention Center into a big fat Broadway or Vegas club.

This year, the skits, songs and costuming may have a decidedly 60s flair, with the theme Psychedelic Summer Rainbow Romance. But face it, the theme’s not the thing—it’s the creativity, the silliness, the bitchiness and fun of it all.

Last year the Convention Center was packed for the show and organizers expect the same sold out house again this year.

And repeating last year’s triumphant turn as Emcee, Christopher Peterson will be back on board as, get this, HERSELF! No Channing, Liza or Bette for Follies, but another great performance where Chris gets to show off his terrific voice and gorgeous drag persona in a way you won’t see anywhere else. For everyone who has seen Eyecons at the Sands, you’ll LOVE Christopher’s Follies gig. If you’ve never seen North America’s Foremost Female Impersonator, get your Follies tickets now— you have no idea what a great time you’ve been missing. Hint: there may even be Bob Mackie gowns.

The Follies Production Crew has been hard at work crafting those gold, silver and bronze Barbies, rehearsing with the skit troupes and getting everything ready for Follies 2006. Troupes are judged on overall entertainment value and things like costumes, special lyrics etc. It’s always a tough call for the gold and competition is fierce. Even now, there are troupes of performers clandestinely rehearsing for the big night. There is generally a run on wigs locally and glitzy make-up and eye-lashes are hot items, too.

And some of the most surprising people often turn up on stage. We will say no more.

If you don’t know how the Follies tradition got started, it’s something like this: years ago, folks living in some of the shared beach houses in the Rehoboth area started having parties with drag shows, skits and fun. Sometimes the parties turned into charity events.

Some of this tradition lives on in Follies as a way to honor those long-ago skit participants who are no longer with us.

So the shows came out of the back yards and into the Convention Center and it’s been full speed ahead ever since. And since 100% of the money raised from ticket sales goes to CAMP Rehoboth, it’s been a very important fundraiser as well.

So mark your calendar for Saturday night, July 22—you don’t want to be like some of the folks who missed the show last year and were jealous after they heard how much fun it was. Tickets are priced at $25 for general admission, host $50, Sponsor $75, and Gold Sponsor $100. Call 302-227-5620. Be sure and check out the 2006 CAMP Rehoboth Follies Seating Chart on this page to find the best seat in the house. Gold Sponsors are almost in the judges’ lap!

Or, you can team up with friends and put together a skit. Call 227-5620 to see if you can still make it into the show. Who knows, a star may be born and we can stay all night and sing ‘em all.

Follies is a great big, unpredictable, frightening, naughty, fabulous let’s-put-on-a-show extravaganza. Don’t miss out on the fun.