Art Auctions Art for ART's Sake

High bidders at the American Repertory theatre's (ART) first celebrity auction last night. "Art for ART's sake," walked away with everything from a tennis date with columnist Art Buchwald to a cruise on the Queen Elizabeth II.

And ART officials walked away with close to $25,000 in ticket sales and auction revenues in the year's biggest fundraiser, according to marketing manager Jeanne Brodeur.

Master of ceremonies Buchwald opened the bidding on 40 items at 8 p.m. on the Mainstage of the Loeb Drama Center. He said that Robert Brustein, director of the ART, only convinced him to play auctioneer because the two are tennis buddies on Martha's Vineyard.

"It could have been worse, "Buchwald admitted. "I could have been invited to a Mondale dinner."

"Buchwald's the best there is. He really knows how to extract money," Brustein said of his friend.

A R T officials, who had been planning the auction since September, solicited donations of goods and services and sent out 5000 invitations in an operation which Brustein said "has taken more logistical organization than the invasion of Normandy."

When the audience held back, Buchwald cajoled them. When no one bidded on a summer at a children's camp, Buchwald suggested that the summer program go to a needy child. The auction sale was $800.

Finally, Buchwald sold perhaps the most over-priced Harvard-Yale football tickets in history. Pitting Harvardians against Yalies for four choice seats at next year's The Game and a tailgate lunch, he drove the closing bid to $600. The Yalies took the prize.

During an earlier silent auction guests bid on such items as a German translation of The Hotel New Hampshire, autographed by author John living, and a deep-sea fishing trip off the coast of Martha's Vineyard.