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Libby and Lisa Ebeling pose with Phyllis Logan. (Photo by Paul Bickford)
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Katherine Godin Mitchell, Station Director of Community Engagement. (Photo by Joe Ring)
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Station's VP of Development Lisa Tait and VP of Social Media Ami Kim. (Photo courtesy WCVE)
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Jerry and Ann Swiatoviak (photo by Trish Poupore).
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WCVE station staffer Trish Poupore with Mary Ann Wilson (photo by Joe Ring).
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WCVE station staff ready for a big night! (Photo by Joe Ring)
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Trish Bernal, Mark Flynn and his fiance Sue Rowland. (Photo courtesy WCVE)
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Patricia Morris and her sister (photo by Paul Bickford)
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Betty Ann Dillon and Marya Dull (photo by Trish Poupore)
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Judith and Ike Koziol tear up the dance floor (photo by Joe Ring).
In case you missed it (and you may have, as the event was 90 percent full), attendees of the free Downton Abbey preview event at the Altria Theater came out in full form wearing their favorite ‘20s apparel. About 75 percent of attendees wore costumes to match the era, whether they were embodying a lord or lady or just the flapper attire of the jazz age.
Held the day before the premiere episode aired in the U.S., Jan. 2, about 2,700 people came out to view the episode in the historic theater keeping the Richmond preview night still the largest in the U.S. About 600 people attended the ticketed VIP event before the premiere enjoying Downton Abbey-inspired food and drinks complete with live jazz from 504 Supreme.
Everyone was treated to a special surprise when Mrs. Hughes herself, Phyllis Logan, walked out on the Altria stage. She addressed the entire audience and also met with some of the fans. Kept a tight secret that she would be in attendance, even some of the people involved with the organization of the event didn’t know until the day before. A spokesperson for the event says that when Logan was introduced, “I knew that people would be excited, but I didn’t think that they would be as excited as they were.”
Downton Abbey is part of PBS’ Masterpiece and the final episodes can be seen on WCVE-PBS, visit ideastations.org for more information. And for those still wanting to get a little more of their Downton Abbey fix, the Virginia Historical Society exhibit, “Dressing Downton,” runs through Jan. 10.
