Flappers, gangsters, hoofers and dapper gents transformed the Majestic Metro to its former 1920s Art Deco glory, when it was dubbed The Ritz, Saturday night. Houston Young People for the Arts themed their eighth anniversary affair for the roaring era when jazz ruled, speakeasies were hot and life was nifty.
"Bootlegger's Ball: A 1920s Prohibition Rendition" revived the joint's spiffiness with more than 350 guests sporting homburg hats, suspenders, cloche headpieces, fascinators and beaded necklaces while period films, like Scarface, flashed on the silver screen and Houston Metropolitan Dance Company entertained with the Charleston.
Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee offered a congressional proclamation lauding Pray's and the group's accomplishments, which also reveled in Da Camera of Houston's 25 years of hitting on all six cyclinders.
When the sexy birds of Dem Damn Dames, whose showgirl purple feathers and frilly merkins covered just enough of their unmentionables, shimmied onto the stage, HYPA founder and honoree Heather Pray made a dramatic entrance from behind the plumage. In a sheeny gold sequined dress, this big cheese did the bump n' grind while twirling around an ivory boa in celebration of young professionals supporting the arts in Houston.
Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee offered a congressional proclamation lauding Pray's and the group's accomplishments, which also reveled in Da Camera of Houston's 25 years of hitting on all cyclinders.
Attagirl to chairs Katy Pease and Hannah Thibodeaux, who alongside HYPA president Marcus Carter, 93Q's Al Farb as emcee and HYPA gals Melissa Seuffert and Melissa Fitzgerald threw a bee's knees party. Bites by Sambuca and tunes by Will and the Hot Vikings added to the festive ambiance.
In the mix were Liz Gorman, Aimee Woodall, James Glassman, Jen Pearsall, Kari Govin, Paul Pettie, Courtenay Siegfried, Ashley and Ryan Small, David Rassin, Lindsey Martin, Andrew Huang, Sharon Melton, Brian Thorp, Kim Stoilis, Dennis Nance, Carey Kirkpatrick, Lauren Levicki, Sharon Lott, Allison Lott and Adrienne Saxe.
