John Travolta was in the house — straight out of Saturday Night Fever. And so were a handful of disco versions of Michael Jackson, Olivia Newton-John and a coterie of bitchin' cool cats fresh from Studio 54 — without cocaine — who sparkled for Stage Repertory Theatre's 1970s theme bash Saturday night.
Rather than party hardy in some Hotel or generic event venue, chairs Shannon Hall and Marcus Sloan moved the gala to the theater lobby, where an ambitious silent auction organized by Dominic Cellitti and Leonard Rutan paved the way to a chipper al fresco dinner for 150 guests around the courtyard's water feature.
Tables in black and white bedecked with lanky neon bead centerpieces by Richard Flowers and The Events Company pimped "1978: Glitter & Glam!," highlighting the tenor of the era when the spirited theater company was founded.
The duo of Bianca Jaggers on horseback were after party chairs Saba and Sarah Jawda — after all, that's how Jagger entered Studio 54 on the occasion of her 30th.
A Xanadu-esque rollerblading dude — fitting as a musical based on the film will close Stages' 2013-14 season — amused and a quartet of songbirds serenaded diners in between courses prepared by Clark Cooper Concepts trio of restaurants (Brasserie 19, Ibiza Food & Wine Bar and Coppa Ristorante). The wine came courtesy of Max's Wine Dive and The Tasting Room.
Board chair George Lancaster and artistic director Kenn McLaughlin honored Gary Chiles with the Theodore Award for Leadership Excellence and urged the caposhi throng to dig deep and help underwrite the company's purchase of its River Oaks performing arts complex.
With all that wining and dining, seeing double wasn't out of the question. The duo of Bianca Jaggers on horseback were after party chairs Saba and Sarah Jawda — after all, that's how Jagger entered Studio 54 on the occasion of her 30th birthday. Hot to trot to keep this carouse boogieing, woogieing and oogieing at "The Factory" until the wee hours of the morning, the horseback pair ushered revelers indoors.
Chillaxin the night away were Amy Sutton, Don Mafrige, Nixon Wheat, Roland Maldonado, Cabrina and Steven Owsley, Cindy and Julian Langham, Jane Schmitt, Carolyn Farb, Gregory Fourticq Jr., Lauren Taft, Randy Powers, Bill Caudell, Erin and Mike Maggi, Allison and Miller Crosswell, Patricia Peckinpaugh Griffith, John Wilson, Janine Hildebrand, Edward Sanchez, Minnette Boesel, Gabe Canales, Kim Padgett and Jennifer Roosth.
Henrik Knudsen, left, and Larry Horton
