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    A Wild 1970s Party

    A glam 1970s party draws John Travolta, Olivia Newton-John and white horses to Houston

    Joel Luks
    Apr 8, 2013 | 1:16 pm

    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.

    Lauren and Jeff Crone, left, with Brandy Deutsch

    Stages Repertory Theatre gala, April 2013, Lauren Crone, Jeff Crone, from left, with Brandy Deutsch
      
    Photo by © Gary Fountain
    Lauren and Jeff Crone, left, with Brandy Deutsch
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    Butterfly Magic

    Colorful Houston gala lifts spirits and $2.5 Million for diabetes cure

    Joel Luks
    May 2, 2025 | 9:00 am
    Breakthrough T1D Promise Ball 2025
    Photo by Daniel Ortiz
    Jeff and Brooke Gunst; Wellesley and Geoff Fraser.

    With the spirit of spring in full bloom, philanthropists at Breakthrough T1D's Annual Promise Ball unfurled their social wings for an evening of butterfly wonder. Held at Hilton Americas-Houston, the "Mariposa: Spread Your Wings" gala whisked attendees into a colorful garden party that was anything but ordinary.

    Breakthrough T1D Promise Ball 2025
      

    Photo by Daniel Ortiz

    Jeff and Brooke Gunst; Wellesley and Geoff Fraser.

    The April 5 gala transformed the ballroom into a springtime reverie, thanks to Bergner and Johnson's vision and décor. Think blooming branch trees, technicolor florals, and a swirling cascade of silver and vibrant butterflies overhead.

    Houston Texans TV host Drew Dougherty emceed the evening, welcoming guests and thanking the night's generous sponsors before guests tucked into a carb-count-friendly feast. On stage, Breakthrough T1D Houston board president Travis Lauritsen and executive director Rick Byrd honored the late Leon Ullrich and spotlighted the organization’s latest wins. Chairs Kellie and Randy Johnson and their children shared their family's emotional journey with T1D before presenting honorees Erin and Chris Dyer alongside Ronda and Dan Feeney.

    Adding a touch of inspiration, Patricia Wright received the Meredith and Fielding Cocke Visionary Award, lovingly presented by daughters Lindsay Wright Brett and Molly Wright.

    The evening's silent and live auctions, curated by Jance and William Hagans and spirited along by auctioneer Johnny Holloway, featured everything from luxury trips to South Africa to a bourbon lover's dream collection. The night’s "Fund A Cure" moment, led by 2025 Fund A Cure Family Victoria and Chris Wright, sparked $1.7 million in research funding alone.

    The Casino After Party, hosted by Liskow, saw guests testing their luck at poker and roulette, with bites from Frenchy's ensuring no one gambled on an empty stomach. The $2.5 million raised for the pursuit of improved treatments and a cure for Type 1 diabetes? That’s a sure bet.

    Among the 650 spreading their wings were Fred Hagans, Rosalyn and Barry Margolis, Robert Biffle, Nelly and Blanton White, Patricia and Larry Wright, and Sue Sue and Don Aron, alongside a full slate of Breakthrough T1D board members.

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