Before they could sink their teeth into the Alley's lively opening night of Sherlock Holmes and the Adventure of the Suicide Club, theater patrons were treated to a British-inspired feast and a literary warm-up courtesy of artistic director Gregory Boyd.
Close to 200 Alley supporters and Sherlock Holmes sponsors gathered in the Fondren Rehearsal Hall for the City Kitchen dinner created to inspire a little pre-performance taste of Holmes' homeland. They supped on pistachio crusted breast of chicken with apricot chutney, poached salmon with sauce gribiche and a dessert of gooey butter cake topped with whipped mascarpone, toasted almonds and chocolate sauce.
As introduction to the suspenseful and witty play, Boyd spoke about playwright Jeffrey Hatcher, who deliciously crafted the Sherlock Holmes mystery based on Robert Louis Stevenson's book The Suicide Club.
Following the play, the patrons group gathered with the cast, including the intrepid Holmes (aka Todd Waite) for champagne toasts.
Raising their glasses to the intriguing production were Mady and Ken Kades, Rachel and Matthew Kades, Lynn Wyatt, John Schiller, Karen and Bob Aspromonte, Andrea and Trent Tellepsen, Molly and Ford Hubbard, Patty Hubbard, Deana Blackburn, Bailey Blackburn, Connie and Roger Plank and Alley managing director Dean Gladden and wife Jane Gladden.
Karen and Bob Aspromonte at Alley Theatre's Sherlock Holmes dinner.
