Shelby About Town

Reality show winner to headline Ballet Ball, Blondes vs. Brunettes heats up &big shopping discounts from the heart

Eugene Landau Murphy Jr. will headline Houston Ballet's "Aubergine" ball set forFeb. 15 at Wortham Center.
John and Becca Cason Thrash chair the black-tie gala that has a $1 millionfundraising goal.
Photo by Kim Coffman
Greggory and Pat Burk also chair the ballet ball that will be held mid-week forthe first time.
Photo by © Michelle Watson/CatchlightGroup.com
Six months out, the blondes and brunettes are thinking powder puff footballcompetition — even in the salon.
River Oaks Shopping Center hosts the Heart Card initiative March 1-11.
Shops in the Village Arcade also participates in the Heart Card program.

Leave it to Becca Cason Thrash to continually keep her creative juices flowing, particularly when it comes to charitable fundraising. After orchestrating and chairing the highly-successful Houston Ballet's "Dancing With the Houston Stars" and Houston Grand Opera's "Singing With the Houston Idols," she has taken on her duties as Ballet Ball chair with the adrenalin of a Super Bowl coach.

Sharing the role of ball chair with hubby John Thrash and with Greggory and Pat Burk, Becca has divined two exceptional fund-raising additions to the ballet's traditional cache of giving opportunities. With Catherine Anspon as art auction advisor, Becca has rounded up a gallery full of original works for the "Art for Art's Sake" silent auction.

That gem of a fundraiser kicks off at the Cason Thrash home Feb. 9 with a preview cocktail party where the works will be offered at "buy now" prices.

Her second brilliant, and we do mean brilliant, idea was to convince leading jewelers to contribute dazzling cocktail rings to a special silent auction. Becca has close to two dozen lined up — enticing baubles from Harry Winston, Valobra, Katy Briscoe, Judith Ripka, Armenta and others. You can do your post-Valentine's Day shopping on Feb. 15 at the ball in Wortham Theater Center.

With that and the three amazing trips to be offered in live auction, the Cason Thrashes and Burks should have no trouble reaching their goal of raising a record $1 million for Houston Ballet.

Full disclosure: The Ballet Ball honors this columnist. However, these new takes on gala fundraising would have been covered in any event.

This just in

On Monday, Houston Ballet signed up Eugene Murphy Landau Jr., the Frank Sinatra sound-alike winner of last fall's America's Got Talent competition to perform a 30-minute segment during the evening. The dance music will be provided by the popular David Caceres.

You might recall that the late-blooming singer recorded his America's Got Talent album, produced by Steve Tyrell, at Houston's Wire Road Studios.

Gridiron gals

It's one of the zaniest, most fun "football" encounters of the year — the annual Blondes vs. Brunettes powderpuff competition raising money for the Alzheimer's Association Houston. While game day isn't until May 19 on Skip Lee Field at St. John's School, the ladies are gathering on Feb. 9, 6 to 9 p.m., for an early recruiting party at Midtown Drinkery. You can read about the preparations for last year's flag football game here.

Look for Blondes vs. Brunettes co-chairs Cortney Risner and Ashley Riggs on the scene. You might have seen them last year as team captains.

Heartfelt shopping

The American Heart Association — Houston is licking its chops over the prospects of welcome proceeds from the Heart Card initiative, sponsored by River Oaks Shopping Center and the Village Arcade. March 1 through March 11, shops and restaurants in these two shopping meccas will offer savings of up to 40 percent for those carrying the Heart Card.

The $40 Heart Card is available through the AHA Guild (ahaguildhouston.org or 713-610-5005) with proceeds benefiting the women's initiative of the AHA.

The program kicks off Wednesday Feb. 29 at River Oaks Theatre with a fashion show featuring looks from River Oaks Shopping Center stores. On March 10, the Village Arcade will host a fashion event and sidewalk sale.

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taking center stage

Stage adaptation of iconic Black movie Jason's Lyric to debut in Houston

Courtesy of Jason's Lyric

Most of the movie's cast will appear in the play.

Next year, Houston writer/producer/director/promoter Je’Caryous Johnson will be bringing another beloved Black movie to the live stage.

Jason’s Lyric will join New Jack City and Set It Off in the lineup of ‘90s Black-movie favorites that Johnson has adapted for the stage. The 1994 made-in-Houston drama stars Allen Payne and a pre-Will Smith Jada Pinkett as young lovers trying to maintain a relationship as conflicts and obstacles keep getting in the way.

Jason’s Lyric Live will go on a nationwide, 22-city tour, premiering right here in H-Town on Thursday, February 13 — just in time for Valentine’s Day.

“Houston is my home, and bringing Jason’s Lyric Live to life here first is my way of paying homage to the city and its people who inspired this story,” Johnson said in a statement. “This is more than a play; it’s a love letter to the community.”

Payne will reprise his role as Jason, with actress/model Eva Marcille stepping in Pinkett’s role as Lyric. Naughty by Nature rapper Treach, who played Lyric’s criminal big brother Alonzo in the movie, will also return to the role for the stage production. Tyrin Turner (Menace II Society), K. Michelle (Love & Hip Hop), and Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs (Welcome Back, Kotter) will round out the cast.

"Jason’s Lyric is one of the films that defined my career as an actor,” Payne said. “To bring it to life on stage for audiences who loved the movie — and a new generation experiencing it for the first time — is an incredible honor."

Marcille is also psyched for the show, taking on the role that Pinkett memorably brought to life. "Lyric is a character who embodies resilience and hope, and I’m honored to bring her story to life on stage,” Marcille said.

Tickets will go on sale this Friday, December 13, at 10 am. For a full list of dates and ticket information, visit the website.