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Your weekly guide to Houston: Tweetup for Blue Cure, Tuck & Patti, HeritageSociety family day and World Refugee celebration

There's something about Tuck & Patti's nostalgic, emotional power that has theability to touch your heart, make you laugh and cry.
Photo by Osamu "Tio" Suzuki
Prostate cancer is not a disease of a graying demographic as most people tend tothink. Rather, it affects many a young as well.
Gerhard Richter working on Abstract Painting (910-1) in Gerhard RichterPainting, a Kono Lorber release

If you are a planner or a last-minute procrastinator, this week we bring you a bit of this, a bit of that with events that do the body good, concerts that will lift your spirits, gatherings suitable for the whole family and brainy films that will make you go, "hm" — just because we like to challenge you.

Blue Cure & KHOU 11 News Tweetup Celebrating Men's Health Month at Hotel Zaza

Let's talk about prostates. Sure, though the subject may not make the best dinner or over-drinks tête-à-tête, a world without the people that happen to sport these essential organs without be unconceivable (insert laugh). Truth be told prostate cancer is not a disease of a graying demographic as most people tend to think. Rather, it affects many a young as well, like the story of one communications professional known for creative buzz.

As a survivor of prostate cancer, Gabe Canales founded Blue Cure to ensure it's something that's discussed often, like breast cancer and heart health. At this Blue Cure Meetup, M.D. Anderson physicians will be on hand to chat about causes, symptoms and prevention. Adding a little sass to the gathering are KHOU 11 News personalities Lily Jang, Lisa Hernandez, Gene Norman, Shern-Min Chow, Vicente Arenas, Malini Basu, Andrew Horansky and Courtney Zubowski and your CultureMap team.

Social media fiends, this is a tweetup, though tweeting is not a requirement to attend. But if you do, use the hashtag #KHOU4BlueCure and #Party4ACure.

Friday, 7 to 9 p.m. Admission is $20.

Tuck & Patti at Dosey Doe Coffee House

It was a couple of moons ago that a dear friend said to me while driving, "Pull over and listen to this." She proceeded to dock her iPod and introduced me to this husband-and-wife artist duo. Despite Tuck & Patti's simple guitar-plus-voice arrangements, there's something about their nostalgic, emotional power that has the ability to touch your heart, make you laugh and cry.

My favorite song is by far "Takes My Breath Away" because how it unfolds, blossoms and finds repose standing "on a mountain top," though "Better Than Anything" comes in at a close second. One tears me up, the other makes me boogie.

Saturday, 8:30 p.m. Tickets start at $58.

The Heritage Society's "Heritage Family Day"

What's the one cavil people have about Houston? Perhaps there's more than one, but what I hear often is that there's a habit of building new before safeguarding what holds historical value. Isn't it great to know that organizations like The Heritage Society at Sam Houston Park do what they can to preserve the life of yesteryear?

The "Heritage Family Day" is an open house that vivifies life at the turn of the century with old-fashioned children's games and activities like making your own book of Houston history. The day's theme focuses on the travels of the 1893 Baker Playhouse. Illustrator Bill Megenhardt will sketch out different versions of playhouses, perhaps what yours may look like, while singer/songwriter Leah White churns out a few tunes.

At 2 p.m. mosey over to the Julia Ideson Building to hear artists from Houston Grand Opera read The Very Long Life of Alice's Playhouse; A Survivor's Story by Andrea White, who will be on hand to sign books.

Saturday, noon. Free event.

Screening of Payback at Museum of Fine Arts, Houston

As a Canadian (not by birth, but by passport) I, every once in a while, proudly sport the maple leaf, imbibe a Labatt and utter an "eh" here and there. I can't resist the urge to suggest that the film roused by the book Payback: Debt and the Shadow Side of Wealth, written by north-of-the-border author Margaret Atwood, is a must see this weekend.

Filmmaker Jennifer Baichwal amasses philosophies from Raj Patel, Louise Arbour and Atwood that explore debt. Not just financial debt, but the give-and-take game that exists in every relationship. Think: Do you owe anyone anything?

Friday through Sunday. General admission tickets are $7; discounts are available for MFAH members, Film Buff members, seniors and students.

World Refugee Day 2012

How amazing is Houston that we can call this city the most diverse the country. As a megalopolis that welcomes people from all walks of life, it's humbling to learn that many found their way here seeking refuge from persecution, danger, civil unrest and racism.

Many communities now call Houston home, and World Refugee Day at the Baker-Ripley Neighborhood Center is an opportunity to see who is here, learn how they arrived here and celebrate what's beautiful about their homeland. They've survived, now it's time for them to thrive.

Houston Grand Opera will also premiere the next in the series of East + West, Song of Houston chamber opera commissions. New Arrivals by John Glover and Catherine Filloux tells the tale of Yani Rose Keo, a Cambodian refugee who has made it her mission to help others through her nonprofit, The Alliance for Multicultural Community Services.

Saturday, 1 p.m. Free event.

Staff writer and CultureMap's most adorable Houston explorer Whitney Radley's pick: Bob Schneider at McGonigel's Mucky Duck

Whitney says: "I've seen Bob Schneider get an audience of former-hippie sexagenarians salsa-dancing to his white-boy Latino rhythms at a bluegrass music festival; I can only imagine how he commands a crowd at the Mucky Duck. See him play there — twice — on Thursday night."

Thursday, 7 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. Tickets are $25 in advance; $27 day of show.

Arts smarty pants and in-the-loop dance maven Nancy Wozny's pick: Screening of Gerhard Richter Painting at Museum of Fine Arts, Houston

Nancy says: "Painting is movement. Nothing made that clearer than Gerhard Richter Painting, a film by Corinna Belz. You have two more chances to see this extraordinary documentary on Gerhard Richter. The film takes us right inside the makings of several abstract paintings.

"Belz's fly-on-the-wall style allows us to be with the painter without having him perform for the camera. We see paint come and go while the famous German artist considers what to keep and what to paint over. Watching him pull his giant squeegee over the canvas seemed like a sacred dance.

Sunday, 2 p.m., and June 21, 7 p.m. Tickets are $7; discounts are available for MFAH members, students, seniors and Film Buff members.

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building ballet's brand

Houston Ballet recruits ex-Netflix exec to serve as first-ever CMO

Photo by Grace Hwang

Adama Sall starts as the Houston Ballet's first-ever chief marketing officer on January 26, 2026.

The Houston Ballet announced it has hired Adama Sall as the organization’s first-ever chief marketing officer.

Sall, who starts her tenure with the Ballet on January 26, will oversee all marketing and brand strategy as part of the executive leadership team. Sall brings more than 20 years of experience building global, culturally influential brands to this newly created role.

“Having worked with the best and the brightest, Adama is passionate about what Houston Ballet is set to accomplish, including building a brand that feels essential, modern, and deeply integrated into people’s lives,” executive director Sonja Kostich said in a statement. “We are focused on aligning how we show up across ticketing, digital platforms, public relations, events, education, and community engagement — so that every touchpoint tells a cohesive, compelling story. This is not about following traditional ballet marketing playbooks, this is a rare opportunity to shape the identity of an already stable, well-resourced organization and bring fresh creative energy to an institution poised for reinvention. We are thrilled to have her joining us at this pivotal moment for the Company’s growth.”

Sall is excited for what comes next.

“Sonja's vision for elevating Houston Ballet into a global cultural force resonates,” Sall tells CultureMap. “It reflects the kind of bold ambition I grew up with in advertising: building iconic brands, reshaping categories and setting aspirations that inspire not just an entire organization, but the culture at large.”

Throughout her career, Sall has worked with both top creative agencies and held in-house leadership roles at some of the most innovative, culture-shaping companies in the country. She is known for collaborating with deeply creative teams and partners who are ready to think differently, and for translating big, imaginative ideas into scalable strategies. She has partnered with leading agencies including Mekanism, Ogilvy & Mather, BBDO, McCann, TBWA\Chiat\Day, and R/GA, and has led brand strategy for some of the world’s most recognized companies, including Disney, Coca-Cola, HBO, Gap, Peloton, Starbucks, Ben & Jerry’s, Samsung, Jeep, Nasdaq, HP, GE Appliances, and UPS.

During her time as director of global brand strategy at Netflix, she helped create brands that maintained consistency in different mediums worldwide. That worked is credited with helping the streaming platform drive "global cultural conversation," according to press materials.

“Arts marketing is similar to my work in entertainment at Netflix,” she said, explaining how marketing an organization like the Ballet can be unique. “We weren't just selling a product or a service. The marketing was centered on building meaning, emotion and cultural value. In the arts, brand doesn't just support the mission, it is the mission made visible. At its best, arts marketing invites people into something that matters, amplifying artistic intent.”

As chief marketing officer, Adama will develop integrated marketing campaigns that elevate Houston Ballet locally, nationally, and globally. She will oversee digital, social, content creation, public relations, and brand storytelling, all designed to raise Houston Ballet's profile and make a compelling cultural case for ballet overall.

“I'm eager to dive in,” Sall said. “One of my favorite parts of brand strategy is listening and learning, then translating those insights into a fresh perspective that inspires people to see ballet in a new light. Houston Ballet is a powerhouse, and I can't wait for more people to discover it.”

Sall holds a degree in Cultural Anthropology from Columbia University and is a longtime mentor, educator, and advocate for diversity in the creative industries.

In a press release announcing her appointment the Ballet noted that Sall’s hiring reflects a continued evolution toward a more integrated, future-facing approach to the Ballet’s brand and audience engagement.

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