It was a colorful cultural time warp at Hotel ZaZa when Young Audiences of Houston celebrated the success of its arts programs with the "Pop Art! Soirée." Images of Andy Warhol soup cans, portraits of the Beatles and other '60s iconic photos splashed across the ballroom big screens to set the mod mood.
Denise Hazen and Katherine Veletsos chaired the evening that filled the ballroom with Young Audiences supporters and fans of honoree Mark Wallace, Texas Children's Hospital CEO.
Young Audiences conducts several arts programs for the youthful patients at TCH and in total reaches 240,000 students across the city each year. As Bill Pearson, Young Audiences national board chair in from New York pointed out, the Houston chapter is the largest in the country. Young Audiences has been introducing children to the arts and "the power of the arts in education" for 57 years.
In a nod to serious student talent, the Waltrip High School Jazz Band performed and the HSPVA Concert Dancers contributed their musical take on the '60s. Introducing the program and serving as dinner emcee was KHOU Ch. 11's Mia Gradney.
Joining Young Audiences executive director Mary Mettenbrink were Charles Hazen, Tina and Mark Davis, Nancy Calles and Dr. Mark Kline, L.E. Simmons, Ann Lents, Joan and John Scales, Joann and Bill Crassas, Nic Phillips, Montrice Malone, Todd Frazier, Joel Staff, Sheila and Ron Hulme, Caroline and Bill Sabin and Donatella and Fred Benckenstein.
Katherine Veletsos, from left, Mark Wallace and Denise Hazan at Young Audiences of Houston dinner.
