Hollywood In Houston

Hollywood rolls into Houston for a red carpet night: It's paparazzi and stars at Cinema Arts Fest opener

With the red carpet rolled out and a clique of local paparazzi huddling outside the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, the scene was all Hollywood for the opening soiree of the sixth annual Houston Cinema Arts Festival on Wednesday.

Except, needless to say, the curated schedule of films about artists and about the arts, the mantra of the nonprofit that hosts this yearly silver screen binge, isn't the type that one would typically find at Megaplex movie theaters. Instead, for instance as in A Midsummer Night's Dream by director Julie Taymor, who flew in to enjoy the American premiere that reinterpreted her stage production shown at the Polonsky Center in Brooklyn last year, artistic director Richard Herskowitz's choices laud the utmost creativity within the genre.

Or as board member Ann Vaughn put it, the Davids within an industry filled with Goliaths.

That the Shakespearean film was more than two-hours long — plus an opening VIP reception, a talk-back with Taymor moderated by Alley Theatre artistic director Gregory Boyd and a post-screening party catered by Whole Foods Market — didn't deter the Brown Auditorium from being packed to the max to the degree that no single seat was available, with a few movie buffs standing in the back.

Hobnobbing with filmmakers DeeDee Halleck, Heather and Benjamin Epps, Thomas Allen Harris, 2014 Levantine Cinema Arts Award recipient James Ivory and Jennifer Grausman plus infamous art forger Mark Landis (Landis the subject of Grausman's Art and Craft) were Lynn Wyatt, Joanne King Herring, Gracie and Bob Cavnar, Toby Kamps, Karen Farber and MFAH film department director Marian Luntz.

Also making a fashionable appearance were former Texans guard Chester Pitts, Houston Public Media's Ernie Manouse and Sarah Gish. Houston Cinema Arts Society executive director Trish Rigdon and her posse were delighted at welcoming such a robust throng.

The Houston Cinema Arts Festival continues through Sunday. Need suggestions on what to see? Hop on over to CultureMap contributor Tarra Gaines' cheat sheet to the five-day bash.

Ann Vaughan and James A. Richard.

Photo by Daniel Ortiz

Ann Vaughan and James A. Richard.

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Intimate Musicale

Tunes fill River Oaks mansion in support of Miller Outdoor Theatre

Miller Outdoor Theatre Piano Noir fundraiser 2024

Photo by Daniel Ortiz

Lynden Unger, Jacob Stein, Elizabeth and Alan Stein.

In a night that struck all the right notes, Robin and Danny Klaes opened their storied River Oaks home on November 10 to host an intimate soirée benefiting Houston’s beloved Miller Outdoor Theatre. Draped in sophisticated black and white cocktail attire, circa 40 arts patrons gathered for an evening of charming performances, fine cuisine, and meaningful chit chat — all with an eye toward supporting Miller’s mission of making the arts accessible to all.

The setting? An exquisitely decorated Kirby Drive home steeped in local lore, famously tied to the true-crime bestseller Blood and Money by Thomas Thompson, which added an intriguing layer to an already memorable evening. Was the ghost of Joan Robinson Hill roaming around? Perhaps.

Guests first mingled in the quaint, canopied courtyard, enjoying Chef Smirnov Catering’s hors d’oeuvres before being whisked into the grand ballroom on the second floor. With its baroque-inspired decor and ceiling murals, the space provided the allure of yesteryear, a theatrical backdrop for amicable chamber music.

St. John Flynn as emcee introduced performances by flutist Victor Kendall and the American Zeitgeist Chamber Ensemble, including Quantz’s Flute Concerto in G, Claude Bolling’s Suite for Jazz Flute, and Barber’s String Quartet. Adding a soupçon of modern flair, vocalists from the Music Box Theater — Rebekah Dahl, Brad Scarborough, and Austin Biel — offered their signature blend of cabaret and comedy.

Amid the musical interludes, Claudia de Vasco, managing director of the Miller Theatre Advisory Board, advocated for the nonprofit’s ongoing capital campaign. She spotlighted a recent key purchase: a grand piano specifically built to withstand Houston’s unpredictable outdoor elements. De Vasco invited attendees to become the official Miller Outdoor grand piano sponsors and make their mark on the amphitheater's enduring legacy.

Since stepping into her leadership role, De Vasco has ushered in a fresh energy around Miller Outdoor Theatre’s mission, focusing on how to better serve Houston’s diverse communities. The nonprofit’s free programming continues to be a gateway for Houstonians to experience everything from world-class symphonies to vibrant cultural showcases.

Guests in attendanceincluded Lance Jones and Allen Ueckert, John Edwards, Gabriel Olson, Carey Kirkpatrick, Lisa and Stan Duchman, Elizabeth and Alan Stein, Gretchen Gardener and Jack Watson, Lynden Unger, Jacob Stein, Karla and Romulo T. Cisneros, Senator Borris L. Miles and Cydonii Fairfax Miles, and Philamena and Arthur Baird.

Photo by Daniel Ortiz

Lynden Unger, Jacob Stein, Elizabeth and Alan Stein.

performing-arts fundraisers miller outdoor theatre