Come to Houston, see the world?

Photo by Daniel Ortiz

Ben Chavez and Walker Chancey.

You didn’t need your passport or struggle through hours of meandering TSA lines thanks to Performing Arts Houston’s Kaleidoscope Ball. Off to Lisbon it is — no jet lag for these revelers. Just a hop to Wortham Theater Center.

Themed “Saudade de Lisboa,” the fundraiser leaned into the poetic longing and romance of Portugal’s capital. Chaired by Windy and Warwick King, the evening honored longtime arts champions Ginni and Richard Mithoff.

The scene was set with a transportive, Lisbon-inspired ambiance. City Kitchen’s cuisine nodded to Portuguese flavors, with quail and beef selections alongside curated cocktails. Dessert arrived with a pour of port wine, because subtlety is best served with a flourish.

At the heart of the evening was a shared appreciation for the arts and the people who sustain them. Performing Arts Houston president and CEO Meg Booth captured the tone, noting the “extraordinary generosity and deep commitment” in the room.

The tempo shifter for the After-Party, which turned up the energy with DJ Cory Greene and live entertainment from Breakfast at Tiffany’s, drawing guests onto the dance floor.

The evening ultimately raised $700,000 in support of Performing Arts Houston’s mission, fueling world-class performances and new commissions from Houston artists plus expanded education initiatives.

On the scene were Jay Jones and Terry Wayne Jones, Corina and Armando Perez, Linda and Willie Chiang, Katie Tsuru and Jack Vielhauer, Michele Leal and George Farah, Kathryn and Jeff Smith, Emily Zarcaro and Chris Popov, Kourtney and Vijay D’Cruz, Judy and Scott Nyquist, Chree Boydstun, Trip Carter, Charlene and Tym Tombar, Sarah Morgan and Oscar Brown, Rita Garcia and Sergio Selvera, and Ben Chavez and Walker Chancey.