Operetta Chic

Musical menu delights Houstonians at Gilbert and Sullivan Society gala

High notes met high bids and applause for the Gilbert and Sullivan Society of Houston.

Gilbert and Sullivan Society Auction of Arias 2026

Photo by Michelle Watson

Julie Hoetzel.

That was the scene at the Doré Commons of the Baker Institute at Rice University for the 11th annual Auction of Arias gala. The event marked the company’s 75th season, drawing more than 120 guests for an evening of musical revelry. At the helm of the evening was event chair Melissa Stonebrook.

The program leaned into the society’s signature charm, with artists from past productions and the upcoming The Gondoliers delivering a blend of Gilbert and Sullivan favorites, operatic showstoppers, and playful departures into musical theater. Leading the welcome was board president Joe White, serving both as emcee and performer.

Through a lively auction-style menu, bidders selected the evening’s soundtrack, prompting renditions of classics like “Three Little Maids” from The Mikado and “Poor Wandering One” from The Pirates of Penzance, alongside crowd-pleasers including “Je Veux Vivre” and “You’ll Be Back.”

Laura Coleman, Richard Paul Fink, Meaghan Heath, Julie Hoeltzel, Sean Holshouser, Pantelis Karastamatis, Riley Ortega, and Riley Vagis offered performances Gilbert and Sullivan would approve — with a wink.

Three video presentations, produced by society member and voice actor John Gremillion, featured alumni like Susan Facer, who went on to star in Phantom of the Opera, Grammy-winning mezzo-soprano Sasha Cooke, and Broadway director Andy Einhorn.

The gala raised more than $130,000, a record-breaking total that will support the group’s upcoming production of The Gondoliers and its scholarship program.

Summoning their inner operetta chic were Victor Stonebrook, John Yabraian, Karen McCarver, Ashly Evans and Clifton Vining, Geoff Copper, Meredith Rice, Sandra Pushkin, Jane Cizik, Marcia Feldman, James Ferrendelli, Barbara Mackey, David Satterfield, Molly and Jim Crownover, Terrilyn Neale, Laura Groppe, Elizabeth Fritschle, Anne and Albert Chao, Cindy and Michael Ma, Jose Ivo, Olga and Orlando Alvarado, and Sharon Birkman.

5-Course Feast

Houston Food Bank chefs' dinner serves up generosity and gourmet flair

Photo by Emily Jaschke

William Crutcher, Benchawan "Chef G" Jabthong Painter, David Skinner, Ope Amosu, and Alejandra Salas.

Houston’s culinary crowd traded kitchen heat for philanthropic firepower on May 5 as the Houston Food Bank hosted its 26th Annual Chefs’ Dinner at Hotel ZaZa Museum District.

The evening of haute cuisine and thoughtful giving served up more than a five-course feast. The gourmand affair delivered a major boost for food-insecure families across southeast Texas.

Event chairs Farah Ahmed and Tahir Qadir rallied an energetic room of foodies, philanthropists, and civic leaders, capping the evening with remarks that inspired a flurry of last-minute generosity. A surprise anonymous matching gift of up to $25,000 sent donations soaring, with more than $61,000 raised during the dinner alone.

The menu read like a Houston restaurant hit list. Guests dined on creations from Benchawan “Chef G” Jabthong Painter of Street to Kitchen, Ope Amosu of ChopnBlok, David Skinner of Eculent & Ishtia, William Crutcher of Monarch at Hotel ZaZa, and pastry chef Alejandra SalasAl.

Meanwhile, Doe and Henry Florsheim accepted the 2026 Barbara Falik Humanitarian Award for their longstanding commitment to food security efforts. Brian Greene, president and CEO of Houston Food Bank, also shared details about the organization’s upcoming groundbreaking for its newest building while outlining the food bank’s long-term vision and continued work serving the community.

The event raised $633,640, enough to provide more than 1.9 million meals to the community.

Not bad for a Tuesday night.

Seen on the scene were Teresa and Jose Ivo, Monique Abernathy, Gordon Murray, Michele and Jeff Dodson, Cathy Easter, Sarah and Ken Fisher, Joan Hessidence and Rick Wall, Colleen and Michael Keegan, and Drs. Ruth Lopez and Steve Turley.

Photo by Emily Jaschke

William Crutcher, Benchawan "Chef G" Jabthong Painter, David Skinner, Ope Amosu, and Alejandra Salas.

chefs fundraisers houston food bank