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Beyond a 'Shadow of a Doubt', Hitchcock-Themed Alley Ball Is Spellbinding Soiree

Jacob Power & Wilson Parish
Beyond a 'Shadow of a Doubt', Hitchcock-Themed Alley Ball Is Spellbinding Soiree

Laura Anne Day

AN APPROPRIATELY DRAMATIC event, this year’s Alley Ball transformed the Post Oak Hotel into an old-Hollywood-themed tribute to Alfred Hitchcock. Bold red curtains framed large screens playing black and white clips of classic Hitchcock films, and the centerpieces made of dark red roses had crows hidden in them! This was the backdrop for a spellbinding night that raised $1.22 mil for the theater.

During cocktail hour, a large bar designed to look like a ‘50s-era movie-theater concessions stand occupied the main reception area. On the bar were curious boxes emanating smoke; guests who dared open them were surprised with a martini!

Before dinner was served, guests heard from the man himself, Alfred Hitchcock. Well, Alley actor Chris Salazar dressed as Hitchcock welcomed guests alongside fellow company members portraying some of the filmmaker’s most beloved characters from The Birds, Psycho, and Rear Window.

The live auction was a theater-lover’s dream, boasting a walk-on roll in the Alley’s beloved Christmas Carol and a luxury trip to enjoy The Devil Wears Prada on London’s West End up for grabs! The party progressed onto the hypnotic black-and-white dancefloor — a nod to the movie Vertigo — where revelers danced until after midnight to The Big Beyond.

Alley Theatre stages Hitchcock’s Dial M for Murder this summer as part of its Summer Chills programming.

Dean Gladden, Roger & Connie Plank, Angela & Craig Jarchow, Rob Melrose

Scarlett Hankey & Ryan Arnoult

Kelly Noel, Valerie Jalufka, Gayle Delahunt

Tony & Cynthia Petrello

Vertigo on the dancefloor!

Hector and Victoria Longoria, Carly Standley, Arturo Chavez

Health LaPray & Travis Torrence

Ford Hubbard & Renee Lewis

Derrick Shope & Brandon Bourque

Sofia & Nadeem Sheikh

Oscar Brown & Sarah Morgan

Betty Hrncir, Sidney Faust, John Hrncir

Kelly Somoza, Brandon Weinbrenner & Beth Madison

Alex and Victoria Lazar

Roger and Connie Plank

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Leadership in Action: ‘Family, Community and Spiritual Connection’ Drives Success for Henry Richardson

Al Torres
Leadership in Action: ‘Family, Community and Spiritual Connection’ Drives Success for Henry Richardson

How did you get to where you are today? The present moment is a combined history of my family, my time as an athlete, my passion for learning, and my desire to see the world be better. I grew up as a successful springboard and platform diver, however, an injury caused me to seek alternative treatments to heal my body. In that process, I discovered the power of yoga, exercise, meditation, mindset, and nutrition. This holistic approach eventually led me to open a Pilates and cycling studio called DEFINE body & mind. I opened studios around the nation, and after selling most of my business between 2017-2019, I was ready to explore how I could make an even greater impact on the wellbeing of our community. In 2023, I started actively working on a brand new multi-family/apartment concept called, Define Living. The idea focused on offering health and wellness services within a beautiful apartment setting to increase the wellbeing of our residents. Having a strong sense of community is the number one factor in living a happy life, so why not build a community where daily fitness, cooking classes, and social connection are the norm? We opened Define Living in March of 2024, and we couldn’t be happier with how things are being received. We are already looking at building more concepts like this in the Houston area and beyond.

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the magazine

Beloved Photographer Diagnosed with Stage-Four Cervical Cancer: How You Can Help

Photographer Jhane Hoang with two covers she photographed

ONE OF Houston CityBook’s most beloved photographers was recently diagnosed with stage four cervical cancer. Jhane Hoang has been behind the camera for some of the magazine’s most ambitious shoots — including an overnight shoot at the then-new Weiss Energy Hall at the Houston Museum of Natural Science, and a cold rainy shoot at the Houston Zoo where the crew used a concessions stand as a staging area for hair and makeup.

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Art + Entertainment
parties

Ahead of Historic Snowfall, Winter Ball Soars to New Heights for Crohn's & Colitis Foundation

Jacob Power

Betty Hrncir, Sidney Faust, Julie Baker Finck

ACTUAL WINTER WEATHER was in the forecast the night of the Winter Ball, benefiting the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation and honoring the Women of Distinction, a festive and fitting detail that sparked a flurry of conversation at the Omni Hotel.

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