parties

Ribbon Dancing and Gourmet Wine Pairings Highlight Successful ‘Wonderland’ Gala at Stages

Priscilla Dickson, Quy Tran
Ribbon Dancing and Gourmet Wine Pairings Highlight Successful ‘Wonderland’ Gala at Stages

Tom Herrick, Allison Pfeiffer, Ashley Coombs, Michael Hogan

ONE OF THE CITY'S favorite performing arts orgs — Stages theater company — threw its typically intimate and fun annual gala recently, on its own premises at the still-new Gordy theater complex, raising well more than half a mil to further its creative mission.

This year’s ball boasted the world-premiere of a cirque-style Alice in Wonderland-inspired show — ribbon dancing, acrobatics, even a burlesque-y partial striptease-while-juggling number — to delight the 180 guests of chairs Alicia and Garrett Gordy (yes, that same Gordy family) between cocktail hour and dinner.

The meal, which featured wines chosen by ardent Stages supporter Chris Shepherd, included melon ball gazpacho with jumbo lump crab and cucumber ribbons. The soup was followed by medallions of beef tenderloin with cabernet-caramelized shallot glaze, mascarpone polenta and wilted greens.

Popular items in what turned out to be a record-breaking silent auction included “a True Yellow Experience with a stay at Double Arrow Ranch nestled between the Crazy Mountains and the banks of the Yellowstone River, an authentic cattle drive, and plenty of trout fishing,” per a Stages rep. “Other top items included an 18K Gold necklace from acclaimed jewelry creator Robert Wander; a private dinner at the home of James Beard Award-winning Chef Chris Shepherd; and a VIP Astros experience.”

Notable guests included Glenda and Russell Gordy, George Lancaster; Charles Walker, Stages board chair Myrtle Jones, James and Nicole Lassiter and Marnie Greenwood.

In all, the gala raised $550,000 for Stages’ important mission.

Alicia Gordy, Christopher Mitchell, Glenda Gordy

Brandon Weinbrenner and Mauri Oliver

Cabrina and Steven Owsley

Charles and Kerry Walker

Garrett Gordy, Chris Shepherd, Russell Gordy

George Lancaster, Myrtle Jones

Jerry Barnett and Michael Byars

Jill Roth and Ben Lipson

Kalinda Campbell and Sledge Leonidas

Katie Maltais, Beth Lane, Lindsey Brown, Stacy Soefer Gomar

Lauren and Bob Hagerich

Marnie Greenwood, Alicia Gordy, Alexandra Bruskoff

Rick Pasqualone and Denise Fennell

Rina and Ryan O'Malley, Garrett Gordy, Rich Bruskoff

Parties
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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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Fall Philanthropy Report: Kids’ Meals Aims to ‘End Childhood Hunger in Houston’

What is your mission? Launched in 2006, Kids’ Meals’ mission is to end childhood hunger in Houston by delivering free, healthy meals year-round to the doorsteps of Houston’s hungriest preschool-aged children and through collaboration, provide their families with resources to end the cycle of poverty.

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Fall Philanthropy Report: Be An Angel Improves Quality of Life for Children with Special Needs

What year was your organization launched? 1986 by a small group of committee community members that believed special needs children were not receiving basic life services.

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