Vickie Moats, David Haspel
Shawna and Jim Schlichting
Mary Blair, Emily Rodriguez, Jessica Plansky
Albert Menefee, Allen and Anne-Marie Lacy, Kurt Dittrich
Kathleen O’Brien, Charles and Alicia McCutcheon, Mark Greene
Nick Maynard, Phillipe Chadwick
Great balls of fire A whole lotta shakin’ going on at the TPAC Gala
I
f there were any doubts about how much TPAC rocks, one needn’t look any further than the recent TPAC Gala for proof. Inspired by the hit Broadway musical Million Dollar Quartet—coming to TPAC in May of 2014—the black-tie soirée infected everybody with a case of 1950s rockabilly fever. While many guests arrived in standard black-tie attire, several brave patrons jumped at the opportunity to play dress-up, with women showing up in fabulous full-skirted frocks and men in a variety of slim-cut suits or embellished Western wear. Anyone without a costume was in luck as the check-in table offered a variety of retro cat-eye glasses, horn-rimmed specs and vintage sunglasses for guests to don. Passed hors d’œuvres aptly named after the four members of the Million Dollar Quartet—Johnny Cash, Elvis Presley, Carl Perkins and Jerry Lee Lewis—kept guests satiated as they browsed the extensive offerings in the silent auction. Just inside the entrance to Andrew Jackson Hall, a ’50s inspired nightclub awaited revelers, complete with a vintage jukebox, cigarette machine (which now dispenses artwork instead of nicotine) and black-and-white tiled dance floor. Nashville Ballet’s own Gerald Watson and Jocelyn Green entertained the crowd with a selection of choreographed dance numbers to the era’s biggest hits. Theresa Menefee, Bob Deal and Jason Bradshaw, the Gala’s clever co-chairs for the second year in a row, gave us a special sneak peek of the stage before dinner. The chairing trio, along with floral designer Phillipe Chadwick and décor chair Kristin Fridrich King, created a stunning space that included chandeliers made of 45’s and glittery guitars. The “Great Balls of Fire” centerpieces—round ombré arrangements of roses varying from yellow to red with flames dancing in the center—were nothing short of jaw-dropping and required special approval from the fire marshal! Sargent’s Catering prepared the delectable four-course feast, the grand finale of which was a mini grand piano, made entirely of chocolate and filled with white chocolate mousse and fresh raspberries—one of the most memorable desserts
Co-chairs Jason Bradshaw, Theresa Menefee and Bob Deal
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58 >> OCTOBER 2013 | nfocusnashville.com Marci and Stephen Houff
Clay and Dana Wraith