Special Events

Jim Nelson, Jesse (Jay) H. Jones II, Lynn Wyatt, Stanton Welch AM

Mark and Jamie Loveland Harper Watters, Kristy Bradshaw, Kelley Lubanko, Jessica Collado Margaret Alkek Williams and Stanton Welch AM

From Special Events to Soirée

A behind-the-curtain look at the whirlwind stage transformation from live performance to elegant dinner

By Alexandra Yates

EXCITEMENT MOUNTS AS A RETURN to in-person events launches for Houston Ballet. The past year left dresses unworn, dinners unattended, and also critical funds unraised for many organizations. Houston Ballet was fortunate to have the dedicated support of its patrons during a difficult period. During a time when ballet lovers would normally be mixing and mingling, virtual events took center stage. “While having virtual options were unique and exciting at first, we’re ready to see the real artistry onstage once again,” says Martha Rocks McMurrey, Houston Ballet Trustee and former Onstage Dinner Co-Chair. Houston Ballet’s Onstage Dinner is best experienced live and in-person. The rare opportunity to dine with dancers onstage while looking out into an empty audience is an unmatched view provided by this singular evening. What’s even more special is the magic that happens behind the scenes between the performance and dinner. Each year on opening night, postperformance, the stage is transformed into a stunning seated dinner for 200 guests in less than 30 minutes by awardwinning caterer, Jackson & Company. Via dramatic curtain reveal, the gasps from the audience are inspiring. What’s happening backstage is a true scene change. “While Onstage Dinner guests are in the audience listening to brief remarks, what’s happening backstage to get the dinner set is orchestrated carefully, quietly and precisely. The challenge of moving swiftly without making a sound in such a short time frame has become an art we aim to perfect year over year,” says Milton Townsend, Jackson & Company. Jackson & Company took on the dinner beginning in 2015 and worked closely with Houston Ballet Production and Special Events teams to elevate the one-of-a-kind dining experience. Behindthe-scenes, twenty tables are pristinely set with 400 delicate glasses, the finest dinnerware and nearly 100 hand lit candles to set the stage all with no detail left unturned. “The setup backstage and swift movement of all those who make it possible can only be described as a production of its own. When the curtain begins to rise, you feel the same ‘it’s showtime!’ reaction,” says Townsend. Houston Ballet is thrilled to reintroduce this beloved signature event on Thursday, September 30, under the leadership of Jamie and Mark Loveland as 2021 Onstage Dinner Chairs.

“When the curtain begins to rise, you feel the same ‘it’s showtime!’ reaction.”

- Milton Townsend, Jackson & Company

Scan the QR code to watch the stage transform into an elegant soirée!

Jo and Jim Furr, Martha and Marvin McMurrey

Thank you to the Margaret Alkek Williams Jubilee of Dance Onstage Dinner supporters!

Onstage Dinner Chairmen Jamie and Mark Loveland

Principal

Deborah and Edward Koehler*

First Soloists

Jesse H. Jones II*/Leigh and Reggie Smith*/ Phoebe and Bobby Tudor*

Soloists

ConocoPhillips Jamie and Mark Loveland* Kent A. Schaffer and Shara Kuy Stephanie and Frank Tsuru* Hallie Vanderhider* Margaret Alkek Williams*

Demi Soloists Ann C. Bean*/

Susan and Gary Binney* Anne and Albert Chao*

Corps de Ballet

Melza and Ted Barr* Rosanette S. Cullen* Sasha Davis and

Joseph Matulevich* Sharon Erskine* Richard Flowers and Angel Rios* Jo and Jim Furr* Ludmila Golovine* Leticia Loya* Jean and Henry May* Martha and Marvin McMurrey* Ginni and Richard Mithoff Marsha Montemayor

Apprentices

Marsha and Michael Bourque Katherine Brooker Keiko and Pierre Chevray C.C. Conner* Jane DiPaolo* Mitchell B. George and

Stanley Curtis, Jr.* Dorothy Kreft Kelley and Stephen Lubanko* Akemi and Yasuhiko Saitoh* Jessica Trincanello and

Jeremy Griggs*

Cabrina and Steven Owsley* Carroll and Hugh Ray Macey and Harry Reasoner Susan and Ed Septimus Michael B. Smith* Marguerite M. Swartz Truist Financial/

Bill and Courtney Toomey* Ellen Van London Jerry Ann Woodfin-Costa and Victor

Costa* Lynn Wyatt*

Shane A. Miller Beth Muecke* Sharon Roark* Christina Sofka* Liliana Soltero and

Michael Hawkins* S. Shawn Stephens and

James M. Jordan* Ileana and Michael Treviño*

Gifts and Dancer Sponsors

Friend of Houston Ballet Eddie and Chinhui Allen Kristy and Chris Bradshaw* Sara Paschall Dodd* Dorothy Kreft Eugene F. Loveland James Nelson and Richard Lapin* Isla and T.R. Reckling Ann Trammell* Betty and Jesse Tutor* Kelli and John Weinzierl* The Wolens Family*

*Host Committee Houston Ballet also thanks those who made a commitment after September 1, 2021

OFFICIAL HEALTH CARE PROVIDER OF HOUSTON BALLET OFFICIAL PRINT MEDIA PARTNER

OFFICIAL AIRLINE OF HOUSTON BALLET