TUTS at the Holidays

TUTS LIGHTS UP 2022 GALA WAS A SPECTACULAR SUCCESS!

THE MAGICAL EVENING RAISED MORE THAN $660,000 FOR HOUSTON’S HOME FOR MUSICAL THEATRE

Theatre Under The Stars’ “Lights Up” Gala, celebrating the 50th Anniversary of TUTS Humphreys School of Musical Theatre, took place Friday, October 7 at The Astorian, drawing Houston philanthropists and arts lovers to celebrate the deep impact of theater education on our community! The event raised more than $660,000 in vital revenue supporting a breadth of programming at Theatre Under the Stars.

The evening, chaired by Patricia and Sig Cornelius and Dolores Cavatore and John Tobola, showcased the incredible talents of TUTS Education students with performances throughout the night, including with the evening’s headlining entertainer, Broadway celebrity Alex Newell. The festivities began with opening remarks by TUTS Executive Director Hillary Hart and TUTS Artistic Director Dan Knechtges, continued with videos highlighting the immeasurable value of Theatre Under the Stars, the arts, and arts education, followed by moving remarks from TUTS Director of Education Laura Peete.

“Look at these amazing students. We have a responsibility to them, and to all the kids at home right now who have never stepped inside a professional theater before. We are ready to elevate and build a legacy of showing how Houston can lead the charge in what the arts and arts education CAN be. We have big dreams at TUTS. Dream with us.” said Laura Peete.

The Astorian was a beautiful venue for the 1920s-inspired décor that welcomed guests. The pre-program was complete with a gloriously costumed champagne

diva accompanying the raffle for a diamond ring from J. Landa Jewelers, mystery grab bags from David Peck, and a martini-and-old-fashioned bar. The silent auction that took place throughout the evening had guests enthusiastically bidding right up until the auction closed.

When seated, guests were treated to a house-smoked salmon with meyer lemon and dill sorbet before the duo entrée of 40-day aged grass-fed beef tenderloin and seared redfish. Everyone enjoyed a warm chocolate lava cake with salted caramel toffee gelato to finish.

Auctioneers Johnny Bravo and Tracie Yeoman kept paddles raised with multiple sales for all the live auction items on offer, including a live painting from Taft McWhorter and a TUTS-exclusive trip to the 2023 Tony Awards. The donation portion of the evening alone raised more than $85,000 from generous attendees.

To cap off the night, star of stage and screen Alex Newell, put on a fabulous show for guests, performing a cabaret-style set with songs and entertaining stories from many of his memorable roles, including his time on Glee and on-stage for the Tonyaward-winning revival of Once On This Island.

As the final hurrah for the evening, TUTS Education students joined Newell for a rousing performance of “This Is Me” from The Greatest Showman, followed by a champagne toast from the event chairs and a sing-along of “I Have a Dream” from Mamma Mia! with over 50 student performers encircling the ballroom.

Chairs John Tabola & Dolores Cavatore, TUTS Executive Director Hillary Hart, Alex Newell, TUTS Artistic Director Dan Knechtges, Chairs Patricia & Sig Cornelius, Photo credit: Priscilla Dickson Photography

TUTS Associate Artistic Director Monique Midgette, Company Manager Jessica Casanova, Director of Education and Engagement Laura Peete, Photo credit: Priscilla Dickson Photography

DONOR PROFILE JOEMAINE & ELIZABETH SPEARS

TUTS: How did you first get involved with TUTS?

Spears: We learned about Theatre Under The Stars through a professional partnership with The Hobby Center for the Performing Arts. We attended a couple performances and our daughter began attending classes at the Humpreys School of Musical Theatre. From there, we wanted to get more involved in supporting TUTS and their work in the community.

TUTS: What have been some of your favorite TUTS experiences?

Spears’: We all love attending the TUTS performances and events. We’ve enjoyed all the TUTS shows, but the ones that really stand out are Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, Disney’s The Little Mermaid, and most recently had a great time at the Aint Misbehavin’ production. The special shows around the holidays are also fun to attend.

TUTS: You’ve been very generous to TUTS and our programming; what motivates you to support TUTS as a newer donor?

Spears: We enjoy giving back to the community and see TUTS as a great avenue to make a significant impact in the community as well as in individuals of all backgrounds.

TUTS: You mentioned your daughter’s involvement with HSMT. What impact has the program had on her?

Spears: HSMT has had a really positive impact on Makayla. It really gave her more confidence in her ability, not only when related to the arts, but also in her school. This has allowed her to open-up much more around other people and classmates, along with being more willing to volunteer for different roles and activities. It also has increased her passion for the arts and extracurricular activities. Spears: It was great to see her growth and development of her personality along with overall enthusiasm which was has really been brought along through her involvement in HSMT.

TUTS: You recently joined us for TUTS Travels! Why did you decide to travel to the UK with TUTS? What are your favorite memories from the trip?

Spears: When we read about the trip, it touched all of the things that we have a lot of interest in: theatre and history. What we didn’t realize was that the great group we would be spending the time during the trip made sure there was never a dull moment! We had a lot of great memories, but a couple of our favorite memories were seeing our daughter light up throughout the Back to the Future performance along with touring Buckingham Palace and Westminster Abbey, which ended up being historic due to the timing of the unfortunate death of Queen Elizabeth. It was a great trip because we had a great guide who was knowledgeable and allowed us to get a closer look into history and the arts in the UK.