When the Dallas Summer Musicals debuted in June 1941 with “Blossom Time” in Fair Park’s Band Shell, Francesca Marlene de Czanyi Gerber was a nine-year old living in Chicago. So what does that have to do with the price of apples? Later.
Saturday night guests for the Dallas Summer Musicals’ Curtain Call kicking off its 70th anniversary year knew they were in for something when they arrived at the Music Hall seeing a fiddler on the roof. But they also took solace seeing Curtain Call 2010’s Event Chairs Wendy and Michael Jenkins‘ Cadillac with the license plate “DSM” parked in front and DSM Executive Committee Chairman Gary Griffith greeting everyone upon arrival. They should have known just from the incredible invitations, this was going to be a night.
The pre-event reception was a production in itself with the likes of Ruth Buzzi with hubby Kent Perkins. Alas, poor Ruth was a victim, as was Dee Wyly, of Yvonne Crum‘s (pictured pre-spill with Ruth) enthusiasm, as she spilled her drink on them. Thank heaven, it wasn’t red wine and the drink blended with the gals’ outfits.
Award-winning journalist Tracy Rowlett was commandeered by wife Jill to take a digital snapshot of her with Carmen Electra-look alike Anna-Sophia Van Zweden and buddy Dee (pictured in yellow with, from the left, Tracy, Jill and Anna-Sophia), pre-Yvonne soaking.
Quick history lesson: Did you know that Oklahoma-born Tracy’s family was originally from these parts and the city of Rowlett was named after them?
DSM Chair-elect Mike Steindorf was not the attention grabber that wife Victoria‘s back (pictured) was.
City Manager Mary Suhm (pictured) was enjoying the night after a busy couple of days. Not only had she just named the new police chief, but she had spent the day monitoring the Dallas immigration march. She was pleased that the event was peaceful and no problems developed. When asked if rumors were true that she might be thinking about ending her tenure, she laughed and said, “No.” The gal loves what she does and couldn’t imagine doing anything else. For fun, she heads down to Austin to see her kids and pals. On the other hand, she was concerned about her 97-year old dad, who’s under the weather.
Evening emcee Jody Dean hustled through the crowd to review arrangements. He was wearing a mustache and “soul patch” because he tried out (successfully) for the Fort Worth Cats (that’s a minor-league baseball team) and wanted to look “fierce” like Dennis Eckersley or Rollie Fingers.
Foodie alert: Then it was on to a seated dinner starting with a salad (grilled Texas quail served on dill potato coins, pickled watermelon radish, maple vinaigrette and sorrel), entree (grilled filet of beef with citrus roasted shrimp, roasted poblano and chipotle cheddar potato tart and spring carrots and red wine demi glace) and four truffles in red boxes with black ribbons.
During the dinner chat, Dorsey Baskin admitted he was looking forward to seeing Ben Vereen in the show but was not all that familiar with Mitzi Gaynor. Boy, was Dorsey in for a surprise!
The crowd then moved into the hall and settled in for a very special evening. It wasn’t going to be too long despite having seven Broadway types entertaining. But first some housekeeping chores had to be handled with greetings from the various organizers and a live auction that had even cute kids pleading for bids. One person in the audience had come prepared to win a certain item. Ever-young Billie Leigh Rippey (pictured) with her posse of Alex Martin, her daughter Paige Baten-Locke (who turned 53 Saturday) and her husband Chuck Locke was bound and determined to purchase item #6 — a walk-on role in 9 to 5. Somehow it seemed that the entire audience knew the tiny blond would have her way and hardly a challenger appeared.
Debbie and Jim Francis were catching up with Dale Robinowitz; Craig Hall had numero uno seat on the front row; new police chief David Brown (pictured) was not in uniform but rather tuxedo and was one of the first to depart — duty called. Ironically, it was just minutes after the curtain fell that word went out about the failed car bomb near Broadway in NYC.
Then the show began. Now to keep the show from lingering, each of the performers was given exactly eight minutes to do their thing. Each obeyed beautifully, except one. Cathy Rigby and her daughter Kaitlin (pictured with Cathy) were wonderful as Peter Pan and Wendy; Tom Wopat crooned with slicked hair; Six Flags Over Texas graduate Jay Johnson made the locals proud with his buddy Bob (Have you ever tried to say “Bob” with your mouth closed? It’s evidently a ventriloquist’s nightmare.); David Cassidy not only performed, he read a touching letter than his mother (not Shirley Jones) wrote to the late Charles Meeker just months after David was born; Sutton Foster showed why she’s being compared to Mary Martin and Ethel Merman. Boy, can that gal sing!
And then there was Mitzi Gaynor. The 79-year old came on stage and stayed beyond her allotted time (well, even she admitted it!). But no one wanted her to stop. She flirted and teased the audience with her tales of preparing to dine with the Duke and Duchess of Windsor bringing down the house. Never has female dressing been so embarrassingly enjoyable.
Now in the world of theater, a follow up act to the likes of Mitzi would be a bit grumpy. Not in this case. It was multi-talented Ben Vereen, who entered the stage and at one point almost seemed to want to bring Mitzi back. You sorta got the feeling that he had been backstage laughing as hard as anyone in the audience. But, like the all-star trooper that he is, Ben performed marvelously.
When it was time for curtain call, all the performers (pictured) took a bow with Cathy flying out into the audience to spray them with Tinkerbell’s pixie dust and Mitzi and Ben dancing off into the sunset.
By the way, if you’re still wondering who the nine-year old in Chicago was, Francesca Marlene de Czanyi Gerber eventually grew up and changed her name to Mitzi Gaynor.