Following the 2019 Tutu Chic Fashion Show at the Winspear Opera House on Tuesday, December 3, one guest wondered aloud, “Who was that guy with the microphone?” But more about that later.
Before the guests in their stellar stilettos took their places on the Skokos Stage for the Texas Ballet Theater fundraiser, they sipped flutes of champagne in the lobby. While Co-Chair Sunie Solomon looked perfect in pink, Co-Chair Anne Stodghill was in shimmering silver topped with her “baby necklace,” courtesy of husband Steve Stodghill. Anne reported that her goal was to reflect the event’s equally shimmering invitation. She told Lara Tafel and Joanna Clarke that her son, Dash Stodghill, had reviewed the look as “Ice Queen.”
Joanna fessed up that she was tying down the last contract items before announcing the 2020 Chick Lit Luncheon speaker. [Editor’s note: The reveal ended up being made on Friday, December 27.] However, hugging Lara, Joanna indicated that Lara and husband Dr. Bob Tafel would be returning as event sponsor for the Community Partners of Texas fundraiser.
SPCA Board Chair Patricia Villareal told Anne Sappington that fundraising efforts were in overdrive, with Home for the Holidays at NorthPark and Paws Cause in January. Good thing. Patricia admitted that the SPCA’s rescue efforts had resulted in greater and longer demands than originally expected for the Russell E. Dealey Animal Rescue Center.
But soon the guests like Karla McKinley, Marjon Henderson, Samantha Wortley, Georgina Hartland, Lindsay Jacaman, Lee Bailey, Cindy Rachofsky, Deedie Rose, Lisa Cooley with daughter Ciara Cooley, Tiffany Divis, Marybeth Conlon and Ashley Allen took their places on stage. Immediately the show of dancers performing and modeling Stanley Korshak fashions got underway.
The reviews ranged from a dance too long and clothes not so spectacular, to “OMG! How did they execute that lift?” and “That’s the gown I’ve been looking for.”
Immediately following the finale, the ballerinas lined the stage and were joined by a fellow with mic in hand. He got the live auction going and interjected snippets of stories about his wife, “Nikki,” and their four kids. While his goal had been to get a total of $20,000, his cajoling and charming the crowd well surpassed that goal.
Who was the guy with the mic? Evidently, Stanley Korshak’s main man, Crawford Brock, was still recovering from a head cold and drafted PR guru Crayton Webb to handle the live auction and that he did, to the great delight of the bidders and the Texas Ballet Theater troupe.