While the annual Dallas Symphony Orchestra League‘s announcement of the debs can usually take a bit of time, this year’s event at Stanley Korshak on Thursday, May 26, was not a long-term affair. After the last collection made up of 2021 and 2022 debs amounted to an almost-record-breaking 48, the class of 2023 was half that.
And with a handful of the 24 debs (Sarah Crow, Elena Ostolaza Dewar, Charlotte Esping, Ellie Michelson, Lydia Pigott, Ellie Steindorf and Catherine Stiles) being unable to attend, and Presentation Founder Tincy Miller and Stanley Korshak’s owner Crawford Brock not in attendance either, the evening’s formal program was over in less than half an hour, including a brief glitch. But more about that later.
Another MIA was Kendra Averitt, who usually assists husband Mark Averitt in Honor Guard and deb duties. Kendra and the couple’s grandbaby were in Oklahoma.
After a challenging year of pandemic postponements, reschedules and finally in-person activities, former DSOL President Venise Stuart said she was just going to settle back with a glass of wine and enjoy the evening’s event.
While deb Gracie Dix proudly showed a photo of her new pup Lilly, mom Jennifer Dix chuckled that when Gracie and Lilly arrive at Austin College, Gracie would be likely to find the Goldendoodle in high demand for hugs and petting.
Speaking of Jennifer, the day was a big one in the Dix household. In addition to Gracie’s becoming a deb, it was also Jennifer’s birthday. Would they be heading to a birthday dinner celebration? Husband Richard Dix said it would depend on how long the announcements would take.
As the guests including John Crawford (he was there for granddaughter deb Paige Williams) took their places in two rows on either side of the walkway, emcee Stan Gardner introduced DSOL President Cynthia Beaird, Presentation Ball Chair Karen Cox, Deb Advisor Heather Moore, Dallas Assembly and Honor guard officers and the attending debs (Britton Barcus, Margaret Bracken, Stephanie Ciarochi, Kate Clark, Gracie Dix, Natalie Duvall, Arden Eiland, Kaitlin Ann Kelly, Celeste Lay, Ella Marks, Morgan Potter, Sasha Schwimmer, Elizabeth Thompson, Lucy Tilden, CeCe Tribolet, Danielle Ward and Paige Williams).
But Stan didn’t get very far into the deb announcements when the oop’s brought the program to a halt.
Just as it was announced that deb Charlotte Esping was unable to attend the event, the room went dark, the music stopped and Stan’s mic went dead. Someone shouted out, “A brief intermission!” The room wasn’t totally black-out dark, though. There was still enough light shining in through the windows that Korshak staffers like Brett McKinney scrambled to correct the situation, while one deb dad headed quickly to the bar for a refresher.
When someone laughed that perhaps Crawford hadn’t paid the electricity bill, the SK staff looked startled at such a remark. Moments later the lights, music and mic came back on, someone announced, “We’re back!,” and the remaining debs proceeded to stroll the walkway.
For the next eight months, the debs, Honor Guard and their families will have a slew of activities leading up to the ball on Saturday, February 11, at the Meyerson.
For more looks of the 2023 debs, check out MySweetCharity Photo Gallery.