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Sugar Land Cultural Arts Foundation, founded to restore the historic Lakeview
Auditorium to a thriving cultural arts center in the heart of Sugar Land, will
hold its eighth annual Founders
’ Ball on Jan. 9 at Safari Texas Ranch.
SLCAF started a featured entertainment tradition in 2008 by asking those in the
community, otherwise known as local celebrities, to not only attend the
wonderful event, but to be the stars!
At the 2008 event, then Mayor David Wallace and SLCAF board member Kathy Huebner
committed to 20 dance lessons and performed with professional dancers at the
gala showing what they had learned. It proved to be an amazing performance and
SLCAF knew it was onto something.
In 2009, the local celebrities entertained the crowd with adapted Broadway
musical numbers where local
“short” people performed No People Like Short People. Sheriff Milton Wright was convinced to put away his accordion and go to
Sheriff School in
Polka Band Drop-Out. Louis Garvin and Dee Koch had a fun-spirited “duel” with Anything You Can Do I Can Do Better, and, after being teased by emcee Mayor Jimmy Thompson about being known as a “pretty boy” while in office, former Mayor David Wallace performed a rendition of I Feel Pretty. Finally, Billie Neuhaus was the shining star in a very special serenade, Hello Billie.
In keeping with the tradition and the evening’s theme, “Taking the Stage,” local celebrities will once again take the stage on Jan. 9. As part of the
evening
’s entertainment, well-known locals will show off their talents in “Operation SugarCube,” an original screenplay written by Cornelia Jones-Post. Cornelia is a native
Texan and has worked Off-Broadway and in regional theaters. She is an author
and composer, and has also performed in New York, Europe and regional opera.
Post studied at the Juilliard School of Music and the Manhattan School of
Music.
“It has been a thrill to brainstorm ideas with the committee and observe Cornelia
use her great skill to create a comedy for this year
’s event,” said Donna Hine, SLCAF executive director. “We are lucky and thrilled to have her! It will be exciting to see it all come
alive with the talents of this fantastic cast.
”
Some of the entertainers are returning SLCAF stars, David
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Wallace and Noel Mascarenhas, and many new performers including Judge Bob
Hebert, Commissioner James Patterson and Lizz Sansone.
“It is going to be so much fun to see so many of our local celebrities
participating in this year
’s entertainment,” said Jean Goff, chair of the 2010 gala. “Just see what everyone is saying about the World Premier of ‘Operation SugarCube’”:
“See folks you know and their amazing unknown talents” – Pete Olson, U.S. Congressman
“No tickets will be sold to anyone who cannot keep a secret….don’t ask!” – Bev Carter, publisher, Fort Bend Star
“A Tony-caliber production right here in Sugar Land! … Amazing!” – Dr. Gene Huebner, M.D.
In addition, Goff said the evening’s entertainment is a reminder of what the event proceeds will bring to the Sugar
Land area
—a diverse mix of local, regional and national talent to the restored Lakeview
Auditorium, a historic edifice built in 1918 that is the oldest surviving
public building in Sugar Land.
In addition to the musical productions, emceed by Sugar Land Mayor James
Thompson, event-goers can bid for prizes in a live and silent auction and bid
board. Many of the local celebrities are also putting together live auction
packages including
“The Dee Koch Package,” “The Louis Garvin Package,” “The Congressman and Mrs. Pete Olson Package,” “The Sugar Land Mayor’s Stimulus Package,” and for those who attended last year, “The I’m so Pretty Package,” otherwise known as “The David Wallace Package.”
The gala is the foundation’s most important annual event and many sponsors have already committed their
support including benefactors: Carole and Bob Brown, Fort Bend Publishing,
Pamela Printing Company, and Lynda and Dave Topp. Sponsorships are currently
available at three levels
—Benefactor ($5,000), Patron of the Arts ($2,500) and Colleague ($1,000). In
addition to his emcee duties, Mayor Thompson is working as this year
’s sponsorship co-chair along with Jeff Tallas.
Event tickets are available for $100 each; a table for 10 is $1,000. For tickets
or underwriting information, contact SLCAF Executive Director Donna Hine at
281-898-4518 or
donna@slcaf.org.
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