Issue link: http://papercitymagazine.uberflip.com/i/562658
ALLEY THEATRE BALL HEADLINED BY JAY LENO (LATE-NIGHT) STAGE ALL THE WORLD'S A CATHERINE D. ANSPON REPORTS FROM THE FOOTLIGHTS. PHOTOGRAPHY JENNY ANTILL CLIFTON, PRISCILLA DICKSON. IF YOU COULD PLAY ANY PART ON STAGE, WHICH CHARACTER AND PLAY WOULD IT BE? MADY KADES: "Sherlock Holmes and the Adventure of the Suicide Club" … I'd emulate Josie de Guzman in her role as Club Secretary — an incredible actress and also marvelously sexy in a tuxedo." ANDY CORDES: "I would have to say Charlie would be the character in Kinky Boots that I would play." JO FURR: "I would play Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz because I've been fortunate to live in the Land of Oz ..." HELENE ZADOK: "I would choose the play, Barefoot in the Park, and I would play the mother of Corie, the newlywed." DEAN GLADDEN: "I am a percussionist. If I could play a part, it would be in the orchestra pit of Porgy and Bess, playing the xylophone solo in the overture. It is the most famous xylophone solo in orchestra literature. That would be a thrill!" THE FIELD Past venues for the Alley Theatre Ball have ranged from the theater itself to cool, edgy warehouses transformed by the troupe's stagecraft. For this year's ball, the site was epic — and worthy of the comedic-dramatic story that would unfold. We're talking NRG Center. The place where the Houston Texans do gridiron battle on autumn Sundays became a philanthropic setting inspired by the days of Shakespeare: Design maestro Richard Flowers of The Event Company evoked a sylvan glade set against a medieval- inspired mural depicting the Hunt of the Unicorn. The evening lived up to its "Much Ado About the Alley" title by bringing in an all-time record $1 million-plus for the Tony Award-winning theater, while also setting the stage for its upcoming return to the company's restored 1968 Brutalist building, which will be celebrated this month. (Look for details in our Social Calendar, this issue.) THE PLAYERS The leads in this auspicious Broadway-worthy benefit were the generous Mady and Ken Kades, who actually do underwrite many Big Apple productions. Closer to home, the Kades live and breathe Alley, and he's on the board, so it was a natural move to tap them as chairs. The dynamic pair — she in Carolina Herrera from Saks Fifth Avenue — joined Alley artistic director Gregory Boyd with Tony-nominated actress Josie de Guzman, in from NYC, and managing director, Dean Gladden with wife Jane, as well as a troupe of nearly 600 notables: Honoree Margaret Williams, a grande dame of philanthropy; entertainment chair Beth Madison (who made the evening's high-voltage entertainer possible); Molly and Ford Hubbard (who will chair the theater's reopening festivities Saturday, September 19); board chair Rob Reedy and wife Susan; Roger Plank and wife Connie (he, along with Meredith Long, co-chairs of the capital campaign, which has topped $53 million to date, making the reborn building possible); Gracie and kilt-sporting Bob Cavnar, tearing up the dance floor; board prez Jesse Marion; and late-night party chairs David Peck and David and Luis Bamford-Perez. MR. LENO'S IN THE HOUSE For the first act, guests clinked cocktails and perused auction lots while marveling at the wonders of being on the field of NRG Center. The evening segued into the seated dinner directed by Jackson and Company, with adorable miniature vegetables as amuse- bouche, followed by poached Arctic char, a brace of stuffed quail as entrée and pear royale as finale. Après dinner, the black-tie crowd waited in anticipation for the headliner: Jay Leno, star of late-night TV for decades and decades. Leno did not disappoint, although he quipped he was missing about 60,000 audience members in the seats. (A select contingent got to hobnob with the comedian post- performance during a late- night champagne and photo op in a private club box.) WHITE-CUBE BIDDING DRAMA Adding the Kades touch to the night and amping up the bottom line were the auction lots, which nodded to the chairs' other abiding interest (besides theater): art collecting. Miz Kades tapped Geri Hooks, doyenne of Hooks-Epstein Galleries, to corral top artists and fellow gallerists into contributing to the theatrical cause; therefore, besides the usual sumptuous trips, wheels and bijoux, works such as Adele Andea's riotous neon confections from Anya Tish Gallery (literally) illuminated the auction tables. Other power galleries participating included McClain, McMurtrey, Moody, Deborah Colton, Nicole Longnecker and Sicardi. Andrew Cordes Beth Wolff Brian H. Teichman Honoree Margaret Williams Beth Madison Bob Cavnar Gregory Boyd Laura Rathe Jay Leno Ford Hubbard Mary O'Black Weston O'Black Molly Hubbard Pam Bryan Josie de Guzman Roger Plank Late Night chair David Peck Late Night chair Luis Bamford- Perez Late Night chair David Bamford- Perez Connie Plank Jesse Marion Helene Zadok Jessica Bresler Julia Alston Leslie Terry Jane Gladden Dean Gladden Susan Reedy Rob Reedy Dror Zadok Celina Hellmund Melanie Jarrell Frances Marzio Melinda Stubbs Chair Ken Kades Gracie Cavnar Chair Mady Kades Steven Hamilton Melissa Buce SEPTEMBER | PAGE 44 | 2015