Kinder HSPVA’s 50th Celebration

Houston’s High School for the Performing and Visual Arts (Kinder HSPVA) marks its 50th anniversary this year. “Encore 50” will provide three opportunities for HSPVA Friends, board members, faculty, students, alumni, founders, families, honorees, and proud Houstonians to celebrate the school’s founding.

The events will raise funds to provide much-needed art area supplies, state-of-the-art technology, and teaching artists, to meet the standards required by Kinder HSPVA’s rigorous fine arts curriculum.

Party in the Park, 6-7:30 p.m., will offer an evening of drinks, food, and live music at Lott Hall in Hermann Park. All proceeds benefit current and future students of Kinder HSPVA. Chairs are Patricia Bonner, Bob Eury, and Karen Ostrum George. Community honorees are Phoebe and Bobby Tudor. Corporate honoree is Brookfield Properties. Tickets start at $500. Advanced registration required.

Encore 50 Celebration & Performances, 8:15 p.m. Guests will enjoy performances by current students at Miller Outdoor Theatre, with special appearances by alumni including Broadway star Samantha Williams (’16), pianist and Guggenheim Fellow Helen Sung (’89), and opera star Camille Zamora (’88). The program will feature selections from every fine arts department at the school: Creative Writing, Dance, Instrumental Music, Theatre, Visual Arts and Vocal Music. The event is free and open to the public. Sponsored in part by the City of Houston through the Miller Theatre Advisory Board.

After-Party: A Toast to the Next 50 Years, 10 p.m. to midnight. The celebration continues at Axelrad Beer Garden, 1517 Alabama Street. Guests will enjoy themed snacks and an open bar with Axelrad’s signature cocktails and draft beer selection at this beautiful outdoor garden famous for its neon tree. Chairs are Farell Marblestone Diamond (Vocal ’93), Matthew Jamison (Theatre ’10) and Chiarra Elayda Stratton (Inst. ’93). Tickets are $75/person and include VIP seating under the canopy for the Miller Outdoor Theatre extravaganza. Advanced registration required.