New York’s Legendary Rainbow Room Comes to Houston For a Record-Setting $1.9 Million Night

Showers of confetti rained down from overhead as the jubilant 650 guests, gathered in the Post Oak Hotel ballroom, raised their glasses in a champagne toast to the Alley Theatre’s 75th anniversary celebration. At that moment, the 17 piece rocking show band Manhattan Starlight Experience cranked up a version of Ariana Grande and Nicki Minaj’s “Bang Bang.”

Dancing broke out and by the time the last guests had departed in the wee morning hours, the evening had earned a record $1.9 million. Oh, what a night.

Yes, it fired on all cylinders.

One of the many beauties of the Alley Theatre is the availability of the resident company actors to enrich fundraising evenings with their award-winning talents. Such was the case when the gala, themed “An Evening at the Starlight Room,” saluted board member and executive committee member at-large Beth Madison.

Resident Acting Company members performed a surprise “impromptu” entertaining skit featuring the successful businesswoman and philanthropist’s contributions to the community. The salute concluded with a festive rap number by company member Luis Quintero. The heartfelt acceptance speech by Madison earned the advocate for the arts and education a standing ovation.

Applause all around for gala chairs Christina and Stephen Morse.

Contributing to the celebration were Alley board president Ken Kades, Alley managing director Dean Gladden and Alley artistic director Rob Melrose, each of whom addressed the historical significance of the evening.

The Events Company set the stage for the Starlight Room theme, riffing on New York’s legendary Rainbow Room by creating a chic supper club atmosphere.

It was a great night for theater lovers as the live auction brimmed with theater tickets and Broadway weekends. VIP experiences featured chances to see Plaza Suite, starring Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick; The Music Man featuring Hugh Jackman and Sutton Foster; as well as a long weekend in London’s West End to see Back to the Future, the recent Olivier Award Recipient for Best Musical.

PC Seen: Carmen and Butch Mach, Karen and Jonathan Finger, Margaret Alkek Williams, Jane Gladden, Mady Kades, Roberta and Larry Wright, Lynn Wyatt, Richard Flowers, Kathryn Ketelsen and Markley Crosswell, Masha and Richard Lunam, Janet and John Carrig, Bill Stubbs, Linda and Willie Chiang, Cora Sue and Harry Mach, Bobbie Nau, Cristina and Creighton Smith, Brittany Sakowtiz Kushner and Kevin Kushner, Lexi Sakowitz and Mike Marek, Robert Sakowitz, and Angela and Craig Jarchow.