Star power

6 Dallas luncheons rolling out the red carpet for hot Hollywood headliners this fall

In 2019 — aka The Year of the Woman — "ladies who lunch" really means "women who are passionate advocates, activists, and kick-ass fundraisers for causes they care deeply about."

Just take a look at the A-list headliners Dallas nonprofits are bringing in for their fall fundraising luncheons. They include Emmy, Grammy, Tony, and Oscar winners and nominees. Best-selling authors. A groundbreaking journalist. On screen, they're red-carpet darlings and fun late-night TV talk show guests. Off screen, they're lending their voices to causes like the fight against human trafficking, the importance of arts education, and female empowerment in the workplace.

With fall social season upon us, here's a look at six hotly anticipated Dallas luncheons bringing star power to the table. Grab tickets now because they're all likely to sell out.

Texas Trailblazer Awards Luncheon featuring Laura Linney
October 4, Omni Dallas Hotel

Laura Linney, a two-time Golden Globe winner, four-time Emmy winner, and Academy Award-nominated actress, will step away from the set of her hit Netflix show Ozark to deliver the address at this powerhouse luncheon. The star, who has championed women's rights, headlines an event that will honor six female CEOs of Dallas-based companies who are leading the charge in once male-dominated industries. The Texas Trailblazer Awards Luncheon, chaired this year by Marjon Henderson, Marisa Howard, and Samantha Wortley, raises funds to support The Family Place, a nonprofit organization that helps survivors of domestic violence.

New Friends New Life Luncheon featuring Jada Pinkett Smith
October 11, Omni Dallas Hotel

A successful actress, producer, director, humanitarian, and activist, Jada Pinkett Smith headlines this annual luncheon, which helps provide services for victims of trafficking and sexual exploitation. Though her acting credits range from The Nutty Professor to the FOX television series Gotham, the star's latest buzzy project is her Facebook Watch talk show titled Red Table Talk, which she hosts alongside her daughter, Willow Smith, and mother, Adrienne Banfield-Norris. Pinkett Smith has been an outspoken advocate for the fight against trafficking. She will bring her passion and advocacy for children to the event, co-chaired by couples Shelly Slater and Clayton Huffstutter, Christa and Ketric Sanford, and honorary chairs Amy and Joe Crafton.

Baylor Health Care Foundation Celebrating Women Luncheon featuring Kristin Chenoweth
October 11, Hilton Anatole Hotel

To Broadway buffs, Kristin Chenoweth is still best known for her original role of Glinda the Good Witch in Wicked. But the Emmy and Tony Award winner's career spans stage, film, television, music, and voiceover work. Chenoweth's newest album, For the Girls, releasing September 27, teams her with icons like Reba McEntire and Jennifer Hudson on anthems of female empowerment. She's working with performing arts students on her current tour, coming to Mansfield November 2. Before that appearance, she'll stop in Dallas to deliver the keynote address for Baylor Health Care Foundation's annual luncheon. Celebrating Women brings together more than 1,300 patrons to increase awareness and generate funding for breast cancer research, diagnosis, and treatment. This year's chairman is Laura Downing, with honorary co-chairs Margo and Bill Goodwin.

Council for Life Celebrating Life Luncheon featuring Nicole C. Mullen
October 21, Omni Dallas Hotel

Nicole C. Mullen, a Grammy-nominated and multiple Dove award-winning singer and songwriter, is the headliner for the annual Council for Life luncheon. Mullen's singing career has spanned decades; she is a member of the Christian Music Hall of Fame and is the only African-American artist to win the Dove Award for both Song of the Year and Songwriter of the Year. She received to Grammy nominations in 2002 and 2005, for Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album of the Year. She also speaks passionately about adoption, and has an adopted child herself. Jennie Gilchrist and Lisa Luby Ryan will serve as co-chairs of the event, which helps fund agencies in the Dallas-Fort Worth area that offer pregnancy resources, adoption, and more.

Junior League of Dallas Milestones Luncheon featuring Keri Russell
November 1, Hilton Anatole Hotel

Keri Russell, who will forever be "Felicity Porter" to some, is a sought-after actress on television, in film, and on Broadway. She was most recently seen on the critically acclaimed FX series The Americans, which completed its six-season run this spring, and upcoming, she will star in Star Wars: Episode IX. The Milestones Luncheon is an annual fundraiser benefiting the Junior League of Dallas Community Service Fund and recognizes the impact and achievements of its volunteers. Bess Enloe is being honored as Sustainer of the Year. Co-chairs are Alli Eagan and Connie O’Neill.

Texas Women's Foundation Luncheon featuring Elaine Welteroth
November 14, Hilton Anatole Hotel

Elaine Welteroth is an award-winning journalist, New York Times bestselling author, former editor in chief of Teen Vogue, who is best known on screen as a judge on the newest season of Project Runway. In her magazine career, Welteroth broke new ground as the youngest person and the second African-American to be editor in chief in Condé Nast’s 107-year history. She has written for the hit show Grown-ish and just released a book, More Than Enough: Claiming Space for Who You Are (No Matter What They Say), which she describes as part-manifesto, part-memoir, exploring topics such as race, relationships, identity, and success. The annual luncheon is the Texas Women's Foundation (formerly Dallas Women's Foundation) main fundraiser in support of its work to advance women’s economic security, leadership, childcare access, and healthcare in North Texas. Janiece Evans-Page and Virginia Rose-Harris are co-chairs this year.

Elaine Welteroth headlines the Texas Women's Foundation Luncheon on November 14.

Photo by Renell Medrano

Elaine Welteroth headlines the Texas Women's Foundation Luncheon on November 14.

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Centerstage spotlight

Showstopping Dallas Theater Center gala raises the curtain on a new era

Photo by Tamytha Cameron

Zeke Williams, Grace Cook, Jeff Netzer, Lynn McBee, Kristina Kirkenaer-Hart

On a picture-perfect Saturday night, more than 250 of Dallas’ most devoted arts patrons gathered at the Dee and Charles Wyly Theatre for CENTERSTAGE 42, the annual gala benefiting Dallas Theater Center. The elegant evening on May 2 proved to be both a celebration of Dallas theater’s past and a curtain-raising for its future.

As the sun began to set across the Diane and Hal Brierley Esplanade in the Dallas Arts District, guests descended the outdoor staircase for an al fresco cocktail reception. One popular stop was just inside the doors of the lobby: A "Ziya" digital photo booth from local company Make Life Sweeter that turned patrons' posed photos into stylized watercolor portraits.

Throughout the venue, installations highlighting Dallas Theater Center’s Public Works initiative reminded attendees that the organization’s impact stretches from the stage to the neighborhoods of North Texas.

A multicourse dinner was served on the stage inside the Potter Rose Performance Hall, making attendees feel like the stars of the show in the intimate, theatrical atmosphere.

One of the night’s most meaningful moments came with the presentation of the prestigious Linda and Bill Custard Award to Larry Angelilli, recognized for more than three decades of leadership and advocacy that helped shape Dallas’ cultural landscape. The gala also paused to honor the memories of two beloved arts patrons, Linda Custard and Sarah Warnecke, both longtime champions of Dallas Theater Center and the broader arts community.

Inspired by their example, guests bid high for fabulous live auction items, including trips to Palm Springs and Hawaii and a private dinner with actor Michael Urie at a home on White Rock Lake. A paddle raise followed, with patrons giving generously all around the room.

Every $100 counted - from upstage, downstage, and closer to the wings - as the sold-out fundraiser's earnings totaled an impressive $545,000 in support of the Tony Award-winning theater company and its education and community engagement programs, including Project Discovery, Summer Stage, Saturday Sessions, and Community Workshops.

It wouldn't have been a theater benefit without a showstopping performer. When scheduled headliner Michael Urie was called away for filming commitments tied to Shrinking, Dallas Theater Center called on homegrown talent — and the result brought the crowd to its feet. Broadway performer Tiffany Mann, a DFW native with credits including Be More Chill and Waitress, delivered a powerhouse performance - and a few sparkly outfit changes.

The entire program was emceed by Bri Woods and Akron Watson, both fresh off Dallas Theater Center’s acclaimed production of Ragtime. Woods, an SMU Meadows graduate and Linda and Bill Custard Meadows Actor in the Diane and Hal Brierley Resident Acting Company, represented the next generation of Dallas theater talent, while Tony-, Grammy-, and Emmy-winning Watson brought Broadway pedigree and star power to the gala stage.

This year’s gala leadership reflected the milestone spirit of the evening. Rather than appointing a single chair, Dallas Theater Center reunited gala chairs from the past decade to lead CENTERSTAGE 42 collectively. Leadership included Jennifer and Peter Altabef, Mickie and Jeff Bragalone, Stephanie Byrd, Scott Davis, Melinda Johnson, Brett Levy, Michelle Lockhart, Ann Mahowald, Deborah McMurray, Scott Moore, Scott Orr, Andy Smith, Paul Von Wupperfeld, Hamilton Sneed, and Krista Farber Weinstein.

The evening also marked an exciting turning point for Dallas Theater Center as it prepares to enter a new era under incoming Enloe/Rose Artistic Director Jaime Castañeda, a TCU grad who is making his return to DFW. The affable leader introduced himself to the audience with a few fun personal anecdotes (including one involving an Easter bunny suit) and expressed his enthusiasm for the vision and direction of DTC.

Cheers went up as Castañeda made a surprise announcement: That The Lehman Trilogy would be the final show in DTC's 2026-27 season.

Upon retrieving their cars from valet, guests departed with an ingenious gift on their front seat: A thank-you note and invitation for two tickets to the DTC's next production, the world premiere of Jonathan Norton's play Malcolm X and Redd Foxx Washing Dishes at Jimmy’s Chicken Shack in Harlem -on stage now through June 7. "We look forward to welcoming you back to the theater!" read the note.

Spotted in the crowd, enjoying the evening, were DTC patrons and supporters including Zeke Williams, Grace Cook, Jeff Netzer, Lynn McBee, Kristina Kirkenaer-Hart, Ann Mahowald, Michelle Lockhart, Hamilton A Sneed, Krista Farber Weinstein, Caroline Hamilton, Brandi Willis, Paul von Wupperfeld, Andy Smith, Mickie Bragalone, Jeff Bragalone, Deborah McMurray, Glen Davison, Cynthia Smoot, Jeff Netzer, Jeremy Lock, D'Andra Simmons Lock, Lynn Richardson, Elvenn Richardson, Michelle Lockhart, Krista Weinstein, Paul von Wupperfeld, Sarah Jackson, Andy Smith, and many more. (Scroll through the photos, above, to see highlights of the night.)

Photo by Tamytha Cameron

Zeke Williams, Grace Cook, Jeff Netzer, Lynn McBee, Kristina Kirkenaer-Hart

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