Fall Social Planner

12 fall charitable events every good Dallas socialite must attend

With fall fast approaching, the philanthropic events aren't far behind. Whether a luncheon, concert, or gala, there are plenty of charitable events for Dallas do-gooders looking to support a good cause.

Mark your calendars for these 12, which no social butterfly in Dallas would miss.

Crystal Charity Best Dressed Fashion Show and Luncheon, September 16
This ultra-exclusive luncheon marks the official beginning of fall social season in Dallas. Luncheon chair Pam Parella welcomes guests to Neiman Marcus Downtown, where honorees — Anita Arnold, Katherine Coker, Janie Condon, Tucker Enthoven, Heather Esping, Mary Clare Finney, Margaret Hancock, Julie Hawes, Pat Harloe, and Piper Wyatt — model the Carolina Herrera Resort 2016 Collection, with special guest Carolina Herrera. Betsy Sowell is the 2016 Hall of Fame honoree.

Dallas Symphony Orchestra Gala, September 16
Superstar pianist Lang Lang joins the Dallas Symphony Orchestra and music director Jaap van Zweden for this musical tradition, which kicks off the symphony season. Post-dinner and concert, the Meyerson Symphony Center's bottom floor transforms into a lively after-party, with decadent treats, handcrafted cocktails, and impressive dance tunes by Steffi Burns. Marena and Roger Gault serve as this year's co-chairs, with Sherwood Wagner acting as honorary chair.

TACA Custom Auction Gala, September 23
The 2016 chairs Dianne and Mark LaRoe and honorary chairs Wanda Gierhart and Dean Fearing welcome art patrons to a night of wine, fine dining, and a lively auction at the Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek. The black-tie affair truly showcases the best of the hotel, while the extravagant auction shows year after year how far art enthusiasts will go to support their cause. Funds raised support TACA's mission of championing artistic excellence in performing arts organizations.

Black Tie Dinner, October 1
This dazzling dinner at the Sheraton Dallas hotel downtown attracts a long list of celebrity guests who help raise funds for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) supportive organizations serving North Texas. This year's 35th anniversary celebration, themed "Believe," features a special appearance by Emmy-nominated actress Connie Britton and music by Deborah Cox.

Women of Distinction Luncheon, October 7
Benefiting the Girl Scouts of Northeast Texas, this luncheon at Omni Dallas always draws a large crowd that includes some of Dallas' most notable philanthropists, including Laura Bush, Gene Jones, and Ruth Altshuler. This year, co-chairs Maggie Cooke Kipp and Heather Perttula Randall are thrilled to welcome Laura Bush Lauren as keynote speaker. In addition, Sara Losinger and Trea C. Yip are honored as the 2016 Women of Distinction, and Marianne Staubach receives lifetime achievement honors.

Cattle Baron's Ball, October 15
This year, co-chairs Cara French and Andrea Weber recruited superstars Toby Keith and Dwight Yoakam to join in the Dallas fight to give cancer the boot. In addition to these blockbuster concerts, expect auction items for days and food befitting this beloved Texas shindig that supports the American Cancer Society. No fancy threads are required. Jeans and boots do just fine.

Dallas Women's Foundation Luncheon, October 21
Talk about girl power. Expect thousands of women supporting women — and, yes, a few wise men — at the 31st annual event at the Hilton Anatole Hotel. Co-chairs Selwyn Rayzor and Joyce Goss, along with honorary chair Kaleta Doolin, welcome 2016 keynote speaker Candy Chang, best known for the Before I Die project. Proceeds help DWF invest in women and girls and empower women's philanthropy to build a better world.

Two x Two for AIDS and Art, October 22
Every year Cindy and Howard Rachofsky host this highly anticipated — and celebrity-filled — art auction and party at their incredible home. Silent and live auctions featuring an impressive array of contemporary art help fill the coffers of the Dallas Museum of Art and amfAR. The 2016 honored artist is Laura Owens, and the incomparable Nancy Rogers serves as chairwoman once again.

First Sight/First Night Dallas Opera, October 27 and October 28
This is a one-two punch on the Dallas social scene. The festivities start with the First Sight luncheon, chaired by Tiffany Divis, Kara Goss, and Rhonda Marcus, showcasing the latest fashion from Versace and lunch by Wolfgang Puck. Event chairs Ellen and Don Winspear and honorary chairs Joyce and Harvey Mitchell then welcome the opera-loving crowd to the First Night gala, featuring both a pre-performance dinner and an after-party at the Winspear Opera House.

Art for Advocacy, November 5
Now in its 10th year, this celebration is moving from its usual home at Fashion Industry Gallery to the General DataTech Warehouse. This year's event features a seated dinner with live and silent auctions showcasing work from both local and regional artists, as well as a variety of experience packages. Local favorite Sarah Jaffe entertains the crowd at a lively cocktail party following dinner. Proceeds benefit Dallas Children's Advocacy Center.

ReuNight, November 10
This exclusive event benefiting the Family Place could be Dallas' first look at the new Forty Five Ten on Main, which is where the night is set to kick off with cocktails. Co-chairs Brian Bolke and Faisal Halum and Shelle and Michael Sills then welcome guests to dine on the terrace at The Joule. In an exciting twist, Donna Karan makes her first visit to Dallas in decades, as the evening's special guest.

Crystal Charity Ball, December 3
In terms of social hierarchy, Crystal Charity Ball is at the top. This year's theme, "To Everything There is a Season," has us dreaming of beautiful, luxurious landscapes and fabulous flowers aplenty, and ball chair Christie Carter will see to it that every inch of the Hilton Anatole's Chantilly Ballroom speaks to the theme. The organization has a goal of raising $5,600,000 to benefit Community Partners of Dallas, Girl Scouts of Northeast Texas, Hope Supply Co., Notre Dame School, Parkland Foundation, Teach for America, and the Family Place.

Sunie Solomon and Cameron Westcott at Crystal Charity Ball 2015.

Sunie Solomon in Oscar De La Renta, Cameron Wescott in J. Mendel

Photo by WJNPHOTO

Sunie Solomon and Cameron Westcott at Crystal Charity Ball 2015.

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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

dallas theater center theater galas