Turtle Creek Chorale keeps upping the ante with its Rhapsody divas, beginning with stage and screen star Idina Menzel in 2020 and followed by six-time Tony Award winner Audra McDonald in 2022.
This year the benefit gala welcomed Patti LuPone for a deliciously intimate concert filled with Broadway belting and juicy asides.
The star sang everything from Sondheim to Styne to Piaf, bravely plucking each tune at random from a top hat and teasing the audience with an excited giggle or a loaded "oh shit" upon seeing what's next.
But before the three-time Tony winner took the stage at the Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center on April 1, there was a private cocktail reception and seated dinner for supporters of the Turtle Creek Chorale, the most recorded men's chorus in the world.
While guests dined, emcees Erin Ward and Rob Morean got right to the fun stuff with a live auction packed full of one-of-a-kind experiences.
A dream vacation to Cortona, Italy, for 10 people; a Thanksgiving cruise for two on the inaugural sailing of the Celebrity Ascent; and private in-home dinner prepared by James Beard semifinalist Junior Borges commanded big bucks to help support the Chorale and its mission to entertain, educate, unite, and inspire.
Members of the public then joined gala-goers for a truly memorable concert by LuPone, who was accompanied by long-time collaborator Joseph Thalken and sang from such career-defining shows as Evita and Company (though notably no Sweeney Todd or Sunset Boulevard).
At the end of the signature song "Ladies Who Lunch," LuPone even doused the delighted front row with the contents of her martini glass.
LuPone's personal favorites snuck in as well, with an entertaining one-woman duet to "A Boy Like That/I Have a Love" from West Side Story and even the Elvis Presley tune "Love Me Tender" with a backstory on growing up in a rock music-filled house.
Another duet, "If I Were a Man" from the short-lived Broadway musical War Paint, became a solo because "I prefer it that way," LuPone said slyly.
TCC artistic director Sean Mikel Baugh led the more than 250 members of the Chorale when accompanying LuPone, and on a poignant rendition of "A Million Dreams" from the film The Greatest Showman.
Then it was time to party. Spotted rocking out at the afterparty were TCC executive director Jeremy Wayne, honorary chair James Lynn Williams, and Rhapsody host committee members Marc Buehler and Junior Hernandez, Chris Clawson, Taylor Cleghorn, Bryan Daniel, Robert Emery, Ben Holden and Chris Hickman, Forrest Johnson and Gil Jesus, Casey Martin, James May, Wes McCormack and Daniel Kuhn, Peter Overland, Roger Poindexter, Jamie and Servando Rawson, John Rieger, Chuck Sweatt and Michael McGary, andFreddy Valderrama and Michael Scott Smith.
Photo by Cash Anglin and Justin Yoder
Supporters enjoyed a dinner before the concert.
The Turtle Creek Chorale was founded in 1980, and today is comprised of more than 250 singing and auxiliary members who contribute over 100,000 hours annually to rehearsals, performances, and community outreach. You can learn more, donate, and see the Chorale's performance schedule here.
Texas' leading man, Matthew McConaughey, and his wife, Camila, were not only the featured speakers at New Friends New Life’s 2024 fundraising luncheon, they ended up being the event’s biggest donors. The first part was planned. The second came as a generous surprise to the Dallas nonprofit.
At the conclusion of an on-stage chat with the McConaugheys at the "Stand For Her" Luncheon on September 20, the couple announced they'd give a $100,000 matching gift to New Friends New Life. But they weren't done.
Veering off script, they asked that the house lights be brought up and conducted an impromptu "paddle raise" around the room, soliciting donations from attendees until they reached the $100,000 they would be matching personally. (Half of the amount raised, $50,000 was pledged generously by Gene Jones, wife of Cowboys owner Jerry Jones.)
The McConaugheys had just gotten this idea, they said, when they'd heard backstage that NFNL was $140,000 short of their goal. Their efforts helped push the fundraising total to an astounding $1.1 million.
“Camila and Matthew McConaughey exceeded our highest hopes as keynote speakers through their humility, passion, and kindness,” said Bianca Davis, NFNL CEO, after the event. “We could not be more grateful for their support and for their unscripted call to action. In that one surreal moment, The McConaugheys reminded us that when we show up for survivors, our community shows up for us.”
Matthew and Camila McConaughey chat on stage with NBC5's Meredith Land.Photo by Tamytha Cameron and Celeste Cass
More than 1,200 guests gathered at the Omni Dallas Hotel on September 20 for the annual New Friends New Life benefit in support of the organization's mission to restore trafficked and sexually exploited teen girls, women and their children, and to drive awareness of the issue.
While attendees feasted on Poached Pear Spinach Salad, Texas-Spiced BBQ Chicken, and Dr Pepper Chocolate Cake, luncheon co-chairs JoJo Fleiss and Lisa Rocchio, honorary co-chairs Robin and Norm Bagwell, NFNL CEO Bianca Davis, and NFNL chief development officer Priya Murphy underscored the organization's vital work in the community.
This year’s ProtectHER Awards were received by Southwest Airlines managing director of corporate responsibility Laura Nieto and Young Men’s Service League (YMSL)president, CEO, and founder Pam Rosener. A video then introduced attendees to the Liberty Street Garden, which not only provides income but also work experience in a healing environment for those who work on it.
But the big draw of the afternoon was "A Conversation with the McConaugheys," moderated by NBC 5’s Meredith Land. The wide-ranging Q&A covered the Austin couple's love of Texas, support of Uvalde, the work of their "just keep livin" Foundation, their bestselling books, and fervor for University of Texas Longhorns football.
Highlights of the chat:
On moving back to Texas: They made the decision jointly while sitting at a red light on a visit to see Matthew's mother outside Austin. Growing up in Brazil, in a family of farmers and ranchers, Camila said, her values matched those of Texans - namely saying, “Yes, ma’am” and “No, sir."
On Matthew's bestseller Greenlights: “It’s inevitable that you are going to get red lights in your life – something that stops us in our tracks," he said. "Sometimes you need to be stopped. It’s like an intervention. The idea of the book is that all red lights do eventually turn green. Yellow lights give us a choice – do we slow down or go fast? Sometimes we look for drama where it doesn’t exist.”
On Camila's bestseller Just Try One Bite: “In the journey of my life I was forced to go back to my roots … what we cook and eat and how it’s all connected,” she said of growing up around farmers in Brazil, and adding that it’s important for children to see food gets from farm to table, a process that fosters a sense of gratitude. “The sooner people learn and understand, the sooner they take ownership of their own lives and health.”
On the shooting tragedy in Uvalde, Matthew’s hometown: He recounted the moment the couple decided they would go there in person. Their purpose was to help however needed; they ended up visiting with families and forming bonds that last today. “Families trusted us, bringing us into intimate moments,” he said. This led the McConaugheys to Washington, D.C. to advocate for the bipartisan Safer Communities Act, and then to the creation of their Greenlight Grants Initiative to help school districts access the billions of dollars of available federal funding to create safer school environments and ensure the well-being of children.
On New Friends New Life's mission: Land highlighted a PSA about human trafficking that Matthew participated in with the Texas attorney general. Camila said that growing up in Brazil, she was made very aware of the potential danger: “When I moved here at 15, I thought I didn’t have to look over my shoulder, but now I’m having this conversation with my kids. Something really has to be done.” Matthew added, “We have to realize that everyone needs to look out for one another with a keen eye before we can depend on law enforcement. It’s right here in our backyard. It’s an ugly scar.”
On Matthew's passion for UT football: “We’re doing really well! I believe this team is still playing against how great they can be, and if they keep doing that, they are going to maintain the edge,” he said.
Spotted in the crowd, enjoying the event, were Chad Houser, Gabe Madison, Stephanie Wilcox, Jayda Batchelder, Margaret Windham, Elizabeth Berglund, Therese Rourk, Donna Weitzman, Barbara Gary, Melissa Sherrill-Martin, Kristi Sherrill-Hoyl, Hollee Hirzel, Kunthear Mam-Douglas, Mary Griggs, Regina Bruce, Sally Dutter, Noelle LeVeaux, Ryan Johnson, Karla Smith, Dawn Greiner, Lynn Dowdle, Kaylyn Murray, Jeanne Bobbitt, Linda Custard, Caren Klein, Anita Arnold, Lana Andrews, Aileen Pratt, Bridget Harris, Rachel Hornbuckle Reid, Laura Harris, Anita Arnold, Linda Custard, Jaylon Spencer, Candace Locklear, Tanya Dalton, Destine Roberts, Aaliyah Brown, Erin Sander, Dani Dillard, Mackenzie Kleinert, Tyler Kleinert, Cynammon Byrnes Allen, Felicia Burns, Gerald Turner, Gail Turner, Chris Colley, Jill Barragan, Susan Gordan, Libby Hunt, Debbie Hayhurst, Alanna Quillen, Samantha Davies, and many more patrons and supporters.
Photo by Tamytha Cameron and Celeste Cass
Priya Murphy, Lisa Rocchio, Camila McConaughey, Matthew McConaughey, JoJo Fleiss, and Bianca Davis at the 2024 New Friends New Life Luncheon.