Dish-Houston

Today is the first day since 1937 that there are no Continental Airline airplanes operating anywhere in the world. Thousands of ex cons are saddened by the loss of a great brand that brought pride to so many of us. Unlike other airlines who disappeared, CO was the only one who went out "On Top". Most admired global airline, more JD Power awards than any airline ever...you name it, CO won it......every customer satisfaction award, 100 best places to work in America for six straight years. It's like a college diploma, it's our accomplishment and it's in the record books. We can all go do other things but we will always be tied by our joint accomplishment....making CO the best airline there ever was. My thanks to all of you who went the extra mile to put us on the map. No one could have done it better than you. gb

This holiday season a group of 25 area youth will join the Alley Theatre's production of A Christmas Carol - A Ghost Story of Christmas.  These young actors will be working with the Alley's Company of Actors to tell the tale of Ebenezer Scrooge's journey with the three ghosts that visit him on Christmas Eve.  Houston's seasonal favorite that the Houston Press said, ".....has spectacular London sets ... the inimitable Dickens tale -- spiced with the usual fog and an unusual twist on the ghosts past present and future." A Christmas Carol - A Ghost Story of Christmas returns this year with a re-telling of Charles Dickens' classic story that follows Ebenezer Scrooge's journey with the three ghosts that visit him on Christmas Eve. A Christmas Carol - A Ghost Story of Christmas instills a powerful message about redemption and the spirit of the holiday season. The dazzling production is created by Tony Award winning scenic designer Tony Straiges (Alley's Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?), costumes by Alejo Vietti (Alley's Cyrano de Bergerac, The Scene, Tryst, Orson's Shadow), lighting by Rui Rita (Alley's Cyrano de Bergerac, To Kill a Mockingbird, Bad Dates), and original music by John Gromada (Alley's Subject to Fits, The Pillowman).

A Christmas Carol is sponsored by Lead Sponsor ConocoPhillips and Supporting Sponsor Apache and Ernst & Young LLP. The Alley Theatre is supported by the 2009-2010 season sponsor Continental Airlines, the official airline of the Alley Theatre.

More than half of the cast is comprised of young actors.  The cast members are from various neighborhoods in the Houston metropolitan area including Spring, Cy-Fair, West University, Meyerland, League City and Memorial. These young actors are being transported to Victorian England and bringing this classic tale of redemption to life. The group is divided into two teams - one called the "green team" and the other called the "red team" that alternate performances.  The young actors in A Christmas Carol include: 

Ally Fleischhauer, 11 - CyFair
Ally Fleischhauer is in the 6th grade at Bleyl Middle School and this is her 2nd year in A Christmas Carol.  Her sisters Bryn and Kyla are also in A Christmas Carol. Fleischhauer's holiday wish is to see snow.
 
Bryn Fleischhauer, 9 - CyFair
Bryn Fleischhauer is in the 3rd grade at Matzke Elementary and wanted to be in A Christmas Carol because she "saw how much fun her sister Ally had last year." She wants to be a dancer when she grows up and her favorite holiday movie is How the Grinch Stole Christmas.

Kyla Fleischhauer, 7 - CyFair
Kyla Fleischhauer is in the 1st grade at Matzke Elementary and wants to be teacher when she grows up.  Her favorite Alley Theatre production is A Christmas Carol and she is looking forward to Wonderland.

David Heaton, 12 - Cy Fair
Heaton is in the 7th grade at Arnold Middle School and this is his 3rd year to participate in A Christmas Carol. Heaton says being in A Christmas Carol "is a great experience and lots of fun" and he wants to be an actor when he grows up.

Chantellie Wesley, 6 - Golfcrest
Chantellie Wesley is in the 1st grade and Poe Elementary and this is her 1st year in A Christmas Carol. Her favorite holiday movie is Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer and she loves science, art and plays the violin.

Dylan Lambert, 12 - Kingwood
Dylan Lambert is in the 6th grade at St. Martha Catholic School and this is his 1st year in A Christmas Carol.  His favorite holiday movie is The Polar Express.

Xavier Lehew, 12 - League City
Xavier Lehew is in the 7th grade and his favorite holiday movie is A Christmas Story.  Lehew is on the swim team and plays the guitar.

Fritz Eagleton, 12 - Memorial
Fritz Eagleton is in the 7th grade at Hamilton Middle School and this is his 2nd year in A Christmas Carol. He is involved in theatre, karate and Odyssey of the Mind.

Winch Eagleton, 7 - Memorial
Winch Eagleton is in the 2nd grade at Harvard Elementary and this is his 3rd year in A Christmas Carol. His favorite holiday movie is Christmas Vacation.

Artemis Melania Postolos, 7 - Memorial
Artemis Melania Postolos is in the 1st grade at Annunciation Orthodox School. Her brother played Tiny Tim for 4 years and she loves playing Tiny Tim "because he is a famous character and important to the story's message."

Catherine Ribbeck, 9 - Memorial
Catherine Ribbeck is in the 4th grade at The Kinkaid School and her holiday wish is to "spend more time with my family."  Her favorite holiday movies are A Year Without a Santa Claus and Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer.

Liam Conner, 10 - Meyerland
Liam Conner is in the 4th grade at St. Thomas More and this is his 1st year in A Christmas Carol. His favorite production at the Alley Theatre is Sherlock Holmes and the Crucifer of Blood and he plays soccer and basketball.

Reagan Lukefahr, 13 - Spring
Reagan Lukefahr is in the 8th grade at Knox Junior High. This is her first year in A Christmas Carol and she is "honored to be able to work with such amazing actors."  Her favorite holiday movie is How the Grinch Stole Christmas and she loves to dance and sing.

Rissa Medlenka, 9 - Spring
Rissa Medlenka is in the 4th grade and she enjoys being in A Christmas Carol and "being a part of a Houston tradition."  Her favorite Alley Theatre production is Our Town and her favorite holiday movie is How the Grinch Stole Christmas.

Cody Smith, 7 - River Oaks
Cody Smith is in the 2nd grade at The Kinkaid School. This is his 1st year and he wanted to be in A Christmas Carol because he "studied Charles Dickens last year in school."  He participates in tae kwon do and tennis.

Marion Strauss, 12 - River Oaks
Marion Strauss is in the 7th grade at Lanier Middle School and this is her 3rd year in A Christmas Carol. She loves being in A Christmas Carol "because everyone is like a big family" and she wants to be an actress when she grows up.

Sarah Swackhamer, 9 - River Oaks
Sarah Swackhamer is in the 4th grade at The Fay School and this is her 3rd year in A Christmas Carol. She wants to be chef when she grows up and her favorite holiday movie is A Charlie Brown Christmas.

Evan Leigh Thornton, 10 -River Oaks
Evan Leigh Thornton is in the 5th grade at The Fay School and she wanted to be in A Christmas Carol "because I had seen my 3 older sisters in it and I wanted to be part of the fun." Thornton's favorite holiday movie is The Santa Claus.

Ashton Lambert, 9 - Westchase
Ashton Lambert is in the 4th grade at The Kinkaid School and this is his 3rd year in A Christmas Carol. His favorite production at the Alley Theatre is A Christmas Carol or Treasure Island.

Duncan Lambert, 6 - Westchase
Duncan Lambert is in the 1st grade at The Kinkaid School and he wants to be a math teacher when he grows up.  His favorite holiday movie is Home Alone and he wanted to be in A Christmas Carol "to have fun."

Madeleine Ginty, 13 - West University
Madeleine Ginty is in the 8th grade at the Duchesne Academy and this is her 4th year in A Christmas Carol. Her favorite holiday movie is Its a Very Merry Muppet Christmas and her favorite production at the Alley Theatre is Cyrano de Bergerac.

Sophia Jolie Groen, 7 - West University
Groen is in the 1st grade at St. John's School and this is her first year in A Christmas Carol.  Groen plays Tiny Tim and if she could play another character she would want to be "the Ghost of Christmas Future because he is scary."

Rock L Morille, 11 - West University
Rock L Morille is in the 6th grade at First Presbyterian and this is his 1st year in A Chirstmas Carol.  Morille has participated in several productions at Houston Grand Opera and he would love to play Ebenezer Scrooge one day.

Marshall White, 9 - West University
Marshall White is in the 4th grade at School of the Woods and this is his 1st year in A Christmas Carol. His favorite holiday movie is Elf and he previously participated in the Alley Theatre's Young Performers Studio.

James Ian Wolf, 10 - West University
Wolf is in the 5th grade at West University Elementary and he wanted to be in A Christmas Carol "because both of my brothers did it and I wanted to try." His favorite holiday movie is Home Alone and he participates in football and baseball.

SPECIAL PERFORMANCES AND EVENTS

RED RIBBON TOY DRIVE
The Alley Theatre has partnered with AIDS Foundation Houston (AFH), a non-profit direct-provider of HIV/AIDS services, information and programs to offer a special discount for A Christmas Carol - A Ghost Story of Christmas .  From November 6 through December 9, bring a new, unwrapped children's toy for donation to the AIDS Foundation Houston Red Ribbon Toy Drive and get $10 off a ticket to Alley Theatre's production of A Christmas Carol.  Good for performances November 20 through November 29. $10 off A section seating, expect Saturday night. Saturday night $10 off B section seating only. Limited number available. Groups of ten or more call 713.315.3346.

SALVATION ARMY SWEATERS, COATS AND BLANKETS DRIVE
The Alley Theatre has partnered with Salvation Army to offer a special discount for A Christmas Carol - A Ghost Story of Christmas .  Bring a sweater, coat or blanket for donation to the Salvation Army and get $10 off a ticket to Alley Theatre's production of A Christmas Carol.  Good for the December 26 and December 27 performances. $10 off A section seating, expect Saturday night. Saturday night $10 off B section seating only. Limited number available. Limit two tickets per donation.  Groups of ten or more call 713.315.3346.

DECK THE TREES
Saturday, November 21, 7:00 PM
 See the Alley's lobby transformed into a magical winter wonderland through December 28.
Alley Theatre's Deck the Trees Celebration transforms the Alley's lobby into a magical winter wonderland of trees decorated by Houston's top designers and non-profit organizations. Festivities kick-off on with a Tree Lighting Ceremony on November 21. Trees will be on display until December 28.

CAPTIONED AND AUDIO DESCRIBED PERFORMANCE
Sunday, November 22, 7:30 PM
The Alley Theatre is pleased to offer open captioning and audio description for many of our productions throughout the season. To ensure that your seats will accommodate your needs, please call the box office 713.220.5700 when ordering tickets to this performance.  Discounted tickets are available for groups of ten or more. Call 713.315.3346 for more information.

TICKET INFORMATION
Tickets to A Christmas Carol - A Ghost Story of Christmas start at $38.  Discount family 4-packs are available for specific performances and seating locations. All tickets to A Christmas Carol - A Ghost Story of Christmas are available for purchase at www.alleytheatre.org, at the Alley Theatre Box Office, 615 Texas Avenue, or by calling 713.220.5700.  Groups of 10 or more can receive special concierge services and select discounts by calling 713.315.3346. The added convenience of reservations by phone or Internet is available for a nominal fee. Tickets purchased in person at the Alley Theatre Box Office have a $1 building restoration fee.

By Tammy Dowe

Tune In to Channel Your Inner Latina

Latina Voices, the locally produced, nationally recognized PBS television program, held a lunch fiesta for business and philanthropic leaders at Tony’s this week.  Show hosts and producers, Minerva Perez, Patricia Gras, and Sofia Adrogue wowed the crowd with a presentation and program demo that featured artists, sports heroes, and academia that the power-trio has interviewed during past episodes.

The Latina Voices virtual red carpet rolled from the valet stand directly into the Wine Celler at Tony’s where guests like Xerox veep Rogelio Marroquin held court with a bevy of brainy beauties, including Continental Airlines’ Chriselda Barrientes, the W Group’s Mayte Sera Weitzman and Fiesta Mart’s Corporate Relations head, Juanita Elizondo. 

Across the room, PBS station manager Jack Neal, chatted it up with Meredith Iler, Silver Eagle’s Roxann Neumann, Donna Vallone and Carliss Chatman.  The group dined divinely on a menu of Sopa Tomate, Snapper, and Praline Cheesecake that was so delish, one guest ate two slices.

Tootsies Role

Dana Kervin, Suzan Deison, and title insurance pro Mary Ann Reynolds joined Sonia Perez and other leading ladies at Tootsie’s last week as the Greater Houston Women’s Chamber announced its 2009 Hall of Fame Inductees.  Honorees include Margaret Alkek Williams, Zarine Boyce, Rose Cullen, Diedra Fontaine, Linda Lorelle, Gracie Saenz, Lyda Ann Thomas, Vu Thanh Thuy, Ileana Treviño, Martha Turner and Maxine Williams.  Each will be honored in November at a gala chaired by public relations darling Ellie Francisco and Susan Krohn.  Others on the scene that evening—Momentum Audi honcho, Jared Lang, alongside green energy guru turned handbag designer, Beth Younger, and Amy Schwab Lampi.

Flick Funding

Texas Film Commission Director Bob Hudgins held court downtown when he keynoted at the Business of the Arts luncheon, hosted jointly by The Houston Arts Alliance and the Greater Houston Partnership.  Hudgins and Partnership CEO, Jeff Moseley, lit the funding fire for Houston cinematic artists, and announced newly available state funds for local film, web and TV projects. 

The artful crowd included Houston Film Commission’s executive director Rick Ferguson, HAA’s Fabene Welch and Jonathon Glus, and Richard Lapin from the mayor’s top deck.  Also spotted buzzing about film were Franci Crane, art-lover Lauren Harrison, Ryland Holmes Peveto, and Richard Graber.