A crowd of over 250 in black tie and dazzling 1920s attire were treated to a spectacular evening of entertainment, food, and lively auctions.
A crowd of over 250 people in black tie and dazzling 1920s attire were treated to a spectacular evening of entertainment, food, and lively auctions during the 2025 “A Night at the Theater Gala” benefitting the Fayetteville Community Center and Performance Theater.
The Ballroom at Bayou Place – Kirksey Gregg Productions from Houston provided a fantastic meal and décor for the event. Tianna Hall and the Houston Jazz Band cranked out classic big band hits throughout the evening while a group of performers including an acrobat on stilts, a magician, and a live “flowering plant” charmed and entertained the guests.
A Night at the Theater 2025 Gala at Windy Knoll. (Photo by Chris Pierre Bachman)
Tianna Hall & The Houston Jazz Band. (Photo by Chris Pierre Bachman)
Theresa Skinner as the living rosebush. (Photo by Chris Pierre Bachman)
Houston radio personality and the evening’s emcee Sam Malone introduced a video by Austin’s Justin Dehn that updated everyone on the construction progress of the Fayetteville Community Center & Performance Theater.
Phase I of the project, the rebuilding of the historic E.J. Knesek Building which will function as a Community Center, is nearing completion. The focus of the fundraising is now on Phase II of the project, the building of a 150-seat theater attached to the rebuilt Knesek Building.
The case for the theater was made in the video by Fayetteville’s Moreau family. In the video, Round Top Family Library’s executive director Craig Moreau, Justice of the Peace Jamie Moreau, and their daughter Reagan Moreau all provided their perspective on the need for the performance theater. Watch the video, here.
The magical evening was co-chaired by Joan Herring and Wendy Burks, with Cathy Bauer spearheading the auctions.
Houston auctioneer Vikki Vines started off the live auction by selling a $100 bill for $1,300. Inspired, the crowd enthusiastically bid on the proceeding items including a custom-made set of jewelry by La Grange’s Richard Schmidt Jewelry, and two young steers from Richard and Jeanne Filip’s Brentwood Ranch (home of the world’s longest Longhorns, according to the Guinness Book of Records). The winning bid of $100,000 for the steers set a record for highest bid on a live auction item at the gala.
Trish and Stanley Priest, April Fayette, Jim Stein. (Photo by Chris Pierre Bachman)
Linda Plant, Melissa Roberts. (Photo by Chris Pierre Bachman)
Jerry Herring, Alicia Woods, Ezra Charles. (Photo by Chris Pierre Bachman)
Kallie O’Malley, Terry Giles, Tracy Curry. (Photo by Chris Pierre Bachman)
Dr. Eric and Katie Alford, Jena and Kevin Brown, Joel Whitehead, Dr. Jennifer Jones, Dr. Michelle and Matt Thomas. (Photo by Chris Pierre Bachman)
David Ewers, Kathy Haynes, Becky and Ian Bader, Shannon Murphy, Les Sachanowicz. (Photo by Chris Pierre Bachman)
Linda Plant, John Poteet, Melissa Roberts, Randy Jones. (Photo by Chris Pierre Bachman)
Dr. Mazie & Brent Leftwich. (Photo by Chris Pierre Bachman)
Reid and Tina Bader, Felicia and Jay Fogal. (Photo by Chris Pierre Bachman)
Jerry and Joan Herring, Cheryl Mellenthin. (Photo by Chris Pierre Bachman)
Harrison Burks and Rachel Sumang, Wendy and Cade Burks. (Photo by Chris Pierre Bachman)
Rob and Shanna Schanen. (Photo by Chris Pierre Bachman)
Reagan, Craig and Jamie Moreau. (Photo by Chris Pierre Bachman)
Lori Dunne, Judy and Tom Hill. (Photo by Chris Pierre Bachman)
Rebecca and Farrell Kubena, Michelle and Darren Tuttle, Andrea and Jeremy Smith. (Photo by Chris Pierre Bachman)
Co-chairs Joan Herring and Wendy Burks with performer on stilts. (Photo by Chris Pierre Bachman)
Mylana Alred, Jeanne and Richard Filip. (Photo by Chris Pierre Bachman)
The Compound vendors Rebecca and Bob Axelrod of Axe Antiques donated a set 1840 dueling pistols that went for $20,000 and a mounted Buffalo head that garnered $13,000. Destination auction items included a stunning villa complex overlooking the Pacific Ocean in Puerto Vallarta that went for $40,000, a lodge in Zambia, a mountain-side home near Marfa/Ft. Davis, a fishing barge in Louisiana, and a guest house in Park City.
A private dinner at the home of Gringo’s Tex-Mex founder Russell Ybarra and his wife Monica was another notable auction offering. The evening also included a tequila tasting and two second row, mid-court tickets to the Rockets, and an evening of dining and shopping at Round Top’s 550 Market. The ever-popular concerts by the Black Cat Choir (donated by Frank Hillbolt and Round Top Real Estate) rounded out the incredibly successful live auction.
Linda Plant with Martha Turner Sotheby’s handed our party favors at the end of the evening ensuring that no one went home empty handed!
Round Top Round Up: Fred and Vicki Roberts, Sam and Denise Malone, Bob Axelrod, Brenda and Judge Joe Weber, Kami Sisson, Rice and Paula Lummis, Jerry and Bette Gips, Frank Hillbolt and Denise Jacobs, Bryan and Beth Chapline, Rebecca McKee, George and Sally Maxwell, Allen and Lori Beth Jureka, Jim and Zuzana Kastleman.
For more information on the Fayetteville Community Center & Performance Theater project, or to donate, visit here.
