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SOCIETY FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS 16th ANNUAL
LUNCHEON
WILL FEATURE GUEST SPEAKER
Kathryn Stockett,
AUTHOR OF THE HELP
HOUSTON,
TEXAS – Society for the Performing Arts (SPA), bringing the
World’s Best to Houston, is thrilled to announce that its
16th Annual Luncheon will feature guest speaker Kathryn
Stockett, author of The Help. This year’s
luncheon is being chaired by Lucinda Loya, with
Karen Pulaski serving as the Honorary Chair. The
luncheon will take place on Wednesday, October 10, 2012
on the Jones Hall Stage, beginning at 11:00 am.
In 2009, Society for the Performing Arts
established the annual Ann Sakowitz Performing Arts
Advocate Award to present at its Fall Luncheon each
October to commemorate National Arts and Humanities Month.
The Award was named in memory of SPA Founding Board Member
Ann Sakowitz for her dedication to the performing
arts and her devoted commitment to Society for the
Performing Arts. SPA presents the award each year to an
individual who, through their support and advocacy,
champions the performing arts. Past recipients include Mrs.
Sakowitz’s daughter, Lynn Wyatt, Patricia Hubbard,
and Patsy Fourticq. This year’s award will be
presented to Mariquita Masterson, whose devotion to
the performing arts and Society for the Performing Arts is
legendary
Kathryn
Stockett,
author of The Help, was
born and raised in Jackson, Mississippi. After graduating
from the University of Alabama with a degree in English and
Creative Writing, she moved to New York City where she
worked in magazine publishing and marketing for nine years.
She currently lives in Atlanta with her family.
About
The Help:
At the outset
of the civil rights movement in Jackson, Mississippi, three
unique women unite to share the stories of dozens of the
city's black servants, who have been kept voiceless for too
long. Skeeter is fresh home from college, with big dreams of
becoming a journalist, though her mother just wants her to
find a husband. Aibileen, a black maid, is the heart and
soul of her household, now working on raising her
seventeenth white child. Her best friend Minnie, is the best
cook in the city, but can not find a job because of her
tendency to speak the cold truth. Together, these three
unforgettable ladies launch a crusade to collect the stories
of the town's silent servants, and try to tear down the
unspoken racial barriers that traverse the homes and hearts
of everyone in Jackson. In Jackson, Mississippi, in 1962,
there are lines that are not crossed. With the civil rights
movement exploding all around them, three women start a
movement of their own, forever changing a town and the way
women--black and white, mothers and daughters--view one
another. The Help is Stockett’s first novel,
which has since become an Academy Award-winning film.
The proceeds
from the luncheon provide the necessary funds needed for
SPA’s Education and Outreach Program, Beyond the
Spotlight that takes the performing arts into the
community to present unique learning experiences enriching
the lives of more than 120,000 underserved children and
adolescents in the greater Houston area annually. SPA’s
educational programming includes Master Classes,
Residencies, Teacher Workshops,
Lecture/Demonstrations, Creative Writing/Choreography
Programs, Student Matinees and Transportation Funding,
plus performance tickets free of charge to Houston’s most
underserved students. Research shows that academic
performance improves and dropout rates go down when students
are involved in the arts.
Since 1966,
Society for the Performing Arts has built a reputation as
the most innovative community-oriented nonprofit presenting
organization in Houston. Last season, more than
100,000 Houstonians enjoyed SPA’s
performances. Underwriter
opportunities for tables of ten begin at $5000. Individual
tickets begin at $500. For underwriting opportunities and
ticket information, please contact William Tayar at
713-632-8103 or email
William@spahouston.org.
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