Prom Redux: Nonstop entertainment at the Milwaukee Ballet's annual blowout was appropriate for this year's theme, "PROM, The Ball." A record number of partiers poured into the Pfister Hotel, dressed from vintage garments to haute couture. Wearing a magnificent Lida Baday, Cindy Molloy was happy to see many of her store's gowns making the scene, including those of Maxine Wishner, Kathy Crocker and Linda Neff. Jayne Pink was delightful in the dress she wore when nominated for the Society of London Theatre's Olivier Award in 1993; filmmaker Susan Kerns, with Layer One Media animation designer Jay Beckman, found a beautiful Betsey Johnson in Chicago; the ballet's Raven Wales wore a stunning Shanel Regier; and Justin and Susanna Mortara were perfectly attired, he in a baby-blue tuxedo and she in a stunning gown, plus her wedding shoes. Prom Queen was Kelly Gallion from Peabody's Interiors and King was Von Briesen & Roper's Randy Crocker.
Katie Heil was there with extended family and friends, honoring her late and great mom, philanthropist Ann Heil. Among the Heil assemblage were brothers Paul and Peter with his wife, Susan; stepdaughter Jill and husband Curtis Smith; her son Ryan Minahan's girlfriend, Yolanda Evans; and Peter Mahler. At Lisa and Michael Cudahy's table were Paul Krajniak and Gary Witt and his wife, Susan. Co-chairs Scott McBride and Wade Weissmann were ecstatic with the showing, and the ever-charming Milwaukee Ballet Artistic Director Michael Pink drummed up mega-bucks at the vocal auction.
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Art Delve: The Marshall Building, the hub of Milwaukee's bustling art scene, attracted a good-sized crowd at its recent open house. Veteran art consultant Catherine Davidson, resplendent in one of Robin Fleming's necklaces, organized a "Women in Art" exhibit featuring 18 local artists. Among the presenters were Shelby Keefe, the Pfister Hotel's latest artist-in-residence; Margaret Lockwood, Professional Dimensions' 2011 Sacagawea Award artist; Lynn Rix; and Fatima Laster in striking Steve Madden red velveteen boots, there with mother Marilyn Laster, grandma Magnolia Jones and Blake Anderson, her "art agent" 4-year-old nephew.
Upstairs in The Portrait Society, owner Debra Brehmer held court with Linda Wervey Vitamvas, current artist-in-residence in Kohler's Arts/Industry program, portrait painter Fred Bell and photographer Grace Matson. Hosting at Gallery 218, celebrating its 21st birthday in July, were owner Judith Hooks, photographer Bernie Newman and Dan Fleming while guitarist John Biersach performed.
More stops were made at Reginald Baylor and Heidi Witz's new studio; the Fine Art Gallery, with the whimsical sculptures of Darlene Wesenberg Rzezotarski, charcoals by bricklayer/artist Tom Pscheid and colorful paintings of J.J. Joyce; Luckystar Gallery's photo exhibit by Mark Cherek and Corey Hengen; the Milwaukee Potters Guild Gallery, which showcased Wendy Artman, Kate Leung, the crystalline glazes of Mary Merrill, and Kris Lance, whose uncle, Dave Blank, watched her pot-throwing demo. Spotted were Skip Forrest, excited about his line of pillows with images of winery maps, and Tory Folliard's Nicole Reid, who is also on the board of MargaretAnn's Place; John Morgan and Darice Yench; and brewmeister Mike Brenner.
More Movie: UW-Milwaukee filmmaker Tess Gallun debuted her first full-length documentary, Out of Respect, to a SRO crowd at the Milwaukee Art Museum. The poignant film portrayed the challenges of five young homeless LGBTQ Milwaukeeans. Gallun credited the project's many helpersincluding Cream City Foundation, Colin Fleming, Chuck Gross, videographer Joel Van Haren, Laura Kezman and Susie Seidelmanand cited Jane Otto for the original idea. Tim Clark, a Cream City Foundation board member, introduced Congresswoman Gwen Moore, who related her own moving life story.
Before the film, Cream City hosted a fund-raiser at Coast, which drew Gallun's family, including partner Mary Bergeson, parents Mary Ellen and Ron Gallun, brother Mark and sister Christine Herro. Also in the crowd were Marquette's Paul Milakovich and Cacao Kitchens' Stephen Heffron; Laura Emir from Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin; Pathfinders' Julie Bock; Fai DeMark; Dan Zaitz; Scott Aebly from Clear Channel Milwaukee; and Bill "The Rose Man" Ratner and Sheryl Kiser, sponsors of the film.
Blushing Beauty: The fourth annual Oscar Night Party co-hosted by Blush Beauty and Tutto Restaurant brought the glitz to Old World Third Street. The evening was a famiglia affair, hosted by Blush owner Sarah Brucker and her husband, Joe Safina, who owns Tutto with his father Giovanni and brothers Salvatore and David and Donato Salvo. DCI designer William Donnelly came with his wife, Nicole, a Ford Models makeup artist who touched up guests at the beauty bar.
Tutto's party planner Nicole Enea helped orchestrate the evening, while photographer Bob Gregory, with Plum Moving Media, captured the event. Glorious in golden glam was Mequon's Judy Weichert. Jim Dallas watched the Oscars with Kayti Bartholomew, also of Blush.
Lori Vanover and her husband, Dirk, chatted with Cleaver-Brooks sales engineer Mike Zillmer and his wife, Amy, of Atos Medical. Also checking out the award action on Tutto's big screens were Time Warner account executives Lori Lawlor and Mary Moore and telecommunications engineer Aaron Smak.
If you have any tips for Boris and Doris, contact them at borisanddorisott@aol.com. Their next column will appear in the March 24 issue of the Shepherd.