November 21, 2003

A WINTER'S INTERMEZZO FUND-RAISING GALA PLANNED TO BENEFIT EDUCATIONAL AND PERFORMING ARTS PROGRAMS ™

Big Bad Voodoo Daddy to highlight evening's entertainment

The Woodlands, TX, Nov. 21, 2003 - The Center for the Performing Arts at The Woodlands, home of The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion, will host a fund-raising gala titled A Winter's Intermezzo on Jan. 10, 2004, in The Woodlands Resort and Conference Center's Grand Ballroom. The black-tie event celebrates the educational outreach and performing arts initiatives at The Pavilion with exquisite food, wine and live performances - all set to a wintery backdrop. "A Winter's Intermezzo is a unique and entertaining way to provide guests with insight into our many worthwhile educational outreach programs," said Jerry MacDonald, president and CEO of The Pavilion. "Last year, more than 26,000 students participated in programs such as Musical Scores, Jazz Day, Fine Arts Education Day and Children's Festival. Funds raised at this event will enable The Pavilion to continue these programs in the future."

A Winter's Intermezzo begins at 6:30 p.m. with butler-passed hors d'oeuvres and cocktails in the main lobby of the resort. At 7 p.m., guests will be led into a wintery wonderland where dinner features winter greens with burgundy poached pear, candied pecans and white balsamic vinaigrette, veal tenderloin medallions with brandied figs, spiced buttered yams, sesame French green beans and moral mushroom glacé, a selection of North American and Austrian cheeses, and chocolates and miniature pastries. Wine pairings will accompany each course.

Brief performances, or intermezzos, by members of The Pavilion's partner performing arts organizations, the Houston Symphony and Houston Ballet, will take place during dinner.

At 9:15 p.m., a drawing will be held to determine the winners of a 2004 BMW Z4 Roadster, a European trip for two, and a ladies' Baume & Mercier diamond-trimmed watch. Only 1,000 raffle tickets will be sold at $100 each, and ticket buyers do not have to be present at the gala, when the drawings are held, to win. All proceeds from the raffle benefit The Pavilion's educational outreach and performing arts programs. Raffle tickets can be purchased at The Pavilion's administration building, located at 2005 Lake Robbins Drive in The Woodlands, or by calling 281-364-3010. Since raffle ticket sales were launched at a gala kick-off party in July, more than half of them have been sold.

BMW of Houston North is providing the Z4 Roadster. The Baume & Mercier watch is provided courtesy of Donoho's Jewellers in The Woodlands. Airline tickets for the European vacation trip for two are provided by Continental Airlines, official airline of The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion. Hotel accommodations are courtesy of InterContinental Hotels.
The highlight of the evening will be a special performance by modern swing band Big Bad Voodoo Daddy. Decked out in pinstriped suits, fedoras and spectator shoes, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy will take the stage for what is billed as "an alternative to retro…high-octane nitro jive." The group revived big band music for the '90s by concentrating on the swinging days of the '40s and '50s, borrowing some of the Rat Pack lingo and re-introducing zoot suits to the music scene.
Over the past 10 years, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy has toured virtually non-stop, performing more than 1,200 concerts from the Hollywood Bowl to movie premieres to private parties in celebrities' homes. They have appeared on "The Tonight Show" three times, entertained three presidents at the White House, and even performed with the Houston Symphony on The Pavilion's main stage in May 2003. Their music is timeless and appeals to fans of all ages and from all walks of life.
Tables for 10 at The Pavilion's gala, A Winter's Intermezzo, are priced from $2,500 to $15,000. Individual tickets are $250 each. Each ticket includes complimentary valet parking. Tables are still available for purchase.
Host chairpersons for the gala are Kim and Robert Marling. Co-chairs are Suzanne and Mike Rose and Brenda and David Gottlieb.

"A Winter's Intermezzo will be an extraordinary evening of world-class entertainment," MacDonald said. "It also will be an event of significant importance that will help support the performing arts in our region for many years to come."
For more information about A Winter's Intermezzo, the raffle, or purchasing a table or tickets for the gala, call Shannon Wilson at 281-364-3010 or visit The Pavilion's Web site at pavilion.woodlandscenter.org.

For more information, contact:

Cindy DuBois, Public Relations Manager, 281-363-9783 or
Shannon Wilson, Director of Marketing, 281-210-1113