The Alameda Theater Celebrates the 60th Anniversary with the Gala "La Epoca de Oro" By: Luz Vargas 
Maria Félix | 
Alameda Theater | 
Dolores del Río |
In 1949, Tano Lucchese, the legendary San Antonio businessman, built the Alameda Theater, the largest movie place in the United States dedicated to Spanish language entertainment. At it's opening, Lucchese said, "The Alameda will be a permanent symbol of good faith and understanding between the Latin American and Anglo American where they might share and recognize two different cultures". Stars from the golden edge of Mexican Cinema performed at the Alameda, including, Maria Felix, Pedro Infante, Mario Moreno "Cantinflas" and Vicente Fernandez.
On Thursday, August 20, 2009 nearly 850 guests gathered in downtown to celebrate the 60th Anniversary of the legendary Alameda Theater with a glittering Gala "La Epoca de Oro". A fundraising event that celebrates the Alameda's contributions to the golden age of mexican cinema. The event also marked the Second Anniversary of the Alameda Museum, the nation’s largest Latino exhibition center, that opened their doors on April 13, 2007 devoted to tell the story of the Latino experience in America through art, history and culture. The Gala was sould out raising $350,000 in benefit of the Alameda National Center for the Latino Arts and Culture, the organization that operates the theater and the museum. The Alameda Theater is being restored to it's original grandeur with the addition of state of the art technology and redesigned facilities, creating an spectacular venue for the latino culture. As part of the renovation, the theater will provide learning studios for Henry Ford Academy: Alameda School for Art and Design for creative high school students who will become artists themselves.
The afternoon started around 6:30 pm with a private tour to the Alameda museum by the former Mexican President Vicente Fox Quesada and his wife Marta Sahagun de Fox accompanied by the Alameda Museum Faunding Chairman Henry Muñoz III, County Judge Nelson Wolff and his wife Tracy, Neiman Marcus VP General Manager Thomas Wensinger, mexican actor Eduardo Verastegui, among other special guests. The tour ended at the Frida Kahlo's exhibition "Through the lens of Nickolas Muray" were a friendly and relaxed former presidente was approached by the media photographers and by Antonio Guillen from Univision canal 41, SA Express News and by me MOODZINE's editor in chief. The celebration continued with a wonderful outdoor reception in front of the historic movie palace, were the attendants to the Gala "La Epoca de Oro" enjoyed margaritas and a great variety of cocktails, hors d'oeuvres and live entertainment by David Amen and Hot Sauce Sounds. Around 8:00pm the guests moved to the Gala dinner in downtown’s residential building, The Vistana, were an exquisite menu was created by the chefs from Las Piñas. To complement the evening, "The Paul Elizondo Orchestra" pleyed bolero music from the mexican golden edge cinema. The great celebration continued with a red carpet arrival to the after-party "Golden Era Glamour Chic" on the stage of the Alameda hosted by Neiman Marcus and Cartier.MZ Design, Photos and Edits by Luz Vargas. Some of the gala participants and attendants names: former Mexican President Vicente Fox Quesada & Marta Sahagun de Fox, Faunding Chairman Henry Muñoz III, Gala's honorary chairman Mayor Julian Castro & Erica Castro, Pansy Yturria Kimbro, County Judge Nelson Wolff &Tracy Wolff, gala's co-chairs Charles and Melissa Barrett, Javier & Lisa Uribe, Sergio & Leonor Zacarias, Margarita Flores, Bob Crittenden, Charles Barret Jr., Mark & Ana Paula Watson, Erick & Alice Carrington Foultz, Frank & Jenevive Zach, Carlos & Maru Alvarez, Rob & Kim Bowens, Craig & Elise Boyan, Bruce & Alethea Bugg, Charles Butt, Carlos Slim Helú, mexican actor Eduardo Verastegui, Briget Smith fom KENS 5, Margaret Vera, Lee Anthony & J.Travis, Jr., Sarah Lucero from KENS 5 Eyewitness News, Francisco & Graciela Cigarroa, Sam & Laura Dawson, Michael Francis, Dr. Carlos & Gena Freyman III, Charles & Martha Freyman II, Patricia Gamboa, Frank J. Garza, Al Aguilar & Gisela Girard, Jorge & Debbie Gonzales, Bill & Laurie Greehey, Debra Guerrero, Ron Heller, Brian & Tracey Herman, Nancy Hernendez, , Marc & Monica Lacobucci, Larry & Abby Kurth, Janette Jaffe Longoria, Gene Williams & Sonia E. Medina, Tommy & Christy Moorman, Jhon & Bobi Nau, Emilio Prado,Gloria Rodriguez, Jose Rodriguez Pagan, Gerardo & Maggie Vazquez, Margaret Vera, Eddie Aldrete, Rick Aleman, Ernest Bromley,Mary B. Begia, Henry C. Cisneros, Helen Coronado, G. Pete Cortez, Louis Escareno, Rita Felk, Alice Carrington Foultz, Pat Frost, Jaime Garza, M.D., Marty Gonzales, Rosemary Kowalski, Suzanne Mathews, Edith Mc Allister,Yesenia Monsour, Robert Price, Ken Slavin, John Quiñones, Pedro & Susi Torre, Epitacio Resendez, Norma Reyes, Elizabeth F. Senn, Lionel Sosa, Javier Uribe, Ana Paula Vasquez Watson, Alejandra I. Villareal, Jan Willenberg, Steve Yndo, Ben A. Wallis, Ramiro & Xitlalt Salazar, Sally Alvarez, Michael Quintanilla, Paul Skermetta from SA News among other personalities and guests. Spanish Translation El TEATRO ALAMEDA CELEBRA SU 60 ANIVERSARIO CON LA GALA "LA EPOCA DE ORO" En 1949, Tano Lucchese, el legendario hombre de necocios en San Antonio construyo el Teatro Alameda. El lugar mas grande en los Estados Unidos dedicado a apromover el entretenimiento en el idioma Español. En la ignauración de apertura Lucchese dijo: El Teatro Alameda sera un simbolo permanente de buena fe y entendimiento entre las culturas Latino Americana Y Anglosajona, donde se compartirán y reconoceran dos culturas diferentes. Algunas de las estrellas del la epoca de oro que se presentaron en el Teatro Alameda fueron Maria Felix, Pedro Infante, Mario Moreno "Cantinflas" y Vicente Fernandez.
El Jueves, 20 de Agosto del 2009, cerca de 850 invitados se dieron cita en el centro de San Antonio, para celebrar el 60 Aniversario del lejendario Teatro Alameda y assistir a la cena baile "La Epoca de Oro" Un evento para reunir fondos y conmemorar 60 años de la contribución del teatro Alameda al cine mexicano. La celebración tambien enmarcó el segundo aniversario del museo Alameda, el centro de exibiciones mas grande en los Estados Unidos que habrió sus puertas en Abril 13, 2007 y el cuál a dedicado su existencia a hablar de la experincia de los latinos en los Estados Unidos atraves del arte, historia y cultura. La Gala fue un gran exito, se reunieron $350,000.00 dólares para beneficio del Centro Nacional para las Artes y Cultura Latina, la organizacion que se encarga de manejar el teatro y el museo Alameda. El histórico teatro esta siendo restaurado a su grandeza original, ademas de que contará con un espacio para el arte en la technología y nuevas facilidades para el visitante, haciendo de este lugar un espacio expectacular para la exposición de la cultura latina. Como parte de la renovación, el teatro impartirá estudios atraves de la Academia Henry Ford: Alameda School for Art and Design, para estudiantes de preparatoria creativos que se convertiran en los aristas del futuro. El evento dió comienzo alrededor de las 6:30 pm con una visita privada del Ex presidente Vicente Fox y su esposa Martha Sahagun acompañados por Henry Muñoz III, El Juez Nelson Wolff y su esposa Tracy, Thomas Wensinger Neiman Marcus General Manager, el actor mexicano Eduardo Verastegui, entre otros invitados especiales. Finalizando la visita al museo en la exposicion de Frida Kahlo "Through the Lens of Nickolas Muray" donde un ex presidente relajado y sonriente poso para los fotografos de los medios y fue entrevistado por Antonio Guillen de Univision canal 41, SA Express News y poso para la editora a cargo de la revista MOODZINE, yo. La visita al museo estubo seguida de un fabuloso cocktail a las afueras del teatro, donde los asistentes a la cena de Gala comenzaron a disfrutar de la fiesta con margaritas y una variedad de cokteles, canapes y entretenimiento en vivo a cargo de "David Amen and Hot Sauce Sounds". Alrededor de las 8:00 pm los invitados comenzaron a desalojar el lugar para dirigirse a la cena de gala en La Vistana, donde un exisito menu creado especialmente por los chefs de "Las Piñatas" y la músca bolero de "The Paul Elizondo Orchestra" los aguardaba para celebrar los grandes tiempos del cine mexicano en su epoca de oro. La gran celebracion continuo con la fista "Golden Era Glamour Chic" en el stage del teatro Alameda patrocinada por Cartier y Neiman Marcus.MZ |