Legendary 91-Year-Old Actress Shares Her Wildest Stories in Houston — It’s Rita Moreno Unplugged For Miller’s 100th

Love Affairs, Michael Jackson, a Supreme Court Encounter and More On the Table

BY Shelby Hodge // 11.21.23

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Rita Morena headlined at the 100th anniversary celebration of Miller Outdoor Theatre. (Photo by Daniel Ortiz)

Cissy Segall Davis, Rita Moreno, Ernie Manouse at the 100th anniversary celebration of Miller Outdoor Theatre. (Photo by Daniel Ortiz)

Gala chairs Danny & Robin Klaes, David & Christine Underwood, June Deadrick at the 100th anniversary celebration of Miller Outdoor Theatre. (Photo by Daniel Ortiz)

Maritza Gonzalez, Michele Leal, Jolene Trevino at the 100th anniversary celebration of Miller Outdoor Theatre. (Photo by Daniel Ortiz)

David Mincberg & Lanie Gordon at the 100th anniversary celebration of Miller Outdoor Theatre. (Photo by Daniel Ortiz)

Cathy Brock, Ileana Trevino at the 100th anniversary celebration of Miller Outdoor Theatre. (Photo by Jacob Powers)

Danny Ward & Nancy Ames at the 100th anniversary celebration of Miller Outdoor Theatre. (Photo by Daniel Ortiz)

State Senator Boris Miles, MTAB board member Cydonii Miles at the 100th anniversary celebration of Miller Outdoor Theatre. (Photo by Daniel Ortiz)

Philip Royalty & Trini Mendenhall at the Miller Outdoor Theatre 100th anniversary. (Photo by Daniel Ortiz)

Gina Carroll, Leisa Holand-Nelson Bowman at the 100th anniversary celebration of Miller Outdoor Theatre. (Photo by Daniel Ortiz)

Priscillia Plumb, Houston Grand Opera general director and CEO Khouri Dastoor at the 100th anniversary celebration of Miller Outdoor Theatre. (Photo by Daniel Ortiz)

Retiring longtime Miller Theatre Advisory Board managing director Cissy Segall Davis, board chairman Tim Cisneros at the 100th anniversary celebration of Miller Outdoor Theatre. (Photo by Daniel Ortiz)

Incoming Miller Theatre Advisory Board managing director Claudia de Vasco and husband Gabriel Olson at the 100th anniversary celebration of Miller Outdoor Theatre. (Photo by Daniel Ortiz)

Michael & Roseanne Heckman at the 100th anniversary celebration of Miller Outdoor Theatre. (Photo by Jacob Power)

Hillary Hart, C.C. Connor at the 100th anniversary celebration of Miller Outdoor Theatre. (Photo by Daniel Ortiz)

Tim Cisneros & City Councilwoman Karla Cisneros at the 100th anniversary celebration of Miller Outdoor Theatre. (Photo by Daniel Ortiz)

Rita Moreno, Lorena Feijoo at the 100th anniversary celebration of Miller Outdoor Theatre. (Photo by Daniel Ortiz)

Tom Mays,Dean Gladden, Orlando Zayas at the 100th anniversary celebration of Miller Outdoor Theatre. (Photo by Daniel Ortiz)

Rita Morena headlined at the 100th anniversary celebration of Miller Outdoor Theatre. (Photo by Daniel Ortiz)

Retiring longtime Miller Theatre Advisory Board managing director Cissy Segall Davis, board chairman Tim Cisneros at the 100th anniversary celebration of Miller Outdoor Theatre. (Photo by Daniel Ortiz)

What: Miller Outdoor Theatre 100th anniversary celebration “Les Grandes Dames! A Celebration 100 Years in the Making”

Where: River Oaks Country Club

PC Moment: While the evening saluted retiring managing director Cissy Segall Davis, highlight of the fundraiser was PBS Houston Ernie Manouse’s interview with Emmy, Oscar, Tony and Grammy Award winner Rita Moreno.

Maritza Gonzalez, Michele Leal, Jolene Trevino at the 100th anniversary celebration of Miller Outdoor Theatre.

The amazing 91-year-old, soon to be 92, kept no secrets as she shared info on certain love affairs, allowed that Michael Jackson drew inspiration for “Thriller” from her dancing in West Side Story and detailed how Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor presented her Kennedy Center Honors Medal at a private dinner, an evening that she recounted fondly. No holds barred in the wide-ranging interview.

Moreno shared intimate secrets while regaling the crowd with tales of Broadway, her dynamic movie career and her acting roots including time on the classic children’s television show The Electric Company.

Most impactful of the evening came when Moreno serenaded the gathering with “Dream,” a song she said described everything about her as a 10-year-old living in the barrio of Puerto Rico dreaming of being something big and important.

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The spotlight was also on Davis, who steps down at the end of the year from her longterm post as managing director of the Miller Theatre Advisory Board.

Event Chairs Danny and Robin Klaes, David and Christine Underwood and June Deadrick — Gala chairs Danny & Robin Klaes, David & Christine Underwood, June Deadrick at the 100th anniversary celebration of Miller Outdoor Theatre.

Helming this special Houston dinner evening were chairs June Deadrick, Robin and Danny Klaes, and Christine and David M. Underwood, Jr. Orchestrating the entertaining program were Nancy Ames and Danny Ward of Ward & Ames.

PC Seen: City Council member Sallie Alcorn, City Council member Robert Gallegos, Miller board chair Tim Cisneros and his wife, City Council member Karla Cisneros; MTAB board members Cathy Brock, James Campbell, Miriam Meyers, Dr. Norma Mendoza and Cydonii Miles with her husband; State Senator Borris Miles; plus Hal Roach, the honoree’s husband Marty Davis, C.C. Connnor and incoming MTAB managing director Claudia de Vasco with husband Gabriel Olson.