Ziegfeld Follies girl returns in uniform

Journal Record, The (Oklahoma City), Jan 29, 1999 by Joan Gilmore

How many women can fit into garments they first wore when they were 14? Especially if they're now in their 90s? Or, how many women who were in dance recitals when they were 14 could still fit into the costumes they wore then? Especially if they're in their 90s now. Or even if they're in their 50s?

Meet Doris Eaton Travis. She was a Ziegfeld Follies girl when she was 14 and she's now in her 90s. And she still fits into the costumes she wore in her first Broadway show. Now married to Norman rancher Paul Travis, she will perform Tuesday at the luncheon that kicks off the Allied Arts annual fund campaign. Vying with her for the audience's attention will be University of Oklahoma president David L. Boren, who will be the keynote speaker at the luncheon.

Joining with Allied Arts to sponsor the 11:45 a.m. luncheon at the Westin Hotel downtown are the Downtown Rotary Club and the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber of Commerce. Tickets are available by contacting the Chamber of Commerce. One of the first Follies dancers, Mrs. Travis was named `98 Oklahoma Ambassador of Good Will by the Oklahoma Heritage Association and has revived her film and television career. She has a role in an upcoming Jim Carrey film, Man on the Moon, and did a guest appearance on Rosie O'Donnell's television show. She was, at the age of 88, the oldest graduate of OU and has been working on her master's degree. The Allied Arts campaign goal is $1.1 million, which the co-chairs Paul W. Dudman and Barbara Jett hope can be raised during February. Since its inception in 1971, Allied Arts has raised more than $25 million to provide cultural/educational programs for Oklahomans. The member agencies are the Arts Council of Oklahoma City, Ballet Oklahoma, Canterbury Choral Society, Lyric Theatre, Oklahoma City Art Museum, Oklahoma City Philharmonic Orchestra and Omniplex Science Museum. It's Mardi Gras time A glittering mask of gold, purple, green and black forms the invitation to the 12th annual Mardi Gras Ball, a benefit sponsored by and for the Oklahoma City University Societies. The black-tie party will be at the Marriott Hotel on Feb. 20. The evening will begin with a reception hosted by Dr. Clara Jones, OCU trustee, followed by dinner at 7:30 p.m. A silent auction also will begin at 6 p.m. and the evening will conclude with dancing until midnight. Entertainment will feature the OCU American Spirit Dance Company and the OCU Jazz Arts Orchestra. At 8:30 p.m., four outstanding Oklahoma City women will be recognized: Karen Luke, Dulaney-Browne Library Society; Berta Faye Rex, Kirkpatrick-Petree Opera and Music Theater Society; Lela Sullivan, Norick-Hulsey Gallery Society, and Cathy Leichter, Distinguished Philanthropist. Patron reservations for the ball are $125 per person with Benefactor tickets priced at $250 per person. Corporate Patron tables of 10 are $1,250 and Corporate Benefactor tables of 10 are $2,500. Checks payable to the OCU Societies may be mailed to the attention of Diane Murphree, OCU, 2501 N. Blackwelder, Oklahoma City 73106-1493. Chairman of the `99 ball is Ann Hoover and her co-chair is Karen Swyden. Monopolizing celebrities A Miss America and a baseball great will be among the celebrities when the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation's Central Oklahoma Chapter hosts its second annual Monopoly Game Tournament on Feb. 6 at Oklahoma City Golf and Country Club. Oklahoma's own Shawntel Smith, 1995 Miss America, and Mickey Tettleton, baseball celeb, will join the tourney, which will have Mick Cornett and Milissa Rehberger of KOCO-TV as emcees. Former Gov. George Nigh and his wife, Donna, are honorary chairmen of this benefit. They have a grandchild with diabetes. General chairmen are Theresa Neese and Christi Savage. The party will begin at 6:30 p.m. and the evening will feature live and silent auctions, dinner, the Monopoly games for the first 60 guests who wish to play and entertainment. Winner of the hour-long tourney, sponsored by Magic 104.1 KGML, will receive a trip for two to Dallas. Major sponsor of the Monopoly party is MidFirst as Boardwalk Sponsor. Pennsylvania sponsors are W&W Steel and Dorchester Capital. Lucent Technologies is Utility sponsor. Reservations are $100 per person with corporate tables available at $1,000. Seating will be limited. For tickets, call the Foundation at 948-0004. A 75-year Theta One 75-year member and four 50-year members of Kappa Alpha Theta will be honored at the annual Theta Founders' Day dinner on Tuesday at Quail Creek Golf and Country Club. Elizabeth Mann Bollinger will celebrate the 75th anniversary of her initiation into the sorority. Fifty-year pins will go to Patricia Laird McKibbin, Barbara Sievers Brewer, Jean Monnet Cunningham and Kathleen Gibbens Kolakowski. Linda Rosser has organized the presentations, which include donations in each name to the national organization. Attorney Cheryl Vaught will be recognized as Theta of the Year and receive her award from president-elect Kay Lynn Sturm. Helen Woodward, grand national president of Kappa Alpha Theta, will speak at the dinner. From the datebook Nominations for the 1999 Oklahoma Hall of Fame induction ceremony are due no later than 5 p.m. March 12, according to the Oklahoma Heritage Association president, Lee Stidham. The event will take place Nov. 18. Nomination forms are available from the Heritage Association, 201 NW 14th St., Oklahoma City 73103. Kevin Langan, bass, and Sally Wolfe, soprano, will be presented in a Musical Matinee on Feb. 7 by the University of Oklahoma School of Music and Music Theater/Opera Guild. Appearing with them will be Howard Lubin and Allan Ross, pianists. The recital, which will be followed by a champagne reception, will be at 4 p.m. in the Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art, 410 W. Boyd, Norman. Tickets are $35 each and will benefit the concert's sponsoring organizations. Checks made out to the OU Foundation may be mailed to Jean Kugler, 500 W. Boyd, Room 138, Norman, 73019. Coming up Feb. 6 at the Oklahoma City Art Museum is the annual Family Day, featuring music by Peggy Payne and Greg Sauer, Valentine making with Debbie Langston, tours of the current exhibition, The Age of Opulence: Arts of the Baroque, and just plain fun. Everything begins at 1 p.m. and the museum is offering free admission for families with children ages 12 and under. Call 946-4477 for reservations. Joan Gilmore welcomes your comments and contributions. You may reach her by phone at 278-2842, by fax at 278-2890, or by e-mail, dpage