PRESS CLUB LIMELIGHT

Any guesses as to who’ll be named Headliner of the Year at the 34th annual Dallas Press Club Gridiron Show? The event, set for April 28 at the Loews Anatole Hotel, always raises a lot of speculation after likely candidates are sent invitations. The professionally choreographed show features the local media poking fun at themselves and at the people who’ve made news in the past year.

One person who has a good shot at this year’s title is Dr. Philip O’Bryan Montgomery. In February, he was awarded the prestigious Linz Award for his coordination of the private and city efforts to establish the Dallas Arts District. Many of Dallas’ leading citizens were on the selection committee for the award, and they chose Montgomery as the recipient after just one meeting, instead of the traditional four.

Charles Dameron, associate managing editor of the Dallas Times Herald and chairman of the Headliner selection committee, takes his post seriously. “We’ve always been cautious, because we don’t want to choose someone who might have a skeleton in the closet.” Past Headliners of the Year have included Stanley Marcus, Adlene Harrison, H. Ross Perot, Tom Landry and the late Morris Hite.

Robert Glenn, founder and artistic director of the Dallas Shakespeare Festival, is directing the Gridiron Show. Patty Granville, managing director of the Garland Center for the Performing Arts, is the show’s producer. And Bill Bauer, voice teacher at Brookhaven Community College, is the musical director. The show’s theme is “The Republicans are Coming.” Tickets for Head-liner night are $50. Tickets for the April 27 preview are $7 at the door and $5 from the Press Club in Union Station.