Splendid spectacle ruled once again at the Mystic Club Ball in the Hilton New Orleans Riverside when art was the attraction. The captain, who made a fine first impression in his new role, assumed the guise of the Spanish painter Diego Velazquez (1599-1660) as he mingled within a setting titled “Art Comes to Life.” Characters from famous paintings stepped out of their gilded frames.
Bountiful brushstrokes recreated for Mystic the masterpiece of Gustav Klimt (1862-1918) as portrayed by the organization’s king and queen, the latter ruling as Mrs. Kimberlin Price Butcher, and Helen (née Nalty) to kin and kith. Draped in shimmering gold robes, the monarchs reflected the above-referenced painting’s sumptuous opulence and romantic embrace. Their royal union at the ball was sealed with “The Kiss.”
Ladies-in-waiting to her majesty were Mrs. George Perry Eastman IV, Karen, as “Swaying Dancer” by Edgar Degas (1834-1917) the artist, whose “Singer in Green” was represented in turn, by Mrs. Richard Bullard Montgomery IV, Courtney. Two more honored ladies represented master works by Sandro Botticelli (circa 1445-1510). Mmes. Michael Livaudais LeBourgeois and Jonathan Edward Robert, Marley and Judith “Judy,” both represented “The Birth of Venus.” Katie Johnson of Royal Design House received the costumes’ sartorial salute.
The first to appear once the pageantry began was the above captain, whose musical introduction was to “Bolero” by Maurice Ravel as played by the Jimmy Maxwell Orchestra with arrangements by Robert Maxwell. Appropriate selections accompanied others, such as the cast and the Mystic king. Dramatically, the room darkened and a single spotlight shone moments later, encasing the queen, Mrs. Butcher. All applauded vigorously, especially her mother, Betsy Nalty, who reigned years ago as Mrs. Donald James Nalty. The feminine pulchritude continued with the procession of the ladies-in-waiting and the debutante dizaine: Misses Emma Rose Baumer, Kate Faulkner Bensel, Kelsey Grace French, Fenner Elise French, Lillian Lair Hooper, Lucile McGlinchey Monsted, Brooke Coleman Reiss, Elizaberth McLundie Bolton Schmidt, Helen Claire Thompson and Susan Anne Le Clercq, daughter of the 2025 Mystic queen, Mrs. Frederic Theodore Le Clercq, Courtney. All processed in the grand march to “Marche Noble” by Christian Bach.
A reception in the host hotel with a round of toasts preceded the pomp, the tableau. After the effusive applause and the positioning of the court on the stage, members and their guests queued up to pay homage. Dancing beckoned a few folks to the floor. Not long after, everyone sat for dinner.
Prandial pleasures were served at tables, where floral arrangements in bright artistic colors figured as centerpieces. A cucumber salad wrap initiated the meal that continued with a main course of braised short ribs and concluded ever so sweetly with chocolate ganache cake. Complementary wines – Champagne accompanied the dessert – added to the culinary enjoyment. For exact names, guests perused the impressive ball program by Patricia Hardin that highlighted the grand arched hall of Madrid’s Museo del Prado, founded in 1785 under Spain’s King Carlos III.
History embraced the European royalty, but the Mystic sovereigns claimed the night. To cap the “Art Comes to Life” Carnival venture, a DJ struck up dancing notes. “Don’t Stop Believin’” lured legions to the floor, but the one that struck the perfect note was ABBA’s “Dancing Queen.” And there, on the floor, coming to dancing “life” surrounded by her subjects, was monarch Helen Butcher, who embodied that musical message and became a happy picture of royal revelry.
Proteus
For the glorious night parade, Proteus, the king, led his glittering procession from a gold and pink shell. Nineteen floats followed in succession, furthering aspects of the theme, “The Journey of Sun Wukong,” the Monkey King.
More royalty enjoyed a feminine focus, thanks to the radiance of the Proteus queen, Miss Brooke Coleman Reiss, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. James Joseph Reiss III. She honored family and tradition by wearing the gown of her cousin Adele Vance Reynoir, the Proteus monarch of 2022. The striking trumpet-silhouette gown of white Italian silk satin was layered and embellished with hand-beaded, embroidered lace. An original design by Suzanne Perron St. Paul, it was thoughtfully re-envisioned and tailored by Miranda Masson, owner of Mir Couture, to suit the personal style of the 2026 majesty, Brooke.
Proteus monarchy has played a role in the Reiss family with the above Adele Reynoir and another cousin, Michele Reynoir (1977), as queen. Also recognized were a king, pages (Brooke’s father and her brother, James Joseph Reiss IV) and maids (aunt Lady Reiss Fuller and sister Tatum Lady Reiss, 2025).
Last year, the monarchal honor befell Miss Marianne Pratt Villere, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. St. Denis J. Villere III. Fifty years ago, Mrs. Richard Douglas Allen ruled as Miss Charlotte Waguespack. She enjoyed an exciting return and presentation at the bal masqué in the New Orleans Marriott. At the reception prior to the ball, she chatted with Mrs. Kimberlin Price Butcher, Helen, who had just reigned as the Mystic queen.
Court maids to queen Brooke were Misses Emma Rose Baumer, Kate Faulkner Bensel, Ashley Conner Ellis, Eliza Brandon Favrot, Caroline LeBon Henry, Susan Anne Le Clercq, Annabel Katherine McCarthy, Lucile McGlinchey Monsted, Elizabeth Kathleen Robert, Nina Louise Robert, Elizabeth McLundie Bolton Schmidt and Charlotte Sydney Wirth. During the season, seven Carnival crowns topped their upswept coiffures. The pages, who rode in the parade with Proteus, were Masters George Perry Eastman V and James Torras Phillips.
A new Proteus captain, the twelfth one of the krewe, commanded attention as he directed the progress of the beautiful ball that had Mr. Gary Hyder Brewster, father of a former queen, Mimsy Pritchett Brewster, as the general chairman. The Jimmy Maxwell Orchestra provided merry music.
The queen’s mother, Erica Ballard Reiss, caught the Carnival eye in a red gown, the signature color of the Proteus organization. She was seated prominently, as were Mmes. Joseph S. Mann Jr., J. Baldwin Montgomery, Michael J. Bell, St. Denis J. Villere III, James Kock III, Kimberlin Price Butcher, Lawrence Noel Johnson Jr., Gary H. Brewster, George Perry Eastman IV, Nathaniel Pope Phillips III, Dereveux P. Moring, R. Parker LeCorgne, Christian T. Brown and William H. Hines. Many sported the exquisite krewe favor of a Chinese cloisonné-style seahorse inspired by the 2026 theme.
After the conclusion of the masked ball, the social flow was to the Marriott’s Riverview Room with its cityscape views and a floral arrangement transformation by The Plant Gallery. Brass lanterns adorned with red ribbon trimmed in gold provided a warm glow as guests relished a sumptuous breakfast. Kicking up the dance floor incandescence was the band River City Hit Squad with “Pink Pony Club” as a favorite singalong number.
In her royal reflections, queen Brooke stated the excitement of viewing the parade roll and the toast “to the wonderful Proteus King” from a downtown balcony; the thrill of the ball and her reign with Proteus; and her gratitude for the Lundi Gras memories she will cherish.