Our August 2025 Spotlight on the Stars focused on Pat Housel.
For nearly two decades, Pat Housel has been a steady presence in the Spectacular Follies — both on stage and behind the scenes. From her first appearance as a Dallas Tap Dazzler to her many character roles and her current work as Executive Assistant to the Board, Pat has worn more hats (and costumes!) than most can count.
Her story reflects the heart of the Follies: friendship, laughter, and a love of performing that continues to shine year after year.
From tap shoes to cleaning lady, from backstage helper to Executive Assistant to the Board, Pat Housel’s journey with the Spectacular Follies is as colorful as the costumes she’s worn.
Pat’s Follies story began when the Dallas Tap Dazzlers were invited to audition for the very first show. “I’d never done anything like it before, so why not give it a go?” she recalls. At that audition, she met her first Follies friend, Stacy Dominguez — a connection that would mark the start of many lifelong friendships.
In year one, Pat performed as a Dallas Tap Dazzler. Over time, she danced in the ensemble, joined the Groovy Ladies, and eventually found herself portraying everything from a near-sighted elf to a putzfrau (cleaning lady). Behind the scenes, she became indispensable when she stepped in to help Mark Carroll navigate “computer and internet” tasks — an experience that led to her current role as Executive Assistant to the Board.
Pat’s favorite memories include the thrill of performing on the “big stage” at Dallas’s Majestic Theater — even if it poured rain the entire week. Not all memories are glamorous, though; she vividly recalls the “pure terror” of being a silent monk during the Hallelujah Chorus, blindly flipping cards up, down, and around without being able to see a thing.
And then there are the unforgettable backstage mishaps — like Jill Brooks’ 2013 quick-change fiasco. “Jill accidentally ripped off her ‘Yankee Doodle’ costume along with …” Let’s just say it was a costume malfunction. Pat laughs, “Somehow, we all made it onstage on time.”
Over the years, Pat has seen the Follies evolve from a four-hour show where every soloist sang all the verses, to today’s tightly crafted productions where seconds are shaved off numbers in the name of pacing. What hasn’t changed is the camaraderie. “At least half my friends are Follies folks,” she says. “We meet for coffee, share stories, toss around ideas, and sometimes even sing to each other in the hospital.”
Her advice for anyone considering joining the Follies later in life is simple: Do it. For Pat, the show is a source of joy, challenge, and purpose. “You keep challenging yourself and working on your craft. Let’s face it, those 55-year-olds get younger every year.”
Pat hopes the Follies will continue to be a place where talent and joy can be shared. “DFW needs a show like the Spectacular Follies. DeeAnne Meece has taken the dream that was Mark Carroll’s and Ned Startzel’s and turned it into one of the best shows in Dallas.”
And as for Pat? She’s not going anywhere. “I can’t stay away,” she says with a smile — and a sparkle that’s as much a part of the Follies as the lights on the stage.
