The Mystic Krewe de Saint Denis recently named the Captain and Belle for the 47th Tableau & Ball. The theme for this year’s presentation is Fins & Fantasies. Serving as Captain of the Ball will be Roger Murray Cunningham and serving as Belle of the Ball will be Samantha Palache Thomas.
Roger Murray Cunningham
Krewe member Roger Murray Cunningham will serve as the 2025 Mystic Krewe de Saint Denis Captain of the Ball. Roger graduated from Natchitoches Central High School in 1983 and from Louisiana State University in 1988 with a Bachelor of Science in Accounting. He is currently a partner with Thomas, Cunningham, Broadway, and Todtenbier, CPAs.
Roger served as President of the Natchitoches Area Chamber of Commerce in 2010 and President of the Natchitoches Area Jaycees in 1996-1997. He was the Outstanding Young Man of the Year in 1998. He has served on the board or as a volunteer for various other civic and community organizations and non-profits.
Roger is a member of the Minor Basilica of the Immaculate Conception. His hobbies include hunting, playing golf, being outdoors, and traveling with family and friends. He has been a member of the Krewe since 2000 and served as a Duke on past courts. He is married to the former Rachel Penny, and they have three children, Reagan Spencer Cunningham, Ryan Alexander Cunningham, and Renea Elizabeth Cunningham.
Samantha Palache Thomas
Samantha Palache Thomas will be presented as the 2025 Mystic Krewe de St. Denis Belle of the Ball. She attended school at St. Theresas Convent and Damelin College in Johannesburg, South Africa, and the University of Cape Town in Cape Town, South Africa. She is retired from the Ritz Carlton Hotel Company.
Samantha is a former spokesmodel for Clarins Skincare and served as cohost of Late Night Live for the South African Broadcasting Corporation. She has held membership in the Human Rights Campaign, American Orchid Society, and Dallas Opera. She has served as a board member for the Natchitoches Northwestern Symphony Society for six years. Her hobbies include gardening, strength training, Pilates, opera, ballet, orchid cultivation, and cooking. She met her husband, Jeffrey Thomas, on a blind date to the 2006 Mystic Krewe de St. Denis Tableau and Ball. Jeff has been a member of the Krewe for over 25 years. Their children include Caroline Thomas White and Gabriella Audagnotti Graves. They are the grandparents of Reese Frances White and Rosemary Florence White.
