The tradition of the debutante ball will be carried on this month by the San Pablo-based Iota chapter of the national Beta Pi Sigma Sorority Inc. The chapter's 24th annual ball is set for Nov. 14 at the Hilton Garden Inn, 1800 Powell St. in Emeryville, and the deadline to order tickets is Saturday.

The gala helps the chapter raise funds to provide scholarships for deserving area high school graduates — female or male — entering college the following fall who have financial need.

The sorority chapter members and the parents of the debutantes and escorts invite you to join them for the ball, this year themed "Youth Takes Prioity."

The evening starts with a 6:30 p.m. social hour, a 7:30 dinner followed by the cotillion, with live music and dancing until midnight. Admission is $60 per adult, $25 ages 12 and under. For tickets or more details, call Elizabeth Mack at 707-554-2858 or Joyce Jones at 510-233-1668.

NEXT AT CCCT: A dead body drives the action in "Lucky Stiff," the 1988 off-Broadway musical farce that opens Friday at Contra Costa Civic Theatre in El Cerrito.

During the course of the comedy murder mystery, based on the Michael Butterworth novel "The Man Who Broke the Bank at Monte Carlo," the setting shifts from among London, Atlantic City and Monte Carlo as the cast tries to figure out who did what to whom. Other elements include $6 million in diamonds and "a lot of dogs."

ON STAGE IN PINOLE: The powerhouse Broadway musical "A Chorus Line" will be presented by the Pinole Youth Musicals Company in performances at 8 p.m. Friday; Saturday; and Nov. 13, 14, 20 and 21; and at 2 p.m. Nov. 15 at the Pinole Community Playhouse, 601 Tennent Ave. There will be a 7:30 p.m. performance Nov. 19.

Tickets are $15 general admission and $12 students and seniors, available by calling 510-724-9844. Note that the Friday, Saturday and Nov. 15 performances are sold out.

DANCE AT CCCT: A world of dance styles will be on display Friday at the John and Jean Knox Center for the Performing Arts at Contra Costa College in San Pablo, when the CCC dance program presents "Why We Move."

Forms will include African dance with a contemporary style, jazz, Egyptian belly, swing, tango, ballet, hip-hop and ballroom.

"Why We Move" starts at 7:30 p.m. at the Knox Center, El Portal Drive and Castro Road on the CCC campus, and general admission is $15. Admission to the program and a 6 p.m. VIP reception is $20. Tickets are available at the campus bookstore or at the door an hour before showtime.

Reach Chris Treadway at 510-262-2784 or ctreadway@bayareanewsgroup.com. Updates at twitter.com/christreadway.