The Crowd: South Coast Repertory marks its 53rd year

The love of theater often strikes in youth. It was that way for Wylie Aiken, who today is one of the O.C.’s most visible philanthropists supporting the arts.

For others, the passion for the play may grab their soul with a single inspiring, moving performance. Just one and they are hooked; it’s an epiphany of sorts, an awakening or perhaps simply just the evolution of life’s experiences opening a new path.

For more than 50 years — 53, to be precise — Orange County has been privileged to enjoy the life-long theatrical expression of the now internationally regarded South Coast Repertory founded by David Emmes and Martin Benson, two men who were struck with a love for the theater in their youth.

The pair might have been motivated to head for the boards in New York or possibly the light of the Hollywood soundstage. Rather, they set their focus on what they saw as an opportunity to create theater in what was once a small suburban backwater of Greater Los Angeles.

Benson and Emmes had vision, and they knew (or at least hoped) what a couple more decades would mean to the lima bean fields of Costa Mesa. At the same time, another remarkable visionary, Henry T. Segerstrom, had a similar oculus on the region. Together, South Coast Repertory would prosper and grow.

It is a story worthy of study for any American community intent on cultural growth that has an effect on both business and resident quality of life.

SCR is more than a regional theater. It is a community growth hormone. For more than half a century, its lure has drawn the most successful, most intelligent, most financially able citizens to its doorstep.

Among the distinguished are Julianne and George Argyros; Paul Flino; William Gillespie; Willa Dean and Gen. William Lyon; Jean and Tim Weiss; Dee and Lawrence Higby; Elaine Weinberg and the entire extended Weinberg family; Barbara and Jim Glabman; Olivia and Alan Slutzky; Olivia and Andy Johnson; Sophie and Larry Cripe; and Carl Neisser.

It has become a tradition in the O.C. that the fall social season open in September in conjunction with the fall theatrical season at SCR. This month, the Tony-Award winning play “All the Way” opened at SCR with Sept. 9 first-night fanfare, followed by the next day’s 53rd gala at the Westin South Coast Plaza hotel.

Organizers billed the annual extravaganza as “Stagestruck.” Leaders included gala chairwoman Sarah “Sally” Anderson and committee members Bette Aitken, Deidre Kelly, Julie Ann Ulcickas, Barbara Cline, Sarah McElroy and Olivia Johnson.

Earlier in the month, superdonors Wylie and Bette Aitken hosted a patrons’ launch event at their beachfront Cape Cod-esque getaway on the Balboa Peninsula. Mark’s Catering put out a spread on the oceanfront dining table as the crowd converged to raise significant underwriting for the SCR season.

Daughter Ashleigh Aitken, who, like her dad is a successful O.C. barrister, welcomed the guests who included Audrey and Robert Greenfield, Mimi and Flynn Justice, Kay Mortenson Kelly and R. Kelly Kelly, Tammy and Sam Tang, and Shannon Kennedy with Paul Gadbut. The party spilled out of the home onto the beachfront lawn facing the sunset over water, and all was right with the world for a few intoxicating hours of superb natural wonder.

The oceanfront respite would be followed by the challenge of creating a gala that had the “wow” factor. SCR gala chairs have become locally famous for outdoing one another year after year. Such a challenge becomes daunting as a result, but this season’s chairwoman, Sally Anderson, raised the bar.

Anderson and crew transformed the Westin from floor to ceiling, creating an elegant escape for patrons intent on becoming stagestruck. The gala crowd entered the dining room that was draped in sapphire-blue fabric, a rich cocoon of privilege. Tall light box columns embellished with gold-scrolling were placed around the dining room as the crowd sipped Le Grand Courtage champagne and watched themselves on massive screens that projected images from the actual party interspersed with video and stills from years of SCR productions and events.

Joining SCR Managing Director Paula Tomei and Artistic Director Marc Masterson were SCR dignitaries, including board chairman Alan Slutzky, Emmes and Benson, who both received accolades from the adoring dinner guests.

Anderson also sent appreciation back to the donors. More than $300,000 was raised to support SCR’s artistic and educational efforts that benefit some 24,000 O.C. schoolchildren each season who are invited to attend SCR productions at no cost.

Patrons enjoyed a first-class dinner created by Westin Executive Chef Paul Gregory. It featured an entrée of bacon-wrapped shrimp paired with a New York steak medallion. Dessert was a work of art.

But the real work of art came courtesy of a marvelous performance by Broadway performer Nicole Parker. Best of all, Parker, who recently won the Ovation Award for her performance of Fanny Brice in “Funny Girl,” got her start on the boards of South Coast Repertory. Parker was part of its Theatre Conservatory and a member of its Young Conservatory Players. She appeared in SCR’s productions like “A Christmas Carol” and “The Crucible.” On Broadway, Parker has captivated her audience in roles such as Elphaba in “Wicked.”

Major underwriting sponsors for SCR include Bank of America, City National Bank, BNY Mellon Wealth Management, Pacific Life and Gibson Dunn.

B.W. COOK is editor of the Bay Window, the official publication of the Balboa Bay Club in Newport Beach.