Galas Galore for Joffrey Ballet Opening

In San Francisco, the opening of the opera establishes a clear-cut season--social and musical. Former San Franciscan Patti Skouras, vice chairman of the Foundation for the Joffrey Ballet, hopes to create that same sense of excitement when the ballet opens next month in Los Angeles.

Invitations are in the mail right now announcing Joffrey Ballet Patron Nights. For $1,210, subscribers will be entitled to a $1,000 patron premium, plus seats for three upcoming fall performances and three spring performances.

Lunching over tamales and fajitas at Marix Tex-Mex restaurant, Mrs. Dimitri Skouras and Mrs. Nicholas Vanoff (Felisa) explained it all. “We are so fortunate to have the ballet. And this will be not just six nights at the ballet, but six parties, including the opening 30th anniversary birthday party for the Joffrey on Sept. 11 when it performs ‘La Fille Mal Gardee’ with Sir Frederick Ashton as choreographer and Stanley Holden recreating his original role of the widow Simone. He’s in drag. He does a clog dance, plays the widow of a badly chaperoned daughter. The widow mother, trying to marry the beautiful young daughter to the nobleman and the daughter in love with the good-looking peasant. It was ever thus!”

What Patti Skouras, Felisa Vanoff and a whole energized Joffrey contingent want is for people in Los Angeles to get excited about ballet--go to the ballet not once during the season, but several times. Since May, Joffrey directors headed by David Murdock have been winnowing down the debt and have accumulated $450,000 ($37,000 from the Friends of the Joffrey). The goal is $835,000 from the West Coast. (New York is raising a like amount.)

“This would erase all debt for the first time in 30 years,” Mrs. Skouras said, adding she’s been so busy with the Joffrey that she hasn’t had time to wash her car all summer. The Vanoffs canceled their African safari, she noted, and three board members--Murdock, Vanoff and the Sherman Mazurs (he’s a new board member)--have made six-figure donations to the Joffrey.

“There’s a whole new energy,” she said. “We’re getting our house in order. We have clearly defined goals. We’re determined to have a successful season, enlarge our board, make it more diverse. What I eventually want are balcony seats for $2-- with opera glasses.”

Since May, the board has added several new members: Frank and Marilyn Lynch, Sherman and Michelle Mazur, the Richard Majors (he was former acting president of the Cleveland Ballet), Esther Shapiro, Maggie Volk, Jeffrey Balash, Clair and Margo Peck. “And, we’re looking at San Francisco board members and hoping to establish support groups now in San Francisco, later in San Diego and Sacramento,” Mrs. Skouras said. Other plans include bringing five bus loads of residents to the ballet from Leisure World, establishing master classes and a scholarship program.

Armand S. Deutsch got Mrs. Ronald Reagan to be honorary chairman for the Patron Nights. Here’s the social whirl:

The opening Sept. 11 will be a gala champagne supper for 400 in the Grand Hall of the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion. Julie Andrews, Cyd Charisse, Gene Kelly, Virginia Milner, Luanne and Frank Wells, William Keck II and Kirk and Anne Douglas will be honorary patrons. Because the opening is the Joffrey’s 30th anniversary, a cake donated by Hansen’s will be presented on stage of the Pavilion. Post-ballet, birthday cakes donated by Ralph’s market will be served to 3,000.

Party II, Sept. 20, will be a “tailgate picnic” in the Blue Ribbon Room. Bob Joffrey and his dancers will give demonstrations. Party III is the “Cast Party” on Sept. 26--informal, relaxed backstage tours. Leave it to Patti and Felisa.

The invitation was a bottle of 1961 vintage champagne. On the receiving end were 200 of Joni and Clark Smith’s best friends invited to join the couple for their 25th wedding anniversary black-tie celebration at the California Club. What a party! One of the nicest. David Jones was called in to put a glowing touch on the magnificently wood-paneled dining room. Ivy and flowers in the chandeliers. Swags of greenery over the doors. Exotic flowers on the sconces.

Oldest friends, such as former wedding party usher Standish K. Penton, there with Audree, were in the crowd. At Table 1, joining the proud host were Bonnie and Chuck Black (back from the Cattle Baron’s Ball), Joni’s sister-in-law, Mrs. J. Eric Jensen, with James Heaton, Pat Moller, Don and Arletta Tronstein and John and Marion Anderson (leaving that weekend for summer fun at Sun Valley). At Table 2 with Joni were Norma and David McIntyre, Nanci and Corwin Denney, Mildred and Fred O’Green, Mary and Charlie Skouras and Sue and Thomas Somermeier.

Lynn Evans, with her torn Achilles’ heel, arrived with crutches on the arm of husband Hugh, but she danced for two hours straight--on one foot, causing a rather severe case of leg cramps later in the evening. Lighthearted partners Art Linkletter, Lee Warner and Glen McDaniel were in supporting roles.

After dinner Miranda & Royo, who perform at the Hollywood Roosevelt, staged a sensational tango, then proceeded to conduct tango lessons. The dance floor was immediately overcrowded. The eclectic group, mixing old and new friends, Blue Ribbon chums and mountain-climbing pals included Barbro Taper and Joe Whitaker, George and Ronnie White, Maggie and Earl Russell, Rod and Chou Devin, Ken and Bobbie Galpin, Alyce and Spud Williamson, Margaret Nutt and Daryl Snyder, Sherry Black and John Krummel, Rose Fox Noll and Bentley Kennedy, Ken and Betty Morgan.

Harry and Barbara Sargeant danced the night away. More in competition were Spencer and Joyce Dennis, Terry and Diane Mullin, Rick and Diane Mogan, Don and Margie Hoffman, Gege and Hank Elder, Bud and Virginia Carpenter. Also in on the fun were Bob and Janice Carpenter, Jack and Joan Mackey, Bob and Pat Kribs, Howard and Carolyn Martin, Ed and Betty Harrison, John and Dorothy Shea, Susan Tuttle, Judge Richard Wells, Mike and Donna Mellinthin, Tom and Kathleen McCarthy, Peter and Joan Eichler, Elliott and Adrienne Horwitch, Adrienne and Vernon Underwood, Dr. Joe and Suzanne Marx, and Jim and Clunie Holt.

The opening of the new $1-million Annette and Jack Needleman Center at the City of Hope marks the crown jewel in the Needlemans’ long association with the medical center. Fronting the entrance, the structure will provide space for physicians and scientists to further cancer research. The other day the Needlemans and about 40 friends arrived by bus from Beverly Hills for the dedication. It was especially significant for the day’s emcee, Emanuel H. Fineman, who has been a friend of Jack Needleman’s for more than 40 years. The Needlemans’ three sons--Mark, Steve and Dennis--their wives and seven grandchildren were among those attending.

Former Angeleno Mary Alice Tudor, now at home in Manhattan, breezed into town for some beach air at the Bel-Air Bay Club and asked a large group of friends, “Shell we lunch?” It was a clue to her imaginative table settings--flowers set in large conch shells and place cards tucked into colorful take-home shells for each guest. In a surprise flourish, husband Pen arranged for daughter Beth, a Trinity graduate, to fly out for the affair. Among the many lunching on salmon were Louise Griffith, Clunie Holt, Joan Kaiser, Joann McGarty, Suzy Kenworth, Ellen Stuart, Tam Dickerson, Maggy Edwards, Martha Porter, Martha Schnieders, Sally Brant, Sharon deBrier, Jane Ackerman, Claire Shea, Iris Craddock, Dody Booth, Jean Schuur and Sandra Midgley, who had to be excused for a few minutes to adjust the alarm on her Mercedes.