THE CENTER OPENING ’86 : Center’s Builders Give It a Test Run

It was a time of celebration Friday night in Costa Mesa for the men and women who turned a muddy field into a $70.7-million monument to the fine arts.

Dressed in corduroy sport coats and tuxedos, the construction crews that built the Orange County Performing Arts Center gathered for a preview performance by the Pacific Symphony. The center is scheduled to open Monday night, with Zubin Mehta conducting the Los Angeles Philharmonic.

The program Friday night, with Keith Clark conducting, ranged from the “William Tell Overture” and selections from “La Traviata” to “Saturday Night Fever” and “Stars and Stripes Forever,” said Center spokesman Bruce Hartman. Reporters were not allowed inside during the performance.

John Kaczmarek, who worked on the installation of the Center’s elevators, was proud to be involved in the pre-opening gala.

“We built the place,” he said. “I think we should see it first.”

“I think it’s going to be a good show,” electrician Ed Stanley said before the performance began. “But let’s face it: We’re guinea pigs for Monday night.”

Ironworker Karl Waigand said it was his first trip to the symphony.

“Tonight,” he said, “they show here what we don’t hear.”

Asked if he will frequent the symphony in the future, Waigand pointed his thumb at his wife and said: “She will. I won’t. I’m going fishing.”

Before the performance the audience lingered outside the Center, and workers pointed out to companions the parts of the building they had worked on.

“It’s been about four years since we’ve seen it on the plans, and it’s turned out beautiful,” said Jorgen Clausen, who worked on the precast concrete that covers the building.

Crane operator Dick Hannon said he enjoyed the opportunity to enter the Center for an evening of entertainment.

“Lots of time you build a lot of buildings, and you never get to see the finished product--I think it’s kind of nice,” Hannon said.

Cement mason Alfred Martinez agreed: “Being that this is such a humongous project, it serves a good purpose to have the people that worked on it enjoy the fruits of their labor.”

Also at the performance Friday were some Center staff employees and people involved in fund-raising activities for the Center.

Janice Johnson, who worked to raise money to finance the construction, said she believes that giving the workers the first performance was the right thing to do.

“It’s super,” she said. “They get to see it before everyone else. And that’s the way it should be.”

Not everyone was quite that enthusiastic, however. Asked if he had looked forward to the show, Bud Longacre, a heating and air-conditioning installer, said: “No, the girls have. I haven’t.”

One of his companions, Mary Alice Veith, said of the men in her group: “We’re hoping they won’t fall asleep tonight.”

During a break in the performance, piccolo player Linda Ellis said the crowd was anything but asleep.

“They gave us a standing ovation . . . at the end of the first half, and that’s rare,” she said.

“They feel that they’re involved in the hall like we are, and that’s different than most audiences,” said trumpeter Tony Ellis.

George Sandy, who worked on the aerial photography for the Center developers, said: “They’ve got to put on a good show for the working stiffs. We’re giving it its baptism tonight.”

The Orange County Performing Arts Center has collected $73.4 million in its construction fund, exceeding the estimated cost by $2.7 million. Story, Part I, Page 1.