Youth Is Given Its Due

Dr. Shirley J. Lewis, chairman of the “Black Arts Renaissance Gala II,” described the evening of performances by high school students from around the county as a “celebration of youth.” The event lived up to that assessment, as 40 youths dished up a banquet of song, dance and drama.

Given Saturday in the ballroom of the Holiday Inn at the Embarcadero for more than 350 guests, the gala was sponsored by the San Diego chapter of the international Delta Sigma Theta Sorority. The sorority, which claims more than 125,000 members and includes chapters in West Germany, Haiti and Liberia, was founded in 1913 as a primarily non-social organization of college women dedicated to community service.

Over the years, this commitment to service has developed into a pledge of support for youngsters studying the performing arts. In program notes, local sorority President Bettye J. Olds remarked, “The love and consideration we extend to youth today will determine the quality of our future existence.”

The quality of life at Renaissance Gala II was pretty well assured by the troupes of dancers who brought the pas de deux from “Frivolities,” and the jazzy “Fast Forward,” to the stage; the vocalists who lit up the room with works ranging from “Over the Rainbow” to “Old Man River,” and the musicians who accompanied it all.

The chores of putting the gala together required quite a performance from the committee members as well. Chairman Lewis admitted, with a sigh of cheerful resignation, that she had been working on the project since August. But there was no question that she found her labors well spent.

Among other committee members were Barbara West, Mildred Neal, Iris Anderson, Delores Jackson, Joyce Scales, Katie Jackson, Ida Hightower, Joyce Kercheval, Lisa Lockhart, Jackie Beauchamp and Mary Wade.

The roster of performers, which numbered several students from the O’Farrell School of Creative and Performing Arts, included Yvette Young, Angela Acey, Pietra Crawford, Jerry Scott Ross, Michael Hubbard, Debra Gore, Taryn Mitchell, Henry Moss, Phyllis Byars, Diane Sharp, Alvina Steward, Cindi Tinsley, Robin Edmonds, Sonya Taylor and Kelly Wentt.

Mikhail Baryshnikov more or less played the role of Banquo’s Ghost at Friday’s “The Sleeping Beauty Gala”: Although the famed dancer, now artistic director of the American Ballet Theatre, could be neither seen nor touched, his presence was very strongly felt by many of the 250 guests assembled in the U.S. Grant Grand Ballroom.

Rumors circulated through the dressed-to-the-teeth crowd that Misha, as balletomanes prefer to call their current hero, would be making a surprise appearance at the gala, or upon the stage at the Civic Theatre, or possibly (as proposed by the more hopeful rumor-mongers) at both. Denials by members of the San Diego Foundation for the Performing Arts, the event sponsor and co-beneficiary with ABT, went unheeded. Even though foundation Executive Director Diane Annala insisted that Baryshnikov was not even in town, hope lingered that the famous Russian would indeed stroll casually through the ballroom door.

There were plenty of other diversions at the gala, which in effect amounted to a pair of parties between which was sandwiched the opening night performance of the ABT’s stylish new production of “The Sleeping Beauty.” Guests arrived at the Grant for a champagne reception and early dinner, and then returned for a post-performance romp enlivened by the presence of the ABT principal dancers and corps de ballet.

A few ABT principals--notably Patrick Bissell and Ross Stetten--made it to the dinner, since injuries prevented their appearance on stage. They seemed accomplished party-goers, probably because experience is the best teacher; ABT requires that a fund-raising gala be given in each city it visits.

Even so, Bissell and Stetten found the sheer lavishness of the evening impressive. Moet & Chandon, the French champagne producers, are corporate sponsors of the ABT tour (this seems a logical extrapolation of the theme of breweries sponsoring sporting events), and the bubbly flowed as generously as the most abandoned bubblyphiles could have hoped. Event chairmen Harry and Susan Summers saw to it that other appointments were equally deluxe. The second party featured dancing as well, and although it seemed unlikely that the ABT members would be drawn to the floor after their three hours on the boards at the Civic Theatre, dance they did, many of them until the band finally packed up at 1:30 a.m.

This was Annala’s first outing on the fund-raising scene since she assumed the reins at the arts foundation, and she confessed herself impressed by the turnout and enthusiasm.

“San Diego used to have the reputation of being a town that required ‘names,’ but that seems to changing,” she said, “Last year, many guests attended the ABT gala because Baryshnikov was present, but tonight, they’re here to show their support for the performing arts.”

That support apparently will continue to be put to the test on a regular basis; foundation President Danah Fayman, in brief remarks during the post-performance reception, cautioned the crowd to plan to return.

“Stick with us,” she said. “The Foundation for the Performing Arts is going to keep bringing wonderful dance to San Diego.”

Among guests were Alice and Dick Cramer, Maxine and Gerald Trimble, Jayne Singer with Alan Decker, Eleanor Forester, Jean and Charles Hellerich, SuAnn Summers with Mike Corrigan, Pat and W. Roberts Wood, Janett Shirer with Bill Purves, and Linda and Neal Hooberman.

Eleanor Mikkelsen, general chairman of all Globe Guilders events during the Old Globe Theatre’s winter season, was all smiles at the dinner that preceded Thursday’s American premiere of Alan Ayckbourn’s “Intimate Exchanges.”

Gesturing at the opulent surroundings of the Hotel Inter-Continental’s BaysideCQ Pavilion, she said, “Since this is the finale of our winter season, we’re going out in style.”

Preperformance dinners are a staple of the Guilder’s social scheme, but this one was attended by certain unusual circumstances that made it rather special. Since TraudlCQ Stangl, wife of Inter-Continental general manager Sandor Stangl, had been asked to chair the dinner, it was quite like attending a meal in a particularly plush and well-staffed private home.

“When I was asked if I would chair one of these dinners, I said, ‘Only if I can have it in my own place,’ ” said Traudl, her place being capacious enough to accommodate the 170 guests who attended. “Here, I can control everything and have it all done just so. I don’t even have to worry about it.”

The dinner was served in the former Maison Anne-Marie restaurant, which is slated to reopen when the hotel opens its second tower (now nearing completion). Honored as special guest was longtime Globe benefactor Helen Edison, who partly underwrote the production of “Intimate Exchanges;” she was escorted by La Jolla Playhouse benefactor Mandell Weiss. Also present were Globe Guilders President LaRayne Penny, and her husband, Bill.

The guest list included John and Janie Pendleton, Don and Nancy Reed, Jim and Dolly Poet, Rachel Grosvenor with a party that included son Mark and Luba Johnston; Mark and Elizabeth Kalish; Dick and Laurie Blackington; Dan and Rita Grady; Don and Lois Dechant; Lee and DessieCQ Galland, and David and Linda Sackett.