Some Groups Net Less than $3,000 From Center Galas

A week of “gala” fund-raising activities marking the Orange County Performing Arts Center’s fifth anniversary last month, at which tickets sold for as much as $2,500 each, netted less than $3,000 for some of the participating local groups, according to figures released Friday by the Center.

The events--a Ben Vereen/Ann Jillian program for which tickets cost $250 to $2,500, a Roger Miller/Hal Ketchum program that cost $200 per person and a concert featuring local groups at which tickets ranged from $16 to $250--grossed about $1 million but netted only $175,000.

Only a few expenses were released by the Center. Among them was $57,000 for an open house, the only anniversary event that was free to the public. People touring the Center were given lemonade and birthday cake.

In any case, of the $175,000 profit, the Center itself will keep about $117,000, or two-thirds. The remaining third will be divided among the Center’s main tenants: The Orange County Philharmonic Society, the Pacific Symphony and Opera Pacific will receive just over $19,000 each, and the Master Chorale of Orange County and the Pacific Chorale, which rent the building less frequently, will see just over $2,900 apiece.

The five groups are responsible for about half the programming at the Center, and virtually all the classical music concerts. The Center itself produces the other half, a mix of ballet programs, Broadway musicals and occasional jazz concerts.

Leaders of the local arts groups were less than thrilled but said they are not unhappy with the amounts they will receive.

“None of us had any idea of what (the net result) would be,” said Philharmonic Society president Erich A. Vollmer. “There was a budget, which I think fell a little short of what the Center had hoped the net proceeds would be, but considering that we didn’t expect anything, we’re happy with whatever it was.”

Pacific Chorale executive director Bonnie McClain concurred. “We had hoped for more than that,” she said, “but it’s $2,900 more than we were expecting.”

In a prepared statement, Janice Johnson, co-chair for the anniversary celebration, said, “We’re very pleased with the results.” The events, she said, were presented not just to raise money but “to provide an opportunity for a broad spectrum of the county to take part in the celebration.” Attendance for the three events totaled about 3,200.