Taco Bell Orchestrates ‘Music of the Night’

The Taco Bell Corp. headquarters in Irvine was the setting for Saturday’s “Music of the Night” gala, a blend of music, fine art and culinary treats.

About 250 people attended the benefit for the Irvine Barclay Theatre presented by Taco Bell and Encore Circle, a founding support group for the Barclay. The $50-per-person event included a silent auction and raised about $25,000 for the theater.

City Lights

“When we said we’re having a party in our corporate headquarters, people said, ‘How can that be fun?’ ” said Rudy Pollak, senior director of Taco Bell corporate services. “But as you can see, it works.”

Guests roamed the 12th floor, admiring the contemporary decor, modern art works and view of the night sky. The headquarters were festooned with purple and white balloons for the evening.

“When people think of Taco Bell they think of a little roadside stand. This is obviously not the case,” said Doug Rankin, president of the Irvine Barclay Theatre. “It’s a beautiful place.”

Guests who took self-guided art tours saw a massive steel sculpture called “Omas” by Arthur Gibbons, a fabric collage of mythological figures called “Cupid and Psyche XVIII” by Robert Kushner and a photographic piece called “A Breeze at Work” by Sandy Skoglund.

“When the building opened in 1987, we decided to seek out starving artists,” said Peter Bassi, chairman of the Barclay board of directors and Taco Bell’s senior vice president and chief financial officer. “We got artists before they became famous. Now a lot of people come in here and go, ‘Oh, wow!’ ”

Tastes and Sounds

In keeping with the “Music of the Night” theme, guests danced and listened to a medley of jazz, blues and big band sounds from the Woodbridge High School Jazz Band, the Butler Street Blues Band and the Step Sisters Band.

Tables were set up with food and beverages from local restaurants. Guests could sample everything from the Hyatt Newporter’s lobster ravioli with basil and sun-dried tomatoes to KFC chicken. West Coast Productions served a barbecue duck tamale with sweet corn, and Trees restaurant prepared a Chinese chicken salad.

Proceeds from the evening will go to the Encore Circle’s User Fee Support Fund which helps cover the fees for nonprofit groups to perform at the Barclay.

Party-goers included event Chairwoman Joan Stover; Thelma Friedel, founding president of Encore Circle; Ginny Metz, president of Encore Circle; Irvine Mayor Sally Anne Sheridan; Garry Brooks, chairman of the Barclay board of trustees; Michael Brennan, Barclay trustee, and his wife Marta; Donna Brownell; Brian and Janet Dawson; Lee and Mitzi Holmes; Hal Maloney, and Gary Singer.