Gala Patrons of SCR Get a Sneak Preview : Henry and Renee Segerstrom are feted as honorary chairmen of South Coast Repertory’s September party, which will kick off the theater’s 30th season.

They rolled out the gravad lax for arts activists Henry and Renee Segerstrom on Sunday night at Gustaf Anders restaurant at South Coast Plaza Village. (Not to mention the caviar.)

Nothing less than the couple’s favorite Swedish dish would do, said restaurateur Bill Magnuson. “The dish is salmon cured in salt, sugar, fresh dill, Cognac and white pepper,” he explained. “Then it’s sliced thin and served with a dill mustard sauce.”

Roderer Estate Champagne and Chateau Woltner Chardonnay were also on the menu for the South Coast Repertory reception that saluted the Segerstroms. The prominent couple will serve as honorary chairmen of SCR’s 30th Dimension Gala on Sept. 18 at the Westin South Coast Plaza hotel. The gala will launch the theater’s 30th season.

The Segerstrom family’s contribution to SCR began with the donation of the land across from South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa that became home to SCR’s Fourth Step Theatre complex in 1978. Since then, the Segerstroms have participated in every phase of the theater’s growth.

“It is safe to say without the Segerstroms, SCR would not be where it is today,” said Tony Award winner David Emmes, SCR’s producing artistic director. “It was the early faith in our dream and the continuing commitment . . . by the Segerstroms . . . that enabled us to move to the forefront of American theater.”

In addition to honoring the theater’s gala patrons, who also include Tom and Marilyn Sutton, Charles and Katie Wheeler, Roger and Janice Johnson and Disneyland, the event provided a sneak preview of the party centerpieces. Displayed on a table draped in white linen were two triangular vases created from black graphic board. Each was affixed with three white cards blazing with SCR’s colorful 30th anniversary logo--an abstract of light hitting a stage. Bright yellow baby orchids sprouted from each vase.

“We have asked local design professionals to help us create 50 unique but similar table centerpieces,” said Cliff Faulkner, SCR’s resident scene designer. “Each artist will be given three white graphic cards and asked to interpret our logo on them.” The cards will be applied to the black vases and filled with flowers that fit the gala’s yellow, blue and red theme.

“Centerpieces can make a statement about the goal of a group,” Faulkner said. “In our case, SCR is promoting the idea that theater is an art form that can talk about the entire community and include the entire community.”

Also among guests were gala chairwoman Dee Higby with her husband, Larry, and patron party chairwoman Julia Sunde with her husband, Marty. Gala committee members include Deeann Baldwin, Debbie Britton, Mary Bryant, Ellie Cortese, Arden Flamson, Barbara Glabman, Carleen Haggerty, Lydia Himes and Olivia Johnson.