R S V P / ORANGE COUNTY : AIDS Benefit Goes Swimmingly : Campy Big Splash in Laguna Back Yard Nets More Than $400,000 for ASF

“Splish Splash: The All Wet ‘60s Musical” to benefit the AIDS Services Foundation was part “American Bandstand,” part campy Esther Williams movie and part back-yard pool party.

The 10th annual Big Splash once again proved to be a one-of-a-kind fund-raiser, with a cast of mostly men dressed in drag and performing silly “unsynchronized swimming” and dance routines. As in years past, Splash was held in the back yard of the Laguna Beach home of Ken Jillson, the show’s writer, producer and director, and Al Roberts, board president of ASF.

The show has become so popular it had to be repeated three nights, with a special $250-per-person dinner and show for major supporters Sunday that attracted more than 250 guests. Splash netted more than $400,000 for ASF, which provides a variety of services for people affected by AIDS.

Wet and Wild

Over a decade, Splash has evolved into a lavish 1 1/2-hour musical complete with special effects, costumes and voice-overs courtesy of Casey Kasem, Connie Stevens, Frankie Avalon and Sally Kellerman.

This year’s show spoofed early ‘60s all-girl groups, TV shows and musicals. Michael Carey, Keith Clark-Epley and Steve Frost, in high heels and huge beehive hairdos, were both sultry and spoiled as the dancing, lip-syncing Supremes, Rhonettes and Shirelles.

The Aquanettes, the official “unsynchronized swimmers” of Splash, donned bathing caps and swimsuits and made ungraceful entrances down a slide to the tune of “I Wish I Were a Princess.” In another segment, cast members wore thigh-high boots and go-go dresses for a rendition of “These Boots Are Made for Walking,” with Joe Wilkins doing the honors as Nancy Sinatra.

The cast of 35 volunteers ranged in age from 79-year-old Kay Hunter to 10-year-old Nathan Greene. Some members, such as Hunter, have lost loved ones to AIDS.

“I lost my son to AIDS. That’s why I’m doing this,” said Hunter, who played the Reverend Mother, lip-syncing to Sally Kellerman’s voice.

The audience applauded the shenanigans from bleachers set up poolside, with those in the front rows unfurling huge sheets of plastic in a vain effort to protect themselves when things got wet.

After the show, party-goers mingled in front of the home and nibbled on pasta hors d’oeuvres from Peppino’s. Later they headed back to the pool to enjoy a sit-down dinner of poached salmon, barbecued chicken and roasted vegetables donated by Geeter Newell and a chocolate confection from Gustaf Anders.

Small Beginnings

Splash is the AIDS Services Foundation’s largest fund-raiser. Jillson and Roberts, along with 10 others, founded ASF with $33,000 in proceeds from the first show.

“Al and I built a pool in the summer of 1985, and we did a nine-minute show to inaugurate it,” said Jillson, producer of the current off-Broadway musical “Swingtime Canteen.” They decided to repeat the show to benefit ASF. It has grown in size every year.

“People like the fact that it’s still held in a back yard and not a hotel,” Jillson said.

Based in Irvine, ASF provides transportation, housing, food and other services to AIDS patients.

“Whatever you need, they provide,” said Clark-Epley, a regular Splash cast member who has gone from being an ASF supporter to client.

ASF’s current caseload is 700 patients in Orange County; an estimated 15,000 residents are infected with HIV.

“This is all about commitment to ending the epidemic,” said Priscilla Munro, executive director of ASF. “Many of these people have been coming to Splash all 10 years. It’s expanded beyond the gay community. A lot of them come for the entertainment.”

Boosting the proceeds were live auctions of gifts from celebrities, including a black fedora signed and donated by Splash supporter Michael Jackson that sold for $2,200, and a polka-dot swing coat and dress from Elizabeth Taylor that sold for $6,000.

“Everything is donated, so all of the proceeds go to ASF. We have wonderful angels who come our way,” Jillson said.

Among the Splash guests were: Anita May Rosenstein, Bill Gillespie, Rick Johnson, Howard Field, Karen Ellis, Richard Reinsch, Blake Franklin, Daniel Haspert, James Loomis, Jorge Rodriguez, Mickey Shaw, Don Stratton and Alex Wentzel.