Around Town: Laguna Playhouse, Laguna Beach Pride 365 partner for “The Importance of Being Earnest.”

Laguna Playhouse and Laguna Beach Pride 365 have partnered to bring a gender-bending edition of Oscar Wilde’s “The Importance of Being Earnest.”

Tickets for the virtual show, priced at $20 per household, are available at lagunaplayhouse.com. The performance will be available for viewing through April 4.

The show will feature Lauren Molina and Nick Cearley, who form the musical duo known as the Skivvies, and Nathan Lee Graham as Lady Bracknell.

Newport Beach woman appointed to Orange County Superior Court

Gov. Gavin Newsom appointed 18 superior court justices statewide Thursday, including two in Orange County.

Newport Beach resident Isabel Apkarian joins Carmen Luege, of Santa Ana, in their new appointments to Orange County Superior Court.

Apkarian has served as a commissioner at Orange County Superior Court since 2021 and served as the senior deputy public defender at the Orange County Public Defender’s Office from 2003 to 2020.

She will be filling a vacancy left by the retirement of Judge Franz Miller.

Huntington Beach Kiwanis Club plans Easter drive-through event

The Kiwanis Club of Huntington Beach is hosting a drive-through Easter event on Saturday, April 3.

The event will run from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Huntington Central Park Sports Complex. It includes a “bunny drive,” a drive-through a controlled maze that will feature volunteers giving away Easter eggs, toys and candy.

There will also be a unique activity for a photo with the Easter Bunny, and a dunk tank for local politicians and other VIPs to get wet.

The event takes the place of a traditionally free event called Easter Family Fun Day, which was canceled last year due to COVID-19.

Each vehicle must have a timed reservation prior to arriving at the event. Registration is required prior to 6 p.m. on Friday at hbkiwanis.org, and there is a $20 fee per vehicle to offset expenses.

Huntington Beach Surfers’ Hall of Fame to induct Casey Wheat in special ceremony

The Huntington Beach Surfers’ Hall of Fame is planning a special ceremony to induct late local surfer Casey Bauer Wheat.

The ceremony will take place June 4 at 9 a.m., at the corner of Main Street and Pacific Coast Highway.

Wheat died May 28, 2020 at the age of 49, after becoming suddenly ill just days earlier. Born and raised in Huntington Beach, he helped the Huntington Beach High surf team win the national championship in his senior year.

A mainstay on the northside of the Huntington Beach Pier, Wheat stayed active in the culture, teaming up with friends Ziggy Williams and Chris Moreno in 2015 to launch apparel brand SOKFY (Sport of Kings, Forever Young). He also coordinated and competed in local surf contests, while coaching groms.

LCAD Student Art Exhibition and Sale set for April 1

Laguna Beach College of Art and Design and Laguna Beach First Thursdays Art Walk teamed up to provide a professional mentor program for the school’s students.

The program, now in its 20th year, will have professional art galleries exhibit and sell the artwork of LCAD students, both in-person and online, on Thursday, April 1. The event runs from 6 to 9 p.m.

Through the work of the two organizations, 19 students had the opportunity to interact with art gallery mentors and learn about the business side of the industry.

“Our gallery partners stepped up to the challenge, some mentoring two students to meet the demand,” Robin Fuld, director of career services at LCAD, said in a statement. “We are deeply grateful to them for guiding the next generation of artists and opening their spaces to exhibit their work.”

A total of 14 galleries are participating in the mentorship program: Artist Eye Laguna Gallery, Avran Fine Art, Cast of Crowns Art Collective, Dawson Cole Fine Art, Debilzan Gallery, Five 3 Gallery, Hugo Rivera Gallery, La Bottega Gallery, Martin Roberts Gallery/Dan White Images, saltfineart, SCAPE, Studio 7 Gallery, Unleashed Art Gallery, and Whitney Gallery.

For more information visit lcad.edu.

Black Market Reverie Drive-in Concert

Laguna Beach Live! will be putting on a drive-in concert on Sunday, May 2, as Black Market Reverie takes the stage for a tailgating show.

Black Market Reverie, led by Lyman Medeiros and Renee Myara, will play music from 4:30 to 6 p.m. without an intermission. Cars can begin arriving for the concert at 3:30 p.m.

A total of 30 tickets will be sold, and admission is $80 per car. Those in attendance are allowed to set up chairs in front of their vehicles and bring their own food and beverages.

The concert will be held in City Lot 10, located at 725 Laguna Canyon Road.

Tickets will go on sale to the public beginning April 1 at lagunabeachlive.org.

Tilly Wonka and the Golf Factory charity event for Tilly’s Life Center tees off April 19

Tilly’s Life Center — an Irvine nonprofit whose programs empower teenagers to cope with adversity, crisis and tough decisions — invites the public to participate in its 14th annual golf tournament Monday, April 19, at the Mission Viejo Country Club.

“Tilly Wonka and the Golf Factory” will include candy, food, music, games, contests, drinks and a 6-foot Golden Goose. Participants can purchase a golden ticket to unlock special on-course contests.

Golfers will get a chance to compete for prizes. Complimentary food and drinks will be provided by local vendors Wahoo’s, Monster Energy Drink, Hint Water, Trust Me Vodka, Califino Tequila, Archie’s Ice Cream, Bratzermann, Dang Brother Pizza and others.

Tilly Levine, co-founder of the popular retail clothing and accessory store Tilly’s, will be hitting the links and is available to speak with participants about the power of social and emotional learning and its positive effects on teens. COVID-19 protocols will be in place throughout the event.

The Mission Viejo Country Club is located at 26200 Country Club Drive, Mission Viejo. For tickets, sponsorships and underwriting opportunities, visit tillyslifecenter.org/2021charitygolf.

CMSD Launches Virtual Citizens Environmental Protection Academy April 22

Have you ever wondered what happens to your trash after it gets picked up? How about the water that travels out of your faucets and down your drains? Just in time to celebrate Earth Day on April 22, Costa Mesa Sanitary District is offering a virtual Citizens Environmental Protection Academy.

CMSD is teaming up with the city of Costa Mesa and partner agencies to offer a free series of presentations and tours that provide a behind-the-scenes look at how your trash, water, and wastewater are processed and recycled.

Tune in to CMSD’s Facebook Page or YouTube Channel on April 22 at 6 p.m. The virtual event features experts from Orange County Waste & Recycling, CR&R Environmental Services, Irvine Ranch Water District, Orange County Water District and Orange County Sanitation District.

Viewers can win a free sustainability kit, which includes a reusable metal straw and cleaner, a grocery and produce bag and on-the-go-utensils, by taking a brief quiz to demonstrate what they learned from the academy. Just look for a link to the quiz in the video description. Kits available while supplies last.

For more information visit cmsdca.gov/cepa.

24-hour Giving Day reaps nearly $180,000 for foundation

The Orange County Community Foundation managed to raise $179,519 in a 24-hour Giving Day for 11 nonprofits throughout the county that offer programs and services to help remove barriers to employment. About 455 donors participated.

The Newport Beach organization called the campaign “The Future is Working.” Organizers said the initial fundraising goal was $90,000.

“The Future is Working is not only a campaign theme, but a resounding declaration in support of the nonprofits that are bolstering equitable opportunities for Orange County’s workforce,” said Shelley Hoss, president and chief executive of the Orange County Community Foundation in a statement. “We are grateful to our community for stepping up today to support this Giving Day and invest in the long-term health and vitality of our region.”

This is not the first Giving Day held by the organization, with the first dating back to 2015.

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