Pageant of the Masters celebrates 90th anniversary with sidewalk parade
Art came to life in the streets of Laguna Beach on Saturday, as a sizable crowd participated in a sidewalk parade to celebrate the 90th anniversary of the Pageant of the Masters.
The tableaux vivant show first came into being in 1933, when it was known as the Spirit of the Masters. A similar marching spectacle took place on what was then called Coast Boulevard, one that Festival of Arts organizers have now sought to recreate on a couple of occasions. A sidewalk parade was also organized for the 75th anniversary.
In the latest iteration, participants met at the gazebo in Heisler Park before making their way toward Main Beach and then onto the Promenade on Forest. The processional moved to City Hall, then arrived at the Festival of Arts.
Pageant director Diane Challis Davy, who is now in her 27th year leading the show, made it an educational experience for those partaking in the parade and onlookers nearby.
“She actually did give some historical information at every stop, which was great,” said Ed Hanke, a volunteer for the pageant. “It was on a bullhorn, so people who were in the area were able to hear it and understand, ‘OK, this is what’s going on. This is what happened at this site.’
“Then she would go to the next site and go through the history of what happened at that one. She did it on every site, which was really very informative for the people that were watching.”
A significant number of volunteers joined Saturday’s march, including the entire cast for the reproduction of Leonardo da Vinci’s “The Last Supper,” the traditional final piece in the living picture show.
Hanke, who is also the president of the parade committee for the Laguna Beach Patriots Day Parade, said he has been in “The Last Supper” for the past six years.
“It’s kind of neat to be part of it because you know it means so much to so many different people,” Hanke said of being cast in the tableaux vivant of da Vinci’s famous artwork. “We all get along really well, and we joke and everything, but when the time comes and it’s time to perform, everybody is spot on.
“We’re doing this for everybody out there that came to see the show, and we need to make it perfect. It means a lot to a lot of people, so we just want to make sure that we perform it that way.”
A costume contest saw cash prizes awarded. Festival officials confirmed a trio of girls in Jessica Simrell, Loreelai Pohl and Jessica Mason went home with the $250 top prize for their depiction of Piet Mondrian, the abstract painter.
“The top prize went to three girls who had labored on their handmade outfits,” Challis Davy said. “They represented the work of the artist Piet Mondrian, and they were really great. The girls were just absolutely thrilled to win the top prize. … It was a little study in art history, and the girls were delightful in their outfits.”
Sue Siehmer was awarded $100 after claiming second place for her portrayal of Vincent van Gogh. Rome Fiore placed third, receiving $50 for his interpretation of da Vinci’s “Lady with an Ermine.”
The event saw several of the pageant’s longtime volunteers recognized for their contributions to the production. Challis Davy was also honored.
“Diane’s journey with the pageant began in 1976 when she volunteered as a cast member, appearing in ‘The Tea Party’ by Mary Cassatt,” David Perry, president of the board for the Festival of Arts, said in a statement. “Since then, she has grown within the organization, starting in the costume department in 1980 and eventually becoming the pageant director in 1996. This marks her 27th season as director. Her artistic brilliance, innovation and leadership have propelled the pageant to new heights, captivating art enthusiasts worldwide.”
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