The Crowd: Gala events celebrate Segerstrom Center for the Arts, South Coast Repertory Theatre
The year closes with the coverage of two stellar events representing the core culture of the O.C.
As tradition dictates, the first Friday in December beckoned the crowd in support of Segerstrom Center for the Arts to the 49th annual Candlelight Concert. Referred to as the “signature” event of the year for the performing arts center, the evening featuring headliner Michael Bublé in concert raised $5.3 million in support of nonprofit artistic, educational and broad cultural community initiatives.
The Bublé performance embodied the philosophical outreach to community culture. For the first time in the venue’s history, Bublé held a vocal masterclass prior to the show, inviting talented aspiring high school youth to participate in the very special and intimate concert via video.
“This extraordinary opportunity brought together the brilliance of Bublé’s performance and his dedication to nurturing the next generation, aligning with Center initiatives,” stated Carla Cruz, senior director of communications for Segerstrom Center for the Arts.
The glamorous party, co-chaired by Sam Tang and Molly Jolly with major support from the chairwoman of the center’s board of directors, Jane Fujishige Yada and Center president Casey Reitz, began with a grand welcome reception followed by the Bublé performance. A formal seated dinner followed served on the Segerstrom stage, with tributes, nostalgia and toasts galore.
Designer Tom Bercu created a jaw-dropping and sophisticated nightclub setting for guests to enjoy a four-course dining experience curated by Chef Alfonso Ramirez of the Patina Restaurant Group. With dessert served, band VIVA had guests dancing.
As the Cinderella hour approached, the party moved to the plaza lobby level for coffee, conversation and congratulations for a spectacular holiday celebration. VIP guests in attendance included Elizabeth Segerstrom, Sandy Segerstrom Daniels, former board chairman Larry Higby and Dee Higby, Betty and S.L. Huang, and Gail and Richard Gates. Also attending were Loreal Spenuzza and Jay Paul Spenuzza, Keith and Mara Murray, Lisa Bhathal Merage and Richard Merage, Sophia Hamidi and Vaughn Vogel.
‘Play On’ gala supports South Coast Repertory
South Coast Repertory Theatre saluted its 60th season on the Orange Coast with an annual gala billed as “Play On!” this fall.
Organizers invited guests to the event wearing “creative black tie” joining together at an opening reception held on Ela’s Terrace. Greeted with hugs and salutation by Artistic Director David Ivers and Managing Director Paula Tomei, special arriving guests included SCR founders David Emmes and Martin Benson, SCR board president Talya Nevo-Hacohen, and longtime SCR advocates Sophie Cripe, Samuel Tang and Tom Sutton. Also attending were Socorro Vasquez, Catherine Thyen, Hal Landon Jr., Richard Doyle and John-David Keller.
The crowd delighted in the party, chaired by Adrian and Kristen Griggs. Gala committee members included the wonderful Wendy Hales, Michael Hards, Miriam Khosravani, Bill Schenker and Stacey Nicholas, to name only a few.
Also in the mix was Orange County Supervisor Katrina Foley presenting Ivers and Tomei with a surprise $60,000 grant for the theater, along with a county proclamation honoring 60 years in O.C.
Headlining the event was Hershey Felder, delivering a sneak peek performance of his role in SCR’s upcoming production of “George Gershwin Alone,” set to be on the SCR stage Jan. 18 through Jan. 28. His gala performance on the Julianne Argyros Stage took the crowd on a romp through 100 years of music from the Great American Songbook. From Gershwin to Berlin, Kern to Rogers and Hammerstein, the audience was in the palm of Felder’s artistic hands.
Following the show, dinner was served across the plaza at the Westin South Coast Plaza Hotel. Westin Executive Chef Antonio De La Torre accepted accolades from the crowd for an exceptional three-course menu that was original and inventive. His first course salad featured a stacked tomato and mozzarella tower with pesto sauce, pink Hawaiian sea salt, and a chiffonade of basil and balsamic reduction. That was just the beginning of culinary surprises.
Major support for SCR also came from South Coast Plaza, Apriem Advisors, Argyros Family Foundation, Elizabeth Segerstrom, Sandy Segerstrom Daniels, Samuel and Tammy Tang, Steve and Laurie Duncan among others. By evening’s end, $367,000 had been raised.
To learn more about SCR, and its upcoming productions, visit www.scr.org.
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