The Valley Line: Writers collect Scripter Awards; Thursday Club deb provisionals keep busy
The Edward L. Doheny Memorial Library on the USC campus was again the venue for the 31st USC Annual Scripter Awards presentation and dinner, held on the evening of Feb. 9.
The awards honor the authors of printed works and the screenwriters who adapted their stories.
Gentlemen in black-tie attire and women who were cocktail-dress gorgeous stepped from their cars onto a red carpet that led to the library.
The Italian Romanesque of Northern Italy architectural style of the circa-1932 library is impressive all by itself, but the interior with its grand rotunda and soaring arches of travertine marble is breathtaking.
After their entrance, guests gathered in the rotunda for passed hors d’oeuvres and beverages. This year the signature cocktail was a “Sidecar,” which was first introduced to American society in the 1920s. Many, including me, savored the drink, served in a sugar-rimmed glass with a sprig of aromatic rosemary.
The USC Marching Band, led by director Art Bartner, beckoned the more than 300 guests into the dining room. It was certainly a much more exciting way to be called to dinner than a simple tinkling of a dinner bell.
Serving as the dining room was the book-clad Los Angeles Times Reference Room, where thousands of students study each year. Its transformation for the evening was dramatic. The long library tables were covered with black-and-white cloths topped by arrangements of red roses.
I do admire this room, with its blue-and-gold-coiffured ceiling. The soft light of bronze and pewter chandeliers illuminates the books, and those that have gold lettering on their spines absolutely shimmer.
USC Libraries Dean Catherine Quinlan looked lovely in her elegant brocade gown as she stepped to the podium to welcome guests.
“This is our 31st year celebrating the coming together of the literary and cinematic arts and of honoring the USC Libraries’ essential place in the intellectual, cultural and creative life of the Trojan Family,” Quinlan said.
A surprise speaker was Zharia O’Neal, a senior USC student who was born and raised in the British Virgin Islands. She is double majoring in public relations and narrative studies, with a minor in dramatic arts. She is a Renaissance scholar, a recipient of the USC Presidential Scholarship and the Bitzer Family Scholarship for accomplishment in the humanities.
Of the libraries, O’Neal said, “Yes, students read here, take class here and research here. But we also sleep here, we eat here, we cry here, we laugh (too loud, I’ve been told) here. This isn’t always a treasure trove of dreams and learning — though it is most days. But the libraries are a place that students can congregate, discuss, learn and be safe. Do you know how many of those places exist in the world?”
O’Neal was such an energetic, compelling speaker that she captured the audience. She asked guests to consider a monetary pledge gift to the library.
After dinner, Quinlan stepped once again to the podium to begin the Scripter Award presentation and the awards.
The authors and screenwriters behind the film “Leave No Trace,” and the television miniseries “A Very English Scandal” (Amazon Prime) received the 31st-annual USC Libraries Scripter Award.
Nominated in the film category were “Black Panther,” “Can You Ever Forgive Me,” “The Death of Stalin,” and “If Beale Street Could Talk.”
Six television shows were eligible this year. Finalists were the writers behind episodes of “The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story” (distributed by FX), “The Handmaid’s Tale” (Hulu), “The Looming Tower,” “Patrick Melrose” (Showtime) and “Sharp Objects” (HBO).
In the film category, the winners were Peter Rock, author of the novel “My Abandonment,” and screenwriters Debra Granik and Anne Rosellini, who adapted for the screen Rock’s work, itself an adaptation of a 2004 news report about a Vietnam veteran and his young daughter found living off the grid in the forest near Portland, Ore. “Leave No Trace” was released by Bleecker Street.
Earlier in the evening, Quinlan honored Dr. George Isaacs as the 2019 Ex Libris Award winner for his extraordinary support of the USC Libraries, which resulted in the creation of the George E. Isaacs Dean’s Suite in Doheny Memorial Library. Accepting the award on his behalf was his son, Mark Isaacs.
It was a beautifully presented evening. Other Foothills residents and their guests I chatted with that evening were Patsy Dewey, her son Chip and his wife Lise, Karen Nichols, Janet and Frank McNiff, Jill Wondries, and Eveline Siracuse with Dave Golonski.
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This past couple of months have been busy times for the La Cañada Thursday Club Les Fleurettes provisional debutantes. I’ll try to fill you in about some of their activities.
In December, some of the debs spent the day at the Young Life Capernaum celebrating Christmas with them at their yearly Christmas celebration at La Cañada Presbyterian Church. Young Life Capermaum is an organization that helps students and young adults with disabilities to build friendships and participate in fun activities. For the party, the debs served pizza, salad and desserts.
At their January meeting, the debs were instructed in the art of making tea sandwiches in preparation for the Thursday Club tea they are hosting in March. They had great fun learning how to make sandwiches such as chicken and cranberry, cucumber, egg salad and watercress ribbon. And for good measure, they also made turkey and cheese and pesto sandwiches. Their work did not go unrewarded because they got to sample all of the sandwiches, along with some tea.
Also in January the teens helped the Girl Scouts sort out their annual cookie delivery. They started at 7 a.m. on Saturday, Jan. 26, at the Flintridge Prep parking lot to help unload and distribute numerous boxes of cookies.
Among the debs helping in these various projects were Allison Budde, Emmie Lew, Maddie Norton, Gabi Connell, Audrey Raulli, Tatum Heiberg, Jessica Jewell, Lana Kayali, Melody Bagheri, Sarina Mata, Josie Hull, Rachel Hwang, Paige Cooper and MJ Miller.
Jane Napier Neely covers the La Cañada Flintridge social scene. Email her at jnvalleysun@aol.com with news of your special event.