Legendary arts program hosts online gala

FESTIVAL OF ARTS

By Patty Marsters

pattym@lwsb.com

The arts have been hurting this year. Since March, art galleries, community theaters, musical venues and more have been closed to the public, unable to share their creativity or support themselves. Some have pivoted to provide online entertainment and education, but it is still a struggle.

But difficult times call for innovation. Sponsored by Stephen R. Davy Violins, the Ritz-Carlton Laguna Niguel, Partners Bank of California and Yamaha, the Festival of Arts in Laguna Beach’s gala is moving online. “With cancellation of the summer’s show and events, we have been brainstorming on how to support our organization in a fun and entertaining way,” says Pageant of the Arts Director Diane Challis Davy. “So we thought, like many other arts groups, why not have an event online instead of our annual celebrity party? By reimagining our traditional end-of-season celebrity-gala fundraiser, we hope to celebrate and support an art organization we dearly love.”

On Dec. 5 at 6:30 p.m., Dave Foley and Tony Guerrero host “Simply ARTrageous: Live the Legacy,” which, according to the Festival website, “[celebrates] the past, present and future of the Festival of Arts and Pageant of the Masters—and [helps] ensure that future will be possible!”

“As our festival fans may recall, Tony Guerrero performed at the Pageant and Festival many times in previous years,” says Davy. “Dave Foley is also a fan of the Festival and an enthusiastic supporter of the arts. It’s natural that they’re the perfect hosts for an upbeat online event. And besides, they already are old friends!”

Actor, standup comedian, director, producer and writer Foley is perhaps best-known as a co-founder of the improv/ sketch-comedy group The Kids in the Hall and star of the TV show “NewsRadio.”

Guerrero is a contemporary jazz flugelhornist, trumpeter, composer and producer who has toured the world as a headliner with his own music and worked with such artists as Paul McCartney and Arturo Sandoval.

The Pageant often injects humor into its programs’ storylines, and virtual attendees can expect a similar tone. “We don’t want to take ourselves too seriously,” says Davy. “Writing a little whimsy into the script is a no-brainer, not to mention there will no doubt be some ad-libbing going on. I don’t want to give away too much, but we expect it to be a surprisingly entertaining evening.”

Virtual attendees can also expect musical performances by the Salty Suites, Melissa Manchester, Laura Dickinson, Starr Parodi and Jeff Eden Fair, as well as celebrity appearances from Bryan Cranston, Kate Flannery, Joe Mantegna, and Jane Lynch.

The event is free to view, but anyone donating $100 or more will be entered into a drawing to win such prizes as a weekend getaway at the Ritz-Carlton Laguna Niguel (valued at $2,500) or two center-stage tickets to the 2021 Pageant of the Masters Celebrity Benefit Night (valued at $490). According to the website, a $100 donation could possibly provide admission to the annual Festival of Arts for 10 adults with special needs, while a gift of $2,500 could fund a one-year scholarship for a local art student.

Supporters can also join the Pageant Legacy Society, which comes with seat naming-rights in the Irvine Bowl Amphitheater. “In addition to the engraved nameplate affixed to one of the Bowl’s famous red seats, each name will be published on the Festival’s website and printed in the annual Souvenir Program,” explains Davy.

Black tie is optional, as this is a virtual event. But you do need to RSVP; just go to https://www. foapom.com/event/virtual-gala/.

Jazzman Tony Guerrero