Pageant of the Masters 2004 Closing Show Gala Benefit (8/29/04)

It was another successful run of the 2004 Festival of the Arts/Pageant of the Masters located in downtown Laguna Beach at 650 Laguna Canyon Road.   

The theme this year “Portrait of the Artist” celebrates the artists, and as always brings the art to life.  Actor Joe Mantegna(pictured above), was this years Host of the Gala Benefit.  Contributions of the Closing Night included Chef Molly’s Gourmet Foods; The Montage Resort and Spa, and the fabulous Tivoli Terrrace Restaurant, which hosted its own Gourmet Private Sit Down Dinner for Celebrities, Press, and Invited Guests.  Delicious Appetizers and an Open Bar were great starters.  From there, Maryland Crab Cakes and then Chateau Briand with Potatoes and Vegetables finished off the main course.  Chocolate Crumble and Vanilla Ice Cream with Raspberry Sauce and fresh berries finished off the feast before the show.

The opening act was a vocal performance of an original song written by local songwriter Mark Turnbull. The song was delivered in downtown Broadway fashion, perfect to set the stage for the first painting ‘In the Gallery’.  The stage was set like a gallery with people walking around looking at the paintings on display. One couple is left looking at a single painting in front of them.  One step up for both actors bringing them level to the painting, and Viola, a painting comes to life imitating ‘In the Gallery’, oil canvas, 2004. It is truly amazing and a great way to start the show. 

Artworks for this season included such themes as; Native American settings, Shakespeare plays, the uniqueness of Picasso, Greek God Statues, and my favorite, murder mystery movie posters of the 1940’s featuring the wonderful legends; Rita Hayworth, Bette Davis, Robert Mitchum, and Humphrey Bogart.

The timing of the artwork displays was great. When one display of a fine oil canvas finished on stage, a Greek God sculpture was ready to go on one of the side stages.  In case the amazement alone of how they did that isn’t enough, each display of art includes a brief and interesting vocal description.  Each piece of artwork goes by fast and you find yourself still intrigued with the last one while looking in awe and amazement at a new display.

The second act opens with another vocal performance of an original song, setting the stage for the movie poster display of ‘Gilda’, the famous 1940 movie with Rita Hayworth and Glenn Ford. You’d swear you were looking at Rita Hayworth as stunning as she looked over 60 years ago.  Three movie poster displays of the same genre would soon follow, with the last one, showing a depiction of Jane Greer stepping out of the scene to shoot her gun.  I found myself wanting the performance to show more of the actors stepping into or out of the scene to get more of an idea of how the display was done, but perhaps the mystery and magic shouldn’t be revealed so easily.  The final performance and as I learned is always the final performance at the Pageant of the Masters, Leonardo da Vinci’s ‘The last supper’ was truly breathtaking. I can only imagine the hard work involved to bring all this art to life every year.  

MEDIA
R.S.V.P.    Please R.S.V.P. to Sharbie Higuchi at 949-464-4282.
            Credentials requested.

            A 2004 SLK 230 Mercedes-Benz, valued at approximately
            $45K, was given away during an opportunity drawing at
            the Gala event. Tickets for the car were $5 each or 5 for
            $20 that were purchased at the Festival of Arts Gift
            Shop.

For more information or tickets for next year, please call (800)487-3378.