Guild Chapters Work Magic for Center

Though the composers all share a sense of elegance and refinement, the idea of Mozart, Debussy and Chopin collaborating on a project would be preposterous.

But the idea of the Mozart, Debussy and Chopin chapters of the Orange County Performing Arts Center Laguna Guild collaborating on a dinner-dance and auction, as they did Friday night at the Hotel Meridien in Newport Beach, worked magic--almost $35,000 worth of magic.

The affair, which attracted 300, was, in fact, called “Share the Magic.” Among the attractions were an astrologer, a psychic, a palm reader and a handwriting analyst.

Chopin chapter chairwoman and party co-chair Vesta Curry submitted her hand to palm reader Retha Johns, who told her that she would live to be in her 90s, that she had four children and that she would live in Europe.

“You can see continents in a hand?” queried Curry, who has one child. As it turned out, Johns told many guests that they would live to be in their 90s.

Far more impressive were the card tricks of Michael Holly of Anaheim.

The real magic will come, however, when the Center opens its doors Sept. 29. Call it what you will--sleight of hand, a juggling act, perhaps even a three-ring circus--sharing that magic is going to be some trick.

One Center supporter at the dinner wondered aloud what it would be like “when the blood is flowing in the streets” from people unable to get tickets for opening night. (The facility will seat 3,000.)

Guild chairwoman-elect JoAnn Boswell, a member of the Mozart chapter, painted a reassuring picture. Although opening night tickets will be allotted to the largest contributors, she said, there will be tickets for all Center supporters during opening week.

“They have it all worked out,” Boswell said. “There will be certain nights for certain groups to be honored.”

(Beyond major donor eligibility, Center spokesman Dick Kitzrow said Wednesday that his offices have had no word from the board on the matter of ticket allocations.)

Two opening night tickets were auctioned at the dinner; Richard and Joyce Hawthorne were the successful bidders.

Another of the more intriguing auction items was a trip to New York and the first five shares of stock traded that day on the New York Stock Exchange, won by John and Jennifer Yelland.

Boswell is already looking beyond opening week.

“Our biggest challenge is going to be scheduling our fund-raisers on nights other than those of Center performances,” Boswell said. “We’ve never had to contend with that before. We cannot put ourselves in competition with the very thing that we’ve all worked so hard to see come to fruition.

“On the other hand, people will probably start planning things around Center events--theater parties, that sort of thing. In either case, I anticipate that the creativity will continue to flow.”

According to Curry, the Chopin chapter has “bought” a chair at the Center, one of 110 available for $2,500. The chair will bear a small plaque but has nothing to do with seating at performances.

The donation was made possible by Donalde Pelletier. “She belongs to Chopin,” Curry said. “Whenever she feels like it, she gives us a few thousand dollars. We’re going to have our name in brass forever.”

Party co-chairs with Curry were Debussy chapter and Laguna Guild chairwoman Kitty Knauer and Mozart chapter chairwoman Judy Stapp. When new officers are installed June 1, Knauer will serve on Boswell’s board. Curry will take over as chairwoman of the Laguna Guild.

Saturday night, Angelitos de Oro held its 25th Anniversary Ball at the Irvine Marriott. More than 200 guests celebrated 25 years of the Gold Book, a pictorial calendar whose sales benefit Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Orange County.

Proceeds from the 1986 Gold Book, $65,000, were presented by Angelitos president Donna Devine to national and county Big Brothers/Big Sisters board member Jack Levin. Devine accepted a plaque recognizing her group’s quarter century of service; it was signed by national board chairman Mark Kessler and honorary chairman Gerald Ford.

According to local executive director Jo Alexander, an evaluation by the national Big Brothers/Big Sisters completed last week declared her agency as “a model for the rest of the country.”

Ball chairman was Carol Porter; Gold Book chairwoman was Betsy Mackenzie. Also attending the ball were four Angelitos members who have been active for all its 25 years: Jane Berls, Peggy Hakes, Maria Crutcher and Jessie Mae Shirar.

Les Brown and His Band of Renown provided the entertainment.

Saturday morning, as part of the Walk America Weekend, 60 county bigwigs, accompanied by Los Angeles Rams cheerleaders, the Dana Hills Marching Band and four Marines, joined in an Executive Walk for the March of Dimes.

Before the start of the walk, which raised $25,500, the executives enjoyed coffee and Bloody Marys. They then went the mile from the Harbor Municipal Court to the Chanteclair restaurant near John Wayne Airport, where they were treated to a buffet brunch.

Most arrived in sportswear. The one exception was Assemblyman Ross Johnson (R-Fullerton), whose pin-striped suit was more in keeping with the executive spirit.

Co-chairs were county-based executives Tom Nielsen of the Irvine Co., Van Stevens of Mission Viejo Co., Tom Wilck of Thomas Wilck Associates and Tom Blum of Santa Margarita Co. Chep Kral, who has cerebral palsy, served as Youth Ambassador; he inspired pledges of $8,500.

Why not an Executive Run?

“ Look at us,” said Stevens.

Blum read the invocation. Also walking were Phil Beukema, executive director of March of Dimes, and county Supervisor Thomas F. Riley, who served as chairman of the event for the ninth year.

A shuttle bus was provided for the return trip.