A HOI POLLOI MARQUEE

When it is a question of performing arts preference, Orange County’s taste runs decidedly away from “high culture” items such as opera, dance and classical music and more to Broadway plays. In fact, as many people are interested in seeing pop music performers as in taking in the more traditionally cultural events.

Even those who say the performing arts are a very important part of their lives are split in their views, with as many expressing interest in plays as the so-called high arts. The same pattern obtains among those who have most often attended the Performing Arts Center during the last year. Compared to the county as a whole, however, both groups are more interested in the classics.

In no demographic category are the high culture events of more interest than plays. And some folks--specifically men, younger people, the high-school educated, those to whom the arts are not important, who are less satisfied with the county’s cultural picture and who don’t attend events at the Center--say pop music is more to their liking than high culture.

In addition to those who say the arts are very important to them, dance, opera and classical music have the most appeal to women, older people, college graduates, those expressing a high degree of satisfaction with culture in the county and those who have attended more than one performance at the Center. Taste is not a factor of income.

This question was asked: “Which kind of live performances are you most interested in attending?”

Plays High Culture Pop Music Other TOTAL 40% 28% 27% 5% SEX Men 35 21 37 7 Women 45 34 18 3 AGE 18-34 32 26 38 4 35-54 48 25 21 6 55 and older 46 35 14 5 EDUCATION College graduate 41 34 20 5 Some college 42 21 32 5 High school 36 24 35 5 REGION * North 41 26 29 4 South 40 31 24 5 ANNUAL HOUSEHOLD INCOME $50,000 and more 42 25 28 5 $35,000-$49,999 36 32 29 3 Less than $35,000 40 27 27 6 IMPORTANCE OF ARTS IN LIFE Very important 43 40 15 2 Somewhat important 43 27 25 5 Not important 28 15 49 8 SATISFACTION WITH CULTURAL CLIMATE Very satisfied 42 38 17 3 Somewhat satisfied 40 25 30 5 Not satisfied 39 22 31 8 ATTENDED ARTS CENTER LAST YEAR More than once 41 41 13 5 Once 43 25 28 4 Never 39 21 34 6

* Dividing line is the Costa Mesa Freeway (55)

Source: Times Orange County Poll by Mark Baldassare