THE CROWD

B.W. Cook

The Board of Directors of The Orange County Performing Arts Center

presented its annual Fire Bird dinner, honoring distinguished community

members offering exceptional support for the local performing arts.

The event, staged under The Center’s Fire Bird sculpture, brought

together prominent Orange County citizens with a common purpose. Center

chairman Roger Kirwan, escorting his wife Gail, led the evening with his

signature wit, carefully mixed with the proper and serious message

regarding both the creative and fiscal health of one of the nation’s

leading regional performing arts venues.

Center boss Jerry Mandel carried the elegant baton, reflecting further

on Kirwan’s tone. “We are so proud of all of you here tonight,” Mandel

said, adding, “We are grateful, we are proud and we are honored by your

level of generosity.”

Kirwan informed the assemblage that the board had surpassed its

financial benchmarks for the fiscal year, and that The Center was working

very hard to go beyond established goals for the coming year given the

need for massive fund-raising to support its proposed $200-million

expansion.

Honored donors, called to the podium to accept their kudos, included

Nora Hester, Henry and Stacey Nicholas, Henry and Susan Samueli, James

and Sue Swenson, Steve and Karen Tsubota, Gen. William and Willa Dean

Lyon, Elizabeth and Thomas Tierney, Tara and David Troob, Margaret and

Lew Webb, Susie and Peter Ellis, Mary Reinhold, Georgene and Ralph Smith,

Valoree and Robert Wahler, Mary and Richard Cramer, Gloria and Si Flour,

Lynn Hirsch, Bonnie and Jule Marshall, Suzanne and James Mellor, Donna

and Ronald Phelps, Kristin and Mark Press, Lloyd Rigler, Judy Fluor

Runels and Dick Runels and the Segerstrom family foundation.

Tiffany & Co. of South Coast Plaza designed lapel pins created

especially for the occasion.

The second annual presentation included a delightful dinner featuring

grilled halibut, catered by The Four Seasons Hotel in Newport Beach, and

a special performance of “Forbidden Broadway,” which had the crowd

roaring with laughter.

Also in the crowd were center patrons Carol and Kent Wilken, Michelle

Rohe, Barbara Bowie, Tom and Marilyn Nielsen, Zee Allred, Carole and Bob

Follman, Cerise Feeley, Barbara and Ben Harris, Pat Rypinski and Madeline

and Len Zuckerman.

* THE CROWD appears Thursdays and Saturdays.