Elaine Weinberg and Nancy Dahan to Chair SCR Gala THEATRE MAGIC: The Black & White Ball
Chairs are First Mother and Daughter Team in the Gala’s 33-year History
COSTA MESA, CA – March 15, 2011. Elaine Weinberg and her daughter, Nancy Dahan, will chair South Coast Repertory’s annual Gala Ball, the first mother and daughter team to chair the annual fundraiser in its 33 year history. Titled “THEATRE MAGIC: The Black & White Ball,” the event will held on September 10 at Ritz Carlton, Laguna Niguel.
From its early beginnings, the SCR Gala has been declared the traditional opener of the social and theatrical seasons in Orange County. It provides the first—and one of the largest—donations to the theatre’s Annual Fund, in support of educational programs.
According to Elaine, “I’ve always wanted to chair a sophisticated black-and-white event, and adding the element of magic is wonderful because theatre is such a magical art form.”
This is her second time as a gala chair. She and Teri Kennady chaired “Play On” in 1999. “We had a fabulous time working together on that event,” Weinberg said. “It’s so much fun having a sidekick, and I’m looking forward to Nancy’s input—and her creative energy. It’ll be a special treat for us both.”
Nancy and her four brothers attended SCR with their mother and late father, Martin, from the earliest days of the theatre, when they remember sitting on bleachers. “I have enjoyed this theater for so many years,” she said, “and now so do my children and their cousins, so the legacy continues. I am so excited to work side by side with my mother on this event with our creative committee of theater lovers."
Elaine and Nancy led the first full meeting, a luncheon in the SCR lobby on March 9, and introduced three women new to the committee, family members Bailey, Eva and Marci Maietta Weinberg who are married to Elaine’s sons (and Nancy’s brothers) Paul, David and Bill. Joining them for the first time are Carolina Prichard, Gayle Widyolar and Carolyn Zainer.
By all accounts, THEATRE MAGIC: The Black and White Ball will be a elegant event, held in an especially elegant setting, the newly renovated Ritz Carlton. “It’s going to be gorgeous,” Nancy said, adding that they hoped the black and white theme would carry through in the gowns, and possibly even masks. The meeting ended on a high note, with the news that J.T. and the California Dreamin’ would return to provide the music for dancing the night away on September 10.
Gala Committee members, to date—and growing:
Ashleigh Aitken (co-chair, entertainment), Bette Aitken (chair, underwriting), Julianne Argyros, Randy Morrison Baird, Susan Bowman, Dede Brink, Donna Cohn (co-chair, entertainment), Sophie Cripe (co-chair, graphics), Gail Doe, Susan Ehrlich, Patricia Ellis, Valerie Fearns, Kathryn Glassmyer, Nadine Hall (co-chair, décor), Marlene Hamontree (co-chair, décor), Dee Higby, Mimi Holcombe (co-chair, cuisine), Linda Hovee, Betty Eu Huang (chair, hospitality), Olivia Johnson, Joan Kaloustian, Teri Kennady (co-chair, graphics), Elaine Krajanowski, Linda Maggard, Diana Martin, Sue Murphy, Pam Muzzy, Pat Neisser, Stacey Nicholas, Beth Phelps, Carolina Prichard, Barbara Roberts, Jan Seitz Jashinski, Ardelle St. George, Laurie Smits Staude (co-chair, graphics), Jane Taylor, Kathy Taylor, Julia Ann Ulcickas (co-chair, cuisine), Socorro Vasquez, Bailey Weinberg, Eva Weinberg, Marci Maietta Weinberg, Gayle Widyolar, Carolyn Zainer.
Background on Elaine Weinberg and Nancy Dahan
Elaine and her late husband, Martin, were among the theatre’s most enthusiastic and stalwart supports. They both served as SCR Trustees and supported all of SCR’s major fundraising campaigns. Over the years, they were Honorary Producers of seven plays. More recently, Elaine underwrote The Importance of Being Earnest in 2008 and You, Nero in 2009. For the past five seasons, she has underwritten the NewSCRipts series of play development and staged readings.
Like her parents, Nancy is an attorney. She has been active in family law since 1988 and partner in Dahan and Brown since 2000. She and her husband, Victor, are members of SCR’s Golden Circle of donors and subscribers to the Segerstrom Stage, and Nancy joins her mother in enthusiastic support for NewSCRipts.
For more information on SCR’s 2011 Gala Ball, please call SCR Director of Development Susan C. Reeder at (714) 708-5518.
