Party Play - 2010 Gala Ball

“The Play's the Thing" Lives Up to Its Name

“The First Nighters” surprise:  Larry Cripe, Linda White, Sophie Cripe, Tod White perform “SCR Tonight”

On Saturday, September 11, when guests pulled up to the Hyatt Regency Huntington Beach Resort & Spa and stepped from their cars for the event that traditionally kicks off the social season in Orange County, the party’s title declared they were in for a theatrical evening. It was South Coast Repertory’s Gala Ball, “The Play’s the Thing!”

Party-goers passed under a giant marquee and down a red-carpeted hallway festooned with theatre posters, all the while sipping the evening’s signature drink with the tag “Curtain Call.”

During the reception, they were regaled by actors from SCR’s Theatre Conservatory, elegantly attired as characters from classic plays. The theatricality continued as the costumed actors led the way into a dazzling ballroom, where giant screens projected scenes from SCR’s most memorable productions, and JT and the California Dreamin’ played  a lively rendition of the Stephen Sondheim show tune, “Comedy Tonight.”

That song was also the first hint of the big surprise. The next hint came after Gala Chair Sophie Cripe graciously accepted the thanks of SCR Artistic Directors David Emmes and Martin Benson and Board President Tom Phelps, acknowledged her Committee, and then silently slipped away.

When Sophie re-appeared, she was joined by her husband, Larry, and SCR Trustee Tod White and his wife Linda—in their new guise as “The First Nighters.”  Taking to the dance floor, the foursome performed “SCR Tonight,” a special rendition of “Comedy Tonight” with lyrics extolling the theatre and its supporters—to the delight of guests, who rose to cheer them on. It was the theatrical highlight of a very theatrical evening that celebrated South Coast Repertory, its artistic directors and the playwrights whose work they have honored over 46 thrilling seasons.

(By the way, party-goers danced well into the night—as they raised over $530,000 for SCR’s annual fund, thanks to the theatre’s generous underwriters, seen celebrating in photos below, as well as Cartier for generously sponsoring the Gala favors, Young’s Market for underwriting the wine and champagne and Floral Creations by Enzo.

First row:  Dede Brink (standing), Elizabeth An, Betty Huang, Bette Aitken, Olivia Johnson, Gail Doe, Ashleigh Aitken (standing); Second row: Jane Taylor, Valerie Fearns, Sophie Cripe, Sue Murphy, Elain Krajanowsi, Elaine Weinberg; Third row: Jan Seitz Jashinski, Joan Kaloustian, Laurie Smits Staude, Sidney Kirkup, Nola Schneer; Fourth row: Beth Phelps, Mimi Holcombe; Top: Ardelle St. George, Danuta Schenke	Dede Brink, Betty Huang, Elizabeth An, Bette Aitken, Ashleigh Aitken, Gail Doe
David Emmes, Larry and Sophie Cripe, Martin Benson	David Emmes, Sophie Cripe, Martin Benson
Gail Doe and Bette Aitken	Betty and S.L. Huang
Scott Ulves, Gina and Kirby Ellis, Patricia Ellis, Jan Seitz Jashinski, Ralph Baumann	Jan Seitz Jashinski, Ralph Baumann
S.L. and Betty Huang and Wylie and Bette Aitken (partially hidden) greet Jim and Kelly Mazzo	Karen Palmer, Robert Palmer
SCR Theatre Conservatory actors Emmett and Jennifer Stang flank, left to right: Ardelle St. George, Don Carnegie, Ashleigh Aitken and Michael Penn	Rich and Donna Cohn, SCR Conservatory actors Callie Prendiville and Tonatiuh Elizarraraz
Connie Spenuzza, SCR Conservatory actors Emmett and Jennifer Stang	Jane and Jim Driscoll, center, with SCR Theatre Conservatory actors Delaina Mitchell and Cory Nestor, left, and Chase Anderson-Shaw and Kalie Quinones
Wylie and Bette Aitken, Caroline Landon and her dad, Hal Landon Jr.	Wylie and Bette Aitken, Caroline Landon and her dad, Hal Landon Jr.
Bob and Nadine Hall	Larry and Dee Higby, Olivia and Andrew Johnson
John and Carolina Prichard, Yvonne and Damien Jordan	Ashleigh Aitken, Michael Penn, John Murphy
SCR Theatre Conservatory actor Elan O'Connor with Tom and Beth Phelps	Tom and Marilyn Sutton, Grace Songolo, Don Laffoon
Mary Roosevelt, Jan Seitz Jashinski, Michelle Rohé	Linda and Tod White and SCR Conservatory actors Chase Anderson-Shaw and Kalie Quinones
The Cripe family: Brian Cripe, Thai Bui, Larry and Sophie Cripe, Laura and John Drachman	The Cripe family
Brian, Thai, Laura, John	David Emmes, Sophie Cripe, Martin Benson
Sophie Cripe welcomes guests	Gala table
Gala table	Larry Cripe, Linda White, Gala Chair Sophie Cripe and Tod White singing "SCR Tonight"
Larry, Sophie, Tod, Linda	Tod, Linda, Sophie, Larry
Tod, Linda, Sophie, Larry	Elizabeth An, Betty Huang and Jane Driscoll applauding "The First Nighters"
David Emmes congratulating "The First Nighters"	Bill and Christy Cave
Peter and Gail Ochs	John and Carolina Prichard
John Tu, Betty Huang	Larry and Sophie Cripe, John Tu
John Tu, David Emmes	Mary and John Tu
Beth and Tom Phelps, John-David Keller	Bruce Herber and Danuta Schenke, Anne Shih and Albert Kong
Nancy Dahan, Jimmy Ulcickas	Rick Reiff and Mary Ann Brown
Sally Anderson and Tom Rogers	Sally Anderson and Tom Rogers
Tom Rogers and Sally Anderson, Jane and Jim Driscoll	Sally Anderson and Tom Rogers, JoAnne Holman and Marc Levin
Sharon and Terry Hartshorn	Wendy and Martin Benson
Wendy and Martin Benson	Betty and S.L. Huang
Paula Tomei and David Emmes	Paula Tomei and David Emmes