Pageant season

Suzie Harrison

Getting ready for the first day of school. Trick-or-treating on

Halloween. Sleigh rides in the winter or surfing during the summer.

Parties for New Year’s Eve.

Mentioning any of these happenings paints an image in one’s mind,

a reminder that to everything there is a season. Such memories are

the premise of this year’s Pageant of the Masters summer show

“Seasons,” which is designed to take the audience on a sentimental

journey.

Great works such as Sandro Botticelli’s “Primavera,” Norman

Rockwell’s “First in His Class” and “Endless Summer” by John Van

Hamersveld will come to life for the Pageant of the Masters 70th

anniversary show.

The works chosen are global in reach and draw from the 10th to the

17th century, capturing different seasons up through the most recent

work, “Cutting Glass,” created by Gary Prettyman in 1992.

“With the ‘Seasons’ theme, it has allowed us some special

performances that will really delight the audience,” director Diane

Challis Davy said. “We’ll be having a lot of fun showing off all the

fun things we’ve prepared.”

Among the fun, Davy added, will be surprise special effects and

performances such as the barbershop quartet the Dapper Dans, who will

be performing every night.

“It ties in because it’s a more whimsical and fun show,” Davy

said. “Last year was very serious -- this year, we’re doing a little

different, it focuses a lot on nostalgia, Americana and the

excitement of the holidays.”

Marketing and public relations director Sharbie Higuchi said this

year’s pageant will have a lot of appeal.

“People’s memories are unique, but what they all have in common

are time marker associations like holidays, seasonal changes and

special occasions,” Higuchi said. “To me, that is what this year’s

theme is all about, captured in artworks.”

Davy said her favorite part of the show is a sequence at the end

of Act I with the quartet singing.

“This is the first time ever in the pageant that the audience is

invited to sing along,” Davy said. “Hopefully the audience will sing

-- popular songs ‘Auld Lang Syne’ and ‘Slay Ride’ are the finale for

Act I.”

The conception of ‘Seasons’ started with the theme, which Davy

thought of several years ago.

“You come up with the basic theme, ideas, and ideas for special

effects,” Davy said. “I worked with 80 cast members who made

suggestions and researched volumes -- it really helped me a lot.”

“Endless Summer” was one of Davy’s first choices.

“Laguna Art Museum had it on display for its Surf Culture exhibit

last summer,” Davy said. “I had to get permission from the artist to

recreate the piece.”

To recreate the pieces, they need to communicate with copyright

holders and correspond with museums and art galleries to get

permission and proper rights.

Perhaps the best known piece is “The Road Winter” by Currier and

Ives. Davy explained that it was mass produced and everyone seemingly

received it or sent it as a card or postcard.

“Everyone might not have been able to afford a painting, but

everyone could afford a Currier and Ives print,” Davy said.

Another well-known piece is “Primavera” by Botticelli, which

represents spring.

“In a week or so, we are going to hang our banners,” Davy said.

“Botticelli’s ‘Primavera’ will be on display out front.”

“Primavera” was also the most difficult work to recreate.

“The costuming is so difficult because the costumes are

semi-transparent,” Davy said.

Hours are spent in fitting, set preparation, getting each actor

ready and each piece set up exactly.

“Each set we work on is a different challenge,” Davy said. “It’s

never the same.”

Performances are nightly at 8:30 p.m. from July 9 through Aug. 29

in the Irvine Bowl at 650 Laguna Canyon Road. Tickets cost $15 to

$80. For more information, call 494-1145 or go online to

www.foapom.org.