Grove of local stars delivers follies

B.W. COOK

Never discount the punch of star power.

Children’s Hospital of Orange County will present CHOC Follies

VIII, under the producer-ship of Gloria Zigner, this year featuring a

special appearance by legendary film and television star Dick Van

Dyke. The cast of local stars will be joined by Van Dyke on March 26

and 27 at the Grove of Anaheim. Newport activists Leslie Cancellieri,

Sandy Segerstrom Daniels and Dale Skiles are co-chairing the massive

production, helping to rally local talent and financial support.

This year, director John Vaughn, musical conductor Doug Austin and

choreographer Lee Martino take the cast and audience on a “Blast

Through The Past.” The show, according to Zigner, “will be a musical

time travel trip from the 1950s to the Middle Ages, to 3000 BC.” That

should be different.

Last week, Newport host Debbie Simon opened her Harbor Island

estate to honor the underwriters of the follies. The crowd mingled

over sunset cocktails on the waterfront lawn of the landmark

limestone French manor as the beautiful Simon welcomed Sandy

Segerstrom and John Daniels, Skiles, and Leslie and Dino Cancellieri.

This will be Leslie’s seventh year chairing the follies, and the

fourth year for Sandy Segerstrom Daniels and Skiles. Their combined

dedication has helped Zigner and company raise more than $2 million

for Children’s Hospital of Orange County and CHOC at Mission

Hospital.

Zigner reports that the cast this season is made up of 100 local

performers “singing and dancing their hearts out.” Talent from the

Newport-Mesa community includes Seth Siegel, Sue Ann Cross, Joanne

Dalis, Lauren Karg, Cindy Linden and Lauren Larscheild. Also cast are

the talented Mia Maffei, Kathryn Lowe, John Milazzo, Diane Mondini

and Kathleen Duffy.

At a recent rehearsal, we caught up with a pair of newlyweds,

Tiffany and Joe Modica, preparing to sing and dance in the follies

for the very first time. The young couple both have trained voices.

Tiffany is actually a music therapist and directs the children’s

choir at the Crystal Cathedral under the Rev. Schuler. Joe Modica

teaches choral music at Mater Dei High School and at Chapman

University, where the pair met.

Also in rehearsal was Lauren Karg, an elementary school teacher

and resident of Corona del Mar. A talented dancer, Karg is

celebrating her fifth year as a cast member of the follies. Tim

Bercouitz, Candice Rice, Patty Robles, Kristine Shimazu, Janet

Terrell, Ann Van Ausdeln, Jeanne Walker and Sue Vinci also are hard

at work preparing to star with Van Dyke.

Each year, the follies remind me of the late Charlie Hester. One

of Newport’s greats, Hester made his fortune as a developer and

shared his success with many important causes, CHOC being one of his

most beloved. I remember Charlie recounting how he was so moved by a

visit to CHOC, and how vital the work being done for the children was

for their lives and ours. His legacy continues, championed by his

widow, Nora, and the entire extended Hester family.

Zigner and her associate producer, Lois Augustine, are putting the

final touches on the production, as well as planning the big

after-parties thrown with audience members. It’s time to sell out the

Grove. For ticket information, please call (714) 532-8690.

* THE CROWD appears Thursdays and Saturdays.