Ladies rule the Center’s 2003 cabaret series

Young Chang

All the world’s a stage, and the people in it, women.

At least that’s the case for the Orange County Performing Arts

Center’s 2002-03 Cabaret Series, which starts in the summer.

The lineup includes seven leading ladies of song and a production of

“Forbidden Hollywood.” The Tony Award-winning Audra McDonald will open

the season with a bonus performance in June. “Forbidden Hollywood” will

follow as another bonus in September.

Emmy Award winner Polly Bergen will officially open the six-show

season in October, Tony Award winner Donna Murphy will take the stage in

November, gold record artist Maureen McGovern will perform in December

and Tony Award winner Christine Ebersole will sing in 2003 in January.

Cabaret star Wesla Whitfield will perform in February and Tony Award

winner Donna McKechnie will follow in March.

Aside from the solo performers all being women -- a coincidence, much

like the current season lineup of all men, said Center President Jerry

Mandel -- every singer has also “been around the block.”

“For cabaret, you want experienced people, meaning they have lived

awhile so that when they do songs, there is meaning to it,” he said.

“It’s a person like Polly Bergen, who has been at this business for five

decades or more, that when she gets up and does her love songs, you know

she knows what she means.”

In addition to the female soloists, “Forbidden Hollywood” will follow

in the “Forbidden Broadway” style as it irreverently and comically pokes

at the Tinseltown life.

All but one performance in the series will be held at Founders Hall.

Subscription prices for the six shows -- excluding Audra McDonald’s one

night performance -- is $252. McDonald’s show will be held in Segerstrom

Hall, single tickets will be $32, $42, $52 and $62. “Forbidden” tickets

will be $49.

The Orange County Performing Arts Center is at 600 Town Center Drive,

Costa Mesa. Information: (714) 556-2787.