Curtain rises on cocktail party to help ‘Light the Night’

If there is such a thing, then this was definitely an “A-List”

party on the Orange Coast. The powerful and the prestigious, the

beautiful and the financially successful, new money and old,

long-time Newport citizens and the new kids on the block with the

proper pedigrees were invited to sunset cocktails at the contemporary

waterfront residence of Henry and Elizabeth Segerstrom on behalf of

South Coast Repertory Theater.

On this recent mid-week evening, a number of events were taking

place around the county, from Lemon Heights to Emerald Bay to Fashion

Island. However, the Segerstrom SCR invitation presented a rare

moment for society mavens to capture a glimpse of the personal side

of the man and his wife, who are the social cornerstones of Orange

County.

The crowd was spellbound by the beauty of the Segerstrom home,

which has recently undergone a massive redecoration under the

auspices of the new lady of the house. An abundance of fragrant white

lilies and vanilla candles flickering everywhere set the romantic

tone for a very warm and festive evening on the Newport Harbor, all

for SCR.

The evening was designed as a preview for patrons of SCR

supporting the theater’s upcoming “Light the Night” gala set for Oct.

5 at the Westin South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa. The patrons

attending the Segerstrom party were the honored donors who have

underwritten the gala, enabling SCR to net an excess of $400,000 from

the fund-raiser.

Gala chair Sue Stern, in the Segerstrom crowd with husband Ralph,

said, “This years donation is the largest fund-raising gift to SCR in

its 24-year history.”

Major gifts to SCR this season will come from Henry and Elizabeth

Segerstrom, Tim and Jean Weiss, Paul and Daranne Folino, Wylie and

Bette Aitkin, Brian and Sadie Finnegan, Charles and Twyla Martin,

Ralph and Sue Stern, Donald and Dorothy Kennedy, Tom and Marilyn

Sutton, William and Barbara Roberts and Martin and Elaine Weinberg.

Bobbi Dauderman, who will function as the entertainment chair for

the upcoming SCR gala, mingled with her husband, Jerry, and fellow

in-laws Dee and Larry Higby on the Segerstrom limestone terrace

overlooking the main channel of the harbor.

As much as Henry Segerstrom lends his considerable weight in the

public arena, he is a very private person not given to grand gestures

of bringing the community into his private residence.

In hushed tones, local movers and shakers wondered how the

Segerstrom home had been transformed from the taste of the late Renee

Segerstrom, who passed away from cancer two years ago. Many of the

guests had never seen his home with Renee, and were naturally curious

about the change.

Having attended a tea with Henry and Renee in residence just prior

to her death from cancer, my memory of her home remains very clear.

Renee’s taste might best be described as classic and “old world,”

infused with an educated eye for art of all periods. The furniture

was formal, very French and superbly elegant. A magnificent,

museum-quality hand-loomed rug from the Court of Versailles anchored

a living room that had lacquered persimmon/orange walls in a room

divided by an ancient Chinese screen.

Elizabeth Segerstrom has retooled the residence to express a more

youthful and fun version of the best that money can buy. She has

selected furnishings that are based on classic lines with an accent

on comfort and neutrality to set off the contemporary art that fills

the residence.

While the residence has been redesigned, one element of the past

remains. Renee loved citrus trees and had her own mini-orchard in

planters and pots lining the terrace. The citrus remains as a tribute

to the late lady in residence.

Sipping citrus-infused martinis at sunset were SCR patrons Pat and

Gene Hancock, Maralou and Jerry Harrington, John and Teri Kennady,

Roger and Gail Kirwan, Martin and Heather Klein, Donna and Ronald

Phelps, Elizabeth and John Stahr, Joan and Tom Riach, and SCR’s

Martin and Wendy Benson and David and Paula Tomei Emmes.

As the sun set over the harbor, SCR board president Tim Weiss

welcomed the community to the elegant Segerstrom event and introduced

Sue Stern, who thanked her dedicated volunteer committee and

expressed joy over the excitement of the upcoming gala.

Some of the local SCR patrons deserving ink for their tireless

contribution to the fund-raising effort include Kitty Schuler, Ellen

Olivier, Pam Muzzy, Randy Sue Baird, Lee Merrick, Heather Klein,

Linda Hovee, Dee Higby and Mary Carrington.

As progress continues on the nearly $20 million dollar expansion

of SCR, the Segerstrom evening was a chic testament to the

community’s dedication to a 35-year-old tradition that has over the

years risen to achieve world-class attention. For more information on

the upcoming “Light The Night Gala,” contact Madeline Porter at South

Coast Repertory, (714) 708-5562.

* THE CROWD appears Thursdays and Saturdays.