Jazz the center of attention

B.W. COOK

Orange County Performing Arts Center President Jerry Mandel will join

the Hi-Fi Quintet for a special fundraising evening Feb. 5 in

Founders Hall.

Organized by the center’s guilds in conjunction with the office of

center support groups, the evening of “jazz and cocktails” is

offering tickets at $70 per person, with proceeds benefiting the

center as part of the annual gift from the guilds. The center’s Tim

Dunn reported that Mandel and the quintet “will offer a concert of

swinging classics from the American Songbook.” For reservations, call

(714) 556-2122, ext. 4218.

MORMON CHOIR

In other societal news with a decidedly musical slant, the

Philharmonic Society will be graced by a performance of the Mormon

Tabernacle Choir. The choral performance will coincide with the 50th

anniversary season of the Philharmonic Society.

Performances are slated for March 26 and 27 at the Orange County

Performing Arts Center. The events will mark the choir’s inaugural

visit to Orange County, and its first ever visit to Southern

California in more than 40 years. For reservations and information,

call Christel Schar in the Philharmonic Society office at (714)

553-2422, ext. 226.

LAURA’S HOUSE

Barbara James reported that the recent Laura’s House fundraiser

for victims of domestic abuse in Orange County raised significant

funds at the ninth annual luncheon at the Montage Resort in Laguna

Beach.

A large contingent of Newport-Mesa men and women supported the

effort, which featured an address on domestic issues in Orange County

by Orange County Superior Court Judge Pamela Iles.

Locals spotted in the crowd were Supervisor Tom Wilson, Chris

Aitken, Alice Shanahan, her daughter Julia Slagle, Janice Lawson, and

Jacqueline Stephenson. Also supporting the event were James Maloney,

Margaret Bayston and sponsor/ underwriters Ruth and Gresham Roskamp,

Heather Cobbs, Jeffrey Court, Allen James, Paige and Jay Kunkle and

Teddie and Michael Ray.

* THE CROWD appears Thursdays and Saturdays.