THE CROWD:A-list treatment and A-list laughter

What a pair of events. The 33rd annual Candlelight Concert and Candlelight Encore, benefiting the Orange County Performing Arts Center, raised $1.3 million to support the focal point of Costa Mesa culture that, as arts center boss Terry Dwyer put it, “was born out of the passion of visionary leaders.”

It might well be added that the vision has been backed up by a community of generous citizens who care enough to put their funds to work raising the bar for all. They came together at holiday time for two of the most glorious evenings on the year’s social calendar.

Jay Leno of “The Tonight Show” fame headlined the big weekend celebration. Organizers this year shifted gears away from famous musical talent. In the past, Natalie Cole, Tony Bennett, Johnny Mathis and Steve Tyrell have been the stars. This year the crowd wanted to laugh. Leno commented, “One way to end the war in Iraq is to send over Anna Nicole Smith to marry Osama bin Laden. He’ll be dead in two months and the war will be over.” Never mind that Osama is in hiding somewhere and married. For that matter, so is Anna Nicole. Facts never get in the way of a joke.

Leno was right on the money sharing his thoughts on the post office. He told the crowd, “When you buy a stamp for 39 cents and the post office holds your letter for over a month — heck, that’s less than a penny a day — cheap by anyone’s standards!”

For nearly 90 minutes Leno had the audience laughing. If he told a joke they didn’t like the crowd would let out a collective moan. Leno retorted, “Now come on — can’t laugh one minute and go, ‘Oh oh’ the next.”

On the second evening, known as Candlelight Encore, the headliner was the popular Broadway entertainer Davis Gaines, who frequently performs in Orange County — most recently at one of the openings for the Renée and Henry Segerstrom Center for the Arts.

Candlelight was chaired by Newport’s very classy Sally Crockett. The evening was festive and upbeat. Crockett was joined by organizer Lori Hirth. The duo worked with Darrillyn Melilli, chair, and Jan Landstrom, co-chair of Candlelight Encore, to ensure the celebration delighted one and all — all weekend long.

Following the performance in the new concert hall, the crowd was ushered across the plaza through a tented walkway festooned with snow-dusted pine trees. Carolers greeted the tuxedo-clad entourage at Segerstrom Hall as the patrons were seated for dinner. Crockett, escorted by her husband Randy Crockett, welcomed the A-list assemblage. The resplendent Sally Crockett, glittering in Cartier diamonds perfectly suited to her strapless navy blue ball gown, graciously greeted the million-dollar donors. Sally Crockett said, “In this season of giving, I am humbled by your loyalty and generosity, and I applaud your dedication to this cultural center.”

Segerstrom Hall, decorated by Hollywood art director and set designer Jim Mees, was a breathtaking winter wonderland. Enormous Christmas balls — floating planets of silver, gold and purple — hung from the rafters. A black backdrop shimmered with twinkling lights. Dinner was created by chef Joachim B. Splichal and chef Gregg Wiel of the Patina Group. The four courses began with oven-roasted fennel, smoked marlin and duck prosciutto, followed by squash ravioli and truffle vinaigrette. The entree was seared tenderloin of beef, and for dessert a “white chocolate present” was served. Clos du Bois wines flowed.

Table-hopping past midnight were friends of the performing arts center including board Chairman Michael Gorden and his wife Ellie, Roger and Gail Kirwan, Mark Robinson Jr., Joel and Carol Farkas, Ygal and Sheila Sonenshine, Marsha and Darrell Anderson, the Robert S. Rothses, Wylie and Bette Aitkin, Gen. William and Willa Dean Lyon, Sandy and John Daniels, and Patti and Jim Edwards. Also front and center were George and Julianne Argyros, James and Nancy Baldwin, Dee and Larry Higby, and the glamorous Marolou Harrington and her husband, Jerry.

runs Thursdays and Saturdays.