RSVP : East Meets West at Eye Institute Fund-Raiser

The Luminaires and the Luminaires Juniors got what they deserved Friday night. The weather was perfect for their “Evening With ‘Miss Saigon’ ” held on the Plaza of the Music Center, just reward for the hard work put into their first collaborative event benefiting the Doheny Eye Institute.

“It’s much like having a baby--nine months of expectancy,” said Jan Thompson, who co-chaired with Debra Stephens, as she surveyed the Asian-themed setting her committee had created.

The red and gold decor--huge Buddhas, gongs and a traditional rickshaw placed around bamboo tables ornamented with anthuriums and subtropical foliage--had vivid impact. Several of the women wore the flattering Vietnamese ao dai-- a long coat-dress over trousers. Thompson’s, in red and silver, had been made for her, while Luminaires Juniors President Karen Dalby created a similar effect with a Donna Karan black silk coat over red Yves St. Laurent trousers. Luminaires President Pam King was equally eye-catching in Chinese embroidered jacket and pants.

The evening’s VIP was deemed by all to be Dr. Steve Ryan, who heads the Doheny Eye Institute. Ryan was managing to be all things to all people--climbing into the rickshaw to pose for pictures; trading inside jokes with fellow physicians; apprising the interested on the latest vision surgery; lauding the generosity of special benefactors, and assisting the committee in the raffle draw.

The results of the silent auction, listed on bulletin boards, greeted guests as they returned to the Plaza after the show to select their dinners from a buffet, which included noodle salad and chicken and vegetable stir-fry in soy-sherry sauce.

The event raised $150,000. Thank-you speeches were refreshingly brief, so guests were free to dance to the ‘60s music or exchange opinions on the show. With several having also seen the London and Broadway productions, there were rival views as to which was best and which helicopter was the most realistic.