The Crowd:

Heralding the 2009-10 social season on the California Riviera, South Coast Repertory Theatre threw a most elegant ball Sept. 12 in Newport Beach.

The Balboa Bay Club & Resort transformed its handsome ballroom into the perfect setting for “Nothing But Blue Skies…from now on.” The party theme was taken from the classic Hollywood film and title song written by Irving Berlin.

Glamorous event Chairwoman Bette Aitken, wife of repertory board chairman Wylie Aitken, joined her committee in selecting a theme representing optimism in the face of difficult times. Their combined optimism raised an impressive $550,000 for the Costa Mesa-based theatrical company with an international reputation. Bravo, Bette!

The Bay Club’s dark-wood-paneled and golden-colored fabric walls were draped in baby-blue silk by gala designer Tom Buderwitz and his repertory artisans.

Floor-to-ceiling light pillars aglow with periwinkle blue hues were positioned along with the massive east wall flanking the raised stage supporting Bruce Garnitz and his orchestra. The band leader wore a white formal dinner jacket, and his musicians, all in tux, performed the classic standards with panache, not as background dinner music, but rather in performance mode. It was pure showmanship from the first note to the finale, including numerous musical reminders of the theme.

The evening began with a reception in the club’s palm tree enclave known as Newport’s Coconut Grove. Champagne courtesy of Young’s Market flowed, as Bay Club staff served hors d’oeuvres and repertory performers danced among the gala patrons including the very glamorous Pat Neisser and her husband, Carl Neisser, both long-standing repertory donors. Also enjoying the al fresco reception were Roger Kirwan and Tracy Martin, Sally Anderson and Tom Rogers, Lynn and Jim Doti, Elaine Weinberg, Ashleigh Aitken and Michael Penn, Olivia and Andy Johnson, and the beautiful Danuta Schenke and her handsome date, Bruce Herber, one of the best-looking couples of the night.

At sunset the 400 patrons were escorted into the ballroom. Sighs were commonplace as guests viewed the décor. A large rectangular high-gloss, black dance floor bisected the room. Tables were arranged in rows two deep. Enormous glass urns topped with pom-poms of pale blue hydrangeas were spectacular. Crisp, contemporary and very grand — yet another artistic touch.

The crowd mingled and table-hopped visiting friends such as Toni and Steve Berlinger, Linda and Bob Hovee, Ardelle St. George and Don Carnegie, Jane and Jim Driscoll, Nadine and Bob Hall, Sue and Ralph Stern, Jean and Tim Weiss, Dee and Larry Higby, and Betty and S.L. Huang. The Huangs hosted a prominent table including Elizabeth An, Gordon Clune, Victoria and David Collins, Bill and Christina Lyon and Ishani and Mickey Dhillon. Dinner began with peekytoe crab followed by a yellow and red beet salad with limestone lettuce. A beef tenderloin Napoleon with jumbo prawns and oyster mushrooms had the crowd raving.

As chocolate molten lava cake was served, repertory founders David Emmes and Martin Benson paid tribute to the lasting generosity of the repertory’s base of support. Gala committee members deserving considerable recognition include Teri Kennady, Marlene Hammontree, Donna Cohn, Nancy Kelley, Pam Muzzy, Valerie Fearns, Laurie Straude and underwriting Chairwoman Sophie Cripe. In all there were 44 dedicated committee members making a difference.

THE CROWD runs Thursdays and Saturdays.