A medley of celebrities and local patrons alike swarmed the Festival of Arts for its culminating weekend.
“I haven’t been here in a long time, and my wife and I are supporters of the arts, “ said Dorian Harewood, who starred in the films “Gothika” and “Full Metal Jacket” about his attendance at the festival and Pageant of the Masters.
Robert David Hall of television’s “Crime Scene Investigation” recently bought a house in North Laguna, and expressed nostalgia about formerly living on the coastline.
“I love all of Laguna; it has changed but it still has all of the flavor that I remember. I like to go down to Heisler Park and have my coffee and read; it’s amazing,” said Hall, one of many film and television celebrities who walked the red carpet in front of the festival arches last Saturday, Aug. 27.
“I’ve been here at least 35 years it’s one of the few things I try to do every single year. There are only two things I do every year, one is come to the festival,” said high-profile lawyer Gloria Allred, who appeared elegantly-clad in white.
Brenda Strong of television’s “Desperate Housewives” appeared flaunting a mixture of high-end couture with contemporary flair.
“The Pageant of the Masters is something I saw 20 years ago and it was such an extraordinary experience. I have a 16 and a half year old son, Zack Henri, and I wanted him to be able to see this because he’s entering a phase in his education where arts and art history is starting to have more impact, “ said Strong.
Greg Grunberg from the hit television show “Heroes,” said, “anybody that expresses themselves creatively is a hero of mine. You can’t help but look at a piece of art and you don’t have to go too deep to ask what inspired the artwork. Art is as important as reading to me.”
“I’m here today because I love the arts,” said Jo Frost, known from her television show “Super Nanny.” “I absolutely think it’s important to expose children to the arts. As a nanny for over 20 years it was very important to me to introduce children to the culture of the arts and certainly different mediums, like theater sculpture,”
At the festival’s plaza stage, chart-topping vocalist Richard Marx also performed, accompanied by a string quartet, to a packed audience of arts patrons.
The raffle winner of the Acura ZDX was Arick Gale of Dana Point. His daughter, Jaimie, 6, volunteered in this year’s production of the Pageant of the Masters, in the re-creation of “The Meeting of Oberon and Titania.” Funds raised from the raffle totaled nearly $50,000 for the Festival of Arts.
Other celebrities present included Cheryl Hines of “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” Oscar- winning actress Marcia Gay Harden, Camryn Manheim of “Ghost Whisperer,” Alfre Woodard and Sam Hennings, both of “Memphis Beat”, CCH Pounder of “Avatar,” Vanessa Branch of “Pirates of the Caribbean” movies, Dorian Harewood of “Boomtown,” Richard Karn of “Home Improvement,” Gregory Itzin of “The Mentalist 24,” Marion Ross of “Happy Days,” and LeVar Burton of “Star Trek.”
