Laguna Beach’s Pageant of the Masters at the Festival of Arts,where actors replace characters in enactments of classic pieces of art,is back.
This year’s show includes Lion Dancers from Chinese New Year’s celebrations, Winslow Homer’s “Country School,” Auguste Renoir’s “Garden Scene” and “The Giant” by N.C. Wyeth. Disney even is in on the act with depictions of Cinderella, Snow White, Peter Pan and the Little Mermaid.
Music and narration add to the experience, as do the volunteer actors who stand motionlessly to recreate paintings.
The long-running pageant has come a long way from the staid presentations of earlier decades. Director Diane Challis Davy has brought the pageant to life, adding costumed actors to the audience, vocal performances and demonstration pieces that show the audience how the sets are created. There also are a few surprises along the way.
You don’t need to be an art connoisseur to enjoy the performance. It’s an experience unique to Laguna Beach that people of all ages enjoy.
The staging of paintings traces back to early Europe, where nativity scenes depicting Biblical events for a generally illiterate public paraded through the streets. Later, the displays were expanded and hauled around on wagons.
Tickets for the pageant, held at the Irvine Bowl on Laguna Canyon Road, cost $20 to $90 depending on seats and the night of the week. The show, which started on Saturday, runs nightly through Aug. 31.
Shows often sell out, making tickets hard to get. They sometimes come available when ticket holders exchange for a different date or when extras are given back to the ticket office. So it’s worth checking back daily to see what’s available.
This year’s pageant tickets also get you into many of the special events at the Festival of Arts, which is marking its 75th anniversary. (See next week’s paper for an overview of Laguna’s art festival.)
For tickets, call (949) 494-1145 or visit www.LagunaFestivalofArts.org. Parking can be difficult, so allow extra time.
,Sandi Cain
