PAGEANT OF THE MASTERS
Nightly at 8:30 p.m. at the Festival of Arts, Laguna Beach, through August 31; tickets $10 to $60; (800) 487-3378; Festival exhibits open daily 10 a.m.-11:30 p.m.; $5 season pass
This year’s performance of tableaux vivants, or living pictures, ventures into new territory for the 60-plus-year-old show,a fitting display of the Pageant’s theme, “Beyond the Horizon.” Featuring pieces from such renowned artists as N.C. Wyeth, Winslow Homer, Paul Gauguin and Edgar Degas, the show is fast-paced, vibrant and even sometimes whimsical,a tribute to director Diane Challis Davy’s efforts to spruce up the show for the audiences of the new millennium. The first act is heavy on American artists who depict explorers of every type, from cowboys to astronauts. In the second act, Davy and her volunteer cast depict works largely from European artists who were also known to break the mold,or think outside the box in today’s vernacular. More multi-media by the year, this Pageant keeps you interested with action, music and a few surprises while still maintaining tradition, including, of course, Leonardo da Vinci’s “The Last Supper.”
