Soccer Fans Storm the Arts Plaza

Fans for The Netherlands and Argentina gather on the Center’s Arts Plaza

Soccer fans at the Center

There’s been ballet, dance classes, opera, an electric guitar concert, parties, rock bands, The Car Plays, Movie Mondays, community festivals, Walks for various causes – and now – World Cup soccer! The Center welcomed soccer fans to watch The Netherlands vs. Brazil on Saturday, July 12th and Argentina vs. Germany on Sunday, July 13th (lucky 13 as it turned out for Germany). The games were shown on LED jumbotrons. Food trucks fed the hungry, and the Center’s children’s Imagination Playground provided diversions for little ones not yet in the soccer groove. 

The great Russian dancers Ivan Vasiliev and Natalia Osipova, with Russian 
impresario, dance producer and artist manager Sergei Danilian, center. Vasiliev 
and Osipova took time off from their rehearsals for Solo for Two, in which they will 
perform a world premiere and two American premieres July 25 – 27.

And the tension builds.

A little advertising for Segerstrom Center worn by 
Director of Education Jason Holland at the Imagination Playground.

And the win goes to Germany!

For more fun on the Arts Plaza, don’t miss the Center’s Movie Mondays: Gigi on July 21, Cabaret on July 28 and ending with Sweet Charity on August 4. For more information about Movie Mondays, click here. 

All photos by Doug Gifford.

It Was a Grand Night at the Movies

Movie Mondays at Segerstrom Center

A cool grand turned out to give a warm welcome to the Center’s 2014 Movie Mondays and to cheer on Shirley Temple in her 1935 hit film The Little Colonel. The movie, in which Shirley appears in Technicolor for the very first time – only in the final scene – was a Movie Monday tribute to the beloved film star who passed away earlier this year. 

The Poormehr family: Seena, Nahid, Arian and Nadi from Irvine

The Center’s Jonathan Vietze is the Movie Mondays’ emcee, providing themed contests and fun prizes and giveaways prior to each screening. 

Happy Birthday, Paul Stutzke!

Macy’s sponsored the opening. In addition to its support of Movie Monday’s, Macy’s is an underwriter for the Center’s Arts and Business Leadership Awards Dinner, provides special in-store promotions for the Center and underwriting for this year’s OnStage at the Center performances of the Center’s holiday Broadway offering, Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas! the Musical. Doug McKay, Macy’s District Grants Co-Chairman and a member of the Center’s Rising Leaders Council, was on hand to present a check for $25,000 to Center President Terrence W. Dwyer.

Macy's District Grants Co-Chariman Doug McKay presents
Center President Terry Dwyer with a check for $25,000

Kia, the official automobile of the Center, set up a special The Little Colonel tableau featuring their 2015 K900. They'll be back each week with a new themed display and car.

Display by Kia, the Official Automotive Partner of the Center

Also for the first time, food trucks offered delights and delicacies to satisfy those who might not have brought their own picnic dinners. New trucks and new selections will be on hand for the next four Mondays, when the movies will be Spice World – July 14, Gigi – July 21, Cabaret – July 28 and Sweet Charity – August 4.

Jiah Park, Roger Bell, Brandi Hawkes – with Charlie and Tess

All photos by Joesan Diche.

Box Office Hits and Tasty Eats on Wheels

Piaggio on Wheels food truck

Orange County foodies have reason to celebrate when they get together on the Arts Plaza for the annual free Movie Mondays. For the first time in Movie Mondays history, popular food trucks will sell gourmet snacks for fans to enjoy under the stars, while they watch films projected on the side of Segerstrom Hall. Guests may set up beach chairs and easily portable seats as early as 5:30 p.m., and trucks will begin selling food at 6 p.m. 

First up: The Little Colonel tonight, featuring the adorable little Shirley Temple and the iconic stair dancing scene with Bill “Bojangles” Robinson. May we suggest burgers, bite-size appetizers and root beer floats for this American classic? 

Drive Me Cookie food truck

The Little Colonel (July 7 at dusk) 
A Bite Truck 
Stuff N It Burgers 
We Heart Froyo 

Spice World (July 14 at dusk) 
Adobo Express 
Chunk-n-Chip 
The Burnt Truck 

Gigi (July 21 at dusk) 
Drive Me Cookie
Piaggio on Wheels 
Stuff N It Burgers 

Cabaret (July 28 at dusk) 
Bakery Truck 
Currywurst 
Piaggio on Wheels 

Sweet Charity (August 4 at dusk) 
Adobo Express 
Bakery Truck 
Dogzilla 

For more information about Movie Mondays and the Free for All series, please visit www.scfta.org/freeforall.

We Got Scooped! Ben & Jerry’s at the Center

Vermont-based ice cream maker Ben & Jerry’s made a quick stop at Segerstrom Center on Wednesday, June 25, to give away free scoops of their tasty new Salted Caramel ice cream (sweet cream ice cream with blonde brownies and a salted caramel swirl) and their classic Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough flavor. The Center was part of the final leg of Ben and Jerry’s month-long SoCal area tour. 

Center staff and fans eagerly gathered in the Arts Plaza for this sweet surprise and enjoyed their treats underneath the Fire Bird sculpture.  

The Ben & Jerry’s West Coast Core Tour began in San Diego mid-April and will soon roll up to Portland, Seattle and San Francisco for even more fans to enjoy. 

For more delicious snacks and culinary delights, be sure to stop by the outdoor Movie Mondays, starting with The Little Colonel featuring Shirley Temple on July 7. Gourmet food trucks will provide themed menu items for sale for all upcoming Movie Mondays showings. For additional information about Movie Mondays, please visit www.scfta.org/MovieMondays.

Nearly 15,000 Attended Movie Mondays 2013

Meet-Up at Movie Mondays

Setting a new Movie Monday box office record, nearly 15,000 gathered this summer to watch award-winning film musicals on the Center’s Arts Plaza. Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Evita closed the 2012 – 2013 series (However, if you missed the screening or would like to enjoy Evita live on stage, the critically acclaimed Broadway revival opens the Center’s 2013 – 2014 Broadway Series on December 10.). These family-friendly evenings, co-presented with the Newport Beach Film Festival, welcomes creative al fresco picnic dinners, Meet-Ups, family celebrations and creative costumes. 

President Terry Dwyer and Doug McKay from Macy's

Volunteers participated in the highly anticipated contests and trivia trials as the sun set. Capping the evening, Doug McKay, Macy’s Operations Manager and District Grant Operations Manager, presented Center President Terry Dwyer with a check in the amount of $25,000 to underwrite the screenings of Mulan and Evita. 

Valerie Randall, Lori Shapiro, Denise Shue and Bill McKee

Suggestions are being taken for next summer’s line-up of film musicals. Send your nominations to www.SCFTA.org/mmpoll.

Elizabeth, MacKenzie, Michael and Tomai of Orange

On far right, Max.

All photos by Joesan Diche.

FAMILY FUN MONTH: Let’s Play OC! Guest Blogger shares "Summer Play Dates in OC"

In celebration of August being Family Fun Month, the Center is delighted to share stories by some of Orange County’s favorite family bloggers. 

By Mary K. Tran of Let's Play OC!

Laguna Beach. Photo by LetsPlayOC.com

It's mid-summer and for some of us, we need motivation to keep our families from vegging out in front of the TVs. We are so lucky everything is a skip hop away in Orange County. Time to spend some quality time together. Here are my top 12 favorite things to do in SoCal: 

Laguna Beach. Photo by LetsPlayOC.com

1. Spend a day at the beach building sand castles and playing in the water. 

2. Plan a hiking trip and explore the outdoors. 

3. Plan a day trip/road trip along the coast and make stops along the way. 

4. Enjoy a family picnic at the beach or park at any time of the day. 

Da Vinci – The Genius exhibit at Discovery Science Center. Photo by LetsPlayOC.com

5. Take your family to see movies on the beach or movies in the parks (Segerstrom Center for the Arts presents free Movie Mondays through August 5 in their Arts Plaza). 

6. Pack a picnic and rock out to free summer concerts in the parks. 

7. Take everyone camping, out to the lake, kayaking around the bay, or on a fishing trip. 

8. Keep their reading skills up by visiting your local library and letting them check out their own books. 

Pretend City Children's Museum. Photo by LetsPlayOC.com

9. Visit a museum. Some have free museum days once a month. (Some of our favorites include the Discovery Science Center, Bowers Museum, Pretend City Children's Museum and the Newport Bay Conservancy.) 

10. Visit an amusement park or water park. 

11. Make s'mores and roast hot dogs at a beach bonfire. 

Sno-Biggie. Photo by LetsPlayOC.com

12. Take everyone out for ice cream. 


_________________________________ 
Mary K. Tran blogs for a family blog called Let's Play OC! where she shares deals and family fun in Orange County. You can learn more about Mary at www.LetsPlayOC.com. 

Speaking of Family Fun, the Broadway musical SISTER ACT will be in town from August 6-18.

Center Phans Enjoy the Movie of the Night!

Davis Gaines and Jonathan Vietze. Photo by Chris Emerick

A phan-tastic crowd of nearly 4,000 people gathered this past Monday to enjoy the movie, The Phantom of the Opera, which was selected for this summer's series in last year's Audience Fan Favorite poll. 

Many spirited audience members were found donning Phantom masks and period costumes while some had picnic tables adorned with mini-chandeliers and plates filled with delicious French fare. 

Birthday party for Peggy Anderson of Aliso Viejo. Photo by Chris Emerick

The popular pre-film games included a VERY special guest - the one and only Davis Gaines stopped by and co-hosted along with Movie Monday’s MC Jonathan Vietze. Gaines is currently starring in the musical I Do! I Do! now playing at The Laguna Playhouse. He performed the title role in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Phantom of the Opera more than 2,000 times, during his run on Broadway, in Los Angeles (where he remains LA’s longest-running Phantom) and in San Francisco (where he received the Bay Area Critics’ Award for Best Actor). 

Dan Dominguez and Garrett Schmidt of Laguna Niguel. Photo by Chris Emerick

Fun facts and trivia questions about all-things The Phantom of the Opera were shared as winners received tickets for the Broadway shows SISTER ACT (coming to the Center August 6 - 18), ANYTHING GOES (also coming to the Center September 24 - 29) or to see Gaines in I Do! I Do! Thanks to him, a few lucky winners even took home autographed The Phantom of the Opera posters! All winners walked away with freshly baked croissants, courtesy of Corner Bakery. 

James Che and Annie Vuong. Photo by Chris Emerick

Movie Mondays 2013 concludes on August 5 with yet another fabulous Andrew Lloyd Weber musical, EVITA. Our 2013 - 2014 Broadway Season proudly presents EVITA December 10-22.

Now is the chance to vote for next year’s Movie Mondays Audience Fan Favorite as the online poll is open. Please visit www.scfta.org/mmpoll. 

Photo by Chris Emerick

Thousands Moved by Movie Mulan

Disney's Mulan drew a crowd of 4,000!

Number three in this summer’s Movie Mondays – Disney’s animated Mulan - drew a crowd of 4,000, the largest audience ever. Early arrivals enjoyed face painting and chalk drawing on the Arts Plaza. Patina offered Asian cuisine-themed dinners. 

No Movie Monday is complete without a pre-show warm-up contest. “Confucius or Confused” had people trying to decide if sayings were those of the great Chinese philosopher or other well known pundits – ladies, in honor of Mulan – including Eleanor Roosevelt, Helen Keller, Dolly Parton, Margaret Thatcher, Mother Teresa and Coco Chanel. Participants received SISTER ACT fans (coming to the Center August 6 – 18) and Corner Bakery Cafe edamame salads; winners received Macy’s $15 gift cards. 

Next week will be the Audience Fan Favorite winner – (Phantom organ riff, please!) – Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Phantom of the Opera! Francophiles, plan to sample Patina’s croque monsieur (grilled ham and cheese sandwich), charcuterie and cheese plates and crepe station.

To view more photos from Movie Mondays, please visit http://flic.kr/s/aHsjH3xo4J

Movies to Watch Music By...

Contest winner Mary Ann Archbold, Aileen Feuerberg, Linda Daley and Carol Abair.

Denise Shue and Dino, Bill McKee and Astro.

Buena Vista Social Club, the Center’s second film in the 2012 - 2013 free Movie Mondays series, attracted nearly 2,000 people. KCRW was the evening’s co-sponsor along with the Newport Beach Film Festival. The Festival provides film shorts before each Movie Mondays feature. Pre-screening music had people dancing on the Arts Plaza. The Center’s master of ceremonies, Jonathan Vietze, called Loteria games and sent many fans home with Buena Vista Social Club DVDs and Loteria-inspired t-shirts with the design symbols on them. The Guitar Center had its own booth to carry the evening’s musical theme forward. Next Monday, July 22 – Disney’s Mulan.

KCRW and the Newport Beach Film Festival were the evening's co-sponsors.

Brianna and Carolye Roth from Indiana, Khanh Nguyen and Lisa Schultz from Costa Mesa.

Michael Dilsisian, Mike Lingle, Lynn Smith and Janet Loveridge.