McCallum Muses savor Hollywood glamour at fundraiser in Rancho Mirage
Paparazzi lined the red carpet as guests of the Muses & Patroness Circle of McCallum Theatre arrived at “A Salute to Old Hollywood: Glitz, Glamour & Muses” fundraising event on Feb. 20. Large white letters spelled out “Hollywood” and provided a backdrop for photos of women in glittering gowns and men in black tie.
The event was held at the historic Ritz-Carlton Rancho Mirage, earning the moniker “Glitz at the Ritz,” and was an evening of celebration with an impressive silent auction, a sumptuous dinner, a live auction, music and dancing.
Proceeds of just over $660,000 from the event support the McCallum Theatre Education Program, serving more than 50,000 students and educators annually through innovative, lifechanging in-person and virtual programming in theater, dance, music and visual arts at no cost to the students.
Attendees mingled and bid on a collection of more than 200 rare and extraordinary treasures in the silent auction. Credit for this assemblage goes to the hard-working Muses Auction Committee chaired by Ros Hack. As guests entered the ballroom for dinner, they were welcomed by a Liza Minnelli impersonator singing “Puttin’ on the Ritz,” followed by a rousing rendition of “Cabaret.”
Mistress of Ceremony Michelle Westford welcomed guests and introduced the chairperson of the McCallum board of trustees, Gary Kief; President, CEO and artistic director Mitch Gershenfeld; Muses president Diane Dykema and event co-chairs Rosalind Hack and Victoria Bridges.
Honorary event chair Carlyn Stonehill was recognized for her outstanding contribution to the organization with a crystal heart-shaped award.
A spectacular three-course dinner was served, starting with a sweet corn bisque with Dungeness crab, followed by an entrée duo of braised beef short ribs and seared salmon. The sweet ending was a Coachella citrus tart.
Auctioneer Westford and special guest Jeffrey Norman began the live auction with a signed and framed Taylor Swift poster, followed by an e-bike, sponsorship of a Pink Martini performance, a VIP experience at a Barry Manilow concert in Las Vegas, a tour of London and Stratford while enjoying theater performances, brunch for six at a polo estate, a cocktail party for 50 people plus live music and a beautiful custom necklace from El Paseo Jewelers.
Ending the sensational event, the dance floor filled when the band played “Dancing Queen” where everyone was “the dancing queen / young and sweet / only seventeen.”
On a date prior to the event, a sponsor party was held at Tamarisk Country Club and hosted by Barbara Rogers and Gary Geske.
For membership information, visit mccallumtheatre.org and click on Muses or call Annual Membership Manager Dustin Engstrom at (760) 776-6179.
Marge Dodge serves on several local nonprofit boards supporting her passions of education, literacy and the arts.