By TR Robertson
Once again, the streets of Laguna Beach will be alive this summer with visitors, locals, art lovers and artists of every media as the Pageant of the Masters, the Festival of the Arts, the Sawdust Festival, Laguna Art-A-Fair and numerous local galleries will feature art of every shape, style and form for people to enjoy. For the Pageant of the Masters, this is a special year as the Pageant will be celebrating its 90th anniversary as it presents the 2023 theme, “Art Colony: In the Company of Artists”, with performances running from July 7th until September 1st. This year’s theme celebrates and portrays nine to ten art colonies and artists stories that have made significant contributions to the art world in locations around the world. These 41 “tableaux vivants” (“living pictures”) will features artists and their work from art colonies that developed in locations like Florence, Paris, New Mexico, Harlem, East L.A., and New York City. The Pageant has been called “one of the most unique theatrical productions in the world”.
Laguna Beach’s beginning as a location for artists of every medium goes back to 1903 when artist Norman St. Clair arrived in the area. He is credited with establishing Laguna Beach as an art colony, enticing other artists to move to this beach community. By 1918, the towns first art gallery was opened, today the location of the Laguna Art Museum on Cliff Drive. To understand how this incredible display of art pieces, known as the Festival of the Arts and the Pageant of the Masters, began we have to go back to 1932, at a time when the United States was caught in the throes of the Great Depression and life in the U.S. for most people was a traumatic time. On a Saturday, August 13, 1932, under the guidance of local artist John H. Hinchman, two dozen artists got together to hang their art on fences, trees and buildings along Laguna’s El Paseo Street, near Hotel Laguna, in hope they could attract tourists to the town to admire and hopefully purchase some of their work. The painting Flower Stalls, by Virginia Woolley, was one of the first paintings sold and this painting is now in the Festival of Arts permanent collection and can be found on display at the Festival of the Arts, just outside the Pageant amphitheater. Also, on display at this outdoor art show was music, colorful signs, and artists painting while people wandered through the streets. This first art presentation lasted until August 20th.
This simple beginning would continue the following year, this time lasting eight days, and would have a .10 cent admission charge. The 1933 Festival of the Arts would also mark the debut of the “Spirit of the Master’s Pageant” and a new promotional piece was added to bring even more recognition to Laguna Beach. Using an idea developed by artist Lolita Perine, Laguna Beach local volunteers, dressed as famous works of art, walked along Coast Highway to the location for the second festival, where they would pose in tiny booth-like sets depicting paintings like Whistler’s Mother, Girl of the Golden West, Blue Boy, the Mona Lisa, Sistine Madonna and sculptures like Atlas. These “living pictures” would become the large scale, famous Laguna Beach Pageant of the Masters, performance we know today. Those attending this presentation did not sit for the artistic performances, instead they walked around viewing people posing in the booths. A Board of Directors was formed in 1934 with George A. Portus the first Board President. In 1936, the “living pictures” featured The Last Supper by Leonardo da Vinci as the closing art piece. The Last Supper has been the last presentation for the Pageant ever since. The first Pageant Director was Roy M. Ropp, a local artist and builder who produced the Pageant annually through 1941 and also in 1950.
The Festival of Arts and what would become known as the Pageant of the Masters has moved several times during the 90-year history. Beginning on El Paseo Street for the 1932-33 years and again in 1936, the Festival was on Ocean Avenue in 1934, next to the Cliff Drive Art Gallery in 1935, on Third Avenue (where City Hall is now located) from 1937-1940. In 1941 the location moved to Irvine Bowl Park at 650 Laguna Canyon Road, shut down from 1942-1945 during World War II and begin again in 1946 until the present. Attendance at the first Festival is estimated to have been approximately 2,200 people. Today, around 225,000 people annually attend. The Irvine Bowl Park and grounds covers 5.6 acres. The Bowl capacity is 2,600. The property is owned by the City of Laguna Beach and is leased to the Festival. The Festival of Arts is a non-profit, year-round operation governed by a 9-member board of directors.
Hundreds of volunteers assist the performer’s preparation during the performances. Two cast groups of around 100 per group are divided into Green & Blue cast groups for the shows, alternating for the performances. Some volunteers have been involved for many years, the oldest volunteer serving the Pageant for 35 years.
The large outdoor amphitheater, the Irvine Bowl, faces a massive stage, complete with an orchestra pit for the live orchestra performances during the Pageant. Next to and behind the amphitheater are the workshops used to construct the sets, backdrops, and artistic pieces for the Pageant. The Festival of Arts is exhibited in a beautiful open-air gallery where over 100 award winning Orange County artists display their work, ranging from paintings, to glass, ceramics, photography, sculpture and more. Located next to the Festival of the Arts is the Terra Laguna Beach Restaurant for on-property dining. Also close by is the Intermission Concession Stand and at the entrance a Boutique style gift shop. Located close to the entrance is an entertainment stage where performers entertain the visitors prior to the start of the Pageant of the Masters.
The Pageant of the Masters Director,
Diane Challis Davy, said, “My goal for this year is to select a majority of artwork that has never been presented by the Pageant.”
Featured this year will be artists making their first appearance at the Pageant of the Masters. This includes artists like African American sculptor Meta Fuller and Augusta Savage and painter Aaron Douglas, Chicano artist David Botello and Native American paintings by Bert Geer Phillips. Also featured from the various art colonies that formed throughout the years will be the work of Auguste Renoir, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, sculptor Luca della Robbia and Laguna Beach artist Roger Kuntz. Audiences will be treated to a unique experience this year complete with several surprises.
This wonderful Pageant and Festival is a “should not miss attraction for the summer”. Make a day of it; arrive early, enjoy the different art festivals in the area, have lunch on the Festival grounds or at one of the eateries in Laguna Beach, and allow yourself enough time to explore the Festival of the Arts exhibits before seeing the Pageant of the Masters performance. Go to www.PageantTickets.com for more information or call 800-487-3378.
The next article will cover a behind the scenes look at what goes into making this incredible Pageant of the Masters performance.
