Columnist Elizabeth Foyt: Southern Nevada gives big boost to festival

Elizabeth Foyt

Wednesday, July 14, 2004 | 8:11 a.m.

The ties between the Las Vegas community and the Utah Shakespeare Festival are among the strongest in regional cultural efforts, stretching back more than 40 years to the founding of the award-winning organization.

On Friday many Southern Nevada residents were present in Cedar City, Utah, for the festival's 10th annual gala. Themed as a 1930s garden party, the event drew current and past members of the board of governors, along with Nevada benefactors Judge Gil and Edythe Katz Yarchever, Don Brown, Dr. Joe and Karen Soderberg, mortgage banker Spencer Judd with wife Jill, and Doug Baker of the Community College of Southern Nevada's theater department.

Southern Nevadans serving on the board of governors for the festival who attended the gala fund-raiser included past chairman and 12-year member Tom Thomas of the Thomas & Mack Co. and wife Leslie; Jerry Molen, president/chief executive of First Light Entertainment, and wife Pat; Mike Ballard, president of Ballard Enterprises; Brock Fraser, president/owner of AccuPrint and Copy; Lisa Pinegar Nelson, community leader; and Nancy Slitz, chief operating officer of Slitz and Company.

Enjoying the chance to mix and mingle with festival founder Fred Adams and actors who are appearing in the six plays of the 2004 summer season were Southern Nevadans Helen Sax, Mark Long, June and Richard Sewing, Janet Levy, members of the Young Women's Group from Hillpointe Mormon church ward (Red Rock stake), and former Las Vegan Jim Peveler of American Pacific.

Greeting many were Frank and Barbara Layden (he is a former coach of the Utah Jazz), frequent visitors to Las Vegas who recently performed "Love Letters" in a theatrical benefit performance for the festival.

Guests at the garden party enjoyed a delectable supper served with an assortment of Utah-grown wines and other beverages, followed by a performance of "Morning's at Seven" in the Randall Jones Theatre. On Saturday the board of governors gathered on the Southern Utah University campus for a scheduled meeting and a tantalizing preview of the festival's fall plays slated for Sept. 28 to Oct. 30. Details on the plays and performances are at www.bard.org.

Wedding shower

A wedding shower honoring Marlene Gonzales, daughter of George and Maggie Gonzales of Las Vegas, was held on July 5 at her home in Southern Highlands.

Marlene and her groom, Tom Robinson, who graced the April 2004 cover of Money magazine, were featured in an extensive article: "Retirement -- Start Now!" illustrating the rising housing market in Las Vegas. Their home in Southern Highlands is their second purchase in three years. Marlene, whose father, George Gonzales, came from Cuba to play jai alai at the MGM in Las Vegas during the late 1960s, will marry fiancee Robinson in private ceremonies on Maui later this summer.

Robinson's aunt Kay McCain was co-hostess for the bridal party with Gini Whitman, aunt to the bride. McCain, an accomplished cook, caterer and instructor of culinary arts, prepared the early evening meal, selecting a menu of corn-rolled pork roast served with shrimp, mango and black bean salad, fiesta rice, roasted vegetables and fresh fruit kabobs.

Chocolate-dipped strawberries dressed in white-and-dark chocolate tuxedos and creme brulee s'mores were chosen as desserts. Whitman, who attended with her tiny baby, Lia, and son Luke, arranged for the clever party games and other merriment for the bride and guests.

Frozen cosmopolitans, mai tais and other equally exotic concoctions were served, and helped to keep the tropical island theme firm in the mind of attendees, including bridesmaids Candace Gibbons and Evie Estavez.

Also present for the poolside supper party were Mercy and Derrick Mont-Ros, the bride's mother, Maggie Gonzales, and the groom's mother, Judy Robinson, in addition to Ricardo and Janet Juliao, the bride's maternal grandparents, and Olga Gonzales, paternal grandmother. Adrianna Gonzales, who assisted in the selection of the wedding gown, and who will serve as flower girl for the nuptials, participated in the bridal shower festivities as well.

Pratt to play

The Las Vegas Chamber Music Society will make its debut July 22 at the Guggenheim Hermitage Museum at the Venetian.

The featured artist will be classical pianist Awadagin Pratt, international recording artist for Angel/EMI and Avery Fisher award-winner. Last year Pratt was named one of "50 Leaders of Tomorrow" by Ebony magazine.

Tickets for the evening are $50 apiece and include a museum pass to see the new "Pursuit of Pleasure" exhibition, the concert inside the museum by Pratt and the hosted meet-the-artist reception to follow.

Pratt's performance is the first in a series of five concerts planned by the Las Vegas Chamber Music Society in partnership with the Guggenheim Hermitage. Call 414-2444 or go online at www.lvcms.org for details.

It takes a Village

Birthday festivities for 50 years of service and expanded growth continued to be celebrated July 7 when Opportunity Village hosted a lunchtime party for several hundred of their working clients and supporters alike.

Founded in 1954, Opportunity Village is Nevada's largest private provider of vocational training, employment, advocacy and recreation, serving nearly 600 people with intellectual disabilities in Southern Nevada.

Performers from "Splash" at the Rivera, joined by Amazing Clowns, the KB Home Mascot and other entertainers, were present to greet arriving guests. Many chose to ride the Magical Forest train and carousel before progressing to the conference area for lunch.

Nevada Partners Inc. provided a tasty selection of all-American hot dogs, hamburgers and cake, while Opportunity Village food service trainees supplied the manpower for serving and clean-up.

Board members seen in the high-spirited crowd included Gina Polovina of Boyd Gaming, Opportunity Village board president Frank Martin of Martin-Harris Construction, Lou Richards of Waxie Corporation and Steve Linder of Household Bank, as well as Kimberly Maxson Rushton, Kitty Rodman and Claudine Williams.

Todd Gatzulis, general manager of Dial Soap Corp., was present, as his company is investigating contract options with Opportunity Village workshop clients for the packaging of soap products.

Others in the crowd included Patrick Jacobs from Shufflemaster, who contracts with Opportunity Village for document-shredding services, Ingried Reisman of the Regional Transportation Commission and Mark Minor of Boyd Gaming.

Jake Kahle of Vegas Pops Baby provided the party favors of toffee popcorn for all attending, while Jim McCoy and other staffers gave guests discount coupons for Opportunity Village's Thrift Store at 921 S. Main St.