VILLAGE NEWS
Scott Appleby & Kerry ApplebyPayne
LA JOLLA
A Tradition of Success and Service 858-775-2014 • tscottappleby@aol.com
LA JOLLA’S PREFERRED SOURCE FOR LOCAL NEWS
THURSDAY, AUGUST 5, 2010
San Diego Community Newspaper Group
DRE#01197544
www.SDNEWS.com Volume 15, Number 47
HEART+SOUL
The women responsible for planning this year’s Jewel Ball are (from left) Tracy Lyon, Las Patronas president; Lise Wilson, Jewel Ball 2010 chair; Lisa Albanez and Kristi Pieper, Jewel Ball 2010 cochairs. VINCENT ANDRUNAS | Village News
Jewel Ball 2010 ready to shine BY VINCENT ANDRUNAS | VILLAGE NEWS The Jewel Ball, the grandest, most lavish social event in the entire greater San Diego area, is about to take place. The event, traditionally held on the first Saturday in August, will be held this year on Saturday, Aug. 7. The ladies of La Jolla’s Las Patronas, a prestigious group of prominent women, work all year to produce this major annual event. They transform the La Jolla Beach and Tennis Club into a stunning party venue representing the current ball’s theme, which may be a place (like India, Paris, California, or a hot nightclub), or a concept, like this year’s “HEART+SOUL.” When the invitations arrive in late May, eager partygoers immediately RSVP, hoping to get their reservations in before it sells out. The venue accommodates 850 guests. Nobody wants to be left out of this event, with its palpable excitement, intricate décor, talented entertainers and its significant benefit to the community. “In 1946, a group of 14 women came together with a common goal: to do some good in this world while sharing friendship, fun and camaraderie,” said Tracy Lyon, 2010 Las Patronas president. “This was the birth of Las Patronas and of the very first Jewel Ball. LP is about to celebrate their 64th birthday, as we present Jewel Ball 2010, HEART+SOUL. We couldn’t achieve our mission without the continued generosity and support of our partners in the community. Since our inception, this overwhelming support has allowed our all-volunteer group of 50 dedicated women to raise over $14 million in grants, touching the lives of nearly everyone in our county. “Each year, grant requests exceed our ability to give. Since 1946, our grants process has supported countless nonprofits in the areas of health, education, social services and the cultural arts. Along with a grant application, organizations supply LP with supporting documents for their capital need, including financial statements, proof of nonprofit status, reason for the request, and at least two bids for their requested SEE BALL, Page 6
Ambitious teens dive into La Jolla Playhouse’s summer acting program BY JENNA FRAZIER | VILLAGE NEWS erfecting the art of eye gouging may not rank high on the list of summer fun for the average La Jolla teen. But for Madeline Harvey, a 16-year-old La Jolla High School (LJHS) student, it’s “heaven on earth.” Harvey is one of 19 teenagers who competed rigorously to participate in the La Jolla Playhouse Summer Conservatory, a six-week intensive program designed to condition aspiring young performers for the challenges of a career in professional theatrer. This year’s program began July 5 and will conclude Aug. 13. Participants spend 35 hours per week honing skills like stage combat and fighting, body movement and awareness, breathing control and speech exercises to improve diction and projection. Additional programs challenge the students to devise their own ensembles and experiment with writing, directing and producing their own works. Conservatory director James Pillar has worked in professional theater for 18 years. He described the program as an “anti-summer camp” geared toward professionally-driven actors in grades 10 through 12. “We try to give them as rich of an experience as we can,” Pillar said. “It’s certainly rigorous and we set a high bar.
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PHOTOS BY DON BALCH | Village News
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: Madeline Harvey (white shirt) and Olivia O’Connor practice creating a scene with movement but without dialogue at the La Jolla Playhouse Summer Conservatory. Madeline Harvey and Olivia O’Connor (on floor) work on a scene creating with movement only. Alix Conde dives on the floor during an acting workshop drill. Harvey (right), who attends La Jolla High School, gets expressive in a circular acting exercise.
We expect a certain level of commitment and dedication.” Guest professionals also visit the troupe each week to share insight on other aspects of the theater experience. Artistic director Christopher Ashley and director of play development Shirley Fishman hosted workshops, and the group was allowed to observe the technical rehearsal and an acrobatics team for the Playhouse’s production of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” which runs through Aug. 22. In addition, they attend performances of local productions like The Old Globe’s “King Lear” and the Playhouse’s “Surf Report.”
“It really broadens your scope of what theater is,” said Susan Durnford, 17. Durnford hails from Pennsylvania and turned down offers from other summer programs at Northwestern University and Yale University to attend the Playhouse’s conservatory. “The Playhouse is a landmark in American theater,” she said. “It’s constantly coming up with new ideas and new ways to look at current issues. It was just too good to pass up.” Jennifer Graessle, 17, a student Canyon Crest Academy, began working SEE DRAMA, Page 6