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Board of Directors is Newport Beach resident Carol Trapani , Lucie Courtois ’ mother .

Held for the first time on a weeknight , the 2024 gala took place on Rare Disease Day in recognition of Beyond Blindness ’ commitment to empowering children of all abilities to live full and rewarding lives . This year ’ s reimagined event , which took place at Mile Square Golf Course in Fountain Valley , also included a VIP experience with World Blind Golf Champion Jeremy Poincenot , who later served as the evening ’ s keynote speaker and spoke about his triumphs and the challenges he faced since losing his sight at age 19 .

The event raised more than $ 240,000 , which will go to supporting nearly 500 children and more than 800 family members each year through innovative programming and services including two new inclusive preschool classrooms and a recently expanded Low Vision Optometry Clinic .

For more information , please visit www . beyondblindness . org .

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KidWorks develops students who are :

• Life Ready : Developing the whole person so they can make wise decisions and thrive

• Learners : Educating students so they have a brighter future

• Leaders : Preparing young leaders who make a difference

The outcome is self-reliant young adults who are equipped to succeed in life and are motivated to give back .

For nearly a decade , KidWorks celebrated that almost all of their high school seniors graduated on time and all continued their education .

To learn more about KidWorks and to read its success stories , please visit www . kidworksoc . org .

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Dalton Nguyen and Sean Farrell comically menace as mobsters disguised as pastry chefs , and Mark Wickham enjoyably underplays the role of Underling , the stereotypically British servant .

Director Jones , musical director Kyra Cohen and choreographer Maureen Russell pull together the show ’ s spoken , musical and dance elements , keeping us floating along with the characters .

Through the dozens of photos , playbills and posters on the walls of Man in Chair ’ s home , the design team of Jim Huffman , Joshua Serrano , Michael Corcoran and Leslye Wanthal delivers a virtual shrine to musical theater , and Jenny Wentworth ’ s costumes and Kat Scott ’ s wigs re-create the look of a full-blown late ’ 20s musical .

In Newport Beach , though , it really all comes down to Spencer , a superb actor who has graced countless Orange County stages for many years .

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To learn more about Spirit Run , visit : https :// www . newportspiritrun . org /.

According to information from the Spirit Run website , from 1983-2010 , Spirit Run was presented by PTAs from five Newport Beach elementary schools which shared its net proceeds .

In 2010 , Newport-Mesa Spirit Run , Inc . ( NMSRI ), a California 501 ( c )( 3 ) nonprofit , was founded to continue Spirit Run and share its net proceeds with schools throughout the Newport-Mesa Unified School District .

Also , since 2017 , any school , youth sport , or youth cause may apply to fundraise with us .

NMSRI ’ s Board of Directors are unpaid , volunteers dedicated to continuing Spirit Run , youth fitness , providing free event entries to underprivileged students , and donating event net proceeds to participating schools , youth sports , and other youth causes .

So far , more than $ 370,000 in cash has been donated to schools , sports teams , and other youth causes .

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culinary arts students in Orange County . Working with Saddleback College Culinary Arts Program , the program focuses on making an impact for culinary students showing a financial need and that are currently enrolled in classes and meet the GPA criteria . The goal is to provide scholarships to as many deserving students as possible each year .

Venue Host for the event was Chef Paul Bauer , Renaissance Newport Beach . Honorary Chef was Kyung Carroll , The Resort at Pelican Hill Chef . The Scholarship Chair was Pascal Olhats . The title sponsor was Mary Murfey .

For more information , visit www . Tableforten . org .

Man in Chair is a vulnerable focal figure who gradually opens himself up to us and who exults in and is mesmerized by each successive musical number , and Spencer superbly embodies his character ’ s preference to immerse himself in the world of theater versus contending with life .

The actor expertly gradates the intensity levels of Man in Chair , which satisfyingly offsets the frivolity of the show within this show .

As such , isn ’ t Man in Chair just a bit like any of us who love great musical theater ? “ The Drowsy Chaperone ” is a fantasy framed by reality that proves , at NTAC and elsewhere , that we can have both .

Newport Theatre Arts Center , 2501 Cliff Drive , Newport Beach . Through April 14 . Running time : One hour , 45 minutes ( no intermission ). 7:30 p . m . Thu . -Sat ., 2 p . m . Sun . Tickets : $ 30 . Ticket purchase / information : 949-631-0288 , www . ntaconline . com .

TICKETS and DINNER RESERVATIONS : 949-496-8930

3 / 30 WAYNE NEWTON

3 / 31 LYNCH MOB

4 / 4 KINGSTON TRIO

4 / 5 ULI JON ROTH

4 / 8 GILBERT O ’ SULLIVAN

4 / 11 JIMMIE VAUGHAN

4 / 12 ROGER CLYNE

4 / 20 GEOFF TATE

5 / 4 STEVE TYRELL

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