Pageant of the Masters

Susan · Post by **Susan** » Mon Aug 08, 2005 9:03 pm

I had the most wonderful opportunity this weekend to see the sold-out show, Pageant of the Masters in Laguna Beach, California. For those of you not familiar with the Pageant, it is a 90 minute show of "living pictures", recreations of artwork from an assortment of different artists from different eras. The artwork is expanded to lifesize proportions, some of it is painted set, some projected image, and all are peopled with real live actors! The actors are specially made up and costumed to look like the paintings actual occupants, it was truly a sight to behold! There is live music and narration of each piece all shown on a outdoor stage in the evening. I wish I had pictures to show you, but alas, no cameras were allowed within the theater.

There was one painting that they showed us how the magic was done, Outside the House of Paquin by Jean Beraud. The set piece was wheeled upstage by the stagehands and was framed with an expandable frame to fit the piece. A background is then projected behind the set piece. The set piece is of a stagecoach with travelers getting out onto a Parisian street. All the actors in the set piece, which is two dimensional were moving at that point, 2 ladies in proper Victorian garb were helped up into the painting, they are standing on the "sidewalk" of the painting. A stage team then helped each actor pose properly and helped arrange the back of one of the ladie's skirts so that it lay just so. With the addition of a 2 dimensional horse in front of the coach driver and a parasol for one of the ladies, all the actors froze. The lighting altered and the actors meld into the painting, it is just amazing to watch!

There were a few people done up like statues, much like the Victorian art form of Tableaux Vivants and some like the hood ornaments of early American cars. It was truly a breathtaking evening!

You can click here to view the list of art that was in this years Pageant program:

http://www.foapom.com/site/pageant_program.asp

You can click here for some still images:

http://www.foapom.com/site/gallery.asp

And those of you with high speed internet connections can click here for a short video of the Pageant: I highly recommend it, as you have to see the people move to believe they are really alive!

http://www.foapom.com/site/pageantvideo ... ideo01.htm

Harry · Post by **Harry** » Mon Aug 08, 2005 9:13 pm

Susan, that is awesome! What a unique thing to see.

They had a Saturday Evening Post Norman Rockwell painting in the movie.

It must have been a fun evening.

Get them to do a Lizzie photo!

Susan · Post by **Susan** » Tue Aug 09, 2005 3:38 am

They had one Norman Rockwell piece in the show, Off-duty Clown.

My favorite in the show was Edward Hopper's Nighthawks, you can see the man and woman at the counter in the video. I'm still amazed at what I saw!

Yes, if there was a painting or a sculpture of Lizzie done by a master, I'm sure they would have had it in the show. That would have been something to see!

Edisto · Post by **Edisto** » Tue Aug 09, 2005 11:46 am

"Nighthawks" always gives me a sad feeling, but it must have been marvelous to see it done live. This pageant must be quite something to see. I've seen articles about it. (Another item for my "to do" list; I think I have about 50 years' worth. Best start taking better care of myself.)

Susan · Post by **Susan** » Tue Aug 09, 2005 9:08 pm

Yes, I agree, there is an air of melancholy about Nighthawks. The music selection they played while it was being displayed was reminiscent of the theme from the movie Chinatown. I also find it intriguing, there is a story there, but what? Was the couple out on a date and stopped in for a cup of joe? Did they just commit a crime together?

Oh, I hear you, Edisto, I have one of those list of things to do like that. I've always wanted to see the Pageant since I heard about it 8 years ago or so. It started some time in the 1930s and I'm sure it will be there many, many years to come.

Kat · Post by **Kat** » Tue Aug 09, 2005 10:55 pm

That diner picture always makes me think of Hemingway- "A Clean Well-Lighted Place."

Thanks for sharing the cool story, Susan!
That is something I've always tried to imagine- the tableau!

Susan · Post by **Susan** » Wed Aug 10, 2005 8:28 pm

You're welcome, Kat. So, do you get that too? That theres a story in that painting that you just have to try to figure out every time you see it?

Kat · Post by **Kat** » Wed Aug 10, 2005 8:50 pm

I've read about these tableau, in old romance novels set in the mid-1800's.
The posing as a picture has always fascinated me.
As for any painting- yes I like to try to figure out the story behind it.
We have a game called "Masterpiece" which we always used to play- and it exposed us to a lot of famous paintings as we played. This diner scene was one of those.
It's a cool game.