May 12, 2005 :: No. 207

Comprising community and civic leaders and supporters, Titan alumni and university representatives, a gala celebration committee has been formed to lead the Jan. 14 and 15 grand opening festivities for Cal State Fullerton’s new Performing Arts Center.

International opera star and Titan alumna Deborah Voigt will headline the black-tie gala Jan. 14 in the 800-seat Vaughncille Joseph Meng Concert Hall on the Marcy Arroues Mulville Concert Stage. “Deborah and Friends” will star Voigt, regarded by many as opera’s leading dramatic soprano, and feature music alumni and students. Tickets for the dinner and concert already have sold out.

Continuing Sunday, the celebration will include a specially produced showcase — starring New York-based alumni working in the musical theater arena — in the James D. Young Theatre. Other musical theater and dance performances will be presented in the Hallberg Theatre and William J. McGarvey Family Dance Studio.

Honorary chairs for the committee are: alumnus and State Superintendent for Public Instruction Jack T. O’Connell (B.A. history ’73) of San Luis Obispo; CSUF President Milton A. Gordon and Margaret Faulwell Gordon, dean of the College of Extended and International Education at CSU Dominguez Hills; plus Fullerton residents and CSUF donors William J. McGarvey Jr., Mary E. Moore, Elaine Redfield and James D. “Jim” Young, founding chair and emeritus professor of theatre, and his wife, Dorothy.

Community members serving on the committee include the following Fullerton residents: Chair Anne Key; Maxine Allen, president of CSUF’s Art Alliance; Katherine Allred-Blake, Gail Cochran, Pat O. Perkins and Eva Schneider of the Marcy Arroues Mulville Memorial (MAMM) Foundation; donor Lee Begovich; Jeanne Blum, president of CSUF’s Music Associates; donors Janet Bridgford and Birthe Burnett; Kristen Crellin, Orange County Teachers Federal Credit Union; donors Patricia Florentine and Gabriele Genereux; community volunteer Barbara Gregory; donor Gloria Harrison; Jean Klinghoffer of the Friends of Jazz; donor Joyce Leong; community volunteer Jolene Munson; donors Ann Myles, Kerry Phelps and Ingrid R. Shutkin; and alumna Verne Wagner (B.A. business administration ’77) of the Presidents Associates.

Also serving are: Rancho Santa Margarita residents and alumni Greg Christy (B.A. theatre arts ’85), founder and CEO of Brite Ideas Inc., and his wife, Julia (B.A. theatre arts ’84); Studio City resident and alumnus Marc H. Cherry (B.A. theatre arts ’95), executive producer and creator of “Desperate Housewives”; donor Kris Elftmann of Newport Beach; alumna and donor Peggy Hammer (B.A. speech ’66, M.A. teacher education ’70) of Placentia; attorney and alumnus Christopher B. Mears (B.A. theatre arts ’78) of Irvine; alumna and Yorba Linda resident Katherine H. Peters (M.M. ’79), vice president of human resources for Narratus Inc.; and donor Lorin Robinson of Coto de Caza.

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