This article is part one of a two-part story. Part two focuses on the Argyros Plaza and community engagement at Segerstrom Center for the Arts. You can read it here.
Every community has its share of seminal moments. Here in Costa Mesa, 1986 was a biggie.
That was the year the Segerstrom Center for the Arts – a sprawling, performing-arts campus located at Bristol and Town Center Drive – first opened its doors to theatergoers, dance groups, theater troupes and more. The debut was pivotal, encouraging our city to slowly dogleg away from its ‘goat hill’ moniker, and grow more fully into a “City of the Arts” future.
Now, thirty-three years, six venues, and countless performances later – with the Orange County Museum of Art slated to join the campus in 2021 – SCFTA can confidently claim status as the undisputed hub for world-class performing arts, here in Orange County.
We sat down with Executive Vice President of Segerstrom Center, Judith O’Dea Morr, who for decades, has been integral in shaping their artistic programming.
Joy for the Job: The Luminous Judy Morr at Segerstrom Center for the Arts, Costa Mesa.
Photo: Brandy Young
Morr was on the team to bring SCFTA to life in Costa Mesa. She can retrace the journey firsthand.
“I remember back when you knew the season by what crops were being planted,” reminisces Morr from the lush donor lounge at Segerstrom Hall. “I could look out my office window – off Anton Boulevard – and down onto the fields themselves. It’s not what most people think of, when they think of California. But there was agriculture all around here, not so long ago.”
Eventually, it was out with the bean fields and in with Brahms, as stages of all shapes and sizes took root.
“Next thing you know, the fields were gone and we were cultivating what would become the City of the Arts,” said Morr. “What could be better?”
Were 1986’s Costa Mesans welcoming of the change? Suspicious? Both?
“Locals had the most positive attitude towards what we were doing, and how it would transform the community,” said Morr. “They believed the arts would make a real difference in people’s lives. We’ve had a lot of support for it, then and now.”
These days, there’s always something happening over at Segerstrom Center. It’s bustling with energy and entertainment: Dancers, Broadway musicals, movie nights, comedians, galas, jazz quartets, ballet, magicians… they really do it all.
A Long Way From Lima Beans: These Days, the Segerstrom Center is a Thriving Hub of Performing Arts here in Costa Mesa.
Photos: Brandy Young
The best way to find a performance suited to your personal taste, is to visit the Center’s calendar on their website:
- Looking to dabble in hip-hop? Join a free dance class on the Argyros Plaza.
- Miss the days of “Smash” on NBC? Spend an evening of cabaret with Megan Hilty.
- Want more from Tchaikovsky than Nutcracker? Take in the Teatro Alla Scala Ballet Company’s performance of Onegin.
- Families with “littles” will appreciate wiggle-proof performances like Paper Planet or Don’t Let The Pigeon Drive The Bus!, designed to hold the attention of young audiences.
- Did you know Tina Fey, and team, made Mean Girls into a Broadway musical? That’s at Segerstrom this year, too.
It’s a lot of variety – and those selections are really just scratching the surface of what’s offered. How does Morr and company decide which performances to bring to Segerstrom Center, each year?
“I believe it’s my obligation to bring our audiences the best that I can find,” said Morr. “It’s our job to know what’s out there, and then bring the best of it to our stage. This job is not something I take lightly. It’s really a privilege to do what I do.”
We asked Morr what most excites her about the upcoming season.
“I’m thrilled about the Mariinsky Ballet coming in October,” said Morr, who has an affinity for ballet. “It’s a really big production, with beautiful costumes, beautiful dancing. You’ll love it.”
While Mariinsky may be making a splash this October – the current buzz at Segerstrom Center is a case of “phantom phever.” The Phantom of the Opera – recently reimagined with updated sets and newly-designed costumes – runs through July 21st at Segerstrom Hall.
Phantom Phever is sweeping Segerstrom, with lots more Broadway coming, this season.
Photos: Brandy Young
Whether you’re a Phantom phan or not, Morr encourages everyone to find their brand of performing arts and let it inspire their own creativity.
“You see art and it makes you want to make art,” said Morr. “All different kinds of people can create. Just because you don’t look like an artist doesn’t mean you’re not capable of reaching down into your soul and bringing something beautiful into the world.”
So how does Morr connect with her inner artist?
“I took dance lessons and music lessons as a child, but early on, I knew I wasn’t going to perform,” said Morr. “Still, I deeply loved the arts and the beauty it brought. So now, I’ve built my whole life around bringing other people’s art to audiences. That’s my contribution, my legacy.”
Curating the arts for local audiences? Why, that’s an art form in itself.
Photo: Brandy Young
Morr acknowledges that the Arts (capital “A”) can be daunting for some people, especially those who didn’t grow up around it or find finer points of theater etiquette baffling. Her advice?
“Please don’t be intimidated by anything here at Segerstrom Center,” said Morr. “We’re very open, we’re very friendly. We want you to come and visit us. There’s a ticket for everyone at some price that you can afford.”
Morr underscores SCFTA’s desire to democratize performing arts.
“The arts are not just for people of a certain means, they’re for everyone,” she said. “To that end, we have a plaza where we offer multiple, free performances during the year. Taking in one of our plaza performances is a good way to introduce yourself, or your family, to the Segerstrom Center. We really want everyone in Costa Mesa to come here regularly.”
Connecting with Costa Mesans is one of many joys of the job for Morr.
“We’re so fortunate to be located in Costa Mesa,” she said. “I just love the warm, friendly, open people in this city. I hope they continue to embrace the arts – and Segerstrom Center – because this is the City of the Arts. We want to be integral to the lives of everyone who lives here.” ♥
_______________
Segerstrom Center for the Arts is located at 600 Town Center Drive in Costa Mesa. For more information, visit them at scfta.org, or follow them on Instagram at @segerstromarts, or on Facebook at facebook.com/SCFTA/.
