ARTS TO TOAST FULLERTON CENTENNIAL

The 23rd annual “A Night in Fullerton”--a celebration of art, music, drama and dance to be held Friday in honor of the city’s centennial--will feature as its centerpiece the opening of an exhibit of work by the venerated artist-architect-designer Herbert Bayer.

Many of Bayer’s works will be on public display for the first time, city officials said.

Bayer, who died in 1985 at 85, was perhaps best known as a member of the Bauhaus school and a protege of its founder, German architect Walter Gropius, who sought to synthesize architecture, sculpture and painting.

The exhibit, titled “Herbert Bayer 1900-1985: Works From the Arco Collection,” will include paintings, sculpture, environmental art, tapestries and photographs, said Denise Watson, a spokeswoman for the Fullerton Community Services Department.

The show will open Friday at the Muckenthaler Cultural Center in Fullerton and run through July 5. A lecture on Bayer’s work will be given June 7 at 2 p.m. at the Fullerton Public Library.

The “Night in Fullerton” program will offer free entertainment at 16 locations, including Cal State Fullerton, the Muckenthaler center and various local galleries. Events generally will run from 7 to 11 p.m.

The scheduled events include:

- At Cal State Fullerton: The campus art gallery will feature a photography exhibit of former students’ work; the college Jazz Ensemble will perform at 7:30 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. in the campus courtyard; students in the Musical Theater Workshop will perform at 8:30 p.m., followed by performances by the Opera Theater Workshop at 9:30 p.m., both also in the courtyard; the Spring Dance Theater will perform at 8 p.m. and 9 p.m. in the Dance Studio.

- At City Hall: A mural composed of 7,000 photos showing 18,000 people, mostly Fullerton residents, will be unveiled. The mural, 8 feet high and 76 feet wide, will be on display throughout the year; the city also will name a winner in its poster contest honoring the 100th anniversary.

- At local galleries: The Edge, Eileen Kremen, Enfant Terrible, Gallery 57, John Thomas and Zarbano galleries will offer exhibits of glassworks, prints, ceramics, painting and sculpture. Some of the galleries also will have informal music programs.

- At Plummer Auditorium: The 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing Band of the El Toro Marine Corps Air Station will offer popular and patriotic music beginning at 7 p.m.

- At the Fullerton main library: Detailed etchings of La Habra artist Scott Fitzgerald will be displayed along with paintings by William Wooten, jewelry by Vesta Ward and ceramics by Don Jennings.

- At the Hunt branch library: Dixieland jazz by the Lemon Street Stompers will be played throughout the evening; monoprints by Barbara McLaughlin and paintings by Maria Nemeth will be on display.

- At Pacific Christian College: Short performances by several comedy, music and drama groups. Among those scheduled to perform are Mirror Image, Mensound, Ladiesong, Concert Chorale, Witness, Instrumental Ensemble and Jubellation.

- At Fullerton College: A concert featuring jazz, electronic music and dance will be offered.

Joe Felz, Fullerton community services supervisor, noted that 12,000 people attended last year’s “A Night in Fullerton.” With the centennial, Felz said, the crowd is expected to match or surpass that figure. Additional buses will be provided to shuttle visitors from site to site.

Much of the evening’s musical programs will be broadcast by Fullerton College radio station KBPK-FM (90.1).

Further information about the celebration is available from the Community Services Department, (714) 738-6575.