Benefits keep on rollin’

B.W. COOK

Angelitos de Oro, the Newport-Mesa-based support wing of Big

Brothers/Big Sisters of Orange County, will join forces with Body

Design, an exclusive Fashion Island workout center, for an event Feb.

10 at Body Design’s new location in the penthouse of the Big Newport

Edwards complex.

Susan Tobiessen, Body Design’s proprietor, will donate 15% of the

event proceeds to Angelitos de Oro. Body Design is famous for its

Gyrontonic workouts -- a specialized fitness training made famous by

Madonna. For more information, log on to [email protected].

The theater is alive, well and thriving at South Coast Repertory.

Madeline Porter reports that “The Clean House,” by Sarah Ruhl, debuts

Friday, and it’s a must see.

“Ruhl’s new play was presented in a staged reading at SCR’s

Pacific Playwrights Festival last summer, wowed the audience and was

immediately scheduled for this season,” Porter said.

Critics have lauded the production on the East Coast. Ruhl will

join the South Coast Rep family for the “first night” on Friday. A

post-show party will unfold at The Atrium on the Park, honoring Jan

and Tim Weiss, the generous underwriters of the production. For

tickets, log onto https://www.scr.org.

The 10th annual “Shamrocks and Rainbows” spring fundraiser for the

Assistance League of Newport-Mesa is set for St. Patrick’s Day, March

17. Singer Patrick Cassidy has been booked as a special guest for the

event, which will be held at the Balboa Bay Club & Resort in Newport

Beach.

Doris Hope will head up the event, with Kathy Harvey and Ann

Shonstrom co-chairing the fashion luncheon. Tickets are $75 per

person with proceeds benefiting various league projects, including

The Children’s Dental Center, Operation School Bell, Kids on the

Block and community outreach programs assisting low income children

in the Newport-Mesa community. For ticket information, please call

(949) 645-6929.

The fourth annual “Taste for the Cure” is set for March 20 at the

Pelican Hill Golf Club on the Newport Coast. The event will be

presented by the North American Foundation for the Cure of Diabetes,

with proceeds from the $75-per-person tickets going toward diabetes

research. A major silent and live auction is planned along with a

display of classic Italian sports cars on the Pelican Hill grounds.

For more information, call 866-CURE-NOW (287-3669).

* THE CROWD appears Thursdays and Saturdays.