THE CROWD:

The much-loved Pop Series presented by the Pacific Symphony Orchestra featured Debby Boone Debby Boone last week singing the songs of her late mother-in-law Rosemary Clooney.

The Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall was filled with Newport-Mesa residents who had come to reminisce over the music of one of the great female crooners of the 20th Century.

Those not terribly familiar with the work of Boone, in spite of her early career hit song, “You Light Up My Life” in 1977, discovered a sultry and sexy presence punctuated with bursts of energy amid a very fine, mellow and even performance that never hit the high, high range of musical emotion but kept the audience silently adoring the music and the woman.

The Pacific Symphony was joined by Boone’s musical director John Oddo, a talented pianist, arranger and conductor who had worked with Clooney the last 19 years of her life.

The orchestra was in fine form adding great musical weight to the performance, especially in the horn section.

Boone shared personal stories of her family life, and the program was punctuated with sentimental video that at one emotional point included Clooney singing a portion of the song “Blue Skies” a cappella for her baby grandson as a lullaby.

Boone has been married to Rosemary Clooney and Jose Ferrer’s son Gabriel Ferrer for 29 years, and they are the parents of four grown children.

In the last years of Clooney’s life, Boone often toured with the chanteuse while her husband was the road manager for the act.

On stage in Orange County, Boone even wore a slinky black floor-length gown originally designed for Clooney by the legendary costumer Edith Head.

Pops conductor Richard Kaufman opened the program with his stylish warmth sharing the stage with special guest Tom Demer, a fiddle player from Texas who brought the house down.

Following the performance guests of the Pacific Symphony gathered for late night cocktails with Debby Boone and her entourage.

The next Pops concert will feature the group Air Supply Feb. 12 to 14. Then, one of the region’s favorite performers Kenny Loggins will entertain the crowd March 5 to 7.

South Coast Repertory will revive the musical play “Indian Summer” this Monday, Jan. 26. The work is one of the most popular educational touring productions in the theatrical world and will be presented to local So Cal elementary schools through April 4 of this year.

The premiere performance at South Coast Repertory on Monday will be free to the public.

Directed by John-David Keller with music and lyrics by Michael Silversher, “Indian Summer” is the story of a young boy who grows up with a Native American tribe, set in mid 19th Century America.

For more than 40 years, the repertory’s Educational Touring Productions has introduced thousands of children to theater by presenting original plays that find their focus dealing with important social issues. The 2009 tour is expected to reach more than 35,000 school children.

Tomorrow evening, Friends of the Orange Coast Interfaith Shelter will honor Frank and Harriet Edelstein at a gala dinner set to unfold at Turnip Rose, Costa Mesa.

Serving the organization for more than 20 years, the Edelsteins have assisted homeless families turn their lives around, becoming self-sufficient.

In 1993, the couple launched a program called ADOPT-A-UNIT, which solicits significant donations that go to support shelter apartment costs for a full year.

Since its inception, the Edelsteins have recruited and raised more than $1 million, which has paid for 18 apartment units on an annual basis over the past 16 years housing appreciative residents who have been given a second chance.

For more information, please contact Lynne Bloomberg at (949) 246-4029.

Coming up Jan. 31 in the alley at the corner of Pomona Avenue and 17th Street in Costa Mesa there will be a massive wardrobe sale that organizers are calling “Chic and Cheap.”

The sale has been organized in order to “empower employment success” sponsored by a group known as Women Helping Women.

With the job market tight and so many people out of work, Women Helping Women endeavors to give potential employees a leg up in making a strong positive presentation through their appearance at a job interview.

Funds raised from the sale of brand-name casual clothing and accessories along with some vintage wardrobe, will be used to help women in need dress appropriately for the employment interview.

The event is being sponsored by The Recipe Club of Costa Mesa in support of Women Helping Women.

For more information, please e-mail [email protected].

THE CROWD runs Thursdays and Saturdays.