Looking for a green lover

In the past decade, one of the most distinctive fundraisers to hit the Newport-Mesa area has also been one of the most successful.

This is the 12th year Gloria Zigner has produced her musical extravaganza “CHOC Follies,” which supports the Children’s Hospital of Orange County, and in the first 11 years the production raised about $4 million.

This year’s performance has earned $400,000 in sponsorship and major donations. Proceeds from this year’s show will support a new schoolroom at the hospital, which will allow kids to continue education while they seek medical care.

Each year she puts on an original musical, written and directed by professional director John Vaughan, using a large cast made up of local philanthropists and community residents, many of whom have little if any experience singing, dancing or acting.

“It’s just a mélange of people wanting to raise money for the Children’s Hospital and having fun doing it,” Zigner said. “I always tell people: If you can walk, you can dance; if you can talk, you can sing.”

This year’s offering, “The Princess and the Prius,” (originally titled “Beauty and the Beamer,” until the economic climate put the kibosh on that idea) is a fairy tale about a prince who goes in search of an environmentalist to marry.

“In this story, the main character is looking for a girl who is an environmentalist,” Vaughan said. “He drives a Prius in order to find ‘the one’ in Orange County who doesn’t care about [luxury] cars and material things and will happily ride around in it with him.”

Newport Beach commercial real estate manager Dale Skiles has been a cast member practically since the very beginning. Skiles is a pianist, not a singer, dancer or actress, but the talented director, choreographer and other crew members make the training simple and easy while managing to put out a professional-looking production, she said.

“I love the whole idea of performing and being a part of it and it’s something that would never happen to me under any other circumstances. Nobody would hire me,” Skiles said.

Other cast members who have more of a singing and dancing background take a more front-and-center role. Giana Foster, who has been in the show for the past six years, took dance lessons as a kid and sang in high school choirs, but never pursued either discipline as a career.

“The people who are in the cast, the volunteers that are just so dedicated with the guidance of the professional directors, make all the difference,” Foster said.

Each of the 90 cast members agrees to chip in at least $750 for the cause to participate.

The show opens tonight after six weeks of rehearsals and the Saturday matinee has already almost sold out the 900-seat Robert B. Moore Theatre at OCC.

“We were extremely concerned this year, obviously, but we did amazingly well,” Zigner said.

Ashley Breeding contributed to this report.

IF YOU GO

WHAT: CHOC Follies XII: “The Princess and the Prius”

WHEN: Premieres at 8 tonight

WHERE: Robert B Moore Theater, OCC, 2710 Fairview Road, Costa Mesa

INFO: Tickets range between $35 and $125 depending on seating. The $125 ticket includes a post-show cast party Friday or Saturday night. All seats are reserved and group sales are available. Call (714) 532-8690 for information or to purchase tickets. Parking is free.

Reporter ALAN BLANK may be reached at (714) 966-4623 or at [email protected].