World-renowned for its annual production of living pictures, the Pageant of the Masters is looking for volunteers of all ages to sign up for a chance to take the stage and recreate famous works of art in this summer’s production, Made in America. The open casting call will be held January 10, 11 and 12, backstage at the Pageant of the Masters in Laguna Beach, California.
“Many people have volunteered for dozens of years and for some it’s a family tradition,” said Pageant of the Masters Director Diane Challis Davy.
Among those planning to attend the upcoming casting call will be 24-year-old Mackynzie Miller from Orange County, California, who first posed in the Pageant when she was just 4 years old. Last year, Miller was the recipient of a Lifetime Membership Award for her 15-year dedication as a volunteer for the Pageant. She is the youngest person in the organization’s history to receive this honor.
Miller recalls her first role as a little princess in the painting “Las Meninas” by Diego Velazquez in the 2004 production Portrait of an Artist. She was introduced to the Pageant by her parents, her mother, Suzie, had first volunteered for the production in 1989 and her father the year after. Even while pregnant with Miller, her mother worked behind the scenes on the Pageant’s stage crew.
Her sister, Taylee, has also been in the show in various roles throughout the years and her father, Wayne, has posed in “The Last Supper” for over 18 years. “It has become our family tradition,” shared Miller. “My sister and I have grown up there and we don’t know a summer without the Pageant. There are so many other people involved with the Pageant that I have known since I was a baby. It is a great community and has really shaped me into the person I am today.”
It will be a family affair again this year for the Miller family. Her mother, father, sister (now 21 years old), aunt (Diane Breedlove) and Mackynzie will all be at the Pageant’s casting call in hopes of being involved in the 2020 production.
When asked what advice she would give to those considering becoming a volunteer, Miller stated, “Even if you don’t want to be a cast member in the show there are so many other ways to get involved. I have worked in the make-up department and as a backstage runner before, and they were just as fun as being in the cast!”
The Pageant of the Masters’ extended family of volunteers continues to grow, as does the excitement and enthusiasm for the show. “The Pageant of the Masters simply would not be possible without our dedicated volunteers,” concluded Challis Davy.
Casting Call is January 10-12, 2020 and individuals of all sizes and ages are needed. The Pageant of the Masters production, Made in America, will be presented nightly from July 8 – September 3, 2020 and advance tickets are now on sale starting at $20 per person. To stay up to date on all things Pageant of the Masters and Festival of Arts, follow the Festival at @FestivalPageant and visit www.foapom.com.
Courtesy photo:
Orange County resident Mackynzie Miller has her make-up applied at the Pageant of the Masters