Pageant of the Masters
The Pageant of the Masters is a rare theatrical event, held every summer in Laguna Beach, explains art journalist Liz Goldner in her Contemporary Art Dialogue website/blog.
The Pageant draws hundreds of thousands of spectators to its outdoor amphitheatre, the blog continues. Yet many people who attend know little about its origins or about the massive preparations and 60,000 volunteer hours that go into each production.
The live multi-media show is based on the centuries old art form, “Tableaux Vivants” or “Living Pictures,” displaying the diversity of art from around the world and throughout history, utilizing live models, lavish costumes and sets and dramatic lighting.
Tableaux Vivants began in the Middle Ages and were featured in churches, royal weddings and coronations. The art form was especially popular in the 19th century with models often posing in the buff.
While the art style was popular for several centuries, the Laguna Beach Pageant is


