For Aurora University president Tom Zarle, the union of a stellar Dionne Warwick concert and a gala celebration of the university`s 100th anniversary was the perfect combination.
”We`re as proud of our commitment to the arts as we are of our commitment to education,” Zarle told the 200 guests at the fundraising party following the concert at Aurora`s stunning roccoco-style Paramount Arts Centre last Saturday. ”And this celebration of the centennial gives us the chance to think beyond the present into the future.”
The future, as seen by the Paramount`s premiere, involves a marriage of a solid liberal arts education and an appreciation of the more celebratory arts, said Aurora Mayor David Pierce.
”It`s really exciting to see this kind of support for the university and the arts center,” Pierce said. ”It`s a credit to all these people that they believe enough in these things to support them to allow future appreciation.” Those who attended the gala were more than appreciative of the concert, the arts center and the university.
”The Paramount is really such a wonderful theater,” said Susan Pierce, the mayor`s wife. ”Except I felt a little old because I knew every word to Dionne`s songs.”
”And the university is such a nice school,” added Aurora resident John Lamont, who was enjoying the pastry and champagne served at the event with his wife, Dana. ”It`s great that they can put their celebration together with the arts center.”
Others, such as Aurora Civic Center Authority commissioner Gyda Stoner, enjoyed the gala dressed in remembrance of the city`s-and the
university`s-past.
Stoner, outfitted in a lavender turn-of-the-century dress, said she thought the event was the perfect way to combine the school`s centennial and the theater`s future.
And, the gala was a perfect way to show the city`s unity, said resident Deborah Lambert.
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”This made it easy to get together and enjoy the concert, celebrate the school and think about the theater`s direction,” Lambert said, sitting among the stylish black-and-white decorations.
All the tickets sold for the gala and Warwick`s performance Saturday benefited the arts center, its endowment and the university, said gala committee member Anne Goldsmith.
The committee expected to add $20,000 to the arts center`s $1 million endowment, Goldsmith said, all of which goes toward programming at the theater.
”It`s so nice to see all these people come together for such a worthy event,” Goldsmith said. ”This isn`t just an Aurora event. This benefits everybody.”