Muses & Patroness Circle of the McCallum Theatre hold 'An Afternoon in the Piazza'

Marge Dodge
Updated ·1 min read

“An Afternoon in the Piazza” was the perfect moniker for the Muses & Patroness Circle of the McCallum Theatre Annual Membership Tea & Meeting. Members and guests arrived at the Toscana Country Club Garden in splendid afternoon tea attire and were virtually transported to a Tuscan Villa. Sunshine filtered through the patio pergolas as tasty bites and libations were provided and members chatted with long-time and new friends.

The Muses & Patroness Circle is a philanthropic women’s group of the McCallum Theatre with the mission to provide support for McCallum Theatre Education, which makes the arts available and accessible to youth in the area through its dynamic education programs.

Diane Dykema and Victoria Bridges attend the Muses & Patroness Circle of the McCallum Theatre Annual Membership Tea & Meeting on Nov. 6, 2023.
Diane Dykema and Victoria Bridges attend the Muses & Patroness Circle of the McCallum Theatre Annual Membership Tea & Meeting on Nov. 6, 2023.

Muses president Diane Dykema welcomed the more than 300 members and guests and thanked Toscana member Fran Suydam for hosting the occasion. Dykema thanked the McCallum Theatre staff and the Membership Tea committee of Joyce Dawson, Nancy Robinson and Julie Spira for creating the magical affair.

Dykema reminded attendees of the season’s upcoming events, including the holiday brunch, two meet and mingle lunches, the annual fundraiser “A Salute to Old Hollywood” on. 20, 2024, at The Ritz-Carlton and the On-Stage Birthday Lunch. She also reviewed the various affinity groups such as the book club, the Stitch Wits, the Drama Queens, and the Pink pARTners.

McCallum Theatre President, CEO and Artistic Director Mitch Gershenfeld closed the brief program highlighting performances for the exciting upcoming season. He thanked the Muses for their ongoing support of McCallum Theatre Education program.

Rachel Harrington, Maurae Quigley, Jennifer Ajer, Bernadette Greenwood, Laura Kelly, Krysta Coyle, Noon Kampani and Brooke Stuessy are all smiles at the Muses & Patroness Circle of the McCallum Theatre Annual Membership Tea & Meeting on Nov. 6, 2023.
Rachel Harrington, Maurae Quigley, Jennifer Ajer, Bernadette Greenwood, Laura Kelly, Krysta Coyle, Noon Kampani and Brooke Stuessy are all smiles at the Muses & Patroness Circle of the McCallum Theatre Annual Membership Tea & Meeting on Nov. 6, 2023.

For membership information, visit mccallumtheatre.org and click on Muses or call Annual Membership Manager Dustin Engstrom at (760) 776-6179.

Marge Dodge serves on several local nonprofit boards supporting her passions of education, literacy and the arts.

This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Muses & Patroness Circle hold 'An Afternoon in the Piazza'