By Kathy Strong/Photos courtesy of Pageant of the Masters
Each night under the stars within an idyllic canyon in Laguna Beach the Pageant of the Masters, famous works of art are re-created with real people posing in elaborate sets. Be amazed once again this summer by the Pageant’s intoxicating blend of original music, storytelling and stage illusions. Get ready for a one-of-a-kind experience with the 2025 Pageant of the Masters, “Gold Coast: Treasures of California.”
This epic show takes you on an unforgettable journey along California’s coast, showcasing masterpieces from world-class museums like the Getty, LACMA, Laguna Art Museum, de Young Museum, Timken Museum of Art, and more, plus iconic monuments from some of the state’s most famous cities. With living pictures, original music, and captivating storytelling, the Pageant brings California’s rich legacy to life in a way you won’t want to miss.
Highlights include Edgar Degas’ “Little Dancer, Aged Fourteen” from the Norton Simon Museum in Pasadena and Millard Sheets’ “Pleasures Along the Beach” from the Hilbert Museum at Chapman University. Performances run nightly from July 5 to August 29, 2025.
“California is home to exceptional art museums and landmarks, each one offering treasures that tell the story of our state,” shared Pageant Director Diane Challis Davy. Describing her inspiration for this year’s theme, she added “After visiting the Hilbert Museum, I felt inspired to celebrate California’s artistic contributions and to encourage audiences to explore the gems in their own backyard.”
To select the works in next summer’s production, Challis Davy and her team of volunteer researchers spent hours exploring online collections and traveling around the state to view potential works of art in-person. As luck would have it, they didn’t need to look too far to find the perfect way to start the show. Susan Hoehn, a longtime Festival of Arts exhibitor and a California native, has been delighting Festival patrons for years with her series of paintings inspired by people-watching at museums. Challis Davy shared “As we were considering the many roles museums play, we thought Susan’s artwork was the perfect way to introduce our theme. It’ll be exciting to showcase her work on the Pageant stage!”
In addition to Hoehn’s paintings, “Gold Coast” will bring to life a variety of California’s most celebrated art and historical landmarks. Highlights include Claude Monet’s “In the Woods at Giverny” from the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) and Diego Rivera’s striking mural, “Allegory of California,” in San Francisco. The Norton Simon Museum will be represented with Edgar Degas’ famous bronze sculpture, “Little Dancer, Aged Fourteen.” From Hearst Castle, audiences will marvel at Emmanuel Fremiet’s gilt bronze “Chariot of Minerva” and the Roman Pool sculptures, designed by Julia Morgan.
These iconic pieces are just part of the unforgettable experience awaiting audiences at the 2025 Pageant of the Masters. Set in the stunning 2,600-seat Irvine Bowl amphitheater, the production will unfold beneath Laguna Beach’s starry skies. Featuring live music, captivating narration, and breathtaking illusions, next summer’s Pageant will deliver a dynamic and visually stunning performance, bringing together California’s rich artistic history and the magic of live theater in a way never seen before.
Be a Part of the Magic
This brand new production will lead audiences on a coastal journey, showcasing California’s rich history and artistic legacy through “living pictures” that transform iconic paintings and sculptures into live stage art. Performances will take place nightly from July 5 to August 29, 2025. Tickets start at $47, and may be purchased online at www.PageantTickets.com or by phone at (800) 487-3378. For updates, follow the Festival on social media @FestivalPageant and visit www.foapom.com.
About the Laguna Beach Festival of Arts: Decades of Making Art Come Alive
In the summer of 1933, the Laguna Beach Festival of Arts was born when around two dozen artists hung their paintings on fences, trees and buildings along Laguna’s main street, hoping to lure visitors to the first Festival of Arts, while some artists opened their home-studios to the public. Music, colorful signs and banners, parades and entertainment added to the celebratory ambiance of the event, which turned Laguna Beach into one enormous art gallery. In 1935, “living pictures” were transformed into a full production with music, narration and painted backdrops, giving birth to “The Pageant of the Masters” which rapidly evolved into a popular summer tradition. Not surprisingly, the pageant now draws an audience of more than 250,000, and the Festival of Arts Fine Art Show prevails as one of the longest-running art exhibitions in the state.
The Pageant of the Masters has since evolved into an internationally acclaimed, fantastical theatrical-art event. With its own permanent home since 1935 in a canyon-cradled amphitheater, the pageant continues to defy optical reality. Guests who return year after year still depart marveling at how art masterpieces—from the “Mona Lisa” to the “Last Supper”—magically become living pictures complete with art-accurate script, professional narration, live orchestra and exquisite costuming.
