The Catalina Island Museum is honored to welcome Tony Award nominee and American gymnast Cathy Rigby to its 30th Annual Silent Film Benefit on May 20th. This year’s Benefit features the 1924 classic “Peter Pan.” Michael Mortilla and The Accompanists will perform an original score written specifically for this performance on the stage of the Avalon Casino Theatre.
Rigby starred as Peter Pan on Broadway from 1991 to 1998. She will speak at the museum’s Member Pre-Performance Talk and introduce the film at the start of the Silent Film Benefit.
The Catalina Island Museum is honored to welcome Tony Award nominee and American gymnast Cathy Rigby to its 30th Annual Silent Film Benefit on May 20th. This year’s Benefit features the 1924 classic “Peter Pan.” Michael Mortilla and The Accompanists will perform an original score written specifically for this performance on the stage of the Avalon Casino Theatre.
Rigby starred as Peter Pan on Broadway from 1991 to 1998. She will speak at the museum’s Member Pre-Performance Talk and introduce the film at the start of the Silent Film Benefit.
Born in Los Alamitos, Rigby was the highest scoring American gymnast in the 1968 Summer Olympics. Her performance helped popularize the sport in the United States. During her gymnastics career, she won numerous international medals – including eight golds and in 1998 she was inducted to the International Gymnastics Hall of Fame. After retiring from the sport, Rigby joined ABC Sports working as an expert commentator for 18 years.
Rigby spent seven years in voice and theatrical training as she worked toward a new career. Her national and regional tour credits include: “Annie Get Your Gun,” “Meet Me in St. Louis, South Pacific,” “Paint Your Wagon,” “The Unsinkable Molly Brown, Silvia,” and “Steel Magnolias.” On Broadway, in addition to starring as the title role in “Peter Pan,” she also starred as the Cat-In-The-Hat in “Seussical the Musical” in 2002. She has been honored with numerous national awards and in 1991, she was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Leading Actress in a Musical when she starred in the 35th Anniversary production of “Peter Pan” on Broadway. She recently finished filming An American Girl: McKenna Shoots for the Stars.
She and husband, Tom McCoy, are executive producers of the McCoy Rigby Entertainment Series at La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts and the new Fox Performing Arts Center in Riverside. There, they have successfully produced 19 seasons, and have launched several national touring productions. The McCoy Rigby Conservatory of the Arts in Yorba Linda, California, provides students with an opportunity to find their creative outlet through acting, dancing, singing, art or playwriting. Rigby is also a motivational speaker covering topics of nutrition and wellness, and The Art of Reinventing Yourself.
The 30th Annual Catalina Island Museum Silent Film Benefit will take place at 1 p.m. on Saturday, May 20, in the Avalon Casino Theatre. To guarantee a seat, attendees are highly encouraged to purchase tickets prior to arrival. Tickets are $25 for members of the museum, $28 for non-members and $10 for children ages 3-15. Purchasing tickets is easy. Please call 310-510-2414, visit the museum in person, or go to the calendar page at CatalinaMuseum.org. Museum Members: Purchase your Silent Film Benefit tickets online by May 6 and receive 20 percent off!
Attend in period dress and you could win a prize for best-dressed individual or best-dressed couple. A prize will also be awarded for the best character from the film.
Patrons Society Brunch
From 10 a.m.–noon, Members of the museum’s Patrons Society are exclusively invited to brunch in the Marine Bar, located on the mezzanine level of the Avalon Casino building. Attendees will have the rare opportunity to enjoy historic Marine Bar and meet Cathy Rigby. A hosted continental breakfast buffet, mimosas and freshly brewed coffee will be served.
Member Pre-Performance
Talk
From noon–12:30 p.m., prior to the Silent Film Benefit, special guest Cathy Rigby will talk about her experiences starring as Peter Pan on Broadway and answer questions from the audience. Members of the McCoy Rigby Advanced Performance Group will also take the stage of the Avalon Casino Theatre for a special performance. The Pre-Performance Talk and Performance is open to current members of the Catalina Island Museum only.
The Catalina Island Museum offers the best in art and history exhibitions, music and dance performances, lectures by guest speakers from all over the world, and the finest in silent, documentary and international film. Open seven days a week from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., except Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day, the new Ada Blanche Wrigley Schreiner Building is located in the heart of Avalon at 217 Metropole Ave. For more information, the museum may be reached by phone at 310-510-2414 or at its website: CatalinaMuseum.org.
