(Frankie) Grover's Corner
(Frankie) Grover’s Corner
LBP’s current production of Thornton Wilder’s ‘Our Town’ served as the backdrop for In (Frankie) Grover’s Corner – a special reception and fundraiser honoring the philanthropic efforts of Dr. Frances ‘Frankie’ Grover (pic R. Center.) Mary Ellen Kilsby, Lucy Daggett and Joan Van Hooten hosted the event, which was attended by many of Dr. Grover’s friends and admirers within the Long Beach arts & culture community.
“We are honoring a wonderful performing arts philanthropist,” stated Long Beach Playhouse Executive Director, Joan Van Hooten. Dr. Grover, a retired neurosurgeon and UCLA Professor, is a venerable icon within the Long Beach arts & culture community. In addition to supporting the Long Beach Playhouse, she has sponsored major events for the Arts Council for Long Beach, serves as a board member for the Long Beach Community Foundation, advisor to the Long Beach Public Library Foundation, and continues her involvement with a host of other philanthropic endeavors.
The modest and usually anonymous benefactor was thrust into the spotlight of appreciation on Sunday, January 31st at the behest of Mary Ellen Kilsby and Lucy Daggett, who were part of the Honorary Producer’s Circle responsible for bringing the evening to life. (Complete list, as mentioned in the event program, follows.)
Many friends are IN GROVER’S CORNER who are deeply grateful to Dr. Frances Grover for her dedication to arts and culture in our community:
Patrons
Anonymous
Mary Ellen Kilsby
Judge Jacob Adajian & Dr. Kenia Casarreal
Joan & Joseph Van Hooten
Friends of Long Beach Public Library
Eleanore Schmidt
Cordelia Howard
Gene Richey
Friends of Musical Theatre West
Kathy Baker Campbell
Lucy Daggett
Bob & Nancy Dominguez
Paul Garman
Liz Handley
Sara Kaplan
Marnos Lelesi
Tommye & Len Lovett
Judi Matsen
John Montgomery
Joe & Edna Moore
Larry & Sheri Nemirow
Kurt Schulzman & Richard Neri
Myra & David Weiss
Joan Wells
Friends of Long Beach Opera
Helen Lorenzini & Wang Lee
Dr. Ron & Sylvia Hartman
. . . And Many Others Including
Reva & Sy Alban
Vickie & Al Barilla
Kim & Tim Barrett
Linda & Alex Bellehumeur
Kathy Berry
Sue Bienkowski
Barbara Blackwell
Teri Brewster
Denise Clayton-Leonard
Laura & Adam Clease
Marge Countryman
Dorothy Deatherage
Nancy Fox
Mary Flynn
Loretta Holmes
Kay Gault & The Reverend Jerry Stinson
Shirle & Arthur Gottlieb
Nancy Higginson
Nini Horn
Arlena Kauppi
Carina Cristiano Leoni
Art Levine
Flora & Jerome Loeb
Kim Marshall
Linda Maxwell
Arlene Mercer
Annie Morales
Julie & James Morris
Randy Nielson
Jane Nunn
Thelma & John Orr
Ken & Dottie Reiner
Chris & Gary Roeber
Maria & Harry Saltzgaver
Tracy Satjchen
Lindsay Shields
Keith Simmons
Myrna & Leonard Simon
Dorla & Clayton Smith
Jean Bixby Smith
Ray Smith
Arlene Solomon
Kathleen Thurmond
Sandy Vandenberg
Judy & Leo VanderLans
Lorraine Ward
Elizabeth & Steve Westbrook
Michele Wilson
Jerry Wulk
Carol & Bill Yochum
. . . as well as present and future artists, audience members and believers in culture and cultural literacy as a CORNERstone of this community. Long Beach Playhouse thanks other friends of Dr. Frances Grover who joined ‘In Grovers Corner’ after the printing of the event program.