Legends Take Stage

“I came here 45 years ago to this community, and I’ve always been amazed at the quality of all of you and how you keep this place special,” Bo Derek said. “Thank you so much for keeping this place beautiful and keeping it going.”

It was an appropriately heartfelt note for the Granada Theatre’s 10th Annual Legends Gala, where black tie met bright lights for an evening honoring Derek, philanthropists Merryl Snow Zegar and Chuck Zegar, and the Santa Barbara Bowl.

With Andrew Firestone as master of ceremonies and Palmer Jackson Jr., Granada chairman and CEO, welcoming guests, dinner was served high above the theater seats as the historic Granada itself became part ballroom, part stage.

The honorees were celebrated not only with speeches, but with performances. State Street Ballet danced Ravel’s “Boléro” in tribute to Derek; Will Breman performed James Taylor’s “Carolina in My Mind” during the tribute to the Zegars; and Lois Mahalia, backed by the Locals and Legends Band, sang “Shower the People” for the Santa Barbara Bowl.

“Both Chuck and I are so proud and grateful,” Merryl said, calling the honor “one of the high points” of becoming part of the Santa Barbara community.

“It is important to be a part of this community, and it is important to contribute,” Chuck added.

Their giving runs deep. Through the Zegar Family Foundation, founded in 2006, the couple has supported education, science, conservation, and the arts. Chuck was also a founding partner of Bloomberg LP, helping develop the original Bloomberg Terminal.

Accepting for the Santa Barbara Bowl, Rick Boller emphasized that the beloved venue is more than a place for music – it is an institution that reinvests in the community it serves.

Ten years into the Legends Gala, the message was perfectly Granada: Applaud the legends, support the arts, and make sure the next curtain still rises.