STONY SILENCE EVERY GESTURE IS A WORK OF ART AT THE PAGEANT OF THE MASTERS.

Byline: Chris Ledermuller Staff Writer

Diane Challis Davy, director of the Pageant of the Masters in Laguna Beach, was thinking along the lines of soldiers and statesmen when she came up with this theme, ``Heroes and Heroines.''

That was three or four years ago, she says, because of the amount of planning needed to re-create great works of art in the nightly showings of ``tableaux vivants,'' or living pictures. Pageant staff and hordes of volunteers mimic every detail of paintings, sculptures, photographs and even comic book art in their series of 90-second displays on the pageant's outdoor stage.

The figures tabbed for the event were: Greece's Athena, Joan of Arc, the Founding Fathers signing the Declaration of Independence, Abraham Lincoln and Amelia Earhart. And there were more down-to-Earth figures as well, such as Superman and Wonder Woman from comic-book lore, as well as boxer Jack Dempsey.

``Then Sept. 11 occurred; all of our lives changed,'' Challis Davy says. ``After the disaster, we looked at a lot of firefighter memorials.''

The three that are slated to appear in living pictures are David Nelson's 1996 ``Wildland Firefighters Monument'' in Boise, Idaho; Betty Saletta's 1998 ``Stockton F.D. Fallen Firefighter Memorial'' in Northern California; and Yolanda vanderGaast's 2000 ``Last Alarm: Toronto Fallen Firefighter Monument'' in Canada.

Other notable works of art to be presented include Leonardo da Vinci's fresco ``The Last Supper,'' two Frida Kahlo self-portraits, Jacques-Louis David's oil ``Oath of the Horatii'' and Count Alfred de Nieuwerkerke's ``The Joust.''

Lighting techniques, combined with makeup and costumes, are used to make people and three-dimensional objects appear as flat as in the original paintings, and human statues and sculptures look as if they are made of marble or bronze.

A legion of pageant staffers and seasonal volunteers, many with professional production backgrounds, design the costumes, apply the makeup and build the sets. Prepping the models with paint, costumes, wigs and latex molds is time-consuming.

``When I'm doing a face, it takes 20 minutes,'' says Alisa Proctor, a muralist who has been a pageant makeup artist for two years. ``When I'm doing arms or legs, it doubles or triples the time.''

The pageant also draws hundreds of volunteers to star as the living pictures models. They are chosen based on whether their body size closely resembles the original art figures. Then they must be able to hold still for the 90 seconds they are on stage.

The show is grueling for the participants, but many volunteers return year after year for the fun of it.

``I came to the show one year, and I really enjoyed it,'' says Kim Hibler of San Juan Capistrano, who portrays Athena. This is her fifth year in the pageant.

The Pageant of the Masters began Sunday and is staged nightly through Aug. 30, with a gala performance Aug. 31.

FESTIVAL OF THE ARTS AND PAGEANT OF THE MASTERS

Where: Irvine Bowl Park, 650 Laguna Canyon Road, Laguna Beach.

When: 8:30 nightly, through Aug. 30.

Tickets: $15 to $65. Call [phone] or www.foapom.com.

CAPTION(S):

4 photos

Photo:

(1 -- color) Director Joy Trent, left, helps Alisa Proctor of Newport Beach complete the details for Richard Hawthorne's arm.

(2 -- color) Jacquelyn Willey of Tustin gets made up for her role in the portrait ``Unconscious Rivals.''

(3 -- color) Volunteers put the finishing touches on ``Oath of the Horatii.''

(4 -- color) Jacquelyn Willey, left, and Leona Frey pose for ``Unconscious Rivals.''

Photos by Jennifer Cappuccio