An Evening at the Avant Garde ‘Bringing Characters to Life’
Ringling College of Art and Design hosts annual fundraising gala on Saturday, March 19.
By
Heather Merriman Saba
| 11:10 p.m. March 19, 2016
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It’s one of the most highly anticipated arrivals of the season. Larry and Pat Thompson’s grand entrance to the annual An Evening at the Avant Garde, benefiting the Ringling College of Art and Design, is nothing short of a spectacle. The president and his first lady are known for the creatively extravagant, and this year was no exception (it also worked perfectly, as the sky was cloudy and the rain was still lightly coming down). Drumroll please …
The couple arrived via pirate ship, in full “Pirates of the Caribbean” costume, complete with first mates and a crew. They blasted pirate music and even had a sword fight.
Now moving on to the event… this year’s theme was “Bringing Characters to Life,” a toast to the success of Ringling College alumni, the global smashes they’ve shaped and the awards their work has won. More than 400 guests dressed up as characters, who were brought to life in part through the creativity and genius of Ringling College alumni.
From Woody in “Toy Story,” to Elsa in “Frozen” and Captain Jack Sparrow from “Pirates of the Caribbean,” it was a night filled with wonderful costumes and excitement.
Dr. Larry and Pat Thompson arrive in a pirate ship to An Evening at Avant Garde 'Bringing Characters to Life.'
Dr. Larry and Pat Thompson
Co-Chairs Bob and Joan Tufts
Co-Chairs Bob and Joan Tufts
Ringling College of Art and Design's 2016 An Evening at Avant Garde was themed 'Bringing Characters to Life.'
Miqui Lora as Effie Trinket from 'The Hunger Games' and Susan Borozan as Disgust from 'Inside Out'
Miqui Lora's Effie Trinket from 'The Hunger Games' costume was handmade with butterflies.
Judi Sterne as 'Up'
Ann Albritton as Cruella De Vil and Vicky Randall as Fiona from 'Shrek'
Samantha Centerbar as Anna from 'Frozen' and Freddie Lamoreaux as Tarzan
Michael and Stacey Corely
Robin and Brenda Cote
Ringling College of Art and Design's 2016 An Evening at Avant Garde was themed 'Bringing Characters to Life.'
Ringling College of Art and Design's 2016 An Evening at Avant Garde was themed 'Bringing Characters to Life.'
The smiley sunglasses emoji
Kevin Friedman as a time traveler
Buck and Medora Fry, Jim Roque and Jennie and Lee Duffey
Elizabeth and Lisa Intagliata
Tony Lenzo as the tower from 'Tangled'
Cheryl Loeffler as Maleficent and Marcia Jean Taub as Hot Lips from 'MASH'
Lorraine and Gregory Matthews
Nancy and Joel McElmeel
Bob Plunkett
Jeremy Putnam and Aless Cruz
Mark and Kim Standish
Freddie Lamoreaux as Tarzan
Kaiya Telle as Elle from 'Up' and Ellen Arnold as Astrid from 'How to Train Your Dragon'
Colleen Tobin as Joy from Inside Out, David Sessions as the Mad Hatter and Teri Hansen
John Watlers IV and Francesca Walters take a selfie.
Kim Westad as the rolling eye emoji and Jennifer Mumford as 'Mad'
Ann Albritton and Vicky Randall
Seth Anderholm as Darth Vadar and Sarahina Borgoiu as a pirate
Rachel Levey-Baker as Krang from 'Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles'
Kari Bunker, Eduardo Anaya, Lindsay Adams, Anais Blake and Teresa Lee-Kay
Bethany and Nathan Carr, Taylor and Erica Aultman, David Sessions and Brenda and Robin Cote
Nathan and Bethany Carr as card soldiers from 'Alice in Wonderland'
Michael and Stacey Corely
Marissa Ebanks, Derrek Gunnells and Tebello Mosenene
Zeke Eckersen and Paul Haag
Erin and Patrick Duggan with Stephanie Grosskreutz
Sarah Hoffe as the Queen in 'Cinderella, Lisa Moody as Popeye, Teresa Lee-Kay as Prince Charming and Dan Hoffe as Cinderella's ugly stepsister
Dan Hoffe as Cinderella's ugly stepsister
Avery Jackson as a mermaid and John Treanor as Tuxedo Mask
Lauren Jacobson as Velma Dinkley from 'Scooby Doo'
Tom and Sherry Koski
Ernie Kulka as Max Headroom
Miqui Lora as Effie Trinket from 'The Hunger Games'
David and Toni Lyon as Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head with John Walters IV
Charles and Brenda McDonald
Margie Morell, Kelly Romanoff and Karen Van Lindonk as three blind mice
David Morgan, 'making a spectacle of himself'
Lisa Morris and Dean Eisner
Isabel Norton as a minion
Susan Robinson and Ferruh Muktar
Jeff Schwartz as Agent Smith from 'The Matrix' and Lizzie Hautamaki as space junk
Geoff and Poppy Spencer as Oscar award winning producers from 'Inside Out'
Geoff and Poppy Spencer as Oscar award winning producers from 'Inside Out'
Steve and Joann Stein
Robin Strauss and Judi Sterne as 'Up'
Kaiya Telle as Elle from 'Up' and Ellen Arnold as Astrid from 'How to Train Your Dragon'
Valerie Terris and Wendell Anderson
Dr. Larry and Pat Thompson arrive by pirate ship to 'Bringing Characters to Life.'
Dr. Larry and Pat Thompson engage in a pirate sword fight upon arriving at 'Bringing the Characters to Life.'
Dr. Larry and Pat Thompson
Dot Woods and Zeke Eckerson with Sue and Paul Haag
