http://www.LagunaFestivalofArts.org
Joy Trent
The extended family of staff and volunteers at the Festival of Arts/Pageant of the Masters in Laguna Beach was saddened by the news on Friday, September 16, that longtime Pageant Makeup Director Joy Trent had passed away. In failing health for the past year, she nevertheless had managed to participate in preparations for this past summer’s Pageant and could be seen backstage nearly every night during the run of the production, supervising the efforts of her supervisors and volunteers in the makeup department. Joy was 70 years old. Hard-working, good-natured and easy to laugh, she will be missed.
Born in Dayton, Ohio, she came to California as a young girl in 1953. In 1960, she became a licensed cosmetologist. She worked at Disneyland in their administration division as Mailroom Coordinator for 16 years, starting in 1974.
A longtime resident of Laguna Niguel, Trent had recently relocated to Laguna Hills. But the Pageant of the Masters had also been home to her since she first volunteered there in 1976. She received her certificate in theatrical, television and motion picture makeup from Elegance Makeup Academy in Los Angeles in 1981. After serving as a makeup supervisor from 1986 to 1989, Trent became Makeup Director in 1990. Her responsibilities included creating the makeup design for every cast member in the Pageant, ordering and mixing colors, experimenting with different application techniques and types of makeup and coordinating the efforts of her crews, consisting of nearly 50 volunteers and supervisors every night. With casts sometimes as large as 180 volunteers, Joy handled this huge responsibility with the utmost professionalism and an eye for details.
Always looking for ways to help out her crews, Joy came up with a valuable innovation during her tenure. By applying makeup to Styrofoam heads and using them as templates for every face in the show, she created visual aids for her volunteers to use. She also provided written instructions for everyone to maximize speed and efficiency.
Another source of pleasure and pride for Joy was having her daughter, Carrie Carter, volunteer and then join her in the makeup department as a supervisor for the past 12 years. Several of Joy’s grandchildren have also gotten involved backstage and in the cast in recent years.
“We have the utmost respect and admiration for Joy, who continued to work heroically throughout her two-year illness. We are so very grateful for her friendship, camaraderie, and her countless creative contributions to the Pageant,” said Pageant of the Masters Director Diane Challis Davy.
Joy Trent is survived by two daughters, Carrie Carter and Shana Padilla, and five grandchildren, Brie Carter (21), Shea Carter (18), Tim Arnold (18), Tanner Quella (16), and Katrina Padilla (12). A memorial service is planned for October 1 at 11 am in the Forum Theater on the Festival of Arts grounds, 650 Laguna Canyon Road in Laguna Beach, with a reception immediately following. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the Pageant of the Masters Student Volunteer Recognition Award Fund. For more information, please call (949) 494-3663.
