Musical ‘Sarafina!’ Opens at Doolittle Theatre

The Scene: Around the pool at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel Thursday night, where the cast of “Sarafina!” mingled with guests after the show’s opening at the James A. Doolittle Theatre on Vine Street. The sky was threatening, but sprinkles held off until guests collected their cars and were on their way home. The South African musical, a major hit in New York, is installed at the Doolittle until the end of September.

Who Was There: Quite a few celebrities didn’t make it from the show to the party, but around the pool were “Sarafina!” director-choreographer-lyricist Mbongeni Ngema, “A Different World” stars Dawnn Lewis and Jasmine Guy, Dionne Warwick, Whoopi Goldberg, Zelda Rubinstein, Robert Townsend, Lynne Moody, Beverly Johnson, Robert Hooks, Anna Maria Horsford, David Birney and Dawn Wells. Actor Alec Mapa missed the play but made the party; he was busy starring in “M. Butterfly” at the Wilshire Theater.

Who Was There: Quite a few celebrities didn’t make it from the show to the party, but around the pool were “Sarafina!” director-choreographer-lyricist Mbongeni Ngema, “A Different World” stars Dawnn Lewis and Jasmine Guy, Dionne Warwick, Whoopi Goldberg, Zelda Rubinstein, Robert Townsend, Lynne Moody, Beverly Johnson, Robert Hooks, Anna Maria Horsford, David Birney and Dawn Wells. Actor Alec Mapa missed the play but made the party; he was busy starring in “M. Butterfly” at the Wilshire Theater.

Politician Watch: Elected officials, many of whom are regulars at Center Theatre Group openings, were conspicuous by their absence. One can only speculate that they’ve had quite enough real-life theater in recent weeks.

Dress Code: Summer casual was specified. Many of the guests looked great in African-inspired evening wear.

Fashion Statement: Whoopi Goldberg attracted attention in a black suit, black clogs, an opera-length string of pearls and her new jumbo super-cloud Afro. Public access TV hostess Karen Salkin wore high-top sneakers covered with iridescent blue sequins.

Chow: Food stations stocked with various curries, fresh fruit and vegetables and desserts.

Sights: Leleti Khumalo, who plays the title character, rushed around with such ebullience that one woman sighed, “She’s so sweet and natural, I hope she never moves to Hollywood.” In a roped-off VIP area, meanwhile, Whoopi Goldberg patiently posed for photos for anyone who brought a camera--which included most of the cast.

Networking: “Did you see Keenen Ivory Wayans at the show?” asked one guest. “He came in late, and then he was almost crawling across the seats to get to Robert Townsend.”

Triumphs: Flowers spelling out “Sarafina!” floated in the David Hockney-painted pool. . .

Glitches: . . . But you would have had to have been flying over in a helicopter to read it.