FOX FANTASTIC • Nothing like sitting down on the stage of the darkened Fox Theatre in the middle of a dreary day to sample the delicacies that will be offered at the "Last Dinner on the Titanic" in April. This is what makes it still fun to be a reporter despite the industry pessimism, hand-wringing and financial woes. But to listen to Fox proprietor Mary Strauss peel off dates and figures and juicy details about the ship's passengers while sipping a nice Riesling and dining on poached salmon with a shredded cucumber and dill relish … hard to beat, isn't it? The media preview on Friday included a taste of the 11-course meal Strauss plans to present on the theater's stage April 14 as part of the Titanic Centennial Weekend, which she has spearheaded in conjunction with the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic. "People ask me why a Titanic weekend in St. Louis, and I say, 'Why not?'" said Strauss, who has a background as an art historian and has been researching the Titanic for decades. Chef Stephen Proctor, who is with the Fox special events team, said he studied books and writings from the time to put together as authentic a menu as possible. He said much of what he prepared — and what will be served at the "Last Dinner on the Titanic" — was done in the style of the great French chef, Escoffier. Coincidentally, the chef on the Titanic was Charles Proctor (no one said if he and Stephen were related), and Friday was Stephen's birthday. Strauss said she has had inquiries from around the world about the dinner and expects to attract a group from the Titanic Historical Society, which is the largest of its kind. Call 314-657-5033.

BRINGING IT ON • Broadway talents will align big time this weekend in the Lou with hundreds expected from around the country to audition for this year's Muny season and for "Bring It On: The Musical," which will play the Fox beginning March 27. The connective tissue between the two events is the Muny's executive producer, Mike Isaacson, who is also producing "Bring It On: The Musical," which will run through April 8 at the Fox. Isaacson is also a Broadway producer and longtime Fox Theatricals executive. Muny auditions will be at Webster University, while producers for "Bring It On: The Musical" will hold theirs at the Muny's Orthwein rehearsal hall. Isaacson will be at the Webster auditions with Broadway musical directors Michael Horsely and James Moore. Andy Blankenbuehler, the Tony Award-winning director and choreographer of "Bring It On," and Alex Lacamoire, the show's Tony Award-winning musical supervisor, will be in charge of auditions at the Orthwein.

HA GALA • If Paul Ha had any doubt that he would be missed at the Contemporary Art Museum and by St. Louis at large, those feelings were put to rest by the more than 350 people who turned out for his $500-a-plate farewell dinner at the Four Seasons Hotel last Saturday night. The low-key Ha displayed his usual self-deprecating style. He good-naturedly sported a duct tape jacket that Meredith Holbrook put together for him in memory of the one he put together for himself at the Contemporary's Dada Ball in 2003, and asked the crowd to celebrate itself rather than him. Ha, who has been the only director of the Contemporary since he oversaw its construction and opening in Grand Center in 2003, left to become director of the List Visual Arts Center at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. At the farewell dinner, Ha sat next to Brad Cloepfil of Portland, Ore., the architect who designed the CAM, and across the table from his wife, noted abstract landscape artist Eva Lundsager. Also at the table was contemporary New York artist Sean Landers and his wife, Michelle Reyes. Mayor Francis Slay presented him with a key to the city; Bill DeWitt III, gave him his own Cardinals cap and jersey; and artist and gallery owner, Philip Slein, gave him a portrait in the caricature-esque style that has become Slein's signature. The event raised more than $130,000 for CAM's exhibition and education programs, with bidding for works by artists such as Tom Friedman, Jane Hammond, Maya Lin, Landers, Marilyn Minter, David Noonan, Ann Pibal, Cindy Sherman and Lundsager. Andy Srenco raised his paddle so many times during the auction that Mark Howald, managing director of Ivey-Selkirk auctioneers, referred to him several times as "a very good bidder." Susan Sherman, former chairman of the Contemporary board and part of the search committee that brought Ha here, kept the pace brisk. Vickie Newton did the emcee duties. Gala chairs Susan Barrett, Elissa Cahn and Phyllis Langsdorf received kudos for putting together the fun and fast-paced evening.