by Wayne McWorter, VP Marketing
I readily admit it. It was my idea to begin this blog. And I thought that I could get everyone excited about the possibilities of communication with all of you out in the land of WebNet, where information is power and content is king.
Well, it's about eight months since my original hello-to-blogdom, and I've had a rude awakening. (Since we are into Broadway musicals, and it's just a few days past the vernal equinox, I'll call it my "Spring Awakening.")
Blogging is hard work. And it's easy to let this particular task fall by the wayside, especially when you're neck-deep in documents related to announcing a slew of new shows. Which we did, by the way. And if it's hard for me -- "the marketing guy" -- imagine how it feels to be the person responsibile for programming ticket functions, and being asked to write a story.
This has all got me thinking ("a dangerous passtime, I know").
Starting right now, we're going to start taking our "Postcards From Pantages" more seriously as a real tool for real information, in addition to real fun. I still think there's value in sharing what goes on behind the scenes at a big theatre like the Pantages ... but I think we need to expand our horizons by using this soapbox to share news and information beyond our internal ramblings.
If you're out there reading this, and there's anything you'd like us to cover, please share. This is a conversation, after all.
Showing posts with label pantages. Show all posts
Showing posts with label pantages. Show all posts
Monday, March 29, 2010
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
WHEN THE STAGE DOOR JUST ISN’T BIG ENOUGH
by Jeff Loeb, Associate General Manager
“The tree won’t fit.” That’s the text message I received from our Technical Director (TD) during the load-in of DIRTY DANCING. I called him to discover that the 30 foot tree in the show, the one where Baby learns how to balance, won’t fit down the stage door ramp and make the turn onto the stage. The stage door is only 8 feet wide and it needs to be about 1 foot wider. Well that wasn’t going to happen today.
There have been a few shows that had set pieces either so large or heavy that we had difficulty getting them down the stage door ramp. There was PHANTOM with the 10,000 truss system or HAIRSPRAY with the neon set piece that caused a tow truck to tilt back on to the two back wheels. But even though they were large or heavy (or both) we somehow managed to get them all in the building. That is until the 30 foot tree showed up. We have never have we had a 30 foot long set piece and certainly one that didn’t break into sections. This was one solid tree and it wasn’t going in the building.
The next text I received from our TD: “Traffic stopped. The tree is on Hollywood Blvd”.
Why is it on Hollywood Blvd? The stage door is on Argyle. What are they up to? Come to learn that the crew made an executive decision and a good one at that. Since the tree was only 3 feet in diameter they decided to wheel the tree down on to Hollywood Blvd and try to bring it in through front doors of the theatre. Width wasn’t a problem. Length was.
Once the tree was in front of the theatre they spun it around so it aimed north directly at our front doors and blocked Hollywood Blvd completely. Traffic was held at a standstill for only a few minutes and the tree was slowly brought up over the curb and angled in through the front doors. It was a straight shot through the lobby and down one of the two center aisles. A slight issue was lifting the tree up on to the stage but once at the lip of the stage there were chain motors to help. And our crew is a total Home Improvement gang and loves using anything motorized.
It worked. Other than the traffic interruption the tree made it in and for every performance the tree would very slowly lower on to stage coming to rest on the stage floor so Baby could learn to dance in the woods.
At the conclusion of the run, the DIRTY DANCING set was dismantled. On that final day of strike, I asked if we might have a memento of the show. On Monday when I walked into my office there was a 6 foot section of the tree sitting where me desk chair used to be. I had to laugh because all I could think was “I bet the tree fit through the door this time.”
“The tree won’t fit.” That’s the text message I received from our Technical Director (TD) during the load-in of DIRTY DANCING. I called him to discover that the 30 foot tree in the show, the one where Baby learns how to balance, won’t fit down the stage door ramp and make the turn onto the stage. The stage door is only 8 feet wide and it needs to be about 1 foot wider. Well that wasn’t going to happen today.
There have been a few shows that had set pieces either so large or heavy that we had difficulty getting them down the stage door ramp. There was PHANTOM with the 10,000 truss system or HAIRSPRAY with the neon set piece that caused a tow truck to tilt back on to the two back wheels. But even though they were large or heavy (or both) we somehow managed to get them all in the building. That is until the 30 foot tree showed up. We have never have we had a 30 foot long set piece and certainly one that didn’t break into sections. This was one solid tree and it wasn’t going in the building.
The next text I received from our TD: “Traffic stopped. The tree is on Hollywood Blvd”.
Why is it on Hollywood Blvd? The stage door is on Argyle. What are they up to? Come to learn that the crew made an executive decision and a good one at that. Since the tree was only 3 feet in diameter they decided to wheel the tree down on to Hollywood Blvd and try to bring it in through front doors of the theatre. Width wasn’t a problem. Length was.
Once the tree was in front of the theatre they spun it around so it aimed north directly at our front doors and blocked Hollywood Blvd completely. Traffic was held at a standstill for only a few minutes and the tree was slowly brought up over the curb and angled in through the front doors. It was a straight shot through the lobby and down one of the two center aisles. A slight issue was lifting the tree up on to the stage but once at the lip of the stage there were chain motors to help. And our crew is a total Home Improvement gang and loves using anything motorized.
It worked. Other than the traffic interruption the tree made it in and for every performance the tree would very slowly lower on to stage coming to rest on the stage floor so Baby could learn to dance in the woods.
At the conclusion of the run, the DIRTY DANCING set was dismantled. On that final day of strike, I asked if we might have a memento of the show. On Monday when I walked into my office there was a 6 foot section of the tree sitting where me desk chair used to be. I had to laugh because all I could think was “I bet the tree fit through the door this time.”
Thursday, August 20, 2009
BLOGGING AGAIN FOR THE FIRST TIME
by Bob Speck, Director of Sales
I blog a lot.
Other than my personal blog, I also write for a fitness website about my never-ending battle against glazed doughnuts, beer and all the other foods that, while delicious, make us (read me) well …fat. And yet, as I sit writing my first post for our new blog here at the Pantages, it occurs to me that in all those words I have never once written about theatre. This strikes me as a little strange because I’ve been working in theatre over half my life.
I got my first professional job as an actor at age 16 and in the ensuing 27 years performed just about every job theatre affords. I have worked on stage, back stage, in light booths, at sound mixing desks and costume shops. Having worked Off and Off-Off Broadway, I performed many of these tasks simultaneously. While the Pantages here in Hollywood is certainly one of the nation’s most opulent theatres, please don’t think my brilliant career has been all gilt and crushed velvet. In my past a theatre has meant many things—church basements, the street, public buildings, store fronts, night clubs, catering halls, ramshackle movie palaces of ill-fame and, yes, opera houses and even old red barns. However, Mickey and Judy were nowhere to be found. For those of you who have no idea who Mickey and Judy are (shame on you), ask your parents. If they don’t know (shame on them), ask your grandparents.
So with all this experience why haven’t I written about theatre? I’m not sure. The best I can come up with is that it may hit a little too close to home. With so many friends in show business and a paycheck at stake, it’s much easier, not to mention fiscally prudent, to be snarky about my dislike for working out or my refusal to get a driver’s license. The joke is always on me and nobody important gets their feelings hurt. But blog about the celebrity who spent the entire second act of a new musical on their Blackberry and all hell breaks loose. Oops!!! But I’m willing to give it a shot if you are. I’ll write it (if they let me), you read it and we’ll have a laugh together. Deal?
I blog a lot.
Other than my personal blog, I also write for a fitness website about my never-ending battle against glazed doughnuts, beer and all the other foods that, while delicious, make us (read me) well …fat. And yet, as I sit writing my first post for our new blog here at the Pantages, it occurs to me that in all those words I have never once written about theatre. This strikes me as a little strange because I’ve been working in theatre over half my life.
I got my first professional job as an actor at age 16 and in the ensuing 27 years performed just about every job theatre affords. I have worked on stage, back stage, in light booths, at sound mixing desks and costume shops. Having worked Off and Off-Off Broadway, I performed many of these tasks simultaneously. While the Pantages here in Hollywood is certainly one of the nation’s most opulent theatres, please don’t think my brilliant career has been all gilt and crushed velvet. In my past a theatre has meant many things—church basements, the street, public buildings, store fronts, night clubs, catering halls, ramshackle movie palaces of ill-fame and, yes, opera houses and even old red barns. However, Mickey and Judy were nowhere to be found. For those of you who have no idea who Mickey and Judy are (shame on you), ask your parents. If they don’t know (shame on them), ask your grandparents.
So with all this experience why haven’t I written about theatre? I’m not sure. The best I can come up with is that it may hit a little too close to home. With so many friends in show business and a paycheck at stake, it’s much easier, not to mention fiscally prudent, to be snarky about my dislike for working out or my refusal to get a driver’s license. The joke is always on me and nobody important gets their feelings hurt. But blog about the celebrity who spent the entire second act of a new musical on their Blackberry and all hell breaks loose. Oops!!! But I’m willing to give it a shot if you are. I’ll write it (if they let me), you read it and we’ll have a laugh together. Deal?
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
21st CENTURY SOCIALIZING
by Wayne McWorter, VP Marketing
Hello from the official blog of Hollywood's Pantages Theatre. This grande dame of L.A. entertainment palaces is finally entering the 21st Century, about a decade late. But give her a break; she's nearing 80 and sometimes doesn't move so fast.
I've been avoiding the world of "social networking" for some time. I find very little spare time in my personal life to spend in front of a computer screen. I created a personal MySpace page years ago so that I could attempt to remain relevant to my kids. I created a Facebook page to attempt to stay on top of what was clearly a growing trend in how people connect, communicate and access information. I don't remember for sure, but I think I may have beaten my kids to that one. Nevertheless, by now they have far surpassed me in proficience to use that tool. Every time I go on Facebook, I have to re-learn where everything is.
Twitter seemed to me the "holy grail" of social networking, because it took such little time and effort. I jumped in and began "tweeting" to anyone who would "listen" about the stupidest details of my life. How many times can you post "got 2 have my morning coffee" or "finishing a crazy day @work" before you realize how uneventful your day-to-day life is?
I can no longer avoid the tsunami of evidence that we need to jump into the ocean of social media sites and do the best we can to master the wild currents we encounter. Eventually, we may even learn to stand up on our surfboard and look like we know what we're doing.
"We" is the operative term here, because I know that I'll never be able to keep this up on my own. So as we move forward in our blogging adventure, we will endeavor to share with you many different points of view from different members of our staff, and perhaps on occasion, some celebrity guest bloggers from shows playing this historic hall.
We hope you'll join us!
Hello from the official blog of Hollywood's Pantages Theatre. This grande dame of L.A. entertainment palaces is finally entering the 21st Century, about a decade late. But give her a break; she's nearing 80 and sometimes doesn't move so fast.
I've been avoiding the world of "social networking" for some time. I find very little spare time in my personal life to spend in front of a computer screen. I created a personal MySpace page years ago so that I could attempt to remain relevant to my kids. I created a Facebook page to attempt to stay on top of what was clearly a growing trend in how people connect, communicate and access information. I don't remember for sure, but I think I may have beaten my kids to that one. Nevertheless, by now they have far surpassed me in proficience to use that tool. Every time I go on Facebook, I have to re-learn where everything is.
Twitter seemed to me the "holy grail" of social networking, because it took such little time and effort. I jumped in and began "tweeting" to anyone who would "listen" about the stupidest details of my life. How many times can you post "got 2 have my morning coffee" or "finishing a crazy day @work" before you realize how uneventful your day-to-day life is?
I can no longer avoid the tsunami of evidence that we need to jump into the ocean of social media sites and do the best we can to master the wild currents we encounter. Eventually, we may even learn to stand up on our surfboard and look like we know what we're doing.
"We" is the operative term here, because I know that I'll never be able to keep this up on my own. So as we move forward in our blogging adventure, we will endeavor to share with you many different points of view from different members of our staff, and perhaps on occasion, some celebrity guest bloggers from shows playing this historic hall.
We hope you'll join us!
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