He Spends Summers ‘Bowl’-ing
With Some of Entertainment’s Biggest Stars by Gail Matsunaga
From Dateline (March 18, 2004)
Q:
Any memorable moments from
throughout the years?
A:
They’ve just torn down
the Bowl, and I was recently there for the first time. It’s
50 percent completed. There is a lot more stage space for
us, which is good. It’s on schedule and people are going
to love it.
Q:
Why was it torn down?
A:
As a person who works there,
I was surprised that every fireworks show didn’t destroy
the old shell. It’s basically asbestos and hanger wire
[laughs] – this little paper mâche covering over
some metallic structure that we were always pasting new technology
into it, over it, on top of it. The venue itself is what’s
historic – the magic of being outdoors in Southern California
and the natural acoustics are wonderful. We kept the look
of the shell. It will look a little bit more high tech.
Q:
What were some of the sound
challenges on stage as a musician in the old shell?
A:
It wasn’t even. Sections
closer to the back, like percussion – their sound bounced
very hard on the shell, and the violin section could barely
hear themselves play. Now we’ve got a new sound design.
That’s probably the real difference – that the
Bowl now can incorporate more of the current technology, lighting
and sound, and will finally have backstage facilities that
we don’t have to apologize for.
Q:
And what about highlights here at Fullerton?
A:
Sharing with people who care about what
I care about, which is musical theater. They have a passion
for performing and they understand that I’m a link.
Even though I take summers off I start thinking about my next
year’s seniors around June. I think about them all summer,
looking forward to what project we’ll be working on.