Arts & Entertainment
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
rrtsts && EntertainmentEntertainment AA A SUPPLEMENT TO THE SAN DIEGO BUSINESS JOURNAL Page S22 www.sdbj.com ARTS & ENTERTAIMENT SUPPLEMENT February 11, 2013 San Diego’s Hidden Economic Engine – The Dollars and Cents of Arts, Culture and Entertainment We have been compared to the deferred maintenance on arts facilities Smithsonian. We give Broadway a run and public art. for its money at Tony Award time. We lure top musical talent from the San Theater and Music Diego Symphony’s Jahja Ling to opera’s San Diego excels in performing arts of grand diva Beverly Sills with her farewell every conceivable type. The city’s live performance. And, we create world-class theater, bookended by The Old Globe exhibitions that reach a global audience and La Jolla Playhouse, inspires a and inspire people in cities from Berlin constant stream of world premieres and to Sidney. San Diego has emerged as original productions that have been one of the most dynamic, culturally-rich financial as well as critical successes. regions in the country, supporting a San Diego has sent nearly 40 shows thriving industry of arts, culture and to Broadway. The Old Globe, built in entertainment that has become a source 1935 for the presentation of abridged of jobs, revenue, and opportunities for versions of Shakespeare’s plays as part economic growth. of the California According to Pacific Interna- a recent economic tional Exposition, impact study* boasts a proud the nonprofit arts lineage of shows and culture sector including Dirty generates $579.4 Rotten Scoundrels, million in annual nominated for 11 economic activity Tony Awards in in the City of San 2005, and the 2000 Diego – supporting production of The 17,817 full-time Full Monty which equivalent jobs garnered 10 Tony and generating Award nominations. $61.1million in Founded in 1947 local and state gov- by Gregory Peck, ernment revenues. Dorothy McGuire Those figures and Mel Ferrer, are enhanced by then revived in A scene from “Cruzar la Cara de la Luna” another $341 1983, the La Jolla (To Cross the Face of the Moon). Performances million in event- at the San Diego Opera March 16 at 2:00 p.m. Playhouse’s innova- related spending and 7:00 p.m. Photos by Felix Sanchez/ tive productions by audiences Houston Grand Opera. have included 70 (excluding the cost world premieres, of admission) who also dine in local 40 commissions and 38 American or restaurants, pay for parking, buy gifts West Coast premieres, that have merited and souvenirs, and even pay a babysitter. more than 300 major honors with lucra- tive and successful productions from Cultural Tourism The Who’s Tommy to Jersey Boys. Then there are the visitors who Showcasing San Diego to an come to our city for unique experiences international market, the San Diego from festivals to theater premieres, Symphony is literally taking its show on adding more to local coffers with the road and marking its 102-year an- spending on hotels, transportation and niversary with a tour to China, the first meals in a lucrative segment of the time the orchestra has toured outside travel industry dubbed Cultural Tour- North America. The China concerts ism. The City of San Diego Commission immediately follow the orchestra’s for Arts and Culture and the San Diego first performance in New York’s famed Convention and Visitors Bureau were at Carnegie Hall. Rivaling the symphony’s the forefront of the development of the success is the San Diego Opera, a widely concept in the United States, hosting respected member of the international the first conference for industry leaders opera community. Their North Ameri- in 1998. The commission reports that can Voices Project, instituted in 1993, the arts attracted two million visitors has become a model for opera com- who contributed $170 million to San panies throughout the United States, Diego’s economy in fiscal year 2011. Its adding contemporary American operas statistics also show that out-of-town to complement the traditional repertoire guests who come for arts events stay an each season. Another San Diego main- average of two days longer and spend stay, Mainly Mozart, in its 25th season, more than the average visitor. This fall, produces the largest Spring music the City Council approved a five-year festival in the region, the Mainly Mozart plan dubbed Penny for the Arts, generat- Festival, as well as a winter season, both ing increased funds from TOT (transient hosting sell-out shows using a myriad occupancy taxes) which will more than of San Diego’s eclectic venues from the double the Commission’s budget by restored downtown Balboa Theatre to 2017 to continue their efforts in funding The Scripps Research Institute to The cultural tourism promotions, arts and Crosby Estates in Rancho Santa Fe. arts education programs, special events, Continued on Page S26 February 11, 2013 ARTS & ENTERTAIMENT SUPPLEMENT www.sdbj.com Page S23 La Jolla Playhouse Offers Fertile Ground For Artists And New Work Spring is a very fertile time at La Song, directed by Ashley and written by March 20 – 23 in the cabaret-style per- to develop their work, the theater’s Jolla Playhouse. Known for its innova- the creators of the Tony Award-winning formance space in the Potiker Theatre. upcoming season will feature some of tive and adventurous programming, the musical Memphis: Joe DiPietro and The company’s Laughing Matters tour the most anticipated productions in the prestigious theater continues that trend David Bryan, founding member of the features some of the best sketches, songs region. Works will include John Guare’s with a new play development initiative, band Bon Jovi. and improvisations in The Second City’s delightful and insightful adaptation the DNA New Work Series, running On March 9, the Playhouse will host 53-year history. Having launched the of His Girl Friday, which Ashley will through March 3. The series offers its annual star-studded Gala, featuring careers of Tina Fey, Steve Carell, Gilda direct; Rex Pickett’s Sideways, based on audiences the chance to see the birth entertainment by the iconic rock band Radner and Bill Murray – among many his own novel that was adapted into the of a new work while giving playwrights The Flaming Lips, composers of the others – The Second City now presents popular 2011 indie movie; Nina Raine’s and directors the opportunity to develop Playhouse’s acclaimed 2012 world- the next generation of the comedy world’s Olivier Award-winning play, Tribes, a script by providing rehearsal time, premiere musical Yoshimi Battles the best and brightest in an evening of about the ways we communicate; and a space and resources, culminating in a Pink Robots. The Gala raises funds to hilarious sketch comedy. re-imagining of the hit Broadway musi- workshop production or public reading. support the institution’s award-win- Following The Second City, the cal Side Show, written by the creative “As the place to look for what’s ning education initiatives, such as the Playhouse will present Steppin’ Out team behind Dreamgirls and helmed next in American theatre, it’s not only a Performance Outreach Program (POP) with Ben Vereen March 29 - 31. This by The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn major tenet of our mission to cultivate Tour that brings a Playhouse-commis- one-man show highlights Mr. Vereen’s Parts 1 and 2 director Bill Condon. and develop the work of emerging and sioned, world-premiere production unique artistry, combining a tribute These world-class artists choose the established artists, it’s in our DNA,” said to elementary schools throughout to Broadway, Frank Sinatra and a very Playhouse for a reason: they know that Playhouse Artistic Director Christopher San Diego; summer theater programs special homage to Sammy Davis Jr. their work will receive the theater’s one- Ashley. “The Playhouse’s commitment like the Young Performers Workshop; The New York Times dubbed him, “an of-a-kind support on all levels. It’s the to these artists and their work is the and numerous others that reach over old-school song and dance man who reason the Playhouse has been home to lifeblood of our theatre, and it is our 30,000 children each year. The Gala never lets up. He wins you over with his the birth of 24 world-premiere produc- hope that we can create an annual series also helps support the Playhouse’s play sheer energy… and showbiz know-how.” tions that later transferred to Broadway, to shine a spotlight on the development development programs, These are just a winning some 35 Tony Awards. This of the eclectic and diverse theatre that including the DNA New few of the amazing season alone the Playhouse will open its has become a hallmark on our stages.” Work Series, Page To artists taking up resi- acclaimed commissioned musical Hands Upcoming DNA offerings include Stage, and readings and dence at the Playhouse on a Hardbody on Broadway; celebrate a workshop production of Brahman/i: workshops throughout this spring. Because of the 8th year of Jersey Boys on the Great a One-Hijra Stand-Up Comedy, by the season. the relationships built White Way, and witness the launch Aditi Brennan Kapil, plus a series of Later in March, the by Christopher Ashley, of the national tours of Chaplin: The six free readings presented over five Playhouse will bring as well as the theater’s Musical and Peter and the Starcatcher. days. Earlier in the series the Playhouse back the internation- mission to provide Fertile ground, indeed. presented a workshop production of Meg ally-renowned comedy a safe harbor for Miroshnik’s The Tall Girls and a concert troupe The Second City playwrights, directors, Submitted by La Jolla Playhouse reading of a new musical, Chasing the for a return engagement designers and actors UP NEXT LA JOLLA PLAYHOUSE PRESENTS “An old-school song and dance man who never lets up.