Not sure if many people knew this, but I was the lead usher of the Great Hall for the first 4 years the Pavilion was open. I still remember my interview in the Great Hall with then House Manager, Jeff Venekamp. It was exciting and over the years I have supported the place with my own brand of criticism. I met many amazing artists and performers, including George Carlin, Bill Cosby, Weird Al, and helped Carrot Top with some of his material. I even had drinks with Richard Weisman (epic art collector) at the Top Hat, oh, and the Violet Femmes. I even witnessed a famous jazz singer belt out a very large fart, in which she replied, “The pure mention of soda pop gets my gas gauge a goin”. I can’t even count the number of dancers I saw naked or near naked.
I also had my first solo art exhibit at the Pavilion and contributed to Arts Night where I won the people’s choice award one year. In recent years I met Rosanne Cash at a meet and greet.
I have always maintained that the city needs this place, but has always fell short on welcoming the whole community. In recent years charging to see local and regional art at the arts center was a huge mistake by the Pavilion and went against the promise of keeping the gallery free to the public.
While the Pavilion has brought in many great shows (My most memorable were Drums and Tuba, Wilco, Bulgaria, Late Night Cathecism, and the opera ‘Carmen’) it still has yet to embrace everyone. Oh, and the management and politics behind the place are atrocious which have tried to destroy many great peoples’ careers and lives and continues to this day.
After 20 years, I will confess we still need the Pavilion, but I think it is time we hit the reset button, it could be so much more if we would just allow it.