Omega Productions was recently chosen by the Dallas Center for the Performing Arts Foundation to produce ACT ONE, the organization’s “Grand Performance Gala” and premier fundraising event. The concert which took place on March 4, 2002 in Dallas at the Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center, featured a live performance by Tony Award-winning singer/actress Bernadette Peters, as well as appearances by opera legend Beverly Sills and Academy Award winner Sidney Poitier. Other groups sharing the stage during the landmark event, were members of the Dallas Black Dance Theatre, Fort Worth Dallas Ballet, Dallas Theater Center, The Dallas Opera, Greater Dallas Youth Orchestra, and the Dallas Brass. The festive evening, sponsored by the fund-raising organization for the proposed $250 Million Dallas Center for the Performing Arts, also included a reception with the celebrities and a seated formal dinner.
Paul Christensen, President of Omega Productions stated, “Donna Christensen and I are honored to have had the opportunity to serve as live event producers of an event of such magnitude. For us it was an opportunity to be part of a truly enchanted evening. The Dallas Center for the Performing Arts Foundation and its leadership are providing the vision and positive direction needed to insure a vibrant performing arts environment for the citizens of Dallas for years to come.”
Jeanne Marie Clossey, Dallas arts and cultural leader, served as Chairwoman of the Foundation’s Gala Committee, as well as Executive Producer. William H. Lively, President and CEO of the Dallas Center for the Performing Arts Foundation, was the Producer of the ACT ONE Gala as well as the other evening’s events.
As they have carefully done with all of their award winning projects, the Christensens brought in a hand picked team of talented professionals. Mike Farrell, Oklahoma City, served as Stage Manager assisted by Omega’s Steve Lowney and Carl Wong, Stage Manager of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra. Matt Patterson, Samarco Lighting, Dallas, provided the Lighting Direction for the performance in conjunction with Meyerson lighting tech, Chris Head. Sulfur Springs, Texas based Sound Consultant and Engineer, Joey Baker was selected to provide overall Sound Design as well as to engineer and mix the challenging sound palette heard by all those in attendance.
Although the event proved to be a huge success, the ACT ONE Grand Performance project brought with it a number of distinct challenges. The stage at the Meyerson Symphony Center was not large enough to accommodate the size and complexity of the groups scheduled to perform. As a result, a decision was made to enlarge the stage by adding a 16 x 66 foot extension. Further modifications were also made which removed the first orchestra riser, moving the Greater Dallas Youth Orchestra further up stage and installing risers on the upper tier so the brass and other players could maintain proper sight lines.
In order to augment the venue’s existing lighting, it was also decided that Samarco Lighting would fly a 48 foot truss containing 16 moving light units over the 20th row of seats. In addition, all sound reinforcement speaker clusters were to be flown, insuring a completely clear stage footprint. And because of the busy schedule of the Meyerson, all move in, set up and proofing of the production systems would be limited to 12 hours. Quite a challenge, indeed!
Because of the dedication and professionalism of all those involved, the schedules were met and the show was a resounding success. There are a number of additional individuals and companies who deserve special recognition for their contributions to the success of the ACT ONE Grand Performance:
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Lisa Limoges, Dallas Center for the Performing Arts Foundation, Vice President for Public Affairs and Special Projects | |
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Lamar Livingston – Technical Director, Meyerson Symphony Center | |
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Kerry Musick – Booking & Events Mgr. – Meyerson Symphony Center | |
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Samarco Lighting, Dallas – Lighting Vendor | |
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Dallas Backup, Dallas – Sound Reinforcement Vendor | |
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Gemini Sound, Dallas – Monitor Speakers & Wireless Mic Vendor | |
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Dallas Prompters and Captions, Dallas – Teleprompt Svs. | |
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Members of the International Alliance of Theatrical & Stage Employees (IATSE), Local 127 and their Business Agent, Brad Breitbarth | |
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Timothy Lynch, Production manager, Dallas Symphony Orchestra | |
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Tony Symanovich, TELFAX, Inc., Arlington – Remote Television Facilities – Press Pool | |
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Midcom, Inc., Dallas – Wireless PL & Com System, Mobile Recording Facility, Press Pool | |
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John Wasson – ACT ONE Original Theme Composer | |
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Chuck Mandernach – ACT ONE Orchestra Conductor | |
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Alan Stiebing, Frontline Audio – Wireless Mic, PL and Com Tech | |
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Chris Brock, Chris Brock Productions, Dallas – Producer & Director, Press Pool | |
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Jay Hamlin – TD, Press Pool | |
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Andy Benz, Crescendo Sound, Inc. – A1, Press Pool | |
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David Lowe – A2, Press Pool | |
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Jim Conrad – Fixed Camera Operator, Press Pool | |
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Jeff Cuales, Cuales Productions – Fixed Camera Operator, Press Pool | |
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Will Tyler – Hand Held Camera Operator, Press Pool | |
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John Johns, In-Sync, Inc., Dallas – Press Pool Engineer | |
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Patrick Holloway, Dallas – Press Conference Engineer | |
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Steve Ledbetter, Dallas Police Department – Security Director | |
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Kim Brown, Frankly Scarlett, Dallas – Talent Transportation & Itineraries Director | |
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Annie Haslett – Talent Coordinator – Bernadette Peters | |
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Ruthel Flunder, Omega Productions – Talent Coordinator – Sidney Poitier | |
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Jan Sargent, Texas Association of Film & Tape Professionals – Talent Coordinator – Beverly Sills | |
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Chris Bryson – Talent Coordinator – Dallas Talent | |
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Greg Blackburn, Dallas Stage & Scenery – Stage and Prop Vendor | |
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Chuck Moore – Executive Director, Greater Dallas Youth Orchestra | |
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Richard Giangiulio – Music Director, Greater Dallas Youth Orchestra | |
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Amy Eklund – Stage Manager, Greater Dallas Youth Orchestra | |
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Jonathan Pell – Director, Artistic Administration, The Dallas Opera | |
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Bonny Henley – Production Director, Fort Worth Dallas Ballet | |
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Edith Love – Managing Director, Dallas Theater Center | |
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Mark Hadley – General Manager, Dallas Theater Center | |
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R. Bret Ruiz – Executive Director, Anita N. Martinez Ballet Folklorico | |
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Mike Levine – Founder & Director, The Dallas Brass | |
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Ann Williams – Founder & Director, Dallas Black Dance Theatre | |
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Levon Campbell – Choreographer, Dallas Black Dance Theatre |
The Foundation’s 23 member Board was chosen from a group of leaders who care deeply about Dallas’ cultural landscape. They are committed to creating a world-class performing arts center. To date, $105 Million of the proposed $250 Million needed to build the center has been raised from the private sector.
The City of Dallas, The Dallas Opera, and The Dallas Center for the Performing Arts Foundation have spent $13 million over the last year to acquire land in the southeast quadrant of the Dallas Arts District, between Ross Avenue and Woodall Rodgers Freeway. The latest plan calls for a 2000-seat lyric theater for the Dallas Opera and other musical groups, and an 800-seat theater to replace the temporary Dallas Theater Center stage on Flora Street. The new center would fill a two-block site bounded by Flora, Ross, Routh and Fairmount streets, on the east side of the Arts District.
Design work will start soon, and construction is expected to begin in 2004 and be completed in 2007.
