Show Music l Hall Heat Heal Slates Column The Vernal Express offers its readers a column exclusively written for the weekly papers in Utah members of the Utah State Press Association It will appear each week with inter inter- interesting esting and informative material on the theatre and drama writ writ- written written ten by the general manager of Valler Valle Music hall lIall John Bauer Twenty years ago John Bauer now the general manager of Valley Music Hall created an International festival of music and theatre and dance in the Ojal Ojai Valley of California It was the second goal of his life the first having been to man mau manage age a symphony orchestra which in this case was the Buffalo Philharmonic AS A NATIVE New Yorker John Bauer was exposed to all aspects of live Uve theatre Ills Ilis first introduction was Maude Adams as Peter Pan whom he almost missed seeing because he had kicked his sister on the morning of the Saturday mall mati- matinee mallnee I nee he was to attend with her lie was four and she was three Before migrating to the West John Bauer was a member of the Apprentice Group at Eva LeGallienne's Civic Repertory Theatre the first true rel reper- reper repertory er- er erry tory ry theatre in the USA To complete his bis apprentice apprentice- apprenticeship ship he went to California to work for the L E Behymer of Los Angeles who was in the music business for more than 60 years Mr Bauer traveled all over the Western third of the U S lie He was the music man who's territory extended from Denver to the Coast and from Canada to Mex- Mex Mexico Mexico ico When he returned to his native na- na native tive East Coast he joined the National Broadcasting Com Com- Company's pany's civic music division and andone andone one of his bis earliest tasks was to come to Logan and Salt Lake City for the annual Civic Music Association Campaign It also took him Into the Pacific North North- Northwest Northwest west the deep South New Eng Eng- England England land and the Middle West In Ina Ina a few years he be had bad become well acquainted with every part of the country WITH THE advent of World War II he found himself in Washington D C where he be was assistant manager of the nation nation- national national al symphony in charge of o press and promotion From there he went to the Metropolitan Opera which he left to become mana- mana manager manager ger of the Buffalo Philharmonic Meanwhile he re had been b e ad ad- ad vane vance man for touring Broad Broad- Broadway way shows And he be spent s sev- sev several v- v vera era eral I summers with the Cincinnati ati Summer Opera Oper including a full eight months in that south south- southern southern ern Ohio city promoting the silver anniversary of that opera company lIe He became well acquainted with the theatrical and musical life of Europe he went non non- i shooting to safaris ris in the French I and Belgin and visited the ancient sights of the western west west- ern rn civilization of Egypt and Greece he lectured on music festivals theatre festi- festi festivals festivals vals the Greek Miracle Amer- Amer American Amerlean lean ican Literature the African Challenge and always discus discus- discussing discussing sing his personal experiences with his listeners NOW THAT John Bauer is general manager of Valley Mu Mu- Music sic Hall he feels he is fulfilling the greatest dream of his life to bring the magic of the thea- thea theatre theatre tre to the widest section cross of his fellow man He believes that live theatre is a must for all mankind whether one lives In a cosmopolitan city or the wildest lands of Africa man manwill manwill will express himself either in music or dance or theatre |