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Hollywood Bowl Fun Activity 2004 NASA SHARP Program California State University, Los Angeles Reported by: Raj Ranade
On Sunday, July 4th, NASA SHARP apprentices attended the Fourth of July Spectacular concert at the Hollywood Bowl. The students were seated at a nice distance from the stage so that they could see everything that was going on quite well. The apprentices arrived about an hour early in order to engage in a nice picnic lunch. After this, the apprentices sat in the bleachers and waited for the show to begin.
Next, special guests were brought in to sing a number of different songs. The first performer to sing a song was none other than esteemed performer Brian Stokes Mitchell. Mitchell is the winner of a Tony award for his leading role in the Broadway Musical Kiss Me Kate. He also has had recurring roles on the TV shows Frasier and Crossing Jordan. In addition, he was voted one of People Magazine’s “50 Most Beautiful People”. Mitchell sang a song with the aid of the orchestra that was enjoyed by all.
The next performer to come in was Marilyn Horne. Marilyn Horne is an opera singer that has been in the business for years. Among Marilyn Horne's many worldwide prizes are the Commander of the Order of Arts and Letters from France's Ministry of Culture, the Commendatore al Merito della Repubblica Italiana, the Fidelio Gold Medal from the International Association of Opera Directors, and the Covent Garden Silver Medal for Outstanding Service. In 2001, Miss Horne received a Lifetime Achievement Grammy Award from the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. Miss Horne sang a barnyard song that appealed to the young kids in the venue.
After this, characters from the popular television show Sesame Street appeared. Enjoyed by all were the antics of Grover, Elmo, Big Bird, Oscar the Grouch, and many more. These familiar characters reminded the apprentices of their favorites times during their earlier years.
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The
show started with the introduction of the orchestra. The conductor for the
evening’s concert was John Mauceri. The winner of Grammy, Tony, Olivier, Drama
Desk, Emmy, Diapason d'or, Billboard, Cannes, Edison Klassiek, and Deutsche
Schallplatten awards, Mauceri is a highly skilled conductor who had been
conducting the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra for thirteen years. The show started
with famous movie scores celebrating Hollywood’s love of the Wild West. Scores
that were played include the theme for Dances With Wolves, Kevin
Costner’s epic saga of a westerner’s interaction with Native Americans, North
by Northwest, a thriller starring Cary Grant as a fugitive fleeing from the
government through the west, and The Magnificent Seven, the story of
seven gunfighters banding together to protect a small town from raiders. These
dramatic scores were enjoyed by all.
To
wrap up the show, there was a spectacular fireworks display. The show lasted
about 15 exhilarating minutes. Besides the traditional fireworks that all are
accustomed to, there were many new effects. Fireworks were attached to a wheel;
when they were lit, the wheel spun around fast, causing a brilliant circular
light flash. Also interesting was the fireworks attached to metal signs that
were illuminated after the fireworks went off. Overall, the Fourth of July
Spectacular was a wonderful event that I would certainly like to see again.