| As I look at l)erformers at tbe Pulple, I think of tile many people through the years whourged me to write a book about my experiences at tile Hall. Ahhough.nlany of themare no longer here, I am gratef\fl to them and others for the encouragement andsupport they gave tile Hall in its beginning years. I also thank those patrons who continue tomake the Van Wezel the place to be in Sarasota. As tile managing director from the first year, 1970, I was in the delightful and often-chal-lenging position of booking, accommodating and hosting hundreds of national and interna-tional celebrities. The seventeen years that my wife, Fran, and I worked with these well-knownpersonalities were filled with special anecdotes and memories. This book is a celebration ofthose years, the great Hall and the wonderful performers who have appeared here in Sarasota.Many of you will remember those performances and can perhaps recall some of the momentsin this book. But other vignettes come from behind the curtains. They are the private momentsthat I know you will enjoy reading. They, too, are a part of the ttall s history. I want to express my appreciation to all tile performers who appeared on the Van Wezelstage. Before I came to tile Hall, many were personalities that I had only read about in periodi-cals, heard in concert halls, seen on television or were cast in roles on the silver screen. AfterI began my Van Wezel responsibilities, they became acquaintances and, in some cases, goodfriends. This added to my enjoyment of walking into the building each and every morning andevening. The Van Wezel, now an established part of the cultural life of Southwest Florida, continuesto provide top performers and programs to audiences of all ages. I hope you enjoy somepreviously unpublished highlights and photographs from its beginnings. |
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