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Marc Broidy - Teatro La Scala

The Marriage of Figaro

November 9, 2023 - Los Angeles California

Following years of musical training and appreciation, the study and practice of lighting design, and a passion for travel photography, I achieved lighting in a bottle.  I was able to attend a performance at one of the iconic opera houses of the world - La Scala.

Nothing about the evening disappointed - with the entire production evidencing the artistry and quality associated with the vaunted theatre and company.

I merely express appreciation and gratitude for providing such a memorable evening - and hope that for the younger generations, we find a way to keep this esteemed art form in existence.  

Not knowing whom this post might reach, I provide the following information to anyone philanthropically minded:

Milano per la Scala Foundation

tel. 02 72021647 fax 02 72021662

miscala@milanoperlascala.it,

www.milanoperlascala.it

via Clerici, 5 – Milan – Italy

Gratzi Mille!

                     (Photo Credit - Marc Broidy (c) 2023)

Types of French Wine

Los Angeles-based wealth advisor Marc David Broidy enjoys many hobbies and interests outside of work. One of Marc David Broidy’s passions is wine collecting. He is especially interested in varieties from France.

France is one of the world’s largest producers of wine. Winemaking began in France in the sixth century BC and the country now produces over 7 billion bottles of wine each year. Winemaking is popular in many regions of France due to the many varieties of grapes that grow there. Popular French red grape varieties include cabernet sauvignon, pinot noir, and syrah. Popular white grapes include chardonnay, sauvignon blanc, and chenin blanc. There are many other grape types, including pink grapes with a mixture of red and white characteristics. These are used to make rose wines, which vary from light to deep pink in color.

French winemakers often categorize wine quality by the “terroir” of the vineyard. This refers to the physical environment within the vineyard. Factors include soil nutrients and quality, underlying rock type, and moisture levels. Aboveground factors include orientation of the grapes toward the sun, rain, wind, and temperature. These elements are factored into an appellation system with strict rules governing which grape varieties and winemaking procedures can be used in each category.

The Best Rated Wines in the World

Marc David Broidy was a trustee at Pitzer College Claremont, where he was vice-chair of the audit committee and involved in corporate governance.. In his spare time, Marc Broidy enjoys reading, French/France, writing, and wines.

Wine has been produced for over 4000 years, making it one of humanity's oldest drinks. It has evolved into a diverse and widely available alcoholic beverage that varies from a cold white to a powerful, rich crimson. Although there are various wines in circulation worldwide and people's tastes and preferences vary, certain wines stand out as the best.

One of the best-rated wines is the 2016 Catena Zapata Adrianna Vineyard Fortuna Terrae Malbec. Thanks to its delicate and subtle nature, which promises depth and character with each taste, anyone may appreciate it. It is rich and fresh simultaneously, full-bodied and layered, making it a critic's favorite. And you may use the fragrant bottle to amuse family or friends over dinner.

Also, the 2006 Sine Qua Non Syrah is another highly regarded wine. Its silky tannins and layered thick flavor make it incredibly popular, with only 442 cases produced, making it quite difficult to find. However, it is finest when let to mature and delivers a range of fragrances such as blueberry pie, blackberry, touches of chocolate, and Asian spices.

Theatre Design Aspects: Backstage

A Los Angeles, California resident, Marc David Broidy pursued his MFA in theatre management from Yale University. . Marc Broidy also graduated from Pitzer College and served as a trustee there after graduating. Additionally, Marc Broidy specializes in theatre production design.

There are many aspects that revolve around the term design in theatre. Theatre design represents everything there is about a particular play, from backdrops to costumes, settings, and all the way to the objects and props the characters will use during the scenes. Theatre design starts from the backstage, with the backdrops which can help build the proper atmosphere for the actors and result in top-notch performances. They are typically painted and feature a theme similar to the play about to start.

Then, the costumes must be properly designed and created as they are the first representation of the characters and the period in which the play is set. The costumes can also reflect the characters' personalities. After the costumes are ready, the props and objects on the scene complete the setting and put the audience in the proper atmosphere.

Estate Planning Trends in 2022

An experienced financial advisor, Marc Broidy served in the past as the vice president of Merill Lynch and trustee of Pitzer College. Marc David Broidy also specializes in theatre management, which encompasses production writing and lighting design. While working as a financial advisor for Smith Barney, Marc Broidy provided estate planning for high-net-worth individuals.

Estate planning is a process that helps individuals preserve their assets and capital and transfer them to beneficiaries when they die or become incapacitated. Qualified personal residence trusts are a new trend in 2022 in terms of estate planning that enable individuals to transfer their house of residence outside of their estate. Qualified personal residence trusts are irrevocable trust in which the grantor receives capital for a set period, which enables them to continue to live on the property.

After the specified period ends, the grantor can pay rent to the beneficiary they transferred the property to and continue to live there. One benefit that the trust offers is that it hedges against appreciation and an individual does not have to pay gift taxes if the home is very valuable.

Another estate planning trend in 2022 is the generation-skipping trust. In a generation-skipping trust, individuals transfer their assets and capital to their grandchildren, skipping their children’s generation. However, the individual’s children can benefit from the assets until the grandchildren come of age without being liable for taxes. One of the trust’s main benefits is that if the assets do not exceed the $11.7 million value, it is not liable for taxes.

Some Psychological Benefits of Writing

A former board of governors member at Cedars-Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles, Marc David Broidy, also takes great interest in the performing arts. A holder of a BA in theater from Pitzer College in Claremont, California, and having pursued an MFA in theater management from Yale University, Marc Broidy is a keen classical music and opera enthusiast. He also enjoys reading and writing.

Besides being one of the basic types of communication, writing has proven itself as a valuable thinking, expression, and creativity tool. Whether done on a professional level, as a hobby, or simply by jotting things down daily, writing affords various psychological benefits, including the following three:

Refines Communication

Writing urges people to search for more sophisticated words and better-phrased sentences to describe their thoughts. It helps them to clearly give structure to an idea, which in turn enables them to express what they have in mind and communicate even complex and abstract ideas much more effectively.

Increases Productivity and Focus

Writing down tasks in the morning can serve as a mental warm-up, as it activates neurons in the brain and primes it for performing the work of the day. Furthermore, concisely formulating tasks facilitates their proper execution. And by consistently writing about their thoughts, people stay focused on the goals and dreams they want to realize.

Reduces Mental Stress

Expressive writing, or when people write about their thoughts and feelings concerning a stressful life event, has established itself among the best ways to achieve mental clarity and relieve stress. Research has demonstrated that expressive writing boosts self-awareness, eventually alleviating depressive symptoms and anxious thoughts.

What Makes a Wine Collectable?

Marc David Broidy pursued a master of fine arts in theater management and has worked as a senior administrator with serval leading corporations and institutions. Outside of the professional arena, Marc Broidy is an avid wine collector.

From using their collection as a financial investment to treasuring it as a delicious accomplishment, people collect wine for a variety of reasons. Like any other type of collectible item, bottles of wine are more desirable to collectors when they are rare or expensive.

A number of things can make a bottle of wine collectable. In particular, there are three elements that go a long way toward determining just how rare and valuable a particular bottle of wine is. These elements are production volume (the number of bottles made), producer desirability (the reputation of the winemaker), and provenance (how well and where the wine has been stored).

Other characteristics that affect a wine’s collectability are its vintage (time of production) and appellation (region of production). It may also be considered more collectable if it is a limited or special edition.

Lighting Positions on the Theatrical Stage

Marc David Broidy is an established Los Angeles financial professional who also has experience in aspects of the performing arts, such as theater production. Marc Broidy pursued an MFA in theater management from Yale University, and one of his areas of focus is lighting design.

One critical element of presenting action on the stage effectively involves lighting positions. This begins with the front lights, which point directly toward the actors and serve as a primary lighting source throughout the performance. While effective in presenting the entirety of the action on the stage, used alone, they make everything appear flat. Adding dimensionality requires the use of downlighting and backlighting, with the latter involving lights positioned behind the actors, at the back end of the stage. The lights can be positioned from a number of vertical angles, with color and intensity modulated for effect. Downlighting either involves lights positioned on the stage that cast light upward, or lights rigged above the stage that shine downward.

A final touch often involves the use of side lighting, which is set up at the stage’s horizontal edges. When the lighting is positioned at a level where it shines directly onto the shoulders and heads of the performers, this is known as high side lighting. These lights help the audience to clearly make out the facial expressions of the actors.

Over the years, improvements in technology has made this process, originally credited to Stanley Russell McCandless, even more dynamic and given lighting designers even more flexibility to practice the art.

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Exploring Wines of the Loire Valley in France

Based in Southern California, Marc David Broidy pursues investment strategies across a variety of asset classes. Conversant in French language and culture, Marc Broidy has a particular interest in wine regions of the country and possesses a diverse wine collection.

Stretching 600 miles from Nantes on the coast to the Massif Centra foothills, the Loire Valley is a varied region encompassing a diversity of vintages, from Sancerre to Muscadet. One of the most versatile grapes is Chenin blanc, which has a crisp minerality and acidity that pairs well with virtually any food. Produced in sweet, dry, and sparkling vintages, its defining aroma is of baked golden apples, but it also has undertones of beeswax, quince, and wet wool.

Just as common throughout the Loire Valley is Cabernet Franc, which features refreshing acidity and is also savory. It ranges from light to medium-bodied and is known for bracing cedar and red fruit notes. Also known as Breton (for its geographical range), Cabernet Franc is grown in Bordeaux and the Basque country of Spain. These regions pair soils rich in limestone with consistently cool temperatures.

A third Loire staple is sauvignon blanc, which thrives in the central parts of the valley and offers a smoky, flinty minerality. Predominant flavors of this white wine include mirabelle plum and green apple, with complexity added through floral and herbal undertones.

Finally, one of the most unique Loire Valley wines is the maritime vineyard varietal Melon de Bourgogne. This wine has a citrus minerality that is briny in quality and reminds one of the sea.

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Marc David Broidy writes about Cedars-Sinai

August 1, 2021

Marc David Broidy is an accomplished financial advisor based in Los Angeles, California. Throughout his financial career, which spans over 20 years, Marc Broidy has worked as a vice president at Merrill Lynch and financial advisor at Smith Barney in New York. Mr. Broidy has also served as a member of the Board of Governors of Cedars-Sinai Hospital.

Cedars-Sinai Hospital is a nonprofit medical center that started as a 12-bed hospital in 1902. Located in Los Angeles, California, Cedars-Sinai Hospital is today one of the largest healthcare centers in the US with 886 licensed beds, 2,800 nurses, 2100 physicians, and thousands of other medical professionals and staff. U.S. News & World Report has consistently named the medical center as one of the best hospitals in the US because of the high-quality medical services it offers not only to Los Angeles residents but to people from all over the world.

Cedars-Sinai is actively involved in medical research, part of which has led to the discovery of less invasive surgical techniques and new drugs that can treat cancer more aggressively. To ensure members of nearby communities receive the best possible healthcare, Cedars-Sinai Hospital offers treatment to the underinsured and uninsured through programs with local clinics, schools, community centers, and homeless shelters.

Visit: https://www.marcbroidy.org to read more.

TATE EXHIBITION IN LONDON REEVALUATES RODIN AS MODERNIST

Based in Los Angeles, Marc David Broidy is a financial industry professional working to deliver sustained client results. An avid reader with a passion for classical music, Marc Broidy enjoys exploring the nuances of French culture. As reported in the Guardian, the Tate Modern in London is hosting a major exhibit of Auguste Rodin’s sculptural works in 2021. The exhibition is unique for the museum, because Rodin is most commonly associated with 19th century traditions that pre-date Modernism. 

From the ancient Greeks onward, the aim of much Western figurative sculpture had been to depict the human body in the most naturalistic and accurate way possible. Among the pieces on display is Rodin’s monumental, groundbreaking 1898 representation of Balzac, which places the author of Les Miserables under a shapeless gown that is lacking defined form. This commissioned piece created a furor in the Parisian art world when unveiled, as it was far from the realistic depiction that the establishment expected of its literary luminaries. That Rodin was able to get away with such a breach of tradition had to do with his well established ability to depict the human form accurately, while conveying emotion and symbolism. As it appears to the contemporary gaze, the study of Balzac is almost a precursor to Dada or surrealism in the way it conceals the author’s body, with no reference to an actual human inside. Through pieces such as these, Rodin earns a place within the “modern” art gallery.

https://www.marc-broidy.com

As Business Travel Returns Post COVID-19

Los Angeles resident Marc David Broidy has over 20 years of experience in finance. Early in his career, Marc Broidy served on multiple for and not-for-profit Boards of Directors.

Broidy was featured commenting on commercial aviation and transatlantic comfort in the Wall Street Journal once again relevant in a post COVID-19 world.

WSJ.COM

By Scott McCartney

June 19, 2007 12:01 am ET

Can't stand the cramped conditions of coach cabins on long flights? Can't afford $8,000 for business class across the Atlantic on a major airline? There's an alternative now, and it's growing rapidly.

Call it business class "lite" -- fewer amenities, but plenty of comfort at a fraction of the price. Two new start-ups, Silverjet from England and L'Avion from France started flying in January between Europe and the U.S., joining U.S.-based Maxjet in offering all-business-class service at prices as low as $1,398 round trip. A fourth start-up, Eos Airlines, offers a first-class suite with New York-London round-trip tickets priced at between $3,800 and $7,500.

Eos and Maxjet have replaced their chief executives since they started flying in late 2005 but have shown staying power and are expanding their flying this year. Maxjet now flies to London from New York, Washington, D.C. and Las Vegas. Los Angeles service will begin Aug. 30.

Travelers are hungrier than ever for something better than coach-class confinement. But upgrades with frequent-flier miles are harder to come by. And if you need to go to London tomorrow, the cheapest business-class seats on British Airways and Virgin Atlantic from New York are priced at more than $10,000 round trip.

The new carriers, with only 48 to 100 passengers a flight, can offer individualized service and other goodies at more-affordable prices. "These guys have put some civility into overseas travel," said Marc Broidy of New York, a financial adviser who has flown Maxjet, Silverjet and L'Avion. "I just want the opportunity to be comfortable, with a decent meal -- it doesn't have to be gourmet -- and some entertainment on demand."

Big airlines are taking note. Lufthansa, Swiss and KLM Royal Dutch Airlines offer all-business-class flights on several routes between the U.S. and Europe, subcontracting the flying to a charter carrier called PrivatAir. Prices are comparable to regular business class on those carriers.

Virgin and British Airways have said recently they are working on plans for all-premium-service flights using planes smaller than the wide bodies they fly between the U.S. and London now. It's not known what fares will be for those services.

To check out the new entrants, I recently flew Silverjet and L'Avion. (I previously flew Eos and Maxjet; see The Middle Seat of April 4, 2006.) Here's a review and a report card.

Silverjet

At a private lounge, an employee takes your passport and your baggage and sends you to the bar. Before boarding, the same Silverjet attendant returns with your boarding pass and passport, and sends you on to the first-class security-screening line. It's a bit like having an airport nanny. You can show up only 30 minutes ahead of departure, Silverjet claims.

Silverjet flies between London's Luton Airport, 32 miles north of central London, and Newark Liberty International Airport with one aircraft -- a 21-year-old Boeing 767-200. Silverjet has acquired a second plane that will be used to start a second daily Newark-London trip. Three additional 767s are under contract.

A one-airplane airline has a unique problem when maintenance gremlins strike: The airline is grounded. That happened June 3 and Silverjet booked passengers on Virgin Atlantic flights -- some in coach, some in "Upper Class."

"There were quite a lot of angry passengers," said Peter Stonier of London, one of the lucky customers upgraded. He was traveling with six colleagues for meetings at a pharmaceutical company; three of the group flew Virgin's business class; four traveled in Virgin's premium economy.

Silverjet says when it has to cancel a flight, it buys as many "Upper Class" tickets and gives those to passengers who paid the most for their Silverjet tickets. Chief Executive Lawrence Hunt says Silverjet also refunds its tickets and gives customers a complimentary ticket for a future Silverjet flight. There have been two canceled round trips in 126 total.

On his return flight to London on Silverjet, Mr. Stonier was impressed. "The happy medium in travel is some sort of reasonably priced business class," he said. "People want to work. They want to be able to open a computer. They want to get off the plane ready to go."

Silverjet outfitted its 767 with brown-and-tan seats that recline into 6-foot-3-inch flat beds, though overhead bins are still small and original. The seats are 21 inches wide -- three inches wider than coach and standard for business class on most airlines. Like the other start-ups, in-flight entertainment comes in a portable viewer loaded with movies and TV shows that plugs into the seat's power outlet.

At Luton, Silverjet has its own terminal with showers, food and work areas. The facility gets crowded when arriving passengers mingle with departing travelers in the morning, and Mr. Hunt says the airline has space to double the lounge's size.

Michael Samson, who teaches economics at Williams College in Williamstown, Mass., found the service OK -- not up to typical business-class standards. But the price was great. He would have paid $2,400 to Continental Airlines for a coach ticket that was upgradeable to Continental's business-class cabin, but instead paid about $1,200 round trip to Silverjet. (Silverjet's fares currently range from $1,798 to $3,698 round trip.)

"The lounge was crowded in Newark, the WiFi wasn't working, the seats on the plane were old and the service was slow," he said. "They've got a few kinks to work out, but it was a very good value."

L'Avion

L'Avion flies between Orly Airport in Paris and Newark six days a week with a single Boeing 757 outfitted with 90 business-class seats and prices starting at $1,594. Orly is closer to downtown Paris than Charles de Gaulle Airport, where all other flights from the U.S. land.

After checking in at a counter, travelers on a recent day trudged up stairs with their bags because escalators weren't working and waited in long passport-control lines. Then it was down stairs (escalators not working again) to security screening.

A screener directed L'Avion passengers down a long corridor to a lounge, which turned out to be shared by about 20 other carriers, including Cubana and Royal Air Maroc. An hour before departure, every seat in the lounge was filled.

L'Avion doesn't have access to a gate with a jet-bridge at Orly, so passengers are bused out to the plane after security screening and another trip down stairs toting baggage.

Once on the plane, the experience vastly improves. L'Avion's jet, a 15-year-old 757 that flew charters for a German carrier (and still has signs in German in the bathrooms), has four seats in each row -- standard for domestic first class on a 757. With more legroom than domestic first class, the purple seats recline, but not to fully horizontal. The single aisle on the plane is wide enough to squeeze past a food-service cart -- a major plus for travelers.

Norman Feinberg and his wife, Arline, travel often between their home in New York and Paris on Delta Air Lines or Air France. But Mr. Feinberg gave L'Avion a try for $1,500 a person, round trip.

The couple found the L'Avion seats not as plush as other business-class seats, with buttons a bit difficult to maneuver. The airline had only one choice left for dinner on their flight from New York to Paris, and ran out of cheese by the time they were served. "You give up a little bit with this service, but not enough to matter for the difference in price," Mr. Feinberg said.

L'Avion hopes to sign a lease for its second 757 this week, Chief Executive Marc Rochet said.

L'Avion will move to a new terminal at Orly in July, Mr. Rochet said, improving its airport experience, though it may not land its own gate until the fall. The carrier doesn't have access to shower facilities in either Paris or Newark.

"We are not premium first class, but we are a new business class," said Mr. Rochet. "The value we offer is very good."

Asset Allocation Preparation

Marc David Broidy obtained his BA in Theater from Pitzer College in California before proceeding to Yale to pursue a masters in Theater Management. He has served in several industries and is a former member of the board of governors at Cedars-Sinai hospital in Los Angeles, California. Marc Broidy also worked as a financial advisor at Smith Barney in New York City, tasked with preparing clients' asset allocation.

Asset allocation is an investment strategy that entails individuals dividing their investment portfolios into various separate asset classes to help minimize investment risks. The following steps will help an investor or financial advisor prepare an asset allocation.

Defining the investment objectives
The type of investments an investor will make depends on their objectives. As such, investors should give maximum thought to this stage, whether they're saving for retirement or financial stability in the future.

Determining time horizon and risk factors
Investors should identify their liquidity constraints and investment time horizon. Similarly, the investor would have to decide on their risk tolerance level (risk-averse or risk-taker) by considering factors like monthly income and expenditures and age.

Understanding different asset classes
An investor can work with three broad asset classes: cash, fixed-income, and equities. The riskiest asset class, equities, has the potential for delivering the highest returns and may include ordinary shares or funds that an investor can transact through an agent or broker. In contrast, fixed-income or debt provides more stable, but lower returns. Investors might invest in bond funds rather than directly in bonds to gain exposure in this asset class.

Lastly, cash equivalents or cash provide small or no returns. However, their liquidity makes them valuable during emergencies. 

The Physicists - 1994 Pomona College Theatre Department - Lighting Design by Marc D. Broidy

 

Last Known Photo of Babe Ruth

 A Dying Babe Ruth In Memorial Hospital July 29, 1948

New York – Babe’s Most Recent Picture – This picture, taken at Memorial Hospital here July 29, is believed to be the last picture of the baseball idol. It was made just before the Babe’s most recent relapse. With him is Steve Broidy of Allied Artists movie studio, who is presenting Ruth with a check for the Ruth Foundation for underprivileged children. The homerun king’s condition today was critical.  photo – AP, August 11, 1948

Dr. Ian Jay Kaufman - Obituary

 New York Times - Obituary

KAUFMAN--Dr. Ian Jay. Dr. Ian Jay Kaufman, age 65, died October 3, 2005 after a prolonged battle with metastatic melanoma. Dr. Kaufman is survived by his sister Caron Kaufman Broidy and brother-in-law Steven D. Broidy of Los Angeles, as well as his nephew Marc D. Broidy of New York City. After a 40 year career practicing international trademark and patent law with the firm of Ladas and Parry, he retired as the Managing Partner in 2003. Dr. Kaufman was a world renowned attorney, having been appointed as a delegate and lecturer for many international meetings and conferences. With a passion for travel, he enjoyed fine cuisine and was a patron of the arts. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to the Angeles Clinic and Research Institute, attention: Dr. Steven O'Day, Director, 11818 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 200, Los Angeles, CA. 90025.

 

Samuel “Steve” Broidy (June 14, 1905 – April 28, 1991) 

1962 Jean Hersholt Award 

Acceptance Speech

Steve Broidy (born Samuel Broidy) was born in Malden, Massachusetts, and attended Boston University. His entrance into the film business was as a salesman for an independent company in 1925, and he moved to Universal Pictures in 1926 and then Warner Bros. in 1931. He was hired by Monogram Pictures in 1933 as a sales manager, and by 1940 was on the board of directors as VP and general sales manager. By 1945 he had been named President. Broidy presided over Monogram during its metamorphosis into Allied Artists, a change that came about because he believed that the Monogram name had for too long been associated with low-budget, low-quality productions, and he wanted to upgrade the company's reputation. He remained president until 1965, when he left to become an independent producer. In 1962 he was awarded the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

Steve Broidy, former head of Monogram Pictures and Allied Artists and the philanthropist and humanitarian who crafted the merger of Cedars of Lebanon and Mt. Sinai hospitals into Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, died Sunday.

Medical center spokesman Ron Wise said Broidy, the founding life chairman of Cedars-Sinai, was 86. The longtime Dodgers fan suffered a heart attack at Dodger Stadium while watching a ballgame. He was pronounced dead at County-USC Medical Center.

Born in Massachusetts and forced from college by the Depression, Broidy began in the film industry as a salesman. He worked his way up through the industry, moving to Los Angeles in 1940 and taking over Monogram and Allied Artists in 1945. In 1965, he formed his production firm, Motion Pictures International.

If thousands saw his pictures over the years, thousands more in this city benefitted from his fund-raising and organizational abilities.

In the 1960s, Broidy first decried the “duplication of medical effort” at Los Angeles’ two leading Jewish hospitals and led merger efforts, working long hours to raise the money to meld them into a single multipurpose, multimillion-dollar center. It took 15 years before the first patient was admitted April 3, 1976.

His charitable and professional efforts produced dozens of awards and honorary degrees, including “Pioneer of the Year” in 1959 from the Motion Picture Pioneers, the American Judaism Award from the United American Hebrew Assn. in 1963 (a first for someone from the West Coast), and that same year the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award (Oscar) from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

He served on the boards of Union Bank, the Motion Picture Academy, the Jewish Federation Council, the Salvation Army, Claremont Men’s College, Loyola Marymount University and others.

Survivors include his daughter, Eleanor Sattinger, sons Arthur and Steven Broidy, and six grandchildren.

Steven D. Broidy 1938 - 2018

January 22, 1938 - November 3, 2018 Steven D. Broidy passed away on November 3. He was 80 years old. Broidy leaves a rich legacy of leadership and service to the Los Angeles Community. Broidy's career in finance earned him the admiration of his colleagues in the banking world. He served as founding chair of the Private Bank of California, executive vice president of Union Bank, and held key positions with Loeb and Loeb, City National Bank and United California Bank. Broidy played an instrumental role in the success of Cedars-Sinai, where he was chair of the board of directors from 1998 through 2001, sat on myriad board committees and, until his death, was a member of the executive committee of the board. In 2010, he received the Cedars-Sinai Board of Governors Lifetime Leadership Award. He established the Caron and Steven D. Broidy Endowed Chair for Movement Disorders, the Broidy Fund for Neurodegenerative Disorders and contributed to a variety of other programs. Broidy was chairman of the board and CEO of the Weingart Foundation from 1999 until 2003. He was a respected leader at a host of worthy organizations, including Wilshire Boulevard Temple, National Conference of Christians and Jews, the Jewish Federation, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the Huntington Library and Mt. Zion Hospital in San Francisco. He cared deeply about a host of organizations and gave generously to them. Broidy was a devoted husband and father who cherished his family, and he was a warm and loyal friend. As a businessman and philanthropist, he led with integrity, compassion and grace. Broidy is survived by his devoted wife, Caron, his son, Marc Broidy, sister, Eleanor Sattinger, and his nieces, Jill and Janice Sattinger.

THEATRE Learning Abilities: Dyslexic Students At The Gow School Conquer Macbeth Jul 14, 2010 5:48am

 

Learning differences only make you different if you let them: students at Gow Hunt (Edward) Tuetken and Norris Mead were assistant LDs and programmers for the production.

Nestled in the bucolic town of South Wales, New York, The Gow School is world-renowned for the education of young men with learning differences (specifically dyslexia). Having recently moved to the area,  I became fond of the school when its director of development, Gayle Hutton, played violin at a local reception, and upon meeting the head of school, Brad Rogers.

After having been given a tour of the school and spending time with some of the students, I was terribly impressed by the quality of the program, the quality of the students, and level of the instructors. Having already discussed my “artistic” interests in theatrical lighting design, Rogers introduced me to Peter Weisenberger, English teacher and drama instructor. Between us and with Rogers’ support, we conceived the idea of bringing moving lights (Philips Vari-Lite fixtures, specifically) in for the Spring production of William Shakespeare’s Macbeth.

The school has a specialized mission: “The primary purpose of The Gow School is to maintain and operate an independent, not-for-profit school for the education of young men, grades 7 - 12, using a college preparatory curriculum with emphasis on the remediation of dyslexia and related language based learning difficulties through reconstructive language.” The students at Gow seem to have a few strengths because of their learning differences, but among their assets are spatial relations and working with their hands. The teachers at Gow inject many of their lessons with multi-sensory activities, or VAKT (visual, auditory, kinesthetic, and tactile). Weisenburger jumped at the opportunity to use these powerful theatrical tools to enhance the production and to give a few of his students the chance to use their strengths, learn a new skill, and to work with a professional lighting designer.

Gow is already on the forefront of mechanical education, as the facility has a lab program for seniors (and some juniors) designing and constructing “battlebots” for national competition. Given the students’ ability to excel in this area and their penchant for strong spatial relations, I believed that the combination of moving heads and the geometric nature of lighting design would be a great fit. After meeting my new assistant lighting designers and programmers, Hunt Tuetken (grade 11) and Norris Mead (grade 12), I could tell we were going to have a productive, successful, and interesting collaboration.

Six days before curtain, Tuetken, Mead, Weisenberger, and a number of cast members awaited the arrival of the rental gear from Buffalo’s Advanced Production Group. Three road cases with four Philips Vari-Lite VL2500 Spots and a Barco High End Systems Hog 3PC were rented to complement the existing rig of 11 6” Fresnels and four Altman Lighting 6x9 ellipsoidals.

Over the course of the next two days, all students participated in the rigging of the new equipment and learned a little about the instruments, their versatility, and what the role of a crew was during the process. With the VLs up and running and everything else focused, we were programming in no time.

Taking the lead, Tuetken took to the role of programming like a fish takes to water. After about five minutes of instruction, he grasped the idea of the multiple attributes and processes necessary for the interface between the Hog and the moving heads and conventional fixtures. Aside from a few instances of needing to prompt Tuetken to move the head in the opposite way (“your other stage left”), one would have never known that either of my able assistants possessed any learning differences whatsoever.

After working for the next few days together, we had written nearly 100 cues, with Tuetken and Mead adding artistic ideas (color, texture, beam angle, etc.) and easily grasping the complexities of live cues, moving cues, and repositioning cues. Following a dress rehearsal in which our cast was still tentative and worried about their lines, we embarked upon opening night.

Thursday, May 6, 2010 was not a remarkable day; we were a group of committed thespians intent on giving our audience a good show. Director Peter Weisenberger and I joked about the ongoing lore of “The Scottish Play” and made light of all the stories associated with uttering “Macbeth” in the performance space. A few chuckles and an hour and a half later, the curtain metaphorically rose and less than ten minutes into the show, a circuit-breaker blew, leaving us without control of sounds nor lighting and providing yet more non-scientific data supporting the theory that the curse of “The Scottish Play” is something more than lore.

With a high level of calm and professionalism, we quickly identified the problem, reset the circuit-breaker, and regained control of our equipment. The show must go on, and it did, and our team breathed a collective sigh of relief as bows were taken after a successful opening night.

Twenty-four hours later, we experienced a flawless closing night. The Gow students exited the Birnam Wood with their heads held high, having conquered Macbeth, moving lights, and further demonstrating that learning differences only make you different if you let them.

Watching the cast and crew interface with the lighting equipment and listening to their conversations with family, friends, and faculty, I am sure that this was a wonderful opportunity for their learning and development in theatre—an experience they will not soon forget. And just maybe, it will have inspired one of these superlative young men to aspire to be the next Bob Dickinson. Who knows?

Tuetken and Mead thrived. Here is what they said about the experience:

MB: How was your experience working with the lights?
Hunt Tuetken: Awesome experience—it was a great learning experience because I am a tactile learner. I learn by using my hands.
Norris Mead: It was fun because I had never thought I would work with theatrical lights.

MB: Do you think you have an advantage as a dyslexic student working with lighting design?
HT: Yes, and I don't think it is because I am dyslexic, but you were the creative engine behind the design.
NM: I don't know if it is because I am dyslexic, but I feel as though I am mechanically inclined, so I found it was easy.

MB: What part was the most fun?
NM: It was interesting working with professional equipment. I would definitely like to work with them again.
HT: The most fun was putting the show together—the cue-to-cue rehearsal—and seeing what exactly the lights are capable of. The lights did more than I thought they would do.

MB: Were your learning differences an obstacle in any way to the process of learning the programming?
NM: No.
HT: No [emphatically].

With our deepest appreciation to George Mask at Phillips Vari-Lite, High End Systems, APG Buffalo, and Live Design.

Marc D. Broidy is a lighting designer, among other professions, who volunteers with students at The Gow School. He has also worked with students at his alma mater, Pitzer College.