2015-DECEMBER_NEWS_Los-Angeles-Theatre-Organ

VOLUME 37, ISSUE 12
In This Issue:
DECEMBER 2015
Monday, December 14th, 2015
Cover Page:
More News About the Joint
December Holiday Program
with the AGO and LATOS
on Monday, December 14th
Page 2:
Silent Classic, “The General”
accompanied by Mark
Herman on Sunday, January
th
24 , 2016
Page 3:
Mystery Photo
Update on Donations From
Our Members
Torres Plays the Mission
Playhouse
Update on the Coachella
Valley Theatre Organ
Society
Page 4:
Southern California OrganRelated Events, including an
addition to “Ongoing” events
at the bottom.
LATOS Board Members
Directory
Photos and collage by Tony Wilson (LATOS Barton console at the Ebell, and 1st Congregational Church gallery organ).
The Los Angeles Theatre Organ Society is excited to collaborate with the Los
Angeles Chapter of the American Guild of Organists for a joint December/holiday
program. This is an opportunity for our organizations to join together in a fun and
social setting to network and enjoy organ music together.
6:30pm: Dinner & Social with Members of the AGO
LATOS Members are invited as dinner guests of AGO!
Wilshire United Methodist Church
4350 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90005
Visit Us at www.LATOS.org
LATOS members must RSVP to make reservations since there will be a
limited number of dinners available (see the following page for info on how to
RSVP). You will be treated to a delicious catered dinner and dessert, plus
complimentary beverages. You will also have a chance to meet and socialize with
CONTINUED ON THE FOLLOWING PAGE…
“The General” Arrives This January!
AGO & LATOS Joint December Program, continued:
organists and enthusiasts from AGO and LATOS in
a wonderful relaxed setting.
To attend the Sunday, January 24th, 2016 at 2:30pm
reception at 6:00pm and dinner at 6:30pm, please San Gabriel Mission Playhouse
RSVP to [email protected] or call 323- 320 S. Mission Drive, San Gabriel, CA 91776
663-0499 by Monday, December 7 or as soon as
possible thereafter! We wish to thank the AGO
for their warmth and hospitality, and for their
wonderful invitation to join them at the dinner.
 After dinner, everyone will go to the Wilshire
Ebell Theatre (around the corner – see below)…
8:00pm: Holiday Carols; Laurel &
Hardy short silent comedy; our Annual
LATOS Membership Meeting
Wilshire Ebell Theatre at 4401 West 8th
Street, Los Angeles, CA 90005
If you did not get the chance to see The Mark of Zorro,
mark your calendar for January 24th! Next up in the
Silent Sundays series is The General, a visual
The program will be free to LATOS Members,
masterpiece set in the South during the Civil War
FOTOs and AGO Members, and will feature our
directed by and starring Buster Keaton.
own Mark Herman at the console of the Barton
Theatre Pipe Organ in the Wilshire Ebell Theatre. Keaton is Southern railroad engineer Johnnie Gray.
He will lead traditional Christmas carols, perform His locomotive, The General, is stolen by Union spies
holiday favorites, and accompany the Laurel and with his love, Annabelle, on board. The action
Hardy short comedy Big Business. What a great sequences that take place between Gray and the
way to get in the spirit of the holidays!
soldiers while trying to recapture the locomotive
highlight Keaton’s athleticism, who did all of his own
This event will immediately be followed by our
stunt work.
LATOS Annual Membership Meeting. We look
forward to seeing you there!
Keaton spared no expense in the making of The
General. The film contains a scene that is considered
For your information, the American Guild of
the most expensive single shot in silent film history. He
Organists (AGO) is a national professional
transformed the little town of Cottage Grove, Oregon to
association serving the organ and choral music
Civil War era Georgia bringing in Civil War artillery,
fields, with over 18,000 members throughout the
restored railroad cars, and vintage engines. A favorite
USA and in several foreign countries. There are
of Keaton, The General is beautifully filmed. It is
over 300 local chapters with national headquarters
“admirably faithful to authenticity in costumes and
in New York City. The Los Angeles Chapter is one
props-the imagery evokes Matthew’s Brady Civil War
of its largest and most vibrant chapters. This event
photography…its visual scope is not simply
will be a great opportunity for LATOS members to
impressive, it is also dramatic and at times awe
meet like-minded AGO members in a wonderful
inspiring” (Axmaker, 2014).
social setting.
Please contact Mark Herman, LATOS Board Member Accompanying the film is American Theatre Organ
and AGO Hospitality Chair, with any questions at (626) Society’s Organist of the Year (2012) Mark Herman.
791-9193 or [email protected]
The Organ Log – December, 2015
CONTINUED ON PAGE 3…
PAGE 2
Donations from Our Members
”THE GENERAL”, continued from Page 2:
One of America’s busiest young theatre organists,
We wish to thank the following people for their
Mark Herman performs in over 30 concerts and film
generous donations in amounts above the base
screenings across the country and abroad yearly.
membership: Shirley Burt, Ed Van Doren, Phyllis
‘Silent Sundays’ is produced in partnership with the Hubbard, Egan Paul Maynard, Vern Richards, and
Los Angeles Theatre Organ Society, as part of the Tony Wilson. Your contribution helps to further
Mission Playhouse’s Community Engagement offset the costs to maintain our theatre pipe organs,
Program, Engage! The series continues with Wings develop programs and so much more. LATOS is an
IRS-recognized 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
(March 20), and The Goddess (May 1).
The portion of any donation above the basic
TICKETS: Only $10 in advance, $12 at the door. membership level amount of $20 is tax deductible.
Discounts for groups of ten or more. There are three
easy ways to order tickets:
Torres Plays the Mission Playhouse
 In Person: The box office is open on Tuesdays for the Fall Fun Festival on October 30, 2015
and Thursdays from 12:00pm to 5:00pm, and is
located on the west side of the Mission Playhouse
at 320 S. Mission Drive, San Gabriel, CA 91776,
adjacent to the Playhouse parking lot.
 Over the Phone: Tickets may be purchased over
the phone by calling (626) 308-2868 on Tuesdays
or Thursdays from 12:00pm to 5:00pm.
 Online: Visit missionplayhouse.org
The January issue of The Organ Log will have a full
feature article that will provide additional info about
the film, artist and the Mission Playhouse organ.
References: Axmaker, S. (2014). The General. www.silentfilm.org
Mystery Photo - Who is in the Photo?
Please send your answers to [email protected]
The first person with the correct answer will be
announced in the January issue of The Organ Log.
Edward Torres donated his time to play at the
Mission Playhouse for the Fall Fun Festival, a city
event that took place on Thursday, October 30. We
are thrilled to see our youth increasingly connecting
with the theatre pipe organ. They are our future.
Coachella Valley Theatre Organ Society
This photo is of a social meeting that was held in
September at the home of David Quinn in Palm
Springs. From left to right are some members
including Gary, Charlton Quinn, Larry Chew, Paul
Revier, Ken Double (guest), Henry Hunt and Don
Lewis. Several members of the CVTOS are also
LATOS members!
Quote of the Month:
The Organ Log – December, 2015
"Music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight
to the imagination, and life to everything." Plato
PAGE 3
ADDRESS CORRECTION REQUESTED
P.O. Box 6083
Woodland Hills, CA 91365-6083
FIRST CLASS MAIL
Southern California Theatre Organ Related Events (LATOS Events are in bold).
December 14 – Monday at 6:30pm: Joint AGO and LATOS Holiday Event at two neighboring venues
including the Wilshire Ebell Theatre at 8:00pm. The LATOS Annual Membership
Meeting will immediately follow the program at the Wilshire Ebell Theatre, and we encourage all
members to be at the meeting if at all possible. See the front page of this issue of The Organ Log for details.
January 24, 2016 – Sunday at 2:30pm: Mark Herman accompanies the classic 1926 silent film, “The
General” starring Buster Keaton at the San Gabriel Mission Playhouse at 320 S.
Mission Drive, San Gabriel, CA 91776. Details on Page 2 of this issue of the Organ Log.
ONGOING: Concerts, Movies & Shows at the Old Town Music Hall, 140 Richmond Street, El Segundo. Many shows feature the
4-manual theatre pipe organ. Call (310) 322-2592 (recorded info) or visit http://www.oldtownmusichall.org
ONGOING: Concerts at The Nethercutt Collection. Visit http://www.nethercuttcollection.org/Calendar.aspx for dates & info.
ONGOING: The Organ Grinders every 2nd Sunday of the month at 2:00pm. Open console on a Hammond Elegante (also a
volunteer pot-luck). Westminster Presbyterian Church, 1757 North Lake Ave., Pasadena, in the "Lawrence Chapel" (not in main
sanctuary). Free parking in the rear. Contact Elly Reitz 626-281-3311 for more info.
OTHER EVENTS: Visit GoOrgan.com for an extensive list of theatre and classical organ concerts throughout southern California.
LATOS Board Members
Secretary: Shirley Burt
818-667-4785
Treasurer: Don Near
President & Chair: Angie Hougen
Vice President: Henry Hunt
[email protected]
626-710-2138
Dorsey Caldwell: 626-798-1820
Steve Asimow: 818-240-9825
800-539-8944
Mark Herman: 626-791-9193
Bill Campbell
Tony Wilson: [email protected]
Visit www.LATOS.org for committee & other board member contact info including email messaging.