 Concerning the proposals for the Harlem and South Boulevard corner, I find the performing arts complex very interesting, despite the snide, inappropriate comment by your writer [Condos, arts center proposed for Harlem/South site, News, Oct. 18]. Les Golden certainly reaches high, but I wonder what developer could actually pull this off, if any.
It’s a major project. It all hinges, from Golden’s presentation at the Carleton Hotel, on getting corporate backing. How can Golden pull this off by himself? With all due respect to his creative impulses, I think he’ll find it difficult. But a committee composed of Mr. Golden, a village trustee or official, a member of an Oak Park performing arts group, and a prominent businessman might be able, together, to convince a major corporation to provide the money.
Also, lots of present and former CSO players live in Oak Park and I wonder if they’d like rehearsal rooms, practice rooms, art galleries, etc. in the complex named after them in return for $25,000 or $50,000 donations. That would be in addition to the corporate sponsorship and sponsorship of the theaters by our locally-raised TV and movie stars.
I’d like to make another suggestion. I’m a former show band trombone player in Lake Tahoe. Oak Park has many, many top- flight jazz players, such as the #1 pianist in the area, Jeremy Kahn, and the #1 guitar player in the area, John Lewis. Mambo Express people live here. If the performing arts project gets the go-ahead, we should form a jazz big band of local pros and play every month or so at an outdoor concert when it’s warm, and in one of the nightclubs when it’s cold. What a gas that would be!
The emcee? Dick Buckley of WBEZ, of course, another Oak Parker. Neil Tesser, the jazz critic, also lives in the Chicago area. Dick and Neil could give a series of lectures on the history of jazz with our local musicians providing live illustrations.
More: Richard Christiansen the retired Chicago Tribune drama critic is a former Oak Parker. He could give a series of post- curtain discussions of the various plays that are presented. How about a studio for TV production and broadcasts and a radio station while we’re at it?
Do I sound excited about the possibilities of this venture? I sure do. We’ve got tons of talent in Oak Park. Time to use it for the benefit of the community!