Event producer: The Johnny Mercer Theater is vital to our entertainment and arts scene

Paul Mazo is an event designer and producer at Stage Front, working on everything from large corporate events to concerts.

I have read many articles and letters from the public about the Johnny Mercer Theater and I want to bring a unique perspective to the narrative - that of someone who has made a living doing events in there for over 30 years.

I have been an advocate for keeping the Johnny Mercer Theater since it was announced a few years ago that a previous city council was planning to destroy it and the MLK Arena once the Enmarket Arena was completed.

As an event professional who has worked many hundreds of events within the theater, ranging from dance recitals to large concerts, I bring insight that none of the other opinion writers can bring.

I also would like to share facts to bolster the narrative that the Johnny Mercer Theater is a necessary part of the arts and entertainment scene that Savannah offers.

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First of all, let’s talk about the sound system. Many people comment that the theater has a bad sound system. You need to understand that the installed sound system was created as a voice-reinforcement system for light music playback and for community events. It was never designed for high-level concert use. With this in mind, many roadshows bring in their own sound systems that are installed just for their shows and leave when they’re done. These systems are, obviously, designed to be used in all sizes of venues and often are just too much for the theater.

The touring sound engineers often don’t understand that the theater was purpose-built as a performance theater with symphonic performances in mind, which is why you see the "clouds" overhead - their purpose is to direct the acoustic sounds to the audience so everyone will be able to hear the performances.

When the touring engineers over mix (read: make it too loud) the acts, it actually creates the problem by making the overall sound more like mush than increasing the intelligibility and clarity of the show, hence the “bad sound” moniker that the room as been known to have.

By simply controlling the sound coming off of the stage and spending some time working on levels in the room, the shows can sound great. I have witnessed so many shows of the past year that have had people coming away remarking on how good it sounded. I know because I’ve been in the audio booth and received those comments more often than not in my times in there.

More letters: Charleston's Gaillard Center shows us what the Johnny Mercer Theater could be

Next, let’s address the production amenities that are installed in the theater. Not only does it have a (basic) sound system, but it also has an installed lighting system that has recently been upgraded with many new LED lighting fixtures and a new lighting console so the system can be used for many more types of events without having to bring in rental equipment.

There is also what’s called a “fly system” which is a complicated system of pipes, ropes and weights that allow scenic elements (like backdrops and curtains and even hanging projection and LED wall video screens) to be hung and moved in and out as needed. This is an integral part of any true theater show and it cannot be duplicated in the arena without great, probably ridiculous expense.

In the past few years, hundreds of thousands of dollars have been spent bringing the old fly system up to current specs which is both functional and safer for people working and performing on the stage.

A former city manager made the case to a previous city council that the arena could be upgraded to match the theatre's capabilities. Nothing could be further from the truth.

This is not a dig against the Enmarket Arena, as it is an excellent, well-thought-out facility, but it does not have a performance sound system installed. It is a center-mounted system that is a “public address” system used primarily for sports events and we plan to use it for the Chatham County high school graduations coming up this year (it’s perfect for that). Any performance sound systems will have to be brought in, with the promoter or the house paying the price for that (anywhere from $5,000 to upwards of $20,000 depending on the system).

There is no performance lighting system in the new arena so any event will have to bring in an overhead lighting system that, in its most basic form, could be an additional $5,000 plus labor for installation.

As for the fly system for any stage pieces - there is nothing of the sort available in the arena. Once again, someone would have to foot the bill to bring in something like that if it even exists. I have been doing arena events for over 40 years and have never seen a portable grid/fly system, and the cost would be through the roof (no pun intended).

If they choose to do an intimate, theater-type show in the new arena, then they will hang a floor-to-ceiling drape all the way across the arena to make it half-house for the smaller theater audiences, which can cost upwards of $7,500 before the labor to hang it - who is paying for that?

The reason I mention all of these things is that the arena is just that: an arena, not a theater.

If you take a look at the acts that have been in the Johnny Mercer in the past year, you see everything from Country to R&B to Rock - using all the house audio and lighting equipment. The theater gets used a lot. Just Google Savannah Civic Center events and you’ll see things from Aaron Lewis, The Fab Four... even Disney Princess in Concert - you get the drift, right? None of these are arena shows.

Related letter: Johnny Mercer Theatre is a vital mid-sized venue in Savannah

In Savannah, we have the Cultural Arts Center at just about 400 seats in the auditorium, The Lucas Theater (operated by SCAD) which has about 1,200 seats, the SCAD Theater, also with about 1,100 seats and we have the Mercer at about 2,500 seats.

The roadshows that use the Mercer have to have that many seats to make money - they can’t just transition the shows to a half-size theater and expect to walk away with anything in their pockets after the shows (and they are in the business of making money).

If we lose the Johnny Mercer Theater, all of the shows that we’ve grown to anticipate coming to town just won’t - they’ll go to theaters in Charleston or Jacksonville and we will have a huge void in our entertainment menu in our town.

Yes, I have a personal stake in keeping the theater - I work in there. I make my living in the event and entertainment business and I think that losing it would be an awful legacy to leave to our children and grandchildren, not to mention each other. Savannah needs our 2,500-seat theater: The Johnny Mercer Theater.

This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Johnny Mercer Theater vital to Savannah's entertainment and arts scene