Pechanga Tribal Nation

TAI and Pechanga team for opening

Pechanga readies for theater debut

June 19, 2002
AGNES DIGGS - Staff Writer - NCTimes.com

TEMECULA ---- While much has been made of the slot machines and conference center, the Pechanga Resort & Casino complex will also offer the area something it's never had before ---- a 1,200-seat state-of-the-art theater.

Entering through the main lobby of the hotel, past the cascading water wall and the giant oak tree, visitors can get a glimpse of the some of the resorts other amenities on the way to box office.

The theater, in keeping with the rest of the overall design motif, reflects the Pechanga culture in color and decor. Above the theater's entry doors is a mural done mainly in shades of blue which melds the modern and traditional. It depicts faces of members of the tribe among the clouds watching over a man in jeans and a work shirt under the ancestral tribal feather skirt.

The inner walls of the amphitheater-style structure are lined with sconces made of stylized lilies, and the orchestra pit in front of the stage converts to an apron, or forestage.

"What I like is that it's going to bring a different kind of entertainment that we didn't get very often," said Russell "Butch" Murphy during a recent tour of the facility. "Live performances --- plays --- that you don't see very often. Not in Temecula."

In the old showroom, which the theater will replace, spectators sat on flat seats, in folding chairs in a tent, Murphy said. Now they will have plush chairs and cup holders for their convenience.

"It's a step up," he said.

Planners used a computer program to conceptualize the theater, placing cyberpatrons in the seats to show each spectator's perspective to make sure there would be no bad views.

For the inaugural entertainment season, casino officials worked in conjunction with Theatrical Arts International bring high-caliber productions to the new venue. TAI has experience in producing popular theater. It brought "Miss Saigon," "Cats" and "The Phantom of the Opera" to the California Theater in San Bernardino.

Beginning in October, Pechanga will host four TAI shows: "Grease," "Amadeus," "Copacabana" and "Moulin Rouge."

The original plan was for five performances, one each on Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings, and a Saturday and Sunday matinee. Season tickets to the Friday, Saturday and Sunday performances sold out quickly at prices up to $175. Pechanga officials opted to add Thursday night shows to the schedule. Single tickets go on sale to the public on Aug. 5. Officials expect to be 80 percent sold out at opening.

"So you can see what the valley was missing, " said Kathleen Mitchell, special events manager.

Theatrical Arts International, based in San Bernardino, is in its fifth season. The group is working to rebuild the theater market in the Inland Empire by offering high quality productions minus the long commute to Los Angeles for theater lovers, said Zeke Garza, spokesman for the group.

Pechanga will provide the staff, the theater and help promote the productions. Casino officials have purchased 200 tickets to offer two with a room in package deals.

The showroom will also feature concerts, with two shows a night beginning June 28 with Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons and June 29 with the Righteous Brothers. Other scheduled performances include Boz Scaggs, the Doobie Brothers and an acoustic evening with Wynona.

"We feel obligated to have entertainment for the hotel guests," one official said. "There's going to be a lot of action. We don't make money off the entertainment. It's an amenity we offer."

The schedule is set up so that during a 12-month period, a variety of events will take place ---- a concert, a show, or a championship boxing match. Entertainment offerings will include more jazz and there will be live piano in the rooftop lounge called the Eagle's Nest.

Kathleen Mitchell, 34, a recent transplant to Temecula, and another local woman are throwing their energy into making sure all goes smoothly on the entertainment front. Mitchell, formerly with Cesars in Lake Tahoe, has 12 years experience in the field but said this is her biggest project so far. She has a degree in speech communication and started out as a marketing assistant but said she always wanted to be an event planner. A lot of her training was on-the-job, she said.

Marlene Pangelinan, 39, has been with the casino for five years. The Murrieta resident, mother of two, said she is happy for the guests who will soon get to experience the new complex.

"Coming from the Pavilion, the old building and the event tent ---- it's just amazing," Pangelinan said. "I can't wait. I'm so excited. To know the customers are going to be taken care of. To know the guests will be happy."

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