You know the cartoon. Bugs Bunny is woken up by a performing opera singer and takes matters into his own hands. Impersonating Leopold Stokowski in a white wig and tuxedo, he makes the hapless tenor hold a note so long he literally bringing down the house around his own ears. The cartoon is the 1949 Chuck Jones' classic, Long-Haired Hare, and the "house" in question is the Hollywood Bowl.
Every Summer, my wife, friends, and I will go to the Bowl several times. We usually pick up dinner and wine from Trader Joe’s (a great small grocery chain in Southern California), grab the cheapest seats we can get (usually about $15, the $1 seats for the weeknight classical concerts go fast), enjoy the great and varied performances, and wonder what it would be like to sit in the coveted box seats in the front.
We’ve seen rock, country, and classical concerts. The world music series is always interesting. There’s Bossa Nova, Mexican Mariachis, Reggae, Bollywood night, and this year’s discovery Portuguese Fado and Electronic Tango. But the reason I put it in this journal are the special shows where the Bowl Orchestra provides the soundtrack. There’s Bugs on Broadway, The Sound of Music Sing Along, Video Games Live to name a few. One of my favorite performances was a presentation of the PBS series Blue Planet. Another is the yearly return of John Williams to the Bowl to play his movie scores. And yes, there will be a light saber or two in the audience on these nights.
Located on the hillsides of Bolton Canyon, The Bowl is one of the largest natural amphitheaters in the world, with a current seating capacity of just under 18,000. The Bowl has been the summer home of the Los Angeles Philharmonic since its opening in 1922, and, in 1991 gave its name to a resident ensemble, the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra.
Go to
www.hollywoodbowl.org for a full schedule and details on how to get to the bowl on performance nights. Parking nearby can be expensive or near impossible. It’s best to use one of the 14 Park & Ride locations or four Shuttle Bus lots. You park for free (except Hollywood & Highland Shuttle Lot) and take a short ride costing $3.
There are three types of seating at the Bowl: box seats, SuperSeats, and bench seats. Box Seats are canvas-covered collapsible chairs in groups of 4 (or 6) surrounded by wooden partitions. SuperSeats are stadium-style molded plastic seats. Most of the seating at the Bowl consists of numbered Bench Seats. There is no lawn seating available. Seat cushions and binoculars are available to rent even though large video screens flanking the stage help you see what is going on even from the cheap seats. One word about the cheap seats, you will have the occasional loud eater or wine happy loud talker. Try to not let is bother you, or get the more expensive seats.