Chautauqua Institution Amphitheater Staff

08/05/2024

So glad, and proud, to see the tradition of the Amp Crew dinner continue! Still feel the love of Jared Jacobsen who helped sponsor this event for many years and got the party started. It’s all about family, right?

07/17/2024

07/15/2024

🔔 UPDATE🔔
We are thrilled to share that today, at the Television Critics Association Summer Press Tour, PBS and Chautauqua Institution announced the production of a new nationwide documentary: CHAUTAUQUA AT 150: WYNTON MARSALIS’ ALL RISE. This one-hour documentary film will air on PBS in early 2025.

The documentary is centered around a new “All Rise” production written by award-winning trumpeter and composer Wynton Marsalis. Originally premiered in 1999, this jazz symphony will be performed by the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra (JLCO) with Wynton Marsalis, as well as a symphonic orchestra and choir. The Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra (JLCO) with Wynton Marsalis will be in residence at Chautauqua during the final week of our 150th anniversary season, Aug. 17-25.

Learn more in our latest blog post below:
🔗 https://www.chq.org/blog/pbs-and-chautauqua-institution-announced-the-production-of-a-new-one-hour-documentary-film-chautauqua-at-150-wynton-marsalis-all-rise/

07/10/2024

Back for more CSO!

07/09/2024

What a great catch-up evening!! I had dinner and conversation with Daryl Goldberg and Steve Swank at their perfect hideaway. Then landed at Chautauqua Suites before heading to the Lakeview. Quiet conversation with Cole Maddux for a while and the Christopher James Dahlie joined us. Then the icing on the cake. A group of Chautauquans from my early tenure arrived. I was soon fist bumping with folks I knew as sweepers 35 years ago!!!
There is only one place in the world where this happens and it is Chautauqua Institution!

07/08/2024

So great to see Amp alum Heather Gibb-Dunegan! She was given a tour of the new building and had her photo taken in the Sid Caesar movie chairs. Thank you Jenni Propst and John Woodey for continuing the tradition!!

07/08/2024

I couldn’t resist stopping by the Amphitheater to listen to Alexander Gavrylyuk’s piano time(it’s a workout for all: piano technician, programmer, and sound technicians) this afternoon. His concert is at 8:15pm this evening.

07/07/2024

Currently sitting in the Amp Production Office just listening to the CSO as they play the score to Jurassic Park. They sound fantastic!

07/05/2024

What a wonderful Fourth of July! I could ramble on in detail about why it was so, but I'll just leave it as feeling blessed to have experienced so many full circles during my visit to Chautauqua.
The icing on the cake was seeing the torch being passed to Andrew La Favor as he did a spot on flag drop in Stars and Stripes.

What I have witnessed in the past several days has been an incredible compliment. My most significant mentor, Ralph Hoffmann, told me many times, "As a manager, if you make you self indispensable, you are a failure." Standing outside the perimeter this evening and watching another amazing event happen left me thinking I had learned my lesson and would have made Ralph proud. Another full circle!

photo credit: Lee Heinz

06/30/2024

CHQ family and friends,

I am teaching a Special Studies class on how productions happen at the Amphitheater. It is geared for the non-professional to have an understanding of the complexities involved in a "normal" day's work.

The class is meeting this week, 3:30-5:00pm Mo-Th(I may add a bonus session on Fr). There are some seats still available so please join us if you are in the area! I'm sure there will be a few good stories to share.

Registration info can be found at:

Week 2 | M, Tu, W, Th | Hultquist 201B | Ages 16+

06/17/2024

Amp family, does anyone out there have photos of the interior of the old spot booth? Asking for a friend. 🙂

05/31/2024

NORMANDY 80: The 80th Anniversary of D-Day.
We are happy to announce that in conjunction with the Airborne Center we will be jumping the following locations and dates:
- June 3 Sainte Marie du Mont
- June 4 Boutteville
- June 6 Graigne

Come watch us jump, meet the team, and celebrate the greatest generation.
AATW

05/09/2024

04/22/2024

Just had a great catch-up lunch with Amp Alum(‘84-‘87?) Doug Brunskill aka Travis Bickle. I wore my Mayville, NY ball cap proudly for him. Looking forward to spending more time together sometime in the near future as we still have many stories to tell!

04/13/2024

Congratulations to Chautauqua’s own Betsy Burgeson, who will be a keynote speaker at the Chautauqua County Master Gardeners 2024 Gardening Symposium. Sponsored by Chautauqua County Master Gardeners will be held Saturday, May 4, from 9 am - 3 pm at Jamestown Community College. Thank you for helping Chautauqua grow! 🌳 🌼 🌿

04/11/2024

Salman Rushdie interview will air on 60 Minutes this Sunday.

In his first television interview since he was attacked at a literary festival in Chautauqua, New York almost two years ago, author Salman Rushdie details his experience to Anderson Cooper. Sunday on 60 Minutes.

04/07/2024

03/14/2024

Just announced. This will be a fun one!!

Welcome to Chautauqua Institution! We are a community of artists, educators, thinkers, faith leaders and friends dedicated to exploring the best in humanity.

03/12/2024

I just learned about Steve Lawrence's passing on March 7. Did any of my Amp family out there attend the Steve Lawrence and Eydie Gorme performance? I am taking a guess that it was August 26, 1994. I have a memory of stringing lots of freakin' ficus trees with white lights. Also of Mr. Lawrence in his slippers and monogrammed robe having a chat with stagehands outside the SR dressing rooms(obviously pre-black mold days). It's a shame we didn't have a silver Sharpie on hand.

02/24/2024

Paul LaPlaca is keeping busy these days. The Jamestown native is working on his own solo project while getting ready for a release of Drift Into Black’s new lineup of songs. In full disclosure, I went to Jamestown High School with Paul, and we, along with drummer Brent Isaacson, would jam as a tri...

02/10/2024

https://wapo.st/3SBtdSd

Opera appears to be in serious trouble, with recovery from the pandemic exacting a brutal toll on companies that were already struggling

02/10/2024

I am deeply saddened to share this news about Dan Bolles. He was a face you always counted on seeing almost daily at the Amp.

I am so happy to have been able to offer him a ticket to the Hall of Fame Enshrinement back in August. I rang him up I think the day before. His response was, “Yes! I can make that and be back in time to do my shift at the Amp".

Though he always looked sharp in his penny and bow time, the memory I am going to keep in the front is of him in a Bills jersey with a fierce smile. Go, Bills! Go, Dan!!

Services for Dan Bolles will be held as follows:

Visitation at Riles & Woolley Funeral Home, 39 Main Street in Forestville, on Tuesday, February 13th from 2 to 4PM and from 7 to 9PM, and on Ash Wednesday, February 14th, from 2 to 5PM.

Funeral services will be held here at St. Paul on Thursday, February 15th at 11:00AM. The service will be livestreamed on this page.

01/08/2024

Joe was one of the first to interview me back in '84 for my position at the Amp. He was then acting President. Our conversation became "colorful" almost immediately. I knew right then I would find Chautauqua to be a place to be like no other, especially with Joe in the room. Thank you, Joe! I raise a glass to you.

Joseph Clayton Johnson, 81, of Ashville, NY, died January 5 at home, surrounded by family. Joe was born March 6, 1942, in Jamestown, NY, to Clayton and Mary (Trainor) Johnson. He graduated from Jamestown High School in 1959 and earned a bachelor’s degree in economics at the University of Michigan ...

01/06/2024

12/30/2023

As we continue to reflect on the passing of Tom Smothers and the extraordinary legacy of the Smothers Brothers, here are some highlights of their 2019 visit to the…

12/06/2023

12/03/2023

It was a treat to spend several hours of quality time hanging out with Chautauqua Institution Amphitheater Staff brother Andrew Williamson this evening. It was doubly good as I was also able to say a hello to a bunch of colleagues from IA Local 14 that I haven't seen in over a year!

I was very happy to grab this photo of Andrew from the vom behind the remote B stage. The show looked great, this time even better with the FOH and robospot trusses up!

Almost "Home Go!" time.

09/08/2023

Go, Josh!

Playing the organ to a high standard is one hell of a triumph – but for Josh Stafford, his two hands were not enough to fully get his point across. As the song’s legendary rock section kicks in – you’ll notice that this virtuosic performance actually involves Stafford using his feet to play another set of bass keys beneath the organ.

Watch the performance in the comments below 👇👇👇

08/26/2023

Retiring Amphitheater Manager Keith Schmitt drives off in his golf cart with Jeremy Warsitz, former Amp crew chief, after he was honored before the Chautauqua Symphony Orchestra performance last Saturday