User:HeyBuckNasty/sandbox

Discovery and founding The site of the Hollywood Bowl was chosen in 1919 by William Reed and his son H. Ellis Reed,[4] who were dispatched to find a suitable location for outdoor performances by the members of the newly formed Theatre Arts Alliance headed by Christine Wetherill Stevenson. The Reeds selected a natural amphitheater, a shaded canyon and popular picnic spot known as 'Daisy Dell' in Bolton Canyon which was chosen for its natural acoustics and its proximity to downtown Hollywood.[5] The Community Park and Art Association, then headed by F.W. Blanchard, was the first organization to begin the building the Bowl. One of the earliest performances at the Bowl was Hollywood High School’s Performance of Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night. The Women’s World Peace Concert was held on November 11, 1921. On November 11, 1921 the first Sunrise Service took place at the bowl, in one of its first major events.[6] With the building of the first actual stage, consisting of little more than wooden platforms in and canvas, The Bowl officially opened on July 11, 1922. It was also made near a Chinese Theater.

Community Function The Bowl began as a community space rather than a privately owned establishment. Much of the proceeds from the early events at the Bowl went to financing the construction of new elements on of the bowl such as a stage and proper seating in 1922 and 1923 respectively. In 1924, a backdrop to the stage was added. During the early years of The Bowl’s existence, concert tickets were kept at the lowest available price of 25 cents using the slogan “popular prices will prevail”, coined by F.W. Blanchard. While serving as the venue for concerts by the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the Bowl also served as a community space, being used for Easter services, the Hollywood Community Chorus, as well as “Young Artists Nights” where younger musicians could perform well known classical music. Children were also invited to perform at community events with the Los Angeles Philharmonic and the Hollywood Community Chorus, beginning with Sibelius’ Finlandia in 1921. The Bowl was home to much more than western art music, hosting a variety of Native American tribal events, as well as international music ensembles. In 1924, the land was deeded to the County of Los Angeles

Women in the Bowl Many of the key influential figures in the founding of the Hollywood Bowl were women, most notably the pianist Artie Mason Carter, whose connections with the Los Angeles arts patrons were vital in the early days of the Bowls existence. Christine Wetherill Stevenson and Marie Rankin Clarke, who both donated $21,000 to purchase the land on which the bowl was built. E.J. Wakeman, Leiland Atherton Irish, Harriet Clay Penman, and composers Gertrude Ross and Carrie Jacobs Bond all contributed to the Bowl through fundraising drives.