Today we’d like to introduce you to Gilbert Smith. They and their team shared their story with us below:
Gilbert Smith, President of The Montalbán Company, LLC. Gil treats his role as Chair as “hands-on,” directing both the operation and management on a daily basis while producing entertainment content. All of Gil’s skills and past creative achievements were called into play when it turned out that he created a team that would actually save The Montalbán and the hopes, dreams, and legacy that Ricardo Montalbán began.
Gil Smith was elected to the Board of Directors of The Ricardo Montalbán Foundation in September 2006, appointed to the Executive Board as Secretary in October 2006, and elected Chair in 2010. He is also the Executive Producer of The Montalbán on Vine Street in Hollywood.
During his tenure, over $3.5 million has been invested in improvements to the theatre itself and in the presentation of many notable productions, among them Jesus Christ Superstar with the original cast, The Who’s Tommy, and most recently John Leguizamo’s Ghetto Klown. As part of its outreach mission, the theatre has hosted community meetings, charity functions, and no-charge performances of local non-profit performing groups such as Harmony Project. Under Gil’s guidance, with the aim of improving the audience experience, the theatre has installed a Roof Court, VIP areas in the rear orchestra, and digital interactive photo and listening stations. These innovative upgrades and expansions will attract high-quality productions and transform what has historically been a “roadhouse theatre” into a significant performing arts center.
Long before his involvement with the foundation and theatre, Gil had become an internationally recognized advertising photographer specializing in high-action automotive and sports-industry images. He is regarded as an innovator in live and simulated-action photography, evidence of which can be seen in campaigns for American, European, and Japanese auto manufacturers, including GM, Ford, Daimler Chrysler, Nissan, Jeep, Porsche, Renault, Peugeot, and Volvo. He has also helped develop memorable identities for Kawasaki, Yamaha, and Honda motorcycles, Bosche, and B.F. Goodrich has contributed to sports-oriented advertising programs of Pepsi, Oakley, and Michelin that were aimed at sports fans.
Known for the velocity and unusual angles of his images, Gil is a member of “Explorers of Light,” a prestigious group of professionals chosen and sponsored by Canon USA to push the boundaries of existing film, digital, and printing techniques. Over the course of his 28-year career, he has won numerous advertising and photography awards, including AdWeek’s Beldings, Carnegie Mellon’s Andys, Communication Arts magazine’s photographic competitions, and The One Club’s “The One Show.”
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back, would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
The Montalbán Theatre was acquired in 1999. The Montalbán has a prime location but had the problem of age associated with the changing world of theatre and entertainment. It was conceived in 1925 and was completed for opening as a legitimate proscenium arch stage in 1927. With the crash of 1929, it changed hands and creative direction when the theatre was sold to Howard Hughes. He modified the legitimate theatre and made the first automated motion picture theater as a prototype to his chain of RKO Mirror theaters in 1932. It was purchased by CBS and converted into a national radio broadcast theatre in 1937, and it was renovated and converted back to being a legitimate stage with Huntington Hartford in 1954. ‘The theatre was then sold to become The Doolittle Theatre in 1967.
The entire venue needed complete overhaul with all utilities, wiring, plumbing, wall finishes, lighting, sound, and communications. The structure itself is a great testament to great builders in the 1920s but were now faced with making reports and potential retrofit to our theatre structure in coordination with code changes with the City of Los Angeles. We have marketed and advertised our reclaimed status as a live theatre in Hollywood.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I was creating advertising campaigns with clients wanting to send their messages to their consumer public. We are now negotiating with show and event producers for up to 18 months in advance of the opening nights. We have built up our reputation to where staff members have graduated to occupy significant positions at other theatre companies. Our success has been based on young aspiring adults wanting to be introduced and immersed into theatre for the first time. Many of our employees come from impoverished backgrounds. Our goal is to mentor and to embrace change.
We’d love to hear about how you think about risk-taking.
Risk is my second nature. I have been risk-taking with my running studios with major accounts in advertising and now with our rebuilding our theatre in a post-pandemic period. Our awareness to how fragile social interaction guides our decisions has been heightened significantly with the forced shuttering of all theatres in March 2020. We are always looking to have the formula that creates hit shows.
Pricing:
- We have a range of $25.00-200.00
Contact Info:
- Website: TheMontalban.com
- Instagram: @The_Montalban
- Facebook: The Montalban
- Twitter: @TheMontalban
- Youtube: The Montalban
Image Credits
Lionel Garcia
