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LET’S GO (BACK) TO THE LEVITT

The Levitt Pavilion for the Performing Arts has a full slate of shows on tap this month and throughout the spring/summer/ fall. To check out the May concert lineup, just look to the ensuing page. The fun starts with Jonathan Tyler & the Northern Lights on May 7.

After a year of adjusting for the pandemic, the show is about to go on – again

When the Levitt Pavilion for the Performing Arts kicks of its 2021 season with a May 7 concert by Jonathan Tyler & the Northern Lights, more than a few longtime patrons will be excited to return to one of their favorite music venues. One relative newcomer to the scene, Levitt Pavilion Executive Director Letatia Teykl, will “see” their elation and “raise” them some unbridled joy.

You see, Teykl assumed her position at the Levitt in November of 2019, some six months before COVID-19, in essence, canceled the show at the popular concert hall. Thanks to some resourcefulness and a lot of remarkable coordination among Levitt administrators, city leaders and artists eager just to make some music during the pandemic, a virtual season became possible.

Ultimately, once social distancing measures were put in place, live music returned on occasion in the fall. But the piecemeal 2020 season never enjoyed the buzz that had marked its predecessors, making 2021 all the more exhilarating.

“We learned that you can adapt as you go,” Teykl says, recalling her maiden voyage as executive director. “Everybody had to be resourceful last year, but nobody gave up trying to make the most of a rather challenging situation.”

In fact, what occurred last year will make this year even better – in tangible ways that might not have become possible without some inherent rethinking.

Teykl says the pause gave her and the Levitt Board more time to assess where the venue stands in the grand scheme and to tap its resources in unprecedented ways. Four committees were formed – Outreach, Board Governance, Sponsorship and Partnership, and Finance – to help the venue better attract crowds and organizations eager to support the arts and further expand its reach across the musical spectrum. Teykl says the city’s distinction as one of Texas’ “Music Friendly Communities” now opens doors that were previously shut. The bottom line: The Levitt will attract betterknown musical talent moving forward.

It also will feature some tribute bands, such as Infnite Journey and Desperado (an Eagles tribute group), as well as spotlight “up and comers” to open shows. This month, those shows open. Just look to the schedule to the right, and start making your Levitt Itinerary.