IATSE's Don Gandolini on the Saenger Theater in New Orleans

WWNO - New Orleans Public Radio | By Karl Lengel

Published October 19, 2019 at 10:59 AM EDT

New Orleans’ Saenger Theater originally opened in 1927 as a vaudeville palace, and struggled through the ‘40s, ‘50s and ‘60s as a movie theatres accommodated changing tastes. In 1977, it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and was renovated for the large musical theatre tours of the ‘80s and ‘90s. Since then, Katrina damaged it in 2005 and it was again renovated and reopened in 2013. As officials plan an implosion on the Hard Rock site across the street, the theater building sits idle. The final week of performances of Wicked were cancelled as emergency officials determined its proximity to the site dangerous. Additionally, the roof of the Saenger may have been compromised by a breach from the Hard Rock Hotel construction site crane collapse Saturday, October 12.

Today on The Work of Art, Don Gandolini joins us. Gandolini is International Representative for IATSE and a prominent member of Local 39 in New Orleans - IATSE is the International Alliance of Theatrical and Stage Employees, which provides artisans and local labor for entertainment productions around the world and here in and out of the Saenger Theater.

Support for The Work of Art is provided by The Helis Foundation.New Orleanian Don Gandolini, IATSE International Representative and member of Local 39, reflects on his personal history with the Saenger Theater. The theater sits across Rampart Street from the Hard Rock Hotel construction site, which collapsed on Saturday, October 12, 2019, killing three workers and injuring scores of others. A crane falling in the incident may have breached the roof of the storied theater, adding to the building's struggle to remain a presence in the city.

Karl Lengel

Karl Lengel has returned to New Orleans to serve as WWNO’s local host for All Things Considered, a post he held here pre-Katrina. Besides radio, Karl has had a long theatrical career too; read on to learn all about our talented and versatile announcer! He and his wife Ann Casey are delighted to be back home in New Orleans! Karl Lengelhas worked in the lively arts as an actor, announcer, manager, director, administrator and teacher. In broadcast, he has accumulated almost 20 years of on-air experience, in formats ranging from AOR and pop music to classical and jazz, in stations in West Virginia, Pennsylvania, New Orleans and New York. Karl started at WWNO in 2000 as a sub announcer for NPR and classical music programming. From 2003-2005, Karl was WWNO’s All Things Considered anchor, and worked again as a sub at WWNO in 2012-13. When not on the air, Karl could be found backstage as a stage manager in live theatrical productions, including Broadway productions of Miss Saigon and Minnelli on Minnelli, and national tours of Les Miserables, Cats, Bring in ‘da Noise, Bring in ‘da Funk, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and Annie. Karl is proud to be a member of Actors’ Equity Association. In May, 2018, Karl stage managed his first opera, Le Nozzi di Figaro for OperaNaples. Karl also has established a resume as an actor, appearing in various New Orleans’ productions at Southern Rep and the Tulane Shakespeare Festival from 2000-2005. Elsewhere, audiences in Orlando, New York and Washington DC have seen performances in productions ranging from Benedik in Much Ado About Nothing to Henry Higgins in Pygmalion. Karl shares a five decade love and friendship with his wife, performer Ann Casey. Their daughters Jessica and Gretchen live in Florida and Colorado, and Karl and Ann spend any free time they can with their two granddaughters in Florida. “Gee, but it’s good to be back home…”

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