Old Colony Memorial | Wed Mar 19,2008  By Emily Wilcox, PLYMOUTH - A nameplate on Erik Christensen’s desk reads: “The Director of Everything.” It’s funny, but it’s not that far off base in his world. Promoters like Erik Christensen who book shows all over New England and Canada get used to providing performers, the concession, the box office, hall management and safety details. They also get used to providing stars with some ridiculous stuff. One musician demanded Vitamin E capsules, another insisted on flowers in the dressing room, another wanted 10 pizzas for the bus driver, and somebody else wanted Jell-o. Yes, Jell-o. The riders, or contracts, that attend a performance can be a challenge to fulfill, particularly after shelling out thousands to have the star perform. But, it’s what Christensen does best.

That’s why, for years, many labored under the false impression that Erik Christensen, president of Loretta Laroche Productions, managed Memorial Hall. The truth is, he rented the hall for the shows and he never managed the hall. But he did everything else. The kicker is, after years of bringing headlining acts to Memorial Hall, Christensen threw his hat in the ring to manage the hall and didn’t make the cut.  Christensen isn’t miffed about the way things turned out. His smile is ironic and the shrug is real.

He now sets his sites on JunglePlex where Loretta Laroche Productions will present Beatlemania, May 2. “We work with clients across the country who assume we own Memorial hall or manage Memorial Hall,” he said. So what was the deal? Christensen explained that, seven years ago, the Radisson was managing the hall and didn’t know where to go to book entertainment. In addition, the company lacked the infrastructure, box office and promotion, that make a show successful. As president of Loretta Laroche Productions, Christensen has been promoting stress-guru, author and comedienne Loretta Laroche for years, booking her at venues all over the country. He has also run a lecture agency with 300 sports stars, stress management speakers, motivational speakers and inspirational performers. The Radisson decided to work with Loretta Laroche Productions to bring great shows to Memorial Hall. But, in the end, the Radisson didn’t make enough money at the venture to keep it going and pulled out after two years, when the town took it over again.

 “At that time, we were bringing in phenomenal national acts like Joan Baez, David Crosby – Arlo Guthrie,” Christensen said. “I’ve probably put 100,000 people into that theater through our shows alone.” The town put the management job out to bid again, while Christensen went on renting the hall for big time acts. Trace Atkins, Lee Ann Womack, Peter Wolf, Jeff Corwin and former Red Sox pitcher Bronson Arroyo performed.

But Christensen had to start pulling away from Memorial Hall for several reasons: The town uses Memorial Hall for many purposes including the Recreation Department programs, veterans organizations and the Plymouth Philharmonic. While Christensen said he strongly supports all these groups, he said it just became tough to schedule a show at the hall without overlapping into one of these local performances or events. He also had enough on his plate with his work managing Laroche – his mother – booking speakers and promoting shows all over the country and Canada. And, once you book the show and set up the expensive infrastructure, all you can do is pray the seats get filled.

“A friend of mine said, ‘You put $5,000 in a paper bag and light it on fire, and if you mind watching it burn, you have no business in the world of promoting,’” Christensen said, laughing.

And there are so many other factors that go into booking a show at Memorial Hall that aren’t usually issues at other venues with more comprehensive infrastructure. Booking a show requires concession stand, security, police and fire details, box office and a hall manager, not to mention insurance. Memorial Hall needs a box office and proper management, Christensen added.

So, when the town went in search of a manager for the hall, Christensen, initially, wanted no part of it. But, days passed, and Christensen, who can see Memorial Hall from his office window across the street, decided, in the end, to bid for the job. “I really wanted this building to work for the community,” he said. “A big piece of me said ‘Why are you doing this?’ It’s like another baby to me. I bid because I felt I owed it to the people who have come to my shows. I’ve got a great team. The irony of it all is that it went to someone else.” It was probably for the best.

Christensen just started the Project WOW, a non-profit group dedicated to raising money for education and the arts. He’s also up to his eyeballs producing his mom’s Broadway Show, and her PBS show as well. And, locally, he’ll be booking shows at JunglePlex, across from Shops at Five, at 8 Natalie Way, where Beatlemania will wow fans May 2. JunglePlex can hold 2,800 people, he said, and children’s shows like Myth Busters will be included in the upcoming schedule. So, if you’re wondering where the Loretta Laroche shows are, just ask the Director of Everything, or visit lorettalarocheproductions.com, where you can buy tickets as well.