Getting In on the Act

Lao Tizer is a special kind of street performer. He’s a classically trained musician who composes the contemporary instrumental music he plays, which includes classical, jazz and New Age elements.

Before each performance, he sets up a big keyboard, synthesizer, large speakers and colored lights. Then it’s show time. Tizer becomes immersed in his music, his blond locks waving in the air as he plays melodies for the attentive crowd.

A woman approaches Tizer after the first tune.

“You are very talented,” she says. “I bought your CD and my son, me and my mom love it. It’s not often you find music that three different generations enjoy.”

The whole setup--sound, high-tech equipment and light show--is pretty fancy stuff for a street performer.

But not when you play at Universal CityWalk like Tizer. You won’t find some guy in dirty clothes sitting in a corner of a busy sidewalk struggling to play a beat-up accordion for change.

This is a sophisticated scene. The numerous performers who entertain pedestrians at CityWalk are talented and formally trained. They have to be to make the cut. Only 22 of the approximately 75 acts that audition yearly get the chance to play regularly there.

Besides two open auditions a year, talent scouts at Universal receive about five tapes and eight phone calls a day from performers who want the opportunity to bring their acts to CityWalk.

“Many of them are amateurs, which is not the quality we’re looking for,” says Stephanie Parker, who picks and schedules acts at Universal. “We’ve had robots and very inexperienced jugglers contact us that never had a chance.”

It’s not like all the professional acts make it, either. Landing a spot on CityWalk is highly competitive.

Evidently, those with hopes of making it to the top consider it a great place to showcase their talent. Many believe it’s a step to bigger and better things.

“Some of these people have even done TV and film, or they’ve been in big festivals,” Parker says. “What we’re looking for are acts that we feel enhance the experience of our guests.”

The toughest performers to pick are musicians, Parker says, because there are so many great ones, yet many are rejected to make room for other kinds of acts.

“Music is not the only element we want here, so we turn down a lot of really good bands,” Parker says. “But we want to be more well-rounded in terms of the acts we offer our visitors.”

Among the acts are magicians, dancers, ventriloquists, jugglers, mimes, fire-eaters and roller skaters.

The musical acts feature talented groups such as the Blue Tones, which play regularly at House of Blues in West Hollywood.

Singer and rhythm-guitar player James Mitchell Jr. has also performed with a variety of gospel groups, and guitarist Melvin Whittington has worked with artists such as Little Richard and the Whispers.

The Angels of Venice, a trio whose tunes feature harp, flute and piano, have opened for such well-known musicians as Sting and Jackson Brown. They also played at the “Three Tenors” concert at Dodger Stadium in 1995.

Performing on the street may not seem as prestigious as playing in big venues, but it has its rewards, says Carol Tatum, who lives in Glendale and plays harp for Angels of Venice.

“When you play so close to people, you’re right in the middle of the human experience,” she says. “People talk to us and give us great feedback. And you’re 2 feet away; so you can see the joy in their eyes. You don’t have that kind of contact in concerts.”

Tatum and the rest of the group--flute player Trisha Hanson and pianist Joanne Paratore--all make a living as musicians, yet they find the street scene exciting.

“It’s a great experience that we really enjoy,” Tatum says. “Plus it really helps promote us.”

Certainly they’re not doing it for the money. Performers accept tips from the public but don’t get paid by Universal. The exposure, they say, is priceless.

“This is Hollywood! What more can I say?” says Tizer, a Colorado native who moved to Southern California to be discovered. “It’s an honor to be here.”

Tizer is only 18 years old but has produced three albums that feature, among other things, acoustic piano pieces.

In the five months he’s played at CityWalk, he has sold more than 4,000 albums. That’s another perk. The folks at Universal allow artists to sell their stuff during their performances. “Plus I’m in the middle of the entertainment industry here,” Tizer says. “This is the perfect place to be.”

No matter what time or day you visit CityWalk, you’re bound to be entertained just walking down the promenade. In the evenings, there are more acts to choose from--an average of six.

Performers rotate in five-hour shifts, and most play three times a week. The acts are scattered throughout the stretch of the shop- and restaurant-lined promenade. They are strategically placed near the movie theaters, large fountain and in front of several stores. Thousands of people see them each week.

“I was playing in the streets of Denver and, I’ll tell you what, I was not going to be seen in Colorado,” Tizer says. “Not like here.”

BE THERE

Universal CityWalk in Universal City, Hollywood Freeway at Lankershim Boulevard. Street performances are from noon till about 9 p.m. most days. Information: 622-4455.