Soka University Welcomes New General Manager

Growing up, David Palmer thought he didn’t have a chance to manage a theater or stage, since he couldn’t sing or dance. 

“My parents loved to sing and play big-band music, but all I could do was play a mean stereo,” Palmer said. “Plus, they never encouraged me to be in the arts.”

Still, he remembers how exciting it was when he attended his first theater show in third grade.

“I remember going to see The Reluctant Dragon and how much being in that environment piqued my interest,” he said. “I was inspired by the whole experience.”

Palmer didn’t pursue his love of the theater because he felt “relatively good” in math and science and didn’t see how he could make a living from theater—until college.

“I was an accounting major and took a stage lighting class for non-theater majors that blew me away,” said Palmer. “I was intrigued by the technical aspect of how the lighting works, and that is when I learned how I can combine my skills in electronics and technology in a creative environment.”

Palmer knew he had found his niche.

Since 1974 he’s made a living out of creating art. His most recent success includes managing Whittier College’s 400-seat Ruth B. Shannon Center for the Performing Arts.

“I pretty much opened and developed this theater for 19 years,” he said.

Now he is taking on a new and much bigger role as general manager of the 1,000-seat Soka Performing Arts Center, which will officially open in September.

“It’s been very interesting and rewarding so far,” Palmer said, who said he isn’t fazed by this new endeavor. “It’s a brand new challenge, but I’m used to opening and developing theaters.”

Palmer is in charge of setting up the box office system, launching the website, hiring staff, programming events for the facility and renting its space.

The private, four-year liberal-arts college and graduate school faculty believe the addition of the center will bring more attention to the campus that opened in 2001 in Aliso Viejo.

“David has all the qualifications we were looking for,” said Wendy Harder, director of community relations for Soka University. “He already has the previous experience of hiring an entire staff, figuring out what programs to put on the first year and has the necessary contacts.”

The Performing Arts Center, which cost an estimated $73 million, includes two buildings—a 1,000 seat concert hall theater, a 150-seat black box theater, a classroom building and a dance studio.

“I am really excited about the concert hall because it is ideal and large enough to play classical music, but also intimate enough for a great sounding string quartet performance,” he said. “We can also use the hall to play jazz music, certain types of dance and have theater performances like Shakespeare.” 

Palmer also believes that the new center will be welcomed by residents, as it will complement existing arts facilities in the area such as the Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa and the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles.

“There was a need to have an arts center in South Orange County,” he said. “People now have a new option to go somewhere local.”

Palmer said that the eco-friendly building is also welcoming for students and members of the theater industry who believe in “being kind to Mother Earth.” 

“I personally like how advanced the building is,” said student Yumi Look.

The facility is built to LEED certification standards for energy and water efficiency and includes green roofs to reduce cooling load and storm water runoff. The lobby lights can measure the amount of daylight that comes in, and sensors calculate the appropriate amount of light to save energy. 

Palmer is still working on programs for the first season— slated to begin Sept. 17—and hasn’t released any event information.

He notes that the university’s Buddhist philosophy fits perfectly with the center’s programming development.

“We are all part of the same global world, and our mission at the university is to live as global citizens,” said Palmer, a Michigan native who lives in Irvine. “I am excited to bring programs to the university that embraces this global perspective and bring influences from Russia, New Zealand, the South Pacific and Germany.” 

Palmer is also collaborating with public schools so students can visit the center on school field trips for free and get inspired by art as he did many years ago.

“It is a shame there have been so many budget cuts in arts programs recently, because the arts are the gateway to learning math and science,” he said. “You always need to use your creativity and imagination in all aspects of life.”

The university, on 103 acres overlooking a wilderness park, offers visitors free daily walking tours of the new center from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Register online.