Pamela V. Brown

Write Path, an L.L.C.  

Photo by Ron Kosen / Photo-Spectrum

   Kaua`i People, July 25, 2007

In Tune with Life

Theater manager Tony Kilbert shares his love of music and life with Kaua`i

By Pamela V. Brown

Command central for the Kaua`i Community College’s Performing Arts Center (PAC) is a small office wallpapered with posters of artists who have performed there through the years. In the midst of the posters, surrounded by a calendar chock full of upcoming theater events, stacks of promotional materials, books and a computer from which there is almost always music playing, sits Tony Kilbert, a man who appears to be the calm in the middle of the storm.

It’s Kilbert’s heart, soul and philosophy that have helped turn the 550-seat theater, dubbed Kilbert Hall by a visiting musician, into the island’s premier venue for music, dance and theatrical presentations.

During his tenure as theater manager, Kilbert has brought a wide variety of live performances to Kaua`i audiences, ranging from the world class jazz piano of Chick Corea to Hawaiian great Willie K, children’s (and adult) theater and the acclaimed men’s a cappella choir Chanticleer. By mid-July, Kilbert and company had already hosted more than 70 events this year.

“ I’m trying to make the PAC the heart space of Kaua`i, something that I think it was designed for,” he said. “All I’m doing is making the blood flow.”

In truth, Kilbert does more than that, overseeing every aspect of each performance. If being master choreographer isn’t enough, it’s usually Kilbert you’ll see standing in the doorway during intermission, a friendly, handsome human billboard holding a sign reminding patrons to keep their food and drink outside.

In typical modest fashion, Kilbert is quick to downplay the complexities of keeping all types of artists, directors and patrons happy. “It’s a real simple model,” he says. “Happiness begets happiness. People want more of it. Mainly it’s just making people feel welcome.”

OK, so it’s a little more than that, but Kilbert’s view of each show as a co-production certainly helps performers feel welcome and that he’s working with them. It’s a synergistic thing, he said. “All these gears have to fit and work. It becomes self-regulating if everyone’s on the same page with the big picture which is a successful event.”

A gentle giant who describes himself as shy, “an introvert masquerading as an extrovert,” Kilbert is somewhat of a philosopher, always seeming to come up with the right words to describe a mood, a feeling or a performance. And though he’s always in motion, he seems calm, balanced and in control.

He often talks about doing things for the greater good and the concentric circles of people helping people, but don’t let his talk of energy flow distract you from the fact he’s a savvy businessman who, during his 28-year career in San Francisco worked at five radio stations, was program manager for two of them, had a television show for 13 years, worked for two record companies and did media relations for the musical supergroup Santana.

All that experience taught him it’s possible to be kind and still get things done – but be sure to hold up your end of the bargain.
“ I’m not brusque but I do mean what I say and if you don’t follow through you’re going to get some heat,” he said. “I don’t mind playing parent on occasion. Your word’s gotta be good; don’t waste time. And you can still be for the greater good without all the junk.”

In between running the theater, which entails him being on premises pretty much seven days per week, Kilbert recently became the marketing director for the college – a position he feels suits him perfectly. In his so-called free time, he’s also a disc jockey on Shaka 103.3 radio, spinning rock and roll favorites as DJ “TK,” entertaining fans with history, memories and music from his extensive personal collection.

Though jazz is his true love – his father was a jazz musician who played alto sax – music of all types is his passion. Watch his face light up even more than usual when talking about it, and how it is a telling barometer of the times.

“ Music is a chronicle of not just human emotions but the marker of whatever is going on socially, the tenor of the times,” he said. “If you want to know what love was like in the 40s, tap into Duke Ellington or Glenn Miller. That’s the tenderness or romantic ambiance of that time.”

An only child who was raised by his mother and three aunts after his father died when Kilbert was 11, it was a given he would take care of his family when they each took ill and passed on. “I went through some heavy times losing my mother and her 3 sisters, my aunties,” he said. “At the end of it all, it was very obvious that life is short.”

That realization led him to move to Kaua`i, his “most favorite place in the world,” where he had been visiting since 1986.
When he arrived in 2000, he began at KCC as a lecturer for one class, which became two, then three, then four classes, until the position for theater manager opened up. For someone who is happiest when he is communicating with people, it was a perfect match.

“ My life is ridiculously rich, it will just not stop. I can’t put it on pause,” he said. “I have the simplest model in the world but I have the richest life. I just want to be the best Tony I can be. If I do that, then everything works.

"Individuality of expression is the beginning and end of all art."             --- Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Proverbs in Prose

© Copyright 2007Write Path, an L.L.C. and Pamela V. Brown  

All material, pictures, concepts, intellectual property and rights reserved. 

© Copyright 2007 Zenwebmasters.com