Theatre Design & Technology - Spring 2004 - 21

At his work table, surrounded by his models in various stages of construction and amid stacks of research books and magazines,

this Assyrian styled theatre was extravagantly appointed with
cobalt blue colored chandeliers, rainbow backlighted niches,
dangling incense burners, and plaster phoenixes hiding the organ
grill. The columned proscenium arch and its grand movie curtain were spotlighted with lights until the curtain opened for the
live stage show and movie. Dazzled by this sumptuous theatricality, young Musil vividly recalls a voice telling him

"Remember the magic, remember everything!"
Musil did remember and his first attempts at recreating the
magic were with his building blocks at home. As a teenager, he
sought work as an usher and later as a projectionist and manager at local movie theatres, including the Fox West Coast Theatre in Long Beach. His first formal training in theatre was
under the direction of Ruth Burdick at Woodrow Wilson High
School. This progressive theatre program boasted a 1,600-seat
proscenium theatre and a professional staff. It was here that
Musil learned that people with special training created the
beautiful designs he first tried to imitate with his blocks.
Musil went on to study art at the Chouinard Art School-
now Cal Arts-in Los Angeles and interior design and set design
for grand opera at the 400-year-old Brera Academy of Fine Arts in
Milan, Italy. Living in Italy for two years, Musil soaked up the
wealth of architecture around him and regularly attend performances at the Teatro Lyrico and the newly renovated La Scala,
whose stage door was directly across the street from Brera.
Returning to America, Musil began work in the window
display department of Barker Brothers Department Store in
Los Angeles. Designing full interiors in the store's thirty-six windows gave Musil an education in contemporary furniture design
styles. In 1960, Musil entered the army and was assigned to special services where, like many theatre practitioners before him,
he helped produce shows to entertain the troops. Musil delightedly remembers designing sets and costumes for Star
Spangled Rhythm, which he recalls, "blew the socks off the
brass!" Released from the army, Musil returned to civilian life
by designing displays for Sears, J.C. Penney, and other stores.
Musil began freelancing full time in the 1970s, designing store
and restaurant interiors and specialty shops like the art deco
Pacesetter Pavilion and Victorian-themed Company's Coming. In
20

S P R I N G

2 0 0 4

TD & T

this era of the discothèque Musil also designed several dance
clubs including the western-themed Diamond Horseshoe and
Mine Shaft in San Francisco.
But the theatre is where it started for Musil and where he
longed to return. He began building his toy theatres in 1965 as
ongoing research into theatre design. "The toy theatres got
larger and larger the older I got. My own designs became
more and more extravagant as a consequence." As his models
took up more and more space, Musil realized he needed a
larger space and this is where the Salon of Theatres was born.
Moving into the Santora Building in 1995, he created a world
that would remind him of his first inspiration and where he
could concentrate on creating his own brand of flamboyantly
eclectic environments.
Musil has become a much sought after consultant on
all things theatrical. His expertise was tapped to restore the
Long Beach Community Playhouse, the Alex Theatre in
Glendale, and the Universal City Walk Theatre in Studio
City. Disney then hired Musil to consult on the Crest Theatre
in Westwood and the Hindu-styled El Capitan Theatre on Hollywood Boulevard. He supervised the restoration of these grand
movie palaces using existing sections of original ornamentation, historic photographs, and his own impressive sense
of Hollywood style. The El Capitan now serves as home to
Disney's movie premieres and features live stage performances prior to each screening. In 1997, Musil was commissioned to conceive the new Tomorrowland mural for
Disneyland. He then collaborated with computer artist Brian
White of Santa Ana to design five faux movie billboards for the
Hyperion Theatre in Disney's new California Adventure theme
park. These advertisements are reminiscent of the advertising
billboards found in the old studio back lots, except that
these ads are parodies of musicals with, for instance,
Donald and Daisy Duck dancing in "Moon Over Monrovia,"
and Mickey and Minnie Mouse starring in "Down Catalina
Way." Musil also consulted on the Fantasia Theatre for
Euro Disney and an Italian-styled opera house for the Tokyo DisneySea amusement park in Japan. He has also designed a number of ornate show curtains for private movie
theatres in the Los Angeles area.

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Theatre Design & Technology - Spring 2004