When the Sun Valley Co. does something new it usually has an effect on the entire community in one way or another. The creation of the new position of entertainment director has been a long time coming. Along with comedy and music shows at the Boiler Room, the Duchin Room, the Limelight Room and the Sun Valley Opera House, this summer the addition of the Music Pavilion will make the need even more pressing.
In 2006, tenor John Mauldin was recruited as the fourth "Plaid" in the song-and-dance show "Forever Plaid," presented weekly through the winter season at the Boiler Room.
Now in his second season, he was commuting each Sunday evening for the show from Meridian, where he was living with his wife, Melody, and three sons.
An opera and oratorio performer, Mauldin was looking to work as an adjunct vocal teacher at Boise State University, and was employed in sales and marketing at HP and also at the Idaho Statesman for a period. His "Plaid" cast mate, Sun Valley Co. General Manager Wally Huffman, had another idea.
"Wally and I started to talk," Mauldin said. "He realized he needed a full-time person for entertainment."
Mauldin accepted the job, and three months ago the family made the move to the Wood River Valley. The kids are enrolled in school and Melody, who is a performer, director and choreographer, is also working for the company on a contract basis.
The Mauldins have a long connection to Sun Valley. They are skiers. And while at Utah State University they were both a part of the Sun Valley Carolers, who perform each Christmas season in the village.
"We were the first married couple in the group," John said. "Out of the 15 years we've been married, we've spent probably 10 of those here at Christmas."
As well, Mauldin has preformed with Opera Idaho, the Sun Valley Opera, the Boise Master Chorale, the Honolulu Symphony, Idaho State Civic Symphony, Orpheus Men's Choir in Phoenix, the Vancouver Symphony, Victoria Symphony Orchestra and the Salt Lake Contemporary Music Group, among many, many others.
Among Mauldin's plans is to "keep the Sun Valley campus active year round," he said. "I want to bring a variety of entertainment. We're looking at varied concerts—classic, opera, pop, country, jazz. And of course, we have the symphony and that is such a great offering."
The new Music Pavilion will be "performance ready" by Aug. 3 when the Sun Valley Summer Symphony opens in its new home. Later in August, the Sun Valley Writers' Conference will hold its large events in the pavilion.
Mauldin has some other performance ideas, too. On the top of the list is a brand new offering of "The Wah-hoo Revue" at the Sun Valley Opera House.
Mauldin said the Western theme show has been done successfully elsewhere.
"It will have the same characters each year, but the songs and situations will change," he said. "It's slapstick, comedy, dancing and singing. It's really a blast for families."
"The Wah-hoo Revue" will be on-going in the summer on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday nights.
Next Christmas season, Mauldin plans to produce a concert with three of his opera friends from Boise.
In the meantime, he is finding his way about and meeting the "powers that be" at other arts organizations in the Wood River Valley.
John Mauldin will walk the entertainment walk in Sun Valley.
