25 February 2006

The State Theater & its Content(s)

Whatever you think about Unleavened Doom, it sure does project to the balconies. Jim Crupi was therefore a good pick to address the full TED audience as we all assembled under one roof for the first time in the Monterey State Theater.

All told, I found the theater to be a great addition to the TED arsenal. The space is just jaw-dropping, the change of scenery was nice, and it gave a much clearer sense of the full scale of the TED audience than the evening events in which we’re dispersed throughout a vast ballroom. I hope we continue to convene there at future TED’s, and think the Friday evening session is the ideal time for that. A change of pace is welcome by the third day, and it’s a great way to gather the tribe and set the momentum as we move on to the big night at the aquarium.

Certain presenters will also work great in that space. Bigger-named speakers that we'd all hate to miss seeing in person, as well as those with a theatrical bent to their presence are obvious candidates. It sounds like it was more by happenstance than design that the theater came available to us for Session 10. If that’s indeed the case, I think we lucked out in that at least three of presenters were of the sort whose styles are well suited for a plenary session (Crupi, as well as presenter-performers Julia Sweeney and Sirena Huang. How about that Sirena, huh??) .

All of that said, my own vote would be that we keep the vast majority of the conference in our traditional digs over at the conference center. The casual flow between the Google Café, the comfort and amenities of the simulcast lounge, and the intimacy of the main hall all have a lot to do with the spontaneity and informality that are hallmarks of TED.

Of course, it’s easy for me to say this as one who was lucky enough to have a Main Hall pass this year. TED does have an issue in its increasing popularity, and shifting the full event over to the State Theater would let everyone see every session that interests them. What do you think?

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Chris Anderson – March 1 2006

We're not moving to the State Theater.... so everyone can relax. But we might use it again for a concert type sesssion of TED.
Kevin Cheng – February 26 2006

ha oops ... looks like it was sirena (finds a hole for himself and corrects his own blog/photos)
Kevin Cheng – February 26 2006

I agree with Patrick. Though I'm a TED Virgin and had a simulcast pass, I thoroughly enjoyed the fact that there are two options to experience the speakers and both are as stunning in their own way. I never had a problem getting into the main hall when I wanted to and sometimes chose to be in the simulcast. The larger venue was indeed beautiful but also less intimate and generally bad for the post session mingling. Nitpicking aside ... isn't it spelt "Serena"?
Patrick Adams – February 25 2006

No thanks on the theater. No intimacy. Awkward waiting for the doors to open. Immediate scattering to the four corners after the session.

All exactly oppposite of what has made TED different than other conferences for so long.

MAYBE for a massive live performance of some kind...maybe.