Mitch Hanlon Fullerton music director and organist at First Christian Church, retired from the academic sphere, where he served as a professor of musical theater, musical director, and head voice teacher at Cal State. He is also a union musician active with the Local 2 in Los Angeles. He has been a coach and accompanist in support of noted artists around the world.
In late 2023 and early 2024, Mr. Hanlon reprised his role as musical director of Winter Lights, a unique Broadway-style performance put on at the Discovery Cube Children’s Museum of Orange County. Mixing holiday and fantastical elements, the 45-minute show is performed three or four times daily throughout the holiday season.
Mr. Hanlon volunteers with the Elks organization, where he writes and coordinates grants through the Elks National Foundation Community Investment Program. In 2023, he helped obtain $9,000 in grants for worthy community, veteran’s, and children’s programs.
What is your typical day, and how do you make it productive?
Rise by 7, check emails and apps. Play the piano to wake up. Check the to-do list, which always includes walking the dogs, feeding the hens, stretching/work out. Then water the garden, do a little tending, and do home projects or practice a work project (music). Always have a long to-do list with projects to complete.
How do you bring ideas to life?
If musical, I sit and play at the piano. If a home task, I research various ideas on the internet before I make my own plan. Planning is a big part of the fun, and it also can save time from having to fix things later.
What’s one trend that excites you?
I like that Broadway musicals are still inventive and new (some of them); the art form is far from dying (like it was in the 80’s). These will be looked back on as a second Golden Age for Broadway. As part of that, I particularly like the trend that Broadway has roles for everyone. We now see people of all types, abilities, and backgrounds on stage, not just thin dancers and classically handsome leads.
What is one habit that helps you be productive?
Making a list. Sometimes starting a project when I get my “second wind” late at night. I know myself and know that I don’t need as much sleep as others every night. I often find some of my most productive time can come past midnight. I don’t get tired when I’m working a project that excites me. But as I get older, I do limit the number of times (per week) that I burn that midnight oil.
What advice would you give your younger self?
1: Think long term. Don’t go for quick fixes.
2: Remember to show gratitude when you get to do the things you love. Gratitude can take several forms besides words, like being a mentor or doing something gratis for someone else because you’ve had people do nice things for you.
Paying it forward should be a way of life.
Tell us something you believe almost nobody agrees with you on?
Grease is a terrible musical. I get big blowback from this posit because people have fond memories and enjoyment of this silly show. But the underlying messages are so dated and sexist, I can’t look past them to the rose-colored memories of the 1950’s. I see this show done at high schools a lot and wonder why because the traits it displays are not what I would teach my child. And as a musician, it is very simple music that bores me quickly. I’ve done the show once, but never again because I didn’t enjoy it.
What is the one thing you repeatedly do and recommend everyone else do?
When traveling, store info you might need if you lose your wallet or passport on the cloud with back-ups. This list should have credit card info to insurance info cleverly altered or transposed in a way you can remember in case this document stash is found. I also make back-up of all hotel, car, sight-seeing reservations digitally, even though I print them all out and take a file with me. This can save a lot of heartache later should something bad occur while you are away from home and the usual resources aren’t there.
When you feel overwhelmed or unfocused, what do you do?
I rarely do feel overwhelmed. I am comfortable jugging a lot of things. But I can have unfocussed moments. Unfocused moments mean I need a break, so I take one. Problems with focus are sometimes because I have something else important nagging at me. I say deal with that first, then return to your project knowing you’ve done what you can for now to handle your nagging business.
What is one strategy that has helped you grow your business or advance in your career?
Even with the smallest task, give it your best. Don’t ever put something out in the public eye that is sloppy or incomplete. This is how you are perceived. A pro takes the time to do a good job, no matter how much time it takes. There have been many times in my career when I was entrusted with more duties and made myself more valuable because it was obvious I had done a great job with what they had already asked of me.
What is one failure in your career, how did you overcome it, and what lessons did you take away from it?
Very early in my musical career, I was hired to play opera auditions, and even though I can sight-read music very well, opera arias need specific knowledge for tempos to follow singers that I didn’t anticipate. The many breaths and slow downs the singers normally do are not printed in the music. I didn’t do a great job because I took on a task I was unprepared to have success in. It taught me to be wary of employers who are desperate to hire anyone, without regard for if the hiree will have success. Now after a career in music, including opera, I realize how naïve I was to say yes to that accompanying job and that the company that hired me was partly to blame for not preparing, vetting, or caring enough about the job they wanted done.
What is one piece of software that helps you be productive? How do you use it?
MuseScore. It is free music-writing software that has kept up with the more professional software. It is an excellent tool that makes anything I arrange or write look entirely pro. It prints better and sends digitally easier than anything I could write by hand.
Do you have a favorite book or podcast you’ve gotten a ton of value from and why?
If I just consider value, I probably don’t have a favorite book. Mostly I read for pleasure. The last books of value were travel guides for a trip down under. I read those for info on New Zealand and Australia to supplement what I was finding online. Each source has its bias, but a compliment of sources can give you a fuller picture and more easily identify what is essential to do and see.
What’s a movie or series you recently enjoyed and why?
The British TV series Ludwig. It slyly turns the detective genre with a new twist: a twin is replacing a lead detective who is nothing like the missing detective but has remarkable prowess at creating and solving puzzles. This has created some interesting new emotional explorations and case solvings.
Key learnings
- Always do your best. There’s no excuse for half-baked results.
- A career in something you love, like music or theater, is a blessing, even when there are tough times. Remember that and express gratitude often.
- Having many things to do, especially finding projects that primarily help others, helps create balance in life and a reason to get up and get going.
- Don’t throw all your trust in one information source (business, pleasure, or news). Taking the time to consult several sources can create balance and better clarity.