Talk Isn't Cheap

Most operas end with a dramatic finale. A Southwest Florida appearance by Irish tenor Ronan Tynan had all the drama up front.

The famous singer was scheduled to speak to some 1,200 area residents as part of the popular Naples Town Hall Distinguished Speakers series. But a few days beforehand, then-First Lady Laura Bush complicated matters by inviting Tynan to perform at the National Cathedral on the same day as his Naples speech.

"Unfortunately, when the First Lady asks you to sing, the customary answer is, ‘Yes, ma’am,’" says Rick Borman, co-owner and co-producer of the lecture series. "One of our benefactors donated an aircraft. They flew up to Dulles [International Airport]. [Tynan] had finished his singing and was trying to get out the back door of the cathedral to get to his limo and to the airport. The Secret Service stopped him because they had the place sealed for security. He eventually convinced them to let him go. In Naples, we met him at the airport. We had a police escort to the venue. We got him into the room, and he spoke."

This ulcer-inducing effort was worth it, because big-name speakers mean big business in Southwest Florida. With at least a dozen for-profit and non-profit speaker and lecture series in the region, there’s plenty of competition. Add the softening economy to the equation and it’s a challenging time for an industry that contributes culturally, economically and philanthropically to its community.

THE SHOW MUST GO ON