Los Angeles Bar/Bat Mitzvah DJ Mark Ray:

Interview

Q. Tell us about your style. What's a bar/bat mitzvah party with Ray Entertainment like?

A. We are first and foremost "entertainers" in that we have to keep an average of 50-75 young people and 100 and up adults, happy, ocuppied, dancing, gaming, and not leaving. We have to coordinate a timeline that accomplishes all of the clients goals for the event. I teach all of my staff that we are not the focus of the party, the "Guest" or "Guests of Honor" are. We are the "Facilitators"--the Pied Pipers of fun! I want the Bar/Bat Mitzvah boy/girl and their parents to tell me they had the best time ever!

Q. What do you like about your job? Why did you choose DJ Entertainment as a profession?

A. I have been a performer since I was 6 years old in my older brother's Drum Corps. He taught me the drums and I played in the jazz band through college. I feel that with Bar/Bat-Mitzvah's, these kids work hard to fulfill the requirements for a Mitzvah. Not being Jewish, the closest thing in my life I can relate it to is when I became an Eagle Scout. We are part of the reward for that achievement. I sort of fell into this as a profession, in that I was doing weddings and someone asked me to do a Bar Mitzvah event. Being a Baptist, I had to familiarize myself with the particulars of the events. I soon learned the difference between a hallah, havdalah and a havarah! I can recite the Motzi, the Kiddish and I almost have the songs of the havdalah down!

Q. I understand you're a family business, like Graham & Graham Photography. How many Rays work in Ray Entertainment, and what do they do?

A. My son's Stefan and Lukas, and daughter Linnea work events, the dispatch system and in the office. My wife Willa manages the operation and coordinates the training program for performers. We have trained over 100 M.C's, and D.J.'s in the last 20+years.

Q. How did you get started?

A. After leaving a spot as a "drive-time" D.J. in Santa Barbara, Ca. I was hired as the first full-time performer with "You Should Be Dancing" where I became the first Bar/Bat-Mitzvah M.C. I started Ray Entertainment in 1991.

Q. What if I book you, and you get in an accident? What will I do then?

A. I have never missed a party by the grace of God and our dispatch system. Our dispatch system allows us to assure the client that back up performers are on call in the event of an emergency. I've totaled two cars in acvcidents en route to events, but still got there in time!

Q. Any words of advice for young people considering becoming future bar/bat mitzvah DJs?

A. Don't do this if you aren't a kid at heart!

Los Angeles bar/bat mitzvah DJ Ray Entertainment.

Ask about our combo photo/DJ packages.

Graham & Graham Photography is a Manhattan Beach-based photo team specializing in South Bay wedding photography and Los Angeles bar/bat mitzvah photography. We offer a combo photo/party planner package with Ray Entertainment.

grahamphoto@gmail.com 310-545-6291

Los Angeles Bar/Bat Mitzvahs

Los Angeles Bar/Bat Mitzvah DJ | Los Angeles Bar/Bat Mitzvah Party Planner

Videos | Rates | Contact | FAQs

Grahampix Blog |Resources | Los Angeles Jewish Wedding Photography

For those of you doing early planning, here are some of our favorite venues forLos Angeles Bar & bat Mitzvah receptions:

Manhattan Beach Marriott | Manhattan Beach Belamar | The Shade | Olympic Collection | Orange County Bowers Museum | Redondo Beach Crowne Plaza | Manhattan Beach Verandas

Whether you're looking for wedding or bar/bat mitzvah photographers in Manhattan Beach, Culver City, Palos Verdes, Hermosa Beach, Redondo Beach or Torrance, you have come to the right place for Los Angeles wedding & bar/bat Mitzvah Photography.

Father/son photo team Graham & Graham excel at creative, energetic, photojournalistic, wedding and bar & bat mitzvah photography. Candids, classic formals, fun moments--we capture it all. We're based in the South Bay and work most often in Manhattan Beach, Hermosa Beach, Redondo Beach, Palos Verdes, Torrance and Culver City, but have been known to leave the South Bay bubble for gigs in Los Angeles and Orange counties.

los angeles bar mitzvah photographer | los angeles wedding photographer