VALLEY RESIDENTS SELECTED TO REVIEW ASU GAMMAGE BROADWAY PRODUCTIONS

Top L-R: Dick Foreman, Bill Hiniker, Kara Smith
Middle L-R: Therese Kerbey, Austin McKenzie, Sarah Ambrose, Ellen Claycomb
Front L-R: David Moxley, Baruch Koritan, Pamela Plaza, Donny Dunow, Patricia Bush

ASU Gammage has selected 12 Broadway theater lovers to become part of the 2nd
annual Gammage Goers program for the 2010-2011 Season. The 12 Valley reviewers
will have an opportunity to review shows throughout the blockbuster Broadway
season. The Goers were chosen from a pool of more than 250 applicants who
completed a comprehensive survey of their interests and background and desire to
review Broadway shows at ASU Gammage.

“We were looking for a way to better engage the patrons at ASU Gammage. The way
people receive information and make entertainment buying decisions has changed,”
says Michael Porto, ASU Gammage Director of Marketing & Communications who
conceived the program. “This program was a huge success last year as it gave
Gammage patrons a chance to see what educated-theater goers thought of the shows
first. We were overwhelmingly happy with the turn out, having more than 6,000
people visit the Goer section of our website,” he added.

Gammage Goers will create video reviews at MyStudio in Arizona Mills Mall and
they will be posted on the ASU Gammage website by Thursday during a run of a
show. Each Goer will review approximately three shows per Gammage season.


The 12 Goers include:

Sarah Ambrose, 16, High School Student

Patricia Bush, 48, Registered Nurse

Ellen Claycomb, 31, Marketing Manager
Donnie Dunow, 31, ER Nurse

Dick Foreman, 56, Registered Principal Lobbyist

Bill Hiniker, 57, Freelance Writer

Therese Kerbey, 46, First Sergeant of the 108th Army

Baruch Koritan, 62, Voice Teacher

Austin McKenzie, 17, High School Student

David Moxley, 40, Commercial Real-Estate Agent

Pamela Plaza, 24, ASU Theater Student

Kara Smith, 36, Director of Sales and Marketing

Note from Mel Brooks!!

Dear townspeople,

It’s true—35 years ago I created a monster, and now he’s roaming loose around the country. In fact, he’s heading straight for your village. What do you want from me, an apology? You should be thanking me!

Sure, sure, he has the body of a Ford Edsel and the brains to match, but nothing’s funnier than that big dumb lug “Puttin’ on the Ritz” in my newest musical, Young Frankenstein. This show has all the great gags from the original movie, plus some new zingers, music, and dancing we threw in just for fun. And for a limited time only, you can see it performed in living color!

If you enjoyed The Producers, you’re just the kind of sucker who will like Young Frankenstein. So go, get your tickets. Laugh at the monster, and thank me later.

Mel Brooks

Bill T. Jones - On His Way to Gammage!

Young Frankenstein is coming to ASU Gammage!

It is so hard to believe that the new seasons have begun both on Broadway and at ASU Gammage. ASU Gammage is turning green with the start of the season with YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN. This Mel Brooks production following on the heels of the PRODUCERS is taken from the film of the same name and just as riotous and the “putting on the Ritz” number is unforgettable.

The Broadway season is resplendent with stars, Al Pacino in the Bard’s MERCHANT OF VENICE. I plan on being first in line for this evening. For those of you, who may not have seen Al on stage in KING RICHARD III or AMERICAN BUFFALO or other works, make sure you don’t miss it.

ASU Gammage has had past discussions with Mr. Pacino as he was in search of a stage to do a reading of SALOME’. At a late night haunt for Broadway insiders, I ran into Tony winner of DOUBT, Cherry Jones (also the POTUS for you fans of the hit TV show “24”) as she prepares to open in MISS WARRENS PROFESSION this month on Broadway. Ever gracious, Cherry remarked on how she loved reprising the role of Mother Superior in DOUBT on the GAMMAGE stage for a wonderful and intelligent audience a few seasons back.

This week Bill T. Jones two time Tony winner for SPRING AWAKENING and FELA managed to have four creative meetings, lunch with Gammage VIPs all the while Bill was fielding calls on Patti La Belle’s opening night on Broadway debuting in FELA …the next night! Bill and his Creative Director and partner Bjorn Amelan are also preparing for the move to London for the British premier of FELA. And IF that wasnt a full enough day, Bill T. Jones was named a Kennedy Center Honoree alongside Broadway royalty Jerry Herman, Sir Paul McCartney, Merle Haggard and the queen of oh so many worlds Oprah.

We found ourselves fielding press and congratulatory calls for Mr. Jones from across the country and around the world. WHEW! We will Cheer Bill on as he receives his honors on CBS December 28^th.

Bravo!!

See you on Broadway and in ASU GAMMAGE!