ASU GAMMAGE - TYPE A MARKETING APPOINTS EXECUTIVE MICHAEL PORTO

ASU Gammage announced today that Michael Porto will leave his post as Director of Marketing & Communications to become Executive Vice President of Type A Marketing in New York City. Victor Hamburger, Director of Marketing for Wharton Center for the Performing Arts at Michigan State University will assume the role in November previously held by Porto.

Porto will work closely with Anne Rippey, President of Type A on the marketing of its slate of Broadway and National Touring productions.

Porto’s work over the past six years has been a factor in ASU Gammage becoming one of the top Broadway touring markets in North America. ASU Gammage’s mission of “Connecting Communities” informs the innovative promotional, interactive and grassroots marketing strategies that have yielded record sales and media exposure for the ten Broadway productions annually.

Hamburger comes to ASU Gammage with more than 11 years experience at Wharton Center, rising from student graphic designer to Director of Marketing. He currently manages marketing, subscriptions, advertising and interactive media for Wharton which presents more than 180 productions annually, including Touring Broadway.

“Michael has been a tremendous asset to ASU Gammage and we know he will excel at Type A and continue to be a leader in the Broadway industry,” stated Colleen Jennings-Roggensack, ASU Gammage Executive Director. “We are delighted to bring Victor on board to replace Michael in this key marketing role. He is a known player in the industry and his consistent marketing leadership will help us remain one of the Road’s top-producing touring markets,” she added.

Porto and Hamburger are both active in The Broadway League and serve as Co-Chairs of the Road Marketing Committee.

“Michael has been instrumental in shaping the marketing of Broadway on a national level, with his strategic, innovative and sophisticated campaigns. That success has made him a bona fide industry leader. It is a privilege to have him on board. He will be an asset not only for Type A Marketing, but for the entire Broadway community,” says Anne Rippey, President of Type A.

Located on the Tempe campus of Arizona State University, ASU Gammage is among the largest university-based presenters of performing arts in the world. ASU Gammage is the home theater of the PROGRESSIVE® Broadway Across America – Arizona and Beyond series. Its mission is connecting communities by providing artistic excellence and educational outreach to the public. ASU Gammage is an historic hall designed by internationally-renowned architect Frank Lloyd Wright. asugammage.com

Type A Marketing is an independent entertainment marketing company that specializes in Broadway and National Touring productions. Marketing Direction services include strategic partnerships, inventory management, group sales management, media and non-media trade, grassroots campaigns and oversight of advertising and publicity campaigns. Current and upcoming Broadway productions include American Idiot, How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying, La Bête, Million Dollar Quartet, Promises, Promises, The Addams Family, The Phantom of the Opera and Yank. Current and upcoming National Tours include A Chorus Line, Dreamgirls, The Phantom Of The Opera and The Addams Family.

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