ASU GAMMAGE CHATTER

PHOENIX 7th GRADERS GET IN-DEPTH LOOK AT “SOUTH PACIFIC” AND PEFORMING ARTS THROUGH ASU GAMMAGE

2012-01-20T14:42:00.000-08:00

This January, more than 80 seventh grade students from Orangewood Elementary School in Phoenix participated in an intensive eight-week curriculum based program through ASU Gammage called “Kaleidoscope.”

For 18 years, Kaleidoscope has been a nationally recognized and awarded program and is the only one of its kind in Arizona and nationally. The program educates and exposes students to the arts who might not otherwise have the opportunity to experience live theater.

The Phoenix students worked closely with ASU Gammage staff and school administrators and teachers to explore the historical and sociological aspects of ASU Gammage’s upcoming show SOUTH PACIFIC.

Lessons revolved around the show’s themes of cultural diversity, prejudice and acceptance, as well as world history and geography, performing arts and behavioral studies.

In culmination of the program, students were afforded a memorable theater experience by attending a performance of SOUTH PACIFIC at ASU Gammage. They were able to meet the cast and crew and have the chance to ask them questions about their educational and professional experiences.

“If we can expose just one student to the world of theater and what that has to offer, I am thrilled. It’s our mission at ASU Gammage to connect communities and Kaleidoscope is one of the many ways we make this happen,” said Colleen Jennings- Roggensack, ASU Gammage executive director.

ASU Gammage Honors Veterans at Heroes Night

2012-01-18T13:39:00.001-08:00

The opening of Rogers and Hammerstein’s SOUTH PACIFIC at ASU Gammage marked a special evening for veterans and active duty military when they were honored at the first-ever Heroes Night at ASU Gammage on January 10.

Veterans and active duty military were recognized during the evening when Executive Director for ASU Gammage Colleen Jennings-Roggensack welcomed several World War II veterans to the stage with the members of ASU Army ROTC Color Guard. The veterans included: Glenn Flinton, Dean Weekly, Lambert Modder, the oldest living African American from Pearl Harbor Nelson Mitchell, and Navajo Codetalkers Peter MacDonald and George Willie. Jennings-Roggensack also encouraged all the veterans in the audience to stand so they may be thanked for all the duties they performed for the United States by the audience and ASU Gammage.

The public was also asked to submit photos of veterans both living and deceased for the opening night of Heroes Night. These photos were displayed on the televisions in the lobby of ASU Gammage so that guests may see all those who have contributed to keeping this country safe. To view this slide show, please visit http://youtu.be/5I4GfqH-AZE.

Along with the Heroes Night, a few members from the cast of South Pacific also visited the veterans at the Phoenix Veterans Hospital January 12. Cast members met with the veterans and performed for them so to show their appreciation and to lift the veterans’ spirits.

ASU Gammage appreciates those who have or are currently serving for the United States. Gammage supports veterans and military families in several ways with the Military Ticket Fund, Military Family First Nights, as well as supporting organizations such as Veteran's Upward Bound, Operation Homefront and many more. ASU also supports veterans with programs including the new Pat Tillman Veterans’ Center. These programs are sponsored by US Airways, The Arizona Lottery, The Broadway League, The Association of the United States Army's and Blue Star Moms.

A Message From STOMP cast member Mike Hall

2011-12-22T11:57:00.000-08:00

Hey everyone!!!

My name is Mike Hall; I’m a performer with STOMP, and this is my first year being in the company. I’m originally from Indiana and have always wanted to travel the country, and graciously I’m able to do that with STOMP. I first found out about STOMP when I was in elementary school, and it was one of the numerous influences that encouraged me to pursue a career in percussion and performing.

The STOMP cast of the North America tour is a group of 12 individuals, all from different walks of life performing, discovering and exploring sounds that can be made with everyday ordinary objects. For instance, here is a small list of items that are used in the show: brooms, matchboxes, sand, rubber pipes, chairs, lighters, mops, sinks, newspapers, trash cans, trash can lids, paint cans, basketballs, poles, etc. We also have a part in the show where our bodies are the instruments; we call that “hands and feet.” Often times I’m asked what is my personal favorite part of the show, and that’s by far one of the hardest questions to answer. The entire show itself is so much fun, it’s too difficult to just pick one number and say it’s my favorite, in all honesty it varies from show to show.

I’m incredibly excited to be visiting and performing in Tempe. I’ve heard nothing but good things from the folks that have been there before, and personally I can’t wait to be in the warm weather! I also have a few friends that attend ASU (Go Sun Devils!) so I’m definitely looking forward to checking out the campus and seeing what it’s like for them to go to school there. They’ve told me if I’m going to be visiting then I need to check out the Sea Life Arizona aquarium, so that’s another thing on my list of “to-do’s” while in Tempe. All in all, I can’t wait!!

Life is Music, and Music is Life!!

Much love,

Mike

2011/2012 MILITARY FAMILY FIRST NIGHTS BEGIN WITH WHITE CHRISTMAS

2011-12-19T14:57:00.000-08:00

Irving Berlin’s White Christmas was a great opportunity for me and my family to spend some quality time together and to remind me how important that time is. It wasn’t just being together with my mom and brother, it was the message that White Christmas sends. It tells a story about giving back to people who have made an impact in your life. It doesn’t have to been only during the holidays, it should be all year round. It’s called paying it forward. Thank you to some of the cast members who came out and met us after the show. That was a lot of fun learning a little about them also. I am so excited to see the next musical Wicked.

Christie Hoeye

****Christie attended Military Family First Nights where more than 100 family members of deployed military personnel received tickets to attend a Broadway performance at ASU Gammage.

“ASU Gammage is honored to continue this program and to be able to open its doors to military families. These families sacrifice so much for our country, it is our privilege to let them enjoy an evening at the theater together,” says Colleen Jennings-Roggensack, ASU Gammage Executive Director.

The program is made possible with the generosity of THE BROADWAY LEAGUE; long-time ASU Gammage donor and patron, Retired Command Sergeant Major Chuck Van Dam; US Airways; Blue Star Moms and the Association of the United States Army (AUSA). This three year program is a partnership with ASU Gammage and THE BROADWAY LEAGUE’S Family First Nights^® program specifically designed to encourage at risk families to attend theatre on a regular basis.

ASU Gammage will also host families to see WICKED and MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET as well this season. For more information about Family First Nights, please call 480.965.5062.

ASU GAMMAGE HOSTS THIRD SEASON OF MILITARY FAMILY FIRST NIGHTS

2011-11-30T14:41:00.001-08:00

ASU Gammage is set to host its third season of Military Family First Nights where more than 100 military family members of deployed military personnel will receive tickets to attend Broadway performances to three shows this season. Working with the Arizona National Guard Family Readiness Program, family members of deployed and soon to be deployed Arizona National Guard Soldiers and Airmen from around the state will have the opportunity to see IRVING BERLIN’S WHITE CHRISTMAS on Sunday, December 11 and have the chance to enjoy an exclusive post-show meet-and-greet with the cast.

“ASU Gammage is honored continue this program and to be able to open its doors to military families. These families sacrifice so much for our country, it is our privilege to let them enjoy an evening at the theater together,” says Colleen Jennings-Roggensack, ASU Gammage Executive Director.

“With more than 1,000 veterans and active-duty service members employed at US Airways, it is very important for us to recognize the sacrifices and accomplishments of our service members and their families. We're proud to partner ASU Gammage to support the Military Family First Nights as a way to say thank you to our dedicated service men and women for their distinguished service to our country”, says Kelly Balthazor, US Airways Community Relations Manager.

ASU Gammage will also host families to see WICKED and MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET as well this season. For more information about Family First Nights, please call480.965.5062.

RETURNING TO ASU GAMMAGE

2011-11-16T12:20:00.000-08:00

I last played ASU Gammage about 15 years ago, and I can't wait to return! I have fond memories of the theatre & the beautiful people of Tempe. You see I played Gaston in the National tour of Disney's BEAUTY and the BEAST. It was a fantastic production that I loved being a part of. During our stay there in Tempe , my wife and I discovered that we were expecting TWIN BOYS, and it threw our lives into a wild party! The cast was behind us, the Disney company was behind us and we felt such support from our new Tempe friends as well.
What could have been a scary part of our working actor lives ended-up being quite amazing and bright !

It's now years later and I'm returning again to the great ASU Gammage. My sons are healthy and both freshmen in highschool. THANKfully they have no interest in the theatre. As much as I relish my life & career onstage ... I would HATE to drag a family member into this crazy world! You have to be a bit nutz to do what we do, day-to-day, year-to-year. Auditions, classes, union meetings, shrinking paychecks, changing rules, It's NOT the theatrelife of 15 to 20 years ago.

But , Tempe will love WHITE CHRISTMAS! I just know it! We have a top-notch cast, and this show is PERFECT to put anyone into a great holiday spirit! I've been looking forward to this production all season long. And the only 'negative' part is… it only lasts as long as the holiday season. Fans of the movie will be thrilled with the show, and fans of the songs will leave Gammage humming and trying a few tap steps ,mark my words !
When you watch me in the show, you'll see how much FUN I'm having, and that's with just a small role.

Put all of us together and you have one BIG Christmas party!! Please enjoy!

Tony Lawson

ASU GAMMAGE PRESENTS ITS 2011 SCHOOL TO WORK PROGRAM

2011-11-14T12:39:00.000-08:00

As a graduating senior, it was a pleasure to get to experience what a working professional does day-to-day in the performing arts. When we arrived, we did not know what to expect for our day, but we were welcomed and treated with kindness and respect. We were given assigned groups and worked closely with each other as well as with the other groups to determine the best practices for bringing Blue Man Group to ASU Gammage. We made executive decisions within our teams and then connected with other groups to determine how to solve problems which affected all of us. It was a wonderful experience and one which will help me form my own decisions as I begin my college application process. Thank you for giving us this opportunity and helping us to discover our own passion.

Sincerely,
Omar Mohamed
12th Grade
Sonoran Science Academy

Nearly 40 students from Phoenix’s Sonoran Science Academy and Arizona School for the Arts took part in the “School to Work” program.

Since its inception 17 years ago, School to Work has been an interactive workshop that highlights potential career choices in arts administration. During the workshop, students interact with ASU Gammage employees and learn what it takes to run one of the top arts presenting theaters in the United States.
“I am proud to open our doors to these students; this could have a lasting effect on what career choices they make in the future,” says Colleen Jennings-Roggensack, ASU Gammage executive director.
The students were assigned a job in an ASU Gammage department such as the box office, marketing, cultural participation, accounting and technical production. They were tasked with working together as a staff to execute projects and solve problems. At the end of the workshop each department presented a final report of the work they performed within their departments.

Students also got an exclusive backstage tour with the company manager of BLUE MAN GROUP, which performed at ASU Gammage November 1-6.

2011-11-04T08:47:00.000-07:00

Q&A with Bhurin Sead from the Blue Man Group

Q: Tell us why you are excited the Blue Man Group is stopping in Tempe.
A: I'm definitely excited about our time here in Tempe. It’s a nice treat to be performing at universities. There's always a great energy and buzz in the city that carries over into the shows.

Q: Besides performing will you have time to explore Tempe/AZ? If so, what do you plan on doing?
A: We usually have our mornings and afternoons free, so there will definitely be lots of biking, running and exploring. It’s great that Tempe has bike lanes available, makes exploring easier. I like to seek out local restaurants and farmers markets in my time off. I feel like you can grasp a lot of a city's culture through their food.

Q: Have you ever performed at ASU Gammage in the past?
A: I've never performed at Gammage before. We just did our first show last night and it's a beautiful space. The crowd really enjoyed themselves.

Q: What’s your favorite part about being a part of Blue Man Group?
A: My favorite part of being part of Blue Man Group is the opportunity to be creative on a daily basis. Being a character that doesn't speak challenges us to think of new ways to stay engaged while telling a clear story, whether it's through the music or moments of stillness. We're constantly on our toes and reacting to the moment which allows us to live in it each night.

Local Children to Perform in Iconic Macy's Parade

2011-10-24T14:46:00.000-07:00

CAMP BROADWAY®

Announces Local Cast Members to Perform in the 85th Anniversary Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade® alongside the first-ever ZhuZhu Pets® float

Following five weeks of national auditions, CAMP BROADWAY®, the award-winning theater arts education company has announced its cast of 132 theatre-loving kids, ages 12-16, to perform in the 85th Anniversary Macy‟s Thanksgiving Day Parade®. 14 of these talented cast members hail from Tempe, AZ and will appear on the ZhuZhu Pets® Zhu-niverse float and perform an original song on the national broadcast of on Thanksgiving morning, November 24..

Under the direction of CAMP BROADWAY‟s Artistic Director Tony Parise (Broadway credits include Me and My Girl and 42nd Street), the cast has been selected from a nation-wide pool of over 1,000 auditionees to perform original number There’s No Place Like HereTM, a song featured in 3D animated direct to DVD movie “Quest for ZhuTM.” “Camp Broadway seems to be drawing more and more talented kids,” said Parise, who is now in his 15th year with CAMP BROADWAY. “The auditions this year were a pleasure because of that, but made it much more difficult to pick only 132 performers.”

CAMP BROADWAY has created a special one-week program leading up to the parade performance, including a series of Broadway workshops, classes and rehearsals to prepare participants for the nationally televised performance. Continues Parise, “this program is the „real deal.‟ We will be preparing for a nationally televised event, so there will be much expected of the cast.”

Camp Broadway Cast Members from the area include the following:.

Tristan Blick, Paradise Valley AZ, 12

Jonah Carlson, Mesa, AZ, 13

Zoe Feinstein, Paradise Valley, AZ, 13

Michael Francis, Mesa, AZ, 12

Ruby Meza, Phoenix, 16

Destinee Nolan, Yuma, AZ, 12

Sabrina Parsons, Phoenix,AZ,15

Elias Sabbagh, Scottsdale, AZ, 12

Anna Sera, Scottsdale, AZ, 12

Hannah Sierpina, Scottsdale, AZ, 13

Max Stein, Scottsdale, AZ,13

Sari Stein, Scottsdale, AZ, 15

Alex Trumble, Phoenix, AZ, 15

Abigail White, Yuma, AZ, 12

Founded in 1995, CAMP BROADWAY® is Broadway‟s Original Summer Program for theatre-loving kids. Since then, Camp Broadway LLC has worked at the intersection of entertainment and education to become the industry leader in theatre arts youth programming, special events and educational publishing. The company serves the Broadway industry by being an authorized channel for families, schools and social organizations who believe in the essential value of the arts as a means of life-long learning. Proclaimed “The Camp of Dreams” by Live Magazine, Camp Broadway has hosted nearly 20,000 children from all 50 states and dozens of countries at its annual summer programs leading with its flagship programming New York City, as well as cities such as Atlanta, Buffalo, Jacksonville, Providence, Tempe, and elsewhere in America. Camp Broadway has also been featured regularly on the Macy‟s Thanksgiving Day Parade® telecast; performed with the New York Pops at Carnegie Hall; and appeared in Broadway on Broadway®, an annual free concert in Times Square.

Camp Broadway has worked collaboratively with dozens of Broadway productions, estates and authors to develop and present interactive workshops that have enabled over 350,000 school children to attend Broadway shows. Since 2000, Camp Broadway LLC

has been the publisher of StageNotes®: A Field Guide for Teachers, a National Core Standards of Education compliant study guide series that features approved curriculum for dozens of Broadway shows, from classic musicals such as 42nd Street and Kiss Me Kate to contemporary works including Wicked, Legally Blonde, In The Heights, Billy Elliot: The Musical and The Addams Family. In 2002, Camp Broadway received the Educational Theatre Association‟s Standing Ovation Award for Leadership in Education.

Camp Broadway has served many corporate clients by creating and managing a wide variety of education-based programs including: The Pride Rock Project for Disney Theatrical Productions, Stages for Learning for Dodger Theatrical Productions, On With the Show for Bravo Television Network, Adventure Ocean for Royal Caribbean Cruise Line, Accentuate The Positive for The Johnny Mercer Foundation, The Getting To Know… series for The Rodgers and Hammerstein Organization, Future Stages for Fidelity Investments and No Snap Judgments for The Addams Family.

ASU Gammage Donors Recognized and Awarded

2011-10-17T14:19:00.000-07:00

To the staff of ASU Gammage:

We were privileged to receive the Broadway League’s 2011 Star of Touring Broadway award on September 29th. As we mentioned on stage, it is the passion and excellenceof ASU Gammage that inspires us and that it is our pleasure to be associated with the best theater staff in the country!

For the sake of brevity, we did not expand on that at the time. Please know that, although it is our names on the star, we consider each and everyone one of you to have your name there as well. The person scanning our tickets, ushers, floor managers, box office, technical staff, marketing, development, cultural participation, and so on. Everyone we have dealt with, every experience we have had over the years has been wonderful. You are the stars in our eyes. Without you we never would have been recognized by the League.

We look forward to many more adventures with you at ASU Gammage.

Bill and Susan Ahearn

ASU GAMMAGE KICKS OFF BEYOND SERIES WITH ARIZONA PREMIERE OF AnDa UNION

2011-10-03T12:21:00.000-07:00

On Saturday, October 8 at 7 p.m., AnDa Union from China will make its Arizona performance premiere at ASU Gammage. This talented and adventurous ensemble of young musicians from Hohhot, China takes you on a musical voyage into traditions dating back to Genghis Khan and fuses them with a youthful vigor of modern China.

AnDa Union are part of a musical movement that is finding inspiration in old and forgotten songs, drawing on a repertoire of magical music that had all but disappeared during China's recent tumultuous past. AnDa Union hold on to the essence of Mongolian music while creating a form of music that is new. AnDa Union combines different traditions and styles of music from all over Inner and Outer Mongolia, developing an innovation previously unheard of.

“Our music draws from all the Mongol tribes that Genghis Khan unified. We all have different ethnic backgrounds and we bring these influences into our music. There is a wealth of folk music for us to learn, so far our repertoire of songs is like a drop in the ocean”, says Hadanbaatar the group’s drummer. The group describe themselves as music gatherers, digging deep into Mongol traditions and unearthing forgotten music. They are on a mission to stimulate their culture and reengage young Mongols, many of who have forgotten how to speak their own language

Tickets are $25 and $10 for students and on sale now at asugammage.com or by calling 480.965.3434

ANNOUNCING THE 2011-2012 GAMMAGE GOERS VALLEY RESIDENTS SELECTED TO REVIEW ASU GAMMAGE BROADWAY PRODUCTIONS

2011-09-26T14:48:00.000-07:00

ASU Gammage has selected eight Broadway theater lovers and savvy social media users to become part of the third season of the ASU Gammage Goers. The Goers have an opportunity to review shows throughout the blockbuster Broadway season and then spread their reviews through their social media outlets. The Goers were chosen from a pool of nearly 100 applicants who applied based on their interest in Broadway and their love for using social media.

“With everyone using social media these days to talk about the things they do and enjoy, we felt this was a great way for people to experience what we present at ASU Gammage and to share their views with people in their networks,” says Colleen Jennings-Roggensack, executive director of ASU Gammage “We want these reviews to be honest and unbiased, we of course hope their experience is positive and they will encourage their friends to see a show as well.”

Gammage Goers reviews will be posted via the ASU Gammage Facebook, Twitter and You Tube pages as well as on the Goers accounts. Each Goer will review approximately three shows per ASU Gammage season.

The Goers include:

Jodi, mom and music teacher from Phoenix

Jessica, high school teacher from Mesa

Jeff, business owner from Phoenix

Tami, an avid animal lover and an Intel employee from Chandler

Krys, dad, musician and online marketer from Mesa

Lorna, ASU student from Gilbert

Tim, dad and tech company account manager from Mesa

Jessie, nonprofit exec from Phoenix

2011-09-16T15:30:00.000-07:00

GRAMMY AWARD WINNING BROADWAY SMASH HIT

WEST SIDE STORY

IS COMING TO TEMPE

SEPTEMBER 27- OCTOBER 2

AT ASU GAMMAGE

The tour of the smash hit Broadway revival of WEST SIDE STORY is coming to Tempe. WEST SIDE STORY will open at ASU Gammage on September 27 and runs through October 2, 2011. Tony Award-winning librettist Arthur Laurents’ Broadway direction will be recreated for the tour by David Saint, the Associate Director on Broadway. The original Jerome Robbins choreography is reproduced by Tony Award-nominee Joey McKneely (The Boy from Oz, The Life).

The new Broadway cast album of WEST SIDE STORY won the 2010 Grammy Award for Best Musical Show Album

on January 31, 2010. The Bernstein and Sondheim score is considered to be one of Broadway’s finest and features such classics of the American musical theatre as “Something’s Coming,” “Tonight,” “America,” “I Feel Pretty” and “Somewhere.”

The new Broadway production began previews at the Palace Theatre on Broadway Monday, February 23, 2009, opened to critical acclaim breaking box office records at the Palace Theatre on Thursday, March 19, 2009, and recouped its $14 million investment after running only 30 weeks. The Broadway production played its final performance January 2, 2011. The musical played 27 previews and 748 regular performances, making it the longest-running production of the groundbreaking musical in Broadway history.The original production, which had held the record, played 732 performances on Broadway.

WEST SIDE STORY is written by three theatrical luminaries: two-time Tony Award winner Arthur Laurents (book) and multiple Tony and Grammy Award winners Leonard Bernstein (music) and Stephen Sondheim (lyrics) in his Broadway debut.

CAMP BROADWAY ANNOUNCES TEMPE AUDITIONS FOR MACY'S THANKSGIVING DAY PARADE

2011-08-22T15:19:00.000-07:00

CAMP BROADWAY®, the award-winning theater arts education company is now casting 120 performance-loving kids, ages 12-16, to perform the original number There’s No Place Like Here live in the 85th Anniversary Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade®. The parade will be televised live nationwide and locally on KPNX on November 24, 2011. The Camp Broadway Kids will perform the original song “There’s No Place Like Here” in front of Macy’s in Herald Square.

CAMP BROADWAY parade auditions in Arizona will be at ASU Gammage on Saturday, August 27 at 9 a.m. There is no fee to audition for this program. Auditions will be an open dance call. No specific time slots will be available, and no need to register an audition. Please be prepared to stay for the full time as scheduled. All participants should be prepared to learn choreography and dance. Please come in appropriate attire and footwear. Auditions will occur around the country, coinciding with CAMP BROADWAY’s national tour.

CAMP BROADWAY, under the direction of Artistic Director Tony Parise, has been selected to perform original number There’s No Place Like Here, a song featured in 3D animated direct to DVD movie “Quest for ZhuTM,” which will be released on September 27, 2011. CAMP BROADWAY’s performance will be televised live from Herald Square, surrounding the ZhuZhu Pets float.

The kids selected for the Macys Day parade will participate in a special one-week CAMP BROADWAY program leading up to the parade performance, including a series of Broadway workshops, classes and rehearsals to prepare participants for the nationally televised performance.

ASU Gammage will be hosting its 13th year of Camp Broadway on June 4-8, 2012, Camp sells out every year, so reserve your child’s spot today, by calling 480.965.5062. Campers work collaboratively with Broadway’s most distinguished performers, writers and designers and will have a chance to see Tony-Award® winning musical MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET and meet the cast and crew. Camp tuition is $600 and includes the week-long training, breakfast and lunch daily and tickets to MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET.

For more information, visit www.campbroadway.com , email info@campbroadway.com or call 212-575-2929. For more information on the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade®, please visit www.macys.com/parade or call the Macy’s Parade Hotline at 212-494-4495.

Summer Broadway Nights

2011-07-13T11:37:00.000-07:00

ASU Gammage is bringing Broadway right to your backyard. We will be out and about all over the Valley promoting our Broadway season, giving away Broadway prizes, as well as raffling off a Season Subscription for two to our upcoming Broadway season. Be sure to visit us and these Valley locations:



Kona Grill
July 13, 2011
4-7pm
5310 E High St, Phoenix
Escape to Kona Grill to experience our modern American cuisine, sushi prepared
with fresh fish flown in daily, designer cocktails and award-winning happy hour.
Kona Grill is extending its Happy Hour pricing to all Summer Broadway Night
Participants. This includes 50% off all appetizers and basic sushi rolls as well
as discounts on specialty drinks and beer.

Gelato Spot
July 18, 2011
5-8pm
Scottsdale Road and 3rd Ave
The Gelato spot is irresistible, some adults drool for it, kids cry when they
can’t have it, dogs pant for the peanut butter, pregnant women send their
husbands over 40 miles for a scoop, if you can find this amazing place it could
become an obsession you cannot replace.
Text “G2” to 30364 for your special Broadway Summer Broadway Night offer from
Gelato Spot.

Kobalt
July 21, 2011
9-11pm
3110 N. Central Ave, Ste. 125, Phoenix
Kobalt opened its door in the fall of 2006 with its blend of neighborhood bar
and trendy feel.  Located in the heart of central Phoenix, Kobalt sites inside
Park Central open air mall.  Parking is secure and free.  There is a day of the
week for everyone.  So stop in for "a little something different".

Java Grounds Coffee & Yogurt
Monday, August 1
5-8pm
8385 W. Deer Valley Road Suite 111, Peoria
Java Grounds Coffee & Yogurt is the West Valley’s only independent full-service
coffee house and yogurt shop.  As part of its mission to keep the West Valley
cool, connected, and fully caffeinated, Java Grounds offers a complete range of
coffee drinks using locally brewed beans by Riviera, real fruit and yogurt
smoothies, China Mist iced tea, Only 8 low-fat frozen yogurt, and an assortment
of fresh baked muffins, pastries, bagels and sandwiches.  Also featuring local
artists and musicians!  For more information, visit www.thejavagrounds.com>.
All Broadway Summer Night participants will receive buy one latte get one free
or buy one yogurt get the same size or smaller free.

Next Coffee Company
Wednesday, August 3
4-7pm
19420 N. 59th Avenue, Suite J, Glendale
Imagine a place where great coffee, great food and great art collide!  We seek
out the best local foods, local artists and musicians to create a home away from
home. The tables are large, the coffee is hot and the music is filled with
culture and passion. Next is a place for all. Whether you are a business type
and like to sprawl out or a student and need the caffeine. We offer live music
nightly, beer and wine specials, locally made pastries and gourmet sandwiches
and so much more. We proudly support local businesses and think community is
where it’s at! Come see what is NEXT!
www.nextcoffeecompany.com
Mention "Gammage" and receive $2.00 off any purchase of $10.00 or more. Cannot
be combined with any other offer. Not applicable to gift cards. Expires November
30, 2011.

Lee’s Cream Liquer
August 4, 2011
5-8pm
7137 E. Stetson Dr., Scottsdale
Using premium liqueurs like coconut rum, mango-flavored vodka and hand-made
kahlua and limoncello, Lee creates adult-only frozen confections that are simply
delicious on their own or blended together for an exotic ice cream cocktail.

Join us for the first ever Broadway Summer Spa Day on Tuesday, July 19.  Enjoy a
day of relaxation, culture and the arts. This package, offered exclusively on
July 19 to guests on the Broadway Summer Spa Day package, includes a relaxing
full body 50-minute Swedish massage, delicious spa fare for lunch in Aji Café
from 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. which will include one entrée and a non alcoholic beverage
(smoothies excluded), a complimentary Broadway gift box and the opportunity to
view a sneak peek video of the upcoming season with a chance to win a Season
subscription. The cost of this exclusive one day spa package is only $99. 
Reservations for this special event are required. To secure your reservations
please contact Aji Spa at 602.385.5759

Message from Mamma Mia! Cast Member

2011-05-02T13:09:00.000-07:00

It was the end of the long, hot summer of '98. The days at last dipped below 80 degrees, and life in the desert was magical again. That I was leaving at that moment seems insanity.

But opportunity comes a knockin' on its own schedule, never yours. And after more than three years as a reporter for KPHO-TV Channel 5, I got an offer I couldn't refuse. I left the Grand Canyon State for the Lone Star State and a job leading a brand new investigative consumer unit.

As much as I loved the new job, I hated leaving the Valley of the Sun. I still vividly remember how I felt the first time I arrived in Tempe. The TV station flew me in and put me up at the Tempe Palms. The lights were twinkling in the early evening on Mill Avenue and the sidewalks seemed full of young, ridiculously fit pedestrians.

One look at the row of tall skinny palms and the red rock mountains in the distance and I was in love. I fell for desert life, its unique vegetation (I seriously expected everything to look like the Sahara), marveled at front yards comprised entirely of pebbles and spent many a weekend drinking coffee on Mill Avenue and perusing its shops for dream catchers or something else equally exotic and new to this Florida girl (like river beds without actual river).

In short order, thanks to my job and my own sense of adventure, I traversed the entire state from the Grand Canyon to Tucson to Yuma to Strawberry to Sedona to the Hopi reservation. I worked with the best colleagues I'd ever know and had a life teeming with natural beauty, friends and an utter lack of dull moments. Years after leaving, I find myself thinking of this beautiful place I left that inscribed its indelible mark on me. And I yearn.

So imagine my happiness - bordering on disbelief - when I look at my tour schedule and see I will get to spend an entire week in Tempe, Arizona and stay at the Tempe Palms! Impossible! This is what you call a full circle moment.

This time, I'll be back in Tempe not as a reporter but under my new guise as a musical theatre singer and actor. After 15 years in television news, I decided to follow a crazy little dream of returning to my roots as a stage performer. Today, I am touring North America with the worldwide musical sensation known as Mamma Mia! I am in the ensemble and the understudy to Donna (memorably played by Meryl Streep in the film version) and her best friend Rosie. Working as a reporter in Phoenix made me realize ankles can sweat. This time, any workplace sweating will be fueled by Abba hits and a nightly dance party that makes me marvel at how I get paid to sing and dance for a living.

Mamma Mia is the story of enduring love and the powerful bonds of friendship between three women who've taken very different paths in life. One of my own best friends just happens to live in the Valley, hosting a television show called Sonoran Living Live. She may not be fully aware of this, but we have big plans. Between bouts of singing and being a Dancing Queen, I plan for us to take on Mill Avenue, caffeinating thoroughly in order to best attack the cool shops I plan to lightly ransack. There's a Town Lake to examine that didn't even exist when I lived here. There are cacti to be photographed, Papago Mountains to climb and sunsets to be savored. There are old friends to see anew and desert air to breathe in deeply. And because Arizona is...well...Arizona... I expect it'll pull out a surprise or two I didn't see coming. Because everyone knows the wild west is an unpredictable place...

- Eileen Faxas

-----------------------------------------

Eileen Faxas and the fabulous cast of Mamma Mia! perform at ASU Gammage May 17th - May 22nd. Eileen routinely blogs about life on the road with Mamma Mia! at her website: EileenFaxas.com. She hopes you will come to the show and say HELLO afterwards!

Message from 'Billy Elliot' Cast Member

2011-04-18T14:02:00.000-07:00

Hello ASU Gammage!

My name is Katie Micha. I'm 16 years old, and I have never been on tour, so being a part of Billy Elliot The Musical and being able to see the United States is pretty amazing! I have never been to Tempe, Arizona before. I must say, I'm really excited to get there and scope out the place. Although I spend most of my time in tutoring or on stage, I would love to sight see and maybe check out some tourist attractions. Being able to travel the U.S. at the age of 16 is such a privilege, and I try to take advantage of that. I would absolutely love to see the Grand Canyon, or maybe even go to the zoo. Although this is a job, it's important to explore your surroundings and try to take in all of the wonderful things around you.

Being a part of Billy Elliot The Musical is a dream come true. It's such an inspiring show, and to be able to say that I have a part in that inspiration is an incredible feeling. I play Tina Harmer, who is one of the Ballet Girls, in the show. She is the best dancer in the class and pretty much thinks everyone else is terrible. Although she's not the nicest in the bunch, she is tons of fun to play.

I have been on Broadway before, and it is SO different than being on tour. It's basically impossible to get bored while traveling because it's a constant change in scenery. I have to say my favorite part of being on tour is being able to perform in so many different states and cities. The audiences are always different and the feedback changes too. It’s interesting to see how people all have different perspectives and different outlooks on Billy Elliot. As a performer, it's an honor to know that our show has moved at least one person in that audience.

My absolute favorite part of the show would have to be "The Angry Dance." It is so passionate and gives me chills every time I watch it. Every Billy is different and gives a different portrayal, but that’s what makes it so special.

Being in the cast is like having a second family. Although we fight and get on each others nerves, we are all like brothers and sisters. We always have each others’ backs and have grown super close in past 5 months. We basically live together considering we usually stay in the same hotels, so you can imagine we see a lot of each other. Anyway to get back to my point, I can honestly say that this show has changed me for the better. Billy Elliot is a part of my life. It is my life. And I am loving every minute of it!

Message from 'Billy Elliot' Cast Member Rebecca Marlowe

2011-04-04T13:09:00.000-07:00

ASU Gammage -

Let me just start out by saying hi! My name is Rebecca Marlowe and I am 12 years old. I am from New York and I am so happy to be a part of Billy Elliot the Musical.

It is amazing to be a part of Billy Elliot. The whole cast is so supportive and really helps if we have any questions (which is a lot of the time.) The cast has become like a family. We have brothers, sisters and even dogs. But just like brothers and sisters, we sometimes fight. They say that we have Mondays off to hang out and be normal kids but most of the time the kids need a break from the rest of the kids. But somehow we still end up putting on the show at the end of the night.

In this cast of Billy Elliot, I play the medium swing. I cover three of the nine ballet girls but I have to be ready to go on for any of them. Basically, I am here in case someone falls, or gets sick, or wants to go to Disney World with their family. Let’s just say, the swings are never bored. There have been times when I have had to go on in the middle of a show on such short notice that the audience knew before I did. But being a swing we have a very “special” relationship with the company managers. I have fed them jelly beans, made jokes with them, and even just ran up and down the hallways with them. Even with all of the joking, we always need to be professional and ready.

My favorite part of being on tour is traveling around the United States with my Billy Elliot family. We have really become so close and to be able to travel with them has made the trip that much better. Meeting Mickey Mouse in Disney with my Billy family was an experience that I will remember forever.

Next we are going to Tempe, Arizona. I like to call this city the Roadrunner city. I hear that Tempe is cactus, then rock, cactus, then rock and that’s basically it. But when I go to Tempe I would like to visit the Grand Canyon.

My favorite part of Billy Elliot the Musical is “Expressing Yourself”. This is my favorite part of Billy Elliot because of how much fun the number is and I love how the dancing dresses tap in the number. I also love “Born to Boogie” because I love watching how Billy goes through the transformation; you can really start to see how much he loves to dance.

When I started dance class at age two I never could have imagined that those classes would lead me to being in Billy Elliot. Who knows what my future holds? Maybe next I will be playing the lead in Dora the Explorer.

- Rebecca Marlowe, Swing in 'Billy Elliot the Musical'

Message from Sarah Levitt of the Liz Lerman Dance Exchange

2011-03-28T13:08:00.000-07:00

Hello, ASU Gammage, from snowy Montclair, NJ! We’re here on a 10-day residency to get “The Matter of Origins” back on its feet after premiering the piece in September at the University of Maryland. We spent time in intensive rehearsal periods for three years leading up to the premiere, did two performances, and then walked away from the piece until January, when we went back to rehearsal and began refining and changing the piece to prepare for our spring performances.

As a dancer in the work who has been part of the creative process since rehearsals began in 2008, stepping away from “Origins” for the past few months has been extremely fruitful. It always surprises me: there are times when rehearsing is as useful as not rehearsing. The quiet discoveries that go on in our minds and bodies in a period away from a piece suddenly emerge in rehearsal, loudly. Movement phrases that were challenging in September are second-nature now and movement that could be accomplished with ease last fall now seems uncomfortable and complex and requires a different energy, intention, and physicality.

The idea of measurement and how we measure plays a large part in “Origins,” and it comes up a lot during our individual negotiation with movement in rehearsals. There is measurement on a gross physical scale (“Is my leg here or here?”), measurement of energy level (“I am going to mark the lifts”), measurement of nuance (“Watch the outside edge of Keith’s hand”), measurement of the personal (“I miss my family”), measurement of the other dancers (“That duet is getting better and better”), measurement of individual improvement (“The ‘Fanfare’ section feels much easier now”), measurement of physical state (“I will not make it through tomorrow without a hot bath tonight"). Of course the technique, training and effort are present in a performance, but so are the vagaries of the human body in motion under stress.

And this is the fun part, for me. Getting to come back to a piece that feels at once familiar and mysterious, discover details I didn’t see in September, and navigate the moments that have changed because all of us have changed since we started making this piece.

All of us in the cast and production team are looking forward to bringing “The Matter of Origins” to ASU Gammage on April 11, 2011. See you soon!

- Sarah Levitt (Liz Lerman Dance Exchange)

For more information on “The Matter of Origins”, please visit www.danceexchange.org.

Sarah Levitt is a dancer, choreographer, and teacher based in the Washington, DC area. She received her BA in Dance from the University of Maryland, College Park in 2007, where she held a Creative and Performing Arts Scholarship in Dance and was awarded the Dorothy Madden Emerging Artist Award upon graduation. Sarah has danced in the work of Robert Battle, Liz Lerman, Gesel Mason, Cassie Meador, Tzveta Kassabova, PearsonWidrig DanceTheater, and Keith Thompson. Sarah began working with the Dance Exchange in 2007, and became a full-time company member in 2010. She has performed and taught with the company at theatres, universities, senior centers and in community settings across the US and abroad. Sarah’s work has been presented by Dance Place, McDonogh School, and Artomatic, and she is the recipient of Individual Artist Awards from the Maryland State Arts Council in Choreography (2009) and Solo Performance (2010).

Message from 'Billy Elliot' Cast Member

2011-03-22T10:50:00.000-07:00

My name is Griffin Birney and I play Michael in the Billy
Elliot National Tour. The character of Michael is Billy
Elliot’s best friend. When Billy is faced with the hard
decision of pursuing his passion of dance or pleasing
his father by not dancing, he looks to Michael for advice.
Michael helps him realize that it’s okay to express
yourself as long as you’re happy.

Griffin Birney and Olivia Wang in Tampa at the beach.

It’s hard to pick my favorite part of Billy Elliot the
Musical, there are so many. One of them is the finale,
it’s the one time the entire cast is on stage together,
I can feel the energy and excitement. Another favorite
scene of mine would be The Letter, because it is
beautifully written and touching, no matter how many
times I hear it from backstage, I never get tired of it.

Being a part of the Billy Elliot cast is like being in school.
I get to see all these veteran actors perform every day,
I watch and I learn from them.  Everyone is very nice,
it’s like having a second family, we get to travel together
and see the country. So far we have been in several
cities, but I can’t wait to get to Tempe, Arizona! There
is so much to see there! We only get Mondays off, so we
have to plan our trips carefully. First on my list is The Grand
Canyon, I want to go all the way down to the bottom and
see the Havasu Falls. I would love to see the Petrified
Forestand hike the Oak Creek Canyon in Sedona. On
my lastMonday I’d like to go to Big Surf and play at
the water park.

I feel like I’m the luckiest kid alive, I get paid to do what I
love and see the country with amazing people.

See you soon, ASU Gammage! 

- Griffin Birney

Post from Janet Wong (Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company)

2011-03-02T10:46:00.000-08:00

The Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company is back at ASU Gammage after 10 years to perform Fondly Do We Hope…Fervently Do We Pray on Saturday, March 5. This piece was commissioned by the Ravinia Festival for the 200^th anniversary of the birth of Abraham Lincoln. I think the work will look very handsome on the generous stage of Gammage. The title of the piece is a quote from Lincoln’s second inaugural address and I think it is particularly timely as our government threatens to shut down - it challenges the viewer and makes one wonder if we can ever find the “we”.

But onstage, in our community, WE are a company of 10 dancers, 4 musicians and an actor supported by an amazing technical crew, doing something that is essential to us. And WE love the warm weather of Arizona!

This performance falls in the middle of a ten day residency at ASU where we begin working on a new piece tentatively titled Story/Time. This visit also marks the beginning of a three-year relationship with ASU. It takes very brave presenters like Colleen Jennings-Roggensack and Michael Reed to embark on such a journey into the wilderness with us. I must admit that this new work has many challenges - even I am overwhelmed.

For example, our very first rehearsal for this piece is not in a dance studio but in a TV studio in downtown Phoenix. And Colleen and Michael are making this happen for us, whereas others may have balked at the request. Bill wanted a different way of entering this new work, and working in an environment with multiple cameras and a director forces us to do that. Without giving too much away, this work takes its inspiration from John Cage’s “Indeterminacy”. The piece includes Bill writing and reading 90 one-minute stories, one-minute dance activities, one-minute pedestrian/elemental activities, the division of space, the distribution of furniture items, the transformation of space, the camera's perspective, and social media. The positioning of the performative elements are determined by chance, each perhaps having its own score. This process is in part a way for Bill to escape his persona and taste. This residency is the beginning of our experiment -- and what a luxury it is to be able to experiment!

- Janet Wong, Assistant Artistic Director

Message from Fiddler Cast Member!!!

2011-03-01T10:03:00.000-08:00

Hi ASU Gammage!

Julianne Katz here, currently playing Hodel in the National Tour of Fiddler on the Roof.

As a Native of Tucson, I cannot even tell you how excited I am to have the opportunity to perform in Arizona. I can’t wait to get to Tempe in March and bring Fiddler to the Gammage stage! Many of my friends and family have actually never seen me perform, and now that I am coming home they can finally see me.

It is surreal to be returning to my old stomping grounds, where I used to sing and dance in shopping malls and with children’s theater groups as a child. Growing up, my parents took me to see touring Broadway shows, and I remember fantasizing about one day being like those actresses I watched on the stage. I would always make my way to the stage door after the shows to see the performers up close and get autographs on my Playbill. I can only hope that there are kids in our audiences that are getting bit by the theaterbug; I hope we inspire young artists just as I was once inspired as a child.

After touring the country for the last five months, I have realized how lucky we are in Arizona to have such incredible theaters that bring in so many wonderful shows. ASU Gammage has brought 11 fantastic, diverse Broadway shows in this season- ELEVEN! No other theater I have been to this year has had that kind of season. Not even close!

THANK YOU, Gammage Patrons, for continuing to support musical theatre and touring Broadway shows. It is your supporting of the arts that allows us to do what we love every night. I am so grateful and honored to join the long list of Gammage performers.

See you soon!

Love,

Julianne

Message from 9 To 5 Cast Member!!!

2011-02-11T13:00:00.000-08:00

Hi there ASU Gammage!

My name is Natalie Charle Ellis and I am excited to say I’m coming to
Gammage in just a couple of weeks to perform in 9 To 5:  The Musical.  The main
reason coming to ASU Gammageis so special to me is because it was My Broadway
growing up (I’m from AZ). I remember being 10 years old and my dad giving my mom
and I tickets to see The Phantom of the Opera for Christmas. So we got all
dressed up (it was first big night out to the theater) and we sat 6th row, smack
dab in the middle. The moment the Orchestra started to play, my jaw dropped and
my heart started pounding and I squeezed my parents’ hands the entire show. I
already loved being on stage, but that was the night I knew I was going to spend
my life performing. This is my first "big gig" and is also my first time even
stepping foot on to that stage. I know it’s going to be an amazing experience.
And I get to share it with my parents, friends and all my mentors from Phoenix
and that means the world to me. I started at Greasepaint Youth Theatre when I
was 12 then became a professional actor at 18 with Phoenix Theatre and have met
some incredible people that have helped make me the performer and person I am
today. PLUS I get to work with some amazingly talented and fun people in a great
show. I hope you all have the chance to come out! I can’t wait!

Natalie Charle Ellis

Message from 9 To 5 Cast Member!!!

2011-02-04T12:46:00.000-08:00

Hey ASU Gammage!

One of my favorite tour spots has got to be Tempe! And lucky me... it has been a stop on every tour I have done (High School Musical, Legally Blonde, and now 9 to 5). 3 words: SOUTH MILL AVENUE!!! Great shopping, great food, and night life all in walking distance from the hotel/theatre! One of the first things I will do is go have a meal at My Big Fat Greek Restaurant! And then follow up with some shopping at Papaya: great clothes for great prices!!

I also love that Tempe loves musical theatre!! There’s always a huge crowd waiting for the actors at the end of the show. It gets us excited! The audiences are always fantastic, the crew are top notch, and I always feel safe with the friendly security guards at the stage door. And Being from California, I always appreciate the warm weather! I’m thrilled to go back soon.

See you guys soon!!!

Ashley Moniz (Candy Striper/Ensemble, u/s Doralee, u/s Judy, u/s Maria)

Note From Spring Awakening Cast Member Emily Mest

2011-01-24T12:29:00.000-08:00

Hey Tempe! Emily Mest here! Currently playing Thea on the National Tour of Spring Awakening! Ahhhh! This is so amazing! Sitting on the bus after a great show in Salt Lake City, Utah. Our opening night for the second leg of the tour couldn't have gone any better. I am very tired but how could anyone be unhappy when surrounded by the beautiful snow topped mountains bordering the city and the lovely company of my hilarious cast. On tour, Target, Walgreens and Buffalo Wild Wings are the three places you love to see in a city because you'll be likely spending a lot of time there. It's also a good idea to prepare for tour to purchase an egg crate to sleep on top of on the bus floor. Not so glamorous huh? But, so completely rock star.

It's great to have Michael Linden on tour with us because he is a food connoisseur and restaurant snob so he always finds the best places to eat and I cannot wait to come to Tempe! I'm sure you have some great food, any suggestions?! I have never been to Arizona and love dry warm weather so I feel like Tempe might be my place! Actually, the entire cast can't wait! Being in Spring Awakening is a dream come true and this cast and crew is super close. I’m walking into the hotel now about to collapse on my bed and sleep like a baby. But I do so knowing that I am so lucky to be showing the world a beautiful and touching show, Spring Awakening, and that I will never forget this experience. Hope to see you soon!

- Emily

Hello from the cast of Spring Awakening!

2011-01-14T13:00:00.000-08:00

What's up Arizona State??? This is Jim Hogan, I play Georg in the National Tour of Spring Awakening which will be visiting ASU Gammage January 27-28 and I couldn't be more excited about it. I went to Penn State University last year so I love touring through big schools - it feels like home!

So, here's what's up with Spring Awakening. We just arrived in Salt Lake City, Utah, a few days ago and rehearsed all day yesterday to prepare for our first show in seven weeks. That's right, after teching and touring for three months, we were lucky enough to celebrate Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years at home with our families. How awesome is that? But now we're back on the job performing and doing the show we love. We open tonight at Kingsbury Hall in Salt Lake with an 8pm performance after a 2pm dress rehearsal.

Let me give away a little secret here - putting on a show in high altitude in a cold climate with bad air quality is one of the hardest things I've had to do. I completely lost my voice for a little bit yesterday - that was rough. Not to worry, though, because once we put on our costumes, grab our handheld mics and hit that stage, nothing is going to stop us from putting on a production with the highest energy you've ever seen. Which is why we're so excited to bring it to Tempe! Also, it doesn't hurt that after spending 5 days in 20 degree weather, your high for the day is 75 degrees... in January??? Oh yea, this is going to be a good stop.

All right, so, before I go eat something so that I don't pass out today let me just tell you - If you have not seen Spring Awakening: RUN, don't walk, to get your tickets. This is not just your average musical - it's a groundbreaking rock concert at heart topped with incredible choreography and a beautiful story that everyone can relate to. If you have already seen Spring Awakening, I know you've already purchased your tickets so I can't wait to give this story to you with this new cast!

See you in two weeks!
Jim Hogan

Message from Cynthia Elek, Kennedy Center Teaching Artist

2011-01-12T09:31:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year to teachers, staff and students in the extended ASU community!

A new year brings resolutions to do things better, smarter, faster – to find new challenges and get new ideas.

ASU Gammage offers workshops for teachers through its Kennedy Center partner school districts, and I’m honored to be presenting not once but twice – in Mesa on Tuesday January 25 and in Peoria on Tuesday February 8. My workshop is called “The Power of Chant: Building Oral Fluency and Reading Comprehension.”

As a trained singer, I love words and music and art and drama, and what better way to bring them all together in the classroom than by using the incredible treasure trove offered by picture books? Take a look at the contemporary picture book genre, with illustrations that mix photos and paintings, cartoons and watercolor and text that leaps off the page in a mix of sizes and typefaces. And the words! Rhythms and rhymes, vocabulary and word play get students’ feet tapping and bodies moving. Picture books target every age, every grade level and every subject – from literature and social studies to science and mathematics.

“Chant” is what I call these inventive rhythmic book texts, and in my workshops I lead my participants through the steps of performing chant in the classroom. We brainstorm in large groups and small groups and with partners. We ask questions and discuss the process. We apply what we’ve learned to new books and share our discoveries through performance. We also try our hand at making up our own chants to explore topics that may not be available in picture books.

Teachers who have been through workshops in the past have commented on how accessible the process is. They can go back to their classrooms the next day and immediately apply what they’ve learned with confidence! They also value the book resources. Some of their comments follow:

“The literature was fantastic. It wasn’t too familiar. It was vivid, colorful, and grade appropriate (and easily differentiated).”

“Using language, musicality, and movement together to reinforce reading and vocabulary is genius.”

“Cynthia challenged me to think differently about books and the words and characters in books.”

If you’re feeling adventurous and want a challenge, check out Chant - space is still available for the Mesa workshop on January 25. Hope to see you there!

– Cynthia Elek, Kennedy Center Teaching Artist and Workshop Presenter

Workshop registration form: http://www.asugammage.com/pdf/professional-development-for-teachers/Prof-Development-Workshops-10-11-Reg-Form.pdf

Message from Morgan Rose from 'SHREK'!!!

2010-12-21T14:45:00.000-08:00

Greetings ASU Students, Faculty and Staff!

Morgan Rose here, Shoemaker's Elf from SHREK THE MUSICAL coming soon to a
campus near you!  I'm just sitting here on a rainy San Francisco Friday getting
ready to hit up the nearest shopping mall…'tis the season, after all.  There is
so much shopping to be done and so little time. Christmas hits in only a week
and I am having a hard time finding the perfect gifts for my amazing company.
My first option was a pair of shoes for everyone, ya know, working with the
Shoemaker theme of my character, but I think that may prove just a smidge
expensive for my budget.  And while everyone loves chocolate, I find that it's
not the right sentiment.  Surely I can find something creative and affordable
for my 50 traveling company members…any suggestions?

In addition to the craziness that is the holiday season, we here at SHREK are
busily preparing for a stint of one week stops on our tour.  Tempe is the first
place we get to hit right after the new year and can I just say how excited I
am?!? I have worked in the Phoenix area before and seriously, it is one of my
favorite places EVER! One week just doesn't seem enough to enjoy all of the good
times that Arizona has to offer.  What could be better than waking up, looking
out your window and seeing the glorious mountains, prickly cacti, and tumbleweed
rolling across the roads?  I tell you, ASU kiddies, Tempe is going to be my
playground!

-Morgan Rose (Shrek The Musical Cast)

Message from Shrek Cast Member!

2010-12-17T10:55:00.000-08:00

"Winter Wonderland?"

The tree is up. The carols are playing. The Christmas shopping is almost
finished. It is my favorite time of year...this Kentucky girl loves layering up
in a hat, scarf and gloves and braving the blustery December winds and hoping
for a sprinkle of snow that will bring a true "White Christmas". Except...wait a
second....I AM IN CALIFORNIA!!! I have never in my life experienced such a mild
and warm "Holiday" season. All of the garland in the stores and the salvation
army buckets and the mall Santas seem so out of place in this 60 degree weather!

After getting over the initial culture shock, I have begun to appreciate this
Pacific coast Christmas. One perk is that I don't have to worry so much about
getting a winter cold and not being able to sing in the show! Another great
thing is seeing Christmas lights on a palm tree. I have never seen that in
Kentucky or New York City! I have decided to embrace this weather, and am
looking forward to continuing the warm streak into 2011 when the show goes to
Tempe, Arizona. I will be expecting Christmas lights on a cactus!

-Sarah Peak (Ugly Duckling and Teen Fiona)

Gammage Giving

2010-12-13T08:35:00.000-08:00

Please consider ASU Gammage for a tax deductible year-end gift.

A year-end gift helps us provide the highest quality performances and award winning arts education programs in our community. When you give to ASU Gammage, you are making our community a better place for everybody. Gifts can be designated to Education and Outreach, Military Family Ticket Fund, BEYOND Series Performances, Artist Residencies, Capital Improvements or General Operating. Just let us know where you want your gift to have an impact by telling us or making a note on your check.

Here are some gift ideas to consider:

GIFTS of CASH are the most convenient way to make a year-end gift. ASU Gammage accepts donations by cash, check or credit cards. Gifts can be made by mail, by phone or online at www.asugammage.com/support. If your employer has a matching gift program, your gift is worth even more.

GIFTS of STOCK may realize tax savings for you.
HONORARY and MEMORIAL GIFTS are thoughtful ways to show your appreciation for that special person and a unique gift for the person who has everything. We will acknowledge your recipient.

PLANNED GIFTS: Charitable Gift Annuities and Charitable Remainder Trusts are great ways to make a charitable gift, receive significant tax deductions and tax advantaged income for the remainder of your or your beneficiary’s lives. ADVISED BEQUESTS ensure the long-term future of ASU Gammage.

ENDOWMENT GIFTS are a great way to provide an ongoing source of income for the care or financing of valuable programs or venue restoration and improvement. They create a perpetual stream of income that will help ASU Gammage continue a legacy of programs and services that have significant cultural impact on ASU students and the community. A named endowment fund is also a wonderful means of memorializing forever the memory of your wise philanthropy.

Whatever gift you choose, we thank you for thinking of ASU Gammage in your year-end giving plans.

For questions on making a year end gift to ASU Gammage, please contact Peter Means, Director of Development, at 480.965.6059 or peter.means@asu.edu.

Note from Jim Brickman

2010-11-23T14:45:00.001-08:00

Hey ASU Gammage -

Bringing my 15th Anniversary Holiday Concert to Tempe gives me the great
opportunity to spread the holiday spirit – even without snow!

Music brings people together, especially Christmas music.  Sitting in a hushed
auditorium, as I play songs from “Greensleeves” to “The Gift”, I know that each
of you will be lost in your private thoughts.  While you are enjoying the
concert, songs will stir up memories of Christmas past, and uplift the spirit of
the season.

There’s a renewed feeling in every holiday concert.  I attribute that to my love
for collaboration.  I’m grateful to work with such talented guests who stimulate
my creativity, and enhance every performance.  Joining me this year are my good
friends, singer Anne Cochran, Mark Masri and electric violinist Tracy Silverman.
Anne and Tracy have been with me since the 1998 holiday tour.  We become a
family on the road, spending every day and night together for over a month, and
traveling across the country on a tour bus.  Anne and I have been friends since
we went to high school in Shaker Heights, Ohio.  Her rich soulful voice adds a
new dimension to the Christmas songs you’ve been loved for years. You’ll be
amazed by the eclectic sound Tracy creates on his bright yellow violin.

I know you’ll enjoy celebrating with us. From the warmth and nostalgia of
“Brickman-ized” classic hymns and carols, to the joyful contemporary holiday
favorites, the festive holiday atmosphere radiates through the theatre, and
spreads into the streets.

Happy Holidays,
Jim Brickman

Greeting from Cast Member of 'Grinch'

2010-11-15T14:23:00.000-08:00

Hi Tempe,

My name is Carly Tamer and I also play Cindy Lou Who in Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas!, coming to ASU Gammage, November 17-21. I am in fourth grade and I am nine-years-old. I am so thrilled to be part of this great Christmas show! We rehearsed in New York City and had a blast working together. The cast and crew are such a talented bunch and we have quickly become a family of Whos!

I actually saw Whoville come alive as we danced and sang our hearts out. The song "Whatchamawho" is particularly fun to perform because the dancing is crazy and fast and just about the whole cast is in it. We use some very unusual Who toys and props! I can’t wait to bring it to Gammage and for you guys to see it for yourselves!

I remember when I got to see Stefan Karl in full makeup as the Grinch for the very first time -- my jaw really did drop! He became even more Grinchlike! He may seem scary at first, but as you’ll see in the show, Cindy Lou Who makes his heart grow and change. While performing is extraordinarily fun, there is still other work to do for the kids. We have school each day with our fabulous tutor April. In addition to our schoolwork, she plans field trips for us in each city we go to. I can’t wait to see where we go in Tempe. I have heard so many wonderful things about Gammage and how pretty the campus and city are.

Keep an eye out for a bunch of Whos around town. You’ll notice us by the way we walk and talk! “Whoooooo!”

xoxo

Carly

Hello from the Road ... Brooke Boyd

2010-11-09T10:47:00.000-08:00

Hello Everyone, I’m Cindy-Lou Who, how do you do-Who?! :)


Well, I am really Brooke Boyd and I am 10-years old.  I am so excited to be in
my first tour ever of “How the Grinch Stole Christmas”! I play the youngest
“Who” daughter in “Whoville”.

I’ve had the greatest  time in rehearsals and I can’t wait for you all to see
the show!

We will be on the road soon and I am most excited about our stop in Tempe,
Arizona!! First of all, I have been to Arizona many times because my Grandma,
Uncle, Aunt, Cousin, Acting Teacher and many other people I know live there.  I
live in California so it is easy for me to go for a visit.  Most of all, I am
really excited to have them all see me perform at the amazing ASU Gammage .
They have told me the theater is beautiful and really big… 3,000 seats!! Of
course they all go to the theater and have seen this wonderful place so I am
sure I will be in awe when I am standing on that stage!!

Our amazing cast will be performing at ASU Gammage from November 17th – 21st and
there will be plenty of “Fah Who For Aze” to welcome Christmas.  So, when you’re
finished shopping for your “Whatcha-ma Whos” come see the show cuz “This will be
our song, you and I belong, heart to heart together, this Christmas Season!!”

-Brooke Boyd (Cindy Lou-Who)

Kellis Group at School to Work

2010-10-29T14:18:00.000-07:00

Last Thursday high school students from four schools across the Valley participated in the ASU Gammage School to Work Workshop. Students from Raymond S. Kellis High School in Peoria, Camelback High School and Bostrom High School in Phoenix, and Learning Foundation for the Performing Arts in Gilbert got an inside look at what it takes to put on a show at ASU Gammage.

The School to Work workshop teams students with ASU Gammage staff to learn about the responsibilities of the different departments at ASU Gammage and the process of bringing a show to the ASU Gammage stage using real life scenarios. The students got a crash course in arts presenting from the ASU Gammage staff, and in just a few short hours were making decisions about choosing a show, developing fundraising strategies, creating marketing plans, reading technical riders, setting up a show at the box office and learning how to navigate budgets. After learning all about their assigned departments the students report to the rest of the group what their department needs to do to present a show. After working all morning students were taken on an exciting backstage tour of the set of BEAUTY AND THE BEAST by Company Manager Deb Barrigan. Students loved the chance to get an up close look at the set and costumes, and to learn more about what it like to work with a national touring company.

It truly is a joy to share what we do here at Gammage with students, and to the School to Work workshop gives us an exciting opportunity to introduce them to potential careers in the arts that they might not have ever thought about.

Thanks so much to all of the students who participated in last week’s workshop, great job.

Here is some feedback from one of the students:

My experience at the recent School to Work program was interesting. I had no idea what to expect. Coach Moore, my volleyball coach, said I would like it….but I was not sure. Coach Moore really does not take “no” for an answer so I knew we were going. Anyway, she got the head coach, Vicky Bauler, to take us. Coach Bauler is the BIGGEST Beauty and the Beast fan so she said “YES”. So off we went to find out what this was all about.

Turns out it is really cool!! We got to learn about all the work it takes to bring a Broadway show to a city. We broke into small groups and learned about how departments work together to make the show happen. It was super interesting. Then we got to tour the set. I learned a lot and I had fun. I hope we get to do this again.

Nicole ,Raymond S. Kellis High School

Message from Colleen (Exec. Director of ASU Gammage)

2010-10-25T15:06:00.000-07:00

(Colleen Jennings-Roggensack, Executive Director of ASU Gammage)

Recently returned from NYC to see more shows as part of my duty as Arizona’s Tony Award voter, I have 60 to season this season!

It’s fall and time for Tony season and football! No, this is not a mistake for this new season on Broadway the two go hand in hand. LOMBARDI the new play on Broadway about the legendary coach and the namesake of the Super Bowl trophy is playing at Circle in the Square. Call it kismet, but following a trip to Lambeau Field and watching my husband’s beloved Packers I flew to NYC to see LOMBARDI. Dutifully attired in my Packer jersey (#12) I ran into Thomas Kai, the director in the lobby. (You will remember that Tommy was the director for IN THE HEIGHTS and came to ASU GAMMAGE to help Lin Manuel Miranda work back into the show, Tommy even joined us for our TalkBack).

Tommy was delighted to see me in my Packer jersey and commented that it helped to set the correct tone. The play focused on Vince the coach and home life with his indomitable wife Marie. The PACKER National was in full attendance. This play marks another first on Broadway; one of the producing partners is the NFL. The NFL was so excited about LOMBARDI that there are plans for other Broadway shows. Hmmm. …CARDINALS the musical. We’ll see.

Inspiration abounds with the PITMEN PAINTERS at the Manhattan Theatre Club at the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre. This is a great story of British miners who discover their talent and love for culture and they proceed to capture the attention of the visual art world. A true story that underscores that creativity is not the sole province of one class. These fine actors came from across the pond in the West End where PITMEN PAINTERS is a huge success.

Cherry Jones dominates the stage and gets a hold of you and does not let go in MRS. WARREN’S PROFESSION. The play is about the business that Cherry’s character is in and her conservative daughter coming to grips with it. While the play feels long in the run and does bog downed in parts, seeing Cherry Jones is worth it.

Always keeping an eye out off Broadway, plus following up on a rain check performance of Edward Albee’s ME, MYSELF & I at Playwright’s Horizons which closed out my trip. The first time I was scheduled to see the show one of the leads who plays a twin was out sick. So the theater graciously rerouted us to later performances. The story of a twin trying to separate himself from family was Albee-lite, but I do love the fact that Playwrights Horizons invests in new work and is the most patron accommodating theater.

Already planning my next trip as TONY letters await for BRIEF ENCOUNTER, LIFE IN THE THEATRE and TIME STANDS STILL (which I saw last year but it must have missed the Tony nom deadline). See you at ASU GAMMAGE or on ole Broadway.

- Colleen Jennings-Roggensack

ASU GAMMAGE - TYPE A MARKETING APPOINTS EXECUTIVE MICHAEL PORTO

2010-10-08T15:36:00.000-07:00

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

2010-10-01T14:18:00.000-07:00

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!!

2010-09-14T13:46:00.000-07:00

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!

2010-09-10T14:18:00.000-07:00

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!

Tech Talk

2010-08-31T14:26:00.000-07:00

Tech Talk

It has been quite a summer over here at  ASU Gammage! We’ve been busy freshening
up the building for the upcoming season and can’t wait to get started! I had a
chance last week to “get in the groove” by working the ASU Fall Welcome Concert
and Event over at Wells Fargo Arena (WFA). (Yes, they do let me out of the
building every now and then!) Working at WFA presents its own unique challenges
as it’s an athletic facility (Go ASU Basketball!) and not the familiar setting
of ASU Gammage.


As you can see in this photo the load-in
area is the West Tunnel (same place the teams enter when playing a game) but it
is continually sloped down toward the court which makes handling road cases that
are on wheels all the more difficult! WFA also resurfaces the court every summer
and guess who has the fun of being the first person on it…? Yup, that would be
me! Since we obviously do not want to mar the bright new shiny floor we use
Teflon maroon cover that protects it from the stage legs, road boxes and concert
goers.


As you can see a lot of work goes into the
construction of the stage and loading in of the Band Gear! The head liner of
this year’s concert was country singer Dierks Bentley and the opener was  rapper
Chingy . It took two full days of working to get the band and their gear loaded
in and performance ready. As you may have realized, there are no “battens”
(pipes you can hang lights or scenery on) in an arena. The way around this is to
crawl up into the catwalks at WFA and hang chain motors onto the steel I-beams
of the building. This is done by professional riggers (even I get week in the
knees when walking around up there, it’s really high!)



At concert time everything was up, the band had been through sound check and we
were set with the lights. Only one thing left to do…. Turn off the lights and
send the talent onstage!



This was a few minutes before “Go” time.
Security everywhere and nothing much to do until concert time.


Chingy starts things off with some high energy rapping!


This was all I could shoot of Dierks
(contract issues), but it was a good show!! And WFA was packed too! Go Devils!

Day three of the Fall Welcome week was the Sun Devil Welcome where all the
incoming students are invited to WFA to listen to people speak and get ready for
the beginning of their new adventure as a Sun Devil. Dr Crow, Lisa Love, Coach
Sendek and others spoke at the event and were very motivating. The day concluded
with the ASU Marching Band storming the arena and teaching the Sun Devil Fight
Song!

Here is the Sun Devil Marching Band standing
by for their takeover of the arena! I am not sure how many students are in the
band (there are tons of them) and yet they all squished into the west tunnel and
ran all throughout the arena while playing their instruments, truly awesome!
Of course all great events come to an end! The floor was unharmed and we cleaned
up all of our messes! It was a great week of load-ins, rigging, rap, country,
inspiration and Sun Devil Pride! I can’t wait until next year! If you can’t wait
to here more feel free to shoot me an email, I always love to talk tech!

-Jeff Rollins

New Beginnings

2010-08-16T10:06:00.000-07:00

I love the idea of new beginnings- a time to begin again, a fresh start. That idea is always on my mind this time of year when young men and women are beginning their freshman year of college. This Saturday through Tuesday, August 14-17, thousands of new students will move into residence halls across all four ASU campuses. ASU Gammage will welcome them at Wells Fargo Arena as they check in. It is an exciting time for students and a stressful time for parents!

Many will leave their kids and return to their homes in other parts of the country. Some will cry, others will breathe a sigh of relief, but all will realize that their sons and daughters will be moving forward with the next part of their life’s journey. It is a significant step toward independence. College life is filled with fantastic experiences, growing pains, new relationships, more growing pains, and great fun. The best part of college in my opinion is the diversity. Diversity of ideas, of interests, of socio economic backgrounds ...the list goes on and on. And you get to present yourself to all these new people as your own unique person while sharing in this common event called Fall Welcome Week at ASU. A new beginning- very cool!

Here at ASU Gammage we are committed to the idea of engaging students in the arts- many have never been to NYC to see a Broadway musical or play. The notion that they can have that experience - right here on campus- is pretty incredible.

To introduce our new students and families to Gammage, we will be hosting Broadway Buzz on Monday, August 16 from 6:30 to 8 p.m. ASU students are invited to a FREE event to see what ASU Gammage has to offer. Find out about the 2010/2011 Broadway season featuring shows and actors straight from New York in Tony Award-winning hits like HAIR, MAMMA MIA!, BILLY ELLIOT THE MUSICAL, SPRING AWAKENING and more.

In addition to the Broadway series, find out what else ASU Gammage has to offer like its BEYOND series, student rush discounted tickets, student subscriptions, Campus Connection events and so much more.

Broadway Buzz will also feature free food, activities, giveaways, and more. It will be a chance to meet new friends who enjoy the performing arts as much as you. Plus, the first 150 people to arrive will receive a free Broadway gift.

“We are so excited to to open our building to ASU’s newest students—our doors are always open to them and we look forward to entertaining them this year,” says Colleen Jennings-Roggensack, executive director.

The best part is that we are offering a student package this year which will include tickets to four of the Broadway shows coming to ASU Gammage AND the opportunity to meet other students who love Broadway. We will have student events before or after each of the 4 shows where kids can mingle and chat about the show- get to know one another and hopefully make new friends. We are excited to introduce Broadway to another freshman class at ASU, so look for our table at Wells Fargo Arena when checking in- or come Broadway Buzz on Monday at 6:30PM at Gammage. It will be lots of fun and the start of another great season of Broadway at Gammage!

What's Ahead on Broadway

2010-08-03T15:37:00.000-07:00

What's Ahead on Broadway

By Colleen Jennings-Roggensack, Executive Director

Well the weather is not the only thing that is HOT in New York this summer.
Many of the new Broadway shows are being mounted to open in the Fall and they
are hot, hot, hot. Here is some inside scoop of a few shows to see this fall.
The weather may be cool but these shows will keep the Great White Way sizzling.

After cautiously watching SCOTTSBORO BOYS, OFF Broadway at the Vineyard, I
cheered this musical’s move to Broadway. This John Kander and Fred Ebb’s musical
directed and choreographed by Susan Stroman (CONTACT, PRODUCERS and YOUNG
FRANKENSTEIN) takes a 1931 historic civil rights events where nine young African
American men are falsely arrested for a crime involving two white women and thus
starting the American Civil Rights movement. Set as a minstrel show (thus
caution and weary eye). The wonderful talented cast is moving on to Broadway
with the moving, smart, dark humor, enlightened script and made entertaining. I
enjoyed sitting with Tom Hulce and comparing notes on the show.

HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS WITHOUT REALLY TRYING is back with Daniel Radcliffe.
Yes, Harry Potter. But all you Broadway buffs will recall the great job Daniel
did in EQUUS. It should be mad, man fun (pun intended)

BLOODY, BLOODY ANDREW JACKSON transferring on to Broadway from downtown having
had an extended run at THE PUBLIC THEATRE. Ever wonder what life was like for
our early American Presidents? This musical, yes another historic romp answers
that question. Making young Andrew Jackson and the times of the day hip and
happening. Thanks in large part to yummy Benjamin Walker who rocks the title
role. Think “SNL” meets the History Channel. An Irreverent, fun, thought
provoking evening, I over heard two young women commenting that this musical
makes them reconsider being history majors (true story).

Under better late than never category SPIDERMAN: TURN OFF THE DARK appears to be
ready to open after a season delay. The creative team of TONY AWARD winner
Director and Creator Julie Taymor and U2’s Bono promises to thrill us from the
moment we walk into the lobby and the Spidey’s den to the stage of magic, wonder
and rocking action.

Classic plays remain a staple of the new Broadway season with James Earl Jones
and Vanessa Redgrave in DRIVING MISS DAISY. Not to be missed, Broadway royalty
on stage in Alfred Uhry’s Pulitzer Prize winning play.

And this is just a quick peak of the new Broadway season. There are so many
more shows to come!!!!!!

See you on Broadway and in ASU GAMMAGE!!!!

Big Screen to the Big Stage

2010-07-19T16:25:00.000-07:00

Big Screen to the Big Stage
By Carrie Law

You may have noticed when looking at the line-up of Broadway shows coming to ASU Gammage next season that almost all the titles are also major motion pictures. While for most the movie came first, we wanted to take a look at the similarities and differences between the production on the big screen and production on the big stage. This summer we’ve partnered with MADCAP Th eaters on Mill Avenue to give you the chance to rediscover these shows on the screen before you see them live on stage at ASU Gammage. The movie screenings are FREE, and this past week, moviegoers enjoyed showings of the movies “Billy Elliot” and “Young Frankenstein.”

“Billy Elliot”, the Oscar-nominated film that hit the big screen in 2000, starred Jamie Bell as the young “Billy.” BILLY ELLIOT THE MUSICAL was later brought to life by the movie’s original creative team – director Stephen Daldry, choreographer Peter Darling and writer Lee Hall, along with music legend Elton John, when it made its world premiere in London in 2005. The plot and the setting are the same in both the movie and the musical: set during the UK miners' strike (1984–1985), the audience follows Billy’s journey as he stumbles out of the boxing ring and into a ballet class where he discovers his dream to dance.

Unlike the movie, BILLY ELLIOT THE MUSICAL is split into two Acts and includes 16 musical numbers such as “Expressing Yourself,” “He Could Be a Star,” and “Electricity.” While the movie had one actor playing the role of young Billy, the demanding role on stage requires three young actors (who must also sing, dance, act and do acrobatics) to alternate who performs on stage each night.

You’ll notice a few other differences in the stage version versus the movie, such as in the where Billy’s father has a change of heart about his son’s love of dance and when Billy finds out his friend Michael has feelings for him. There are also some differences in the scene where Billy receives the letter about whether or not he made it into the dance school. I won’t spoil this part for you if you haven’t yet seen the movie or musical!

Please note, there is strong language in both the movie and the stage production of BILLY ELLIOT.

“Young Frankenstein” is the 1974 Mel Brooks smash-hit comedy we all know and love, starring Gene Wilder, but how was this black and white, tongue-in-cheek comedy adapted to play within the proscenium arch? Well for one thing, you can definitely expect to find audience members at the musical remembering many of the classic lines from the film before they’re even recited on stage. And you’ll notice many of the songs created for the musical are born out of the familiar dialogue from the movie, like “Please Don’t Touch Me,” “Roll in the Hay,” “He Vas My Boyfriend,” and of course, the musical wouldn’t be complete without the memorable “Puttin’ on the Ritz.” Keep an eye out though, as there’s a new element added to the stage version that wasn’t in the movie, when the ghost of Frederick Frankenstein’s grandfather appears and urges him to join the family business!

The plot is largely carried over from the movie, but some scenes are expanded to musical numbers, and many gags have been added or updated. For example, in Act I of the musical, Frederick Frankenstein is ashamed to be a Frankenstein, insisting his name be pronounced "Fronkensteen" and that he is not a madman but

a scientist. Then, while he lectures his students about the greatest mind of science, he breaks into musical number "The Brain."

The main difference in the stage version of YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN versus the movie comes toward the ending, which on stage includes an attempted hanging, an appearance from another Transylvania celebrity, and more!

Join us this coming Thursday and Friday evening at 6 p.m. at MADCAP Theaters for FREE showings of HAIR and MAMMA MIA! and let us know what you think will stay the same from the movie to the stage, and what new elements you predict might be added to the stage version.

Thursday, July 22 – 6 p.m. – HAIR

Friday, July 23 – 6 p.m. – MAMMA MIA!

MADCAP Theaters
730 S. Mill Avenue
Tempe, AZ 85281
www.madcaptheaters.com
**Movies to be shown in the Bookman’s theater.

Corporate Support

2010-07-01T13:19:00.000-07:00

Peter Means, ASU Gammage Director of Development

Corporations play a critical philanthropic role in the communities where they do business, especially where their presence is strong. For many corporations, it is a gesture of appreciation to the community members, cities and towns that support their businesses. It is also an investment in the places where corporations’ employees live, work, go to school and enjoy social and cultural experiences. When times are tough economically, however, corporations often have to reduce or eliminate corporate giving because their first duty is to the shareholder. At ASU Gammage, we have been very fortunate to have continued support from caring corporate partners throughout the economic downturn.

Here are just a few examples of how gifts from US Airways, Arizona Lottery, Scottsdale Insurance, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona, APS and Target helped ASU Gammage brighten lives and enhance education in Arizona during the 2009-2010 fiscal year.

- 3,418 K-12 students attended performances at ASU Gammage’s Scottsdale Insurance/Nationwide Foundation Performances for Students Series. Students either paid a $3 fee to attend the performance or were admitted free based on need. Attendance was up 66 percent over FY09 due to a new bus scholarship program funded by Scottsdale Insurance/Nationwide Foundation.

- 800 students and 45 teachers from the Peoria Unified School District: Desert Harbor Elementary School took part in Arts Leading Learning Model – an adapted arts integration model based on the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts’ Changing Education Through the Arts (CETA), in partnership with ASU Gammage.

- 198 students, 9 teachers and 2 administrators at Foothills Elementary School in the Peoria Unified School district took part for the first time in the Arts Leading Learning Model project.

- 91 K-12 teachers attended 4 Kennedy Center Professional Development Workshops learning how to incorporate the arts across the curriculum. The workshops were hosted by ASU Gammage in our partner school districts, Peoria Unified School District and Mesa Public Schools, but were open to all teachers regardless of district affiliation.

- 575 students participated in artist residency activities with international artists Nora Chipaumire, Thomas Mapfumo, Kristina Wong and Keo Woolford. An additional 1,750 students and community members attended performances by these artists at a small or no cost.

- 400 Broadway show tickets were given through the Military Family Ticket Fund to spouses and children of Arizona’s deployed military and recently returning military from Arizona’s National Guard and Army Reserves.

- 121 K-12 students from Crossroads Focus School in Mesa, Raymond S. Kellis High School in Glendale, Tumbleweed Transitional in Phoenix and the Learning Foundation and Performing Arts School in Gilbert took part in School to Work programs. The School to Work program provides students with unique insight into some of the careers available in an arts presenting organization like ASU Gammage through a three hour interactive workshop at ASU Gammage.

- 85 fifth grade students and teachers from Jefferson Elementary in Mesa took part in the Kaleidoscope Program. The students spent two months participating in a wide array of projects relating to the Broadway show, MARY POPPINS, including reading the original P.L. Travers book, creating character poetry, exploring class and status in Edwardian England, and journeying into the imaginary worlds of their own artwork through creative writing projects. The program culminated in attending a performance of MARY POPPINS at ASU Gammage - for many this was the first time they had ever attended a live performance – and a dinner reception with the MARY POPPINS cast.

- ASU Gammage provided $42,000 in full and partial scholarships for 20 students to attend Camp Broadway, a performing arts summer camp that allows campers to work collaboratively with Broadway performers, directors, musicians and choreographers.

- 75 youth and mentors from Phoenix Youth at Risk participated in the Art of Me Workshops; a series of visual and performing arts workshops that inspire self-esteem and confidence in participating youth.

- 25 women took part in Journey Home. Presented by ASU Gammage at Estrella Jail each year, Journey Home is an arts residency program designed to enable incarcerated women to discover a sense of their identity through performance, visual arts, creative writing and storytelling. The program has proven to reduce recidivism by 60 percent.

- Thousands of ASU Students, local k-12 students and community members participated in ASU Gammage Free Public Educational Activities including open rehearsals, backstage tours, , post-performance talk backs with the casts and crews from the ASU Gammage Broadway and BEYOND performances and free performances.

- Thousands of students received half-price tickets on day of show for all Broadway Series performances and $10 tickets for BEYOND series performances and took part in master classes with national Broadway touring artists.

- Hundreds of ASU students participated in Campus Connections at ASU Gammage events including the Broadway Buzz and Open Mic Nights.

- 26 free morning concerts at the Kerr Cultural Center. 6,500 total attendance.

New Partnerships

ASU Gammage has forged a new partnership with the International Rescue Committee (IRC), an organization which directly helps thousands of refugees from around the world who have been uprooted from their homes and have settled in the Phoenix area. ASU Gammage invited refugee youth to participate in interactive dance workshops with ASU Gammage BEYOND artists Nora Chipaumire and Keo Woolford, and provided complimentary tickets for youth and families to attend BEYOND performances. 63 youth participated in workshops. Additionally, ASU Gammage was excited to provide full scholarships for two refugee youth to participate in Camp Broadway.

Thank you to ASU Gammage’s wonderful corporate partners. Together, we make a big difference!

Camping Out at ASU by Bill Ahearn

2010-06-18T14:31:00.001-07:00

What a magical way to spend the week. Camp Broadway is underway! 75 Arizona theater-loving students, ages 10 - 17, are spending these five days learning about singing, dancing and acting ... and gaining self-esteem and life skills that will benefit them no matter where the future takes them.

As a long-time ASU Gammage patron and supporter of programs for our youth, I’m helping out by taking pictures of their classes. In reality, that’s just an excuse for me to sit in on the theater tips being given by the staff, all Broadway professionals. And that’s not all, for the student’s week is not all work. They will attend the Broadway show IN THE HEIGHTS which is currently playing at ASU Gammage. To top off the experience, they will also get a backstage tour and lunch and a question-and-answer period with members of the cast and crew!

Their classes and rehearsals culminate in their “Family Finale” on Friday afternoon. The younger students present a shortened version of “Guys and Dolls,” the older kids, “Fiddler on the Roof.” In keeping with Camp Broadway’s philosophy that “every child is a star,” all have the opportunity to have some dialog or a solo in a song. Of course, the show has to end with a big Broadway spectacular, with all 75 in the concluding production number.

If that doesn’t seem busy enough, they spend time daily in small groups to write and choreograph a skit. They mix the plots of two Broadway musicals, adapt the words of several of the shows’ songs, practice, and hit the stage Friday with their new show. Imagine combining “Hairspray” with “Little Shop of Horrors” and you’ll have an idea of how zany their creativity can be.

Camp Broadway is Broadway’s original summer theater camp. ASU Gammage is proud to have been the first to bring the program on the road 10 years ago. ASU Gammage thanks the many patrons and companies whose support has made this opportunity available to our students.

Note from the Road - From Sabrina Sloan (Vanessa from "In The Heights")

2010-06-07T15:32:00.000-07:00

"Heights brings the Heat to

AZ stage and I'm ready to

Get Toasty in Tempe!!!"

Born in NY, but raised in So Cal, I'm a girl who loves the sun at heart. Having started my run with "In the Heights" with my down coat in Boston in January, I have long awaited our arrival to the desert!!! I'll take 105 over 25 ANY DAY! This will be my second time at ASU Gammage. I remember being at the theater with the national tour of "Hairspray". By the end of the run, I felt like a student there!-having figured my way around campus and taken FULL advantage of the college town shopping.Hello Buffalo Exchange and Urban Outfitters! Woo hoo!! It's a special place for many reasons-mostly because my grandparents, who have since passed, used to live in Phoenix and "Hairspray" at Gammage was the last time my grandmother saw me perform live. This time around, my mom, aunts and uncles, and cousins live here so they'll all be able to come out for the show!

I'm bummed we're only there for a week because I'd love to have time to visit the gorgeous rocks and scenery of

Sedona I experienced at the jazz festival a few years back. But I hope to get some time to hit the great spas, lay by my mom's pool, and hear some live music downtown.

I'm especially excited to bring this incredible show to AZ because it is so unique and unlike anything I've ever been a part of. The story crosses cultures, races, generations, and Majors! It's not just for you musical theater kids! ;) "In the Heights" will make you dance, laugh and cry all at the same time. And with a cast of unbelievable talent and Broadway vets, I promise it will be unforgettable! If you aren't already a fan, you'll be pining for the soundtrack the second the curtain comes down.

It's always 100 degrees on the 4th of July in Washington Heights on our stage-(even in Buffalo, NY with a snowstorm outside!) but FINALLY, next week, we in the cast won't have to pretend it's Calor, calor, calor! Bring on the heat!!

See you at the show!

Much Love,

Sabrina

Sabrina Sloan play Vanessa in "In The Heights"

Colleen Jennings-Roggensack and the 2010 Tony Awards

2010-05-14T11:06:00.000-07:00

Wednesday, May 5 at 10:45 a.m., the elevator opens on the 8th floor of the Millennium Hotel in NYC and there in front of me is Jude Law nominated for a Tony Award in Hamlet and Charlotte St. Martin the Executive Director of The Broadway League standing in front of the step and repeat getting their photo taken.

I am at the 64th Annual Tony Nominations Press Event. All nominees are being interviewed about their nominations in one of 26 categories ranging from Best Musical to Best Actor to Best Choreographer to Best... You get the
idea. How can I tell in the hustle and bustle who is a nominee? Each nom has been presented with a circular TONY pin on their lapel. They are busy signing TONY posters, and beginning the interviewing process which will not
stop until the coveted Antoinette Perry Award is handed our on June 13.

Still wondering what is a step and repeat? You see it at every opening night or award ceremony. It is the large background banner that celebrities stand in front of for photographs and interviews. This one says multiple times TONY AWARDS and CBS.

As I look around the entire floor is filled with pipe and drape creating a world of smaller booths with a film crew and two chairs, one for an interviewer and a star in each booth. Press people from around the world waiting to interview stars and creative teams.

The air is alive with the latest buzz, congratulations and “wow its early” from the performers who are relatively wide-awake given the time of day.

I immediately get on my IPhone to text the Variety Magazine reporter Gordon

Cox who will be interviewing me regarding our ASU Gammage’s Tony Viewing Party.

While I am waiting to find Gordon, a myriad of producers like Stuart Thompson from A View From The Bridge, Tom Hulce and Ira Pittelman from American Idiot pass by and we greet each other with hugs and kisses of congratulations.

Shawn Purdy who is the public relations contact for Wasserworld, the producer of the Tonys says, “Colleen, you’re looking for Gordon and Gordon is looking for you. Both of you are standing side by side texting each other!” We all chuckle and Gordon hustles me off to the land of little booths to begin our interview. To Gordon’s credit, despite Denzel Washington, Scarlett Johansson, Bill T. Jones, Alfred Molina and other stars swirling around, he gives me his full focus and attention as if I was one of them!

It is such a fun and festive atmosphere that the reporters are equally as excited as the nominees and the organizers of the event The Broadway League and American Theatre Wing.

Check out my interview with Gordon interview here
http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118018947.html?categoryid=15&cs=1&query=Tony+Awards++Colleen+Jennings+Roggensack

After this event, I attended two of the last seven shows I have to see as a Tony voter…Enron and Collected Stories. Enron is a musical that starred Leo Norbert Butz (who everyone should remember the Tony Award winning star in
Dirty Rotten Scoundrels on Broadway and in the touring production at ASU Gammage from the 07-08 Season as well as Gregory Itzin (President Charles Logan from the TV show “24”.

Collected Stories stars Linda Lavin and Sarah Paulson. Sadly, the musical version of Enron closed on Sunday. It was a smash hit in West End in London and had a grand run. I found it to be intriguing and entertaining. Collected Stories is still on Broadway. These two mark the 31st and 32nd play and musical I have seen this Tony season with
only five more shows to see. Guess which five I have left before I cast my Tony ballot? FENCES,SONDHIEM ON SONDHIEM,COME FLY AWAY,EVERYDAY RAPTURE and AMERICAN IDIOT.

My next blog will be a blog a day from The Broadway League conference next week where I will be meeting, greeting and introducing some of the performers, producers, choreographers, book writers, composers and lyrists. All this leading up to our Tony Viewing Party, a LIVE Tony Award® simulcast from Radio City Music Hall in New York City. The event will take place on Sunday,June 13 at ASU Gammage. It will feature an advance telecast of the 2010 Tony Awards allowing guests to see the ceremony and the winners prior to the local airing on CBS 5. Red Carpet activities begin at 4 p.m. and the live simulcast begins at 5 p.m. at ASU Gammage.
Partygoers will enjoy a Red Carpet arrival complete with local celebrities, paparazzi and more. Each guest will receive the official Tony Playbill® (the same Playbill that will be handed out to guests inside Radio City Music Hall).

As Arizona’s only Tony voter I have had the pleasure to see the Tonys live for many years in New York. This year, 3,000 people can join me at ASU Gammage to see the stars, the performances and of course who walks away with the Tony Awards live first-hand. Tickets to the Tony Viewing Party are on sale and available at the ASU Gammage Box Office and through Ticketmaster. Tickets for reserved seating are $20 and $35. $150 tickets for the Tony Viewing Party and a VIP post-show dinner are available through the ASU Gammage
Box Office or at 480.965.3434 only. For more information on the event, please contact 480.965.5062.

WATCH THE 64th ANNUAL TONY AWARDS® LIVE AT ASU GAMMAGE!

2010-05-11T10:59:00.000-07:00

ASU Gammage and Tony Award Productions are excited to announce that they will be hosting an official Tony Viewing Party, a LIVE Tony Award® simulcast from Radio City Music Hall in New York City. The event will take place on Sunday, June 13 at ASU Gammage. It will feature an advance telecast of the 2010 Tony Awards allowing guests to see the ceremony and the winners prior to the local airing on CBS 5. Red Carpet activities begin at 4 p.m. and the live simulcast begins at 5 p.m. at ASU Gammage.

Partygoers will enjoy a Red Carpet arrival complete with local celebrities, paparazzi and more. Each guest will receive the official Tony Playbill® (the same Playbill that will be handed out to guests inside Radio City Music Hall).

“As Arizona’s only Tony voter I have had the pleasure to see the Tonys live for many years in New York. This year, 3,000 people can join us at ASU Gammage to see the stars, the performances and of course who walks away with the Tony Awards live first-hand,” says Colleen Jennings-Roggensack executive director of ASU Gammage. “We are thrilled that ASU Gammage will be the next-best place to be on Tony night.”

Tickets to the Tony Viewing Party go on sale Thursday, May 6 at 10 a.m. and will be available at the ASU Gammage Box Office and through Ticketmaster. Tickets for reserved seating are $20 and $35. $150 tickets for the Tony Viewing Party and a VIP post-show dinner are available through the ASU Gammage Box Office or at 480.965.3434 only. For more information on the event, please contact 480.965.5062.

The Tony Awards, which are presented by the Broadway League and the American Theatre Wing®, will be broadcast from Radio City Music Hall on the local CBS station, KPHO CBS 5, Sunday, June 13, 2010 from 7 to 10 p.m.

Notes From The Road ... Cast of In The Heights Excited About Tempe Stop

2010-05-05T12:18:00.000-07:00

Oh God! Tempe is one of my favorite cities on tour. I have stopped there with shows like CATS and JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR. I’ll never forget the first time I saw the theater. It reminded me of a birthday cake in the middle of the desert. The first time I was there, it was VERT HOT. I don’t think I ever felt temperatures that hot. I rented a bike and decided to ride amongst the rocks. WHAT WAS I THINKING?? But the crazy thing is that so much energy was coming from those rocks, I was putting the “pedal to the medal”. I could have biked to Sedona at that rate. LOL
I also like the downtown scene. I usually don’t go out that much but with SUPERSTAR we decided to have a girls night out and we had the best time. I still talk about it.
For those who are maybe undecided about coming to the show, well decide right now. You will get such a pleasure out of the story, the dancing and the music. And for those who have seen me perform before, this will be the first time you’ll see me play a mother. I am still in shock over that. But I am having a blast and I promise you, you will not only have a blast, you will want to go home and call your mother! xoxo Natalie Toro

A Word From Group Sales

2010-04-23T14:11:00.000-07:00

Wow- it has been a whirlwind activity in Group Sales this past month! We are busy getting ready to put the new 10-11 season on sale to groups while wrapping up the current season. Disney’s MARY POPPINS was a HUGE success with lots of groups attending and enjoying this wonderful show. From our school groups to our active adult communities, everyone had a great time clapping and singing along to “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious”. Mia Ricardo celebrated her daughter’s 10^th birthday by bringing her daughter and her friends to MARY POPPINS. “The 14 girls that attended LOVED the show! Seeing the show with them and the delight it brought to them just reinforced how important the arts are to our lives! It was truly a magical time! We rented a limo for a true theatre night out on the town, with Red Carpet Limo entry, Apple Cider Toast Post Show and a goody bag with MARY POPPINS goodies! The girls sang and talked about it days after.”

AVENUE Q in March and JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR in April were huge shows for groups as well- most ordering discount tickets online through their employer. ASU Gammage has a great program called EventUsher that allows individuals to order discount tickets to all our Broadway shows. The program is offered through many Valley employers or associations- would you like to know if you qualify?? Just call me!

EventUsher is password generated so employees log on with the password created especially for them. Linda Bird who works for Scottsdale Healthcare loves using EventUsher, “I wanted to Thank YOU for reserving such GREAT seats for the “JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR” performance yesterday! We absolutely LOVED it! Got tears in my eyes several times from being so close and being able to see the expressions on their faces as they performed! Thank You Once Again!!!” If you think your employer might be interested in offering this benefit, please contact me and I will send them all the details.

Two different non profits used group tickets to Jesus Christ Superstar to fundraise for their organizations. St Francis Community and Area Agency on Aging have successfully raised funds for their causes through the sale of tickets. We were able to offer these groups deeper discounts which allowed them to maximize their efforts.

The 10-11 season shows will go on sale Monday, April 26 - and remember….groups of 15 or more can order tickets for the new season before the general public. We have lots of fantastic shows coming next season including YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN, HAIR, SHREK THE MUSICAL, BILLY ELLIOT and more! Check out the full listing on our website: http://www.asugammage.com/shows/season-preview

Claire Brownell on tour with The 39 Steps

2010-04-16T15:05:00.000-07:00

I’ve never been to Arizona before. I can’t wait to get there. With each new city we visit I start looking for interesting and exciting daytime activities a few weeks in advance. There is so much to look forward to: We’ll be playing the historic ASU Gammage – a grand challenge and an honor. We will be in the state of the Grand Canyon, Red Rocks and everything Arizona has to offer naturally – adventures and cacti abound. I’ve already gathered restaurant recommendations (My Florist in particular.) Lord knows I can’t wait to be in the sun for a few days in a row.

Tempe is especially exciting for this reason: Campus in Springtime. There’s something about being on a university campus in the spring that inspires a refreshing drive to learn something new, go outside and read in a park or have a lively discussion about the intersections of art and politics.

I love and have always loved school – and as much as I adore my chosen career and life beyond college, nothing turns on the faucet of nostalgia like dorms, ultimate Frisbee and part-time employment at the nearest coffee shop. The most lasting and important friendships of my life (with exceptions of course) were forged in college(s)…It took a while to figure out in what field and where I would graduate. My list of positive associations with college and graduate school is long, and it was my time at Carroll College and ACT that lead me to a career in acting.

Some of the riskiest and most thrilling theater comes to life on university stages. Plays are approached with limited budgets and unlimited creativity. Students come to shows, as actors and audience members, full of enthusiasm and with a palpable willingness to engage with what is happening on stage. The spirit of our show The 39 Steps is alive with that same energy. It is a joy to perform and I love seeing people laugh out loud each night no matter what city we are playing. On a related note, I saw that Nilaja Sun’s No Child is playing in Phoenix – if you have a chance to see this show SEE IT. I saw her perform at the Barrow Street Theater in New York, and the woman is brilliant. See? Another great thing happening while I’m in town. There’s so much to do.

I don’t know if I’ll have enough time to explore Tempe and Phoenix as much as it is due. We are only in town for a week, but if I spend a good chunk of my time under a tree on a groomed ASU lawn, you’ll know I’m truly happy.

Mara Jill Herman makes her National Tour debut in Jesus Christ Superstar

2010-04-07T12:04:00.000-07:00

Making my National Tour debut with Jesus Christ Superstar has given me tremendous opportunity to travel, seeing most states for the very first time while fulfilling a life-long dream. As a native metropolitan New Yorker, I thrive in the hustle and bustle of a big city but appreciate the time-out to connect with the beauty of our land. The awe-inspiring mountains, plateaus and national forests were not a part of my childhood, so I am truly excited to be in Arizona, particularly Tempe, for a week.

The company has been on the road for four months and we’ve traveled to over 80 cities! Being in this warm climate is like a vacation! Musical Theatre, a tan and a pay check? How lucky can a girl get?!

Driving from Riverside, CA to Tempe, I had fond memories of my first west coast experience. In 2005, I spent four glorious months at the Utah Shakespearean Festival in Cedar City, Utah. The scenic drive was reminiscent of reciting Shakespeare among the Red Rocks.

One of my favorite things about touring the country has been to reconnect with friends and family in each city. In Tempe, I look forward to exploring with Elyse, my college friend and native Arizonian.

It’s also so exciting to visit America’s college campuses and to feel the campus frenzy anew. When I was a 17 year old freshman at the University of Cincinnati, CCM, I saw the National Tour of Urinetown at the Aronoff Center. What luck that my tour played the Aronoff in February and that my life came full circle in this venue! Never in my naive freshman mind did it occur to me that I might be ON THAT STAGE one day.

I'm so grateful for this tour, for the Tempe sun, and the warmth of the Arizona audiences from April 6 through April 11th. See you at the show!

Written by Mara Jill Herman

Disciple Girl, Soul Sister u/s in Jesus Christ Superstar

Journey Home

2010-03-31T16:26:00.000-07:00

Something magical is happening at Maricopa County Sherriff Office’s Estrella Jail in Phoenix; 22 women are digging deep and fine-tuning themselves in the Journey Home (JH) Program. From Ms. Brown and her down home wisdom straight across to the three Michelle's making sure that each one "gets it", the women on the inside are bringing something powerful to Estrella.

There are life defining moments as Imani from the JH team, speaks archetypal wisdom to their souls. They move in joy, grace and unity with JH teammate, Teniqua as they choreograph their final show; and they share their stories through their writings as I help them uncover their higher self. This is our 8th year doing the Journey Home program at Estrella and each year we learn something new from our sisters behind the wall.

Journey Home: an Arts Experience for Incarerated Women was initiated by ASU Gammage through the inspiration of Pat Graney's Keeping the Faith Program out of Seattle, Washington.

The program consists of creative writing, movement, storytelling, theater and visual arts that culminate in a final performance by the women to an invitation only audience. An anthology of their writings is produced as well as an exhibit of their visual arts projects.

The Journey Home team works with a core group of about 30 incarcerated women from all racial and socio-economic backgrounds. Three professional artists (a writer/storyteller, a dramatist/movement specialist, and a visual artist), instruct six weekly workshops. Workshops are designed to (a) help participants embrace change in order to shift their personal paradigm; and (b) provide a positive life-affirming environment in which inmates are encouraged to explore options that help to eliminate unhealthy patterns that lead to the revolving door of the penal system. The women learn how to stand outside the emotional self, take control of debilitating fears, and discover their higher self. It's a wonderful thing for all of us.

Thank you Arizona State University for another year of support because through you, the Journey Home team is blessed to meet another group of remarkable women. Visit blueprintforwomanhood.com for more information on Journey Home and other Life Paradigms, Inc. programs.

Fatimah Halim

Program Coordinator

Keo Has Arrived!

2010-03-22T09:57:00.001-07:00

ASU Gammage welcomes Native Hawaiian artist Keo Woolford as an Artist in Residence this week! Keo will have a busy week working with ASU Gammage out in the community and on the ASU campus, and performing his autobiographical, solo show I Land at ASU Gammage on Saturday, March 27 at 7 p.m.

I Land weaves together Hula, Hip-Hop and Hawaiian talk story and spoken word and takes the audience on Keo’s funny and poignant journey to understanding his Hawaiian heritage and his own unique cultural identity. We follow Keo through high school days as a teenage football star, his brush with pop stardom as a singer in a popular Hawaiian boy band that toured with Christina Aguilera, to the discovery of his Kumu Hula Robert Cazimero and the sacred art of hula. In I Land, Keo not only tells his personal story, but breaks through the stereotypes associated with Hula and speaks out about the marginalization of Hawaiian culture and the sacred rituals of Hula. Immediately following the performance Keo will participate in a talkback with the audience. This powerful show is not to be missed!

During the week Keo will be leading Hula workshops for the community, working on campus with the ASU School of Dance and Asian Pacific Islander Studies program, teaching a movement class with refugee youth from the International Rescue Committee and performing an adapted version of I Land for more than 1,000 fifth to eighth grade students as part of the Scottsdale Insurance/Nationwide Foundation Performances for Students series at ASU Gammage. Click here if you are interested in participating in one of Keo’s free Hula workshops.

For a sneak peek at I Land, check out the FREE Open Rehearsal on Friday, March 26 at ASU Gammage from 12 -1 pm. Keep in mind that no parking is available at ASU Gammage at that time, so please plan accordingly.

Kristen Markus
Cultural Participation Manager

News From The Road ...Ave Q Company Manager Kate Egan

2010-03-08T10:33:00.000-08:00

There are a few venues around the country that could be considered among the legends, and all for different reasons, whether it’s their design, their history or for specific events in the annals of American entertainment – The Hollywood Bowl, the Colonial in Boston, the Fox Theatres in St. Louis and Atlanta, Madison Square Garden ... ASU Gammage in Tempe is among those legends.

Designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, and referred to by road crews generally as "the upside down wedding cake", it's one of those buildings that a career in the arts just isn't complete until you've played. I’ve been at this for a while now, and I still get cross-eyed looks from other road managers when I say that I've never played ASU Gammage. We're rolling in this week with AVENUE Q, and I can't wait. I'm finally playing Gammage!

I've had degrees of knowing I'd successfully landed a career in show business - my first settlement on the promoting side was a Tina Turner engagement in 1997, which was a nice moment, and I’ve had a few others over the years where I’ve met my heroes or held company meetings in front of the stages where rock and roll, classical and Broadway stars have brought audiences screaming to their feet. It’s always exciting to get to play these incredible spaces, and Gammage is high on my list of to-play venues and “I’ve arrived” moments.

It’s been three years since I’ve been to the Tempe area. I worked as a promoter rep for a good while and spent about six weeks a year in the area between Broadway engagements at the Orpheum in Phoenix and the Mesa Arts Center. There are fond memories of my time in the desert and the envious phone calls from those enduring harsh winters as I basked in 70 degree Januaries. As I would drive the length of Apache Boulevard and pass Gammage, or sit in the audience at Gammage for other shows, I knew there would be a day that I would eventually be able to play this legendary venue. And that day has finally arrived!

I can’t wait to return to the area. I made a lot of friends over my time there, and miss my favorite nightspots. There will be dinner at Trader Vic’s in Scottsdale and lunch at the Arizona Biltmore. There will be late nights at Alice Cooperstown in Phoenix, and I’m sure late nights in new Tempe Marketplace. But best of all, there will be the opportunity to stand on the stage and look out over those 3017 seats, knowing that my return to the area has me in the place I dreamed of playing.

Kaleidoscope at ASU Gammage

2010-03-05T15:07:00.001-08:00

On Feburary 27, ASU Gammage was delighted to host our annual Kaleidoscope program for 85 fifth grade students and teachers from Jefferson Elementary in Mesa. Each year ASU Gammage partners with the ASU Office of Youth Preparation to introduce students to live theater through Kaleidoscope, an eight-week curriculum based program.

Prior to attending a performance at ASU Gammage, students participate in an in-depth unit of lessons and activities that explore the historical and sociological aspects of the show. The Kaleidoscope program recognizes the power of the theatre as a springboard to learning, and reaches out to underserved students to provide an opportunity to experience live theater in a very unique and meaningful way.

Jefferson Elementary students spent the last two months immersed in the magical world of 17 Cherry Tree Lane, participating in a wide array of projects including reading the original P.L. Travers book, creating character poetry, exploring class and status in Edwardian England, and journeying into the imaginary worlds of their own artwork through creative writing projects. Through Mary Poppins the students also learned wonderful life lessons such as: the importance of family; the value of helping others; using their imagination to see the magical in the world around them and that no matter what challenges they might face, if they believe in themselves – anything can happen.

The students arrived at Gammage on Saturday dressed up, excited and ready for their special day. For many this was the first time they had ever attended a live performance. After seeing the spectacular show, students were treated to a dinner reception on the ASU Gammage Promenade with members of the MARY POPPINS cast. One of the highlights of the evening was the chance for students to hear from the cast members. They happily shared their unique experiences as professional performers, provided encouragement for the students to follow their dreams and reminded the students how important education is to their futures. It was truly a magical day!

MARY POPPINS is now in the next city, but she is sure to remain as a very special memory for the 5th grade students and teachers from Jefferson Elementary.

Greetings from Jacqueline Grabois starring in AVENUE Q

2010-03-03T09:00:00.000-08:00

No words can describe how pumped I am to be performing at ASU Gammage this March! I didn't grow up completely in Arizona but I was there from middle school at Cocopah through high school at Chaparral. The most exciting part is that my friends from high school/middle school are able to come cheer me on!

I remember seeing shows at Gammage such as RENT and other Broadway National Tours that came through; now it’s my turn!
It’s gonna be nice to be able to stay in my old room for that week. See friends, family, go hiking! I am looking forward to this week in Tempe!
I just spoke to my high school drama teacher Debbie Carrick, she is gonna come see the show, which is kinda awesome that things are coming to a full circle! My mom has like 25 people coming on Friday night. I love her and she supports me and my career and it’s such a blessing to have that support in my life!

While I'm in Arizona, I will be stocking up on Trader Joe's, hiking, hanging with my mama, my sis and pa, and of course my awesome friends!

AVENUE Q has been such an awesome ride and I can’t wait to share it with everyone I know! Don't forget to get your tickets to see the show March 9-14 at ASU Gammage. You will laugh your tush off!

Poetry In Motion

2010-02-24T16:13:00.000-08:00

I spent last week with an amazing teaching artist, dancer and choreographer Randy Barron. Randy is in town working with ASU Gammage, Peoria Unified School District and Mesa Public Schools through the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts Partners in Education Program. Since 1995, ASU Gammage has been a part of the Partners in Education Program. This program nurtures partnerships between arts centers and school districts across the country, providing professional development experiences promoting arts integration for teachers with highly trained teaching artists.

During the week Randy Barron has worked with teachers from Peoria and Mesa sharing his strategies for integrating movement with poetry to create powerful learning experiences for students. Randy taught two three hour professional development workshops providing hands on experience for the teachers, and additionally modeled his teaching strategies in 3rd, 4th and 5th grade classroom at Foothills Elementary School in the Peoria Unified School District. The Peoria Unified School District is also home to Desert Harbor Elementary, a pioneering arts integration school that began school wide arts integration in partnership with ASU Gammage creating the Arts Leading Learning Model (ALLM).

Randy’s work in the classroom was truly exhiliarating. Randy quickly gets the students off their feet leading creative movement exercises having students express verbs, adjectives and nouns through movement. The students are stretching their minds and their bodies and soon begin to choreograph short phrases, then move to whole poems. Energy fills the air as the students break into small groups reading a poem then quickly begin to work on the group choreography; planning, problem solving, cooperating and creating. The words of the poem fly off the paper and emerge in their dances as the flowing movement of water, the fiery sun, or soaring eagles.

It is easy to see the power of arts integration in the excitement and energy of the students, but also in the reaction of teachers who see the potential for this captivating work and the way that it reaches their students. Teachers observed that movement opens their students’ minds to greater possibilities with writing and visualization, and expressed their excitement in watching students gain confidence, engage in higher level thinking and enjoy active, engaged and meaningful learning experiences. Students and teachers are already thinking of ways that they will continue to use movement in their classrooms from poetry to science to social studies! I can’t wait to see where they will go next!

Kristen Markus
Cultural Participation Manager

New Cast From MARY POPPINS Celebrate At Opening Night Party

2010-02-17T16:08:00.001-08:00

After a magical opening night performance at ASU Gammage in Tempe on Friday, February 12, cast and crew members from the North American Tour of MARY POPPINS celebrated at a party hosted by California Pizza Kitchen at Tempe Marketplace.

Debuting in the performance that evening were new cast members, Caroline Sheen (Mary Poppins) along with Rachel Izen (Mrs. Brill), Laird Mackintosh (George Banks), Dennis Moench (Robertson Ay) and Blythe Wilson (Winifred Banks).

To commemorate the occasion celebrity cake designer, Adina Schaefer, created an ornate and one-of-kind cake featuring signature elements from MARY POPPINS, including the London skyline, kites and of course, an umbrella. Schaefer, a renowned Arizona baker and Cake Designer at The Ritz Carlton in Phoenix, recently was the winner of the Food Network Challenge, “Cereal Bridges 2.”

PHOTO CAPTION, Pictured Left to Right:
Caroline Sheen (Mary Poppins), Blythe Wilson (Winifred Banks), Laird Mackintosh (George Banks), Dennis Moench (Robertson Ay), Rachel Izen (Mrs. Brill) and Adina Schaefer (Cake Designer) at the opening night party at California Pizza Kitchen in Tempe, AZ.
Mary Poppins photo courtesy of Disney Theatrical Productions.

Tech Talk- Awaiting her Arrival

2010-02-08T13:50:00.000-08:00

MARY POPPINS is making her way toward Tempe's ASU Gammage and my stress level rises by the day! The forklifts are reserved, the parking meters bagged and the travel arrangements made; I guess it's almost go time!!

The production, as you may have heard, travels with an enormous amount of special effects and scenic items (not to mention lighting and sound!). It will arrive in 13 semi-trucks and take two weeks to load-in, this compared to most shows that take a day or two for unloading and setting up. For the production we are removing a lot of "house gear" in order to make some additional room for the tour and all of this work begins next Monday. The trucks from New York will arrive next week and we will begin installing the specially designed equipment that will allow "Mary" to take her final flight at the end of the show. The company in New York has been working on this rig since August and we are about to see how the hard work has paid off!

Due to the enormity of the show and the technology involved I traveled to Los Angeles a week ago to tour the set, meet the people on the tour and see the show. To be completely honest, I was excited to bring my two daughters to the production but didn't think that it would end up being one of MY favorite shows. (My favorite number is "Step in Time"; you'll see why when you see the show!) The special effects are spectacular from "Let's Go Fly A Kite" t"Supercalifragalis"... (you know how it goes)and the dancing is great (definitely not something I notice that often!)

The show-to-show trucks, all 10, will be arriving in two weeks and the fun will begin and carry on until Sunday, Feb. 28. That's when we will spend from 10:30 p.m. to noon the following day putting it all back in the trucks and sending it on to another lucky city.

If I have a chance to write more when they get here I will. As always email me, I'm always willing to talk tech!

Kristina Wong Arrives In Tempe

2010-01-20T08:47:00.000-08:00

There’s a buzz about Kristina Wong at ASU Gammage. We are all excited to meet this smart, funny and outspoken artist who is bringing her one-woman show, Wong Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest to ASU Gammage on Saturday, January 30.

Take a minute and check out Kristina’s Web site http://www.kristinawong.com/ for a great look inside the mind of Kristina! From her laugh-out-loud funny blog, her fictional characters such as Fannie Wong, former Miss Chinatown, 2nd Runner Up, the fact that she once drove a pink Mercedes Benz named Harold that ran on vegetable oil (license plate WONGSTA), guerilla performance tactics, to her latest work in development, Cat Lady, it’s all in there – and more.

Yes, Kristina is a genuinely funny person, but there is much more to this artist and activist’s work.

In Wong Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest Kristina’s powerful performance addresses the incredibly high incidence of anxiety, depression and mental illness among Asian American women, bringing awareness about mental health issues in marginalized communities and the lack of public resources available for mental health. And don’t leave the performance too quickly, you don’t want to miss the post-show talkback with Kristina.

Gammage’s work with Kristina isn’t limited to the January 30 performance. Kristina will be an ASU Gammage Artist-in-Residence for the week of January 25-30. While she is here she will give a variety of lectures and interactive workshops to ASU theatre classes, interdisciplinary performance classes as well as two workshops with South Mountain Community College’s Theatre and Storytelling students; Subversive Art and Activism and Finding Your Language: Playing with Different Performance Tongues.

You can get a sneak peek of Wong Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest at the Free Open Rehearsal on Friday, January 29 at ASU Gammage from 12-1:00 p.m. Participants will get a behind-the-scenes look at Kristina prepping for the show and have an opportunity to ask questions about her work and creative process. Don’t forget to RSVP to cpinfo@asugammage.com. Should be a great week!

Hope to see you at the show!
Kristen Markus

Hello from Ellen Harvey Starring in MARY POPPINS

2010-01-19T06:18:00.001-08:00

Having toured the U.S. with 5 different shows, I have to admit I find myself getting a little excited when I see Tempe/Gammage on an itinerary! No it’s not the color of the building, or the fact that it’s shaped like a birthday cake, or that the Mill Avenue shopping district is so close… It’s because the audiences, and the city itself, are so welcoming.

My first experience at The Gammage was on the national tour of “Mamma Mia” playing Tanya. Being in that very first cast to play Tempe was a blast, and the audiences didn’t disappoint with their enthusiasm and love for that show. We had a rockin’ good time!

Then I had a wonderful time coming back to just 2 years ago with Disney’s “High School Musical” playing Ms. Darbus, the nutty the drama teacher.
That was an incredible experience because it welcomed in a whole new generation of theatre-goers. Nothing like looking out into the audience and seeing a sea of 10 year old faces just completely enthralled and enjoying everything live theatre has to offer.

And now coming back with “Mary Poppins” I think audiences, young and old, will be astonished. Theatre is one of those extraordinary art forms that allows us to experience things in the moment, to be affected by energy, and to tap our feet when the music gets going J “Mary Poppins” is one of those shows that comes along once in a lifetime. Not only does it tell the story of a family facing struggle, but encourages the child in all of us to follow our dreams because “anything can happen if you let it.” The cast is incredible, the sets are gorgeous, the music is catchy….and oh wait, and I get to play the villain. (Bet you never knew there was a villain in this story). My character is from the original books and adds a wonderful dimension to the play. A perfect reason to see the show!

Over the years I have found that Tempe audiences are always ready for a good show. And we love that. I encourage audiences of all ages to embrace this show and go on the journey that only Disney and Cameron Macintosh can take you on. It is truly “magical.”

Why Become a Donor?

2010-01-04T16:43:00.000-08:00

Why become a VIP donor? Your dollars MATTER! In addition to the BENEFITS, your support has lasting IMPACT!

What our donors are saying:

“We believe in supporting the Arts. Art is a perfect medium to help tell cultural stories in a manner that can change lives. As ASU Gammage VIP members, we are also privileged to participate in many special events (backstage tours, meeting of cast members, the VIP Lounge and interaction with other art lovers and Gammage’s knowledgeable staff). The concierge service provided to contributors makes the enjoyment of the season even greater, it has surpassed our expectations.”
-Dr. & Mrs. Charles Goldstein

“We have only lived in the Valley for a few years, coming to and supporting ASU Gammage made us feel like a part of the community. We now look forward to seeing our “theater” friends before the show in the VIP Lounge. We have found the productions excellent, sometimes better than New York!!”
-J McD

“I am an accountant by training, I have several non-profits as clients, I understand the importance of contributed income to Gammage. The theater cannot survive on ticket income alone, that is why investing in Gammage is so important and vital it the institution’s health and resiliency during these economic times. I am proud to support Gammage and the benefits i.e. seat location, ticket concierge services and reserved parking make the contribution even more fulfilling.”
-Abe Cohn CPA

“As a VIP, I love meeting the actors!!! I was active in high school drama but took the conservative route in college, getting a degree in business. I now have two girls 8 and 6 years old who are just learning about theater. Gammage always brings a show for the little ones- for that I am grateful. I grew up coming to Gammage and my kids will too!! This is a family tradition that is important to me.”
-Jane Einhorn

Experience what these VIP members love about being a part of ASU Gammage for yourself:

BENEFIT HIGHLIGHTS (these are highlights only, for a full list, visit asugammage.com)
$250 Opportunity to purchase tickets before the general public
$500 Access to the VIP Lounge and invitations to “behind the scenes” events
$1,250 Great seat location (2 tickets)* and VIP ticketing concierge services
$2,500 Reserved parking, great seat location (4 tickets)* and your photo in the
Gammage lobby
$5,000 Great seat location (6 tickets)* and photo opportunities with visiting artists

*Opportunity to purchase tickets in rows 3-15

China Cultural Exchange Project

2010-01-03T10:00:00.001-08:00

I was very fortunate to be a part of the China Cultural Exchange Project and a guest of the Cultural Ministry of China. David Fraher, Executive Director of Arts Midwest, and Kat Duvic, Executive & Program Assistant, who have been presenting and touring Chinese artists for many years, organized this trip. Over a ten-day period in December, seven major university presenters, myself included, traveled to Shanghai, Chengdu and Beijing. During this time, we were able to see over 150 artists perform and engage in dialogue about cultural exchange.

Our trip would not have been as wonderful if it were not for the advance work done by Cathy Barbash, an American consultant who decided 20 years ago to go and work in China. Her contacts and understanding of the art and culture of China made her an invaluable leader.
The artists were as varied as Tibetan throat singers to Chinese rock and roll bands to some of the finest and most highly trained ballet and modern dance companies. And for those of you who follow our Gammage Broadway season, you know that we will have THE 39 STEPS in April. I had the opportunity to see the Chinese version of THE 39 STEPS presented by the Shanghai Dramatic Arts Center. It was equally as engaging and funny in Chinese as it was when I saw it on Broadway.

Mr. Wu, the Deputy Director of the Chinese Cultural Ministry, led our trip and we also met with the directors and deputy directors from Chengdu and Beijing. All were gracious and provided us with an insight into the traditions of China and the food, the sights and sounds of the cities we visited. It was quite amazing to be in a city of 20 million people and how everyone moved effortlessly about with grace and calm. It was even more astonishing to realize that these cites are twice the size of New York, which most Americans think of as a large, bustling city.

Highlights included a trip to the Expo in Beijing as everyone prepares for the world to return to China in 2010. The Chinese Pavilion is a large, red lacquer pagoda, which sits in the middle of all the nations’ astonishing pavilions. It was wonderful to hear traditional Chinese music performed in the Shanghai Oriental Arts Center and then to attend the Little Bar in Chengdu and hear the performance of Asura Band and rock out in Chengdu and then attend the Beijing Peking Opera Company and to watch maestros and third generation artists perform and to see the Uigur Union, three musicians perform traditional work and close out the evening with the Hanggai Band and the Huilang Band combining traditional and contemporary music. We saw a contemporary play RHINO IN LOVE by Meng Jinghui.

Our trip closed out with a formal luncheon by Ms. Li Hong, Deputy Director General for the Bureau of External Cultural Relations and a mad dash on the morning of my departure through the Forbidden City.

We will surely see some of these Chinese artists tour through the United States and look forward to welcoming them to ASU and Tempe, Arizona.

Prior to my trip to China, I had the opportunity to see some great plays on Broadway--Hugh Jackman and Daniel Craig in A STEADY RAIN, Jude Law in HAMLET, Julia Stiles in OLEANNA, Sienna Miller in AFTER MISS JULIE and my personal favorite, SUPERIOR DONUTS, by Tracy Letts, who is the Tony Award winning playwright of AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY, which opens on January 5 at ASU Gammage.

Tech Talk

2009-12-18T09:21:00.000-08:00

Wow, it always seems to me that the Fall goes by so fast! First LEGALLY BLONDE, then PHANTOM and now LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE THE MUSICAL have all done their thing at ASU Gammage and now it’s time for ASU’s wonderful School of Music to strut their stuff on stage! I am writing this as I sit backstage at a rehearsal for the ASU Symphony wondering what “Tech” things may peak your interest.

I think I should tell you all about our Orchestra Shell. Our “shell” as we call it is a one-of-a-kind structure that was never meant to be moved off stage. In the early 90s, a very large tour of SHOWBOAT came through Gammage and the rider (the packet of technical details that is sent out to venues prior to their arrival) stressed the need for a stage depth of “No less than 38 feet.”

Well, the stage at ASU Gammage has a depth of 40 feet, but the upper-most nine feet was used to store our shell. The tour said that they could not fit on the stage so work was started to figure out a way to move our shell off stage. Here was their main question: How do you move an object that is 60 feet long, nine feet deep (when retracted), 40 feet tall and weighs more than 70 TONS!?
The answer they came up with was, let’s build a garage on the stage left wing so that it will fit in there and then float it there for storage. Yes, I said FLOAT it! A design company in New York created devices that would lock the shell pieces together and an air caster system that enables the shell to rise up to about 1/8” off the ground and safely be towed by wench into its garage. Where is the garage, you may ask? Have you ever seen our huge billboard by the Box Office that has all of the shows on it? Well, that is the shell garage! Matches so well you wouldn’t know it’s an “add on!”

The structure was completed in time for the show and has been a nice option for tours to utilize. Most of the larger tours (LION KING, WICKED, etc) have the shell stored in the garage for the duration of their run, but some (STOMP, ANNIE and others) choose to leave it on stage to save some money. It takes a crew of eight people six hours to move it in either direction! Well, it seems that rehearsal is wrapping up and I need to do the same, hope all of your holidays are the best they can be! As always, drop me a line if you have any questions, I’m always willing to Talk Tech!

Jeff

Habitat Build

2009-12-18T09:01:00.001-08:00

LITTLE HOUSE is the uplifting story of an American family forging a new life amid the mighty challenges, heartbreaks, joys and triumphs that face them in the newly-settled heartland. Above all, it is the celebration of the pioneering spirit and the core values on which this country was founded - a spirit that still resonates today. The show has participated in Habitat for Humanity builds in every city of the tour.

The star of the show, Melissa Gilbert, also participated in the build and said "We're really pleased about LITTLE HOUSE's ongoing partnership with Habitat for Humanity throughout the course of our national tour. It's the perfect marriage between a show and an organization. LITTLE HOUSE is all about the importance of home. But more than that, it's about the value of what home brings to all of us - not just as individuals but also as a community.”

Cast and staff had the opportunity to participate in drywalling the home. Cheryl Amick a Gammage staff member was grateful for the experience - she said “It was an amazing and humbling experience!” We were able to see a photo of the single mother and her three children that will be calling the house we worked on home. The Habitat volunteers were incredibly patience as they taught us safety, the process, and how to hang drywall.

Sounds so easy….it wasn’t. Who knew hammering nails could be so hard. In the few hours we were there the team I worked with was able to drywall one and a half bedrooms and two closets. I will always remember this experience and will volunteer again for Habitat.

Family First Night

2009-12-13T05:49:00.000-08:00

One of our newest programs at ASU Gammage reaches out to a very special group in our community, families of deployed Arizona National Guard Soldiers and Airmen.

The Military Family First Nights program will bring 100 family members of deployed Arizona National Guard Soldiers and Airmen to see three shows at ASU Gammage throughout the year.Thursday night’s LITTLE HOUSE show got the program off to a great start!

The families enjoyed a magical evening of theater, which provided great entertainment and an opportunity to spend quality time together. The families loved seeing the classic Little House story brought to the stage and praised the family values of the production.

The night ended with a special chance for the group to meet with members of the cast and crew, including Melissa Gilbert. Melissa Gilbert shared with the group that her 20 year old son is a Marine, and many other company members also have military personnel in their families.

Meeting the cast and crew members was definitely a highlight of the evening and very meaningful to the families.

I know that all of us here at ASU Gammage are honored to have the opportunity to work with military families, and to show our appreciation for the many sacrifices they make for our country. We look forward to creating more memorable nights for these terrific families.

Bringing a Group to Gammage is Easy!

2009-11-29T05:27:00.000-08:00

People always have the same reaction whenever I tell them I work for ASU Gammage in group sales. They say, “Oh, that must be so fun”. And actually, yes it is! It is very rewarding to meet people who have organized a group to see a Broadway show in this beautiful building designed by Frank Lloyd Wright.

The groups that come to Gammage are as varied as the different Broadway shows. As you can imagine, a group interested in ANNIE is most likely not as interested in a show such as AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY. Both great shows- but they appeal to different audiences. We try each season to present a Broadway line up that has something for everyone- from great family shows such as LITTLE HOUSE to hilariously funny, adult oriented shows such as AVENUE Q.

Bringing a group to Gammage is easy and I am glad to report that we are off to a fantastic start. The fun began with our first show of the 09-10 season LEGALLY BLONDE which was here in September. Many of the ASU sororities on campus purchased group tickets in the balcony and they all wore pink! It was quite entertaining to look out over a ‘sea of pink” each night and realize everyone was having such a great time.

The next show (which just ended this past Sunday) was PHANTOM. LOTS of groups came to enjoy this wonderful show- including two large student groups. The first group attended our ASU Gammage “Girl Scout Night” which includes a post show Q & A with cast members and a GS patch. On November 10, nearly 400 scouts and troop leaders attended Phantom and had the opportunity to ask questions of the cast. A BIG thank you to Susan Russell at the Cactus Pine Council who helped coordinate this special event. The second large group was 200 students and parents from the Highland HS Marching Band in Gilbert, AZ. Congrats to this fantastic band who just placed first in the State Marching Band competition. What music did their award winning show feature? Andrew Lloyd Weber’s music from PHANTOM, of course! What a great opportunity for them to see the show and meet the Associate Music Director, David Robinson, who was so generous with his time after the show.

Even though I have highlighted two large groups, you only need to purchase 15 tickets to qualify for special group pricing and benefits at ASU Gammage. As a matter of fact, most of our groups are less than 50 people. So, take a look at our season line up and contact me if you have any questions about bring a group to one of our Broadway shows. I’d love to hear from you!

--Jennifer Gadek, jennifer.gadek@asu.edu

From Kevin Massey, Actor from Little House on the Prairie the Musical

2009-11-24T17:45:00.000-08:00

"LET’S GO WEST!...WAY WEST!

Having traveled mostly in middle America, I know we are all excited to be the farthest west yet when we arrive in Tempe! I’ve heard a lot about Frank Lloyd Wright’s ASU Gammage. A number of our cast members took a small field trip in Tulsa to see some of Wright’s work nearby. I think Gammage will be the most unique house we have played thus far.

Plus, it’s right on the corner of the ASU campus. I loved my days at UNC-Chapel Hill and the great energy of a college town, so I’m sure Tempe will not disappoint. We’ve got a lot of kids fresh out of college who will probably feel right at home.

A new city brings a new experience with the show. It’s always interesting to see how the audiences react a little differently in each state we visit. Some jokes land incredibly well in one place and then get a more subtle response in others. For instance, one line in the show is “Well, it’s 20 degrees below zero…thank goodness the cold snap is over.” In Minnesota, it’s one of our biggest laughs of the night. In Arkansas, we get a smaller but respectable chuckle. But in the end, everyone really seems to enjoy the journey. We’ll see if Tempe gives us a hearty guffaw!

We’re looking forward to bringing the wagon train into town soon!"

Kevin Massey (Almanzo Wilder)

2009-11-18T15:48:00.000-08:00

From Sean MacLaughlin, “Raoul” in the National Tour of The Phantom of the Opera …

Currently, we are in Tempe. It is a great town! I don’t think that I have EVER worn shorts on Halloween. The audience has been great and the ASU campus is absolutely gorgeous. I think in the past few cities, Tempe’s audience is the best! Every audience in Tempe have been extremely generous with their reactions and especially with the curtain call. I am being

completely honest when I say I don’t want to leave this city and I wish we were here longer. This city has a great layout and everything you need is a short walk, but if you want to get away, the mountains are just around the corner.

I love Photography and Comic Books so since I have been here I’ve found some great areas to photograph and I drove out to a toy shop owned by my favorite Spiderman Artist Todd McFarlane. Also, I like to gamble occasionally, so I ended up making a few trips to different casinos. Besides that, I have been soaking up the sun as much as I can before we head back to the east coast.

Life on the road is a blast. I carry around all of my entertainment (video games, movies etc) and we have a trunk that the company advances for us. Since I drive, I am able to cart around my dog and pack in more luxuries that make me feel home on the road. We are all so lucky to see different cities for a month at a time. At times the road gets extremely hard (i.e. driving from Tempe, AZ to Durham, NC), but once I get settled in, the drive isn’t so bad. I like to map out a route hitting every random stop along the way to each city. I will have many pictures from random roadside attractions at the end of the tour… I still have to get pictures of the world’s largest ball of twine and I still have to go to Roswell, NM. The drive is great because I get to take a road trip every month! I miss New York TERRIBLY, but I love doing this show and I haven’t gotten the traveling out of my system...yet.

Tech Talk

2009-11-10T19:12:00.001-08:00

PHANTOM has been “In” for three weeks and all seems well with the production so I thought that I would show some of the structure that holds things up! This production, which has been on the road for 17 years, was one of the first productions that would alter theaters across the country to allow the show to fit inside.

The tour added structural steel above the stage and the house to hold up the Chandelier and Proscenium. These two set pieces weigh a total of 14,000 lbs!!

This is a picture of the stage right service truss. It is where the tour light board and its operator live during the show. The platform is 40 feet above the stage and you have to climb a “wire rope” ladder to access it!

An interesting note about the production compared to other large shows (LION KING, WICKED, etc) is that PHANTOM does not have any moving lights in the show. There is however LOTS of scrollers, strobe lights and of course pyrotechnics!

PHANTOM requires each theater it travels to have 30,000 pounds of stage weights (referred to as “Pigs” in our world) These pigs are used as counterweights to balance the weight of the show on the arbors (the white ropes on the right side of the picture are attached to arbors). The other way things are flown in and out is by the use of chain motors, PHANTOM has 52 of them on tour! The Stage Truss from the above picture is held up by four- 2ton chain motors!

Among the 20 trucks that take the show across the country is this “Billboard Truck” sometime this is just an advertisement truck but in the case of PHANTOM it is actually their Shop Truck. The truck is used to deliver all the tools that the tour might need to fix set and prop pieces. Hopefully we won’t need this truck while PHANTOM’s here, but it’s good to know it’s here if we need it!

It has been an honor to work with the PHANTOM Tour, hope you get a chance to see it while it’s here! If you have any questions feel free to email me, I’m always willing to talk tech!

-Jeff Rollins
j.rollins@asu.edu

Students Go To "Work" at Gammage

2009-11-06T13:50:00.000-08:00

What is it like to work at ASU Gammage? Today more than 40 high school students had the opportunity to find out in ASU Gammage’s School to Work program.

The School to Work program provides students with unique insight into some of the careers available in an arts presenting organization like ASU Gammage through a three hour interactive workshop. Students are placed into departments and work with ASU Gammage staff getting a crash course in what it takes to bring a show to ASU Gammage.

In no time at all students found themselves making decisions about which show to book, developing strategies for fundraising, creating a marketing plan, coordinating box office duties and navigating the technical requirements of a show.

The students also received a visit from Emily Powell, Associate Company Manager with PHANTOM. Students participated in a Q & A session with Ms. Powell learning all about the responsibilities of a company manager, the training needed for this type of position as well as what it’s like to be on the road with a national touring company.

For students who love the arts this program can really spark an interest in a career they might like to pursue. After attending the School to Work program Nicole, 17, from Crossroads Focus School commented, “I’d like to be a part of this someday!”

Thank you to all of the students from Crossroads Focus School in Mesa, Raymond S. Kellis High School in Glendale, and Tumbleweed Transitional in Phoenix who participated in today’s workshop! Great job!

Kristen Markus
Cultural Participation Manager

PHANTOM rolls into Tempe

2009-10-29T09:37:00.000-07:00

Eleven days ago, 20 semi-trucks ascended on ASU Gammage each filled with all the pieces that make PHANTOM the grand spectacle it’s been for the past 21 years.

It takes more than 50 local stage hands –
who work from 8am to midnight— to “unpack” everything from the proscenium, the lights, costumes, wigs and more before Gammage fills with audience members starting Wednesday, October 28 and continuing through November 22.

Local media had the opportunity to get a sneak peak at this process.
The grandness of Phantom doesn’t end with load-in … everything Phantom does is big!

Check out these Fun Facts:
125 cast, crew and orchestra members and house personnel are directly involved in each performance.

The Chandelier has more than 30,000 beads in it.

The national tour of Phantom has performed more than 7,000 performances.

More than 350 Phantom masks have been custom-made during the 20 year run.

I hope you all get a chance to see Phantom while it is in Tempe. While you’re sitting there before the show starts or at intermission, just think of all the hard work and the number of individuals it takes to get this show up and running … and in a few weeks these 20 trucks will depart Tempe and arrive in the next city and start it all over again.

Dana McGuinness
Public Relations Manager

Welcome!

2009-10-28T16:30:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the ASU Gammage Blog. This is the spot to get the behind-the-scenes scoop and exclusive access to all things ASU Gammage. Weekly, you will have a chance to hear what Gammage staffers are up to from my days out on press interviews with the cast, to our cultural participation manager working with local students, to our technical director giving up some great behind-the-curtain info. Plus, enjoy entries from guest bloggers like cast members, resident artists and more. We look forward to connecting with you through our new blog … Enjoy and we look forward to chatting with you!

Dana McGuinness
Public Relations Manager
ASU Gammage