ASU Gammage
Inner Circle Volume 17 | Winter 2018
HAMILTON is here
Meet this year’s Jerry Award Winners
AZ Native Returns to ASU Gammage
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Throughout the history of
Photo: Tim Trumble
We are very proud that Arizona State University will be the first university to host HAMILTON.
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ASU Gammage there have been some incredible and transformative moments. From ground-breaking world premiere commissions on our Beyond series to the Broadway industry changing with the introduction of mega musicals like THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA and LES MISÉRABLES, at ASU Gammage history has always had its eyes on us. With the historic engagement of HAMILTON at ASU Gammage much history has already been made. We are very proud that Arizona State University will be the first university to host HAMILTON. HAMILTON will break box office records and more importantly will bring nearly $50 million of economic impact to the Valley during its month-long engagement. We are also thrilled that more than 2,800 students from Title I schools across Arizona will have the chance to experience HAMILTON on February 23 for The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History’s HAMILTON Education Program. These schools will integrate Alexander Hamilton and the Founding Era into classroom studies and will give students a chance of the lifetime, and we are honored and proud to have this program on our campus. Even the way tickets went on sale to the public was new and historic for ASU
Gammage. Tickets to HAMILTON went on sale to the public via Tickemaster Verified Fan® which was a first for ASU Gammage. Verified Fan is a new fanfacing technology from Ticketmaster that allows pre-registered fans to unlock access to tickets without competing against scalpers and bots. Ticketmaster Verified Fan® is a tremendous advance in ensuring that real patrons have access to tickets and we value the innovative approach that put fans first. Subscribers and donors had first access to tickets to HAMILTON. Having 20,000 subscribers is a game changer for ASU Gammage and will help ensure that we are able to continue to bring the best of Broadway to our stage. ASU Gammage also boasts the largest donor base in its history and with the support of our donors and VIPs, we’ve been able to transform the theater over the past few years and will continue to invest in improving the experience when you come to a show. This is going to be an unforgettable time at ASU Gammage. We look forward as the Valley experiences history in the making.
Colleen Jennings-Roggensack Executive Director of ASU Gammage ASU Vice President for Cultural Affairs
Contents
Nick Cartell as Jean Valjean in LES MISÉRABLES. Photo: Matthew Murphy
The 2018 Gammy winner Camp Broadway 10 Behind the scenes of an NYC #EduHam 4
Bring him home: Nick Cartell 22
Cindy McCain to be honored with MLK Jr. Servant-Leadership Award 12
Dance Theatre of Harlem presents SYSTEM 14
HAMILTON National Tour Company. Photo: Joan Marcus
A HAMILTON history lesson from the president of The Museum of American Finance 6
ASU Gammage Inner Circle
Minimalism brings down barriers in THE COLOR PURPLE 18
Volume 17 | Winter 2018 Executive Editor: Colleen Jennings-Roggensack Editor In Chief and Project Manager: Theresa Dickerson Managing Editor: Victor Hamburger Creative Director: Sarah Moore Editorial Team: Kari Amarosso, Cheryl Amick, Michelle Johnson CAP-OM, Erica Lin Contributing Writers: Pia Catton, Theresa Dickerson, Jennifer Haaland, Catherine Hathaway, Emi Kamezaki, Jessica Steans-Gail
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VIP Event Photos 16
Longtime ASU Gammage supporters to receive 2018 Jerry Award 8
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Supporting Art with a Twist: Hope and Steven Leibsohn 20
Frank Lloyd Wright’s Influence on Arizona 24 ASU Kerr’s Adventurous February Features More Than Just Music 26
Meet ASU Gammage’s new Donor Relations Coordinator Camille Ridley 27 VIP Club 29 Dinner Information for the Gammy and Jerry Awards 32
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ASUGammage VOLUME 17 | 2018
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Behind the scenes of an
NYC #EduHam BY JESSICA STEANS-GAIL
In partnership with the Gilder Lehrman Institute, #EduHam provides high schools with curriculum designed to teach students to create art and performance based on American Revolutionary history. Once schools have finished incorporating these materials into the classroom, they are invited to a HAMILTON performance for a day featuring student performances, a Q&A with select cast members and a matinée of HAMILTON. Here is a backstage look at an NYC #EduHam. At 10 a.m. on Wednesday, November 11, high schoolers from around New York City flooded into the Richard Rodgers Theatre for the #EduHam events of the day. Selected students from each school were set to perform their work on stage.
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Mathenee Treco, Jordan Donica, Ruben J. Carbajal & Michael Luwoye, HAMILTON National Tour. Photo: Joan Marcus
One student, Shamelle Cabral from Urban Action Academy, was prepared to recite her original poem on Richard Allen. “He was the first bishop and founder of the African Methodist Episcopal Church,” she explained. “I did more research on him and I found out what he did and I was really interested in him. He had a lot of runaway slaves underneath his church as part of the underground railroad.” “I’m so nervous!” Nia Temples Orr of East Side Community High School repeated as she paced offstage. Nia and Wesley Mckogg of Origins High School discussed their nerves and mutual shock at having made it to this point. Nia shared, “I never thought I was going to get on this stage.” In a chair just behind Nia and Wesley, Marsha Darbouze from The Young Women’s Leadership School of the Bronx quietly studied lines for her Rhode Island rap. Marsha explained how she chose her rap’s subject matter. “Me and my friends were sitting in our history class and were kind of making fun of Rhode Island because they were doing their own thing and we found that inspiring,” she laughed. “Rhode Island was the last to ratify the Constitution so it’s basically Rhode Island’s point of view about why they didn’t want to accept the Constitution."
It’s taught me to believe in myself, and that I can do anything.
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The student show opened with a rap from Rogers Mayo of Bronx Academy. Rogers sang from the point of view of Aaron Burr, “I’m salty. Almost had my dream, then Alex came in and ruined everything. I’m salty.” Audience members clapped along with Rogers, and from there, the show was off! Later performances included a poem about the Boston Massacre, a monologue by Patrick Henry, a rap about Maria Reynolds and more. Despite her pre-show nerves, Nia already wanted more stage time. “It was like 5 seconds! I just wanted to go back on stage! I couldn’t see anybody!” she exclaimed. “It was less overwhelming than I thought,” Marsha agreed. “The lights were so on you that you really couldn’t see who was in the audience so it was less stressful.” She also congratulated her fellow student performers, “I think they did great! They were really confident in what they were doing and they were having fun!” A brief panel with several #HamiltonBway ensemble members followed the student show. Sasha Hollinger, Lauren Boyd, Erin Clemons, Eddy Lee and Tyler McKenzie answered questions submitted by the attending high schools students. “Months,” Lauren joked when asked how long it took to get comfortable in her role. She explained, “when I first joined, I was just making sure I was making my exits on and offstage correctly because if I do something wrong it affects the next person. I’ve been in [the cast] a year now and it’s not even the way I want it to be yet. We
Above: NYC #EduHam participants. Left: Joshua Henry as Aaron Burr in the National Tour of HAMILTON. Photo: Joan Marcus
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I’m salty. Almost had my dream, then Alex came in and ruined everything. I’m salty. - Rogers Mayo as Aaron Burr
get notes from our dance captain all the time so we’re constantly getting feedback from them and the musical directors. It’s never a finished project.” One high school asked what each cast member had learned from his/her time with HAMILTON. Tyler opened with, “self-discipline [of] my mind, body, and spirit,” and Erin added, “It’s taught me to believe in myself, and that I can do anything.” #EduHam ended with the matinee performance of HAMILTON. The students were all excited for the show, but Nia confessed that she was most excited to see the cast perform her favorite song, “My Shot.”l
#EduHam will take place at ASU Gammage February 23. More than 2,800 Title 1 students from Arizona high schools will have a chance to participant in this program. VOLUME 17 | 2018
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A HAMILTON history lesson from the president of The Museum of American Finance BY JESSICA STEANS-GAIL
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HAMILTON National Tour Company. Photo: Joan Marcus
As the president of the Museum of American Finance, David Cowen is an expert on the American Financial system. The same financial system created by Alexander Hamilton. A portrait of Hamilton hangs above the desk in David’s office. We caught up with David to discuss what exactly some of the lyrics mean and which traces of Hamilton’s financial legacy still exist today. Here is a brief history lesson from David Cowen.
1. “Legacy. What is a legacy?” The entire financial system is [Hamilton’s] legacy! He set up the system that we live under. Finance is the horse to the economy’s cart and, not only did it not exist when he came here, but we had all the leftover debt and problems from the revolutionary war; he inherited a very messy situation. He comes into office September 11, 1789 and he leaves at the end of January in 1795. He achieved a lot during those six short years in office. His greatest legacy is what he accomplished as our nation’s first Treasury Secretary. 2. “He took our country from bankruptcy to prosperity. I hate to admit it, but he doesn’t get enough credit for the credit he gave us.” Before he gets into office, our [nation] is effectively bankrupt. There is all this leftover debt that the Continental Congress raised during the war. Coupled with [that] domestic debt, there’s also state debts; some states were paying the debt off, some were not. Then, there’s also international debt. We had borrowed money from the French who were helping us both militarily and economically. Hamilton said, we should honor all of that debt. Why is that amazing? It gives us great credit. We honor the debt, and people now are willing to loan to us. So, in a dozen years when we go to Napoleon and say we want to buy New Orleans, we go to the premier bankers of the day in London, we borrow the money to pay Napoleon, and double the size of our country because we have good credit.
3. “If New York is in debt, why should Virginia bear it?” Virginia didn’t have a lot of debt so they wanted to know why they should be paying for Massachusetts. We weren’t really unified as a country, so the Virginians were blocking [Hamilton’s plan]. So then, in my opinion, in the most famous trade in American history, in “the room where it happens,” is that meeting between Jefferson and Madison and Hamilton whereby they trade the capital. There are stories that Jefferson said, “I’m never trading with Hamilton again because I got hoodwinked into this.” 4. “The issue on the table: Secretary Hamilton’s plan to assume state debt and establish a national bank.” Hamilton establishes a quasi-central bank. It was called The Bank of the United States, and it had branches. It was 80% private money and 20% government money. How was Hamilton going to pay a judge in South Carolina? Well, he has a branch of the bank there so instead of having to send the money by horse, he can just make a book entry to pay that judge. It makes the ease and process so much better. It’s also where people put their money in, and it can be lent out. This was created by him and passed by Congress and is the only national bank. By the time he leaves office in ‘95, there is a bank that has five branches.
Alexander Hamilton
5. “The ten dollar founding father.” When Hamilton takes office, we’re using foreign currency. Hamilton decides we're going to have our own [national currency]. We’re not gonna rely on foreign currencies (which do stay in circulation for years), but we’re going to set our own US dollar and have our own currency. l
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Longtime ASU Gammage supporters to receive 2018
Jerry Award BY EMI KAMEZAKI
It’s rare to attend an event at
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ASU Gammage and not bump into Susan and Bill Ahearn, a couple who have been actively involved in growing the organization for over four decades, and a beloved part of the ASU Gammage family. “Susan and Bill have been attending performances and volunteering at ASU Gammage since the 1970s. Their philanthropic donations began in 1989 and they have since become two of ASU Gammage’s most important donors…We are honored Susan and Bill will receive the Jerry Award on March 12, 2018,” said Peter Means, ASU Gammage’s Senior Director of Development. The Ahearns’ true love for the arts and dedication to philanthropy have earned them the 2018 Jerry Award. It honors individuals who embody the standard set by the late Jerry Appell, a dedicated supporter of ASU Gammage.
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I hope we will inspire others to get invested themselves.
“I hope we will inspire others to get invested themselves, not just buy a ticket and go to a show; but that idea of saying this theater and what is going on is important to them, and they want to support that in the future,” Bill said. The humble couple said it’s still hard to believe they were selected for the award. It seems as though just yesterday they were in their twenties, attending their first performance at ASU Gammage. “One of our claims to fame is our first early, fancy dates were here at ASU Gammage,” Bill laughed. From making their first donation to winning the Jerry Award, it has been quite a journey. The Ahearns have connected disadvantaged youths with the arts, spearheaded the historical theater’s restoration, spent countless hours volunteering at ASU Gammage events and more. Not only did they witness the theater’s evolution, they helped drive it. “Well, we always felt that the Phoenix area really needed culture back then,” Susan recalled. “So then when they started bringing in Broadway shows and started bringing in other events, then all of a sudden it started to sort of register with people and of course, with us.”
Bill and Susan Ahearn at the 50th Anniversary Golden Gammage Gala. Photo: Tim Trumble
As ASU Gammage developed a donor program and Executive Director Colleen Jennings-Roggensack created impactful community outreach programs, the Ahearns’ interest and involvement continued to grow.
Bill and Susan Ahearn with 2017 Gammy winner George C. Wolfe. Photo: Tim Trumble
As longtime theater lovers, they were thrilled by opportunities to rub elbows with Broadway players and participate in exclusive activities such as backstage tours. Bill was especially excited to volunteer at the 2004 presidential debate, hosted at ASU Gammage. In addition to the couple providing scholarships for Camp Broadway, Bill attends and photographs the entire week-long program. Each year, he creates
Bill and Susan Ahearn at an ASU football game, anticipating the completion of the Community Union project.
Bill and Susan Ahearn celebrate the pending arrival of HAMILTON at the 2017 Season Announce event. Photo: Tim Trumble
treasured souvenirs for each participant by sharing his photos on commemorative CDs. The Ahearns provide annual gifts to fund nearly every cultural participation program at ASU Gammage. As Bill is a veteran himself, the couple also supports the organization’s special programs for military families. “Certainly monetary donations are needed, but donations of time are very, very important,” said Bill, who volunteered as a part of ASU Gammage’s 50th Anniversary Leadership Board.
The Leadership Board, which included the award’s namesake Jerry Appell, led ASU Gammage’s Elevate and Alleviate campaign to increase accessibility and improve patrons’ experience with the addition of new bathrooms and elevators. “I think volunteering keeps you alive, and it keeps you young and we’ll keep doing it as long as we can,” Susan added. The Ahearns also volunteer at ASU’s annual Homecoming Block Party. As members of the “Sign Committee,” they organize, hang and remove the signs on every tent at the large event. In addition, they are active volunteers at the Desert Botanical Garden and the National Park Service, where they conduct environmental research and care for plants. Arguably the true essence of the Ahearns’ work is their authentic passion for helping others, and their strong belief in engaging everyone with the arts.
We don’t consider any of this work because it’s just been so much fun. Bill Ahearn volunteers at the 50th Anniversary Open House at ASU Gammage. Photo: Tim Trumble
“The arts are what make life worth living,” Bill said. “It’s one thing to say, OK, you need food and shelter and that sort of thing, but then arts are what really then fills in once you’ve got that done.” As children, both Susan and Bill had people in their lives who gave them opportunities. Now that they are able, they simply want to give back. “We’ve lived kind of a privileged life I think, and I think there’s a lot of people who don’t have that opportunity…Then you think, wow there’s people who probably have a lot of talent and if they were exposed to this they could be the next Broadway star, but they don’t have the opportunity,” Susan reflected. “If we are in a position where we can help these people further their ambitions...what an impact that might have on the future of our country even.” The couple actively supports and spreads the ASU Gammage mission of Connecting Communities™ through financial support, volunteering and a true interest in changing the world through the arts. “We don’t consider any of this work because it’s just been so much fun,” Bill said. l
See back cover for details on the Gammy and Jerry Awards Dinner. VOLUME 17 | 2018
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The 2018 Gammy winner
Camp Broadway
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For the past 17 years ASU Gammage and Camp Broadway has welcomed theaterloving children ages 10-17 into our theater for a camp experience of a lifetime. These campers enter the doors of ASU Gammage into camp and leave changed as artists, as performers and as human beings. Camp Broadway has ability to teach skills, challenge young artists and create memories that last a lifetime. Camp Broadway is an amazing organization that is dedicated to creating the next generation of artists, and for this reason and many more ASU Gammage has selected Camp Broadway as our 2018 Gammy Award recipient. “When Camp Broadway started thinking about taking their incredible program on the road, we jumped at the chance to be the first city to partner with them. Camp Broadway has taken our mission of Connecting Communities™ and really accomplished it from the ground up by creating opportunities for the stars and patrons of tomorrow. The work they've done over the past two decades has created a whole new generation of Broadway fans, arts advocates and people who understand the power of musical theater,” said Colleen Jennings- Roggensack, Executive Director ASU Gammage and Associate Vice President of Cultural Affairs ASU. Camp Broadway began in August 1995 in a small studio space in New York City. It was the first Broadway themed program taught by experienced professionals designed to give kids who love musical theater a personal glimpse into the world of Broadway. Eighteen New York City children attended the first 5-day program that featured classes in singing and dancing, master classes with Broadway talent, a behind-thescenes look into the workings of a Broadway show, and a special finale performance for families that featured material learned throughout the week. During the session, NY1 News, CNN News, Good Morning America, the New York Daily News and others covered the activities. Within the next few months, hundreds of parents from across America called seeking more information about the company. A second Camp Broadway session was held in August 1996 attended by 35 children whose parents brought them to New York for an authentic Broadway experience. Once again, celebrities visited camp and the media loved the concept. Camp Broadway was proclaimed “The Camp of Dreams” by Live! Magazine, which covered all forms of live entertainment. Since then, Camp Broadway has hosted over 30,000 children, ages 6-18, at its annual summer camps in New York, Atlanta, Buffalo, Jacksonville, Las Vegas, Providence, Tempe, and elsewhere. Families from every state in America (including Hawaii and Alaska and Puerto Rico) and many other countries including Australia, Brazil, Germany, Honduras, Indonesia, Japan, China (Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong), Singapore, Turkey, Russia, The Ukraine, Poland, Mexico and elsewhere have traveled to the United States so their kids can attend Camp Broadway. Photos: Bill Ahearn
Camp Broadway also presents special events that include an annual performance with the New York Pops at Carnegie Hall and at preshow/half time shows at Madison Square Garden, attendance at the Tony Awards and frequent featured appearances in the Macy’s Annual Thanksgiving Day Parade.
Camp Broadway has taken our mission of Connecting Communities™ and really accomplished it from the ground up by creating opportunities for the stars and patrons of tomorrow.
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Camp Broadway was the first company to offer show-themed student workshop and has presented over 5,000 educational workshops in collaboration with Broadway productions, author estates, and tour operators enabling over 200,000 children to attend a Broadway show as part of a school fieldtrip or other student youth travel experience to New York City. Accepting on behalf of Camp Broadway will be Founder and CEO, Susan E. Lee. “Susan is the fearless leader of an organization that actively creating the next generation of artists, theater-goers and leaders. We are so honored to have her accept the 2018 Gammy Award on behalf of Camp Broadway,” said Colleen JenningsRoggensack. l
See back cover for details on the Gammy and Jerry Awards Dinner. VOLUME 17 | 2018
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Cindy McCain
to be honored with MLK Jr. Servant-Leadership Award BY EMI KAMEZAKI
It’s difficult to me to completely understand the issue unless you get your feet dirty. Cindy McCain was stopped at a gas station when she noticed two teenage girls standing outside the convenience store. As she pumped her gas, McCain saw from afar that the girls looked frightened and lost. There was a man standing behind them, almost out of sight. That’s when she realized human trafficking was taking place right before her eyes—in Yuma, Arizona. “I watched the police come and get that guy and save those two girls,” she recalled. “Every ounce of work I’ve done was worth it that day.” Experiences like this drive McCain in her fight against human trafficking. As this year’s Martin Luther King Jr. ServantLeadership Awardee, she will be honored for her significant and interdisciplinary efforts to fight this heinous crime. McCain and ASU student Evvan Morton were carefully selected by Arizona State University’s MLK Jr. Committee and were honored at the 33rd annual MLK Jr. Breakfast Celebration. The award celebrates servant-leadership, or the philosophy of serving first then leading as a way of expanding service. McCain said the reason she has devoted her life to this issue is simple. “The human rights violation that human trafficking is and does to human beings is not only a violation, but it’s simply inhumane,” McCain said. “It just is something that to me, I found it unbelievable when I realized it was going on in my own country. A country that I 12
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thought, and still do think, is the best in the world—that somehow this could be taking place.” Her work truly began when Arizona was awarded the 2015 Super Bowl. McCain used the event’s broad public reach to shed light on the growing issue, creating greater awareness and more activism throughout the state and country. Since then, McCain has made an impact through both leadership and service. “It’s difficult to me to completely understand the issue unless you get your feet dirty. You don’t have to travel overseas or spend money, but it’s about seeing firsthand, out on the streets, exactly what’s going on,” she explained. In Greece and Turkey, McCain taught refugees to identify signs of human trafficking and avoid falling prey to traffickers. She traveled the world to familiarize herself with the many facets of life affected by trafficking including law enforcement, health care, child welfare systems and the internet. Additionally, McCain and her girlfriends arrange an annual trip to a different country to learn about an issue. Last year, the women traveled to Thailand to learn more about human trafficking. Following the directions of a Thai police officer, the ladies walked along a street where women and children were being sold for sex. Some were naked, or wearing very little clothing. McCain said they were clearly drugged.
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There was an entire area called “Little Boy Alley.” “That one really got me,” McCain recalled. “Most of the men were American men buying little boys.” Although shocking, she said they were grateful for the eye-opening and educational trip, which helps inform her work as Chair of the McCain Institute Human Trafficking Advisory Council and Co-Chair of the Arizona Governor’s Council on Human Trafficking. In the future, McCain hopes to initiate inter-state communication between law enforcement officers, and educate communities, first responders, hospital personnel and prosecutors about human trafficking.
Photo: Tim Trumble
Photo: Tim Trumble
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Mrs. McCain was involved in ASU Gammage Heroes Night where she welcomed military families to their performance of THE WIZARD OF OZ.
You as the one serving always gain more than the people you’re trying to help.
Through leadership and service, she has worked to reduce human trafficking around the world, spread awareness and improve victims’ lives. McCain accepts this honor on behalf of the millions of victims of human trafficking, she said.
“Serving and leading are two common core values you try to teach your children. Service to your country and your community,” McCain added. “You as the one serving always gain more than the people you’re trying to help.” l
ASU Gammage plays a large role in the ASU Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration and our executive director Colleen Jennings-Roggensack serves as the chair of the ASU Martin Luther King Jr. Committee.
Photo: Tim Trumble
For more information, visit asu.edu/mlk
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ASU Gammage is excited to have
Dance Theatre of Harlem
on our stage April 14 presenting their work:
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Photos: Rachel Neville
SYSTEM Inspired by current social justice issues in America, in particular as they relate to the black community, SYSTEM is a ballet in which the dynamic complexity of John Adams’ Second String Quartet serves as a soundscape and was built in collaboration with the dancers using their own experiences, as people of color. I am a migrant. One of the many. Time and space conspire to bring in new generations. We show them the promised land. We hold the door open for them to continue moving, building and expanding their consciousness. We are the migrants, We are the refugees, We are the displaced. These are our stories. They are our gift to you.
Jorge Andres Villarini
SYSTEM was made possible, in part by, the New England Foundation for the Arts' National Dance Project, with lead funding from the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation and The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. Additional support made possible, in part by, the Howard Gilman Foundation in support of the Women Who Move Us Choreographic Initiative, and the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo and the New York State Legislature. VOLUME 17 | 2018
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VIP Event Photos
THE BODYGUARD VIP Cast Party at Pita Jungle 1. Everyone enjoying the festivities 2. L to R: Dawn Mulligan, Jasmin Richardson (Nicki Marron), Kevelin B. Jones III (Fletcher), Marcia Andrews, Jorge Paniagua (The Stalker/Frank Farmer) 3. Nathanael Pretlow pictured with Jasmin Richardson (Nicki Marron), Kevelin B. Jones III (Fletcher), Jorge Paniagua (The Stalker/Frank Farmer) 4. L to R: Erika Dickey, Jaime Smith, Jasmin Richardson (Nicki Marron), Kevelin B. Jones III (Fletcher), Jorge Paniagua (The Stalker/Frank Farmer), Buffie Anderson 5. L to R: Corwin Hemmingsen, Paris Fransway, Jasmin Richardson (Nicki Marron), Taum and Donna Hemmingsen 6. Russ and Erika Dickey pictured with Deborah Cox (Rachel Marron) 7. Nelson Faux and Becky Hudson pictured with Deborah Cox (Rachel Marron) 8. Sean Smith and Scott Howell pictured with Deborah Cox (Rachel Marron) Photos: Tim Trumble
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Golden Gammage Investors Bill T. Jones Fall SoirĂŠe at Desert Botanical Garden 1. Colleen Jennings-Roggensack conducts an intimate discussion with Bjorn Amelan and Janet Wong with Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Company 2. Jeff Abbett and his daughter Jenniffer Jarvis 3. Michael and Carmen Blank 4. Mark and Joanne Halberg 5. Joining us from APS, Damon Gross and his wife Kori 6. Mary Jane Rynd and JO Finks 7. Desert Botanical Garden docent guides a tour of the Garden 8. Bjorn Amelan and Carmen Blank Photos: Denny Collins
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Minimalism brings down barriers in
THE COLOR PURPLE BY PIA CATTON
In the current revival of THE COLOR PURPLE, rural Georgia meets spare minimalism.
Don’t miss THE COLOR PURPLE, April 17-22! 18
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Adrianna Hicks (Celie) and N’Jameh Camara (Nettie) and the North American tour cast of THE COLOR PURPLE. Photo: Matthew Murphy
“ Adrianna Hicks (Celie) and the North American tour cast of THE COLOR PURPLE. Photo: Matthew Murphy
We put a circle of chairs together, and it makes a prison. But it only makes a prison if the audience is prepared to invest in the image.
The action takes place on a plain wooden stage. Props are few: a cluster of well-worn chairs, woven baskets, some fabric, a Bible. Even less would be effective, said director John Doyle, who designed the set himself, as long the audience is willing to pitch in and activate their imagination. “We have Easter dinner at a table that doesn’t exist,” he said. “We put a circle of chairs together, and it makes a prison. But it only makes a prison if the audience is prepared to invest in the image.” Minimalism might seem an odd pairing with Alice Walker’s vivid, heartbreaking 1982 novel about racism, abuse and redemption in the American South. And this revival is a major contrast to the 2005 original Broadway production, which had detailed costumes and makeup that aged the characters over a half century. But Mr. Doyle, a seasoned director with four prior Broadway shows to his credit… wanted to eliminate any barriers between the audience and the emotional lives of the characters. Even deeper was an urge to plug the audience into the interactions onstage, just
Carla R. Stewart (Shug Avery) and Adrianna Hicks (Celie) and the North American tour cast of THE COLOR PURPLE. Photo: Matthew Murphy
as a reader would absorb Ms. Walker’s voice via the printed page, he said. And if that requires viewers to do more than show up, that’s the plan. “I not only like it, I insist upon it,” he said gently. “If theater is going to continue to survive and grow, it has to do stuff that other art forms can’t do.” Producer Scott Sanders agrees: “In many cases, we spoon-feed audiences so much.” Mr. Doyle has developed a reputation for the style… and sees more of a connection between his most recent Broadway production, THE VISIT (2015), which was set in a rundown town, and THE COLOR PURPLE, with its jagged, crumbling backdrop. “They both happen in broken worlds. I think we live in a broken world,” he said. “So that’s probably my way of asking the world to look at itself.” l
If theater is going to continue to survive and grow, it has to do stuff that other art forms can’t do.
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Donor Profile
Supporting Art
with a Twist Hope and Steven Leibsohn
BY JENNIFER HAALAND
A conversation about ASU Gammage with Hope and Steven Leibsohn is a little like coming around the bend and being delighted by the unknown as it approaches at full speed. Using performing arts as a sort of catalyst, they seem excited about the continuous process of inventing themselves.
Steven and Hope Leibsohn in the SOUND OF MUSIC gazebo in Salzburg, Austria.
“We are always guaranteed a total wow,” Hope says about the ASU Gammage production standards. “There's consistent energy and enthusiasm across all the diversity ASU Gammage provides for Arizona each season. It can't help but change you.” “To me, ASU Gammage is Colleen,” Steven says, referring to longtime Executive Director Colleen Jennings-Roggensack. “I think her commitment, her sense of judgment and her attitude create the wellrounded art programming that fits us—and fits Arizona—so perfectly.” While they love the big, splashy Broadway season that presents shows fresh from New York every year, the unique programming in the ASU Gammage Beyond series piques their interests in more probing ways. The various audience immersion styles that the boutique series offers appeals to them on several different levels. 20
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“By very different methods, they each seemed to create this atmosphere of truth,” says Steven describing two different dance productions in the 2016-17 season. “They gave us chances to understand each other's differences, and even to create more productive communities.” “What we love about Beyond is how unexpected and eclectic the series is,” Hope adds, citing last fall's intimate contemporary drama SPEED KILLED MY COUSIN that depicted a female soldier recently returned from a tour of duty. “ASU Gammage finds important cultural topics to provide us a deeper understanding of somebody else's life story.” “The Beyond shows drive home a creative message of acceptance for all,” Steven says. The couple seems to have chosen life paths that offer heaps of variation and surprising twists, too. Devoted to service, Hope designs creative trusts and shapes estate plans to reflect her clients' individual family dynamics and values. Steven has retired from a career of delivering babies and ventured into pretzels, a business ownership focused on bite-sized happiness and serving smiles. Traveling widely on their own, the Leibsohns also snapped up the opportunity to join one of the ASU Gammage coordinated New York tours.
“The arts are the only place we get a chance to redefine or reshape our thinking while we are being entertained,” Steven says, demonstrating how their support and appreciation of ASU Gammage echoes their overall sentiments about art. “Even though it's in an artificial setting, we get drawn into a new idea. It feels real, and so it's a chance to both educate and entertain.” “The arts are crucial. They are an exercise in creativity. More, they give us a chance to see life through someone else's perspective,” says Hope about their decisions to support ASU Gammage's mission. After a brief pause, she continues, “Mostly, arts and culture is something to smile about...because it offers ways to experience new facets of life.” "I was in high school theater and loved singing and acting. Performing is fun!” she says. With a laugh, Hope describes playing the role of a Jewish grandmother complete with robe and curlers. She loved the comedy wrapped in the creative expression. More than that, she understood how she could draw on the love she had for her own grandma to create a character other people understood and loved. “I can't act. I can't sing and I can't dance. But I love absorbing everyone who can!” Steven says adding his own laughter to the conversation. “I remember my mother taking us to the theater when I was young. One of the first shows I saw was A CHORUS LINE. The thing that struck me was how important it is to be who you are. And that it's really as important to grant others acceptance so they can be themselves.” As their memories demonstrate, the Leibsohns don't just shine an idle headlight beam down the byway of open-minded thinking and inventive experience. Using art as an on-ramp, they've been traversing it. For years. “We want to support that eclectic perspective that ASU Gammage provides,” Hope says. “We think it's important not just to have that diverse programming, but to make sure a wide audience sees
it, as well,” Steven continues. "We want to work on providing scholarships or tickets for people who might not otherwise get to experience the benefits of art.” The pair honeymooned in London, enjoying musicals like STARLIGHT EXPRESS and CATS. Weaving the benefits of art into their everyday life continues today, as strong—if not stronger—than ever. “We try to go to New York once a year,” says Steven. “We'll often see ten shows in a week.” ASU Gammage is the happy recipient of the Leibsohn's enthused patronage and generous support. The risk in consuming all that art at the speed of light is perhaps in having its potential impact diminished or marginalized by sheer volume. That doesn't seem to faze a pair whose life work revolves around paying forward the happiness and enrichment that passes between them. “We'll always talk about the shows afterwards. We usually agree on what we think is best, even though we often don't like the norm or what's most popular,” Steven says about how they process what they see. “We just knew THE HUMANS [2016's Best Play that graces the ASU Gammage stage this May] would win a Tony last year.” “We may not see it or interpret it the same way, but we love creating the links that connect pieces that at first don't seem connected,”Hope says. “We look at the themes and there's a sort of magic in how they weave together.” Like that secret spice that keeps you going back for another order of freshbaked pretzel bites, it seems Leibsohns have articulated a new twist in their art appreciation. Turning what they've seen into new insights, they apply the inventive truths to their own lives. Steve mentions how art is a “true testament to human resilience,” while Hope muses about the “deep sense of enjoyment” art provides them. Suggesting how their future ASU Gammage art journey might be shaped, Hope brightly presents an inspiring conclusion about what happens when their art discussions merge and loop together the productions they've most recently digested. “I guess it's almost like we are co-creators of a new artistic expression.” l
The arts are the only place we get a chance to redefine or reshape our thinking while we are being entertained.
”
VOLUME 17 | 2018
21
Bring
Him
Nick Cartell receives the 2014 Rising Star of Broadway award from Colleen JenningsRoggensack. Photo: Tim Trumble
Home ASU alumnus Nick Cartell will be returning
Nick Cartell as Jean Valjean in LES MISÉRABLES. Photo: Matthew Murphy
BY CATHERINE HATHAWAY
Nick Cartell returns home to Arizona to star in LES MISÉRABLES
“
I remember sitting in the balcony and watching LES MISÉRABLES with my parents and thinking, ‘wow this is amazing, I’d love to do this show someday’
22
ASU GAMMAGE INNER CIRCLE
to the ASU Gammage stage in his dream role, Jean Valjean in the Broadway tour of LES MISÉRABLES May 15-20. Cartell’s love for theater began at a young age in his home state of Arizona. He grew up in the Valley of the Sun with his mother and father. “It all started when I went and saw a school field trip version of CINDERELLA in 7th grade,” Cartell said. “Right then and there I was like, this is something I want to do. There was something about it that sparked my interest.” Cartell’s spark grew to a passion for performance. He spent his childhood singing, performing in community theaters, watching Broadway tours at ASU Gammage and eventually decided to get his BFA in Theater Performance from Arizona State University. “I remember sitting in the balcony and watching LES MISÉRABLES with my parents and thinking, ‘wow this is amazing, I’d love to do this show someday’,” Cartell says of his visits to ASU Gammage. “I vividly remember, so to be able to now bring this show back to ASU Gammage and to where I received this amazing award is really full circle.” Nick Cartell was the recipient of ASU Gammage’s Rising Star award in 2015 when he first came to perform at the theater in the Broadway touring cast of THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA. Cartell has performed on Broadway as Jonah in JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR, can be heard on the original Broadway cast recording of SCANDALOUS and has previously performed in LES MISÉRABLES at Phoenix Theatre in the role of Marius. The role of Jean Valjean is his favorite so far.
I sing a song in the show called ‘Bring Him Home,’ and I really feel like I get to bring LES MIS home
”
Nick Cartell as Jean Valjean in LES MISÉRABLES. Photo: Matthew Murphy
“It’s one of those bucket list, dream roles of mine,” Cartell said. “I mean it truly is one of the biggest roles in musical theater for men. I have some very big shoes to fill.” Cartell is so proud of the tour, cast, crew and storyline. He believes it’s a show audiences can find a piece of themselves in when they come to see it. “There’s a reason it has been running for 33 years,” Cartell said. “It’s a story about redemption, love and forgiveness and fighting injustice and trying to make the world a better place and truly about the human spirit and not losing that.” The audition process for Cartell was rigorous. He went through various callbacks against numerous talented performers. The day before Cartell’s final callback, he received a devastating call. His mother, Kathy Cartell, had lost her battle with ovarian cancer and had passed away at age 64. “That was very tough, but my parents are so supportive,” Cartell said. “When I heard she wasn’t doing well, I wanted to be there. Both my mom and dad said no. They said this is what you have to do. This is your dream. This is life changing and you know that you have our full support.” Per his mother’s request, Cartell went into his final audition and landed his dream role. “I know she was on my shoulder that day, and it’s definitely an honor to get to do the show every night and think of her,” Cartell said. Now, in memory of his mother, Cartell and his wife Christine produce a benefit in her honor. Cartell’s family is incredibly important to him, and he couldn’t imagine where he would be without his wife of nine years.
“I’m so lucky to have somebody that is as understanding as she is and as supportive. She truly is a champion for me and my career. She’s also an actress, so she has her own auditions. I know she works sometimes 10 times harder than I do; I’m so proud of her and everything she has accomplished.” Nick met Christine in line at the currency exchange counter in Tokyo. The actor and actress were both on entertainment contracts with Tokyo Disneyland. This year will be the second year they host Broadway Fights Ovarian Cancer in New York. Last year, the event raised over $14,000 for Discovery to Cure which works to enhance prevention, detection and treatment of ovarian cancer. The benefit is held in the honor of Nick Cartell’s mother. “We’re teaming up with them again to make it bigger and better in her honor,” Cartell said. The event takes donations through the organization’s GoFundMe. Those who donate $150 or more will receive a private link to view the benefit concert online. “If you can’t make it to New York, you can still join us for that night and you’re also donating money to a wonderful organization that fights to find a cure for ovarian cancer,” Cartell said. “That’s cheaper than a trip to New York, but you’re also still getting a fantastic evening.” Cartell is so grateful to be coming back to his hometown on tour. He can’t wait to reminisce and perform at ASU Gammage once again. “I sing a song in the show called ‘Bring Him Home,’ and I really feel like I get to bring LES MIS home,” Cartell said. l
VOLUME 17 | 2018
23
“
I was struck by the beauty of the desert, by the dry, clear, sun-drenched air, by the stark geometry of the mountains; the entire region was an inspiration.
Frank Lloyd Wright’s
Influence on
Arizona
ARTICLE COURTESY OF THE FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT FOUNDATION
Photos: Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation 24
ASU GAMMAGE INNER CIRCLE
150 years after his birth, Frank Lloyd Wright’s designs and principles are more relevant than ever. The great architect’s genius is on display in Arizona, where he designed a number of buildings inspired by the desert landscape. From residential structures, to performance spaces, to his own winter home and desert laboratory, Wright defined how we continue build and live in the American Southwest today. “I was struck by the beauty of the desert, by the dry, clear, sun-drenched air, by the stark geometry of the mountains; the entire region was an inspiration,” Wright said of his first visit to the state, in 1928. He later settled in 1929 in Chandler, and in 1937, chose the site for what would become his and the Taliesin Fellowship’s winter home in Scottsdale—Taliesin West. Taliesin West, now home to the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation and the School of Architecture at Taliesin, is considered one of Wright’s most personal creations and among the purest expressions of his architectural principles. Created from sand and rock from the surrounding environment, Taliesin West seemingly rises from the desert floor at the base of the McDowell Mountains. The site remains an active space and hub for innovation, and welcomes more than 100,000 visitors from around the world each year to experience the architecture, live theatre, salons, lectures, concerts, and education programs. While living and working at Taliesin West, Wright experimented and innovated, leaving a lasting legacy of building in harmony with the desert landscape. His Arizona structures include the Harold Price, Sr. House, the David & Gladys Wright House, and First Christian Church, all located in the Valley of the Sun.
Photo: Tim Trumble
The only public space designed by Wright in Arizona is the Grady Gammage Auditorium. In 1957, Frank Lloyd Wright visited Grady Gammage, then president of Arizona State University, to look at a possible site for a cultural and fine arts center. After walking the length and breadth of the property, Wright selected the 15-acre women’s athletic field at the southwest corner of the property. “I believe this is the site. The structure should be circular in design—yes, and with outstretched arms saying, ‘Welcome to Arizona!’” Both Wright and Gammage died before construction got under way in 1962. l
Taliesin West offers an array of tours and events open to the public to experience Frank Lloyd Wright’s work. Plan your visit at FrankLloydWright.org. VOLUME 17 | 2018
25
ASU Kerr’s
Adventurous February Features More Than
Just Music
February is a jam-packed month of diverse performances at ASU Kerr “February will be an extraordinarily uplifting month at ASU Kerr Cultural Center, showcasing a wonderful range of performances in New York theater, African dance and modern speakeasy music from San Francisco,” said ASU Kerr General Manager Tracey Mason.
FANCIFOOL! with Ananda Bena-Weber
Wednesday, Feb. 14 at 7:30 p.m. FANCIFOOL! with Ananda Bena-Weber is a hilarious, heartwarming, thought-provoking work about love. This one-woman multimedia play features 12 characters based on stories from the lives of real New Yorkers. The show’s dramatic and comic dialogue, singing, dancing, mime, vocal impressions and film create a brilliantly constructed and entertaining piece of 21st century theater. The nimble writing ranges from the hilarious to the poignant. Ananda Bena-Weber embodies an endearing assortment of comic and sympathetic characters that collectively answer the question: in our fast-paced time of ever-evolving technology, how do human beings preserve those sweet and sentimental things that give life its magic: love, poetry, humor and the beauty and grace of the natural world? FANCIFOOL! opens this conversation in a way that leaves the audience feeling energized and filled with hope for the future.
FANCIFOOL!
DANCE OF HOPE Thursday, Feb. 15 at 7:30 p.m. From the pearl of Africa, DANCE OF HOPE is a rich cultural experience of passionate rhythms, sensational sounds and exhilarating and colorful choreography. Clap along and experience the uplifting smiles, sounds and movement of children aged 7 to 16 as they explore the transformational power of music and dance. The live music of African world music superstar Kinobe is the backbone of this vibrant music and dance spectacular. “This dance and percussion celebration will have interactive elements to truly engage the audience with the instruments, rhythms and melodies of Africa,” Mason said. DANCE OF HOPE seeks to improve the way of life for children that are orphaned, displaced or living in poverty. The ensemble’s work has enriched the lives of its cast, and sharing their triumphant human turnaround stories around the world encourages creativity, persistence and change in every heart they touch.
Tumbledown House
DANCE OF HOPE
Friday, Feb. 16 at 7:30 p.m. San Francisco Bay Area songwriting deviants Tumbledown House have a sound that has been described as modern speakeasy, saloon jazz, Vaudevillian carnival, parlor pop and “Tom Waits in a cocktail dress.” None of these successfully convey the band’s incomparable ability to fuse vintage sounds and themes from yesteryear with modern instrumentation, refreshingly original compositions and raw energy. The band has an amazing assortment of high-quality music videos online that exhibit the toe-tapping personality, depth and talent of Tumbledown House. The band has performed over 700 shows throughout 25 states and is in the process of releasing their third full-length studio album. Clarinet virtuoso Zac Johnson, ragtime trumpeter Jeff Bordes, upright bass wizard Ryan Lukas and a wide, varied cast of drummers and percussionists provide the perfect sonic landscapes for the intricatelycrafted songs of sultry vocalist Gillian Howe and producer/guitarist Tyler Ryan Miller. Tumbledown House has become just as notorious and adored for their raucous speakeasy parties as they have for their intimate seated events. Mason said, “ASU Kerr’s unique historic setting, intimate vibe and wonderful acoustics will complement the band beautifully.” l
Tumbledown House 26
ASU GAMMAGE INNER CIRCLE
Meet ASU Gammage’s new Donor Relations Coordinator
Camille Ridley BY EMI KAMEZAKI
ASU Gammage aims to be Photo: Tim Trumble
everybody’s home for the arts, but no home feels truly complete without family. Dedicated, passionate and innovative staff members such as Donor Relations Coordinator Camille Ridley make up the ASU Gammage family—a team that’s working to reshape the cultural landscape of the Valley. Ridley works to connect the organization with its donors, who not only support the organization’s many community outreach initiatives, but also allow ASU Gammage to present world class performances. “We make sure that we are recognizing and stewarding donors in a way that will help with donor retention as well as donor satisfaction,” she explained. Ridley moved from Denver, Colorado and joined the ASU Gammage family this past October. When she discovered a job opening at ASU Gammage, it hit her heartstrings. “I often say that art saved my life in many ways, because I grew up in a small mountain town that had 900 or so people,” Ridley recalled. “There was no diversity, so I was kind of the odd person out most of my life and really was trying to find myself and find a way to connect. And so, art became that connection for me.”
I really truly believe that art needs to be accessed by everyone in our community, not just the small collective.
”
She said the arts have always been an important part of her life. She’s experienced their impact firsthand. “People in the arts community didn’t judge me for the color of my skin or who I was and it just really resonated,” she added. “Coming (to ASU Gammage) feels like home. This is a perfect place to feed my passion for the arts.” Seven years ago Ridley worked in a corporate setting, but decided to risk it all to follow her dream of working for nonprofits. Now Ridley supports ASU Gammage’s donors and VIPs in many capacities. From planning VIP Club parties and managing data to recognizing donors’ contributions through special mentions in Gammbills, she strengthens the organization. “I love this role because there are elements of creativity in terms of coming up with new ways that we can recognize donors in meaningful ways,” Ridley mused. The heightened focus on the donor relations team is crucial in ensuring current VIPs are happy while also continuing to grow the organization’s donor base. Working for ASU Gammage allows Ridley to connect the mission with the heart, she said, by helping to support enduring and impactful arts experiences for all members of the community. “I’ve gone to several Performances for Students. I have seen young people enjoying the magic of live theater and heard their excitement. Those moments confirm why I’m here because I truly believe that the arts needs to be accessible to everyone in our community, not just the small collective,” Ridley said. l
Camille has a 19-year-old daughter, Malina, who lives in Colorado, and a 3-year-old son, Nico, who keeps her busy. Photos, from top: Camille and her son Nico at the rodeo. Camille and her mother, Gail. Camille hiking with son Nico & daughter Malina.
VOLUME 17 | 2018
27
100K Milestone
ASU Gammage gratefully acknowledges these individual donors and foundations whose cumulative giving totaled $100,000 or more as of December 2017. The contributions of these generous benefactors, in partnership with those of other visionary patrons, sponsors and volunteers, have incalculably enriched our community.
Halau O Kekuhi Saturday, April 28, 2018 7 p.m. • ASU Gammage asugammage.com
Led by Kumu hula Nalani Kanaka’ole and Huihui Kanahele-Mossman, Halau o Kekuhi is celebrated for its mastery of the ‘aiha‘a style of hula (dance) and oli (chant). Sponsored by Patricia & Carl Harris
28
ASU GAMMAGE INNER CIRCLE
Abbett Family Foundation Susan & William Ahearn Pat & Bill Andrew Jerry Appell APS Arizona Lottery Carol Barmore Barbara, Irv & Jeremy Berger Carmen & Michael Blank F. Richard Bloechl Family Lee Bowman George Brazil Plumbing & Electrical Broadway Across America JO Finks Laurie & Chuck Goldstein Joanne & Mark Halberg Patricia Kaufman Patricia Langlin-Brazil Hugh W. Long, Jr. Family Rae & Richard S. Love Robert Machiz Kemper & Ethel Marley Foundation Lesley & Paul Monfardini Margaret T. Morris Foundation Sarah Nolan Jenny Norton & Bob Ramsey Rosenbluth Family Foundation Stinson Leonard Street LLP and Michael Manning Ticketmaster VMI Holdings Mary & Bill Way/Way Family Charitable Foundation
Corporate/Foundation Sponsors $100,000+ Broadway Across America Desert Financial Credit Union
$99,999-$50,000 George Brazil Plumbing & Electrical Ticketmaster $49,999-$25,000 Abbett Family Foundation National Endowment for the Arts $24,999-$10,000 Andrew Family Foundation APS Arizona Business Bank Stinson Leonard Street LLP/Michael C. Manning $9,999-$2,500 Abbot Downing Arizona Business Magazine Arizona Lottery Macy’s The New England Foundation for the Arts
ASU Gammage VIP club Penrose Academy The Reflective Designer Target Tim Trumble Photography, Inc. USAA
Legacy
Anonymous Susan & William Ahearn E.G. & Carol Barmore Weasley Beckley Larry Berentzen Barbara, Irv & Jeremy Berger Charley Beyer George & Patricia Brazil Linda Broomhead & Terese Sanchez Marlene Bushard Kim Cahow-Harmon Angela & Dave Conwell Carl J. Cross Leonard & Emily Dudziak Raylan & Beverley Evans JO Finks Mary Flora Marilyn & Jim Foley Alan & Anita Handelsman Henry & Mary Hansen Carl & Patricia Harris Rojon & Jay Hasker Robert & Jeanette Heacock David N. Horowitz Lucille Hudgens Donald & June Julen Sue Larsen Richard S. & Rae Love Douglas Lowe Larry Mattal Ellis & Kiran Means Merrily Metzger Paul & Janet Morrison Vickie & Ron Neill Clyde C. Parker Jr. Dr. & Mrs. Michael Pollay Russell A. Robbins Mitchell & Heather Ross Virginia Schantz Margaret Schulz Mr. & Mrs. Russell Smith Ava Spanier Jo & Frank Stockman Bruce C. Thoeny Mollie C. Trivers John & Joyce Webb
Investors Guild Susan & William Ahearn* Barbara, Irv & Jeremy Berger* Molly Blank Fund and Carmen & Michael Blank Lee Bowman* Dr. & Mrs. Charles Goldstein* Beth & Mike Kasser Patricia Langlin-Brazil* Ray & Sue York Producers Academy Anonymous Janet & Doug Baughman James L. Cramer & Allen C. Kalchik* Joan Cremin* Eileen Curtin* Nelson Faux Karen & Grady Gammage Jr.* Janet & Chip Glaser Peter Harries* Ronald H. Harten Patricia Kaufman* Gail & John Krueger Hope & Steven Leibsohn Andrew & Marcia Meyer Lesley & Paul Monfardini* Jenny Norton & Bob Ramsey* Jeff & Leslie Rich Jana & Charles Sample Joanne Schust Dr. Frederick T. Wood & Mrs. Kim Wood* Grady Gammage Society Bill & Cindy Abbott* Anonymous Allen-Heath Memorial Foundation Reginald M. Ballantyne III* Mary A. Barrett Jacqueline Chadwick, MD Michele & Chris England Dr. & Mrs. Steven Farber* Sophia & Mike Fong Davie Glaser In Loving Memory of David H. Glaser Carl & Patricia Harris Jay & Rojon Hasker* Ralph & Ellen Hirsch David N. Horowitz & Damon J. Bolling Michelle Jung & Chris Rodriguez Norman & Teresa Klein Family Aaron & Brenda LaTowsky Richard S. & Rae Love Douglas Lowe Bonnie Maffi & Mara Kotansky Dr. & Mrs. Gerald Mandell Merrily Metzger* Jeffrey D. Oliver* Anita & Armand Ortega Arthur & Linda Pelberg Rod & Julie Rebello* Rosenbluth Family Foundation* Richard & Christy Schust Enid & Michael Seiden* Lorri & Stephen Smith Roxane Smyer & Bailey Smith Chris & Adela Sommer BOLD indicates $50K cumulative giving to ASU Gammage * denotes multi-year commitment
as of 12/17
Tiller Family Foundation Melissa Trudelle Marsha & Charles Van Dam Kristi Vasquez & Jeff Roberts Veteran Tickets Foundation The Way Family Patrick H. Zanzucchi Kathryn Gammage Circle AADS Office Solutions Int’l, LLC & Top Priority Messenger Service, Inc. Benjamin Alon Nancy & Warren Alter Anderson, Chavet and Anderson Inc. Buffie & Ray Anderson Rhet & Marcia Andrews Anonymous Felice Appell Tran & Glenn Appell Arizona Glaucoma Specialists - Jeffrey S. Kay, M.D. Alan & Char Augenstein Linda & Richard Avner Harrison & Laura Bachrach Carol & E.G. Barmore Craig & Barbara Barrett Michael & Julie Bennett Kristy & David Benton Mr. & Mrs. John Berry Karen & Gary Bethune Janet Bioletto Corilee & Kevin Bishop Col. Jody Blanchfield The Blunck Family Jon & Jennifer Bohnert Tara & Todd Bookspan Oonagh & John Boppart Susan & David Brachman Shirley F. Brown & Fred L. Brown Steve & Belinda Brown Elizabeth Burm Pam & Bryan Cadoo Jim Cairns & Dani Stanton Dawna & Dan Calderone California Community Foundation Linda Carneal Rick & Kathy Cartell Renee Cermak & Fred Auzenne* Dawn Cernak Susan & Steven Charney Children’s Dental Village Kelly & Julia Christensen Rose & Joseph Circello Marilee & David Clarke* Carol & Larry Clemmensen Dr. & Mrs. Lance Cohen Lee Baumann Cohn & Mike Cohn Susan Cohn John H. Cole III M.D. & Patrick T. Boyhan Marilyn & Bob Colvert Angela & David Conwell Andrea & Matt Cowley Barbi Crisp & Mark Nemscoff Crystal Family Foundation Michele Davis Beth & Ed Dawkins Nancy Dean & Lorree Ratto Cyndi & Terry DeBoer Mr. & Mrs. Tom DeBonis Bob Demaine Teresa & Michael Dempsey Laurie Dennhardt & Anna de Jesus* Wendy & Todd Dickerson Cathy Dickey Erika & Russ Dickey VOLUME 17 | 2018
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ASU Gammage VIP club Mr. & Mrs. Robert Donat Jane Dowling Daniel Eng Ardie & Steve Evans Jane & Andrew Evans II Ray & Bettijune Fanning Mary Farrington-Lorch & Martin Lorch Dayna and Eric Feldman Bela Patel Fernandez & Miguel Fernandez JO Finks Phyllis & Jack Finney Mike & Becky Fish Fractured Prune Doughnuts Arizona Judy & Howard Garr Natalie & Ed Gaylord Susan Carlson Gilbert & Paul Gilbert Terry Gimmellie & Brooks Hull & Paula Kampinski Mrs. Saul Ginsberg Neil G. Giuliano Judy & Herb Gold Mark & Sherry Goldberg Christine & Luis Gonzalez Don & Justine Good Jan & Dick Govig* Ed Grabowski & Matt Basham John & Deanne Greco Joan & Al Gudriks & Mary & Dan Stamp Gretchen & Jim Haahr Joanne & Mark Halberg* In Memory of Ada Halbreich Mr. & Mrs. Don Hall Liesa Harkness* Jeffrey E. Harper Jennifer & Stuart Hetrick Beth & Bill Hicks Denise & David Higgins Tim & Katie Hill Les & Marfa Holland Bruce Hopkins Jacqueline Hufford-Jensen & Greg Kroening Christine Hughes Mike Hughes & Dr. Kevin Mendivil Tara & Nikhil Iyengar Dr. Ellie & John Izzo Jaburg & Wilk, P.C. Bonnie & William Jaeger Kim Jameson & Jon Ann Hockersmith Colleen Jennings-Roggensack & Dr. Kurt Roggensack Brian Jones Dr. Lyndy Jones Peggy R. Joslin & Nicholas Joslin Mr. & Mrs. Tim Kaehr Judson Karlen Stacy & Alan Klibanoff* John Kras & Timothy Walling Michelle Laiss-Lipner Patricia & Mark Landay Machrina & Dale Leach Kathy & Albert Leffler Herb & Nancy Lienenbrugger Lynn Londen Keli & Kurt Luther Kristen & Doug Magnuson Cheryl & Johan Magnusson Cheryl Mandala Marketline Mortgage Ms. Michelle Matiski & Dr. Alan Snyder 30
ASU GAMMAGE INNER CIRCLE
Steve & Rhonda Maun* Cathy Mazur Celia & Kent McClelland Leslie McDonnell In Memory of Jack McDonnell Tahnia McKeever Patrick McPhilomy & Kasia Lukaszczuk Kathleen A. Mickle, Karen B. Roth & Laurie Kaptur Bruce Meyerson & Mary Ellen Simonson Paulette & Michael Miller Christine & John Minch Glenn & Stephanie Mitchell Lina & Raymond Mogensen Kathleen & Barry Monheit Larry & Virginia Morrison Loraine & Jim Mottern Carl C. Mueller Kenneth & Donna Muller Dawn & John Mulligan Rafael & Mary Munoz Mutual Management Services The George and Karen Nackard Foundation Tina Neisch Dick & Jane Neuheisel Nathan & Betty Norris Novack Family NuVentures Limited Linda & Kevin Olson R.G. Olson PhD & Peggy Steele Dr. Hong Ong & Doris Ong Mr. & Mrs. Enrique Ortega Barbara & Donald Ottosen PRM Association Management Frank & Ginny Palamara Leah Pallin-Hill & Bryan Hill* Dr. John Parente Alisa & Glenn Park Dr. & Mrs. Donald Patterson Jeffrey Perlmeter Dwight & Kathryn Peters Sandie & Hollis Phillips Pat Piazza Debbie & Tobie Pirone Jennifer & Noah Plumb MaryLee & Glen Poole Carol A. Poore, Ph.D. Dr. Bradley T. Porter & Dr. Brinks Austin Practice Strategies Pragmatic Marketing, Inc. Dr. Coral Quiet & Mr. Jerry Weinberg* Dr. Carolyn Ragatz & Mr. Phillip Ragatz Mr. & Mrs. Wayne Rawlings Russell A. Robbins Dr. Lynn Robershotte & Bryce Larry & Lisa Rogoff* Johnna & Glenn Roland Mario Trejo Romero & G. Lewis Penrose Mitchell & Heather Ross Jim & Brenda Rowland Cheryl Rubbelke Karen & John Runberg Lori K. Ryan, MD Norm & Pam Saba Bryan & Katherine Sandler & Janis Merrill Ellen & Paul Schifman Jesse & Jennifer Schwarz The Scollick Family
Tamara Scrivner & Bill & Kathy Aichele Mr. & Mrs. Danny Sharaby/Tickets Unlimited Slack Family Jeffrey & Deborah Smith Zahnie L. Soe Myint, Esq. Ava Spanier & Steve Garland Nicole Spracale Frances & Unni Sreekumar Dr. Cheri St. Arnauld & Family Mr. & Mrs. Ron Starkman* Steffie & Millie Dr. Barry & Judith Stern Morgan Stewart & Troy Homewood Jennifer & Tim Storey Cheryl & Ed Sucato John & Monica Suriano Donald Tapia Bruce C. Thoeny Brinley Thomas & Charles Bentley Alicia Torruella Violet Toy & Betsy Toy Yee UMB Bank Susan Van Dyke MD/Van Dyke Aesthetics Mark & Lynn Vanderlinde/VRealty Advisors Laura & Richard Varner M.A. Verso MD Col. Alexander Warschaw Jeffrey & Dian Weisman Wilhelm Automotive Todd & Tammy Wilkening Jana & Mark Wilcke* Myra & Donald Wilhite Daryl & Karly Williams Diane Willian Dr. Judith G. Wolf Greg Yagi Pamela & Larry Yellen Martha Scales Zachary Charlie & Judy Zarrelli* Barbara & Barry Zemel
Directors Club Mariana & Richard Abelson Helene & Marshall Abrahams Lou Anne & Keith Alexander Alive at Work, LLC Marilyn & Richard Alsager Anonymous Louraine Arkfeld Christine & Rocky Armfield Tarah Ausburn Kevin Axx & Cameron Goebeler AZ Obstetrics & Gynecology Douglas Ball & Connie Stine Jim Barash & Dr. Tamar Gottfried Lory Baraz & Robert Zucker Kelly & Don Beattie Fredric D. Bellamy Deborah Benedict Mary & Scot Benefiel Laura & Justin Bercovich Ross & Shirley Berg Gina & Gregory Berman The Besonen Family Suzanne & David Black Katherine & John Boisvert Kelley, John & Justin Bonowski Susan & Richard Bookspan Teresa & Mark Borota Linda Broomhead & Terese Sanchez
Patti & Rick Brown Kerie S. Trindle Byrne & Derek Byrne Camelview Physical Therapy Elaine & Paul Campbell David E. Cantrell & Glenn W. Eyet III Dr. Caroline Carney Kent Cattani Dr. David & Mrs. Georgiana Cave Kristin & Mark Chase Sophia Chiang & Wayne Gaafar Helen Cho Kathryn A. Christmann Grainger Cole Paula & Dan Coleman Kathleen Cullen Marilee & Zach Dal Pra Diane & Phil Daspit Bette DeGraw Lloyd Dennington Drs. Fred & Suzie DePrez Donna & Bob Dichiaro Jackie & James Disney Karen & David Divine Janice Donnelly & John King Michael Drexler Carmen & Mike Duffek Cheryl Dworman David Dyer Cheryl Eames Jim Edmonds Cynthia Emmons Lou & Rick Ender Christine English & Lenard Hailey Jody Epperson Michele & Michael Etheridge Thomas Fannin Dino & Linda Farfante Susan & Stewart Feldman Penny & Charles Fine Dr. Allen W. Flores Eric Fox & Raymond Hebert Sandra J. Fromm Marybeth & Jimmy Garrett Kyla & Michael Garrison Barbara & Gregory Geidel Dr. Philip E. & Roseann M. Geiger Carole & Ronnie Gilbert Sue & Joe Gilleland Joe & Helen Goldblatt Dr. & Mrs. Bruce Goldstein Vicki Greener Michelle & Roy Grimm Brent M. Gunderson Lindsey, Victor & Henrik Hamburger Alan & Anita Handelsman Lynlie & Myron Hansen Kathy & Marty Harper Diane Harrison Dottie & Mark Harshbarger Nora & Tim Hart Marilyn & Paul Harter Florence & Joe Hauer Jane & Daryl Haugen Larmon & Linda Haugen Hensley Beverage Company Andrea & Herbert Hodes Donna & Scott Hopman Christopher & Judy Hossack Dr. Scott Howell & Mr. Sean Smith Teresa & Darrel Huish Margo Hull & L.E. Kowal Marcie & Michael Hutchinson
The Til Hutchison Family Jacqueline E. Jackson Nancy & Jeffrey Jacobs Dr. & Mrs. Ron Jenks Douglas Johnson Gwen Johnson Andrea & Mark Johnston In Memory of Steven R. Jonas M. Joann Jundt Shari & Irwin Kanefsky Rona & Allan Kasen Deana Katz Casey & Clara Khaleesi Terri & George Kief Allison & Alan Kierman Jo Krueger Julianne & Thomas La Porte Lawrence R. Lathom Linda & Jim Lee Sandi & Eric Lemnitzer Drs. Sonia & Thomas Lenzmeier Patty & Matthew Lernor Sara & Salvatore Lettieri Pat & Paul Lewis, Kelsey & David Henz Sara & David Lieberman Fuyu Lin & Samuel Anderson Law Office of Christina M. Lopez, PLLC Tiffany Ana Lopez Robert Louchheim Sharon Lytle-Breen Rita & Nicole Mann John Martell & Cathy Thuringer Elisa Segal Mashal Alice Mason Lindsay & Morgan Mathie Julie & Scott McCallister Laurie & James McDonald Robbyn McDowell Dr. Geoffrey McKinzie & Tabitha McKinzie Tamara & Ian McLeod Azar Mehdizadeh & Justin Reynolds John Mertens & Kim Cantor In Memory of J. Eric Miller Kathryn Morrison Niles Moser M.R. Designs & Gifts Blanche & Kevin Munnelly Mary Murphy & Kurt Meyer Nagle Law Group Brenlie & Jim Nagy Diane Nastro Christine & Frank Nechvatal Pamela & Tom Ng Debbie & Jim Nixon Keith Norton Michael Obert & Enzo Armetta In Memory of Cindy Olstein Shannon Olwine & Mohit Mehta Dr. & Mrs. Donald A. Opila Robin & John Piatak Dr. & Mrs. Thomas Piemme Gloria & Jill Pierce-Garcia The Powers Family Nathanael Pretlow In Memory of Dr. Jeannette Pretlow Hari Puri Stephanie & Matt Raiff Carol & Gregory Rath Dean Rennell Herschel & Valerie Richter Rebecca P. Ripley & Tara D. Swinehart Sharon & James Robbins John & Dee Ann Rogers
Theresa & Rene Romero Kristine Romine Meryl & Rich Rose Rosedale Hair Design Kent & Mira Rossman Jessica & Kyle Rowland Julie & Joseph Russomanno Beth Saiki-Olsen & Morgan Olsen Jeff Salomone Judy & Harold Samloff Christine & Frank Scarpati Mark Schiavoni Katherine & Bryan Schlueter Katherine & Randall Schmidt Lyrna & Michael Schoon Ursula & Rick Schultz Ken Schutz & Craig Thatcher Catherine Scott Christa & Donald Scott Judy Sera-Windell & Robert Windell Suzanne & Jay Simon Karen Stein Alan Stoff Katherin & Mark Strumpf Laura & Michael Suriano Christina & Tim Tarter Toby Teret Taylor Carla & Gary Tenney Tina Marie Tentori Holly, Kristen & Lauren Terrell Tewksbury Financial Group/John & Sunny Tewksbury Karen Thorn Kartika & Eric Thornbrew Susan Thrasher & Chuck Schwartz Mollie C. Trivers Zeena Ubogy M.D. & Millard Thaler M.D./Papillon Cosmetic Dermatology Center Julia & Robert Wacloff Barbara & Brian Waddoups Colleen Smith-Walters & Dave Walters Joseph Walters Dale & Sheryl Wanek Phyl Wason Suzanne & Craig Weaver Lori & Neal Weinstein Kris & Dale Wendt, Jr. Kristi & Gary West Betty & John Whiteman Wilhelm Automotive (Thomas Gyder) Dr. Brian & Dawn Williams Doris & Duly Winkler Coral & Thomas Wood Michelle & Chris Zachar Breann & Stephen Zapytowski, Jr. Joseph Zavislak
Katrina Hanna Col. Paul Harwood Dr. Patty & Ron Horn William Hosking Michelle Louise Johnson Mr. & Mrs. Malcolm Jozoff Ellen & Howard Katz Karen J. Killoren Survivors Trust Cheryl Laurent Evelyn & John Lucking Suzan Makaus Marilyn & Mark McCall Chandra McClelland Ellis & Kiran Means Julie Mooney Vickie & Ron Neill New Electric, Inc. Sharon & Howard Paley Pam & Gary Passey Valerie & Gregory Patten Natalie & Robert Petrucelli Toni Ramsey & Mark Mulligan William Rase Marliese & Glen Reeves Beverly & Ron Richards Alison & David Riddiford Debra Rinell Dawn & Michael Sandlin Jacob Schwarz Elvia Senter & Norman Buckner, Jr. Ciby & Michael Shaw In Memory of Judith Signeski Marvin E. Smith Dianna Soe Myint Richard P. Stahl Chris & Geri Swahn Vicki & Tom Taradash Dr. Jerome & Dr. Selma E. Targovnik VIP Tours of New York LLC Sandy Wagner Leesa & George Weisz Dr. Syd Wilson & Dr. Carol Wilson Yubeta Family
Contributing Member Anonymous Teresa Amabisca Teresa & Eugene Anderson Wayne & Julie Anderson Association of the United States Army, Arizona Territorial Chapter Sheryl & Fred Barlam Teresita & Neil Barnett Jackie Barone David Bayliff William Becker Kristine Black Neva & Jim Bochenek George & Mary Ann Bradbury Dan Brown Saundra Bryn Ellen & John Buzga Mary & Ray Byke Cathy & John Calhoun Mr. & Mrs. Paul Cash, Jr. Brent Collins Christopher Cropley Karen & Harold Crutcher Susan & John Curtis Cheryl & John Dailey Michele F. Davis Doorenbos Family Richard Duke Flo & Paul Eckstein Rhonda Elifritz-Rix
Patricia & Fred Farsjo Patricia Fimbres Ethan Fox Mary Ann Gallagher Ami Giardina Sarah & Brad Glenn Alyssa Ann Goldstein Morton L. Goodman & Kathleen Niederst Jennifer Greenberg Sharon & Tim Gregory Jeffrey Haggerty Eva & James Hamant Barbara & Joel Hanania Barbara & Ken Hand Maren Hanson Susan Harrison Linda & James Hazelwood Timothy Hill Kathy & Kenneth Hudson Elizabeth Hulst Frances Johnson-Gibbs Javae & John Jordan Dawn Kemp-Moye & Gordon Moye Sue Klein Diane Kreizenbeck Donna Kucinski William & Linda Langer Raenelle & William Lees Mr. & Mrs. Brian Leiphart Karen Leong Florence & Paul Libin Karie Lurie Christine Mackay Cynthia McClymont Tina Minchella Eve & James Morse JoAnn Mulvihill & Mary Jane Lipshie Mr. & Mrs. Chetan Nayak Jane Nicholls Jordan Nimura Karen Nordstrand David Novarina James Overturf In Honor of Melissa Phelan Valleria Pickett Ann & Richard Porras Suzanne Ramsey Nathalie Rennell Beth Reynolds & Bradley Burt Peter & Jeane Robbeloth Virginia Savage Jessica Scianna Raj Sivananthan Tony Skrbek & Beverly Sloane Marilyn Slovak Daniel L. Smith Leslie Standerfer Margaret Stone & Jonathan Dee Trisa Summers Kathleen Sumner Orin & Mary Svarc Patricia Taylor Celia Vasfaret Tasha Vatistas Mary Walker Wilmore Washington Dayna Weary Beverly White Jo & Don Wilson Cindy & David Winston Darcey Winterland & Blake Bulloch Peggy & Bob Withers Tandy Young Lisa Zelasko Linda Zeman Gayle Zerkel
Supporting Member Natalie & John Ahearn Andrea Alley Donna & Kirk Anderson Anonymous Melanie & Patrick Burm Stephanie & Brad Butler Ann Chafoulias Carl J. Cross Julie & Michael Dillon Susan Dowhie Jan & Leo Dressel Kerry & Jim Engbarth Virginia & Ron Erhardt Priscilla Ethier Gail Fawcett Mr. & Mrs. Armando Flores Jane & Bob Franek
Dance Theatre of Harlem. Photo: Rachel Neville
VOLUME 17 | 2018
31
ASU GAMMAGE INNER CIRCLE PO Box 870205 Tempe, AZ 85287-0205 480.965.5062 asugammage.com
Save the Date
Gammy and Jerry Awards Dinner and
2018-2019 Season Announce Event Monday, March 12, 2018 On the ASU Gammage Stage
5:00 p.m. 5:30 p.m. 7:30 p.m. 9:00 p.m.
Arrivals and Cocktails Awards Dinner Season Announce with Special Performances Backstage Dessert Reception with Honorees
Purchase your table at
asugammage.com/gammyjerry or call 480.965.9915