Contact: Amy Richert, Communications/Marketing Coordinator, Tempe CVB (480) 305-1385 amy@tempecvb.com Tempe Showcases Impressive Arts & Culture Scene The Tempe Convention & Visitors Bureau Highlights Tempe Arts & Culture Scene Tempe, Ariz. – Tempe is known as an engaging, creative destination and showcases this through various arts and culture outlets including Arizona State University (ASU). From Broadway shows, to a wide assortment of museums, galleries and festivals, Tempe is full of life and makes it easy for visitors to experience a dazzling array of arts and cultural events year-round. Tempe’s cultural offerings are incredibly affordable and will leave audiences craving even more. Take in a Broadway Show at ASU Gammage Theater goers will not want to miss experiencing a Broadway show at ASU Gammage. Designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, ASU Gammage is among the largest university-based presenters of performing arts in the world. Home to M&I Bank Broadway Across America – Arizona, the 2008¬2009 season includes seven of today’s biggest hits straight from Broadway along with several blockbusters that will make their valley return: •A CHORUS LINE September 2-7, 2008 •THE RAT PACK- LIVE AT THE SANDS October 14-19, 2008 •HAPPY DAYS November 18-23, 2008 •SPRING AWAKENING December 9-14, 2008 •DISNEY’S THE LION KING January 2- February 8, 2009 •FROST/NIXON starring Stacy Keach March 31-April 5, 2009 •CHITTY CHITTY BANG BANG June 16-21, 2009 Special engagements during the 2008-2009 season include: •RENT March 17-22, 2009 •CATS April 7-12, 2009 •STOMP May 5-10, 2009 •WICKED July 1-26, 2009 Tickets start at under $25.00 and are available to purchase on July 21. Visit www.asugammage.com for ticket and show information or call (480) 965-3434. The Tempe Center for the Arts is home to Childsplay Theater lovers seeking to introduce their children to the theater need look no further than attending a Childsplay production at the Tempe Center for the Arts. Childsplay, Arizona’s award-winning theatre company for young audiences, is gearing up for their 2008/2009 season at the Tempe Center for the Arts (TCA). Shows are held Saturdays and Sundays at 1 and 4 p.m. and tickets are $25 for adults and $20 for children/students/seniors, unless otherwise indicated. •Miss Nelson is Missing September 13 – October 5, 2008 •Getting Near to Baby October 25 – November 9, 2008 •The Velveteen Rabbit November 22 – December 21, 2008 •Busytown January 24 – February 21, 2009 •Rock, Paper, Scissors February 28 – March 8, 2009 •Ferdinand the Bull March 14 – April 5, 2009 •The Neverending Story April 19 – may 17, 2009 •Peter and the Wolf May 31 – June 21, 2009 For ticket information, please call (480) 350-2822 or visit www.childsplayaz.org/tca. Arizona State University Art Museum and Ceramics Research Center: The Arizona State University (ASU) Art Museum is considered to be one of the Southwest’s most significant contemporary art institutions. Cited in "Art in America" as "the single most impressive venue for contemporary art in Arizona," the museum explores the art and its impact on individuals and society through rotating exhibits and its permanent collections. Its programs and collections also showcase the art of Latin America, including an outstanding collection of contemporary work from Cuba. The museum's Ceramics Research Center houses one of the best ceramics collections in the country, with a significant portion of its holdings in open storage. For more information, visit http://asuartmuseum.asu.edu or call (480) 965-6656. In addition to featuring over 20 free ASU museums and galleries, both ASU and Tempe have diverse public art programs with both permanent and temporary projects that are engaging and always accessible. For information about a self-guided tour of Tempe public art, visit www.tempe.gov/arts/publicart/. For more information about ASU public art, visit http://www.asu.edu/museums/ec/public.htm. Festivals to Delight the Senses In December and March every year, the Mill Avenue District is home to the fall and spring Tempe Festival of the Arts. Arts and music lovers will feel right at home in Tempe when over 400 artists, food vendors and entertainers line the Mill Avenue District. You never know what treasures you’ll find at this free festival. Upcoming festival dates are December 5-7, 2008 and March 27-29, 2009. For more information, please visit www.tempefestivalofthearts.com. In the spring, the Tempe Festival of the Arts takes place over the same weekend as the Circle K Tempe Music Festival to create “Arts and Entertainment Weekend”. The music festival is held at Tempe Beach Park, which is adjacent to the Mill Avenue District, March 27-28, 2009. The festival features more than 30 regional and national acts on 3 stages, interactive displays, extreme sports demonstrations and much more!  For more information, please visit www.tempemusicfestival.com. Find a taste of Germany in Arizona every October at the Way Out West Oktoberfest! Enjoy beer gardens, live entertainment, children’s activities, German food and a polka stage. Admission is free. For more information, please visit www.wowoktoberfest.com Chihuly: The Nature of Glass exhibition at the Desert Botanical Garden The Desert Botanical Garden is preparing to welcome the Chihuly: The Nature of Glass exhibition by renowned artist Dale Chihuly. The exhibit will feature new and unique works of glass sculpture located along the Garden’s trails. The exhibition will open Saturday, November 22, 2008 and remain until May 31, 2009. Dale Chihuly is known for his innovative glass sculptures and his work is immediately recognizable for its grand scale and use of vibrant colors. Chihuly’s spectacular creations are found in more than 200 museums worldwide including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, London’s Victoria and Albert Museum and the Smithsonian American Art Museum. Member reservations and ticket sales begin Monday, September 15, 2008. Non-Members will be able to purchase tickets beginning Sunday, October 12, 2008. Advanced reservation or purchase is required for both members and non-members. Limited walk-up tickets may be available. Tickets may be purchased online at http://www.dbg.org or by phone at (480) 481-8188 ASU Herberger College spotlights the season ASU Herberger College of the Arts spotlights a season of outstanding performance in dance, guitar, jazz, musicals, organ, opera and theatre, including The Festival of New Work. Inventive performances and concerts feature fresh works by extraordinary students, exceptional faculty and renowned guest artists that are sure to pique the senses and move the soul. Subscription packages start at $9 per ticket and are available now through July 11, 2008. Single tickets are available July 14 and are $7-$18 for guitar, jazz and organ; $7-$20 for dance; and $7-$22 musicals, operas and plays. Visit http://herbergercollege.asu.edu/subscriptions or call (480) 965-6447 for ticket information. Travel to Tempe is quick and easy. Tempe is less than ten minutes from Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport and offers easy freeway access. Tempe offers more than 5,000 guestrooms ranging from budget to upscale. ### The Tempe Convention & Visitors Bureau is a non-profit organization devoted to marketing Tempe, Arizona as a desirable visitor and group destination site. To learn more about Tempe, please call 480-894-8158 or visit us at www.tempecvb.com.