Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts Assistant Director Ally Haynes-Hamblen has been appointed interim director. She begins her new responsibilities immediately, taking over from Director
Cory Baker, who left the organization on June 3.
"Ally Haynes-Hamblen has played a key role in the success of Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts for more than 10 years," remarked Scottsdale Cultural Council President and CEO Neale Perl. "Working with her during the past season, I have been impressed with her extensive experience in the performing arts industry and deep knowledge of the Center's programming and operations. We are pleased to recognize her accomplishments and welcome her to this position."
"We are also grateful to
Cory Baker for her contributions during the many years she has been with the Cultural Council, and wish her the very best in her future pursuits," added Perl.
"Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts has an amazing 40-year history of artistic excellence and innovation," stated Haynes-Hamblen. "I am excited to take on this role and continue working with our outstanding staff to present great performing arts experiences for Scottsdale and the entire Valley."
Haynes-Hamblen has served as assistant director of Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts since 2010, working on all aspects of programming, production and finance. She joined the Center in 2004 when she was recruited for the position of company manager. From 2005 to 2009, she was the theater manager for Theater 4301, a 326-seat performance space operated by Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts in the Galleria Corporate Centre in downtown Scottsdale. Following the renovation of the Center's Virginia G. Piper Theater, Haynes-Hamblen worked as theater manager during the 2009-10 season.
Prior to joining Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts, Haynes-Hamblen was general manager and associate producer for Entertainment Events, Inc., where she supervised budgeting, finance, marketing and production for national touring and off-Broadway theatrical productions, including the hit shows Late Nite Catechism and Menopause The Musical. She also worked as resident stage manager of the Society Hill Playhouse in Philadelphia.
Originally from Boulder, Colo., Haynes-Hamblen earned her M.B.A. from Regis University and B.A. in theater and mass communication from University of Denver. She is the current president of the Arizona Presenters Alliance; treasurer of VSA Arizona, The State Organization on Arts and Disability; and mentorship programs coordinator for California Presenters. She has participated in the Emerging Leadership Institute of the Association of Performing Arts Presenters and the California Presenters Mentorship Program, and was a member of the Expedia Corporate Travel Advisory Board. In 2013, Haynes-Hamblen received the Darlene Neel Mentoring Award from the Western Arts Alliance.
Since opening 40 years ago in 1975, Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts has provided a stage for a wide range of voices and perspectives, creating shared, inspiring experiences for the community that celebrate artistic excellence and cultural awareness. Today one of the premier performing-arts halls in the western United States, the Center presents a diverse season of dance, music, theater, comedy and film from around the world. More than 1,000 indoor and outdoor performances, educational programs, festivals and other events are presented and hosted by the Center annually, serving approximately 250,000 participants. The Center's education and outreach programs reach 25,000 students and adults each year. Events take place in the state-of-the-art, 853-seat Virginia G. Piper Theater, recognized for its intimacy, acoustics and comfort, as well as the 137-seat Stage 2 and neighboring 1,800-capacity Scottsdale Civic Center Amphitheater. Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts is located on Scottsdale Civic Center Park, a 21-acre urban oasis next to the city's Old Town and gallery districts.
www.ScottsdalePerformingArts.org
