Theatre Aspen begins Capital Campaign and Reprises Defying Gravity

Theatre Aspen, Aspen's only professional theatre and school for theatre education, announced a capital campaign to replace its "enchanting but exhausted" theatre tent in Rio Grande Park.

The announcement, made at the July 1st opening night performance of The Marvelous Wonderettes, also included the announcement of the leading gift for the new tent by Bob and Soledad Hurst. The gift is the largest one-time donation the theatre has ever received and will include naming rights for the theatre. Soledad Hurst is on the Board of Trustees for Theatre Aspen.

The current 18 year-old tent in the park has undergone two major repairs, myriad wind and hail storms, multiple floods and is also the home to a few of the park's friendly raccoons. It will be replaced by a new model and the upgrade will include a new stage, lobby and audience area. Local Aspen architectural firm, Charles Cunniffe Architects, is working with the theatre to create a new and improved aesthetic for the theatre's 28th season.

Artistic Director Paige Price said of the campaign, "We are extremely excited to begin this campaign. There is so much momentum right now, and we're very grateful for the enthusiasm of our audiences and supporters, as well as from the community. This tent has served us for a long time, but there's no way it would last another season."

The capital campaign's goal is one million dollars, and a wide and varied menu of options for all levels of support is available. This season, Theatre Aspen began offering "I ♥ TA" premium seating for $100 per ticket, with a portion of ticket revenue dedicated to the campaign.

The current season opened with Defying Gravity: Theatre Aspen Takes on Broadway's Biggest Hits, a concert featuring a cast of local performers, which was so successful that two encore performances will be held on August 22nd, at 6 pm and 8 pm. The late show will be the final offering in the current tent and will be a benefit performance for the campaign. Early purchase is advised for both shows, and an early-purchase discount is available for the 6 pm showing.

The 2010 repertory season also includes The Marvelous Wonderettes, The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs! and Same Time, Next Year (opening July 16) and runs through August 21st.

Tickets for all performances are available at the Wheeler Box Office (970-920-5770) or aspenshowtix.com. For more information, www.theatreaspen.org.

Theatre Aspen's 2010 season is generously supported by: American National Bank, Alex Kaufman, Hays Private Client, Jessica and John Fullerton, City of Aspen, Les Dames d'Aspen, Brenda and Jim Grusecki, Morris&Fyrwald/Sotheby's, Maureen and Dan Holman, The Aspen Club and Spa, Soledad and Bob Hurst, Mandy Gray and Randy Work and Melinda Goldrich. Media Sponsors are Aspen Sojourner, The Aspen Times, Aspen Daily News, Aspen Public Radio, KSPN/KNFO, KUUR/TV 19/KSNO and eMoo.com/AspenShines.

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