Scottsdale Arts presents An Evening with Ira Glass

Ira Glass, public radio host and creator and producer of This American Life, returns to the Valley on Jan. 20, 2018, to share lessons from his life and career in storytelling in Seven Things I've Learned: An Evening With Ira Glass. His appearance at the Orpheum Theatre in Downtown Phoenix is part of Scottsdale Arts' new Scottsdale Arts Presents series. During his presentation, Glass will use audio clips, music and video to mix stories live onstage and help his audience better follow the creative process of one of our nation's foremost storytellers. What inspires him to create? What drives his passion? How have failures and successes informed his decisions?

Glass's quirky show premiered on Chicago's public radio station WBEZ in 1995 and now is heard each week by more than 2.2 million listeners on more than 500 public radio stations in the United States, Australia and Canada. Another 2.5 million download each podcast.

In 1978, when he was 19, Glass began his career as an intern at National Public Radio's network headquarters in Washington, D.C. Over the years, he worked on nearly every NPR network news program and held virtually every production job at NPR in D.C. He has been a tape cutter, newscast writer, desk assistant, editor, reporter and producer. He also has filled in as host of Talk of the Nation and Weekend All Things Considered. A television adaptation of This American Life ran on Showtime for two seasons in 2007 and 2008, winning three Emmys. Glass also was one of the producers of Mike Birbiglia's 2016 film "Don't Think Twice," and produced and co-wrote Birbiglia's first film, "Sleepwalk with Me" in 2012. Under Glass's editorial direction, This American Life has won the highest honors for broadcasting and journalistic excellence, including the duPont-Columbia Award and five Peabody awards. The New York Times has noted that Glass "is a journalist but also a storyteller who filters his interviews and impressions through a distinctive literary imagination, an eccentric intelligence and a sympathetic heart." Orpheum Theatre Tickets: $69 / $59 / $49 / $29

Through its partnership with the City of Scottsdale, the nonprofit Scottsdale Arts (formerly known as Scottsdale Cultural Council) creates diverse, inspired arts experiences and educational opportunities that foster active, lifelong community engagement with the arts. Since its founding in 1987, Scottsdale Arts has grown into a regionally and nationally significant, multi-disciplinary arts organization offering an exceptional variety of programs through three acclaimed divisions - Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts, Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art (SMoCA) and Scottsdale Public Art - serving more than 400,000 participants annually.

Since 1975, Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts has provided a stage for a wide range of artists and genres, 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 music, dance, theater, comedy and film from around the world. LOCATION AND PARKING Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts is located at 7380 E. Second St. in downtown Scottsdale. Free parking is available in the public parking garage located to the west of Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts on Wells Fargo Avenue. Additional free parking is available at the Old Town Parking Corral at East Second Street and Brown Avenue and at the Civic Center Library parking garage located on Drinkwater Boulevard at East Second Street.

Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts offers performance accommodations to enhance audience members' experience, including: American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation or live audio description with two weeks advance notice. Assistive-listening devices and wheelchair seating are also available. Visit www.ScottsdalePerformingArts.org/visit/accessibility/ or contact the Member and Patron Services Box Office at 480-499-TKTS (8587) [TDD: 480-874-4694] for further details. Please inquire about services when ordering tickets.

TICKET DISCOUNTS Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts offers a variety of ticket discounts for Scottsdale Arts members at the Friends level and above, groups of 10 or more and those purchasing packages to four or more events in one order. The Center provides free tickets to selected events for eligible students, teachers and active-duty military and veterans, and 50-percent off tickets to selected events for patrons 29 and under. Visit www.ScottsdalePerformingArts.org/visit/tickets-discounts/ or call 480-499-TKTS (8587) for more information.

THE STORE The award-winning Store at Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts supports the mission and diverse programs of the nonprofit Scottsdale Arts. The Store's unique selection of merchandise includes artist-made jewelry, stylish furnishings for home and office, unique creations by Arizona artists, fair-trade and upcycled/recycled global crafts, music, books, greeting cards and imaginative toys. Purchases are tax free, and members receive a 10 percent discount. Gift wrapping and shipping are also available. The Store is open seven days a week: Monday - Saturday, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.; Sunday, noon - 5 p.m.; and throughout most evening events. Phone: 480-874-4644. HOW TO REACH US Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts 7380 E. Second St. Scottsdale, AZ 85251 www.ScottsdalePerformingArts.org 480-499-TKTS (8587)

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