Center Spotlight: CenterTix Staff

On Thursday, March 3, CenterTix held their latest bimonthly staff meeting. Schedule conflicts kept only a handful from participating. The evening opened with two guest speakers: Sandy Adams, Executive Director of Anchorage Concert Chorus, and Jason Grenn, Marketing Director of Anchorage Concert Association. Sandy Adams thanked CenterTix staff for their overall good service and stressed how important it is to ACC that patrons be provided discounts without obstacles. She also provided interesting details about the ACC's upcoming Alaska premiere of Leonard Bernstein's Mass. Jason Grenn followed with more praise for CenterTix staff which was gathered from customer feedback via ACA's recent surveys. He then gave some exciting details about the ACA's upcoming 2011-2012 season; much of which is still in final negotiations. [more...]

Patron Spotlight: Mary Ellen Segelhorst

Avid arts lover, Mary Ellen Segelhorst, has been making a difference in the community and has been supporting the Alaska Center for the Performing Arts since 1995. Mary Ellen supports a variety of charitable organizations throughout the state of Alaska and the Center is grateful to be one of them. [more...]

Center Spotlight: CenterTix Assistant Box Office Managers

The Alaska Center for the Performing Arts is proud to present The Center's new Assistant Box Office Managers: Lana Ramos, Rachel Walker, and Ruth Keller. [more...]

The Center Donors on the Discovery Stage for the 2010 Patron Reception.

Center Spotlight: Patron Reception Recap -
Thank You Center Donors!

The Center’s Patron Reception is our annual event to recognize all of you (our donor family, patron level and above) who make such a difference by supporting this facility. This year’s event was a huge success! The stage was glowing with a variety of colors, springtime floral arrangements, and an array of food and beverages were also provided for our guests to enjoy. Columns and structures were specially built to provide a creative display of the food and mini beverage pairings. Students from the UAA Opera Ensemble performed songs from Kismet: Rhymes Have I, And this is my Beloved, Rahadlakum, Musical theater numbers: Lily's eyes, One Last Kiss and a group number at the end: Run, Freedom Run. [more...]

Center Spotlight: Carolyn Ottosen

Carolyn Ottosen was born and raised in Olympia, Washington. Her favorite things about Washington are swimming in the lakes, backpacking, the Olympic rain forest, the ocean beaches and Mt. Rainier National Park, where she and her husband, David, were married nearly 36 years ago. Carolyn’s son Erik is a graduate of West High School and will graduate from the University of Alaska Anchorage, this spring with a Bachelor’s of Science in Computer Science and a Minor in Journalism. She has also enjoyed having 7 foster kids, for which David gets most of the credit as he was “Mr. Mom” during most of Carolyn’s career. [more...]

Center Spotlight: TubaChristmas

Tubas, sousaphones, and euphoniums filled the halls with holiday cheer at the Alaska Center for the Performing Arts on Sunday, December 6, 2009, for Tuba Christmas. This hour-long event takes place in the Lorene Harrison Lobby every year and is conducted by Neal Haglund. [more...]

Center Spotlight: Ben Roseberry

BEN ROSEBERRY played Ed and was the Understudy for Timon & Zazu during Disney's The Lion King. Tours: RENT. Off-Broadway: Fugitive Songs (original cast), Emma. Regional: The Mysteries of Harris Burdick (Barrington Stage), Max Under - stood (The O'Neill NMTC), The Dogs of Pripyat (Weston Play house). Graduate of Webster Univer - sity’s Conservatory of Theatre Arts. He wishes to thank his family, Binder casting, the entire team at Professional Artists, and his beautiful wife Sarah. Proud member of AEA. [more...]

Center Spotlight: Dave Smith

Even with all of the top-notch performers and musicians, a performing arts center would not be able to thrive without its staff. Luckily here at The Center, we have some of the best. When filtering in to the building dressed to impress for the Holiday favorite, The Nutcracker, you’ll likely see House Manager, Dave Smith at the podium directing patrons to their seats and alerting both patrons and ushers of showtime cues and intermission.[more...]

Center Spotlight: Margaret Campisi

On Saturday, March 28, 2009, Margaret Campisi. Margaret was the winner of the Heart of Anchorage Awards: Spirit of Alaska Award - a specific award that recognizes volunteers in the Downtown community and has demonstrated exceptional efforts to support a Downtown community, charity, or organization (for the non-profit sector). [more...]

Center Spotlight: 20 YEAR EMPLOYEES

In this day and age it's not often that one can claim working for the same organization for 20 years. However, The Center is proud to have four employees that can do just that! Nancy Harbour, Julie Millington, Fred Sager and Mark Florez have been a part of Alaska Center for the Performing Arts since it opened its doors in 1988. [more...]

Pictured from Left to Right: Mark Florez, Nancy Harbour, Julie Millington, Fred Sager

Center Spotlight: Dorothy Law Doubleday

In November 2008, long time The Center Donor, Dorothy Law Doubleday, gifted the remainder of her collection of Faberge Eggs to the Alaska Center for the Performing Arts' Center Fund - a fund created to further the mission of the Center and benefit users of the facility. In 2006 and 2007, Dorothy worked closely with the Center to sell 2 eggs, The Kiev Egg and The Gateway to Freedom Egg, from her original collection of 35, in order to seed the new fund.

Sadly, Ms. Doubleday passed away in December 2008. The Center family is honored to have known her and deeply grateful for the incredible gift she left to us. She will be remembered always and forever missed. [more...]

Center Spotlight: CENTERblog

CENTERblog is a new program to give high school and college students the opportunity to review performances at the Alaska Center for the Performing Arts. The student reviewer program was launched in October and we were fortunate to receive seven student participants from all over Anchorage. [more...]

Clockwise from top: Amelia Carson, Wendy Odden, and Margaret Campisi

Center Spotlight:

Amelia Carson
CenterTix Sales Associate

After being born and raised in Washington D.C., Amelia Carson chose a new place to call home. Having close ties with the military, an overseas destination was required and Anchorage, Alaska was far enough to be a part of that category. 19 years later, Amelia is still residing in town has been helping The Center in so many ways! [more...]

Wendy Odden
Production Manager: Sydney Laurence Theatre

"Making big dreams happen and watching the smiles and stars in the eyes." Wendy Odden has been helping turn dreams into realities in the Alaskan arts community for nearly 30 years. After the earthquake in 1964, Wendy's father took a job working for the Anchorage Daily News. She was born and raised in Eagle River, where she made her theatre debut when the new Chugiak High School auditorium was completed in 1984. [more...]

Margaret Campisi
House Manager/Usher Desk Volunteer/Usher

Margaret Campisi has been an Alaskan resident for 37 years. She has and continues today to be a valuable asset to the Alaska Center for the Performing Arts as well as the community at large. [more...]

Center Spotlight: Carolyn Crouch

Carolyn Crouch has been a resident of Anchorage for more than 28 years. Her dedication to making our community a better place to live is evident through the many programs she has founded and participated in over the years. [more...]

Center Spotlight: Peg Stout

Our community is filled with beautiful gems, and Peg Stout is one that truly sparkles! Peg came to Alaska in 1971, to Fort Rich, with her husband of 54 years, Ken Stout. Ken sits on the Anchorage assembly and is a retired colonel from the Army. [more...]

Center Spotlight: Grahame-Ford Family

We'd like to introduce you to Heather Grahame, husband Ken Ford, and daughters Haley and McKenna Ford. [more...]

Center Spotlight: Dick Rosston

Dick Rosston moved to Anchorage in 1977 following his graduation from UC Berkeley's Boalt Hall School of Law and deciding between opportunities in San Francisco versus Anchorage. After creating a list of pros and cons, the mountains of Alaska won out and Anchorage has been thankful ever since! [more...]

Center Spotlight: Kimberly Pace

Kimberly Pace, a native of Soldotna, is a long time patron of the Alaskafor the Performing Arts. She graduated from University of Montana with her undergraduate degree, and with a Master's in Political Science from Miami in Ohio. Kimberly is currently a professor at University of Alaska, Anchoragewhere she's been teaching since 1998, she jokingly noted, "I perpetuate, when you have no idea what you are going to do...you teach!" [more...]

Center Spotlight: Jeannie Lyerly

Long time Ushering in the Arts member and soon to be 75-year-old, Jeannine Lyerly began her arts experience as a performer and has since moved from the stage to the front of house! Corbett Mothe first asked Jeannine to help at the Sydney Laurence Theatre with ACT. [more...]