The stars at ASU Gammage aren’t just on the stage. Every year, ASU Gammage awards two honors for the people and organizations that go above and beyond to connect the arts to the Arizona community and support ASU Gammage in making that mission possible.
More than 150 guests packed the stage for the dinner and awards event. ASU Gammage presented the 2018 Gammy Award to Camp Broadway and the 2018 Jerry Award to Susan and Bill Ahearn.
Susan and Bill have been long-time supporters of ASU Gammage from their first dates at the venue in their twenties to their volunteer work connecting disadvantaged youth to the arts, spearheading the historic theater’s restoration and spending countless hours volunteering at ASU Gammage events such as the 2004 presidential debate, Homecoming Block Party and more.
Camp Broadway is an immersive week long experience where high school students put on a full length musical with assistance and mentoring from professionals in the musical theater industry.
“When Camp Broadway was thinking about taking their incredible program on the road, we jumped at the chance to be the first city to partner with them,” said Colleen Jennings-Roggensack, Executive Director ASU Gammage and Associate Vice President of Cultural Affairs ASU. “Camp Broadway has really taken our mission of Connecting Communities and really accomplished it from the ground up by creating opportunities for the stars and patrons of tomorrow.”
Accepting the award on behalf of Camp Broadway was Susan E. Lee who founded Camp Broadway in 1995 in a small studio space in New York City. She is currently the CEO of the organization.