FOR RELEASE: 11/18/2017
Ashley H Pollock, Public Relations & Information Coordinator Office: (435) 865-8667
College of Performing and Visual Arts Cell: (435) 590-0961
Southern Utah University [email protected]

Series Enchants SUU with Broadway Classics

Written by Ashley H Pollock

Southern Utah University, Cedar City, Utah: The Great American Songbook Series continues
on Tuesday, December 5, 2017, in the Southern Utah Museum of Art (SUMA) at 7:30 p.m. with
SUU’s Department of Music students and faculty performing the songs of Rodgers and
Hammerstein. Ticket prices are $10 for adults and $5 for student.

Claire Robinson, Vocal Performance major from Pleasant Grove, Utah, said, “Rodgers and
Hammerstein shows are the classics. Everyone knows them and loves them. Those who attend
will hear their favorite musical theatre hits.”
Oscar Hammerstein II came from a long line of theatrical greats. Both of his grandfathers,
Horace Greeley and Oscar I, his father, William, and uncle, Arthur, worked in one way or
another to promote or run artistic outlets. Hammerstein began his work in the theatre as an
assistant stage manager for his uncle. His greatest success as a lyricist and librettist came
when he partnered with Richard Rodgers with Broadway musicals such as Oklahoma, The King
and I, South Pacific, and The Sound of Music. Hammerstein died of stomach cancer in 1960. He
was named the “man who owned Broadway”. Hammerstein was honored with a global
centennial celebration in 1995 and a PBS special titled “Some Enchanted Evening”.
Rodgers continued as a composer and lyricist following the death of Hammerstein. Rodgers
died in 1972. According to the Rodgers & Hammerstein website, “He was honored
posthumously in 1990 with Broadway's highest accolade when the 46th Street Theatre, owned
and operated by the Nederlander Organization, was renamed The Richard Rodgers Theatre,
home to The Richard Rodgers Gallery, a permanent exhibit in the lobby areas which honors the
composer's life and works.”
The proceeds from this concert series will be used as a fund to assist students with instrument
repair and contribute to student travel for conferences throughout the year. This will relieve a
portion of the financial requirement that faces students studying music. Upcoming Great
American Songbook Series concerts scheduled for the 2017-2018 school year include Tuesday,
February 13, 2017, featuring songs by Johnny Mercer and Tuesday, March 27, 2017, featuring
the music of Harold Arlen.
Enjoy the Broadway classics of Rodgers and Hammerstein this holiday season. For more
information about the Department of Music at SUU, please visit www.suu.edu/pva/music.
About the College of Performing and Visual Arts

The Southern Utah University College of Performing and Visual Arts is comprised of nationally
accredited programs in Art & Design, Music, and Dance. The College also offers programs in
Theatre Arts, graduate programs in Arts Administration and Music, as well as a Center for
Shakespeare Studies. The College offers 26 academic programs, including liberal arts Bachelor
of Arts and Bachelor of Science degrees; professional Bachelor of Music and Bachelor of Fine
Arts in art and theatre degrees; and Master of Fine Arts in Arts Administration, Master of Arts in
Arts Administration, Master of Music Education and Master of Music in Music Technology
graduate degrees. More than 60 full- and part-time faculty and staff are engaged in teaching
and mentoring over 600 majors in the College. The College presents over 100 performances,
lectures, presentations, and exhibitions each year. The College’s affiliate organizations include
the Southern Utah Museum of Art (SUMA), Utah Shakespeare Festival and SUU’s Ballroom
Dance Company. For more information about the College of Performing and Visual Arts, visit
www.suu.edu/pva.
For Calendar Editors: Series Enchants SUU with Broadway Classics
What: The Great American Songbook Series continues on Tuesday, December 5,
2017, in the Southern Utah Museum of Art (SUMA) at 7:30 p.m. with SUU’s
Department of Music students and faculty performing the songs of Rodgers and
Hammerstein. Ticket prices are $10 for adults and $5 for students.
Who: Department of Music students and faculty, Southern Utah University
When: Tuesday, December 5, 2017
Time: 7:30 p.m.
Where: Southern Utah Museum of Art, 13 S 300 W, Cedar City, Utah
Tickets: Ticket prices are $10 for adults and $5 for students.
Info: For more information, please visit www.suu.edu/pva.

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