New season at ASU's Gammage Theater kicks off with Hamilton performance

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TEMPE, Ariz. - After sitting idle since March 2020 as a result of COVID-19, Arizona State University's Gammage Theater getting ready to reopen its doors and start a new season, with some help from a hit Broadway show.

"It is so exciting to have everyone in this theater, sitting side by side, going on a journey with arguably the most popular and amazing show, Hamilton," said Colleen Jennings-Roggensack, Vice President of Cultural Affairs with Arizona State University.

According to an Associated Press article from 2015, the year the show opened, Hamilton is a hip-hop-based musical on Alexander Hamilton, the first treasury secretary of the United States. It stresses the orphan, immigrant roots of "the $10 Founding Father without a father," his vices and ambition, and his ultimate death.

Hamilton is set to open at ASU Gammage on Sept. 8, and will run through Oct. 10.

"People are desperate to come back, but we still have great seats," said Jennings-Roggensack. "We only have 3,017, and there's not a bad seat in the house, and so there are great tickets available, and there are great seats available, and Hamilton, you've never seen it or you've seen it 100 times, it's going to be that magic we're all looking for."

On Sept. 8, patrons of ASU Gammage have been lining up since the early afternoon hours.

New season opens amid COVID-19 Pandemic

Jennings-Roggensack says it is now crunch time to make sure everything and everybody is ready to get back to the theater, especially in light of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

"We'll be keeping our eye on the changes that will be taking place with COVID-19," said Jennings-Roggensack.

In the meantime, they will be require audience members to wear a mask. In addition, all high-touch points are sanitized and cleaned frequently, and digital show programs will also be made available alongside the physical ones. Additional hand-sanitizing stations have also been added to lobbies.