CGCC Performing Arts Department Presents “Goodnight Desdemona” and Other Spring Performances

Debuting at CGCC this week is the theatrical comedic performance “Goodnight Desdemona (Good Morning Juliet)” by Ann-Marie MacDonald. The play features Constance Ledbelly, a young English literature professor from Queen's University as she goes on a subconscious journey of self-discovery.

The comedy is a feminist revision of Shakespeare’s Othello and Romeo and Juliet and takes the audience from a dusty office in Canada’s Queen’s University into the fraught and furious worlds of two of Shakespeare’s best-known tragedies and turns them upside-down. The show will run March 22-24 at the Arnette Scott Ward Performing Arts Center located at the Pecos Campus.

Rounding out the CGCC spring theatre lineup is Clark Gesner’s beloved musical “You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown”, based on Charles Schulz’s famous comic strip, Peanuts.  This musical comedy runs April 26-28 and features the entire Peanuts gang including Charlie Brown, Lucy, Linus, Sally, Schroder and Snoopy in a variety of vignettes and songs.

This year's Spring Performing Arts lineup also features a variety of vocal and instrumental music concerts.  Jazz Night, the very popular event featuring the CGCC Jazz Combo, Big Band and Vocal Jazz Ensemble, will be happening on April 16. For something different, sit outside the amphitheater, enjoy the beautiful Arizona weather, and join the Jazz Combo for Midday Jazz at 11:30 a.m. on April 4.  For those of you who love guitar and percussion sounds, the Strum and Drum Concert on April 23 will be right for you.

If you’re looking for a night of fun and laughter, attend a Comedy Improv show with “Off the Cuff.”  This show has featured the fresh and funny talents of student and community member comedians, for the past 18 years. Enjoy ridiculously funny, family-friendly, game-style improv comedy on April 6 at 7:00 pm.

If comedy isn’t your thing, maybe dance is. See a variety of dance styles choreographed by creative dance faculty at the Faculty Choreographed Dance Showcase on April 13 and 14.

The CGCC Combined Choirs will perform Beethoven’s 9th Symphony on March 25 alongside the Chandler Symphony Orchestra at the Chandler Center for the Arts. Other musical performances include the Vocal Major Recitals March 26 as well as the Spring Choral Concerts on March 27.

All shows are open to the public and most are free.

For ticketed events, tickets can be purchased online or at the CGCC Box Office located on the Pecos Campus. The box office window opens one hour before show time. Attendees can purchase available tickets or pick up reserved tickets from Will Call. Student prices are offered to those with a valid student ID. Doors open a half hour prior to the performance. For additional information, further assistance or a complete calendar of events, please call the box office at 480-732-7343 or visit www.cgc.edu/arts.

CGCC Announces Exciting 2018 Spring Performing Arts Season

Chandler-Gilbert Community College (CGCC) is excited to announce a season full of music, comedy, dance, theater and drama for its 2018 Performing Arts Season.

The theatrical lineup will kick off with the renowned musical “Monty Python’s SPAMALOT” by Eric Idle March 2-5. This Tony® Award Winning Best Musical retells the legend of King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table, and features a bevy of beautiful show girls, not to mention cows, killer rabbits, and French people.

Following “Spamalot” is the theatrical comedic performance “Goodnight Desdemona (Good Morning Juliet)” by Ann-Marie MacDonald in which Constance Ledbelly, a young English literature professor from Queen's University, goes on a subconscious journey of self-discovery. The comedy is a feminist revision of Shakespeare’s Othello and Romeo and Juliet, and takes the audience from a dusty office in Canada’s Queen’s University into the fraught and furious worlds of two of Shakespeare’s best-known tragedies, and turns them upside-down. The show will run March 22-24.

Rounding out the CGCC spring theater lineup is Clark Gesner’s beloved musical “You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown”, based on Charles Schulz’s famous comic strip, Peanuts.  This musical comedy runs April 26-28 and features the entire Peanuts gang including Charlie Brown, Lucy, Linus, Sally, Schroder and Snoopy in a variety of vignettes and songs.

“Spring 2018 will bring a well-rounded repertoire of dance, drama, comedy and musical acts to the stage for all to enjoy,” said Randy Wright, Division Chair for Communications and Fine Arts at CGCC. “We invite the public to come out and support the talent on stage, the students and faculty behind the scenes and to learn more about our performing arts program while enjoying a terrific show.”

This year's Spring Performing Arts lineup also features a variety of vocal and instrumental music concerts.  The Jazz Band Concert on February 12 starts a week of music followed by the Orchestra Concert on February 13 and the Band Concert on February 14.  

Jazz Night, the very popular event featuring the CGCC Jazz Combo, Big Band and Vocal Jazz Ensemble, will be happening on April 16. For something different, sit outside the amphitheater, enjoy the beautiful Arizona weather, and join the Jazz Combo for Midday Jazz at 11:30 am on February 28 and April 4.  For those of you who love guitar and percussion sounds, the Strum and Drum Concert on April 23 will be right for you.

If you’re looking for a night of fun and laughter, attend a Comedy Improv show with “Off the Cuff.”  This show has offered free live comedy shows, featuring the fresh and funny talents of student and community member comedians, for the past 18 years. Enjoy ridiculously funny, family-friendly, game-style improv comedy on February 23 and April 6 at 7 pm. 

If comedy isn’t your thing, maybe dance is. See a variety of dance styles choreographed by creative dance faculty at the Faculty Choreographed Dance Showcase on April 13 and 14. Or come and see the choreographic talents of students at the Student Dance Showcase on May 4 and 5.

 The CGCC Combined Choirs will perform Beethoven’s 9^th Symphony on March 25 alongside the Chandler Symphony Orchestra at the Chandler Center for the Arts. Other musical performances include the Vocal Major Recitals on February 5 and March 26 as well as the Spring Choral Concerts on March 27 and May 7. May continues as a jam-packed month with the Broadway Solo Performance Showcase on May 9, the Student Directed Scenes May 2- 3 and the Student Actors Showcase on May 4.

All shows are open to the public and most are free.

 For ticketed events, tickets can be purchased online or at the CGCC Box Office located on the Pecos Campus. The box office window opens one hour before show time. Attendees can purchase available tickets or pick up reserved tickets from Will Call. Student prices are offered to those with a valid student ID. Doors open a half hour prior to the performance. For additional information, further assistance or a complete calendar of events, please call the box office at 480-732-7343 or visit www.cgc.edu/arts.

 

CGCC Performing Arts Department Presents “Fiddler on the Roof” and Other Holiday Performances

Support your fellow students by attending one of the upcoming musical and theater performances now through December 13. Kicking-off this week is the popular musical “Fiddler on the Roof” November 30-December 2. Norman Jewison’s award winning musical production tells the life-affirming story of Tevye (Topol), a poor milkman whose love, pride and faith help him face the oppression of turn-of-the century czarist Russia.

If you can’t make it to “Fiddler on the Roof,” catch one of the Student Dance Showcase events on December 8 and 9 or the Student Actors Showcase and Marimba Concert on December 8. On December 9, the CGCC Concert Choir is proud to be the featured choir with the Symphony of the Southwest Orchestra in a holiday celebration at the Mesa Arts Center Ikeda Theater.

Closing out the fall season will be the Winter Sampler Music Concert on December 11. This is a great opportunity to enjoy sounds of the holidays by talented student groups followed by the Broadway Solo Recital on December 13.

All shows are open to the public and most are free.

For ticketed events, tickets can be purchased online or at the CGCC Box Office located on the Pecos Campus. The box office window opens one hour before show time. Attendees can purchase available tickets or pick up reserved tickets from Will Call. Student prices are offered to those with a valid student ID. Doors open a half hour prior to the performance. For additional information, further assistance or a complete calendar of events, please call the box office at 480-732-7343 or visit www.cgc.edu/arts.

CGCC Announces Fall Performing Arts Lineup

Chandler-Gilbert Community College (CGCC) announces its 2017 fall performing arts season that will include a variety of theatrical productions, dance performances, music concerts and comedy shows.

The theatrical season kicks-off with “The Brothers Grimm Spectaculathon” by Don Zolidis October 12-14. This 110-minute show features two narrators’ attempt to recreate all 209 Brothers Grimm fairy tales in a wild, fast-paced extravaganza. To make it more difficult, they attempt to combine them into one gigantic fable using Rapunzel, Rumpelstiltskin, Hansel and Gretel, Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella and other more obscure stories like Lean Lisa and The Devil's Grandmother.

Also making its debut on the CGCC stage this fall is “Tribes” November 16-18. “Tribes” tells the story of a boy named Billy who was born deaf into a hearing family. He is raised inside its fiercely idiosyncratic and politically incorrect cocoon. He adapts brilliantly to his family's unconventional ways, but they never bother to return the favor. It's not until he meets Sylvia, a young woman on the brink of deafness, that he finally understands what it means to be understood.

“We are excited to bring a well-rounded repertoire of drama, comedy and musical acts to the stage this fall”, said Randy Wright, Division Chair for Communication and Fine Arts Director at CGCC. “We invite the public to come out and support the talent and hard work of our students and to learn more about our performing arts program by attending one or more of our shows.”

This year's Performing Arts lineup also features a variety of vocal and instrumental music concerts.  The Orchestra Concert on October 24 starts a week of music followed by the Band Concert on October 25 and the Fall Choral Concert on October 26.  Jazz Night, the very popular event featuring the CGCC Jazz Combo, Big Band and Vocal Jazz Ensemble will be happening on October 30. For something different, sit outside the amphitheater and join the Jazz Combo for some Midday Jazz at 11 am on October 18 and November 29.  For those of you who love guitar and percussion sounds, the Strum and Drum Concert on November 6 will be right for you.

If you’re looking for a night of fun and laughter, attend a Comedy Improv show. These free events feature the fresh and funny talents of student comedians looking to show off their skills September 22 and November 3. If comedy isn’t your thing, maybe dance is. See a variety of dance styles choreographed by creative dance faculty at the Faculty Choreographed Dance Showcase on November 17 and 18 or see the choreographic talents of students at the Student Dance Showcase on December 8 and 9.

Highlighting the holiday season is the popular musical “Fiddler on the Roof” November 30-December 2. Norman Jewison’s award winning musical production tells the life-affirming story of Tevye (Topol), a poor milkman whose love, pride and faith help him face the oppression of turn-of-the century czarist Russia. 

Also in December is the Student Actors Showcase and Marimba Concert on December 8. On December 9, the CGCC Concert Choir is proud to be the featured choir with the Symphony of the Southwest Orchestra in a holiday celebration at the Mesa Arts Center Ikeda Theater. Closing out the fall season will be the Winter Sampler Music Concert on December 11. This is a great opportunity to enjoy sounds of the holidays by talented student groups followed by the Broadway Solo Recital on December 13.

All shows are open to the public and most are free.

For ticketed events, tickets can be purchased online or at the CGCC Box Office located on the Pecos Campus. The box office window opens one hour before show time. Attendees can purchase available tickets or pick up reserved tickets from Will Call. Student prices are offered to those with a valid student ID. Doors open a half hour prior to the performance. For additional information, further assistance or a complete calendar of events, please call the box office at 480-732-7343 or visit www.cgc.edu/arts.

CGCC Concert Choir Hosts Fundraiser for Carnegie Hall Trip

Help make the CGCC Concert Choir dream performance come true by attending a fundraiser performance featuring John Rutter's "Requiem” tomorrow at 7 pm at the Velda Rosa United Methodist Church in Mesa. Funds raised at the event will benefit the choir’s upcoming performance at the world-famous Carnegie Hall April 3-7.

Last fall, the CGCC Concert Choir was invited to attend the Mid-America Productions Spring Festival Chorus at the distinguished in Carnegie Hall in New York City.  As one of only four choirs in the nation to receive an invite, this honor arguably places CGCC among the leading concert choirs in the U.S.

Since receiving the invitation, choir members have been diligently raising funds to pay for the cost of the $72,000 trip. Last month, Southwest Airlines donated round trip airfare for each choir member making them one step closer to achieving their goal.

We hope you can join us for this wonderful event. The Velda Rose United Methodist Church is located at 5540 E Main Street Mesa, AZ  85205.

Edgar Allan Poe’s Stories Come to Life in CGCC’s Production of "Nightfall"

CGCC Performing Arts Department invites you to attend this weekend’s production of “Nightfall With Edgar Allan Poe,” a student led production based on the eerie writings of renowned writer Edgar Allan Poe. The play retells four of Poe's most famous works: “The Raven,” “The Fall of the House of Usher,” “The Pit and the Pendulum” and “The Tell-Tale Heart” through different styles of storytelling.

“Edgar Allan Poe's work is some of the best-known horror ever written; and after reading Eric Coble’s “Nightfall,” I experienced the desire to bring the material to the stage in a unique way,” said Shaylnn Reynolds, play director and CGCC theater professor. “The cast worked exceptionally hard on preparing for this unconventional production and we hope the audience enjoys our show.”

“The Raven,” the most poetic of the four tales, is told using interpretive movement, shadow play and gloving. “The Fall of the House of Usher” is recounted in the style of 1930-40's black and white horror movies mixed with film noir. “The Tell-Tale Heart” presents a whole new outlook when viewed through the lens of Dr. Seuss.  And “The Pit and the Pendulum” explores the interior of the human brain when the id and subconscious separate and gain sentience.

Immerse yourself in “Nightfall with Edgar Allan Poe” and check your heartbeat at the door! We hope to see you there.

Show Details:
“Nightfall With Edgar Allan Poe”
Arnette Scott Ward Performing Arts Center - 2626 E. Pecos Rd. in Chandler.
Performance Schedule:
• March 23, 24 & 25 at 7:30 pm
• March 25 at 2 pm

Tickets:
Ticket can be purchased for $10-$12 online at www.cgc.edu/arts or at the box office by calling (480) 732-7343.

CGCC Concert Choir Raising Funds for Dream Performance at Carnegie Hall

The 50-member Chandler-Gilbert Community College (CGCC) Concert Choir has been invited to the preeminent Carnegie Hall in New York City to attend the Mid-America Productions Spring Festival Chorus April 3-7, 2017. This milestone includes participation in musical clinics and a live performance on the historic stage. As one of only four choirs in the nation to receive an invitation, this honor arguably places CGCC among the leading concert choirs in the U.S.

“Beyond the much-deserved recognition and the thrill of traveling to New York, the educational component of this experience will be invaluable to music students,” expressed Marcus Denton, Director of Choral, Vocal and Piano Music Studies at CGCC. “It is a three-day residential clinic with Dr. J. Edmund Hughes (nationally known choral conductor and composer, and former director of the CGCC Concert Choir), studying one of the most revered choral works of the 20th century--John Rutter's Requiem, and culminating in its performance on the Carnegie Hall stage.”

For this reason, Denton, the CGCC Performing Arts Department, CGCC and the choir members themselves are actively seeking student sponsors and other donors to help make this dream a reality. The total cost of the trip is estimated at $72,000, or $1,800 per student, including travel, event registration, and hotel. Each student will contribute $750, or $30,000 total, toward that cost, and the college, with support from the Maricopa Community Colleges Foundation, is working to raise the balance of $42,000.  The reality is that this trip and performance will truly be life-changing for our students.

Denton has been crafting the performance quality of the CGCC Concert Choir for years and he understands that it takes a village, and determination, to build national recognition. “Many of the students who are going were part of previous Concert Choirs at CGCC, and have been part of the legacy that led up to the invitation,” shared Denton.  “Many are new and have come to us as graduates from our very effective surrounding valley high school programs, and have already contributed tremendous talent from Day 1 on this campus. Together, we have seen CGCC Choir become one of the premiere collegiate choral groups in Arizona and beyond, known for its quality and high level of musicianship.”

By sponsoring a student, one not only provides a “life-changing” experience but it is also a key contribution to the growing CGCC tradition of fine music making and excellence in the performing arts.  Anyone interested in sponsoring a student can visit www.mcccdf.org/carnegie and follow the simple instructions to make your donation.

CGCC’s "A Christmas Carol" Production That Gives Back

Scrooge, Tiny Tim, the Ghost of Christmas Present, Future and Past are back.  Chandler-Gilbert Community College’s (CGCC) presentation of the Charles Dickens classic “A Christmas Carol” will once again usher in the holidays at the Arnette Scott Ward Performing Arts Center in Chandler on December 1st – 3rd.

“It never ceases to amaze me the total effort that goes into making this a successful production,” shared Tracy Liz Miller, Director of Theatre Arts at CGCC.  She is referring to the over 30 CGCC students who have been rehearsing for over two and a half months to fill roles onstage as actors and backstage as scenic and costume shop workers.  “We also have cast 15 children from the community to be in the show,” added Miller, “and we are enormously grateful to their parents whose dedication has made this special addition to the production a possibility.”

“A Christmas Carol” has evolved into a biannual performing arts tradition at CGCC, but it has also become a community-centered event that embraces the season of giving.  "Any kind of service to the community is a great addition to our hard work in rehearsals," explained Marc Denton, production Music Director and Director of Choral, Vocal and Piano Music Studies.

This year the production is partnering with the CGCC office of Student Life's campus-wide Adopt a Family program to sponsor a food drive.  Their contribution will be non-perishable food that audience members can bring to the show. Food donation baskets will be at the box office to accept donations.

"I think it is important for the cast and crew to not only work hard to deliver this beautiful story about Scrooge's journey towards love, light, and charity but to also live it ourselves.” Expressed Miller.  “I can't think of a better way to serve our community.”  This philosophy is most underscored by the cast and crew who will adopt one of the larger families in the initiative and gather donations towards that family's needs.

The Arnette Scott Ward Performing Arts Center will also be showcasing their new sound system installed over the summer.  This was a dire need after the original system began to fail last year after having been in continuous operation since the building's opening in 2002.

Show Details:
“A Christmas Carol” by Alan Menken, Lynn Ahrens, Mike Ockrent
Arnette Scott Ward Performing Arts Center - 2626 E. Pecos Rd. in Chandler.

Performance Schedule:
•    December 1, 2, 3 at 7:30 pm
•    December 3 at 2 pm

Tickets:
Ticket prices are $12 for general admission, $10 for seniors, $10 for students, faculty & staff, and can be purchased by calling (480) 732-7343.

Circle Mirror Transformation Debuts on November 17

CGCC Fall Production a Must See

Chandler-Gilbert Community College (CGCC) Performing Arts has not let pending technical upgrades to their facility keep them from finding the “perfect fit” performance for this fall’s production.  Circle Mirror Transformation by Annie Baker is the type of character-driven play that Theatre Arts Director, Tracy Liz Miller knew her students and her theatre could do to perfection. 

“Director Kent Burnham suggested this wonderful play by Annie Baker, knowing that we had some terrific older students in our classes that are ready for their opportunity on the stage,” shared Miller.  “It's a perfect fit for our department right now for the students and as we wait for our new dimmer rack and additional equipment."

This the first time CGCC Department of Theatre has produced a fall production in their Studio Black Box and have chosen this low-tech, character-centric play to fit into the space as they wait for additional technical upgrades for more technically sophisticated productions.

The play is layered with intrigue.  When four lost individuals who enroll in Marty's six-week-long community-center drama class begin to experiment with harmless games, hearts are quietly torn apart, and tiny wars of epic proportions are waged and won. A beautifully crafted diorama, a petri dish in which we see, with hilarious detail and clarity, the antic sadness of a motley quintet.

Circle Mirror Transformation by Annie Baker is showing at the Arnette Scott Ward Performing Arts Center located at the CGCC Pecos Campus on November 17th & 19th at 7:30pm with a matinee on the 19th at 2:00pm.  Tickets are $8 general admission and $5 for students.   For more information please visit the website at www.cgc.maricopa.edu/performingarts or call the box office at 480-732-7343.

 

"Dodging Bullets" Solo Show Coming to CGCC Performing Arts Center

Chandler-Gilbert Community College (CGCC) Performing Arts Department is excited to host “Dodging Bullets,” the acclaimed solo show featuring Arizona State University Professor David Barker on Friday, October 7 at 7pm at the Pecos Campus.

Born from a very real, tragic and life-altering experience, David Barker’s latest work is as personal as it is extraordinary.  It is personal in that this solo performer plays ten different roles, including his own mother, in order to immerse the audience in the moment when his brother-in-law tried to kill Barker and his sister.  The quality of Barker’s performance and the fact that everything actually happened to him, an average middle-aged guy who at the exact time of the incident was searching for a meaningful experience in life, makes the show extraordinary.

“We are thrilled to welcome Professor Barker to CGCC and look forward to his performance,” said Randy Wright, Performing Arts Director at CGCC. “Barker’s performance is powerful, entertaining and very real. His ability to transform into10 different characters is astonishing, and we encourage the community to take advantage of this opportunity to see him live.”

On the fateful day of the attack, Barker accompanied his sister and 15-year-old niece on a stop at his recently-divorced sister’s home to pick up asthma medication for his niece. “I went along to protect my sister,” Barker said. “We approached the house and Dr. Jack, my sister’s ex, appeared at the front door and ordered me to leave. Dr. Jack is a high-strung control freak, so when I refused to leave he attacked me.  We grappled briefly and he ran back into the house. My sister, niece and I were in complete shock. He came back with a gun and began to fire.”

This true story plays out with cinematic twists and turns including SWAT teams and arrests as well as the more intimate and revealing story lines of Barker’s parents’ declining health and the trauma he suffered as a result of the Dr. Jack incident.  At the end of this thrilling 65-minute journey, the audience dynamic with Barker is transformed; he is no longer just an actor on stage, but a person with whom you just shared a unique experience. 

A Q&A session about the experience will take place immediately following Barker’s performance. Leslie Marna, Director of My Sister's Place in Chandler, a non-profit formed to serve victims of domestic violence, will lead the discussion in an effort to increase awareness of the organization’s mission.

Admission is free!  Do not miss out on your chance to see Dodging Bullets. The event will be held inside the Arnette Scott Ward Performing Arts Center located at 2626 E. Pecos Road, Chandler, AZ 85225.

Congratulations to CGCC ariZoni Theatre Awards Nominees

A giant round of applause is in order for our 2016 ariZoni award nominees (listed below) for their musical production of “Man of La Mancha" and “The Haunted.”

 ariZoni Nominations:
“Man of La Mancha”
Best Overall Production for a Musical
Director for a Musical:  Tracy Miller
Musical Direction:  Marcus Denton
Actor in Major Role for a Musical:  Sam Loose
Choreography:  Tracy Miller
Scenic Design:  Ron Keller
Sound Design: John Jackson

“The Haunted”
Lighting Design: Tom Fitzwater
Costume Design: Julie Clement

Winners will be announced at the 26th Annual ariZoni Theatre Awards of Excellence Celebration at the Tempe Center for the Arts on September 19. The ariZoni Theatre Awards is a not-for-profit organization devoted to promoting the visibility and growth of theatre in the Valley of the Sun & Maricopa County. For more information on the awards ceremony or to purchase tickets visit www.arizoniawards.net.

CGCC Announces Fall Performing Art Schedule

Chandler-Gilbert Community College has announced its 2016 fall performing arts season. The season kicks-off with a rendition of Steve Martin's play "Picasso at the Lapin Agile" October 13-15. The full length comedy play features the characters of Albert Einstein and Pablo Picasso who meet at a bar called the Lapin Agile in Montmarte, France. The play is set in October 8, 1904.  Both men are on the verge of an amazing idea (Einstein will publish his special theory of relativity in 1905 and Picasso will paint Les Demoiselles d'Avignon in 1907) when they find themselves at the Lapin Agile debating over the value of genius and talent while interacting with a host of other characters.
   
Theatrical shows in addition to “Picasso at the Lapin Agile" will include the Off-Broadway hit, “Circle of Mirror Transformation” November 17-19. “Circle of Mirror Transformation” is a play by Annie Baker, centered on drama classes at a community centre in Vermont.  The play opened Off-Broadway in 2009 and received the Obie Award for Best New American Play.

This year's performing arts lineup also features a variety of student concerts and dance showcases including the fall band concert October 27 and the faculty-choreographed dance showcase "Explorations" November 18 & 19.

Also special for audiences will be the Comedy Improv shows September 23 and November 4 along with Jazz Night November 3.

Highlighting the Christmas season is Charles Dickens’ holiday classic “A Christmas Carol” December 1-3 along with the Winter Woods Percussion Concert December 9 followed by the dance showcase "In Motion" December 9 &10.

All shows are open to the public.

Tickets can be purchased online or at the CGCC Box Office located on the Pecos Campus. The box office window opens one hour before show time. Attendees can purchase available tickets or pick up reserved tickets from Will Call. Student prices are offered to those with a valid student ID. Doors open a half hour prior to the performance. For additional information or further assistance, please call the box office at 480-732-7343. For a full overview of the 2016 Fall Performance Arts Schedule, click here.

Faculty Members Gordon & Sally Jesse Receive Emeritus Distinction

Sally and Gordon Jesse, Performing Arts Faculty at CGCC

On January 26th, The Maricopa County Community College District (MCCCD) governing board awarded Emeritus Distinction to two CGCC Performing Arts faculty members and power-couple, Gordon and Sally Jesse, for their distinguished service to the college. Having served Chandler-Gilbert Community College for a combined 58 years, the Jesses’ accomplishments both individually and together make them most deserving of this distinction. 

Gordon Jesse began his career at CGCC in 1986 and began working toward his first milestone here, founding the Performing Arts department.  He was instrumental in developing four performance spaces at the Pecos Campus, the largest of which is the Arnette Scott Ward Performing Arts Center.  Gordon’s “chair-ity” work includes chair of the MCCCD Fine Arts Development Committee, chair of the CGCC Communication and Fine Arts division, division chair council and Faculty Association.  Over three decades, Gordon earned many accolades that underscore why he has now earned emeritus distinction, but chief among them is his unwavering advocacy for the Performing Arts and for CGCC.  In fact, so ardently did Gordon lobby for the Performing Arts and CGCC, that he jokingly says feels lucky to have kept his job for 31 years in view of how many board members, chancellors, vice-chancellors and presidents he annoyed over the years!

Sally, perhaps the more graceful of the pair, joined CGCC as our first residential dance faculty in
1988.  And if Gordon founded the Performing Arts Center, Sally certainly filled it with performances, directing and choreographing over 40 musical theater productions and directing more than 50 dance concerts in her 27-year career at CGCC.  Weaving such rich experiences into the fabric of CGCC was made possible by Sally’s effort to revise the MCCCD dance curriculum in 1991 moving it from a physical education activity to a performing art.  Not only did Sally bring the art of dance and musical theatre to CGCC, she exported CGCC to the world by establishing the original CGCC dance company which toured dancers to the American College Dance Festival for over two decades.  Sally, like Gordon, was a great promoter of the performing arts during her time at CGCC, serving as chair of CGCC’s Communication and Fine Arts division and as president and secretary of the CGCC Faculty Association, not to mention contributing to statewide committees including Arizona Dance Standards, Dance Arts Alliance, Dance Educators Association, and Arizona Dance Coalition. 

Considering all that Gordon and Sally have achieved individually, it is no wonder that they have also done outstanding things together.  This is exemplified by their co-direction of the San Tan Arts Festival, a three-day community arts festival that ran for 13 years at the college, for which they received CGCC’s prestigious Innovation of the Year Award.