Stagebrush
Theatre
September 19, 1999 For immediate release
Contact: T.J. Weltzien 480.990.7405
Barnum Will Go On Under the "Big Top" In Spite of Storm Damage
In the spirit of P.T. Barnum, rain checks are being offered to Stagebrush Theatre patrons as compensation for a cancelled weekend performance of Barnum.
A microburst from Sunday's severe thunderstorms damaged the roof of the Stagebrush Theatre forcing the Scottsdale Players to cancel their sold-out matinee show of their hit musical about the life and times of master showman P.T.Barnum.
T.J Weltzien, board president for the theater, said he expects the roof to be repaired in time for their Wednesday performance. Weltzien stressed that tickets are still available for Wednesday and Thursday shows this week and a special "rain check" performance (a term coined by none other than P.T. Barnum himself) has been added for 2:00 p.m. Saturday, September 25.
The storm tore through Scottsdale at approximately 1:00 p.m. Sunday afternoon. As the high winds and torrential rains reached their zenith, house manager Tim Slope quickly gathered patrons in the lobby while the actors huddled backstage. He said, "It was frightening to hear the hard rain and the sound of the roof ripping off." Slope threw the breaker switch and cut power to the building as rain began to pour in through the lighting fixtures.
This was the first time in the 47-year history of the company that a show didn't go on.
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Hello Mark,
Thank you for posting our release on your webpage.
I should've titled it: "Barnum vs. Mother Nature In the Center Ring"
I talked to T.J. Weltzien today and he told me he's received phone calls from nearly every theater company in the valley offering everything from materials to moral support. I saw the photos of the damage - it was a mess, and it's nothing short of a miracle that they got it all cleaned up and repaired in time for the Wed. show. Such is the spirit and dedication of a truly amazing commUNITY theatre!
It was kind of you to help us get the word
out.
Laura Durant
Publicist - Scottsdale Players / Stagebrush Theatre
Congratulations go not only to Stagebrush Theatre, which managed to open their doors to the public on Wednesday as promised, despite the terrible damage to the building, but to the myriad of theatre companies who called offering materials and moral support to ensure this happening. It's great when the theatre community bands together in a selfless gesture such as this.