Give the Gift of Reading

We all remember our favorite childhood stories. From “Curious George” and  “The Berenstain Bears” to the more modern tales of the “Hunger Games,” every child from toddler to teen can be transported to a place where their imaginations run wild simply by opening a book. The Fox Cities P.A.C. is teaming with the Friends of Appleton Public Library’s Give a Child a Book campaign.

Watch the video below to learn more about how you can give the gift of reading this holiday season!



New paperback and hardcover books are being collected at the ticket office now through Dec. 9. You also may bring your donations to A Christmas Carol on Wednesday, Dec. 4 at 7:30 p.m. or one of the following locations:

• Front entrance of the Appleton Public Library
• UW-Fox Valley Library

Collected books will be distributed in the Fox Valley area with the help of Salvation Army and The Boys & Girls Clubs.

Decking the Halls

Strands of garland, twinkling lights, golden ornaments and cheery red bows have come together to create a festive version of the Fox Cities Performing Arts Center just in time for tonight’s Downtown Appleton Christmas Parade. A busy team of “elves” comprised of volunteers and staff recently decorated the Center for the holidays. Find out what went into the process of sprucing things up in the spirit of the season.

 

See the holiday decorations at these upcoming shows:

A Christmas Carol: Dec. 4. Tickets start at $35.
Doc Severinsen's Jingle Bell Doc: Dec. 13-14. Tickets start at $35.
Lorie Line: Born in Bethlehem: Dec. 16. Tickets start at $49.50.

What is #GivingTuesday?

How Does it Relate to the Fox Cities Performing Center?

This time of the year it is easy to get lost in the hustle and bustle of the season, complete with traveling, plenty of food and, of course, holiday shopping! It also is a time to be thankful for important things like family, friends and nonprofits that make an impact in our community.

#GivingTuesday is a campaign created to help foster continuing our great national tradition of generosity. Placed along with Black Friday and Cyber Monday, this campaign celebrates and encourages charitable activities that support nonprofit organizations.

As a nonprofit arts and cultural education organization, the Fox Cities Performing Arts Center relies on the financial support of individuals, businesses and foundations such as Annual Partners in order to present many of the diverse programs that enhance the arts experience in our community.

Join in with thousands of others on this year’s #GivingTuesday, Dec. 3 to support the mission of the Fox Cities P.A.C. Donate today at foxcitiespac.com/support or contact the Annual Partner team at (920) 730-3782 to learn more about how your charitable gift makes an impact.

Reporting on a Signature Season

Today, the Fox Cities Performing Arts Center released
the 2012-13 Annual Report to the Community!

The season included so many wonderful moments and milestones, which are highlighted inside the report. We hope as you look through this compilation of the last season, you’ll remember all the amazing memories you made among family, friends, co-workers and the community. The report also includes a special 10th Anniversary Season snapshots section.

Do you have a favorite memory of the Fox Cities P.A.C.?

Tell us about your treasured moments with Share Your Story at foxcitiespac-stories.blogspot.com/. Simply write a note or share your photos by clicking on the “Share Your Story” button at right.

Celebrating 2 Million Ticketed Patrons

Patrons attending the Wednesday performance of Flashdance — The Musical had the opportunity to experience a totally rad evening as the Fox Cities Performing Arts Center celebrated its 2 millionth ticketed patron! As a thank you to the community, patrons enjoyed preshow activities including an awesome ’80s dance party with Richard’s School of the Dance, a Flashdance — The Musical themed photo station and more. Take a look at some photos of the fun.

Richard’s School of the Dance got the party started in the Kimberly-Clark Theater
by performing a routine to “Flashdance...What A Feeling!”

A patron dressed as “Don Johnson” made an appearance
at the party.

Paula, who dressed in her best ’80s fashions,
won an opportunity to meet members of the cast
after the show.

Ticket holders made their own “splash” with a
Flashdance — The Musical themed photo station.

Executive Vice President Maria Van Laanen made a curtain announcement
prior to the performance to thank the community for achieving
the 2 millionth ticketed patron milestone.

Don’t miss your chance to see this ’80s flashback on stage! Tickets to Flashdance — The Musical start at $30. Get yours now.

Become a 'Maniac' during Flashdance — The Musical

Break out your leg warmers and take advantage of these can’t-miss Flashdance — The Musical events!

Strike a Pose
Attending the show? Stop by our photo station Tuesday, Nov. 12 through Sunday, Nov. 17 and have your picture snapped with a background from the show’s iconic splash scene. We’ll have leg warmers available, too!

2 Millionth Ticketed Patron Celebration
Preshow activities will kick off the celebration during an awesome ’80s dance party Wednesday, Nov. 13 with KZ 104.3’s Mary Love and Richard’s School of the Dance. Patrons are encouraged to come dressed in their best fashions of the decade for a chance to meet the cast of Flashdance — The Musical after the show. Special gift bags will be handed out, while supplies last. Attendees also will be able to try their luck at the prize wheel. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Activities available for ticket holders to the Wednesday performance only.

Get Ready to Dance!
In celebration of Y Arts Week, join us in downtown Appleton at the YMCA of the Fox Cities on Friday, Nov. 15 from 3:30 to 5 p.m. for a dance master class led by Flashdance — The Musical cast members. Participants will learn a routine set to music from the show. Doors open and individual warm up begins at 3:30 p.m. with the workshop beginning at 4 p.m.

Jillian Mueller as Alex Owens. Photo by Jeremy Daniel.

 

This event is free to all Y dancers and members from ages 12 to adult. Day passes can be purchased for non-Y members. Registration is required, and space is limited. To register for this event, please see the attached flyer.

Experience the feeling of Flashdance — The Musical. Tickets starts at $50. Get yours today!

Test Your Sally Struthers Knowledge!

Sally Struthers stars in Hello, Dolly! Catch her this week during two performances of the show.

Before you see the actress on stage, test your knowledge of her career with the trivia below!
Trivia
1. In what two years did Sally Struthers win an Emmy for her role as Gloria in “All in the Family?”
2. On what television series did Sally Struthers play the role of Babette Dell?
3. What is Sally Struthers’ middle name?
4. What is Sally Struthers’ astrological sign?
5. What was Gloria Bunker’s last name after she married “Meathead?”
6. In what Broadway show did Sally Struthers co-star with Rita Moreno?
7. In what show did Sally Struthers make her Broadway debut?
8. For what role is Sally Struthers known in Grease?
9. In what 1970 Academy Award-nominated film did Sally Struthers co-star?
10. Where was Sally Struthers born?
11. What is the name of Sally Struthers only child?
12. On what show did Sally Struthers make her television debut?
13. What is Sally Struthers’ nickname?
14. How tall is Sally Struthers?
15. On what soap opera did Sally Struthers appear regularly in February 2002?

Sally Struthers stars as Dolly in Hello, Dolly!

Answers:
1. 1972 and 1979
2. “Gilmore Girls”
3. Anne
4. Leo (She was born July 28, 1947)
5. Stivic
6. The Odd Couple
7. Wally’s Cafe
8. Miss Lynch
9. “Five Easy Pieces”
10. Portland, Ore.
11. Samantha
12. a Herb Alpert special
13. “Little Girl”
14. 5’ 1”
15. “General Hospital”

See Hello, Dolly! Oct. 30-31. Tickets start at $40. Get yours now ... “It Only Takes a Moment!”

Students Shine in the Spotlight for 10th Annual Fox Cities Choral Music Festival

Students from Kimberly, Hortonville and Weyauwega-Fremont high schools star in the 10th Annual Fox Cities Choral Music Festival tonight. The tradition of choral excellence continues as the schools perform individually and then unite as one for two special numbers under the expert direction of internationally recognized choral director Henry H. Leck.

Students from the schools joined in song for the first time during a mass rehearsal on Monday at the Fox Cities Performing Arts Center. During the rehearsal, Leck worked with students and discussed breathing as a group, blending voices, dynamics, enunciation and articulation.

Students practice a dance for tonight’s performance during a rehearsal Monday.

Leck continued to delve deeper into techniques earlier today when he visited with each choir at their respective schools. Each school had an hour-long rehearsal with Leck to polish the three pieces they will perform, along with the two mass choir pieces. Students and directors also were able to ask Leck questions and receive final pointers during the rehearsal.

Students at Hortonville High School rehearse with choral director Henry H. Leck.

Choral director Henry H. Leck offers pointers to students at Kimberly High School.

Weyauwega-Fremont High School students do choral exercises with
choral director Henry H. Leck.

Henry H. Leck

Leck, artistic director of the Indianapolis Children’s Choir, founded the organization in 1986. It is one of the largest and most respected children’s choirs. The choir tours internationally on an annual basis and has sung throughout the world, including a stop at Super Bowl XLVI where Leck arranged and conducted the national anthem for Kelly Clarkson and the ICC.

He also is professor emeritus of Choral Music and director of Choral Activities for Butler University in Indianapolis, Ind. and is an honorary associate professor at the Hong Kong Institute of Teacher Education in Hong Kong. He has conducted mixed, men’s, women’s, junior high, children’s all-state and festival choirs in nearly every state. For 22 years, Leck has conducted a National Youth Choral Festival at Carnegie Hall. He has conducted many international festivals as well.

Tickets are $12 and $6 for students.

Purchase Tickets to Hello, Dolly! 'Before the Parade Passes By'

Get ready for Hello, Dolly! Wednesday, Oct. 30 and Thursday, Oct. 31. Winner of 10 Tony Awards® including Best Musical, Hello, Dolly! is one of the most enduring Broadway classics. Emmy Award®-winner Sally Struthers (“All in the Family,” “Gilmore Girls”) stars as the strong-willed matchmaker Dolly as she travels to Yonkers, N.Y. to find a match for the ornery “well-known unmarried half-a-millionaire” Horace Vandergelder. Featuring an irresistible story and an unforgettable score including the title song, “Put on Your Sunday Clothes,” “It Only Takes A Moment” and the show-stopping “Before the Parade Passes By.” Hello, Dolly! has been charming audiences around the world for nearly 50 years.

Sally Struthers stars in Hello, Dolly! Oct. 30-31.

Join us for a Community First
Community Engagement Activity


You’re invited to the Kimberly-Clark Theater before Hello, Dolly! on Wednesday, Oct. 30 for a presentation by The Trout Museum of Art’s President Pamela Williams-Lime. Learn about The Trout Museum of Art’s Katharine Hepburn exhibit, “Dressed for Stage & Screen.” The exhibit features costumes and gowns worn by the actress throughout her career. Explore costuming of the early and mid-1900s represented in Hello, Dolly! and Hepburn’s career.

This event is free for Hello, Dolly! ticket holders for the Wednesday, Oct. 30 performance. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. with the presentation beginning at 6:45 p.m.









Hurry and purchase tickets to Hello, Dolly! “Before the Parade Passes By!” Tickets start at $40 and are available now.

Season Opens with Fantastical Premium Season Ticket Holder Preshow Party

Hockadoo! Thrivent Financial for Lutherans Premium Season Ticket Holders were treated to an exclusive evening of mouthwatering food, fun and upbeat southern-style music during the Memphis-inspired Preshow Party. Complete with fantastical hung lighting and the soft glow of music notes dotting the floor, the Kimberly-Clark Theater was transformed into an intimate underground nightclub backdrop to get patrons in the mood for the first show of the Kimberly-Clark Broadway Across America — Fox Cities Series. As a benefit to Premium Season Ticket Holders, parties are held during the run of the first Broadway show of the season.

 

Check out one of many food stations during the Preshow Party for Memphis.

Premium Ticket Holder Preshow Parties like this one are an exclusive benefit where you can enjoy not only a variety of delicious food which fits the theme of the show, but also good music and conversation with other Broadway fans.

Vegetable Crudite Cups and Fall Medley Fruit Salad were among the food offerings.

There was no shortage of comfort food at the Preshow Party. Memphis Style BBQ Chicken Mac ’N Cheese warmed up everyone’s soul.

Southern-style food options, including Warm Jalapeno Cheddar Corn Muffins, were a hit with party-goers.

Thrivent Financial for Lutherans got Premium Season Ticket Holders to say, “Hockadoo!” A photo booth and props were available to attendees who wanted to get in on the act. 

 

Memphis-themed decorations also set the stage for a good time.

A fantastical time was had by all!

Don’t miss out on the next Premium Season Ticket Holder Party! Click here to learn all about the great benefits Season Ticket Holders receive.


Thank you to our Premium Season Ticket Holders and our sponsor Thrivent Financial for Lutherans!

Bon Jovi's David Bryan Shares his Journey with Memphis

Musician David Bryan has been the keyboard player with the rock group Bon Jovi for more than 25 years. He’s also the composer behind the Tony Award®-winning musical Memphis, which his band mates have seen and love. Bryan said he was influenced by the “joy and hope” in the songs of the 1950s when writing the score for Memphis. See what he had to say about creating the fantastical story of Memphis.

Bon Jovi keyboard player David Bryan also is the composer of the
Tony® Award-winning musical, Memphis.

Question: What attracted you to write the musical, Memphis?
Answer: The story. It’s an epic American tale about the birth of rock ‘n’ roll, I just love that we not only portray one of the first white DJs to integrate the radio, but we also dramatize an interracial love story (when it was against the law in many states to have an interracial marriage). Ultimately, it’s a story about how music helped bring social change, and how this music helped bring people together.

Q: During all the years it took for Memphis to get to Broadway, what compelled you to continue the process?
A: It’s not a sprint, but a marathon! Every time we did a production, we worked on the show and we learned where it was and where we had to take it. A musical is very complicated. You have to create story, songs and dance, and they all have to work together. The fine tuning process happens in front of an audience and that takes many, many hours to get right. But it was easy to persist, because I always believed that Memphis is a show that entertains and tells an important American story.

Q: How is writing songs for a rock band different than writing songs for a Broadway musical?
A: In a rock band, you’re just writing for the voice of the lead singer. In a musical, you have many different characters you have to make sing. Still ultimately, a good song is a good song.

Q: Who were your influences in writing the rock score for Memphis?
A: I grew up in clubs with bands that played those Memphis-influenced songs, so it was in my blood. It was a very special time in music.

Q: You have won many honors as a rock musician, including winning a Grammy Award. How was the Tony Awards presentation different than the Grammy Awards?
A: The three Tony Awards I won is unbelievably special. It was a long road with Memphis, but I always believed in our show. To be honored and welcomed by the Broadway community for my work feels great. And it is just the start. Joe and I have a new show in the works called, The song (about American songwriters from 1962-64). We’ll continue to create new works for a long time.

Q: Why do you think fans of rock ‘n’ roll, people who might have never even seen a Broadway musical, would love Memphis?
A: It’s an important American story that celebrates what we have in common as human beings rather than what separates us. And it ROCKS!

You won’t want to miss Memphis Oct. 15-20. Tickets start at $50. For more information, visit foxcitiespac.com.

Join the Keystone Community Challenge to Play a Role in Raising $25 Million

Be a Part of our Community’s Great Success Story!

The Fox Cities Performing Arts Center,  a non-profit arts and cultural education organization,  announces the launch of the Keystone Campaign Community Challenge. This is the latest phase of the Keystone Campaign, a $25 million endowment to support the Fox Cities P.A.C. now and for future generations. The Keystone Campaign is vital to continue the Center’s mission of being a gathering place for patrons to experience world-class theater, including culturally diverse and educational performances. The Keystone fund also will support long-range needs ensuring it’s sustainability through future volatility.

The Campaign:

• The Keystone Campaign endows the Center’s long-term sustainability. Best practices for performing arts centers dictate that our Center should have an endowment that equals at least 200 percent of annual operating expenses. The Board of Directors endorsed a $25 million campaign, equaling 208 percent* of the average $12 million gross operating expenses.
  
  
• This campaign will be achieved by a combination of multi-year cash gifts and legacy commitments.
  
  
• To date, we have raised $19 million in cash, pledges and legacy commitments toward our $25 million goal.

Announcing our Community Challenge:

• Four community leaders have generously created a $2 million Community Challenge Pool.
  
  
• For every $2 we raise, the Challenge Pool will contribute $1.
  
  
• We need to raise $4 million from our community to leverage the $2 million pool.
  
  
• The $2 million pool and the $4 million raised through the Community Challenge will achieve the Keystone Campaign $25 million goal.

How YOU can participate:

• Your gift to the Community Challenge can be a multi-year cash pledge and/or a legacy commitment.
  
  
• You have an opportunity to help raise the final $4 million and secure the future of the Center.
  
  
• Please make a multi-year cash pledge and/or a legacy commitment, demonstrating your generosity for generations to come.
  
  
• We are almost there and we need you now!

For more information on the Keystone Campaign, contact Diane Zempel, Keystone Campaign manager, at (920) 730-3731 or visit foxcitiespac.com.

*200-500 percent of annual operating expenses in the benchmark range set by National Arts Strategies Fund

Enhancements and Improvements

When patrons offer their feedback, we listen. During the course of the last couple of seasons, comments were collected and utilized to help make enhancements and improvements to the overall patron experience. Here are 10 new offerings you can expect during your next visit:

A Sound Experience 
Patrons with hearing loss can now enjoy shows with friends, family and their peers in Thrivent Financial Hall thanks to the installation of a new t-coil hearing loop. The Center is the only Broadway presenting theater in the state of Wisconsin to offer this technology.

Have a Seat
Searching for a place to sit before the show or during intermission? Look no more. Seating has increased by nearly 40 percent in the main lobby with new benches added during the 2012-13 Season, along with additional chairs and cocktail tables added during the course of the last five seasons.

Spread the Word
Want to know a show’s run time? Look no further than the new customized digital signage throughout the Center. It improves way finding throughout the lobby and also easily communicates show information.

Patrons will find digital signage like the example above in the Center's lobby.

Take your Pick
Ticket buyers now have more input into their seating options when purchasing online. The Center worked with Ticketmaster to improve the ticket purchasing experience with interactive seating maps. Instead of getting the “best available” seats, patrons can now choose where they prefer to sit for a performance.

Stay Warm
Don’t worry about shivering in cold Wisconsin weather, outdoor heaters have been added to the valet entrance to create a comfortable environment for patrons as they arrive and depart from the Center.

Right this Way
To help patrons find the Center, more signage was added both outside the building and in. Patrons will now see signage highlighting the Walnut Street entrance. Directional signage now points theatergoers to the ticket office entrance, information booth, restrooms and elevators.

Looking for the Fox Cities P.A.C.? Signage now highlights the Center's
Walnut Street entrance.

World-class Service
The Center has put the spotlight on quality customer service. An improved annual training program for new and current volunteers has been instituted to maintain the highest level of care for our guests.

‘Parking’ Spot on
Groups coming to the Center on a bus, will now have a better parking experience. A new plan has been implemented to improve traffic flow and coordination of drop-off and pick-up for drivers and patrons.

Snack and Sip
You never know when you’ll get hungry and now the Center offers expanded concessions. Do you desire something beyond chocolate? There are now healthy offerings to choose from. And, an increased selection of premium beer and wine is available as well.

Beer lovers now have additional options to select from.
Healthy concessions options also are available. 

Etiquette 101
Tired of hearing the rustling of candy wrappers? Special stickers will be placed on noisy food items as a friendly reminder to patrons to be aware of possible disturbances.

Thank you to all patrons who offered their feedback. We welcome your input and look forward to seeing you during your next visit to the Fox Cities P.A.C.

Take a Trip to the South with Memphis

Memphis is the tale of two souls joining as one during a turbulent period in history. Audiences are transported on an emotional journey not to be missed. Wondering what all the buzz is about? Get the insider’s dish.

A Fantastical Story

Set in the underground dance clubs of 1950s Memphis, Tenn. comes a thrilling Broadway musical tale of fame and forbidden love directed by Tony Award® nominee Christopher Ashley (Xanadu). Inspired by actual events, Memphis is about a white radio DJ who wants to change the world and a black club singer who is ready for her big break.

Radio DJ Huey Calhoun wants to change the world
in Memphis. © Kyle Froman

Turn up the Dial

You’ll laugh and cry as you travel back in time with Huey Calhoun and Felicia Farrell to the ends of the airwaves. Filled with roof-raising rock ‘n’ roll and irresistible songs, Memphis will move you.

Club singer Felicia Farrell is ready for her big
break in Memphis. © Kyle Froman

Get up and Dance

Explosive choreography by Sergio Trujillo (Jersey Boys) bursts off the stage  and will leave your toes tapping.

A Hit with Audiences

Winner of four 2010 Tony Awards including Best Musical, Memphis, which played pre-Broadway at the LaJolla Playhouse, features a Tony-winning book by Joe DiPietro (I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change) and a Tony-winning original score with music by Bon Jovi founding member David Bryan.

There’s still time to grab your tickets to Memphis! You won’t want to miss this musical coming to the Fox Cities PA.C. Oct. 15-20. Tickets start at $50. For more information, visit foxcitiespac.com.

Get an Insider's Look at Memphis

Memphis, an inspirational story finds root amidst the prejudice of the 1950s. Based on actual events, it is the tale of Huey Calhoun, a white radio DJ whose love of good music transcends race and airwaves. Memphis exudes all the exuberance, the emotion, the beauty, and the controversy of a wondrous, defining time in our history.

Huey Calhoun. Photo credit: Kyle Forman

Did you know ...

• Huey is only offstage for 10 minutes during the show, mostly during the opening number.
• The music of Memphis is written by Bon Jovi keyboardist David Bryan.
• Each woman in the cast wears 3 wigs – their microphone packs are hidden underneath them on top of their heads.
• They do 6-10 loads of laundry a day for the show.
• The radio station call letters mean something to the authors. WLXQ stands for David Bryan's wife, Lexi Quass; WDBJ is a combo of David Bryan and Joe DiPietro and WSAL is in honor of David's childhood friend, Sal the cop.
• Sal also appears as a character in Toxic Avenger, another musical written by Joe DiPietro and David Bryan.
• Mama's first name is Gladys, though it never is spoken onstage.
• “Music of my Soul” was the first song written by David Bryan and remains largely unchanged from its first version 9 years ago.
• 1300 people participated in the flash mob; 15 NYC schools were represented. It took 3 teaching artists one month to teach all of the students the choreography.
• Winner of four 2010 Tony Awards® including Best Musical, Best Original Score (Bon Jovi’s David Bryan and Joe DiPietro), Best Book (Joe DiPietro) and Best Orchestrations (David Bryan and Daryl Waters).
• Also the winner of four Drama Desk Awards® (including Best Musical) and four Outer Critics Circle Awards® (including Best Musical).
• Show description: Memphis takes place in the smoky halls and underground clubs of the segregated '50s, a young white DJ named Huey Calhoun fell in love with everything he shouldn't: rock and roll and an electrifying black singer. Memphis is an original story about the cultural revolution that erupted when his vision met her voice, and the music changed forever.

Come see Memphis Oct. 15-20! Tickets start at $50 and are available through the Fox Cities P.A.C. ticket office or Ticketmaster. 

Shining the Spotlight on Volunteers

Last night, our volunteers took a seat in the spotlight at the Volunteer Appreciation Dinner. In addition to the dinner, awards were presented to four individuals. With more than 400 volunteers, we are grateful to all of them for their hard work and dedication. The Center's volunteers ensure your experience at the Fox Cities P.A.C. is world-class. Thank you to each of them!

Steve Jahnke, Fox Cities P.A.C. manager of Volunteer and Audience Services,
presents the "Golden Flashlight Award" to Anne Jackson. Jackson served
the most hours last year by volunteering 672 hours.

Jahnke presents the "Rookie of the Year Award" to Amanda Armitage,
an outstanding first-year volunteer.

Jahnke presents the "Ambassador Award" to Carol McIntyre.
McIntyre is an outstanding volunteer who exemplifies the ideals of the
Fox Cities P.A.C.'s volunteer program not only at the Center,
but also in the community.

Jahnke presents the "Standing Ovation Award" to Ron Stroud,
the Fox Cities P.A.C.'s Volunteer of the Year.

Volunteers show off their gift bags during the Volunteer Appreciation Dinner.

Volunteers register for door prizes during the Volunteer Appreciation Dinner.

Click here to learn more about becoming a volunteer at the Fox Cities P.A.C.

Fox Cities P.A.C. Receives National HLAA Award

Community Feedback, Involvement raises Awareness
for Hearing Loop Technology

The Fox Cities Performing Arts Center is the proud recipient of the national “Get in the Hearing Loop Award 2013.” The honor was awarded to the Center by the Hearing Loss Association of America at the national HLAA Annual Convention on June 30 in Portland, Ore. The Fox Cities P.A.C.’s proven dedication to providing equipment and services to help patrons with hearing loss and other disabilities made the Center an excellent candidate for the award, according to the HLAA.

“This group is way ahead of the curve in caring and doing something about it,” said Julie Olson, HLAA Fox Valley Chapter founder who nominated the Center for the award. “Congratulations to the Fox Cities P.A.C. on receiving the award. It’s well deserved.”

DEDICATED FROM THE BEGINNING

The Center, built in 2002, has remained committed to serving patrons with hearing loss. In the late 1990s, a group of visionaries and donors formed a committee of people with disabilities to advise the Fox Cities P.A.C. Through the passionate work of  the Center’s Accessibility Committee, community outreach and partnering with the HLAA Fox Valley Chapter, hearing loop technology was installed in the ticket office area and Kimberly-Clark Theater. The next step of the dream came prior to the opening of the 10th Anniversary season when the technology also was added to Thrivent Financial Hall, the theater’s main performance space. This major enhancement improved the Fox Cities P.A.C.’s front of house live theater experience for people with hearing loss. 

A hearing loop is a wire that encircles a room or space that is connected to a sound system and transmits sound electromagnetically. The signal is picked up by a t-coil upon flipping the t-switch in a hearing aid or cochlear implant which in turn allows a person with a hearing impairment to easily adjust their hearing device and enjoy a performance without distortion. 

WHY IT MATTERS

About 48 million adults, or 20 percent of the population, report some degree of hearing loss, according to John Hopkins Medicine. This includes a majority who are in age groups that are still in the workforce or in educational settings. It also is estimated that 30 children per 1,000 have hearing loss.

For more information on accessibility services, visit the "accessibility" tab at foxcitiespac.com.