'Say Goodnight, Gracie' opens at Fountain Hills Theater

Fountain Hills Theater has announced the Arizona premier of Say Goodnight, Gracie, the hit Broadway play that invites you to spend a hilarious, heart-warming evening in the uplifting company of the world’s favorite and funniest centenarian.

George Burns, whose career spanned one hundred years of American entertainment history, is now “miraculously alive and kicking” in a stunning tour de force.

Say Goodnight, Gracie was Broadway’s third longest running solo performance show and was nominated for a 2003 Tony Award for Best Play and won the 2003-04 National Broadway Theatre Award for Best Play.

In Say Goodnight Gracie, we discover George in limbo between this world and the next, unable to join his beloved wife and partner Gracie Allen until he gives the Command Performance of his lifetime for God.

He looks back upon his impoverished, plucky youth on the lower East Side of New York… his disastrous, but tenacious career in Vaudeville ... the momentous day when he met a fabulously talented young Irish girl named Grace Ethel Cecile Rosalie Allen … their instant chemistry, with his flawless timing a perfect mate to her dizzy delivery ... his wooing of her, their marriage and their rise to the pinnacles of vaudeville, movies, radio and television.

In the Fountain Hills Theater, Peter J. Hill plays George Burns

Gracie’s demise forced George to start from square one - in life and in his career - eventually achieving an equal level of success as a solo raconteur and Academy Award-winning actor, portraying everything from a Sunshine Boy to, oh, God.

Say Goodnight, Gracie is directed by Noel Irick andstars FHT’s Artistic Director, Peter J. Hill as George Burns. Written by Rupert Holmes. Presented by special arrangement with Dramatic Publishing.

Say Goodnight, Gracie will play Aug 20- Sept 5, 2021. 

Performances are Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30PM and Sundays at 2PM.  Individual tickets are $35.00 for Adults and $18.00 for Youth 17 and under. Seniors receive a $5.00 discount on all Thursday performances. Group rate discounts are available. Veteran and Active Duty discounts.  

All performances are at Fountain Hills Theater on its Mainstage Too at 11445 N. Saguaro Blvd. (The Corner of Saguaro and Rand). Tickets are available through the Theater Box Office at (480) 837-9661 x3 or by visiting fhtaz.org.  Box Office Hours are 10:00AM-5:00 PM Tuesday through Saturdays.   

FOUNTAIN HILLS THEATER SAFETY

Fountain Hills Theater is committed to the safety of their patrons, staff, and performers. We will be closely following CDC safety recommendations, as well as local guidelines, due to COVID-19. Hand sanitizing stations are located throughout the facility.  Arm rests, door handles and other surfaces commonly touched by the public are thoroughly cleaned prior to each performance. 

FHT currently offers the following options:

  1. Provide proof of vaccination.
  2. Provide proof of negative COVID test, less than 72 hours old.
  3. Wear a mask while indoors.

 FHT requires that all patrons abide by one of these options to attend any production.

Please check the website for evolving guidelines as the season progresses.

National Margarita Day

A lot of us have really picked up an interest in tequila and it's no wonder. Its popularity is soaring in the U.S. and doesn't look like it'll be slowing down any time soon. The only contender would probably be whiskey. Meh, but they have their own day. Now, it's National Margarita Day and we put together some of the best margarita recipes around so you can pick one or maybe even all of them to try.

We have a few surprises in there too. Maybe it's not all about tequila but it certainly has a theme going on. Take a look at some of these great tequila brands and start making some amazing margaritas today!

Keep reading Show less
Photo by Scott Webb on Unsplash

Gender-Inclusive Universities and Student Privacy

For many students, attending university is a profound, often life-changing, transition. It is often the student’s first time living on their own without parental supervision. This lifestyle is also accompanied by a period of self-discovery, of defining and redefining a sense of personal identity largely independent of the influence of family and friends from home.

For students who are members of the LGBTQ+ community, this rite of passage can also be a deeply empowering one. Indeed, attending university may be the student’s first real opportunity to explore their gender identity in a safe, comfortable, and accepting college.

Keep reading Show less

José Cuervo's Reserva de la Familia agave fields

Disclaimer: My trip was provided courtesy of a press trip but all opinions about the trip and events are my own. Please note there are affiliate links and at no additional cost to you, I may earn a commission if you make a purchase.

I had the opportunity to visit Mexico for an event José Cuervo was putting on, the unveiling of their premium tequila brand, Reserva de la Familia. The trip was all about tequila, how to drink it properly, how to pair it with food, and of course, visiting various points of interest in Guadalajara while tasting tequila along the way.

Keep reading Show less