The Grady Gammage Memorial Auditorium

1959

1200 S. Forest Ave.
Arizona State University
Tempe, AZ 85281

I had the good fortune to visit the Gammage Auditorium on the evening of Thursday, January 4, 2024.  I had hoped to just get some outside night shots of the building, but when I arrived I discovered that there was a Broadway play scheduled for that evening (“The Wiz”), and I was lucky enough to get the last ticket, which happened to be on the front row.  I had plenty of time to explore the venue and observe the crowds enjoying this beautiful space.  A few interesting facts about the Gammage:  the outer roof is supported by 50 concrete columns which rise 55 feet in the air; the auditorium seats 3,000 people with continental seating (wide spaces between rows and no center aisles); and the cost per seat was the lowest achieved for a multipurpose theatre built in the U.S. in the 1960s.   I am so grateful that I got to attend a live performance in the Gammage and observe first-hand the building being used as Wright intended, 60 plus years after he designed it.  An amazing night!