E.J. Thomas to cease producing shows

[K92]

Forgive me for being so uninformed, but what were some of the killer performances at EJTH that are causing y'all to get so bent out of shape?

[ZachTheZip]

Forgive me for being so uninformed, but what were some of the killer performances at EJTH that are causing y'all to get so bent out of shape?

Also, please limit your answers to events that happened within the past two decades.

[K92]

Just wondering if there were any performances that might rate with these. . .

. . .among others at the JAR. . .

[Balsy]

Forgive me for being so uninformed, but what were some of the killer performances at EJTH that are causing y'all to get so bent out of shape?

Just this past year Neil DeGrasee Tyson (the very famous astrophysicist) came to speak at UA. Him coming to UA was sponsored by EJTH, and would not happen now since its been closed to sponsoring events.

[Dr Z]

I was at that show...by accident. Lucky. No show on campus would be more historic than this one. I can't seem to locate video anymore on youtube. I could have swore I watched it before??? Damn you and your lawyers Courtney! Here are some photos at the end of this odd video. If I recall, clips of this show are in the new film. On a related subject, there is a new book released today The Untold Story, that has a few of Courtney's crazy actions revealed.

PS LOVE the Derek Hess poster Keener!

[Dave in Green]

Just this past year Neil DeGrasee Tyson (the very famous astrophysicist) came to speak at UA. Him coming to UA was sponsored by EJTH, and would not happen now since its been closed to sponsoring events.

It was a sellout and he was fantastic, as was the earlier event with Jack Hanna. My wife and I generally make it to all the UA Forum Series, which is (was?) very educational for both students and members of the community. Huge loss to both UA and the community if it's really gone.

[ZachTheZip]

EJT seats under 3k. Why wouldn't a show like Tyson work at the JAR?

[zippyfan34]

Also, please limit your answers to events that happened within the past two decades.

Here are a few shows I have been to over the past 10 years or so there. I am sure I am missing many others as well.

Shrek, Hair, Dreamgirls, West Side Story, The Addams Family, My Fair Lady, Rock of Ages, The Color Purple, Fiddler on the Roof, Camelot, Guys and Dolls, The Illusionists, Price is Right Live, Mama Mia, Blue Man Group, Miss Saigon, Aidi, Rent, Memphis the Musical, Rain, Bring it On the Musical, Hello Dolly, Cirque Dreams Holidaze, Cirque Dreams Jungle Fantasy, Stomp, A Chorus Line, Spamalot, Beauty and the Beast, Ain't Misbehavin, Oliver, Annie, 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, The Wedding Singer, The Rat Pack is Back, An evening with Patti LuPone and Mandy Patinkin, Avenue Q, Jesus Christ Superstar, Evita, Gypsy, Riverdance, Movin Out, Cats, Hairspray, The Producers

[bandzip]

I know this is primarily a sports forum but there are some very out of touch posts here.

I attended a number of world class performances at EJ during my time in school. Off the top of my head The Cleveland Orchestra, Mannheim Steamroller, Wynton Marsalis (one of the worlds best trumpet players), Yo-Yo Ma, Al Vizzutti, Trans-Siberian Orchestra. A lot of great Broadway shows including Mama Mia, Stomp, Blast, and Spamalot. I had a buddy drag me to see Chevelle with Finger Eleven and it was sold out for that concert as well. Just because they aren't all acts you hear on mainstream radio doesn't mean they aren't filled to capacity regularly. Any artist big enough that you are hearing them on the radio all day is playing one of the larger venues in the Northeast Ohio area. On top of what everyone else listed another big event was when Gen. Colin Powell came for a sold out speaking engagement, sponsored by EJ Thomas Hall.

This is absolutely a huge blow for the music department. What happens to Tuba Christmas, Band-o-rama, collage, special orchestra and symphonic band concerts etc. if there is no one on staff to run the lights/sound, maintain the building, sell tickets, etc? They can say the shows will go on but I don't see how it's possible. It's the equivalent of firing the entire staff at the Info or the JAR and then saying games will go on as scheduled without issues.

I'm not here to bash on the sports teams. There were five of us that pulled money for gas, piled into a car and took road trips to Buffalo, Bowling Green, OSU and Can't for games. Went to every home game for basketball, and football even after I was finished with marching band and was in the band for the NCAA tournament appearances. There are absolutely more students that attended events at EJ every year than any of the individual sporting events. There are significantly more people from the community, including the infamous "Joe Akron" that everyone is trying to reach, that come through the doors of EJ every year than all of the sporting events combined. Talk about short sighted. The events hosted at EJ Thomas garner far more community support than the sports teams will in the foreseeable future.

[bandzip]

EJT seats under 3k. Why wouldn't a show like Tyson work at the JAR?

*edit Re read it. My bad.

If it sounds anything like when the announcer is speaking it would be inaudible.

Also, EJ has seatbacks, and they are padded.

[Dave in Green]

EJT seats under 3k. Why wouldn't a show like Tyson work at the JAR?

You mean the same JAR with the seating that everyone moans about? The same JAR whose acoustics are so bad they even had to move the annual basketball banquet out to an off-campus banquet hall because no one could understand what anyone was saying? Making the JAR the face of UA cultural events is such a horrible idea that I don't think even Dr. Scarborough would approve.

Speaking of cultural events, I wonder what all the choreographers and dance companies from around the country invited to UA's new National Center for Choreography will think of the gutted cultural programming at EJT?

World-class facilities

The new center, to be located on the university’s campus, will select national choreographers and dance companies, providing them full access to the world-class facilities of the University’s Center for Dance and Theatre. The advanced technology available in seven dance studios and in E.J. Thomas Performing Arts Hall will provide dance makers with a full array of resources, from studio space to on-stage rehearsal time to create new work.

[Balsy]

It was a sellout and he was fantastic, as was the earlier event with Jack Hanna. My wife and I generally make it to all the UA Forum Series, which is (was?) very educational for both students and members of the community. Huge loss to both UA and the community if it's really gone.

Bingo. I was there too and my science coworkers basically had to fight to get tickets to it. Most talked about Akron event ever amongst the sciences anyways.

[Balsy]

EJT seats under 3k. Why wouldn't a show like Tyson work at the JAR?

Have you seen the JAR? The event was also in the heart of basketball season. But we have the EJTH why not use it (which it was).

[UAZippers]

If you are only interested in musical acts, I saw Bastille perform at EJ last fall. They are widely known as one of the top current indie rock groups in the world. This performance, along with the Rock the Roo series that happens each fall at EJ, had a very large amount of current UA students.

[Z.I.P.]

I talked with Jake Shimabukuro, one of the most famous musicians from my neck of the woods (okay, he might come in second to Bruno Mars, but he's still big), who has played EJ Thomas several times over the years. He would never visit a place like Akron, Ohio except that he still says the EJT is one of his favorite places, and the famous acoustics are still world class. It's a shame that the university would allow the EJT to slide into this situation -- not just that Scar guy, but the entire university.

[skip-zip]

According to the morning news, the 2015-2016 schedule has been reinstated?

I'll have some faith in these people if they do the same thing with the upcoming baseball season.

[Zip_ME87]

According to the morning news, the 2015-2016 schedule has been reinstated?

I'll have some faith in these people if they do the same thing with the upcoming baseball season.

Really? Akron Baseball has been so good for the University of Akron and the city of Akron that it must continue? I don't like that anything was cut, but no matter what is cut, someone would complain. I'm not happy that the Mens Director of Soccer Operations was let go. Jared is now the sole remaining coach from the Caleb Porter era.

While I think that $950k was at least $700k more than should have been spent to remodel the President's home, I don't think that $700k should have necessarily saved Akron Baseball for another year. I would have saved at least part of the EJTH staff for at least 1 year while transitioning.

Back on the topic of EJTH ... Could students be provided with jobs to run EJTH? That would fit in nicely with the Polytechnic branding. Students getting experience in all aspects of theatre productions while earning money to help pay for their education.

[ZippyRulz]

Akron is all set for baseball with the Rubber Ducks and Canal Park. The university needs to focus those resources on the other sports.

Most of the university job cuts were administrative. Although students can't do all the work of experienced full-time staffers, they can certainly help fill the void with co-op & internship jobs in the various departments, in keeping with the polytech/experiential learning push.

[skip-zip]

Zip_ME87...

I'm only saying that Baseball should have stayed for the UPCOMING SEASON, since it was such a late decision before the upcoming school year, the scholarships already paid, etc.

Seems similar to pulling the plug on EJ with a slate of events already booked for the academic year.

[Zip_ME87]

Zip_ME87...

I'm only saying that Baseball should have stayed for the UPCOMING SEASON, since it was such a late decision before the upcoming school year, the scholarships already paid, etc.

Seems similar to pulling the plug on EJ with a slate of events already booked for the academic year.

Sorry, I misunderstood your post, but with Baseball being a Spring sport, the timing wasn't as bad. I think EJTH has a Fall slate of events.

[Spin]

So, because Akron has a AA baseball team, the college can't have baseball too? But but but, Cleveland State has basketball. And the Cavs are a few blocks away!!!! The Buckeyes have hockey and soccer, even while Cbus has the Blue Jackets and the Crew.

Akron has a bowling alley or two, and a bunch of theaters. Guess we gotta tear down the Union...

[Spin]

Just out of curiosity, those who talk about the big shows that students couldn't get tickets for, when was that? because I attended main campus between 2010-12 and never witnessed that. They were giving away T-shirts and crap to try to get people to show up for whatever was there. Five years at the U full time, and I would have never been within a quarter mile of that building if my wife hadn't talked me into attending graduation.

[bandzip]

Just out of curiosity, those who talk about the big shows that students couldn't get tickets for, when was that? because I attended main campus between 2010-12 and never witnessed that. They were giving away T-shirts and crap to try to get people to show up for whatever was there. Five years at the U full time, and I would have never been within a quarter mile of that building if my wife hadn't talked me into attending graduation.

I was there from 2007-12. They happen pretty often. If you had "never been within a quarter mile of that building" then obviously you wouldn't know. Just because you never checked it out doesn't mean there aren't students that appreciate the performing arts and regularly fill it up. There were also a lot of gimmicky events like Boo at the Roo and those lunch time concert series that were awful and poorly attended. Most of those were sponsored jointly with the RHPB and RHC.

Do you want to compare average student attendance at EJ to a baseball game? I don't think I ever saw a game on campus with more than 50 total people in attendance. When was the last time besides a Can't basketball game or the Info Opener that students couldn't get tickets to a Zips sporting event?

[AyYo]

I was there from 2007-12. They happen pretty often. If you had "never been within a quarter mile of that building" then obviously you wouldn't know. Just because you never checked it out doesn't mean there aren't students that appreciate the performing arts and regularly fill it up. There were also a lot of gimmicky events like Boo at the Roo and those lunch time concert series that were awful and poorly attended. Most of those were sponsored jointly with the RHPB and RHC.

Do you want to compare average student attendance at EJ to a baseball game? I don't think I ever saw a game on campus with more than 50 total people in attendance. When was the last time besides a Can't basketball game or the Info Opener that students couldn't get tickets to a Zips sporting event?

From this season on April 18. Pictures from the @ZipsBB twitter account.

[Spin]

I was there from 2007-12. They happen pretty often. If you had "never been within a quarter mile of that building" then obviously you wouldn't know. Just because you never checked it out doesn't mean there aren't students that appreciate the performing arts and regularly fill it up. There were also a lot of gimmicky events like Boo at the Roo and those lunch time concert series that were awful and poorly attended. Most of those were sponsored jointly with the RHPB and RHC.

OK so what big name acts were there that played in that time period? I got the shirts, the schedules, saw the ads plastered everywhere, and don't remember any big names on the order of those the place hosted 20-30 years ago. You don't have to go to the JAR to see there was nobody there to see.

Now I did see a lot of classmates wearing concert tees from the Q, Blossom, Jacobs Pavilion, Hard Rock, HOB, etc.

Do you want to compare average student attendance at EJ to a baseball game? I don't think I ever saw a game on campus with more than 50 total people in attendance. When was the last time besides a Can't basketball game or the Info Opener that students couldn't get tickets to a Zips sporting event?

What the hell does baseball have to do with a concert venue/playhouse? If you want to compare apples to apples, let me know.