Please forward all media inquiries to:
Kelly Blithe, Director of Public Relations
kblithe@StateTheatreNJ.org
732-247-7200, ext. 542

New Programming Manager

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

State Theatre Announces New Programming Manager

New Brunswick, NJ (May 27, 2010)—State Theatre President & CEO Wesley Brustad has announced that Craig Pearce has assumed the position of Programming Manager as of May 20, 2010.

Pearce comes to the New Brunswick area from Tempe Arizona, where he served as the Rental Coordinator of the 3,000-seat Gammage Auditorium on the campus of Arizona State University. Gammage is one of the largest university presenters in the world with hundreds of performances each year. Pearce coordinated scheduling, budgets, contracts, and event management details for promoters and campus users in Gammage Auditorium, Wells Fargo Arena, and Sun Devil Stadium. In May 2009, Pearce was part of the team coordinating the ASU Commencement ceremony with President Obama as the Commencement Speaker; over 72,000 people attended.

“Craig comes to us with a wealth of programming experience,” commented State Theatre President & CEO Wesley Brustad, “this is a man who knows the performing arts and entertainment industry and who will ensure that the State Theatre continues its run of presenting the top artists and attractions in the world!”

Prior to his work in Arizona, Pearce had been the Director of Performing Arts with ArtsQuest in Bethlehem Pennsylvania. ArtsQuest is the parent organization of Musikfest, a 10-day music festival with 14 stages and over 500 performances. Pearce was responsible for selecting and scheduling local, regional, and national music performances in rock, country, hip-hop, blues, jazz, folk, singer/songwriters, polka, classical, children, and world music.

Before that, he was the Director of Programming with the North Carolina Blumenthal Performing Arts Center in Charlotte, North Carolina, a performing arts complex with five theaters, galleries, and classrooms.

“I am looking forward to contributing to the continued enrichment of the arts for this community,” said Pearce recently. “The State Theatre has a rich history and I am excited to be a part of its future.”

Pearce is originally from Kansas, and has a Bachelors degree in Music Education from Fort Hays State University in Hays, Kansas, and a Masters in Arts Management from the University of Illinois in Springfield.

For more information, call the State Theatre ticket office at 732-246-SHOW (7469), or visit us online at www.StateTheatreNJ.org. The State Theatre ticket office, located at 15 Livingston Ave, New Brunswick NJ, is open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, 10am  to 6pm; Wednesday, 11am to 7pm; Friday, 10am-5pm; closed Saturday and Sunday; and at least one hour prior to curtain on performance dates. For information on group outings and discounts, call 732-247-7200, ext. 517.

The State Theatre, a premier nonprofit venue for the performing arts and entertainment. The theater exists to enrich people’s lives, contribute to a vital urban environment, and build future audiences by presenting the finest performing artists and entertainers and fostering lifetime appreciation for the performing arts through education. The State Theatre’s programs are made possible, in part, by funding from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts/Department of State, a Partner Agency of the National Endowment for the Arts, and contributions from numerous corporations, foundations, and individuals. Continental Airlines is the official airline of the State Theatre. The Heldrich is the official hotel of the State Theatre. The Star-Ledger is the official newspaper of the State Theatre.

STATE THEATRE
15 Livingston Ave
New Brunswick, NJ 08901

Ticket Office - 732-246-SHOW (7469)
Online - www.StateTheatreNJ.org

PHOTOS AND INTERVIEWS FURNISHED UPON REQUEST
Please contact Kelly Blithe at
732-247-7200, ext. 542 or by email at kblithe@StateTheatreNJ.org.

Information in this release is current as of May 27, 2010.
For up-to-the-minute information on events and State Theatre news,
visit the State Theatre online at www.StateTheatreNJ.org.
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