Hallie Thomas

On April 25, the Performing Arts Center will be hosting Betty Lynn Buckley, nicknamed “The Voice of Broadway”, will be the first to perform in a series of concerts celebrating the inauguration of the new concert hall.

“We are pleased to have Betty Buckley as our inaugural performance. Since her artistic background is in both stage and music, she is an excellent representative of what this facility provides for the campus and community here,” said Dr. Jerry Jorgensen, dean of the SDSU College of Arts and Science.

Buckley has a connection with the university through her father Ernest, a 1948 graduate who was also former dean of the College of Engineering from 1983 until his death in 1989.

Buckley is most famous for her portrayal of Grizabella the Glamour Cat in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s “Cats.”

“Broadway is coming to Brookings,” said Joe Firman, facilities manager for the new center.

“We have proven that SDSU has the local artists and facilities and now we are proving that we can draw in the stars,” Firman said.

Buckley will attend a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 4 p.m. and the concert will begin at 8 p.m.

Tickets are currently available through the Information Exchange in the USU. Prices range from $50 to $15, depending on seating location.