With its rich blend of Native American, Hispanic and Western pioneer cultures, the Southwest offers stellar options for regionally inspired entertainment. To top it off, there is also a superb array of venues in which to enjoy it.
From handsomely restored Art Deco movie palaces to state-of-the-art performing arts centers, planners will find plenty of opportunities for staging memorable events. Meanwhile, the entertainment is as varied as the region itself, whether it’s opera under the stars in Santa Fe, a Western hoedown in Tucson or a flamenco performance in Albuquerque.
ARIZONA
Orpheum Theater, Phoenix
www.phoenixconventioncenter.com/orpheum.html
The beautiful Spanish Baroque-style Orpheum Theater, festooned with intricate plaster work and a ceiling reminiscent of a twilight sky, was once a popular movie palace. Now, after an extensive renovation in the 1990s, the 1,364-seat theater is a leading performing arts center hosting everything from Broadway touring productions to award shows and product launches.
The 1929 architectural gem, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, underwent a painstaking, $14 million renovation before reopening in 1997 with a production of Hello Dolly, starring Carol Channing.
Along with private concerts or corporate presentations, the venue can also serve as an elegant banquet venue with tables set up on the large stage.
According to Cindy Hedstrom, account manager for PRA Destination Management, a recent on-stage banquet at the Orpheum proved to be a delightful surprise for guests.
“The group had no idea that tables were set up behind the curtain,” she says. “First, they had a tour of the Orpheum and then sat down in the theater while a VIP made some remarks. All of a sudden music from The Phantom of the Opera began playing and the curtain opened to reveal the stage all set for dinner.”
The Venue Scottsdale, Scottsdale
www.thevenuescottsdale.com
The recently renovated Venue Scottsdale is a multiroom facility designed to host a variety of special events. It accommodates groups of up to 1,300 people and features an on-site chef and production staff.
“You can do so many different themed events there, everything from concerts to a Harley-Davidson party,” says Cindy Hedstrom of PRA Destination Management. “They even have building facades that you can dress up as a Mardi Gras scene. It’s the effect of walking down a street in New Orleans.”
Function areas at The Venue include the saloon-inspired ballroom with velvet-lined walls and mahogany paneling, the Courtyard, lined with wrought-iron balconies and Old World building facades, and the Comedy Spot, which features headliner comedians.
Fox Tucson Theater, Tucson
www.foxtheatertucson.org
Dark for 31 years, the Fox Tucson Theater was painstakingly restored in 2005 before reopening as a performing arts venue. Originally opened in 1930, the theater is a splendid example of Art Deco architecture with a Southwestern-inspired theme.
Along with concerts, vintage films, theater and dance performances, the venue can be rented for a variety of special events. In addition to the 1,164-seat main auditorium, the Fox has three lobby areas, a bar and a catering kitchen.
“It has that Art Deco look typical of old theaters, but it also has a real Tucson feel about it,” says Marilyn McIvey, manager of Southwest Conference Planners. “It’s a wonderful venue for a group that wants to arrange its own production or simply enjoy one of the scheduled concerts or other shows.”
Old Tucson Studios, Tucson
www.oldtucson.com
For many groups meeting in the Southwest, an event with a Western flair is an anticipated part of the agenda. Few Western-themed venues can match the experience of Old Tucson Studios, the setting for countless Western movies and TV series, including Bonanza and Little House on the Prairie.
Surrounded by high desert landscape, Old Tucson was built in 1939 as the set for a Western town complete with saloons, a general store, a courthouse and a jail. Actors and musical performers are on hand to become part of a variety of entertainment and team-building possibilities that include the chance for groups to produce and star in their own Western movie.
Mock gunfights, stunt shows, dancehall revues and murder mysteries are also part of the fun, according to McIvey of Southwest Conference Planners.
NEW MEXICO
Santa Fe Opera, Santa Fe
www.santafeopera.org
Every July and August the Santa Fe Opera draws enthusiasts from around the globe to one of the world’s most acclaimed opera festivals. With its spectacular high desert and mountain landscape, the 155-acre opera campus provides ample pre-performance venue space for groups.
The main performance venue is the Crosby Theater, opened in 1998 and seating 2,128 people. The Stiren Orchestral Hall is also available for group events.
Decorated in an Italian opera theme, the Opera’s O’Shaughnessy Rehearsal Hall accommodated a corporate group of over 200 people during a recent event executed by Passport New Mexico, a Santa Fe-based DMC. The space, which has an adjoining lawn, was lavishly decked out with chandeliers and richly decorated tables with Italianate centerpieces.
“The attendees loved it—it was like walking into a fairyland,” says Arlene Schiffer, president of Passport New Mexico. “We started out with cocktails on the lawn, followed by a sit-down dinner and then went to the performance, which really made for an amazing evening.”
For smaller groups of 50 or 100, more casual events with buffets set up in a tented area can be arranged. Groups smaller than 50 can reserve tables at the regular pre-opera dinner buffet, which also includes a talk during dessert by a guest speaker about the evening’s opera.
National Hispanic Cultural Center/Roy E. Disney Center for the Performing Arts, Albuquerque
www.nhccnm.org
Albuquerque’s newest and most extensive performance venue is the Roy E. Disney Center for the Performing Arts, located on the campus of the National Hispanic Cultural Center. Designed as a stylized Mayan pyramid, the complex provides stages for theater, dance, music and media arts.
Its three major theaters are available for a variety of events. The largest is the 691-seat Albuquerque Journal Theater, which includes an orchestra pit and a 1,700-square-foot stage, and can accommodate almost any type of music, dance or theatrical performance.
“Our main theater can be used for speaker presentations or for special performances,” says Gary Romero, executive director of the National Hispanic Cultural Center. “Our performing arts staff can help secure entertainment for groups. For example, there’s a local flamenco troupe that frequently performs for meetings.”
The 291-seat Bank of America Theater and the 97-seat Wells Fargo Auditorium are also available for group functions.
According to Romero, the cultural center is frequently used by groups that combine meal functions with presentations or entertainment.
In addition to the theaters, the cultural center offers an art museum and a central plaza that accommodates up to 2,500 people and showcases concerts and festivals.
Indian Pueblo Cultural Center, Albuquerque
www.indianpueblo.org
Native American dances are performed year-round at the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center, a showcase for the arts and traditions of the 19 pueblos of New Mexico. Art demonstrations by guest artists are also featured, as are changing exhibits on Native American art, food, culture, history and current affairs.
Events at the center, which accommodates groups of up to 400 and offers 24,000 square feet of function space, can include entertainment by Native American dance troupes, storytellers and flute players, as well as art and cooking demonstrations. An on-site chef can prepare banquet cuisine centered on traditional Native American foods.
Maria Lenhart is a former Meetings Focus editor.
