Opening Nights - Jay Leno

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from the director

on behalf of Opening Nights, we are thrilled to share the second half of our 25th Anniversary Season with you! We’ve saved the best for last this spring with so many incredible performances coming your way. In February, we kick off the vibrant lineup with:

The Other Mozart by Sylvia Milo at Turner Auditorium on February 4. This captivating one-woman show tells the story of Mozart’s forgotten sister, Nannerl, a piano virtuoso in her own right. Television, stage and film star Katharine McPhee will perform live at the home of the FSU President on February 6.

A month-long celebration of Black History Month kicks off with Step Afrika! on February 7 and is sure to delight all ages with an exciting blend of percussive dance styles that integrate songs, storytelling and humor. Pulitzer Prize winning author, Colson Whitehead will speak on February 9 about his writings and engage the audience with insightful discussion.

The Queens of Soul, Morgan James and Erica Gabriel take center stage with our very own Tallahassee Symphony Orchestra on February 11 for a celebration of the music of Motown, R&B and soul; celebrate Valentine’s Day with a breathtaking performance by contemporary dance company MOMIX and their visually stunning repertoire entitled Alice, inspired by Alice in Wonderland; and Ethiopian jazz singer, Meklit, will perform on February 28.

French-based Zodiac Trio will perform Benny Rides Again, a celebration of the songs of Benny Goodman on March 3; country and folk music legend Emmylou Harris takes the Ruby Diamond stage on March 4 for an unforgettable evening of the music that has thrived for more than 50 years; theatre fans get ready for New York Gilbert & Sullivan Player’s The Mikado on March 11 for a matinee performance; and families won’t want to miss

Legendary late-night comedian and television host Jay Leno will pack Ruby Diamond for a memorable evening of laughs on March 29; Opening Nights continues its collaboration with the Chain of Parks Arts Festival with digital media artist John Ensor Parker on April 13; FSU’s PRISM is back with its traditional spring performance on April 16; and the season concludes with Piano Battle, a rollicking good time, on April 25.

Sponsorships and memberships make each season possible, and we are very grateful to the many people who have generously supported us this season. As we continue to celebrate the Opening Nights 25-year legacy into the next season, we invite you to renew or become a member or a sponsor of our 2023–24 Season. From town to gown, Opening Nights is a vital university and community performing arts program with a mission worthy of supporting and celebrating! These performances create a thriving cultural life in our community and create priceless educational experiences on campus and throughout the community. Ask any Opening Nights associate about these philanthropic opportunities. We hope you join us!

Thank you again for your support of the Opening Nights 25th Anniversary Season at Florida State University. Please enjoy these outstanding performances!

Jennifer Wright Director, Opening Nights at Florida State University

The Jungle Book performed live by the Panto Company on March 23.

Florida State University

Richard McCullough President

Opening Nights Staff

Jennifer Wright Director

Lori Elliott Development Director

Grace Atkins

Program & Operations Manager

Brad Lister Business & Patron Services Manager

Calla MacNamara

Education & Engagement Manager

Nick DiChiara Patron Services Coordinator

Noelle Enright Marketing Associate

Amanda Cole Graphic Designer University Communications, Creative Services

Rodney Johnson

Assistant Director of Creative Services University Communications, Creative Services

Opening Nights Development Council

Eric Friall, Chair

Gus Corbella, Immediate-Past Chair

Susan Stratton, Secretary

Kathleen Daly

Brooke Hallock

John Marks

David Mica, Jr.

Heather Mitchell

Nan Nagy

Tom Nelson

Ron Sachs

Florida State University

Office of the President

College of Fine Arts

College of Motion Picture Arts

College of Music

College of Social Sciences & Public Policy

FSU Panama City

University Communications

University Relations

upcoming performances

march

29 Jay Leno comedy

Sponsored by Peter Boulware Toyota

april

13 John Ensor Parker: Chain of Parks Art

Festival Presenting Artist

speaker, visual arts

Sponsored by Laurie & Kelly Dozier Endowment

16 PRISM

classical, jazz, marching band, pop

Sponsored by Walmart

25 Piano Battle

classical, instrumental, comedy

Sponsored by Herb & Mary Jervis

june

12 2023–24 Season Announcement

Stay connected to Tallahassee’s latest activities and attractions. Read Tallahassee Magazine in print and online, plus like and follow on social media for the latest events and happenings. @tallahasseemag | tallahasseemagazine. com

Stay connected to Tallahassee’s latest activities and attractions. Read Tallahassee Magazine in print and online, plus like and follow on social media for the latest events and happenings. @tallahasseemag | tallahasseemagazine. com

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opening nights in class

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Herb & Mary Jervis

Congratulations Opening Nights for fostering the Arts in Tallahassee for the past 25 years.

The students, faculty, and staff of FSU and the citizens of north Florida have been enriched by your efforts.

We eagerly await what the next 25 years will bring.

WHERE GREAT SERVICE IS ALWAYS THE STAR OF THE SHOW

Acclaimed TV late-night show host, admired stand-up comedian, best-selling children's book author, much-in-demand corporate speaker, lovable TV and movie voice-over artist, pioneering car builder and mechanic, and philanthropist… it's no wonder Jay Leno is widely characterized as "the hardest-working man in show business." Leno's late-night television ratings domination included more than two decades of The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, winning every consecutive quarter of his hosting over the past 19 years. He has been honored by the Television Academy with an Emmy for "Outstanding Comedy, Variety or Music Series."

Continued on pg. 23

jay leno

Lee Hinkle

Jay Leno

Continued from pg. 19

As if night-time dominance were not enough, Leno has also succeeded in the newest entertainment arena. He is a producer and star of the hit TV show Jay Leno's Garage. The NBC creation has gained an international following on the web, as well as an Emmy Award and two additional nominations for Outstanding Special Class–Short-Format Nonfiction Programs. Leno received the People's Choice Award and other honors, including the Harris Poll selection as the most popular star on television. He has also received a star on Hollywood's Walk of Fame. Leno asked to have his star placed in front of Ripley's Believe It or Not Museum, where he was arrested for vagrancy when he first arrived in Hollywood.

It was in May of 1992 when Leno followed in the footsteps of legendary NBC late-night hosts Steve Allen, Jack Paar, and Johnny Carson as Tonight Show host. Pitted against another television superstar David Letterman in the ll:35 PM hour, Leno became the rating leader of late-night within two years and never looked back, establishing firm leadership in all demographic categories.

Before becoming the host, Leno had been the exclusive guest host on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson since September 1987. He first appeared as a guest on the show on March 2, 1977. He made numerous additional appearances on the show and NBC's former program Late Night with David Letterman.

Leno loves to test his humor live on audiences nationwide, performing over 100 live appearances in nightclubs, theaters, and stadiums yearly. He is known in the industry as one of the nicest people in show business and the hardest-working—a winning tandem for the man who says, "anyone can have a life—careers are hard to come by!"

His "everyman"-style and personality have helped him earn millions of fans worldwide, especially in the regions where people relate to his personable manner and work ethic. In addition to traversing the U.S., he has entertained in various countries, including Bosnia, where he performed for military troops associated with the war in Afghanistan, and Aviano, Italy, where he performed for troops associated with the

peacekeeping efforts in Bosnia. He remains passionate about performing in front of live audiences, including the military, and appears regularly in Las Vegas, on college campuses around the United States, and in other venues.

Leno is committed to using his talents to help those less fortunate. Each year, he serves as Master of Ceremonies. Leno does numerous benefit performances, including shows for those affected by the 9/11 tragedy, the tsunami in Thailand, hurricanes in the gulf, and the severe economic downturn in Detroit. He leads the annual Love Ride in California to benefit numerous humanitarian organizations, serving people with autism, muscular dystrophy, Special Olympics athletes, and more.

He has also served as honorary campaign chairman for the Entertainment Industry Foundation, Hollywood's charitable arm. Leno has assisted the Gender Apartheid Campaign led by his wife, Mavis. Together with the Feminist Majority, they worked to free Afghan women of Taliban tyranny, an effort for which Mavis and The Feminist Majority were nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize.

Leno's children's book If Roast Beef Could Fly (from Simon & Schuster) hit bookstores in April 2004 and immediately was a New York Times Bestseller. His follow-up kid's book How to be the Funniest Kid in Your Class was equally successful. His other book, Leading with My Chin (from HarperCollins), hit the bookstores in 1998. He also published four versions of Headlines, a compilation of books and desk calendars featuring his favorite funny newspaper headlines. Another of Leno's publications is Police Blotter, a book with humorous newspaper clips involving police stories.

Leno has also done voice-over work in movies such as Cars and Igor, and the hit TV show The Fairly Oddparents (Nickelodeon), where the character "The Crimson Chin"—a superhero with a chin with superpowers— was inspired by Leno's notable jawline. He is also an in-demand corporate speaker for companies including General Motors and a monthly columnist in Popular Mechanics. In his "spare" time (as if he has any), he enjoys working on his collection of classic cars and motorcycles. He has built several cars, including an acclaimed eco-car in his ecofriendly green garage.

I regard the

as the greatest of all art forms, the most immediate way in which a human being can share with another the sense of what it is to be a human being.

- - Thornton Wilder