January 2019
Scarlett Kotara, 3, paints over the “graffiti” at CycloMesa WinterFest.
Red Mountain grad returns home with ‘Hello, Dolly!’
Mesa firefighter set to prove he’s a ‘Titan’ on new NBC show
By Laura Latzko
By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski
Connor Wince says Hello, Dolly! aligns with his fun-loving attitude. (Photo courtesy Con-
The musical Hello, Dolly! continues to endear audiences more than 60 years after its original debut because of its farcical storyline, memorable music and relatable yet off beat characters. Led by Betty Buckley and aided by East Mesa native Connor Wince, the national tour of Hello, Dolly! is keeping the musical alive. It comes to ASU Gammage from Tuesday, January 8, to Sunday, January 13. Hello, Dolly! follows widowed socialite Dolly Gallagher Levi (Buckley), who is enlisted to play matchmaker for cantankerous “half-a-millionaire” Horace Vandergelder but ultimately has a more
nor Wince)
Dolly...continued on page 6
Steven Hoppe wants to inspire others by appearing on The Titan Games. (Photo
East Mesa resident Steven Hoppe survived a tumultuous child birth, a serious motorcycle crash and cancer. To inspire others, he is appearing on NBC’s The Titan Games, which debuts on Thursday, January 3. “Curveballs are thrown at you in life,” said Hoppe, a Mesa firefighter. “I’m a survivor. I have four kids—twin girls who were 10 months old at the time—and my wife was still going through the process of all that when I was diagnosed with cancer. “It made me stronger.” In The Titan Games, competitors push their bodies to the limit by battling oppo-
courtesy NBC)
Titan...continued on page 8
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