Gammage Auditorium is a Wright-designed building is named for Dr. Grady Gammage. He is the legendary ASU president who led Arizona State College’s victorious campaign in the state legislature for a name change to Arizona State University in 1958. Grady Gammage Memorial Auditorium is considered by many to be the crowning jewel of ASU’s Tempe campus. It is also one of Frank Lloyd Wright’s last designs and was constructed to be as acoustically perfect as possible.
Grady Gammage
Grady Gammage served as ASU’s ninth president from 1933-1959. He passed away in 1959, the same year as Frank Lloyd Wright, and never had the chance to see the finished structure. Because of Wright’s untimely death, William Wesley Peters, a prominent architect and engineer, was able to bring Wright’s plans to fruition. Peters was instrumental in the auditorium’s engineering and also contributed to much of its interior design.
Tours
ASU Gammage offers Tech Tours that provide a behind-the-scenes look at the theater’s production aspects, including the loading dock, dressing rooms, and stage areas. These 75-minute tours give participants a chance to learn from production staff and see how shows come to life. Building tours of the Gammage Auditorium are also available by appointment. If you would like to tour ASU Gammage email tours@asugammage.com.
Location
Places to Stay in Tempe
Resources, Links & Products
- Grady Gammage: ASU’s man of vision by Dean Smith (1989)
- The Future of the Suburban City: Lessons from Sustaining Phoenix by Grady Gammage, Jr.
- Phoenix in Perspective: Reflections on Developing the Desert by Grady Gammage, Jr. (1999)
- Grady Gammage Memorial Auditorium: Designed by Frank Lloyd Wright by Frank Lloyd Wright (1964)
