Sun Devil senior student-athletes along with several other special guests were treated to a memorable experience with a viewing of "Kings of Harlem," courtesy of Vice President for University Athletics Ray Anderson and his wife Buffie.
The 5th annual event, which began in 2016 when student-athletes viewed "Black Angels Over Tuskegee" at Galvin Playhouse, is a tradition the Anderson's created to expose student-athletes to an educational, cultural, arts-oriented evening many have not experienced in their young lives.
"The outcome of this experience is to provide something new," Buffie stated. "Being in an environment that maybe they've never been in before. We found out after the first year that many of the student-athletes have never been to theatre."
That idea has blossomed over the years and the Anderson's have delivered a unique experience each time, including a showing of "The Last Gold," at Galvin Playhouse in 2017 followed by unforgettable performances of "Hamilton" in 2018 and "Wicked" in 2019 at Gammage Auditorium.
This years' experience had a familiar feel to several Sun Devils and was held on the court of Desert Financial Arena. The 90-minute show brought the audience back to Harlem, NY and followed the journey of 1939 Harlem Rens basketball team, the all-black pro team, which was founded several years before the well-known Harlem Globetrotters.
The play not only provided a distinctive history lesson to those in attendance but life lessons through the character portrayals of each player on the roster and their beloved coach.
"I think this fantastic Senior Experience is a way to connect and showcase what allows us to be here," offered University President Michael Crow. "What gives us these opportunities for everyone to be on our teams, everyone to move forward and everyone to advance their lives. This Senior Experience really helps do that."
The 5th annual event, which began in 2016 when student-athletes viewed "Black Angels Over Tuskegee" at Galvin Playhouse, is a tradition the Anderson's created to expose student-athletes to an educational, cultural, arts-oriented evening many have not experienced in their young lives.
"The outcome of this experience is to provide something new," Buffie stated. "Being in an environment that maybe they've never been in before. We found out after the first year that many of the student-athletes have never been to theatre."
That idea has blossomed over the years and the Anderson's have delivered a unique experience each time, including a showing of "The Last Gold," at Galvin Playhouse in 2017 followed by unforgettable performances of "Hamilton" in 2018 and "Wicked" in 2019 at Gammage Auditorium.
This years' experience had a familiar feel to several Sun Devils and was held on the court of Desert Financial Arena. The 90-minute show brought the audience back to Harlem, NY and followed the journey of 1939 Harlem Rens basketball team, the all-black pro team, which was founded several years before the well-known Harlem Globetrotters.
The play not only provided a distinctive history lesson to those in attendance but life lessons through the character portrayals of each player on the roster and their beloved coach.
"I think this fantastic Senior Experience is a way to connect and showcase what allows us to be here," offered University President Michael Crow. "What gives us these opportunities for everyone to be on our teams, everyone to move forward and everyone to advance their lives. This Senior Experience really helps do that."