From the newsroom to Broadway: ASU Cronkite alumnus to perform in 'Hello, Dolly!' at ASU Gammage

Arizona State University alumnus Connor Wince will return home to perform in the ensemble of Broadway’s “Hello, Dolly!” touring production at ASU Gammage on Jan. 8-13.  

“It’s very exciting to come back and do the show here,” Wince said. “I haven’t done a show in Arizona in probably four or five years. … It’s super exciting to be able to come back home and share the show with all my friends.”

Wince said he recalls memories from middle and high school where his parents took him to see Broadway shows at ASU Gammage.

“It honestly feels pretty wild to be switching sides, and now I’m going to be the one onstage.”

However, Wince did not initially pursue theater as an ASU undergraduate. In fact, he studied journalism at the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication and graduated with his bachelor’s degree in December 2014.

Wince was involved with acting during high school, but it was not until after his first two years in college that he realized he wanted to pursue a career involved in theater. In summer 2014, Wince took on the leading role in “Footloose” at Hale Theatre in Gilbert, Arizona, and it reminded him of where his passion truly lies. 

“It was the turning point for me, as much as I loved journalism and what I was studying in school ... it was a big realization that my heart really just loved theater and that it was really what I saw myself doing every day for my life,” Wince said.

Upon graduation, Wince moved to New York City and attended Pace University, where he received his bachelor of fine arts in musical theater.

“Hello, Dolly!” is not Wince’s first time traveling with a show; he also performed in the national tour of “The Little Mermaid” in 2017.

As for life on the road, Wince said there are some struggles associated with constant traveling. Nevertheless, when he has time to explore new destinations, he cherishes the opportunity to go on spontaneous and random adventures.

“It gets very tiring, but we have a really great group of people doing a show,” Wince said. “One of the best things about it is we get to see things that never in my life I would have been able to see.”  

Overall, Wince said “Hello, Dolly!” is a “wonderful little piece of history.”

“I think everybody’s going to really enjoy the show,” Wince said. “It’s a very beautiful piece of theater that honors old-school, traditional musical theater.”

"Hello, Dolly!" will be at ASU Gammage on Jan. 8-13. For tickets, go to asugammage.com.