Artslandia at the Performance: Portland Playhouse Nov/Dec 2014 | Page 25

FROM THE DESK OF

FROM THE DESK OF TOM SESSA

DIRECTOR OF BOOKING, SALES
AND MARKETING | PORTLAND’5
CENTERS FOR THE ARTS

A

20-year veteran of the music industry, Tom Sessa has experience in all
areas of concert production including talent buying, marketing, ticketing,
and food and beverage service. He recently left his job as general manager at the
Aladdin Theater to take the busy post at Portland’5 Centers for the Arts as their
director of booking, sales and marketing. Sessa is also an experienced musican,
performing over the past 12 years with the Oregon Symphony, Portland
Opera, Oregon Ballet Theatre and Portland Revels. When he is not working
or performing, he enjoys spending time golfing, drinking scotch whiskey and
searching for the perfect chocolate chip cookie with his wife, Shannon, and their
German Shepherd, Gillespie.

Number of shows
last year Tom:

50
WORKED ABOUT

(SAW MAYBE 8)

RECEIVES OVER
60 EMAILS PER DAY

20

YEARS AT THE
ALADDIN
THEATER

2012 HERO TO THE ARTS AWARD
PRESENTED BY BUSINESS FOR
CULTURE AND THE ARTS

10

Number of
resident
companies at
Portland’5?

HIS GRANDDAUGHTER

5

HIS WIFE

NUMBER OF
LOCAL COMPANIES
THAT TOM HAS
PERFORMED WITH

“WOLFIE”
MOZART

5

people on
Tom’s team

AN APPLE
A DAY ...

Percentage
of Portland’5
shows that are local

“FOUR MOODS
OF BUDDHA”
STATUETTE

80

OVER

15,000
FACEBOOK
FOLLOWERS

BIG RED
SOX FAN

5 HOURS
QUICKEST
SELL OUT
AT PORTLAND’5

HIS DOG,
GILLESPIE

Strangest
rider request
1 TEDDY BEAR
2 HANDCUFFS
1 PAIR OF UNDIES

DAVE CHAPPELLE

Longest rider
request in pages

56

575

VOLUNTEERS AT
PORTLAND’5

PHOTO BY RAINA STINSON.
ARTSLANDIA AT THE PERFORMANCE NOVEMBER | DECEMBER

25