By Mike Greife,
November 11, 2016
WARRENSBURG, MO – Hollywood producer and director Grant Curtis will return to his
hometown of Warrensburg and alma mater of the University of Central Missouri as the
featured guest and keynote speaker for “From Warrensburg to Hollywood…and Back,” at
7 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 30, in UCM’s James L. Highlander Theatre.
The gala red carpet event is sponsored by the College of Art, Humanities, and Social
Sciences and the UCM Alumni Foundation as a fundraiser for the ongoing Hendricks Hall
Renovation Project.
Curtis, whose credits include the “Spider-Man Trilogy,” “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles:
Out of the Shadows,” “Oz the Great and Powerful,” ESPN’s “Delaney” and “The Gift,”
will show clips from his movies and discuss his journey to becoming a successful Hollywood
producer and director. The event will also feature a question and answer session.
After receiving his master’s degree in mass communications from UCM in 1997, Curtis
wrote three screenplays before heading to Los Angeles, where he landed a job with
Hollywood director Sam Raimi, and a strong and lasting relationship was born.
“He has built a reputation on keeping his word and following through on what he promises—no
small feat in Hollywood,” Raimi wrote of Curtis.
Curtis has written two books, “The Spider-Man Chronicles: The Art and Making of Spider-Man
3” in 2007, and “The Art of Oz The Great and Powerful” in 2013. Curtis was the recipient
of the UCM Outstanding Recent Alumnus Award in 2002.
Photo opportunities on the red carpet will be available prior to and following the
event. A special reception preceding the event with hors d’oeuvres and drinks and
entertainment by The After Hours Trio will also be available for a limited number
of patrons at 6 p.m. with the purchase of a Backstage Pass.
Tickets for the event are $50 per person, or $75 per person with the Backstage Pass
included. Tickets and Backstage Passes are available online at ucmpas.com or by calling
the Central Tickets Box Office at 660-543-8888. Sponsorships for this gala event are
also available by calling Jeff Imboden at 660-543-4263.
For more information about Hendricks Hall and the Hendricks Hall Renovation Project,
visit hendrickshall.com.
