When Khris Dodge came to Tucson for college in 1989, he only planned on staying in town long enough to get his undergraduate degree. The Pennsylvania native had spent most of his formative years in Phoenix and the self-proclaimed “city boy” wasn’t keen about Tucson’s desert landscapes and natural vegetation.
Fast-forward more than two decades and now Khris decisively calls Tucson home. As a well-established musician in the Tucson community, Khris Dodge Entertainment is the natural evolution of 20 plus years’ involvement in Tucson’s music scene.
After earning both his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from the University of Arizona, where he studied with luminaries such as Gary Cook and Jeff Haskell, Khris embarked on a multi-faceted career that has included roles as Principal Percussionist with Arizona Opera, Section Musician (percussion and keyboard) with the Tucson Symphony Orchestra, Music Director for Invisible Theatre and as a featured performer at many venues around southern Arizona. He has also played for several Broadway in Tucson productions, including Wicked, The Book of Mormon and Jersey Boys.
Khris’ skills as both a performer and arranger led to the founding of Khris Dodge Entertainment in 2015. He had created arrangements and built shows for other production companies and decided that it was time to take the plunge into business ownership. His first show, To Ella, with Love is emblematic of the types of shows that Khris creates: he brings great people together to produce great shows.
Countless hours go into the planning and execution of each Khris Dodge Entertainment production; from planning to research to arranging to show preparation and rehearsal. And all along the way, it’s a family affair. Khris’ three children (Madison – 20, Rylande – 16, Harrison – 11) have a hand in every show, whether it’s on stage performing, running lights or sound, or greeting patrons in the lobby after the show. Courtney, Khris’ wife of 22 years, maintains a low profile but does a lot of the behind the scenes work to keep things running smoothly.
2016-2017 have been and will continue to be a busy time for Khris. Big Top Broadway and Nick Gallardo in Concert debuted in 2016 and will be part of larger tours in 2017 and five brand new, original shows will premier in 2017.