SANTA CLARITA – Tom Brokaw has cancelled his speaking engagement at the Vital Express Center for the Performing Arts that was scheduled for May 25.  Brokaw notified the college this week that he is unable to appear due to a shift in the schedule for a documentary he has promised to do for NBC.

Brokaw was to be the final of three speakers sponsored by the College of the Canyons Foundation for the 2004/05 season.  Mike Ditka and the Motley Fool were the other two.

"We are sorry that we won't be able to bring Tom Brokaw to the Santa Clarita Valley," said Kathleen Maloney, Executive Director of the COC Foundation, "but the caliber of speakers we included in this year's speaker's series is such that they are always in demand and unavoidable scheduling conflicts do happen from time to time."

According to Maloney, no discussions have been held regarding rescheduling Brokaw to speak in the Center during the remainder of the current season, since Brokaw will be dedicated to another project for some time.  

Current ticket holders will each be notified by mail regarding refund options.  Currently, those options are to exchange the ticket(s) for a ticket(s) to Motley Fool on April 20; to receive a full refund; or to have the opportunity to make a tax-deductible donation of the ticket price to the College of the Canyons Foundation.  The Foundation's mission is to raise funds for scholarships and other programs that enhance the college's ability to provide an enriched educational experience for students.

"Even though we won't have Tom Brokaw this season," said Vital Express Center Director, Karen Schmidt, "we do have very entertaining events in the Center through May — from college theater, music and dance performances, to the Motley Fool on April 20th, to the Acting Company's presentation of Turn of the Screw, to a marvelous Faculty Artist Evening on April 22, and much more!"

 
The complete listing of April and May events can be found at: www.VitalExpressCenter.com