Monday, December 23, 2024

Auditions for THE UNDERGROUND ADVENTURES OF A CARROT AND POTATO at East Valley Children's Theatre announced for January 7 & 8


Auditions are coming up for our next Main Stage Production of “The Underground Adventures of a Carrot and Potato.”

 Jan 7th and 8th (pick one day)
5pm, ages 8-11
7pm, ages 12-18

(Callbacks Jan 9th from 6-9pm)


A FREE audition workshop will be held on Saturday Jan 4, 9:30-11:30am.

Kids will learn more about the story, characters, and the unique vision of this production. Valuable audition techniques will be taught and a mock audition will prepare actors for the official audition process.

TheaterWorks’ Executive Director Chris Hamby Named 2024 Piper Fellow


TheaterWorks is proud to announce that its C.W. McMillin Executive Director, Chris Hamby, has been selected as one of the 2024 Piper Fellows by the Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust. This prestigious honor recognizes exceptional nonprofit leaders in Maricopa County and provides them with transformative opportunities for professional growth, reflection, and learning.

As one of only seven leaders selected for this year’s Piper Fellows cohort, Hamby joins an elite network of nonprofit changemakers dedicated to advancing their organizations and communities. The Fellowship provides up to $90,000 in potential grant awards to support the professional development of both the Fellow and their organization.

“I am deeply honored to receive a Piper Fellowship and this rare opportunity for renewal, exploration, and growth,” said Hamby. “Through this journey, I look forward to gaining new perspectives and innovative practices that will help me better serve our diverse and evolving community. This Fellowship will allow me to connect with leaders who are pushing the boundaries of arts engagement and return with fresh insights that empower TheaterWorks to create even greater impact.”

As Executive Director of TheaterWorks, Hamby has made significant strides in advancing the organization’s mission to engage, inspire, and connect the community through the performing arts. Since taking the helm, he has expanded educational programming to reach nearly 400 students annually, eliminated historical debt, and increased organizational revenue by nearly 50 percent. His visionary leadership has driven the development of award-winning programs that prioritize inclusivity and accessibility for diverse audiences, including youth and individuals with disabilities. Hamby’s contributions to the arts have been widely recognized, earning him accolades such as the Governor’s Arts Award and the Arts Hero recognition from Arizona Citizens for the Arts.

Through the Piper Fellowship, Hamby will embark on a customized learning journey that includes participation in the Shannon Leadership Institute, the Stanford Executive Program for Nonprofit Leaders, and the Disney Institute’s Leadership Excellence program. He will also conduct site visits to leading arts and community organizations in the Twin Cities, Nebraska, and Seattle, where he will study Creative Placemaking, Creative Aging strategies, and mentorship best practices. This immersive experience is designed to further strengthen his leadership capacity and position TheaterWorks as a pioneering force in arts engagement and education.

“Chris’s selection as a Piper Fellow is a testament to his unwavering commitment to innovation, inclusivity, and community impact,” said Director of Patron Development, Paul Pedersen. “His forward-thinking leadership has elevated TheaterWorks’ role as a vital cultural resource for the community. We are thrilled to see him receive this well-deserved recognition and opportunity for growth.”

The Piper Fellowship offers nonprofit executives the chance to pursue hands-on learning, engage with sector leaders, and foster new perspectives that strengthen their organization’s impact. Each Fellow’s experience is designed to promote personal and professional growth, while also enhancing the effectiveness and connectivity of their organizations.

Joining Hamby in the 2024 class of Piper Fellows are six other leaders from renowned organizations across Maricopa County, including Foundation for Senior Living, Childsplay, Arizona Educational Foundation, House of Refuge, Sonoran University of Health Sciences, and Down Syndrome Network.

For more information about the Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust and the Piper Fellowship program, visit pipertrust.org. For updates on TheaterWorks and Chris Hamby’s journey as a Piper Fellow, follow @theaterworksaz on Instagram, TheaterWorksLive on Facebook, or visit theaterworks.org.

WEEK AT GLANCE: December 23-December 29, 2024

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CLOSING:

Friday, December 20, 2024

Auditions for THE OLD MAN AND THE OLD MOON at TheaterWorks announced for January 11 & 12


TheaterWorks is thrilled to announce auditions for The Old Man and the Old Moon, an enchanting tale of adventure, love, and music! Directed by Chris Hamby with musical direction by Lincoln Wright, this production will showcase the talents of 7 multi-talented performers who are proficient in musical instruments.

 Audition Dates:
Saturday, January 11: 5 PM - 8 PM
Sunday, January 12: 11 AM - 2 PM

 Performance Dates:
March 28 - April 13, 2025

If you’re a versatile performer who can act, sing, and play a musical instrument, we want to see you!

Wednesday, December 18, 2024

The Bridge Initiative's “Tiny Beautiful Things” and “Crooked Shadows” To Play Tempe Center for the Arts



The Bridge Initiative returns to Tempe Center for the Arts with original productions of Tiny Beautiful Things and Crooked Shadows presented in repertory this winter. Both plays center strong female characters and use laughter and tears to explore healing. The performances run Friday, January 31st through Friday, February 7th, 2025, tickets $18-$25 (plus fees). These plays were identified and recommended by a selection committee of community volunteers and programmed by Bridge’s Producing Artistic Director Amie Bjorklund.

Tiny Beautiful Things is adapted for the stage by Nia Vardalos from Cheryl Strayed’s bestselling book. The New York Times writes that the play explores “the endangered art of listening to – and really hearing and responding to – other people.” When struggling writer Strayed was asked to take over the anonymous position of an advice columnist called “Sugar,” she used empathy and her personal experiences to help those seeking guidance for obstacles both large and small. The play personifies the questions and answers that “Sugar” published online from 2010-2012. Jodie L. Weiss plays Sugar, joined onstage by Debra K. Stevens, Shelly R. Trujillo, and Jillian Walker, in a production helmed by Director Elena Conti, with Stage Manager Courtney Kenyon, Lighting Designer Aurora J. Winger, Costume Designer Richard Mickey Courtney, Understudies Erin Buvala-Benites & Amanda Noel Trombley, and other creatives TBA.

Crooked Shadows is a one-woman play, written and performed by guest artist Shawneen Rowe, in residency from New York City. Crooked Shadows offers heartfelt stories from a vibrant Italian American home. As a granddaughter pieces together the stories of her grandma to solve a family mystery, she reaches a deeper understanding of her own experiences and uncovers a legacy of silent trauma. Rowe states, “Stories are gifts we give to each other. We laugh together. We cry together. We heal together... We need to step out of the shadows.” The play is directed by Daniela Crispo, with Stage Manager MJ Beckett and other creative collaborators TBA.

Various performance times January 31-February 7, 2025, at Tempe Center for the Arts, 700 W. Rio Salado, Tempe, AZ 85281. Tickets available in person at the box office, online at https://purchase.tempecenterforthearts.com/Events, or by calling 480.350.2822 - $25 general admission; $18 students/seniors/artists/educators (plus fees). 50% discount code will be announced at each performance for patrons to come back and see the other show. More info at bridgeinit.org. Content transparency: these plays include mature language and discussions of sexual assault, child abuse, substance abuse, death, suicide, grief, and other sensitive topics related to personal struggles and trauma.



Tuesday, December 17, 2024

Cast announced for SEUSSICAL THE MUSICAL at the Phoenix Theatre Company


Review Highlights: THE CHRISTMAS CAROL: A QUEER FANTASIA - All Queer Shakespeare

Anthony Martinez and Ryan Glover
Photo by Amber Pommerening-Wheeler
 

highlights from local critics reviews - (click link at bottom of each review to read complete review)

Click here for more information on this production that runs through December 21

"Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol" has had hundreds if not thousands of film, TV, and stage adaptations. One of the more recent ones, James Cougar Canfield's The Christmas Carol: A Queer Fantasia, puts a gay spin on this well-known tale. All Queer Shakespeare, one of the newest theatre companies in Phoenix, has chosen this play as their premiere production. While it's not Shakespeare and I have a few quibbles with the play and this production, it ties into the company's inclusive, gay-centric mission and makes for a fun yet still serious twist on this classic story....Canfield infuses a gay sensibility into the familiar story by making Scrooge a closeted gay man who had a relationship with Dick Wilkins before he chose money and fear from the feeling that being gay wouldn't have been accepted over simply being his true self...However, the play does lag a bit in spots and under Monica Sampson's direction, which is often quite good, there are some moments that could be tightened, especially in the second act which meanders....The cast is quite good, with each member bringing moments of depth and realism to their performances, making this timeless tale come alive in a fresh way. As Ebenezer Scrooge, Ryan Glover does a fine job balancing the character's initial bitterness and mean-spirited nature with moments of vulnerability and a nicely delivered gradual transformation to an acceptance of his true self. "  - Gil Benbrook, TalkinBroadway.com (click here to read the complete review)

Your first look at show photos from NARNIA THE MUSICAL at Places Productions












photos by  Lily Saba

Monday, December 16, 2024

The Evolution of Our Logo!




by Gil Benbrook

As part of the 10th anniversary of our launch, we wanted to give you a look back at the creation of our logo design. 

In the late summer of 2014, I had the idea for a website that would include information for all of the theatres in town (you can read more about this on the "Site Overview" tab at the top of the site). I knew a good website would need a memorable logo and that my fellow New York City to Phoenix transplant Hector Coris wasn't only a talented actor, singer, director, and marketing specialist but also a graphic designer so I approached him with my idea for the website and to see if he could help me with a logo design.

Hector asked what my ideas were for the logo so I sent him some logos I liked and told him that I wanted it to be bold, maybe use a cactus somehow and to see if he could also pull in the mountains or an outline of the mountains so it was clear we were in the desert but also with moutains around us to signify the valley. 

The top image above was the three possible ideas he came up with as his first attempt.

I told him that I wasn't crazy about the one on the upper left but I loved how bold the one in the upper right was. I also said that I really liked the moutain outline on the one at the bottom and asked if he could take the moutain outline and put it behind the one that I liked. I also said that I really wanted the red to be more of a Seodona red and not a cherry red. My husband looked at the ideas and said "why don't you make the T in Stages be the cactus?" 

Hector took our input and came up with the second image. My only suggestion: maybe move the mountain outline up a bit above the letters, so it's not hidden? 

And that was the short journey into how the PHX Stages logo was born!

Thanks for your continued support of PHX Stages over the last 10 years!

Review Highlights: DISNEY'S BEAUTY AND THE BEAST - Arizona Broadway Theatre

Kevin W. Egan and Ella Pearl Marcus
Photo by Alexxis Grant, Timeless Present Photos


highlights from local critics reviews - (click link at bottom of each review to read complete review)

Click here for more information on this production that runs through December 29

"Disney's Beauty and the Beast is a beloved stage musical based on the Oscar winning film. It's such a popular show that there have been four productions this fall in the Phoenix area. With a talented cast and stunning creative elements, including immersive three-dimensional sets and projections, Arizona Broadway Theatre's production is an enchanting and magical crowd pleaser....Under Joseph Martinez's warm direction, the ABT cast is excellent, with performances that bring heart and humor to the fairy-tale story. As Belle, Ella Pearl Marcus captures both the character's fierce independence and her warm, compassionate nature. Marcus' rich and bright vocals excel on her solos "Home" and "A Change in Me," and her expressive delivery conveys Belle's feisty yet guarded demeanor. Kevin W. Egan's portrayal of the Beast is equally compelling, with a nice balance that shows both the character's ferocity and his vulnerability....His singing voice is strong and clear and his rendition of "If I Can't Love Her" effectively highlights the Beast's inner turmoil."  - Gil Benbrook, TalkinBroadway.com (click here to read the complete review)

Your first look at THE CHRISTMAS BUS at Actors PLAYground Theatre Company











Review Highlights: TWIST OF THE MAGI - Theatre Artists Studio

Judy Rollings and Lauren Isherwood
Photo by Mark Gluckman

highlights from local critics reviews - (click link at bottom of each review to read complete review)

Click here for more information on this production that runs through December 22

"Debra Rich Gettleman took inspiration from O. Henry's classic Christmas tale, "Gift of the Magi," to create her farcical play Twist of the Magi, which she has set as a live radio play in a 1940s radio station. While it could be zanier than it is to really play into the farcical situations and comical characters she created, the cast and direction in Theatre Artists Studio's production are solid, which results in a fun and charming holiday outing suitable for the entire family....Gettleman has crafted a comedy that puts O. Henry's famous story front and center while also providing a fun assortment of wacky characters. ...However, as charming and humorous as the play is, there could be some additional moments to play into the zany characters and their relationships with each other, or moments, like in most farces, where the play goes off the skids and the cast has to get it back on track; here there is only one and it's resolved almost as soon as it begins...."  - Gil Benbrook, TalkinBroadway.com (click here to read the complete review)

WEEK AT GLANCE: December 16-December 22, 2024

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CLOSING:



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