PHX Stages

Saturday, November 8, 2025

16th Annual Festival of the Arts at the Herberger Theater Center announced for November 15

SAVE THE DATE FOR THE 16TH ANNUAL FESTIVAL OF THE ARTS AT THE HERBERGER THEATER CENTER

A Free, All-Day Celebration of Music, Dance, Art, and Community

The Herberger Theater Center is thrilled to announce the 16th Annual Festival of the Arts, happening Saturday, November 15, 2025, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. This free community event will transform the outdoor spaces of the Herberger Theater into a vibrant, creative playground for all ages.

From two lively stages showcasing 30+ performances in music, dance, and theater to hands-on kids’ activities in the Phoenix Art Museum Kids Zone, live art in motion, and a bustling market of local makers, the Festival of the Arts offers something for everyone. Applaud Valley favorites like Ballet Folklorico Quetzalli-AZ, Phoenix World Collective, vocalist Lisa Hightower, The Zoniez, Fushicho Daiko Dojo, and Phoenix Youth Circus Arts. Guests can explore captivating art demonstrations, discover handcrafted treasures from Arizona’s finest artisans, indulge in bites from local food trucks, and sip from the beer and wine garden.

“Our goal is simple: open the doors wide and let the arts do what they do best—connect us. Thanks to our partners and the extraordinary artists participating, this year’s festival promises a full day of discovery, delight, and community pride. I’m thrilled to see our campus come alive with artists, families, and neighbors celebrating together. This festival is a love letter to Phoenix—where youth ensembles share the stage with seasoned performers, where discovery is around every corner, and where access to the arts remains accessible for all.”

- Cescily Wiener, Director of Community Engagement

Last year’s Festival of the Arts was a citywide celebration, drawing 2,750 people to experience the magic in person while another 7,682 joined the festivities via livestream. The day featured 27 incredible performing groups and 36 talented vendors, filling downtown Phoenix with art, music, flavor, and community spirit from morning to night.

Whether you’re a longtime arts supporter or just looking for a fun, family-friendly way to spend a

Saturday, the Herberger Theater Center Festival of the Arts promises inspiration, connection,

and pure artistic joy.

Mark your calendars for Saturday, November 15, 2025, and join us downtown for this unforgettable celebration of creativity!

For more information, visit HerbergerTheater.org

Arizona Theatre Company taps new L.A.-area performing arts leader as new Executive Director

Arizona Theatre Company (ATC), the official state theatre of Arizona, today announced Ana Rose O’Halloran as its new Executive Director to lead statewide operations. O’Halloran is a nonprofit and performing arts executive with more than 17 years of experience leading arts organizations in strategic planning, fundraising, programming and operations in the greater Los Angeles area.

“Ana Rose is an artist and community-centered leader who hails from one of the most robust and competitive, metropolitan and international performing arts centers in the country,” said Kasser Family Artistic Director Matt August. “She is a formidable fundraiser, having led multi-million capital development campaigns, and brings proven operational excellence and inspired visionsetting for professional theatres. The two of us will soar working together, taking ATC into a thrilling new era.”

Arts Consulting Group (ACG) was engaged by ATC’s Board Search Committee to conduct a nationwide search, with Vice President Flora Stamatiades and Senior Consultant Ernest Figueroa leading the search. In collaboration with ACG, and with wide input from board, staff, donors,

and community constituents, O’Halloran was selected from a competitive pool of national and

international applicants.

Since 2015, O’Halloran served as Executive Director, and then as Producing Executive Director, of Antaeus Theatre Company in Los Angeles. For Antaeus, she produced more than 25 acclaimed productions, guided the organization through significant growth, including a $3-million capital campaign, record fundraising, expanded audiences, and launched innovative programming such as The Zip Code Plays: Los Angeles, a live-event and video tour, promoting local culture that reached more than 100,000 listeners worldwide. Previously, O’Halloran held senior leadership roles and oversaw expansion of national programs at The Pablove Foundation, a nonprofit organization in Los Angeles dedicated to improving the lives of children with cancer through arts programming and research grants. Her fundraising career began at Center Theatre Group, the largest LORT member theatre in Los Angeles, where she contributed to a $10M annual fundraising goal, managing corporate sponsors, individual donors, and donor communications.

“In partnership with our board, Ana Rose will play a critical role in shaping ATC's future for years to come,” said Pat Engels, chair of ATC's board of trustees. “ATC’s leadership in the arts and culture community will continue to thrive with Ana Rose. Our statewide, regional and national impact will grow, allowing us to deepen relationships with supporters of the arts across the state and country.”

“I am deeply committed to strengthening the arts and expanding access to live theater as a cornerstone of vibrant civic life,” said Ana Rose O’Halloran, ATC’s new executive director. “I’m eager to continue my lifelong advocacy for the arts with Arizona Theatre Company and am excited to become immersed in the Phoenix and Tucson area communities.”

O’Halloran holds an MFA in Theatre Management from California State University, Long Beach, and dual BFA degrees in Theatre Management and Performance from Ohio University.

For more information about ATC’s current season and other updates, please visit atc.org.

Friday, November 7, 2025

Auditions for LEGALLY BLONDE at Queen Creek Performing Arts Center announced for December 12 & 13

The QCPAC is excited to announce our Legally Blonde Auditions

Ages:

14 – Adult (Those auditioning must be 14 by auditions)

Audition Dates & Times:

Friday December 12th, 5:30 – 8:00 p.m.

Saturday December 13th, 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.

Audition Location:

Check in will be located in the Choir room on QCHS Campus. A map will be emailed the day before auditions.

Thursday, November 6, 2025

BRING IT ON - Actor's Youth Theatre - November 12-21, 2025

Campbell is cheer-royalty at Truman High School and her senior year should prove the most cheertastic — she's been named captain of the squad! But, an unexpected redistricting has forced her to spend her final year of high school at the neighboring Jackson High School. Despite having the deck stacked against her, Campbell befriends the school's dance crew. Together with their headstrong and hardworking leader, Danielle, they form a powerhouse squad for the ultimate competition — the National Championships.

Life Community Church

717 W Ray Rd. Gilbert, AZ

CLICK HERE for more information, and to purchase tickets

Review Highlights: & JULIET - National Tour/ASU Gammage

The Cast
Photo by Evan Zimmerman

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 November 9

"& Juliet is a fun and engaging show that's part rewrite of Shakespeare and part pop anthem jukebox musical. The national tour features a cast that radiates energy and joy. The show depicts a world in which Juliet rewrites her own fate, and the result is delightfully fun and emotionally resonating....Luke Sheppard's direction keeps the momentum brisk and the tone playful while allowing moments of genuine warmth and self-discovery to shine through. The combination of the playful direction with the inventive book and familiar pop hits plays up the fun aspect of the show and, along with the intriguing and realistic characters, makes this a musical that feels fresh and timely rather than just another jukebox musical of hit pop tunes shoe-horned into a lackluster story." - Gil Benbrook, TalkinBroadway.com (click here to read the complete review)

"it’s as if William Shakespeare was handed a bedazzled microphone and told to start writing Romeo and Juliet all over again, only this time he should make it a fizzy, whirling pop fantasia that pulses with enough pop/rock earworms to play in your head on an endless loop for days....You’d think a Shakespearean jukebox musical would crash and burn under the weight of its own kitsch. But instead, & Juliet tosses its hair and, like Katy Perry, roars. Quite literally." - David Appleford, Broadway World (click here to read the complete review)

Wednesday, November 5, 2025

Auditions for TARZAN at Shine Theatre Company announced for December 5 & 7

CLICK HERE for more information and to register

Review Highlights: LOOKING OVER THE PRESIDENT'S SHOULDER at The Phoenix Theatre Company

Kelcey Watson
Photo by Billy Hardiman

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 14

"James Still's Looking Over the President's Shoulder is a one-man show about Alonzo Fields, who served as the head butler in the White House for two decades. The play, inspired by Fields' own memoir, "My 21 Years in the White House," captures the unique perspective of a man who witnessed history from just outside the spotlight, serving four presidents from Hoover to Eisenhower. While The Phoenix Theatre Company's production is well cast and directed and succeeds in shedding light on Fields' remarkable life and the quiet dignity with which he carried out his work, Still's play is somewhat uneven in tone and pacing, resulting in a piece that is intriguing but also disjointed." - Gil Benbrook, TalkinBroadway.com (click here to read the complete review)

"Taking an insightful look at how four different men handled their Presidential duties through the thoughtful eyes of The White House’s Chief Butler is the premise of “Looking Over the President’s Shoulder,” The Phoenix Theatre Company’s superb one-man show." -Chris Curcio, Curtain Up Phoenix (click here to read the complete review)

"There are stories that shout history, and there are stories that whisper it. James Still’s LOOKING OVER THE PRESIDENTS SHOULDER, now at The Phoenix Theatre Company through December 14th under Chanel Bragg’s sure-handed direction, belongs firmly to the latter. In this one-man play, history unfolds through the recollections of Alonzo Fields. For more than two decades, he stood deferential yet dignified, serving four U.S. presidents as chief butler and witnessing history from its margins." - Herbert Paine, Broadway World (click here to read the complete review)

Tuesday, November 4, 2025

Your first look at the National Tour of & JULIET at ASU Gammage

photos by Evan Zimmerman

CLICK HERE for more information on this production, which runs through November 9

Review Highlights: LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS - Valley Youth Theatre

Eli Franklin, Luke Chester, and Emily Anton
Photo by Jenny Kaufman

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 November 16

"Alan Menken and Howard Ashman's Little Shop of Horrors may be one of the most perfect musicals ever written, with Ashman's excellent book and lyrics and Ashman's impressive score that blend comedy, horror, and heart in equal measure. In Valley Youth Theatre's production, that mix of humor and menace comes through beautifully, thanks to fantastic creative elements along with skilled direction and a cast of talented teens who not only understand the quirky tone of the show but also perform it with skill, precision, and infectious energy...VYT's production perfectly plays up the show's blend of satire and sincerity. Michelle Chin's direction is smart and filled with clever original touches that elevate the material while keeping it faithful to Ashman and Menken's vision." - Gil Benbrook, TalkinBroadway.com (click here to read the complete review)