Monday, July 31, 2023

Review Highlights: RENT - Scottsdale Desert Stages Theatre

Jeremy Yampolsky (front), and Cast Photo by Jason K. Walz

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 August 6

"After becoming a cultural phenomenon upon opening in 1996, Jonathan Larson's musical Rent went on to win the Tony Award for Best Musical and the Pulitzer Prize for Drama... the musical's strong sense of community and of friends coming together to help each other out still rings strong. Featuring a talented cast in their late teens and twenties, Scottsdale Desert Stages Theatre is presenting a fairly solid production of this much-loved rock and pop musical....While there were some technical challenges on opening night, mainly due to an errant sound system and some glitches in the light design, the Desert Stages cast are quite good, with solid stage presence, clear portrayals, and respectable singing voices, although some struggle slightly due to the heavy demands of the rock score. ...Co-directors Mark and Lynzee 4man instill an appropriate sense of importance and urgency in the production with a cast who create believable portrayals. "  - Gil Benbrook, TalkinBroadway.com (click here to read the complete review)

Cast announced for YOU'RE A GOOD MAN, CHARLIE BROWN at Inspire Theatre Company



Auditions for FOUR DOGS AND A BONE and ROMEO AND JULIET at Glendale Community College announced for August 16 & 31



For more information, contact David Seitz at david.seitz@gccaz.edu

WEEK AT A GLANCE: July 31-August 6, 2023

Click on any show title to get more information on that production

And Click Here for a complete day by day calendar of what shows are playing.

CLOSING:








Sunday, July 30, 2023

Review Highlights: ON GOLDEN POND - Don Bluth Front Row Theatre

Barbara McBain and Joe Musil
Photo by Stephanie Cartwright

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 September 2

"Ernest Thompson's play On Golden Pond (is) fairly predictable, it's also a rich and amusing comedy full of dramatic moments and identifiable characters and situations...Under Diedra Celeste Miranda's warm, thoughtful, and clear direction, the cast all excel, especially Joe Musil as Norman and Barbara McBain as Ethel. With a sharp, deadpan delivery, perfect comic timing that gets big laughs from each of Norman's witty lines, and a warmth in the character that changes as he encounters the teenage Billy and comes to have an understanding with Chelsea, Musil is practically perfect as the irritable, curmudgeonly, and set in his ways Norman. As Ethel, McBain may not have as showy of a role, but the connection she has with Musil creates a realistic depiction of the strong bond this couple has after being together for almost 50 years. ...may be a relatively simple story with a fairly predictable outcome, but it has situations and characters that many will recognize and identify with."  - Gil Benbrook, TalkinBroadway.com (click here to read the complete review)

"the play has retained a long shelf life, in large part due to the success of the eponymous film for which Thompson wrote the screenplay and for which he won the Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay in 1981. Add to that a series of memorable performances by superstars and you have a winner! In an otherwise pleasant production, seasoned with flashes of humor and sentimentality, the play thrives around the solid performances of Joe Musil as Norman Thayer, Jr. and Barbara McBain as his wife Ethel. The two veterans of Valley theatre enjoy a palpable chemistry that infuses the play with special moments of tenderness and sharp-witted banter."  - Herbert Paine, Broadway World (click here to read the complete review)

YOU’RE A GOOD MAN CHARLIE BROWN - Inspire Theatre Company - August 31-September 9, 2023

MATILDA JR - Inspire Theatre Company - November 9-11, 2023

THE SECRET GARDEN - Inspire Theatre Company - October 12-21, 2023



Auditions:  Aug. 4-5 (All ages. Roles for adults and some children)

A CHRISTMAS CAROL - Inspire Theatre Company - December 15-23, 2023

PRIDE AND PREJUDICE - Inspire Theatre Company - February 22-March 2, 2024

THE LIGHTNING THIEF — The Percy Jackson Musical - Inspire Theatre Company - March 26-April 6, 2024

Cast announced for LES MISERABLES: SCHOOL EDITION at Limelight Performing Arts





DISNEY THE LION KING, JR - Inspire Theatre Company - April 25-27, 2024


Saturday, July 29, 2023

Your first look at RENT at Scottsdale Desert Stages Theatre

CLICK HERE for more information on this production, which runs through August 6










photos by Jason K. Walz

Auditions for SEVEN BRIDES FOR SEVEN BROTHERS at State 48 Theatre Company announced for August 17 & 18


Based on the classic film, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers is an authentic piece of Americana, a time-tested romantic comedy with a special, contemporary relevance. Bringing the raucous Oregon frontier from the screen to the stage, it is a crowd-pleasing hit that has audiences cheering from the opening scene to the curtain call. Saddle up for a joyride in this tale of stubborn men and cunning women.

The men in question are Adam and his six unruly brothers, who think they know what a woman’s place is and how to keep her there. It takes Milly, Adam’s spirited new wife, and six other savvy women to show them who’s the boss.

As a film, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers delighted audiences with its whirlwind romances, memorable songs, and iconic choreography, and this energetic and adventurous staged version does the same. With its large ensemble, the show is perfect for community theatres and university and college productions that want to showcase a wide range of talent and guarantee everyone a starring moment.

Audition Dates: August 17th and 18th

Ages: 12-19

Audition Location:

State 48 Theatre Company
2055 S Power Rd.
(Old Power Square Mall)
Mesa, 85209

Your first look at GREEN DAY’S AMERICAN IDIOT at Scottsdale Community Players






















Photos by Laura Durant