Review Highlights: THE NERD - Order Chaos Theater Company

Nat Tilden and Nick Philips
Photo by Jason Walz, Fourth Wall Photo Studio

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 October 4

"Larry Shue's The Nerd is a hilarious yet good-natured comedy that gets plenty of mileage from an increasingly outrageous situation. With a cast more than up to the challenges of Shue's zany script, and smart direction that leans into the wacky side of the plot and its eccentric characters, Order Chaos Theater Company's production embraces the play's larger-than-life humor while maintaining the warmth underneath....The cast is great. Nick Philips finds the humor in Rick Steadman's obliviousness without simply turning him into a cartoon character or a buffoon. Philips also fully commits to the character's bizarre behavior and obnoxious ways, delivering a performance that's wacky yet also endearing and creating a character he manages to make entirely lovable. Nat Tilden gives Willum Cubbert, the successful but somewhat socially awkward architect whose life is turned upside down by Rick's arrival, an appealing mixture of decency and exasperation which makes his growing frustration easy to identify with and understand."   - Gil Benbrook, TalkinBroadway.com (click here to read the complete review)

Review Highlights: SHE LOVES ME - Don Bluth Front Row Theatre

Cody DeLisa, Reece Harris, Meg Faraoni, Katie Allen, Hector Coris,
Isaac Greenland, and Clay Sanderson
Photo by Mark Gluckman

 

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Click here for more information on this production that runs through October 31

"The comical, charming, and romantic elements that have made She Loves Me such a beloved musical comedy since it debuted over 60 years ago are on full display in Don Bluth Front Row Theatre's extremely likable production. Warmly directed and well cast, the musical captures the sweetness and humor, as well as the many complications of falling in love with a wonderfully appealing ensemble of actors who play the comical characters surrounding the show's central romantic couple. The result is a production that entirely embraces the show's old-fashioned charm."   - Gil Benbrook, TalkinBroadway.com (click here to read the complete review)

Review Highlights: COME FROM AWAY - Fountain Hills Theater

The Cast
Photo by Patty Torrilhon

 

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Click here for more information on this production that runs through October 4

"About ten years ago, when I first heard that a musical about the events of September 11, 2001 was being developed and tried out at regional theatre companies, I was skeptical. I questioned why we needed a stage musical about such a painful and tragic moment in our history, and wondered what a musical could possibly add to our understanding of an event that had affected so many lives. I'm sure I wasn't alone in having those doubts. After having seen that show, Come from Away, on Broadway, on tour, in a regional production earlier this year, and on the 25th anniversary weekend of the event, it's understandable why this show has connected with so many. Instead of providing a salacious or sensationalized take on the events of what happened, it's a superb musical that focuses on people's compassion in times of need and the power of human kindness. Fountain Hills Theater's production of this Tony Award winning show has a lovely cast and rich direction that beautifully hits all of the highs and lows in the story and results in a moving, cathartic, and emotionally joyous celebration of life."   - Gil Benbrook, TalkinBroadway.com (click here to read the complete review)

Review Highlights: THE EXONERATED - The Black Theatre Troupe

Ken Love and Cast
Photo by Tim Trumble

  

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Click here for more information on this production that runs through September 27

"The Exonerated is an intriguing and thought-provoking play that demonstrates the human cost of our flawed justice system. Written by Jessica Blank and Erik Jensen, this compelling documentary-style drama gives voice to people who were convicted of crimes they did not commit and who spent years behind bars before being exonerated. In The Black Theatre Troupe's incredibly powerful production, the strong cast and spot-on direction create more than just a series of courtroom stories, they deliver an intimate, moving examination of injustice, perseverance, hope, and redemption."   - Gil Benbrook, TalkinBroadway.com (click here to read the complete review)

"This is a production of real craft in service of real urgency: beautifully directed, powerfully acted, and unwilling to let its audience leave comfortable. THE EXONERATED asks hard questions about who our justice system prioritizes. Black Theatre Troupe answers with theatre that demands to be seen and with a force that leaves the audience shaken, grateful, and angry in roughly equal measure."   - Herbert Paine, Broadway World (click here to read the complete review)

Review Highlights: ONCE UPON A ONE MORE TIME: HIGH SCHOOL VERSION at Greasepaint Youth Theatre

 

Riley Gerkin and Rob Foley
Photo by Funny For a Girl Productions

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Click here for more information on this production that runs through September 20

"Once Upon a One More Time is a fun, upbeat musical that proves Britney Spears' catalog of pop songs can provide the tunestack for a surprisingly entertaining stage musical that revises familiar fairy tales with a modern sensibility. Featuring close to two dozen of Spears' songs, including all of her biggest hits, the show cleverly weaves tunes including "Oops!... I Did It Again," "Lucky," "Circus," "Toxic," and "Stronger" into an original story rather than simply stringing together these familiar numbers into a backstage tale about Spears' career. Greasepaint Youth Theatre's production of the high school version of the show, which uses the same script and songs as the Broadway version, features an energetic cast and warm direction that makes for a fun combination of pop concert, fairy-tale comedy, and feminist fable."   - Gil Benbrook, TalkinBroadway.com (click here to read the complete review)

Review Highlights: SPINNING INTO BUTTER - Ghostlight Theatre

Kris McQuaid, Howie Johnson, Justin Harris, and Lynn Golden
Photo by Sheridan Wood

 

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Click here for more information on this production that runs through September 6

"Set on the campus of a small Vermont college, Rebecca Gilman's drama, Spinning into Butter, is a thought-provoking and provocative piece that examines race, prejudice, privilege, and the ways people realize and attempt to confront their own racial biases. It explores the difference between believing oneself to be tolerant and actually challenging and overcoming one's beliefs and their deeply ingrained attitudes about race. Although the play occasionally struggles with pacing, particularly during an extended monologue in the second act, Ghostlight Theatre's production is well cast and directed and offers an evocative exploration that asks difficult questions about and examines racial prejudices. First produced in 1999, the play still remains relevant today with racial conflicts that continue to make the daily news."   - Gil Benbrook, TalkinBroadway.com (click here to read the complete review)

Review Highlights: CATCH ME IF YOU CAN - Hale Centre Theatre

Tyler Brignone and Austin Delp
Photo by Nick Woodward-Shaw

 

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Click here for more information on this production that runs through October 3

"Catch Me If You Can may not have proven popular in its initial 2011 Broadway run, lasting only six months, but its catchy, jazz-infused score, intriguing book, and captivating characters make for a snazzy musical comedy. Hale Centre Theatre's current production is fantastic, with sure-footed direction and a cast who deliver excellent portrayals, including Joshua Ransford and Austin Delp as the two leads: a young con man on the run and the FBI agent trying to catch him....Director Cambrian James does a wonderful job in not only keeping the show moving at a quick pace but in ensuring the actors bring emotional weight to their roles while also instilling a wonderful 1960s sensibility in the actors' portrayals and in his wonderful choreography. ...understudy Joshua Ransford and Austin Delp.. both excel in their roles. Ransford has the perfect blend of youthful innocence and enthusiasm. His clear, powerful singing voice soars on his many songs and the charisma he brings to Frank instantly makes him a likable young man, even though he's a crook. Delp is fantastic as Hanratty. He gives weight and a nice emotional depth to the role of this overworked and somewhat lonely man"   - Gil Benbrook, TalkinBroadway.com (click here to read the complete review)

Review Highlights: THE PROM - Arizona Broadway Theatre

Lynzee Foreman, Dani Cleveland, Jamie Parnell,
Andy Meyers, and Cassandra Klaphake
Photo by Alexxis Grant, Timeless Present Photos

 

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Click here for more information on this production that runs through September 13

"The musical comedy The Prom may not have had a lengthy Broadway run but it's found a second life at regional theatre companies; I've seen four productions in town over the past three years and there have been many others in Phoenix as well. It's a bright and winning comedy, with a big heart, so it's understandable why it's been produced by so many companies. The current Arizona Broadway Theatre production features astute direction and wonderful performances from many company veterans who have, collectively, appeared in dozens of shows at the Peoria theatre company over the years. This makes for a knock-out presentation of this witty show that is not only a love letter to musical theatre but also a touching reminder about the power of acceptance and inclusion."   - Gil Benbrook, TalkinBroadway.com (click here to read the complete review)

"The 2018 Broadway musical THE PROM transforms what sounds like a groan-inducing premise into a sneakily moving musical; four self-absorbed Broadway actors descend on a small Indiana town to save a lesbian teenager and discover that becoming a decent human being requires more than finding the right cause on social media. Now shimmying and belting its heart out at Arizona Broadway Theatre in Peoria until September 13, writers Bob Martin and Chad Beguelin approach their musical as if BYE BYE BIRDIE was suddenly saddled with a social conscience.  It’s a valentine to golden-age musicals, but this time the themes and the jokes have teeth."   - David Appleford, Broadway World (click here to read the complete review)

Review Highlights: MEGALODON - Ronin Theatre Collaborative

Tim Lang and Lily Norton
Photo by Melody Knudson

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Click here for more information on this production that runs through August 23

"Nicholas Walker Herbert's Megalodon, which is having its world premiere at Ronin Theatre Collaborative, proves that theatre with a small cast and an even smaller budget can generate just as much intrigue and intimacy as any big-budget production. Blending dark humor, psychological drama, uncertainty, and moments of genuine tension, the play keeps audiences engaged while exploring themes of grief, obsession, loneliness, and guilt. Herbert crafts a character-driven work that gradually reveals its emotional depth. While there is some ambiguity, the talented cast and assured direction, along with the succinct script, make for an absorbing evening of thought-provoking theatre." 
  - Gil Benbrook, TalkinBroadway.com (click here to read the complete review)

Review Highlights: GRUMPY OLD MEN THE MUSICAL - Arizona Broadway Theatre

 

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Click here for more information on this production that runs through August 8

"Based on the popular 1993 film comedy of the same name, Grumpy Old Men: The Musical is a charming musical adaptation that delivers plenty of laughs while also celebrating the enduring value of friendship, family, and finding love when least expected. Arizona Broadway Theatre's production features a cast who lean into the comical sides of their characters while also ensuring the sweet charm of the show shines through....Like the film, the musical adaptation of Grumpy Old Men understands that, beneath its playful insults and comic rivalries, lies a genuinely touching story about human connection. It may not be the greatest musical created, but with a warm cast who deliver engaging performances, Arizona Broadway Theatre's production delivers plenty of laughs and a whole lot of heart."   - Gil Benbrook, TalkinBroadway.com (click here to read the complete review)

Review Highlights: LES MISÉRABLES - The Phoenix Theatre Company

Ethan Rogers and Geoffrey F. Belliston
Photo by Brennen Russell

 

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Click here for more information on this production that runs through October 18

"With rich, identifiable characters, a soaring score, and an epic tale of redemption that hits all of the emotions, it's easy to see why Les Misérables is one of the most successful stage musicals that continues to draw audiences into its story of forgiveness and hope. The Phoenix Theatre Company's production features a fantastic cast who infuse their roles and songs with emotion and energy, including a searing portrayal of Jean Valjean by Ethan Rogers and creative elements that are sublime. The end result is an incredibly solid production of this beloved musical."   - Gil Benbrook, TalkinBroadway.com (click here to read the complete review)

"a brilliant cast, gifted staging, and an impressive physical production that brings the now classic musical to an amazingly inspiring and truly magnificent staging…. This staging’s stunning achievement is a perfect cast of singing performers who bring the multiple characters to winning life.  The perfect cast begins with Ethan Rogers’ Valjean with his beautiful voice that brings such songs as “Bring Him Home” and “Who Am I?” to glowing musical perfection.  His acting allows audiences to understand his striving for equality. Geoffrey F. Belliston’s evil and sinister Javert is perfect."

   -Chris Curcio, Curtain Up Phoenix (click here to read the complete review)

"Rather than allowing the spectacle of revolution to overwhelm the story's emotional center, (director Brendan Stackhouse) continually returns us to the intimate moments where conscience quietly shapes destiny, giving his staging remarkable narrative clarity throughout. That clarity extends to Stackhouse's choreography. The ensemble becomes far more than a collection of citizens populating nineteenth-century Paris. It is the city's living heartbeat, constantly moving around characters whose private decisions ultimately carry greater weight than the political upheaval surrounding them. Whether in the bustling streets of the city or at the barricades, the ensemble reminds us that history unfolds in public squares and private souls."   - Herbert Paine, Broadway World (click here to read the complete review)

Review Highlights: BASKERVILLE: A SHERLOCK HOLMES MYSTERY - Don Bluth Front Row Theatre

Jacob Shore, Rachel Brumfield, David Seitz, Chris Fidler, and Matthew R. Harris
Photo by Mark Gluckman

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

"Arthur Conan Doyle's famous literary character Sherlock Holmes continues to be featured in films, TV shows, and plays, almost 140 years since he first appeared. Playwright Ken Ludwig, who is famous for his farcical hit comedies including Lend Me a Tenor, has written three Sherlock Holmes based shows for the stage, including Baskerville: A Sherlock Holmes Mystery, which premiered in 2015 and is a fairly faithful stage version of Conan Doyle's "The Hound of the Baskervilles." Don Bluth Front Row Theatre's production of the play features plenty of laughs, but the final result is a show where the comedy and the serious moments butt heads and create an odd balance of humor and drama... Fortunately, the cast and creative elements for this production are quite good....features a gung-ho cast who create many humorous characters and deliver several laugh out loud moments. ."  - Gil Benbrook, TalkinBroadway.com (click here to read the complete review)

Review Highlights: AVENUE Q - Arizona Broadway Theatre

 

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Click here for more information on this production that runs through July 19

"The winner of three 2004 Tony Awards, including Best Musical and Best Score, Avenue Q is a show full of R-rated humor and adult situations along with heartfelt life lessons that any adult will find relevant. With a wonderful cast and winning creative elements, Arizona Broadway Theatre is presenting a solid production of this hilarious musical....Director Nick Dalton has found a gifted cast who create humorous yet believable characters and who, along with his direction, do a great job balancing the comical and serious moments so the humor, which is a little risqué at times, never gets in the way of the show's charming messages. Dalton's choreography is fun and bright, and Adam Berger's music direction ensures every song is delivered with rich notes from the talented cast. Jamie Hohendorf-Parnell and Cody Burgoon's set, the costumes by JJ Hanley, and Tom Holmberg's lighting help to bring the street outside the apartment building and the rooms of its inhabitants vibrantly to life."   - Gil Benbrook, TalkinBroadway.com (click here to read the complete review)

Review Highlights: DISNEY'S THE LITTLE MERMAID - Hale Centre Theatre

The Cast
photo by Nick Woodward-Shaw

 

 

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Click here for more information on this production that runs through August 15

"...a humorous and charming family-friendly show and, with a fantastic cast and sublime creative elements, Hale Centre Theatre's production is excellent....This is the third time (Cambrian) James has directed and choreographed the show at Hale and his sharp direction ensures the comedic and romantic moments in the show shine bright. Hale's creative team pulls out all the stops, delivering a non-stop parade of colorful costumes by Brielle Hawkes, excellent immersive lighting by Avery Reagan that paints the floor and surrounding walls with shimmering light, evoking life under the sea, and a fantasy-filled set by McKenna Carpenter that also includes video projections to help quickly set each location. ... "Under the Sea" is simply superb with the combination of the strong cast and the incredibly impressive creative aspects reaching a crescendo in the number, which features fun dance moves, fantastic lighting, and day-glo costumes with bubbling effects that give a fantastic underwater effect. Hale's cast is great, presenting the famous animated characters they play while also adding fresh original nuances to their portrayals. As Ariel, Brianna McClure projects a perfect balance of youthful inquisitiveness and excitability. Reece Harris oozes charm and boyish exuberance as the very likable Prince Eric. McClure and Harris have rich singing voices that add vibrance to their many numbers and form a realistic duo you root to succeed to overcome their obstacles. Amanda Valenzuela is having a blast playing Ursula, as she injects every line and gesture with devilish glee and her brassy singing voice delivers knockout numbers, including a rousing "Poor Unfortunate Souls."   - Gil Benbrook, TalkinBroadway.com (click here to read the complete review)

Review Highlights: CATS - Arizona Broadway Theatre

The Cast
Photo by Alexxis Grant, Timeless Present Photos

  

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Click here for more information on this production that runs through July 25

"Few musicals are as simultaneously baffling and entertaining as Cats. This phenomenon has always been a show that relies more on spectacle than on depth, and Arizona Broadway Theatre's production embraces those qualities wholeheartedly. While the plot is bare-bones and even somewhat bewildering at times, ABT's production succeeds thanks to a fantastic cast that throws themselves completely into the material. Their commitment, energy, and talented dance skills help offset many of the show's shortcomings.... director and choreographer Kurtis Overby understands exactly what makes Cats work and leans fully into its strengths. This production radiates joy, playfulness, and wonder from start to finish; even I, a Cats curmudgeon, had a smile on my face many times. Overby's choreography is vibrant and athletic, capturing both feline grace and theatrical flair, while the musical numbers are staged with creativity."   - Gil Benbrook, TalkinBroadway.com (click here to read the complete review)

"the original CATS is undeniably kitschy. It’s weird, and really a bit much, but that’s the fun of it. With its leg-warmers, spandex, and performers prowling around like interpretive dancers in heat, CATS should be a laughingstock to anyone with an ounce of sophistication. And yet, somewhere between the junkyard set of the cat’s domain (which in this production is moved to the outdoor, neon-lit scrapyard of Las Vegas) and the guaranteed tear-stained reprise of Memory, something happens. This oddball pageant has such confident silliness and innocent theatrical zest that it sweeps you up before you know what’s happening. The evening is fluff and nonsense, yes, but fluff and nonsense that knows exactly what it’s doing, and on ABT’s stage, it does it well."   - David Appleford, Broadway World (click here to read the complete review)

Review Highlights: DISNEY'S BEAUTY AND THE BEAST: National Tour at ASU Gammage

Kyra Belle Johnson and Fergie L. Philippe
Photo by Matthew Murphy

 

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Click here for more information on this production that runs through July 3

"Disney's Beauty and the Beast remains one of the most beloved film and stage musicals, and the new current national tour production proves exactly why audiences continue to fall in love with it more than 30 years after the show first premiered. Featuring a superb cast, inspired direction, and breathtaking creative elements, the touring production captures all the magic, romance, humor, and heart that have made the story an audience favorite....The central performances are exceptional. Belle is portrayed with warmth, intelligence, and determination by Kyra Belle Johnson, capturing the character's independence while maintaining her compassion and optimism. Fergie L. Philippe delivers a deeply moving, yet also playful, performance as the Beast, balancing the character's ferocity with vulnerability and a quiet tenderness. "   - Gil Benbrook, TalkinBroadway.com (click here to read the complete review)

Review Highlights: EVIL DEAD, THE MUSICAL - Fountain Hills Theater

Daisha Hill and Grant West
Photo by Patty Torrilhon

 

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Click here for more information on this production that runs through June 28

"The 1980s saw dozens of low budget horror films that went on to be huge hits. One of those, 1981's The Evil Dead, became a cult classic that inspired several sequels, TV shows, and even comic books and video games. It also was turned into a stage musical, aptly named Evil Dead The Musical. The creators wisely chose not to attempt to make the musical adaptation as horrifying as the film, since attempting to create horror on stage isn't an easy task, instead making it a campy, satirical lovefest to the original film and its two sequels. Fountain Hills Theater's production features a cast who throw themselves into the humorous onstage shenanigans, along with smart direction and wonderful creative elements, resulting in a comical and joyful two-hour romp that fans of the films and musical comedies are sure to enjoy."   - Gil Benbrook, TalkinBroadway.com (click here to read the complete review)

Review Highlights: SHREK THE MUSICAL - Valley Youth Theatre

Erick Resendiz Jr., Jayvin Sumler, and Lucy Glow
Photo by Jenny Kaufman

 

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Click here for more information on this production that runs through June 28

"Shrek The Musical is the perfect example of a musical that didn't have a long Broadway run but has gone on to be a huge hit for regional theatre companies and schools across the country. Based on the series of animated films that started in 2001 and the 1991 book by William Steig, Shrek The Musical is a zany comedy with an upbeat score that also has a positive message about the importance of being yourself and that beauty can be found in all shapes and sizes. With fantastic leads and winning creative elements, Valley Youth Theatre's production is yet another example of the high caliber of shows this Phoenix staple continues to present."   - Gil Benbrook, TalkinBroadway.com (click here to read the complete review)

Review Highlights: DEAR EVAN HANSEN - The Phoenix Theatre Company

Mason Ballard
Photo by Brennen Russell

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Click here for more information on this production that runs through August 2

"After so many seasons of jukebox musicals and stage adaptations of films, it's refreshing when a new original musical comes along, especially one like Dear Evan Hansen which has a powerful score and a story filled with passion and emotion. Focusing on themes of loneliness and the desire for connection, and centering on mental health struggles, Dear Evan Hansen is a show infused with raw emotional depth. The Phoenix Theatre Company's production of this Tony-winning Best Musical features a fantastic cast, featuring Mason Ballard and Elyse Wolf providing phenomenal performances as Evan and his mother, and succinct direction that combine to create an emotionally resonating production."   - Gil Benbrook, TalkinBroadway.com (click here to read the complete review)

"Michelle Chin’s stellar staging is presented in the much smaller Hormel Theatre where you feel part of the show and gain its insightful impact.  The small musical – it only has eight characters – is perfectly suited to the theater’s intimate confines.  And the impeccable cast further brings the enlightening show to moving life.  At TPTC, local audiences can finally see why this musical is so trend-setting.    -Chris Curcio, Curtain Up Phoenix (click here to read the complete review)

"The great ache at the center of DEAR EVAN HANSEN is the simple, shattering idea that no one really knows what their children are going through. The musical says it out loud, over and over. It’s a world where one teen after another insists that their parents have no idea who they are. And yet the adults who are busy, flawed, but trying, keep believing that they do. It’s this gap between the ages, the space between the public face and the inner monologue, that gives the show its tremble. This production presented by The Phoenix Theatre Company and directed and choreographed with sensitivity by Michelle Chin gently underlines that tremor."   - David Appleford, Broadway World (click here to read the complete review)

Review Highlights: DRACULA, A COMEDY OF TERRORS

James Romney and Christopher James Stevens
photo by Tim Fuller

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Click here for more information on this production that runs through June 7

"Dracula, A Comedy of Terrors is a fun and frantic theatrical romp that humorously sinks its teeth into the classic Bram Stoker novel, “Dracula.” Gordon Greenberg and Steve Rosen’s fast-paced comedy embraces its own absurdity as soon as it starts and never lets up. The show had a successful Off-Broadway run two seasons ago and that production’s entire creative team, including co-writer Greenberg’s direction, has come to the Arizona Theatre Company for a run through June 7. With a committed cast that fearlessly throw themselves into the comedy’s hijinks with no reservations, it makes for a charming, funny, gender-bending, campy, gothic, theatrical love-fest that affectionately spoofs Stoker’s famous tale."   - Gil Benbrook, TalkinBroadway.com (click here to read the complete review)

“The ATC staging is a dandy of delight performed by an ensemble of five witty farceurs who portray the many characters with distinctive uniqueness in a never stopping production that is madly droll and always charmingly hilarious.  If madcap fun is something you desire when you attend live theater, “Dracula: A Comedy of Terror” is right up your alley.” 

 -Chris Curcio, Curtain Up Phoenix (click here to read the complete review)