photos courtesy Valley Youth Theatre
Thursday, March 3, 2022
Auditions for NUNSENSE at Fountain Hills Theater announced for March 19 & 20
Fountain Hills Theater announces the auditions for the musical Nunsense by Dan Goggins
Five survivors at the Little Sisters of Hoboken nunnery, the rest of the sisterhood having succumbed to botulism after eating vichyssoise prepared by Sister Julia, Child of God, stage a variety show to raise funds so that the last four of the dearly departed can be buried. It’s so funny it really should be sinful! Nunsense is presented through Special Arrangement with Concord Theatricals.
Nunsense is directed and choreographed by Noel Irick. Musical Director is Robin Peterson.
Nunsense will play May 6 - 22, 2022. (Possible extension to May 29.)
Auditions will be held Saturday, Mar. 19 @ 10:00am and Sunday, Mar. 20 @ 6:00pm. Callbacks (if required) Monday, Mar. 21 @ 7:00pm.
Fountain Hills Theater, 11445 N Saguaro Blvd., Fountain Hills, AZ 85268
Audition sign up 480-837-9661 X 3 or www.fhtaz.com/auditions
Auditioners are asked to sing 16- 32 bars of a song that best shows off their voice and range, this will be followed by a dance audition. Early video auditions - which must be submitted prior to March 19 – may be submitted and can substitute for appearing at the Saturday or Sunday auditions. The video should include a song showing off your voice and range and a 1 minute dance routine demonstrating the extent of your dance training. However, if chosen from a video audition, candidates will be required to appear in person at the Monday callbacks. Video auditions should be sent to peter@fhtaz.org. FHT prefers and encourages auditioners to be vaccinated.
Characters ages are not set in stone. Actors should consider roles if they feel they can represent the age ranges listed.
Casting for:
Sister Mary Regina Female, 45+
Mother Superior - Outrageous, quick-witted, knows how to get a laugh, tries to convince you that she is strict, but everyone knows that her “bark is worse than her bite”, Vocal range: F(3)-D(5) Mezzo or Alto range, Jazz/Swing style.
Ethnicity: All Ethnicities
Sister Mary Hubert: Female, 35-45
Kind, always tries to be understanding and diplomatic, teaches the Novices the ground rules, and is supposed to be dignified - but with the slightest bit of encouragement, she is ready to kick up her heels, Vocal range: F(3)-C(5) Mezzo or Alto range, Gospel style.
Ethnicity: All Ethnicities
Sister Robert Anne: Female, 35-40
A tough streetwise nun who has a heart of gold, adored by kids because she speaks their language, a constant source of aggravation for Mother Superior, Vocal range: F#(3)-F(5) Mezzo or Alto range, Show Belter/ballad styles.
Ethnicity: All Ethnicities
Sister Mary Amnesia: Female, 20-40
The picture of innocence, lost her memory when a crucifix fell on her head, can't remember her past, and so she looks at each day with a childlike joy, has a puppet alter ego named Sister Mary Annette (ventriloquism and puppet experience are a plus but not required), Vocal range: G(3)-D(6) High Soprano range, Broadway and Country style.
Ethnicity: All Ethnicities
Sister Mary Leo (Supporting): Female, 25-40
A former professional dancer, always eager to display her talent, impressionable, entered the convent to become the first ballerina nun.
Ethnicity: All Ethnicities
Wednesday, March 2, 2022
Cast Announced for FARINELLI AND THE KING at Southwest Shakespeare Company
Farinelli … MILES DAVID ROMNEY
King Phillip V of Spain/ Tailor ... BEAU HECKMAN
Queen Isabella of Spain … MELODY KNUDSON
de la Cuedra, Chief Minister of Spain … JIM COATES
Jethro/Miguel … GUSTAVO A. FLORES
Dr Cervi … BRANDON GRAY
John Rich … BEN TYLER
Talking CHESS with the two leads of Scottsdale Desert Stages' production of this rarely produced musical
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| Zac Bushman and Nicholas Hambruch photo by Jason K. Walz |
by Gil Benbrook
15 years before the music of the pop group ABBA exploded onto the stage in the hit musical Mamma Mia!, the group's songwriting duo of Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus wrote music for another stage production, Chess. Along with long time Andrew Lloyd Webber collaborator Tim Rice, who contributed lyrics and co-wrote the book, the musical had a fairly successful run in London but flopped on Broadway.
The musical is set in the 1980s and tells the story of two chess players, Freddie, who is American, and the Russian, Anatoly, who are competing in an international chess match in Bangkok while the Cold War tensions of that time period are always present.
Chess was first released as a concept album that spawned the hugely successful hit song "One Night in Bangkok" as well as "I Know Him So Well," which went to #1 on the UK charts. The musical has received numerous concert productions and has been re-worked several times, including for a 2018 London revival, but it's a show that isn't often produced even though the score has many wonderful songs.
Scottsdale Desert Stages presents the musical for a three week run from March 4-March 20 which features Zac Bushman and Nicholas Hambruch as Freddie and Anatoly, respectively. In between final rehearsals for the show, Bushman and Hambruch sat down to answer some questions about the show.
Chess was a fairly big hit in London but flopped on Broadway and has been rarely produced in the US in the last 30 years. It's understandable that most people aren't that familiar with this musical, so what would you tell them it’s about?
Zac Bushman (Freddie): "It’s about a Chess championship match between America and Soviet Russia in the 80’s. Although the focus is much more on the politics and drama surrounding the match as opposed to the actual game of chess."
How familiar with the show were you before you auditioned?
Nick Hambruch (Anatoly): "Decently! I have of course heard some of the hit songs such as “Anthem” “Pity the Child” “One Night in Bangkock” etc. but midway through quarantine I decided to check the show out. It’s fascinating because there are so many completely different versions of the show. Some versions are almost completely sung through like Les Mis, and there are other versions like ours that have an actual script and treat it as a proper book show.
Bushman: I had heard a couple of the songs but honestly didn’t know anything about the plot of the show. Much less about Freddie Trumper.
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| Zac Bushman, Nicholas Hambruch, and the cast of Chess in rehearsals photo by Jason K. Walz |
What can you tell us about your character, and why did you want to play him?
Hambruch: "Anatoly’s trajectory in the show is very similar to many other characters. He is just a cog in a machine, a pawn in someone else’s game. He’s someone who is debating whether he still even has a passion for chess, or anything at all for that matter. What to him was a game, became someone else’s war, and he no longer feels the connection to the only thing he ever truly loved. Luckily someone comes along that completely alters his course. I believe we can all relate to being in a situation in which everything is taken from us before we ever get a chance to remove the veil, and see what kind of fight we’ve landed in the middle of. I think we can all relate to wanting to break free from a situation in which we have no voice."
Bushman: Freddie is a very troubled kid stuck in a 30 year old’s body. He doesn’t know how to communicate or control his emotions. I actually auditioned for and was called back for Anatoly but one thing led to another, and here we are.
What kind of research did you do for the role?
Hambruch "Speaking lines of dialogue in another language was a challenge I’ve never had to face before, and I can only hope I’m doing it any justice. I had a great time learning all the different versions of the show, and finding the path that led to this particular script."
Bushman: "I watched a lot of videos of Bobby Fisher and John McEnroe as well as "Queen’s Gambit" to get a feel for the intensity one might feel when playing such a high stakes chess match. "
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| Zac Bushman, Alice Johnson, and Nicholas Hambruch photo by Jason K. Walz |
What is your favorite moment in the show and why is it your favorite?
Hambruch: "This is definitely a hard one for me. I could listen to Zac sing “Pity The Child” for days on end. One of my absolute favorite songs to sing for years has been “Anthem” and I’m glad I get to give it a go here as well! But I cannot forget the epic feeling of being able to belt Endgame with the rest of the cast!"
Bushman: "Anytime I am onstage with Alice Johnson. She is such a powerhouse scene partner and has left me in tears several times with the energy that she gives on stage. "
Chess premiered in the late 1980s, so why do you think this show is still relevant today?
Hambruch: "There is a lot of things i could say here, but I will leave it at this. There is always a game. Two sides, one outcome. One side takes their pawns and begins to move, forever changing the fate of all the players on the board. “They move, We move” and the wheel keeps on turning. No matter the justification, you have no idea how many fates will be torn, lives broken. I think we all deserve to remove the veil. To see the board, and give ourselves the chance to choose love over fear."
Bushman: "In this show, Freddie and Anatoly are treated as celebrities from their respective countries but aren’t really in control of their own lives. They are both used as “pawns” by people with power over them. "
What do you hope audiences will take away from seeing Chess at Desert Stages Theatre?
Hambruch: "Maybe it’s the absolutely 80s score, maybe it’s the interest to pick up a chess set, but ultimately I think this is a musical for anyone who tries. If you pursue the things that make life worth living, sometimes you’ll win and sometimes you’ll lose. But you did it anyway. And that’s what matters. I hope people leave the theater feeling the freedom to choose."
Bushman: "I hope that people leave this show more willing to be patient with their loved ones. Oftentimes we only see the last few pages of someone’s story without realizing what kind of traumatic events got them to that place. This world would be a much better place if we were all a little more understanding. "
Cast Announced for ALL MY SONS at Ghostlight Theatre
Joe Keller: CD Mcaulay
Kate Keller: Susan Webster
Chris Keller: Garrad Perry
Ann Deever: Sheridan Wood
George Deever: Joey Whelan
Dr Bayliss: Robert Peters
Sue Bayliss: Melissa Anderson
Lydia Lubey: Lex Cobb
Frank Lubey: Cisco Fernandez
Bert: Aiden Haren
Cast announced for THE SUPERHERO ULTRAFERNO at TheaterWorks
Directors: Brian & Shelby Maticic
Musical Director: Ken Goodenberger
Stage Manager: Ashley Gennaro
Choreographer: Shelby Maticic
Costume Designer: Elizabeth Peterson
Lighting Designer: Nathaniel White
Media & Scenic Designer: Bobby Sample
Props Designer: Jenny Abeyta
Sound & Audio Designer: Garrett Unterreiner
Technical Director: Wesley Hamblin
CAST
Narrators
Kira Kadel
Brian Shahenian
Ensemble
Jayme Williams
Jeremiah Walker
Matthew Harris
Raegan Parker
Rebecca Ulbrich
Tatum Gray
Tatum Sosnowski
Zachary Athanasakis
Swings
Veronica Harris
Paul Pedersen
Cast Announced for THE MUSIC MAN at Hale Centre Theatre
Harold Hill: Rob Stuart
Marian Paroo: Amanda Valenzuela
Charlie Cowell: Jared Kitch
Mayor Shinn: Justin Howell
Mrs. Paroo: Kathleen Richards
Winthrop Paroo: Henry Swiatkowski
Amaryllis: Anna Scales
Quartet Member: Jeremy Cruz
Quartet Member / Harold Hill u.s.: Tyler Brignone
Quartet Member: Adam Guinn
Quartet Member: Mark Stoddard
Constable/ Train Conductor: Steve Morgan
Marcellus Washburn: Raymond Barcelo
Tommy Djilas/ Male Ensemble / Quartet u.s.: Brandon Brown
Eulalie Shinn: Priscilla Bertling
Gracie Shinn / Amaryllis u.s.: Iris VanSlyke
Zaneeta Shinn/ Female Ensemble: Halle Glazebrook
Davey / Winthrop Paroo u.s.: Zach Thompson
(Ethel) Pick-A-Little Lady: Noelle Parent
Pick-A-Little Lady: Natalie Edwards
Pick-A-Little Lady: Abby Sherrill
Pick-A-Little Lady: Melissa VanSlyke
Female Ensemble: Tawny Audi
Female Ensemble: Olivia Woodward-Shaw
Female Ensemble / Zaneeta Shinn u.s.: Brie Wadsworth-Gates
Male Ensemble / Tommy Djilas u.s.: Albert Johnston
Male Ensemble: Logan Holmes
Male Ensemble : Chris Reah
DEAR EDWINA, JR - Desert Foothills Theater - March 18-20, 2022
Directed by Sandi Carll
Music Director, Kent Campbell
Choreography, Rachel Madden
Dear Edwina JR. is a heartwarming musical about the joys of growing up, from the creators of Junie B. Jones, The Musical.
Join the fun and follow the adventures of plucky advice-giver-extraordinaire, Edwina Spoonapple, as
she directs the neighborhood kids in a series of buoyant production numbers for the latest edition of her weekly "Advice-a-Palooza.”
This special youth production will be performed at
THE CACTUS SHADOWS FINE ARTS CENTER
in the Black Box Theater
33606 N 60th Street
Scottsdale, Arizona 85266
Tuesday, March 1, 2022
Cast Announced for SCRAMBLED EGGS at B3 Theater
by Jessica Marie Fisher
Cast (By Order of Appearance):
Walter - Ian Nussle
James - Grant Cary Gilbert
Whitney - Courtney Ekstrom
Doris - Helen Hendricks
Richard - Alexander Garcia
Helen - Valerie Sepulveda
Maggie - Valerie Meza
Frank - Jackson Garcia
Director - Melissa Galvan
Stage Manager - Mackenzie Schmid
Producer - Ilana Lydia
Scrambled Eggs is a terrifying and funny look at gaslighting and bypassing women’s power in the age of lobotomies.
Performances:
March 24, 25, 26, 31
April 1, 2
All at 7PM
For Tickets go to: http://our.show/b3/scrambledeggs
Performances are LIVE at the First Baptist Church of Scottsdale,7025 E. Osborn Rd, Scottsdale, AZ, 85251.
WEEK AT A GLANCE: February 28-March 6, 2022
Click on any show title to get more information on that production
CONCERTS / LIMITED RUNS:
OPENING SOON:
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