photos by Blushing Cactus Photography
Monday, April 18, 2022
Sunday, April 17, 2022
Saturday, April 16, 2022
Cast Announced for THE LIGHTNING THIEF: THE PERCY JACKSON MUSICAL at Spotlight Youth Theatre
CLICK HERE for more information on this production, which runs May 13-May 29
Percy Jackson... Owen Donsker
Annabeth Chase... Zoie Moller
Grover Underwood... Landon Kalin
Luke / Hades / Minotaur... Braiden Lee
Sally Jackson... Lauren Youngstedt
Mr. Brunner / Chiron / Ares... Andrei Igdanes
Clarisse La Rue... Zoey Waller
Mr. D... Calvin Corey
Silena Beauregard / Charon... Tabi Momeyer
Katie Gardner... Lee Conort
The Oracle / Squirrel... Callista Walker
Gabe / Poseidon... TJ Brumbaugh
Mrs. Dodds / Fury... Kiera Crouch
Medusa / Nancy Bobofit... Olivia Martinez
Thalia / Sister Fury... Addi Lauder
James Brown / Bus Passenger... AJ King
Janis Joplin / Newscaster... Mia Hurley
Mozart / Bus Passenger... Jay Schwab
Echidna / DJ Cerberus / Sister Fury... Emmy Lange
Train Conductor / Bus Driver... Chris Brown
Farmer... Owen Morris
Bianca... Anna Parker
Half-Blood Campers & Classmates... Company
Dance Ensemble... Chris Brown
Mia Hurley
AJ King
Emmy Lange
Addi Lauder
Olivia Martinez
Owen Morris
Jay Schwab
Olivia Martinez
Anna Parker
Kronos... Himself
Friday, April 15, 2022
A conversation with the writer/composer and the director of HADESTOWN
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| the national tour cast of Hadestown photo by T Charles Erickson |
by Emily Mai
Anaïs Mitchell, Hadestown writer and composer, & Rachel Chavkin, Broadway director of Hadestown answer some questions about this Tony winning musical, which plays ASU Gammage April 19-April 24
What inspired Hadestown?
ANAÏS MITCHELL: "I was just at the beginning of a career as a singer-songwriter and I was driving from one tip gig to another when the melody of 'Wait for Me' dropped out of the sky. It came with some long-lost lyrics that seemed to describe the Orpheus & Eurydice myth, which had been a favorite of mine as a kid. I started to follow the thread into the labyrinth and I think what inspired me most about retelling that story was the idea of pitting young, creative, optimistic Orpheus against an underworld where 'the rules are the rules.' Over many years of development, I’ve identified with many different characters. But at first it was the idea of Orpheus, who believes if he could just write something beautiful enough, he could move the heart of stone, he could change the way the world is—that was inspiring to me."
Rachel, was there something specific that drew you to Hadestown?
RACHEL CHAVKIN: "I've never encountered a score that feels so singular in its style while still taking up some of the storytelling rules that musical theater goes by. Hadestown is by far the hardest thing I’ve ever directed. It was a delicate balance as to how much to keep it feeling like a concert versus a play."
Anais, you and Rachel seem to be the winning combination. How did you meet, and what has the collaboration been like?
AM: "In 2012 I saw the Ars Nova production of Dave Malloy’s Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812. I was completely awestruck and I thought, 'Who’s that director?' It turned out to be Rachel. Hadestown began as a DIY community theater project in Vermont, then became a studio album and a touring concert, and at the time I met Rachel I was searching for a way to develop the piece into a full-length professional musical. Great Comet, like many of Rachel’s shows, had this combination of highly accessible Broadway-style entertainment, and also real unapologetic downtown weirdness. Rachel has a great feel for music and musicals and how to bring the best aspects of concert culture into the theater. But what turned out to be the most essential thing about my collaboration with her is that Rachel’s a gifted dramaturge, and she’s not afraid to really roll up her sleeves in the development process of a show. We worked together for three years before we got an off-Broadway production, and three more before we landed on Broadway. She pushed me—a songwriter with almost no dramatic writing experience—to write, and rewrite until the drama was satisfying. "
There are a lot of women that brought Hadestown to life. From Anaïs’s writing to Rachel’s direction, and Rachel Hauck’s scenic design. Was this intentional?
AM: "You know, I had no idea Rachel was a woman when I fell in love with her work. I don’t think it was our intention to build a female-led team, but we sought out the folks whose work we responded to most, and many of them were women. A big part of the equation is that our two lead producers are women: Mara Isaacs and Dale Franzen. I will say it was an extraordinarily empowering experience working with so many women. I felt my instincts were really trusted. Challenged at times, of course! But ultimately, trusted in a deep way."
When casting and building the show, Rachel and Hadestown’s production team were extremely mindful of diversity and inclusion. Anaïs, did you write Hadestown with particular people in mind?
AM: "All of Rachel’s shows are gloriously diverse. Theater depicts and celebrates humanity, and humanity is diverse. The main thing we were looking for in our casting was a kind of singular rockstar unicorn quality. The music is really built for people to bring the individual force of their personality to it. "
Rachel, did you intend to build a diverse cast?
RC: "Oh, absolutely! I think diversity is inextricable from excellence, and I think all too often people, and in particular the dominant culture tends to frame it as a choice that you have to make between diversity and excellence. I personally think it's the opposite. I think a [diverse] room is far more interesting, just purely on a dramatic level. It's so much better stylistically, emotionally to have varied voices. And so yes, with Hadestown specifically, we have reaffirmed time and again that racial diversity in particular is core to our vision of excellence."
When Hadestown moved to Broadway, the show sought out theater critics of color to review it. Was it important to you to get a wide variety of critiques of the show?
AM: "We desperately need a diversity of voices in our criticism. How else will criticism be able to speak to people in a meaningful way?"
Rachel, can you tell me why creating spaces for diversity and inclusion in your projects is so important to you?
RC: "I think specifically because I am a white woman in the sense that I am part of half the world’s population that can live our lives every day with the knowledge that we are vulnerable to the other half of the world’s population. I have felt gender as a determinant in my career path multiple times and in multiple ways. I have experienced sexual harassment and sexual assault and so I am on that side of the equation of when it comes to that. And at the same time, I have enormous privilege that comes with whiteness, that also comes with having two highly educated parents who made me the center of their [world]. I grew up enormously fortunate in terms of my family’s ability to invest in me and my interests. To quote a franchise, with great power comes great responsibility. I had the ability."
The show has traveled a lot pre-Broadway. How have the out-of-state audiences influenced the editing of the show?
AM: "Hadestown had a very long road to Broadway, with pitstops not just out of state but out of country. We did a production in Edmonton (Canada) in 2017 and then London’s National Theatre in 2018. The Edmonton production was so important, as we were trying to figure out how to 'scale-up' the show from the tiny, in-the-round version at New York Theater Workshop, to a proscenium-style theater, with a larger ensemble of actors. We learned so much from those Canadian audiences about what the show did—and didn’t—want to be. It was powerful to perform the show in London on the Olivier Stage that has presented so many classic Greek works and Shakespeare plays. I remember Rufus Norris, the director of the National Theatre, expressing views that often put art before commerce—for example, he was not a great fan of 'buttons' (those zazzy definitive endings of songs that encourage the audience to applaud, which appear SO often on Broadway). And it felt timely to be telling this tale in the UK in the thick of Brexit. It’s incredible the way there are regional differences in terms of which lines people find funny, which scenes they find tragic, which songs make them dance in their chairs."
RC: "You know, I tend to try to trust the fact that the audiences are really smart and also they are very individual. An audience in Texas is going to experience a very different thing than an audience in California than an audience in Minnesota. And so all I can really do as a director is try to adjust to what feels most meaningful to me. And then I have to trust that because I'm not an alien. Some other humans out there will resonate with it as well.
We did, however, do the show off-Broadway, and then took it to Canada, and did it for the first time in proscenium and I made a number of mistakes when we first brought it into proscenium for a larger audience. I let the production get to what in the theater we call representative. I literalized the metaphor and me and my set designer, Rachel Hauck, we actually put railroad tracks on stage. Because there's the lyric, 'On the road to hell, there is a railroad line…' And that turns out it's a really bad idea to try to stage a metaphor. I can laugh about it now."
While Hadestown is loosely based on characters many fans of Greek mythology may know, who was the hardest character to write for and why?
AM: "Orpheus was by far the hardest character for me to write, in part because he’s more 'pure' than any other character. Hades, Persephone, and even Hermes and Eurydice have a sort of jaded quality, a world-weariness that is much easier to grasp and to write for. Orpheus is a dreamer, a genuine optimist, and that has been a challenge to discover and to express in writing. It’s hard to take an optimist seriously! For a long time, his optimism came across as overconfidence, which wasn’t in keeping with his sensitive soul. "
To the world we dream about, and the one we live in now,” and “If no one takes too much, there will always be enough.” These lyrics mean something different today than they did when Hadestown first opened on Broadway. Can you recall exactly what you were feeling the moment you wrote those specific words, and what they mean for you right now?
AM: "To me, those first lines are a reminder that even in hard times, there's beauty and bravery and cause for celebration. There’s beauty in the struggle for a better a world even if we can’t yet see the result of that struggle. One of the main themes in Hadestown is that there’s value in trying, even if we fail. Orpheus is a hero not because he succeeds—but because he tries!
It meant so much to me to watch our cast perform at Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, and to hear Reeve as Orpheus deliver the lines 'And if no one takes too much, there will always be enough.' Something about hearing those lines out loud in a mainstream setting really moved me. Because we live in a culture that takes a lot—we take more from nature than she can sustainably provide. The excesses of a few mean that many go without."
Let’s talk about “Why We Build the Wall.” You wrote that song well before this new political climate, yet the song has completely taken on a new voice. Can you take me through your journey of creating that song? What was your vision for it?
AM: "I wrote that song in 2006, and it’s one of the few songs that I wrote very quickly, all in one sitting, almost before I understood what it meant. But I do remember what I was thinking about at the time, and that was this: I was imagining a climate in crisis, a world in which many places had become uninhabitable and there were large populations of migrants knocking at the gates of the places of relative wealth and security. And the thought that popped into my head was, 'when that happens, who among us is not going to want to be behind some kind of wall?' Leaders (like Hades in Hadestown) have found it effective to use the language of the wall because it speaks loudly to a scared citizenry. The next thought that crossed my mind was the way walling others out has the equal and unintended effect of walling ourselves in. "
The presentation of “Why We Build the Wall” is the only number with no added frills—light choreography, somber lighting—it feels more like a conversation with the audience. Rachel, can you tell me what your vision was for the staging of that song?
RC: "The vision for the song was to be as simple and indisputable in its clarity and its politics of fear as the song itself is. And Anaïs is probably the slowest and most specific writer I've ever worked with because she's such a poet, and so she gets angry when songwriters describe, 'Oh, I just sat down with my guitar and the song came out.' But she does admit the fact that 'Why we Build the Wall' as the song came to her almost cosmically in its full form. As if it had always existed in the atmosphere and she just heard it. The vision was to capture that—a fascist regime in some ways indisputable because it's so forceful and so clear. We just wanted to make sure the staging, including the lighting design was as simple as the song."
We’re currently dealing with a terrifying pandemic. While many are hopeful, no one knows how this will end or what theater will be like when it reopens. What do you think the show will mean for the post COVID-19 audience?
RC: "For me, Hadestown has always been about community. I talked about it in my Tony speech, of how power tries to make us feel alone. But that if we can stand, if we can remember that our lover or our friend may be right behind us. We’re all walking side by side. And I don't think you need to literally—as in the case of Orpheus and Eurydice—be holding someone's hand in order to feel fellowship. I think that will remain true and be of comfort in these horrible times."
AM: "Most simply, I hope audiences will feel healed by the music (at the risk of sounding like a hippie!). I also think the message of Hadestown is one that really speaks to this present moment—it’s a story about hard times, and how people respond to those hard times, sometimes with fear, sometimes with love. And it’s about the necessity of continuing to try even in the face of what feels, at times, futile. It’s also, in a sense, at its climax, a story about the necessity of believing in each other and in our togetherness, even when we feel alone. "
See Hadestown at ASU Gammage from April 19–24, 2022. For more info visit: https://www.asugammage.com/hadestown
ariZoni Adjudicators needed for the 2022 / 2023 Season
Do you love theatre?
Do you have a theatre background, training or are an avid theatregoer?
Are you able to see a dozen shows a year, for free, to help determine the nominees and winners for the ariZoni Theatre Awards of Excellence for the 2022/2023 season?
The ariZoni Board of Directors are looking for qualified individuals to serve as adjudicators for the upcoming theatre season.
Adjudicators are the anchor of the ariZoni Theatre Awards. Each year the over 30 participating ariZoni theaters put on close to 200 productions. The Zonis need qualified and committed people to see and score these productions which helps decide the nominees and award recipients for each year.
The ariZoni Board of Directors are looking for individuals with the following qualifications:
1) Have a theatre educational background, experience in performing or creative production aspects, knowledge of theatre arts and/or expertise from an audience member perspective that allows you to accurately and efficiently adjudicate the different types of theatre in town.
2) Able to attend 12-15 performances a year to adjudicate. The shows will be randomly assigned to you.
3) Able to drive to the various participating ariZoni theatres in town, some of which may be across the Valley from where you live, in order to adjudicate their productions.
4) Able to not allow personal preferences or bias to influence your adjudication scores.
5) Have access to a computer and email account in order to receive notifications from and communicate with the Adjudicator Liaisons, theatre representatives and ariZoni board of directors; and in order to score your ariZoni ballot for each show in our online adjudication scoring system.
6) Able to act and respond in a timely manner concerning:
- coordinating tickets for shows you are assigned to adjudicate at least two weeks before the performances for the show begin
- requesting a substitute due to personal conflicts or conflicts of interest at least two weeks before performances begin
- filling out the scores on your ballot within two weeks of seeing the production
THE ADDAMS FAMILY - Phoenix College - April 21-24, 2022
Phoenix College Fine and Performing Arts Department presents: The Addams Family. ASL interpreted performance on Sunday.
THE ADDAMS FAMILY, a comical feast that embraces the wackiness in every family, features an original story and it’s every father’s nightmare: Wednesday Addams, the ultimate princess of darkness, has grown up and fallen in love with a sweet, smart young man from a respectable family– a man her parents have never met. And if that wasn’t upsetting enough, Wednesday confides in her father and begs him not to tell her mother. Now, Gomez Addams must do something he’s never done before– keep a secret from his beloved wife, Morticia. Everything will change for the whole family on the fateful night they host a dinner for Wednesday’s “normal” boyfriend and his parents.
John Paul Theater
1202 W. Thomas Rd.
Phoenix, AZ 85013
General Public: $15.00
---Employee/Alumni: $10.00
---Student/Senior: $7.00
--General Public Group Discount: $12.00
-Employee/Alumni Group Discount: $8.00
-Student/Senior Group Discount: $6.00
Cast:
Gomez Addams: Scott Hyder
Morticia Addams: Corielle James
Wednesday Addams: Anna Koth
Fester Addams: Jeffrey Middleton
Grandma Addams: Leesha Willard
Pugsley Addams: Michael Ayala
Lurch: Morgan James
Mal Beineke: Todd Corbeil
Alice Beineke: Chloe Pierson
Lucas Beineke: Kris Ludlow
Ancestors
Gordon Barsotta-Northern
Darrean Beamon
Anthony Garcia
Kara Houser
Kennady MacDonald
Anna Maurizo
Hannah Swanson
Fiona Walker
Ryan Whitney
DISNEY'S BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, JR - Actors Youth Theatre - May 5-May 21, 2022
Director: Lucy Garner
Music Director: Elise Stoffer
Choreography: Jessi Rodriguez
The classic story tells of Belle, a young woman in a provincial town, and the Beast, who is really a young prince trapped under the spell of an enchantress. If the Beast can learn to love and be loved, the curse will end and he will be transformed into his former self. But time is running out. If the Beast does not learn his lesson soon, he and his household will be doomed for all eternity.
Thu, May 5th, 2022 at 7:00 pm
Fri, May 6th, 2022 at 7:00 pm
Sat, May 7th, 2022 at 3:00 pm
Sat, May 7th, 2022 at 7:00 pm
Thu, May 12th, 2022 at 7:00 pm
Fri, May 13th, 2022 at 7:00 pm
Sat, May 14th, 2022 at 3:00 pm
Sat, May 14th, 2022 at 7:00 pm
Thu, May 19th, 2022 at 7:00 pm
Fri, May 20th, 2022 at 7:00 pm
Sat, May 21st, 2022 at 3:00 pm
Sat, May 21st, 2022 at 7:00 pm
CAST
Mirror Cast:
Belle: Emily Freedman
Beast/Prince: Owen Aspinall
Maurice: Jack Galli
Gaston: Tristan Foushee
Lefou: Zacary Nelson
Lumiere: Saniya Sapakie
Cogsworth: Lilleigh Christensen
Mrs.Pott: Katrielle Jordan
Babette: Hope Kalin
Les Filles De La Ville: Charly-Belle Ramierz
Les Filles De La Ville: Sabryna Thompson
Les Filles De La Ville: Natalie Smith
Madame De La Grande Bouche: Abbi Spector
Chip: Sophie Aspinall
Old Beggar Woman/Enchantress: Claire Wiltbank
Monsieur D' Arque: Alexus Trentham
Narrator #1: Joanna Mungovan
Narrator #2: Elyse Hansen
Narrator #3: Nolan Lopez
Narrator #4: Sadie Holdeman
Foot Stool/Dog: Miles Vanslyke
Rose Cast:
Belle: Campbell Carr
Beast/Prince: London Mann
Maurice: Chance Gray
Gaston: Ryan Lucas
Lefou: Brendan Lucas
Lumiere: Mason Berchman
Cogsworth: Olive Vanslyke
Mrs.Pott: Jace Penton
Babette: Keira Dudley
Les Filles De La Ville: Hailey Halterman
Les Filles De La Ville: Lana Logan
Les Filles De La Ville: Hope Kalin
Madame De La Grande Bouche: Lauren Martineau
Chip: Lola Howard
Old Beggar Woman/Enchantress: Tiana Barnum
Monsieur D' Arque: DJ Hammond
Narrator #1: Lexi Tidwell
Narrator #2: Lindsey Garner
Narrator #3: Sophie Halterman
Narrator #4: Katelyn Kovedsky
Foot Stool/Dog: Miles Vanslyke
Ensemble for both cast:
Seraphina Nevel, Giselle Quintero, Jaelyn Harden, Sophie Halterman, Katelyn Kovedsky, Joanna Mungovan, Elyse Hansen, Sadie Holdeman, Katie Palmer, Jenna Bruder, Tiana Barnum, Brynlin Fraser, Harlow Miller, Abigail Morgan, Natalie Stola, Sapphire Johari, Kyle Bone, Kiana Kiaei, Adelyn Jernigan, Nolan Lopez, Molly Watts, Lexi Tidwell, Lindsey Garner, Kinley Carothers, Claire Wiltbank
Thursday, April 14, 2022
LES MISÉRABLES: SCHOOL EDITION - Desert Foothills Theater - April 21-April 30, 2022
Desert Foothills Theater is set to host their production of “Les Miserables” under the stars in scenic Carefree, Arizona. The evening shows will be performed on the outdoor stage at Sanderson Lincoln Pavilion located at 101 Easy Street in Carefree, AZ.
Director, Sandi Carll is most excited about this special production as it is solely comprised of teen actors. She marveled, “We have the most amazing cast, our actors are so talented. I’m excited to bring this show to the community.”
Carll is joined by music directors, Ken Goodenberger and Rebecca Joslin, along with Choreographer, Nathalie Velasquez.
About the Show
In nineteenth century France, Jean Valjean is released from years of unjust imprisonment, but finds nothing in store for him but mistrust and mistreatment. He breaks his parole in hopes of starting a new life, initiating a lifelong struggle for redemption as he is relentlessly pursued by police inspector Javert, who refuses to believe Valjean can change his way. Finally, during the Paris student uprising of 1821, Javert must confront his ideals after Valjean spares his life and saves that of this student revolutionary who has captured the heart of Valjean's adopted daughter. Epic, grand and uplifting, Les Miserables School Edition packs an emotional wallop that has thrilled audiences all over the world.
* Parents please note: This production includes mature themes. Some show content may be inappropriate for children.
Show Dates and Times:
Thursday, April 21 | 7:00 PM
Friday, April 22 | 7:00 PM
Saturday, April 23 | 7:00 PM
Thursday, April 28 | 7:00 PM
Friday, April 29 | 7:00 PM
Saturday, April 30 | 7:00 PM
Cast:
Brian Andersen... Enjolras, Ensemble
Rosie Andersen... Ensemble
Reagan Arsenault... Lesgles, Ensemble
Allison Avery... Joly, Ensemble
Brooklyn Avery... Young Eponine
Danika Bussey... Ensemble
Charli Carollo... Constable, Ensemble
Stella Chamoff... Ensemble
Sophia Crown... Courfeyrac, Ensemble
Lucy Currier... Brujon, Ensemble
Brenna Eagmin... Ensemble
Melissa Engel... Ensemble
Aubrey Figueroa... Ensemble
Eli Franklin... Bamatabois, Ensemble
Liam Garrett... Gavroche
Hailey Glicksman... Constable, Babet, Ensemble
Isaac Greenland... Marius Pontmercy
Sammy King... Ensemble
Noelle Krugman... Cosette
Sarah Levy... Ensemble
McKenzie Lopezlira... Young Cosette
Blue Madison-Cedillo... Inspector Javert
Dax Madison-Cedillo... Combeferre, Ensemble
Xavier Madison-Cedillo... Feuilly, Ensemble
Bo O’Brasky... Thenardier
Annalyn Abraham... Ensemble
Emily Reynolds... Ensemble
Aslan Richardson... Souteneur, Ensemble
Paige Schmella... Eponine
Keagan Smith... Jean Valjean
Mysia Smith... Ensemble
Sebastian Stallone... The Bishop of Digne, Fauchelevent, Grantaire
Raven Teegarden... Montparnasse, Ensemble
Isabel Wallace... Jean Prouvaire, Ensemble
Alexa White... Fantine
Sydney Wolfert... Madame Thenardier
Sydney Wolman... Ensemble
Wednesday, April 13, 2022
Arizona Theatre Company's 2022/2023 Season!
from our friends at Arizona Theatre Company:
Announcing ATC’s 2022/2023 Season!
Join us for a season filled with stories that traverse the intricacies and intimacies of familial and personal relationships, celebrating the spectrum of human emotion to ultimately find hope, forgiveness, redemption, and healing.
2022-2023 Season
The Lion
Created by Benjamin Scheuer
Directed by Sean Daniels & Alex Stenhouse
Tucson: 09/24/2022 – 10/15/2022
Phoenix: 10/20/2022 – 11/06/2022
After its first revival in London at Southwark Playhouse from this summer, “The Lion” opens ATC’s 55th Season with a heartwarming and powerful one-man folk musical. Co-produced by Arizona Theatre Company and Danielle Tarento, and co-directed by Sean Daniels and Alex Stenhouse, “The Lion” tells a true story of survival and redemption that reminds us that great things can come from challenging times. Actor, singer, and musician Max Alexander-Taylor stars in the lead role of Ben.
The Wickhams: Christmas at Pemberley
Created by Lauren Gunderson & Margot Melcon
Directed by Veronika Duerr
Tucson: 11/05/2022 – 12/02/2022
Phoenix: 12/08/2022 – 12/23/2022
Pemberley returns front and center for this holiday season with a focus on The Wickhams and the goings on of the home’s downstairs residents. While the events of “Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley” unfold upstairs at the great house, the bustling staff find themselves amid a different holiday scandal in “The Wickhams: Christmas at Pemberley.” As the festivities spiral into chaos, Lydia Wickham finds her voice in this celebration of family and forgiveness.
The Glass Menagerie
Created by Tennessee Williams
Directed by Chanel Bragg
Tucson: 01/21/2023 – 02/11/2023
Phoenix: 02/16/2023 – 03/05/2023
“The Glass Menagerie,” one of the greatest plays of all times, is a poetic and raw portrayal of a family on the brink of change. Reimagined for Arizona Theatre Company’s stages, this intimate and intense classic that changed the way we tell stories draws from the memories of narrator Tom and explores the complex web of love, longing, loyalty, and constraints that bind families together.
Pru Payne
Created by Steven Drukman
Directed by Sean Daniels
Tucson: 03/04/2023 – 03/25/2023
Phoenix: 03/30/2023 – 04/16/2023
Written by Pulitzer Prize Nominee Steven Drukman, this ATC world premier is a remarkable, funny, and life-affirming story about the relationship between a mother and son. An esteemed critic, Prudence “Pru” Payne is widely recognized as a wit, a scholar, and a public intellectual; her son Thomas lives in that shadow. But as her memory begins to fade, all her preconceived notions – about herself and, more importantly, others – also slip away.
The White Chip
Created by Sean Daniels
Directed by Sheryl Kaller
Tucson: 04/15/2023 – 05/06/2023
Phoenix: 05/11/2023 – 05/28/2023
Originally produced by Tony Award winner Tom Kirdahy, The White Chip shows a path to recovery that is poignant, funny and uplifting. A dry comedy about drying out, the show follows the main character Steven as he forms a new bond with his mother while carving an unusual path to sobriety. A wild, theatrical journey, The White Chip’s Off-Broadway production will come to Arizona alongside a Tony-nominated director and Tony award-winning designer.
The Legend of Georgia McBride
Created by Matthew Lopez
Directed by Meredith McDonough
Tucson: 06/03/2023 – 06/24/2023
Phoenix: 06/29/2023 – 07/16/2023
This big-hearted, fierce, music-filled comedy has been hailed as “stitch-in-your-side funny” by the New York Times. Casey, an Elvis impersonator with everything going for him, including a flashy sequin jumpsuit, suddenly loses his gig, his rent is overdue, and his wife announces a baby on the way. So, when Elvis leaves the building and a drag show moves in, “The King” transforms into an all-out queen with some. With snappy zingers and dance-worthy numbers, this wildly entertaining story challenges assumptions with extraordinary humor and depth.
Tuesday, April 12, 2022
General Season Auditions for Arizona Theatre Company announced for April 18 & 19
2022/2023 IN-PERSON AUDITIONS
Arizona Theatre Company is searching for artists and performers for our 2022/2023 season.
Visit the link https://atc.org/2022-2023-AUDITIONS/ to read more about casting information.
Monday, April 11, 2022
ASU Gammage's 2022-2023 Season!
ASU Gammage is gearing up for a new Broadway lineup as it announces the 2022–2023 Desert Financial Broadway Across America-Arizona season. Season ticket holders can now renew their subscriptions for an extraordinary list of shows. It’s a season filled with hot, fresh from Broadway shows, powerful plays and some all-time Tony Award®-winning favorites.
After a successful reopening of the theater and Broadway series, ASU Gammage is better than ever crediting its loyal donors, subscribers, and staff.
“We cannot thank our patrons and supporters enough for believing in ASU Gammage this past year as we brought Broadway tours back into our theater. The 2022–2023 season is something to celebrate. It is packed with amazing productions and premieres, and we know our audiences will not only love these shows on stage but will love the experience that goes along with seeing live theater at ASU Gammage,” said Colleen Jennings-Roggensack, ASU Vice President for Cultural Affairs and Executive Director of ASU Gammage.
Launching the 2022–2023 season, is the electrifying pop-concert spectacle SIX, a musical that flips the one-sided narrative from our history books with the six ex-wives of King Henry VIII headlining the show. Next in line, is a new adaptation by Aaron Sorkin of Harper Lee's Pulitzer Prize-winning American classic TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD.
Kicking off the new year in 2023, a new production of the iconic musical phenomenon JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR will rock its way to Tempe. Then, the greatly anticipated, unforgettable theatrical experience, Disney’s FROZEN will charm ASU Gammage audiences in February. FROZEN is filled with sensational special effects, stunning sets and costumes, and powerhouse performances.
Next in the season ticket package, the powerful drama and Tony Award® -winning, A SOLDIER’S PLAY, starring Norm Lewis.
Making its toe-tapping return to ASU Gammage in Summer 2023, the big-hair, big heart and big fun musical comedy HAIRSPRAY takes the stage. Finally, the haunting hit musical, BEETLEJUICE — based on Tim Burton's dearly beloved film, it's spectacularly strange and unusually funny.
And you are never fully dressed without a smile and a season option. One of the best-loved musicals of all time, ANNIE, is set to return in a new production.
When you subscribe to the ASU Gammage Broadway season, you are subscribing to more than just hit shows, but something to look forward to. Whether it is your dedicated date night, a fun evening with family, time with friends or maybe an indulgent evening at the theater for yourself, there is nothing like the thrill of seeing that calendar reminder knowing that you have an exciting night at ASU Gammage coming up!
Current season ticket holders can renew their subscription now at asugammage.com. Sales for new season subscriptions will be announced later. You can sign up for the ASU Gammage wait-list at asugammage.com.
2022-2023 Broadway season includes
SIX
October 4–9, 2022
Divorced, beheaded, died, divorced, beheaded, survived.
From Tudor Queens to Pop Princesses, the SIX wives of Henry VIII take the mic to remix five hundred years of historical heartbreak into an exuberant celebration of 21st century girl power! This new original musical is the global sensation that everyone is losing their head over. The New York Times says SIX “TOTALLY RULES!” (Critic’s Pick) and The Washington Post hails SIX as “Exactly the kind of energizing, inspirational illumination this town aches for! The Broadway season got supercharged!”
TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD
December 6–11, 2022
All rise for Academy Award winner Aaron Sorkin’s adaptation of Harper Lee’s Pulitzer Prize-winning masterwork. The New York Times Critic’s Pick TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD is “the most successful American play in Broadway history. It has not played to a single empty seat” (60 Minutes). Rolling Stone gives it 5 stars, calling it “an emotionally shattering landmark production of an American classic,” and New York Magazine calls it “a real phenomenon. Majestic and incandescent, it’s filled with breath and nuance and soul.” With direction by Tony Award winner Bartlett Sher, TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD — “the greatest novel of all time” (Chicago Tribune) — has quickly become “one of the greatest plays in history” (NPR).
JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR
January 31–February 5, 2023
Celebrating its 50th Anniversary, a mesmerizing new production of the iconic musical phenomenon returns to the stage. Originally staged by London’s Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre and helmed by the acclaimed director Timothy Sheader (Crazy for You, Into the Woods) and cutting-edge choreographer Drew McOnie (King Kong, Strictly Ballroom), this production won the 2017 Olivier Award for Best Musical Revival garnering unprecedented reviews and accolades. Appealing to both theater audiences and concert music fans, this production pays tribute to the historic 1971 Billboard Album of the Year while creating a modern, theatrical world that is uniquely fresh and inspiring.
With lyrics and music by Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony winners Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber, JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR is set against the backdrop of an extraordinary series of events during the final weeks in the life of Jesus Christ as seen through the eyes of Judas. Reflecting the rock roots that defined a generation, the legendary score includes ‘I Don’t Know How to Love Him’, ‘Gethsemane’ and ‘Superstar.’
Disney’s FROZEN
February 22–March 5, 2023
From the producer of THE LION KING and ALADDIN, FROZEN, the Tony®-nominated Best Musical, is now on tour across North America and the critics rave, “It’s simply magical!” (LA Daily News). Heralded by The New Yorker as “thrilling” and “genuinely moving,” FROZEN features the songs you know and love from the original Oscar®-winning film, plus an expanded score with a dozen new numbers by the film’s songwriters, Oscar winner Kristen Anderson-Lopez and EGOT winner Robert Lopez. Oscar winner Jennifer Lee (book), Tony and Olivier Award winner Michael Grandage (director), and Tony winner Rob Ashford (choreographer) round out the creative team that has won a cumulative 16 Tony Awards. An unforgettable theatrical experience filled with sensational special effects, stunning sets and costumes, and powerhouse performances, FROZEN is everything you want in a musical: It’s moving. It’s spectacular. And above all, it’s pure Broadway joy.
A SOLDIER’S PLAY
Starring Norm Lewis
May 16–21, 2023
A SOLDIER’S PLAY is the winner of two 2020 Tony Awards including best revival of a play. The brilliant masterpiece production from Tony Award® winner Kenny Leon – A SOLDIER’S Play May 16 thru May 21, 2023.
Set in 1944 on a Louisiana Army base. A sergeant is murdered—and the crime, with its masterfully unfolded investigation, triggers a gripping barrage of questions about sacrifice, service, and identity in America. A hair-raising drama that echoes with the authentic and exciting pulse of mystery, Charles Fuller’s Pulitzer Prize-winning masterpiece rocketed onto Broadway for the first time in January 2020 and will now play ASU Gammage.
HAIRSPRAY
June 20–25, 2023
You Can’t Stop the Beat! HAIRSPRAY, Broadway’s Tony Award-winning musical comedy phenomenon is back on tour! Join 16-year-old Tracy Turnblad in 1960’s Baltimore as she sets out to dance her way onto TV’s most popular show. Can a girl with big dreams (and even bigger hair) change the world?
Featuring the beloved score of hit songs including “Welcome to the 60’s,” “Good Morning Baltimore” and “You Can’t Stop the Beat,” HAIRSPRAY is “fresh, winning, and deliriously tuneful!” (The New York Times).
This all-new touring production will reunite Broadway’s award-winning creative team led by Director Jack O’Brien and Choreographer Jerry Mitchell to bring HAIRSPRAY to a new generation of theater audiences.
BEETLEJUICE
August 22–27, 2023
He earned his stripes on Broadway… now the ghost-with-the-most is coming to Tempe!
It’s showtime! Based on Tim Burton’s dearly beloved film, this hilarious musical tells the story of Lydia Deetz, a strange and unusual teenager whose whole life changes when she meets a recently deceased couple and a demon with a thing for stripes. With an irreverent book, an astonishing set, and a score that’s out of this Netherworld, BEETLEJUICE is “SCREAMINGLY GOOD FUN!” (Variety). And under its uproarious surface (six feet under, to be exact), it’s a remarkably touching show about family, love, and making the most of every Day-O!
Season Option:
ANNIE
March 24–26, 2023
Holding onto hope when times are tough can take an awful lot of determination, and sometimes, an awful lot of determination comes in a surprisingly small package. Little Orphan Annie has reminded generations of theatergoers that sunshine is always right around the corner, and now the best-loved musical of all time is set to return in a new production – just as you remember it and just when we need it most.
Annie, directed by Jenn Thompson, features the iconic book and score, written by Tony Award®-winners Thomas Meehan, Charles Strouse and Martin Charnin. This celebration of family, optimism and the American spirit remains the ultimate cure for all the hard knocks life throws your way.
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