photos by Jennifer Giralo
Monday, March 3, 2025
Cast announced for WICKED - National Tour/ASU Gammage
Elphaba: Lauren Samuels
Glinda: Austen Danielle Bohmer
The Wizard: Blake Hammond
Fiyero: Xavier McKinnon
Madame Morrible: Aymee Garcia
Nessarose: Erica Ito
Boq: Alex Vinh
Doctor Dillamond: Kingsley Leggs
Elphaba Standby: Carly Augenstein
Midwife/Ensemble: Kelley Dorney
Witch's Mother; Ensemble: Kayla Goldsberry
Witch's Father/Ozian Official/Ensemble: Wayne Schroder
Chistery/Ensemble: DJ Smart
Ensemble: Jennifer Mariela Bermeo, Sean Burns, Matt Densky, Rose Iannaccone, Jake Levy, Tiffany Rae Mallari, Adelina Mitchell, Brayden Newby, Allsun O’Malley, Taylor Quick, Derek Schiesel, Brett Stoelker, Melissa Victor, Justin Wirick
Swing: Anthony Lee Bryant, Mattie Tucker Joyner, David Kaverman, Kelly Lafarga, Marina Lazzaretto, Ben Susak, N.Venditti
WEEK AT A GLANCE: March 3-March 9, 2025
Click on any show title to get more information on that production
OPENING:
STILL PLAYING:
Sunday, March 2, 2025
TRUCE - Stage Left Productions - April 4-27, 2025
An Original Play by Cody Dull
April 4-27 2025
Directed by Cody Goulder
Hank is dying. And all he wants is “An Old Fashion Family Christmas” before his time is up. He asks his daughter (who has just returned home after a 17 year hiatus) to make it happen. Will Hank get what he wants or will other people keep him from calling a Truce.
THE JUST - B3 Theater - April 10-13, 2025
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by Albert Camus, translated by Suzanne M. Saunders
Directed by Gabe Escudero
In an age of oppression, four revolutionaries plan an attack in the hope of liberation against a fascist state. While putting their plans into motion, they wonder how far is too far? Could they even go through with it? Are they willing to sacrifice their lives in the name of love and justice? And perhaps most frighteningly... will their actions even matter in the end?
Presented in the round, the audience is thrust into the action of the play alongside these revolutionaries and asked to ponder their own moral stance.
Shadow Rock United Church of Christ - Smith Hall - 12861 N 8th Ave, Phoenix, Arizona 85029
The show runs April 10th-13th. Tickets available at https://our.show/thejust
RODGERS & HAMMERSTEIN'S CINDERELLA: YOUTH EDITION - Places Productions - March 28-April 6, 2025
RODGERS & HAMMERSTEIN'S CINDERELLA: YOUTH EDITION
Music by Richard Rodgers
Book and Lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II
Adaptation by Tom Briggs
March 28th-April 6th, 2025
Please note: There are multiple casts of this show.
All tickets purchased online are reserved seats. You will receive an email with your tickets. Should you misplace this email, please check in with box office when you arrive.
RODGERS & HAMMERSTEIN'S CINDERELLA: YOUTH EDITION is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals on
behalf of The Rodgers & Hammerstein Organization. www.concordtheatricals.com
Friday, March 28 at 7pm - Mini Cast
Saturday, March 29 at 11am - Mini Cast
Saturday, March 29 at 3pm - Senior Cast
Saturday, March 29 at 7pm - Junior Cast
Sunday, March 30 at 2pm - Senior Cast
Tuesday, April 1 at 7pm - Junior Cast
Wednesday, April 2 at 7pm - Mini Cast
Thursday, April 3 at 7pm - Junior Cast
Friday, April 4 at 7pm - Senior Cast
Saturday, April 5 at 2pm - Mini Cast
Saturday, April 5 at 7pm - Junior Cast
Sunday, April 6 at 2pm - Senior Cast
THE PRINCE OF EGYPT - Spark Performing Arts - April 2-12, 2025
Journey through the wonders of Ancient Egypt as Ramses and Moses, two young men raised together as brothers in a kingdom of privilege, find themselves suddenly divided by a secret past. One must rule as Pharaoh, the other must rise up and free his true people; both face a destiny that will change history forever.
A NOTE FROM THE AUTHORS ON CASTING:
"From the very beginning of working on The Prince of Egypt theatrical musical, we wanted to tell a universal story that spans all racial and ethnic divides, and so we always felt it was important to have a diverse cast whenever possible... The point is that anyone, no matter what their background, can play any role. In many productions, our diverse casts have tripled as Egyptians, Hebrews and Midianites. And in all our productions, we have found that audiences have wholeheartedly embraced and enjoyed this idea of inclusion. That’s a central message of The Prince of Egypt: in the end, when we strip away the circumstances of our birth and upbringing, we are all the same as members of the human race. We hope you will embrace this universal story and make it your own, bringing the musical and the message to your own community."
- Philip LaZebnik and Stephen Schwartz
The Prince of Egypt is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI). All authorizaed performance materials are also supplied by MTI. www.mtishows.com
Buy tickets on our website: BUY TICKETS (spark-arts.org)
A KLINGON HAMLET - Ronin Theatre Company - May 22-June 29, 2025
“A Klingon Hamlet”
May 22nd to 25th 2025
You have not experienced Shakespeare until you have read him in the original Klingon.”- Gorkon
Come see the great classic Hamlet; set in the Star Trek universe.
If our universal translators are functioning, you will hear it in perfect English but with phasers, and Bat’leths blazing.
Hamlet’s father, the emperor, has died and his brother has married with Hamlet’s mother.
Will Hamlet rise up or bring dishonor to his family?
The show is adapted by Keath Hall and Eric Darling-Bond
Come join us for beverages and bravado!
ICLF members – $25
General Admission – $35
Military & Students – $25 at the door ONLY with valid ID
Limited walk ins at the door based on availability.
No refunds will be given.
Students must present proof of being an active student at the gate.
May 22nd at 7pm
May 24th at 7pm
May 23rd at 7pm
May 25th at 2pm
May 24th at 2pm
Irish Cultural Center
Beaver Street Theatre from May 30th-June 1st in Flagstaff
Stage Left June 20th-29th in Glendale
Review Highlights: THE COTTAGE - Stage Left Productions
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| Thomas F. Graca, Nat Tilden, Melody Startzell, Allison Foulk, and Kathryn Katsikis Photo by Rodney Rickard and Hector Coris |
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 March 16
"Sandy Rustin's The Cottage is a delightful whirlwind of a comedy, full of wit, romance, rapid-fire dialogue, and an irresistible sense of fun. This laugh-out-loud farce is a loving tribute to classic British comedies, filled with mistaken identities, outrageous confessions, and unexpected twists. With a lovely cast who fully embrace the play's over-the-top humor, Stage Left Productions is presenting a winning production of this fun farce....Under Cody Dull's taut direction, the cast deliver performances brimming with charm and energy. At the center of the madness is Sylvia, played with charisma and a delightful self-assuredness by Kathryn Katsikis. Beau, her dashing yet somewhat dimwitted lover, is played with romantic idealism and boldness by Nat Tilden. Melody Startzell's assured portrayal of Marjorie, Beau's supposedly demure wife, is infused with sharp wit, while Thomas F. Graca is hilarious as Clarke, Sylvia's seemingly meek husband. With a fun unpredictable nature, Allison Foulk is excellent as Dierdre, and Hector Coris is a riot as the secretive but lovable Richard." - Gil Benbrook, TalkinBroadway.com (click here to read the complete review)
NEXT TO NORMAL - Final Act Theatre - April 5-13, 2025
Final Act Theatre presents NEXT TO NORMAL
Production runs from April 5th-13th.
book and lyrics by Brian Yorkey and music by Tom Kitt
Next to Normal explores how one suburban household copes with crisis and mental illness.
Winner of three 2009 Tony Awards, including Best Musical Score and the 2010 Pulitzer Prize, Next to Normal was also chosen as “one of the year’s ten best shows” by critics around the country, including The Los Angeles Times, The Washington Post, Rolling Stone and The New York Times.
Directed by Paul Yount
Music Direction by Nickole Custodio
Saturday, April 5, 2025 7:30 PM
Sunday, April 6, 2025 2:00 PM
Friday, April 11, 2025 7:30 PM
Saturday, April 12, 2025 2:00 PM
Saturday, April 12, 2025 7:30 PM
Sunday, April 13, 2025 2:00 PM
AS YOU LIKE IT - ASU Music Theatre and Opera - April 25-27, 2025
Named one of The New York Times' Best Shows of 2017, As You Like It is an immersive dream-like tale of faithful friends, feuding families and lovers in disguise. Forced from their homes, Orlando, Duke Senior, his daughter Rosalind and niece Celia escape to the Forest of Arden, a fantastical place of transformation, where all are welcomed and embraced. Lost amidst the trees, the refugees find community and acceptance under the stars. Featuring an original folk-pop score by Shaina Taub, with a flexible-sized cast and 90-minute running time, As You Like It is appropriate for all audiences and groups. Fall under love's spell with this magical story!
April 25 and 26 at 7:30 p.m.
April 27 at 2 p.m.
Evelyn Smith Music Theatre
THE NEVERENDING STORY - Actors PLAYground - April 24-27, 2025
by David S. Craig
Youth and Homeschool Production
April 2025
Told with all the thrills of a classic adventure, the story begins with Bastian, a lonely boy, who stumbles into a curious bookshop where he discovers a curious book—The Neverending Story. Bastian hides in the attic of his school and begins to read, and a huge adventure surges into life. Fantastica, a land of stories, is being destroyed by the Nothing. The Childlike Empress has chosen Atreyu, a young hunter, to be the Hero of the Great Quest. Atreyu, an orphan, is an unlikely choice, but he accepts and, with his horse and companion, Artax, rides to face the menace. First, he experiences the Nothing and discovers its thoughtless destruction. Then he is guided by a dream to the Swamps of Sadness where he meets Morla, the Ancient One, who reveals another solution. He must find the Childlike Empress a new name. With this new direction, Atreyu faces Ygramul the Many, befriends Falkor the Luck Dragon, and solves the riddles of the three magic gates to meet Uyulala. From her he learns that only a human child can give the Empress a new name. In despair he faces his final test—the werewolf Gmork—and returns to the Childlike Empress without a new name. However, his quest has attracted a human child. It is Bastian himself who calls out a new name for the Empress, and the story rushes to its triumphant and moving conclusion.
THE WEDDING SINGER - Scottdale Community College - April 10-19, 2025
It's 1985, and rock star wannabe, Robbie Hart, is New Jersey's favorite wedding singer. He's the life of the party until his own fiancée leaves him at the altar. Shot through the heart, Robbie makes every wedding as disastrous as his own. Enter Julia, a winsome waitress who wins his affection. As luck would have it, Julia is about to be married to a Wall Street shark, and, unless Robbie can pull off the performance of a decade, the girl of his dreams will be gone forever.
The Wedding Singer takes us back to a time when hair was big, greed was good, collars were up and a wedding singer might just be the coolest guy in the room. Based on the hit Adam Sandler movie, The Wedding Singer's sparkling new score does for the '80s what Hairspray did for the '60s. Just say yes to the most romantic musical in twenty years.
Thu, Apr 10, 7:30pm
Fri, Apr 11, 7:30pm
Sat, Apr 12, 2pm
Sat, Apr 12, 7:30pm
Thu, Apr 17, 7:30pm
Fri, Apr 18, 7:30pm
Sat, Apr 19, 2pm
Performing Arts Center
9000 E Chaparral Rd, Scottsdale, AZ 85256
Saturday, March 1, 2025
Review Highlights: DEAR EVAN HANSEN - National Tour/Mesa Arts Center
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| Michael Fabisch and Cast Photo by Evan Zimmerman for MurphyMade |
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 March 2
"With its powerful score and impactful storytelling that focuses on themes of loneliness, mental health struggles, and the desire for connection, the Tony winning Best Musical Dear Evan Hansen is a show with a raw emotional depth. With a fantastic cast and creative elements modeled on the original Broadway designs, the second national tour production delivers a moving experience, filled with heartfelt performances and beautifully staged moments that resonate deeply....This non-Equity cast is exceptional, led by Michael Fabisch, who brings both vulnerability and a stunning vocal performance to Evan, the overly apologetic teen who just wants to be noticed. Bre Cade delivers a deeply moving portrayal of Evan's struggling but loving mother Heidi. The scene they share in the second act is delivered with such realism that you may believe that Fabisch and Cade are actually mother and son. Hatty Ryan King is a strong and heartfelt Zoe Murphy, Connor's sister, balancing grief, anger and hope in her portrayal." - Gil Benbrook, TalkinBroadway.com (click here to read the complete review)
Cast announced for PHANTOM at Arizona Broadway Theatre
JAMIE PARNELL as Erik “The Phantom”
SOPHIA MASTERSON as Christine Daeé
HENRY THRASHER as Phillippe, Count de Chandon
IVANA MARTINIC as Carlotta
JAMES A. RIO as Gerard Carriere
Featuring our talented ensemble:
BRODY AWALT - Minister of Culture
TYLER BEGNOCHE - Young Carriere
HANNAH BENTLEY - Florence, u/s Carlotta
ERIN BURTCHAELL - Fleur
DARREN FRIEDMAN - Cholet
ADAM GUINN - Jean-Claude
ADAM HAINSEL - Ledoux
ALEC LOBE - Buquet/Oberon, u/s Erik
ABBY SCALICI - Flora
ADDISON SCHUH - u/s Christine
LOGAN REEDER - Belladova
Review Highlights: BLUES IN THE NIGHT - Arizona Theatre Company
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| Camryn Hamm, Roz White, Darryl Reuben Hall, and April Nixon Photo by Tim Fuller |
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 March 9
"With soulful melodies and heartfelt lyrics that capture deep feelings of sorrow, resilience and longing, the genre of blues music is one with raw emotion and storytelling strength. The powerfully expressive musical genre is on full display in the musical revue Blues in the Night at Arizona Theatre Company where it is brought to life by a talented cast. However, there isn't much of a plot, and many of the songs aren't that well known, so the show feels, at times, more like a loosely assembled concert than a fully realized piece of musical theatre. Fortunately, the performances elevate the material, making each song feel deeply personal and compelling yet also entirely universal." - Gil Benbrook, TalkinBroadway.com (click here to read the complete review)
"In Arizona Theatre Company’s (ATC) outstanding “Blues in the Night,” the audience is transported back to an upscale 1930s Chicago hotel where contemporary songs by such composers as Bessie Smith, Benny Goodman, Vernon Duke, and Duke Ellington among the 13 composers used allow three very different Black women singers to probe their struggles and joys." -Chris Curcio, Curtain Up Phoenix (click here to read the complete review)
"unfolds in a nameless, run-down 1930s hotel, where the weary and world-weary residents exist in a haze of longing and lost dreams. Stripped of names and bound by the same familiar struggles, characters drift through a never-ending night, living out the blues they know too well. ATC’s production, now playing at Tempe Center for the Arts in Tempe until March 9 and deftly directed by Ricardo Khan, captures this melancholy world, transforming the stage into a living, breathing jukebox of heartache and resilience." - David Appleford, Broadway World (click here to read the complete review)
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