This review aired on KBAQ April 27, 2015

“BUYER AND CELLAR” IS HYSTERICAL LOOK AT BARBRA STREISAND’S COLLECTION & “THE TOMKAT PROJECT” DEALS WITH TOM CRUISE’S DEVOTION

Local premieres of two funny but clever double-entre comedies are linked by one of the Valley’s most talented actor/director.  Stray Cat Theatre’s artistic director Ron May has staged Jonathan Tollins’ clever “Buyer and Cellar” as a riotous laugh fest for Phoenix Theatre where the director pulls a fine comic performance from Valley actor Toby Yatso.

May also features the craftily devious look at Tom Cruise’s sexuality in “The TomKat Project,” the season closer for his Stray … Continue Reading

Theater Review – April 23, 2015

This review aired on KBAQ April 23, 2015

“MOTOWN THE MUSICAL” SHOWS HOW THE SOUND WAS CREATED

“MOTOWN THE MUSICAL”

Broadway Across America – Arizona, ASU Gammage

Tempe, AZ

The roof of ASU Gammage just about blew off at the Tuesday night opening of “Motown The Musical.”  It’s one of the loudest shows I’ve ever witnessed but it was impossible not to love these songs when they are so brilliantly performed by such a talented ensemble within a compelling look at how the sound was crafted.

I don’t pretend to be an expert about the Motown pop music sound or the … Continue Reading

This review aired on KBAQ April 20, 2015

IMPRESSIVE ARIZONA OPERA SEASON ENDS WITH A BRILLIANT “REGIMENT”

2014/15 ARIZONA OPERA SEASON REVIEW
Arizona Opera, Symphony Hall
Phoenix, AZ

Arizona Opera just concluded its impressive 2014/15 season with a comically delightful and beautifully sung “The Daughter of the Regiment.”  Arizona Opera is now a premiere regional opera company.  It lacks the operatic superstars that the San Francisco Opera, the Chicago Lyric Opera, or New York’s Metropolitan Opera regularly present, but this season’s productions were consistently well sung and well staged.

The season of diversity started with the first Mariachi opera, “Cruzar la Cara de la Luna,” which … Continue Reading

This review aired on KBAQ April 13, 2015

VERBOSE NEARLY NAKED “HISTORY OF THE DEVIL” IS PRETENTIOUS CLAPTRAP

”THE HISTORY OF THE DEVIL”
Nearly Naked Theatre, The Hardes Theatre at Phoenix Theatre
Phoenix, AZ

Wordy British playwright Clive Barker has written a verbose, obnoxious, and talky script called “The History of the Devil.”  Barker uses the premise that people blame their actions and decisions on the Devil’s behind-the-scenes manipulation of situations.  The play implies you can justify all things that go wrong in your life on the Devil’s actions.  This theme is an easy excuse to justify any stumbling block in a person’s life so … Continue Reading

This review aired on KBAQ April 6, 2015

THEATER WORKS “CUCKOO’S NEST” HAS TWO STRONG ACTORS IN LEAD ROLES

”ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO’S NEST”
Theater Works, Peoria Center for the Performing Arts
Peoria, AZ

Dale Wasserman’s play “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest,” based on Ken Kesey’s novel about institutionalized psychopaths, is one of the biggest dramatic challenges awaiting any community theater.  Peoria’s Theater Works presents a solid if not perfect production because of strong performances in the two leading roles that helps distinguish this production.  The rest of the acting ensemble struggles to deliver distinctive interpretations of the other patients.

Essaying the major roles … Continue Reading