Theater Review – October 27, 2018

A BIT OF HISTORY HAS AMAZING PARALLELS TO TODAY’S POLITICS

“THE TRIAL OF THE CATONSVILLE NINE”
iTheatre Collaborative, Kax Stage, Herberger Theater Center
Phoenix, AZ

It’s been a long time since I’ve seen an iTheatre Collaborative production.  The company continues presenting interesting plays that local theaters, other than Stray Cat Theatre, avoid.  The company is currently mounting “The Trial of the Catonsville Nine” which has amazing parallels to today’s political issues.  The play explores the 1968 draft card burning by nine people including two Catholic clergy.  The group took 378 draft files from a Maryland Selective Service office and … Continue Reading

Theater Review – October 14, 2018

A BROADWAY CALIBER LOCAL “FUN HOME” EXPLORES A CHALLENGING TOPIC

“FUN HOME”
Hormel Theatre, Phoenix Theatre
Phoenix, AZ

Phoenix Theatre has become an amazing local theater that consistently presents Broadway caliber productions of recent New York hits and classic shows.  Its latest triumph is “Fun Home,” a new style musical that explores issues usually avoided in conventional tuners.  The PT production is presented in an illustrious Robert Kolby Harper sharply-defined staging that features gifted local performers highlighted with talented imported players who develop the musical’s complex characters as these personalities explore non-traditional back stories.

“Fun Home” debuted on Broadway in … Continue Reading

Theater Review – October 7, 2018

“NATIVE GARDENS” CHAMPIONS REASONABLENESS IN A RAUCOUS ATC STAGING

“NATIVE GARDENS”
Arizona Theatre Company
Center Stage, Herberger Theater Center
Phoenix, AZ

“Native Gardens” opens the 52nd Arizona Theatre Company season in a raucous production of a new comedy that pokes fun at a feud between two Washington, D.C. families who live in a tony neighborhood.  The neighbors are unable to resolve a border dispute between their respective properties.  Playwright Karen Zacarias uses wry humor that generates wild laughter at the silly situation that the quartet of adults should be able to resolve amicably but can’t.  Both property owners have their … Continue Reading

Theater Review – October 4, 2018

“WAITRESS”  LOOKS AS GOOD AT GAMMAGE AS IT DID ON BROADWAY

“WAITRESS”
Broadway Across America – Arizona
ASU Gammage
Tempe, AZ

Broadway arrives locally at ASU Gammage with the opening this week of “Waitress,’ the 2015 New York musical based on the popular film.  The touring production always equals and occasionally looks better and sounds fresher than the Broadway original.  “Waitress” is funny, brilliantly cast, and stunningly executed.  And, wonder of wonder, not a lyric is missed because a superior sound system made every word distinctive.

Set in a small pie shop, the lives of the dessert bakers and its customers … Continue Reading