Theater Review – March 22, 2020

2020/21 ASU GAMMAGE AND TUCSON BROADWAY SEASON ANNOUNCEMENTS

Broadway Across America, ASU Gammage, Tempe, AZ and
Broadway in Tucson, Centennial Hall, Tucson, AZ

The two 2020/2021 Broadway in Arizona seasons of touring shows has been announced.  Interestingly, many of the shows in the two cities are the same, an occurrence that has only occasionally happened in past seasons.  The ASU Gammage season usually gets the touring Broadway shows at least one season before Tucson but the new seasons share five shows.

The Tempe season does feature the Broadway hit “Frozen,” a major Broadway revival of “Oklahoma,” and the New … Continue Reading

Theater Review – March 6, 2020

BROADWAY’S NORM LEWIS PROVIDES STUNNING SONGS AND AMUSING BACKSTAGE CHATTER

NORM LEWIS WITH SETH RUDETSKY
Virginia G. Piper Theater, Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts
Scottsdale, AZ

Beautiful voiced Broadway star Norm Lewis brought his stunning vocals for one night to the Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts interspersed with hysterical backstage insights prompted by series host/pianist Seth Rudetsky.

Lewis’ concert was the final offering in this season’s series presenting Broadway stars singing highlights of their careers with catty banter.  Rudetsky said the series will return next season although no performers have been revealed.

Lewis sang many Broadway hit songs several … Continue Reading

Theater Review – March 4, 2020

“ONCE ON THIS ISLAND” HAS GREAT T-SHIRTS EVEN IF THE CARIBBEAN LOVE TALE DOESN’T MAKE GREAT MUSICAL THEATER

“ONCE ON THIS ISLAND”
Broadway Across America – Arizona, ASU Gammage
Tempe, AZ

The best part of the touring “Once on This Island at ASU Gammage this week was the festive bright blue show t-shirt with muted tones of yellow that I bought in the lobby before the 90 minute, one-act musical began.  The Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens musical didn’t equal the team’s earlier “Ragtime” triumph.  “Once on This Island” is a morality tale about Ti Moune, a young girl, … Continue Reading