Theater Review – September 26, 2021

STRAY CAT THEATRE’S “BRIGHT COLORS AND BOLD PATTERNS” EXPERTLY PERFORMED BUT DISAPPOINTINGLY ONE-DIMENSIONAL

“BRIGHT COLORS AND BOLD PATTERNS”
Stray Cat Theatre, Studio Theatre, Tempe Center for the Arts
Tempe, AZ

By Chris Curcio
Theater Critic

The pandemic stifled the Valley’s live theater scene but now with safeguards in place, established companies are reopening.  It is especially noteworthy that Stray Cat Theatre is back with its usual interesting shows.  The lesser-known plays the company presents provide Valley theatergoers with well-produced alternatives to shows avoided by our established professional theaters – Arizona Theatre Company, The Phoenix Theatre Company, and ASU Gammage’s Broadway Across … Continue Reading

Theater Review – September 19, 2021

“CAMELOT” STILL SUFFERS FROM A SOGGY HISTORIC RETELLING EVEN IN THE WELL-SUNG TPTC STAGING

“CAMELOT”
The Phoenix Theatre Company, Mainstage Theatre
Phoenix, AZ

By Chris Curcio
Theater Critic

When Lerner and Loewe’s “Camelot” premiered in 1960, the original cast – Julie Andrews, Richard Burton, and Robert Goulet – plus a gorgeous but not historically accurate physical production and a catchy musical score made it a modest success.  High expectations were leveled on it because of the team’s previous “My Fair Lady” hit.  Many reasons caused “Camelot” not to become a triumph including T. H. White’s stodgy source material, “The Once and … Continue Reading

Theater Review – September 8, 2021

NEW ‘HAMILTON” TOUR IMPRESSES IN ASU GAMMAGE RETURN

“HAMILTON”
ASU Gammage
Tempe, AZ

By Chris Curcio
Theater Critic

Concurrently to the “Hamilton” Broadway reopening of the enormously popular musical that vibrantly explains our country’s birth with a contemporary twist, a new national tour of the show debuted at ASU Gammage, marking the show’s second local engagement.  Like the previous tour, the new one smashingly re-creates the brilliant show with the original’s sharp and defining perfection.

Each familiar historical character is beautifully crafted in accordance with “Hamilton’s” creator, Lin-Manuel Miranda’s, new interpretations of these figures based on Ron Chernow’s book.  Miranda introduces many … Continue Reading