Theater Review – December 12, 2021

ATC’S “MISS BENNET: CHRISTMAS AT PEMBERLEY” IS A DELICIOUS HOLIDAY TREAT IN AN ENCHANTING PRODUCTION

“MISS BENNET: CHRISTMAS AT PEMBERLEY”
Arizona Theatre Company, Center Stage, Herberger Theater Center
Phoenix, AZ

By Chris Curcio
Theater Critic

Delightful is an overworked word too often used to describe charming theater.  But it is the perfect word for “Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley,” the new Arizona Theatre Company production that opened over the weekend.  The comedy is the first of what ATC’s artistic director, Sean Daniels, promises to be an annual holiday-themed production during future seasons.

“Miss Bennet…” utilizes familiar Jane Austen “Pride and Prejudice” characters … Continue Reading

Theater Review – December 8, 2021

”MY FAIR LADY” IS BACK IN A SOLID BUT NOT BRILLIANT PRODUCTION

“MY FAIR LADY”
Broadway Across America – Arizona, ASU Gammage
Tempe, AZ

By Chris Curcio
Theater Critic

Lerner and Loewe’s 1956 “My Fair Lady,” based brilliantly on George Bernard Shaw’s “Pygmalion,” is a masterpiece of America’s Golden Age of Musical Theatre.  As such, the show merits reviving as long as the production either treasures the show with a stellar staging or finds new angles as it tells the story of flower person Eliza Doolittle who becomes a lady under Professor Henry Higgins’ tutelage.

The recent 2018 Broadway revival found new … Continue Reading