Theater Commentary – March 29, 2025

ATC AND TPTC’S 2025/26 SEASONS PLUS A NEW THEATER CREATE PROMISING VALLEY THEATER PERIOD

2025/26 Major Theater Seasons Plus A New Valley Theater

By Chris Curcio
Theater Critic

With Spring comes the announcements by the major Valley theaters of their new 2025/26 seasons.  The selections by Arizona Theatre Company (ATC) and The Phoenix Theatre Company (TPTC) represent an impressive list of recent Broadway shows, interesting world and regional premieres, plus a selection of familiar fare that will be blessed with new productions.   The 2025/26 ASU Gammage Broadway season has been previously outlined on this website.

The biggest event in the new season will be the opening of the 500-seat, $36.5 million Dr. Stacie J. and Richard J Stephenson Theatre on TPTC’s downtown Phoenix campus.  The fully equipped theater includes an impressive backstage and a complete orchestra pit. It was designed by RSP and constructed by Chanen.  Unlike most local theaters, the new space was not funded by local government bonds but by an ambitious TPTC fund-raising effort that continues to raise the final $6 million to fully amortize the theater. The TBA show will open the new theater probably this August subject to construction demands.

Below are ATC and TPTC announced seasons.  The other important local theater that brings edgier shows to the Valley, Stray Cat Theatre, will release its 2025/26 season when its final production of the current season, “Little Shop of Horrors,” debuts on May 2.

Arizona Theatre Company

ATC is the only two-city professional regional repertory theater in the country playing its five-show season in Tempe and in Tucson.  Performing locally at the Tempe Center for the Arts, ATC launches its season with “Deceived” (October 25-November 9), a new adaptation of 1938’s suspenseful “Gaslight” followed by the U.S. Premiere of “Heist” (January 10-25) which uses caper films like “Ocean’s Eleven” and “The Sting” to craft a thriller full of escapes and disguises.

The popular tribute to Harlem composer Fats Waller, “Ain’t Misbehavin’” (February 21-March 8), is ATC’s one musical, followed by the recent Broadway hit “The Roommate” (April 11-26) about a Midwestern woman who rents to a lodger who brings quite a past as they develop a friendship.  The season ends with “Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors” (May 23-June 7) that uses Bram Stoker’s vampire classic as a basis for a humorous makeover.

ATC’s popular holiday show, “Scrooge,” will not be presented because dates didn’t allow it to be presented during the normal holiday period in either city.  It may show up again in future ATC seasons.

The Phoenix Theatre Company

TPTC’s season includes eleven shows.  Ten are announced with the show opening the new theater still to be revealed.  TPTC will use three theaters, the new one plus the existing Hormel Theatre and the cabaret-style Judith Hardes Theatre.

Opening TPTC’s season will be the regional premiere of “The Roads to Loch Lomond” (October 8-November 2 in the Hormel Theatre) which blends history and myth into a musical as two brothers fight for their homeland.  “Looking Over the President’s Shoulder” (October 29-December 14 in the Judith Hardes Theatre) explores the Chief White House Butler under four presidents followed by the return of the popular Actors Theatre production of Dickens “A Christmas Carol” (November 19-January 4 in the Dr. Stacie J. and Richard Stephenson Theatre) with a score by TPTC’s late musical director Alan Ruch.  It will be staged by Actor Theatre’s former artistic director Matthew Weiner.

“Million Dollar Quartet” (December 17-March 8 in the Hormel Theatre) takes audiences on a visit to 1950s and 60s Sun Studios rock-n-roll classics.  The Broadway hit musical “Come From Away” (January 28-April 5 in the Dr. Stacie J. and Richard J Stephenson Theatre) explores a tiny Newfoundland town that played host to 7,000 guests when planes had to land there following the 9/11 New York bombing.

“Tenderly: The Rosemary Clooney Musical” (March 4-May 3 in the Judith Hardes Theatre) reveals the popular singer’s life using her song hits.  “Daddy Long Legs” (April 1-26 in the Hormel Theatre) traces the life and discoveries of an orphaned woman.  “Ever After” (May 6-June 21 in the Dr. Stacie J. and Richard Stephenson Theatre) views the classic fairy tale through a new lens.

The popular musical “Dear Evan Hansen” (June 10-August 9 in the Hormel Theatre) explores a teenager’s discovery of life and its complexities.  The season closes with “Hairspray” (July 15-August 30 in the Dr. Stacie J. and Richard Stephenson Theatre) which looks at the dreams of a big-haired Baltimore teenager in the 1960s.

An impressive collection of interesting new and popular shows will fill our major theaters during an exciting 2025/26 theater season that will be highlighted by TPTC’s new theater.