Phoenix Metro Theater Reviews: Best Shows & Critic Recommendations

Review: THE WIZARD OF OZ at Saguaro City Music Theatre
by Zach Wetzel - December 29, 2024

THE WIZARD OF OZ is the perfect holiday treat!...

Review: SCROOGE! at Arizona Theatre Company
by Herbert Paine - December 09, 2024

Arizona Theatre Company's SCROOGE!, directed by Matt August, offers moments of holiday cheer and showcases talented performances, making it an enjoyable seasonal outing....

Review: ROCK 'N' ROLL CHRISTMAS REVIEW at The Gaslight Music Hall
by Zach Wetzel - December 10, 2024

ROCK 'N' ROLL CHRISTMAS REVUE at The Gaslight Music Hall is in full swing! The show is a stocking stuffer of holiday hits that will have audiences singing and dancing out the door. This concert is an excellent way to ring in the season! ...

Review: KIMBERLY AKIMBO at Gammage Auditorium
by Tim Shawver - December 06, 2024

KIMBERLY AKIMBO, the 2023 Tony Winner for Best Musical now visiting Gammage Auditorium, manages something remarkable - it finds the bittersweet spot between life's joys and sorrows, letting both exist without cancelling each other out. In an era where musicals often rely on spectacle and flash to ma...

Review: A CHRISTMAS CAROL at Hale Centre Theatre
by Herbert Paine - December 01, 2024

David Appleford, BroadwayWorld’s esteemed guest contributor, gives a glowing holiday tribute to Hale Centre Theatre’s inventive and inspiring production of the seasonal classic, A CHRISTMAS CAROL, directed by David Hale Dietlein....

Review: SWEAT at Stray Cat Theatre
by Herbert Paine - November 26, 2024

Stray Cat Theatre's production of SWEAT, directed by Chanel Bragg, achieves a remarkable balance between the intimacy and intensity of working class folks caught in the whirlwind of economic displacement. To this end, Bragg's ensemble delivers powerhouse performances....

Review: MIRACLE ON 34TH STREET at The Phoenix Theatre Company
by Herbert Paine - November 25, 2024

The Phoenix Theatre Company's production of MIRACLE ON 34th STREET: A LIVE MUSICAL RADIO SHOW is a perfectly pleasant and heartwarming live theatre experience....

Review: THE CURIOUS SAVAGE at The Fusebox
by Angela Kabasan-Gonzalez - November 19, 2024

The Curious Savage, written by John Patrick, is a heartwarming and poignant comedy that explores the intersection of wealth, mental health, and human kindness. Set in a sanatorium for those seeking mental health care, the play centers on a spirited widow, Ethel P. Savage, who has inherited a fortune...

Review: NEXT FALL at Order Chaos Theater Company
by Herbert Paine - November 10, 2024

In Order Chaos Theatre Company's production of Geoffrey Nauffts's NEXT FALL, Mark Alan Clemente’s astute and empathetic direction ensures that shifts between past and present flow seamlessly, that the story’s emotional stakes build dramatically, and that the playwright's goal of highlighting “the co...

Review: SCROOGE: A MERRY MISERLY CHRISTMAS CAROL at The Gaslight Theatre
by Zach Wetzel - November 09, 2024

SCROOGE at The Gaslight Theatre is a true delight!...

Review: MISERY at Live Theatre Workshop
by Zach Wetzel - November 04, 2024

MISERY by William Goldman and based on the novel by Stephen King has made its mark at Live Theatre Workshop. This project is a breath of fresh air. Directed by Sabian Trout, with Assistant Direction by Shanna Brock, this play is both chilling and darkly humorous. MISERY, which is playing until Novem...

Review: THE COLOR PURPLE at The Black Theatre Troupe
by Herbert Paine - October 28, 2024

The Black Theatre Troupe's production of THE COLOR PURPLE is a rousing and emotionally powerful show, thanks to a brilliant cast and the keen direction of Karen Davis Jones and the musical direction of Brenda Hankins....

Review: DIAL M FOR MURDER at Arizona Theatre Company
by Herbert Paine - October 28, 2024

DIAL M FOR MURDER is classic suspense, and director Michael John Garcés has seen to it that the performances of the leads are on point, backed by a grand mix of designs that make for gripping theatre....

Review: ALEBRIJES at The Scoundrel And Scamp Theatre
by Zach Wetzel - October 22, 2024

Pinate has done an exceptional job creating a fantasy world built on darkly charming whimsy and wonder. I was often reminded of ALICE IN WONDERLAND while watching ALEBRIJES. Pinate fills the stage with fantastical imagery, much of it lit under jaw-droppingly beautiful blacklight....

Review: BRIGHT STAR at Arizona Repertory Theatre
by Zach Wetzel - October 20, 2024

BRIGHT STAR is a joyous and rousing production writes our critic. ...

Review: FUNNY GIRL at ASU Gammage
by Herbert Paine - October 16, 2024

The national tour of FUNNY GIRL features a knock-out performance by the show's leading lady, Hannah Shankman, and culminates with an audience-pleasing big finish. ...

Review: MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET at Arizona Broadway Theatre
by Herbert Paine - October 08, 2024

The real strength of Arizona Broadway Theatre's production of MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET is the cast – the excellent musician/performers who, while avoiding the imitation of certain obvious well-known character traits in their portrayals, manage to recreate specific elements of their real-life counterpa...

Review: MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET at Saguaro City Music Theatre
by Zach Wetzel - October 05, 2024

MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET at Saguaro City is an absolute triumph says BroadwayWorld's critic. Read on for our full review of the production. ...

Review: THE MINUTES at Stray Cat Theatre
by Herbert Paine - October 01, 2024

As presented by Stray Cat Theatre as its 23rd season opener, THE MINUTES, a blistering satire of small-town city council meetings, begins as one thing and concludes as something completely different. And no matter what clues or giveaways you think you might have picked up on throughout the play, you...

Review: WAITRESS at The Phoenix Theatre Company
by Herbert Paine - September 29, 2024

The Phoenix Theatre Company's production of WAITRESS...as a live musical is a testament to this unique form of American theatre... You won’t see a better production. ...

Review: DIAL M FOR MURDER at Arizona Theatre Company
by Zach Wetzel - September 29, 2024

DIAL M FOR MURDER is a chilling thriller with strong performances says BWW's critic. ...

Review: MRS. DOUBTFIRE: The Musical at ASU Gammage
by Angela Kabasan-Gonzalez - September 19, 2024

What did our critic think of MRS. DOUBTFIRE at ASU Gammage?...

Review: THE MISS FIRECRACKER CONTEST at Live Theatre Workshop
by Zach Wetzel - September 08, 2024

This play is a lot of fun and audiences will leave with a smile on their face!...

Review: POTUS at Winding Road Theater Ensemble
by Zach Wetzel - September 07, 2024

POTUS is a dark comedy filled with strong performances....

Review: BIRDS OF NORTH AMERICA at Invisible Theatre
by Zach Wetzel - September 05, 2024

BIRDS OF NORTH AMERICA is by far the most moving play I have seen in Tucson. It stars Dennis O'Dell as John and Hannah Turner as Caitlyn, both making their Invisible Theatre debuts. This was my first introduction to the play, written by Anna Ouyang Moench. I recommend going in cold if you are unfami...