Phoenix Metro Theater Reviews: Best Shows & Critic Recommendations Page 4

Review: GLORIA At Stray Cat Theatre
by Herbert Paine - October 03, 2023

Under the astute and inspired direction of Dolores E. Mendoza, GLORIA (Stray Cat Theatre’s 22nd Season opener) the lines and action of Branden Jacobs-Jenkins's play are transformed into a jarring high-voltage theatrical experience. Runs through October 14th at Tempe Center for the Arts....

Review: JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT at Arizona Broadway Theatre
by Herbert Paine - October 01, 2023

Arizona Broadway Theatre's production of JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT, directed by Ken Urso, featuring Jazmin Noel Moehring as the show’s Narrator, and supported by the non-stop energy of an outstanding ensemble, is a thrilling musical theatrical experience....

Review: STEEL MAGNOLIAS at Hale Centre, Gilbert, Arizona
by Suzanne Whitaker - September 26, 2023

Gilbert Arizona’s lovely Hale Theatre opened Robert Harling’s STEEL MAGNOLIAS Tuesday, September 19, with shows running through November 21, 2023. ...

Review: STEAL AWAY at Black Theatre Troupe
by Herbert Paine - September 20, 2023

Under the direction of Walter Belcher, Black Theatre Troupe's rousing production of Ramona King's STEAL AWAY features a spirited ensemble of actresses. A winning allegory about economic justice, wrapped in loads of laughs and feelings, the show runs through October 1st....

Review: THE WEIGHT OF A FEATHER at PBS Passport
by Herbert Paine - August 31, 2023

Kristin Atwell Ford's THE WEIGHT OF A FEATHER is a stunning documentary feat that will leave an indelible mark on the heart and mind of its viewers. Its message is a profound, enlightening, and deeply moving reminder of our place in the web of life. Available on PBS Passport....

Review: SOMETHING'S AFOOT at Hale Centre Theatre
by Herbert Paine - August 30, 2023

Hale Centre Theatre's delightful mystery/comedy, directed by Cambrian James, runs through October 7th....

Review: DISASTER! at Arizona Broadway Theatre
by Herbert Paine - August 28, 2023

DISASTER! runs through September 15th in Arizona Broadway Theatre’s Mainstage Theatre....

Review: BEETLEJUICE at Gammage Auditorium
by Tim Shawver - August 24, 2023

What did our critic think of BEETLEJUICE at Gammage Auditorium?...

Review: DREAMGIRLS at The Phoenix Theatre Company
by Herbert Paine - August 14, 2023

The Phoenix Theatre Company’s production, directed by Daryl Brooks, has three key elements that hold this golden oldie together ~ Miciah Lathan, for sure; the astonishing and stellar performance of Antonio King; and, of course, the compositions of Henry Krieger and Tom Eyen. Runs through September 3...

Review: VENUS IN FUR Heats Up the Stage at Live Theatre Workshop
by Robert Encila-Celdran - August 10, 2023

Subversive and riveting, David Ives's clever adaptation of Leopold von Sacher-Masoch's novella titillates and shocks, delving into mythology while blurring the line between the divine and the pedestrian. In channeling Leopold von Sacher-Masoch, Ives's stab at foreplay is piquant and dangerous. Shoul...

Review: ON GOLDEN POND at Don Bluth Front Row Theatre
by Herbert Paine - July 30, 2023

ON GOLDEN POND at Don Bluth Front Row Theatre through September 2nd ~ Seasoned with flashes of humor and sentimentality, the play thrives around the solid performances of Joe Musil as Norman Thayer, Jr. and Barbara McBain as his wife Ethel....

Review: 20S.30S at Regal Cinemas ~ A Love Story
by Herbert Paine - July 11, 2023

Jee Hoon Seo’s short film, 20s.30s., premiering at the Micheaux Film Festival on July 13 in L.A. is a uniquely compelling portrayal of love lost and found....

Review: THE LEGEND OF GEORGIA MCBRIDE at Arizona Theatre Company
by Herbert Paine - July 03, 2023

Arizona Theatre Company’s production of THE LEGEND OF GEORGIA MCBRIDE ends on a high note, proving that, even in the absence of good writing, you can’t beat the charm and appeal of drag! The show runs through July 16th at the Herberger Theater Center in Phoenix AZ....

Review: THE WIZARD OF OZ at Arizona Broadway Theatre
by Herbert Paine - June 25, 2023

Cassandra and Kiel Klaphake, the visionary forces behind Arizona Broadway Theatre, have delivered a winner with their refreshingly revisited production of THE WIZARD OF OZ, directed by Ken Urso and featuring Jasmine Bassham as Dorothy. Runs through July 11....

Review: HAIRSPRAY at Gammage Auditorium
by Tim Shawver - June 24, 2023

HAIRSPRAY returns to Gammage Auditorium through June 25th offering audiences a welcome revisit to the original Broadway staging of one of the most frequently produced musicals of the 21st century. Ben Brantley’s 2002 NY Times Broadway review said HAIRSPRAY is 'as sweet as a show can be without tooth...

Review: THE PROM at The Phoenix Theatre Company
by Herbert Paine - June 18, 2023

Director Michael Barnard brings his flare for musical staging in a brilliant well-cast production of THE PROM. Runs through July 9th at The Phoenix Theatre Company....

Review: THE LEGEND OF GEORGIA MCBRIDE Caps Solid Season at Arizona Theatre Company
by Robert Encila-Celdran - June 13, 2023

Well, Georgia is back. Flamboyant as ever, she blazes a familiar trail like a captive hedonist spoiling for a bog splurge. To an anxious audience, there's nothing like a good dose of sassy uproar to nurse grievances and bear the cost of delayed gratification....

Review: NEXT TO NORMAL at Scottsdale Desert Stages Theatre
by Herbert Paine - June 05, 2023

Scottsdale Desert Stages Theatre’s NEXT TO NORMAL, directed by Chris Chavez, is a captivating production about a mother’s bipolar disorder and the effects of her illness on her family. The well-cast show runs through June 11th....

Review: BIRTH OF A MURDERER at Scottsdale Desert Stages Theatre
by Nathaniel Jones - June 05, 2023

Darian Lane’s Birth of a Murderer at Scottsdale Desert Stages Theatre does a masterful job of Birthing a story that entertains and brings a jarring discomfort that still holds its audience....

Review: I CAN'T GIVE YOU ANYTHING BUT LOVE at Chinese Theatre
by Herbert Paine - May 30, 2023

Susan Morgan Cooper's documentary, I CAN’T GIVE YOU ANYTHING BUT LOVE, renders a candid and illuminating homage to one of the luminaries of The Great American Songbook ~ Jimmy McHugh. The film will be screened on June 27th at the Chinese Theatre in Hollywood, CA....

Review: BEN BUTLER At Don Bluth Front Row Theatre
by Herbert Paine - May 22, 2023

Richard Strand's BEN BUTLER highlights a seminal moment in the march to emancipation. Now on stage at Don Bluth Front Row Theater in Scottsdale AZ through July 8th, the play, directed by Lee Cooley and featuring an outstanding cast, is a compelling profile of courage....

Review: BYE BYE BIRDIE at Hale Centre Theatre
by Herbert Paine - May 21, 2023

Director/choreographer Cambrian James delivers a nostalgically delightful production of BYE BYE BIRDIE, featuring a knockout performance by Michala Montaño as Rosie. At Hale Centre Theatre in Gilbert AZ through July 1....

Review: A SOLDIERS PLAY at ASU Gammage
by Nathaniel Jones - May 19, 2023

The National Tour of A Soldier’s Play at ASU Gammage is magic, being led by not only the sensational Norm Lewis but also a fantastic cast, telling a story that although set in a time and place nearly 80 years ago, is also one that still mirrors realities our communities face today....

Review: PRIVATE LIVES at Arizona Theatre Company
by Herbert Paine - May 15, 2023

Lots gets lost in Arizona Theatre Company's production of Noël Coward's PRIVATE LIVES. Runs through May 28th in Phoenix at the Herberger Theater Center....

Review: DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS at Arizona Broadway Theatre
by Herbert Paine - May 14, 2023

The show stopping performance by triple threat Nathan David Smith seals the deal on Arizona Broadway Theatre's rousing production of DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS, directed by Clayton Phillips and featuring an outstanding ensemble. The show runs through June 4th in Peoria, AZ....