Copperstate Dinner Theater Finds A New Home At Arizona Broadway Theatre

The Copperstate Dinner Theater, the Valley's oldest dinner theater, has found a new home with Arizona Broadway Theatre, the Valley's newest dinner theatre. Copperstate will present the world premiere of Country Jukebox, the world's most unique musical revue, in ABT's Encore Room. Performances will be presented from January 8 through January 31, 2010, on Friday and Saturday evenings, and on Sunday afternoons. Evening dinner times are at 6:30 p.m. with an 8:00 p.m. performance time, and Sunday lunch at 12:30 p.m. with a 2:00 p.m. curtain time.

About Copperstate Dinner Theatre
The Copperstate Dinner Theater began in 1981 when Max Beyer, owner of Max's Sports Grill in Glendale, contacted Candace Lincoln with the idea of turning their small banquet room into a dinner theater. The theater opened in 1981 with a production of the popular farce Pajama Tops. Candace ran the theater for several years before passing the reigns to Trudy Hurley, who in turn turned the operation over to Jacque Gaston. In 1994, Candace returned for a brief time before turning the theater over to Peter J. Hill, who, with his partner and wife, Noel Irick, still oversee theater operations. In 2002, Max's was sold to Phoenix Greyhound Park, which turned the banquet room into a state-of-the-art off-track-betting facility. However, Greyhound Park's General Manager, Dan Luciano, recognized the value of the dinner theater and built a lovely, intimate 100-seat theater inside the Greyhound Park. Most recently, Delaware North, the parent company of The Phoenix Greyhound Park, announced the closing of the park on December 19, 2009. While Copperstate will remain in production there through December 31 with the hit musical review Christmas Jukebox, that production will be the last at the Greyhound Park location. The theater has launched many careers and has seen many popular Valley actors on its stages, including Robyn Allen, Robyn Ferracane, Rusty Ferracane, Bob Sorenson and Jon Gentry. Now, Copperstate embarks on a new chapter in its storied history by continuing its work at the Valley's newest dinner theater, Arizona Broadway Theatre.

About Country Jukebox
Country Jukebox is the world's first and only interactive country musical! During dinner, audience members are invited to select their favorite songs from a giant jukebox of over 100 of the greatest country songs ever written. The choices are tallied, and a brand-new, world-premiere revue--created by the audience--is brought to life before their very eyes by a talented and versatile cast. Each show is as unique and as different as the audience that created it! "With no two shows ever being the same, it can be--to put it mildly--a challenge," commented Hill. "It's as exciting for the performers as it is for the audience since a great part of the show takes place backstage out of the audience's sight," Hill continued. Country Jukebox requires an amazing cast of actors whose versatility is put to the test each night as they adapt to the demands of each evening's audience. Only one half hour before curtain, the cast mingles with the audience and collects their jukebox selections for the evening. The choices are quickly tallied backstage, and the most-requested songs are compiled. With the help of the staff, songs are frantically put in dramatic and comedic order, divided by style, duets and ensemble numbers, and then, with literally only minutes to go until curtain, the final list is posted backstage, just in time for the cast to make their first entrance!

Country Jukebox is produced by the Copperstate Dinner Theater, and was created and directed by Copperstate's Producing Director, Peter J. Hill, and choreographed by Noel Irick. Reynaldo Saenz is the show's musical director, and Flora Mogerman is the piano accompanist. Country Jukebox stars Kathy Donald, Charlie Jourdan, Dominic Kidwell, Amy Powers and Janine Smith.
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Country Jukebox will be presented in the Encore Room at the Arizona Broadway Theatre, 7701 West Paradise Lane in Peoria. Ticket price for all performances is $39.00 per person, which includes dinner and show. Appetizers, desserts and beverages are available for an added charge. A full-service bar will also be available. Reservations can be made at (623) 776-8400.

About Arizona Broadway Theatre
ABT, Arizona's one-of-a-kind, award-winning, state-of-the-art professional dinner theatre, showcases locally and nationally acclaimed artists both onstage and behind the scenes. ABT's fifth season also includes: A Christmas Carol: The Musical (November 27-December 27), Gypsy (January 8-February 21), Cats (February 26-April 11), Maury Yeston's Phantom (April 23-May 30), Footloose (June 11-July 25), I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change (August 6-September 19) and-a first for ABT-a play, Lend Me A Tenor (August 13-September 26).

ABT is conveniently located south of W. Bell Road off the Loop 101, east of the Peoria Sports Complex. Parking is free. For tickets and additional information about gift cards, special events packages, Theatre for Young Audiences, the Academy for Young Performers program, or to become an ABT subscriber, call the Box Office at 623.776.8400 or visit www.azbroadwaytheatre.com

Arizona Broadway Theatre's fifth season is proudly sponsored by Dex.