Herbert Paine - Page 22

Michael Fleck's TIDE POOLS ~ a creative, contemplative, and lovely 'paean' to Steinbeck ~ is one of eight engaging short plays on themes comical and whimsical and all relevant in Theatre Artists Studio's ninth annual festival of innovations, New Summer Shorts.

SPECTACULAR is the key word for Valley Youth Theatre's current production of DISNEY'S THE LITTLE MERMAID, directed by Bobb Cooper and featuring enough pearls of talent to fill an oyster bed or two. Karol Cooper's lavish costumes, Dori Brown's sets, Mike Eddy's lighting, Mark Fearey's orchestra all add up to an exhilarating hit for the family.

The band is the essential heartbeat of rock & roll! In Arizona Broadway Theatre's current production of ROCK OF AGES, Mark Foreman (keyboards), Daniel Stotz (bass), Douglas Ramlow (percussion), and Andrew Hake and Jeff Lauffer (guitars) prove the point with an explosive and electrifying nonstop performance that plays true to the distinctive attributes of glam metal. ROCK OF AGES is a totally amped-up and vigorous medley of '80's hits wrapped around Chris D'Arienzo's otherwise very conventional and 'irrepressible love story.'

Ben Tyler's YOU CAN'T KILL A STORY: THE MURDER OF DON BOLLES is not only a moving and truly theatrical memorial to Don Bolles but it is also a compelling tribute to the power and imperative of a free and unfettered press,

While the temperatures are rising in the Phoenix Metro area, theater lovers can be assured of a cool and diverse range of theatrical offerings this summer.

With its array of accolades ~ novel, film, and musical ~ and the richness of its themes and content, KISS OF THE SPIDER WOMAN is a treasure trove of possibility, to be mined deeply and imaginatively for its allusions to the mythology of the spider woman, cinema, and revolution. On these varied accounts, Scottsdale Musical Theater Company's current stab at the KISS falls short. The multi-talented Hector Coris directs this ambitious production, but I fear that limited resources have roadblocked him from realizing the production's full potential.

Todd Michael Isaac and Mike Traylor deliver riveting and captivating performances as two hostages, isolated in a sterile cell and united only by their shared Kafkaesque despair, in iTheatre Collaborative's gripping and compelling production of Yussef El Guindi's HOSTAGES.

Phoenix Theatre premiering WHEN YOU WISH: THE STORY OF WALT DISNEY, a highly idealized and superficial portrait of the mogul of animated filmdom that leaves too many stones of character and relationship development unturned.

Scott Carter's DISCORD is more akin to an extended SNL sketch ~ longer to the tune of ninety minutes, comprised of a series of XV scenes, and made thoroughly bearable thanks to the whirlwind performances ~ albeit caricatures ~ of its original cast, Larry Cedar (Jefferson), Mark Gagliardi (Dickens), and Armin Shimerman (Tolstoy).

If America had an award for satirist-in-chief, David Sedaris would be the odds-on favorite. If there were a garland for humorist laureate, it would rest on his head. DAVID SEDARIS on-tour proves the point in an evening of readings and commentary that is both intellectual, personal, and theatrical.

In Hale Centre Theatre's current production of the award-winning classic, THE DIARY OF ANNE FRANK, high school ingenue Sarah Pansing plays the central character to the hilt, conferring upon the role a sensibility and sensitivity that one might expect of an old soul. Her performance is not enough however to elevate the production to its required altitude.

The National Theatre of Scotland's THE STRANGE UNDOING OF PRUDENCIA HART is wonderful ~ an innovative work of interactive drama, written by David Greig, directed by Wils Wilson, and starring the enchanting Jessica Hardwick as Prudencia, David McKay, Paul McCole, Annie Grace, and Alasdair Macrae. Richly conceived and magical in execution!

Arizona Broadway Theatre blows the roof off the THE BEST LITTLE WHOREHOUSE IN TEXAS with a non-stop hit parade of Lone Star big star moments. Leading the pack is Cassandra Norville Klaphake as Miss Mona, the madam of the legendary brothel that inspired Carol Hall, Larry King, and Peter Masterson to pen the tale of tricks and treats. Klaphake delivers a commanding performance as the mother hen who guards her coop with a righteous blend of good business sense and sentimentality.

The exceptional and distinctively comedic performances of Cathy Dresbach as Sonia and Bruce Laks as Vanya are the highlights of Theater Works' otherwise uneven production of Christopher Durang's VANYA AND SONIA AND MASHA AND SPIKE.

In Theatre Artists Studio's current staging of Bruce Graham's THE OUTGOING TIDE, Michael Fleck, Judy Lebeau, and Steven Fajardo deliver stirring performances in a play that is equal parts revelatory, uplifting, and provocative.

Scott Greer delivers a stirring performance that cuts straight to the heart and gives heart to Arizona Theatre Company and Milwaukee Repertory Theater's co-production of OF MICE AND MEN. There is artistry, substance, and depth enough in Steinbeck's allegory of man's existential struggle to make this staging a must-see before it leaves Phoenix.

Southwest Shakespeare Company's TWELFTH NIGHT, directed by David Vining, is a skillfully and smartly constructed and masterfully played production with scene pictures and performances that will linger well after the lights dim.

The gates of David Mamet's competitive hell are open anew on the stone cold set of Desert Stages Theatre, and, under the direction of Virginia Olivieri, GLENGARRY GLEN ROSS storms into a riveting eruption of raw emotion and rage, driven by a palpable fear of failure.

What an absolutely and utterly engaging and rollicking good time is A GENTLEMAN'S GUIDE TO LOVE AND MURDER, the winner of four 2014 Tony Awards including Best Musical, now on tour and raising the rooftop at ASU Gammage. Propelling that rooftop to delirious heights is a sterling ensemble, featuring the jet-fueled performances of John Rapson and Kevin Massey; the fun- and pun-infused lyrics of Steven Lutvak's and Robert Freedman's score, conveyed with brio under the direction of Lawrence Goldberg; Alexander Dodge's majestic period set; and Aaron Rhyne's uber-creative special effects (surreal projections of the m.o. of murder).

Arizona Broadway Theatre has honored the legendary musical, FIDDLER ON THE ROOF, by mounting an utterly captivating and inspired production, featuring Jason E. Simon's virtuoso turn and beautifully nuanced performance as Tevye. M. Seth Reines has directed a powerhouse of a show, giving meticulous attention to every detail and delivering a memorable theatrical experience.