Michael Thompson News

Renowned husband and wife song and dance team Michael Kessler & Melinda Jackson, founders of M&M American Dance Theatre and affectionally known as M&M, with their music director and popular music  director and composer Keith Thompson and a group of young talented pre-professional competition winners ages 7-19 from Innovation Youth Dance Company, will present "Broadway Love Songs, Dances & Backstage Stories," an intimate musical journey through a life lived of song and dance on Friday, Oct. 19, at 7:30 p.m. at the Windmill Library Theatre, 7060 W. Windmill Lane.

Following the successes of her Pulitzer Prize-winning The Flick and her haunting and enigmatic John, Stray Cat once again brings the latest work by in-house favorite playwright Annie Baker. An unnamed conference room. A group of creators on an intense and intensely surreal brainstorming session for unspecified purposes. All we know is that these people are being asked to keep coming up with stories - the more personal the better - in the hopes that something will jell and move their project - whatever that may be - forward.

Ron May's direction of Annie Baker's THE ANTIPODES is theatre of the highest order. Brilliantly executed with a superb cast. Stray Cat Theatre's season opener runs at Tempe Center for the Arts through September 27th.

Following the successes of her Pulitzer Prize-winning The Flick and her haunting and enigmatic John, Stray Cat once again brings the latest work by in-house favorite playwright Annie Baker. An unnamed conference room. A group of creators on an intense and intensely surreal brainstorming session for unspecified purposes. All we know is that these people are being asked to keep coming up with stories - the more personal the better - in the hopes that something will jell and move their project - whatever that may be - forward.

Following the successes of her Pulitzer Prize-winning The Flick and her haunting and enigmatic John, Stray Cat once again brings the latest work by in-house favorite playwright Annie Baker. An unnamed conference room. A group of creators on an intense and intensely surreal brainstorming session for unspecified purposes. All we know is that these people are being asked to keep coming up with stories - the more personal the better - in the hopes that something will jell and move their project - whatever that may be - forward.

Full casting for Bill Kenwright's highly anticipated new production of Saturday Night Fever has been announced. Joining acclaimed dancer and actor Richard Winsor as Tony Manero, in his first leading role in a major musical, is: Kate Parr (Follies) in the role of Stephanie, Owen Broughton (Gus), Michael Cortez (Joey), Raphael Pace (Bobbie C) and Jared Thompson (Double Jay).

Some of Broadway's best performers will grace the stage for Disney's Tony Award-winning musical 'NEWSIES,' at the Axelrod Performing Arts Center June 1 - 17. The acclaimed musical, which had its start at New Jersey's Paper Mill Playhouse before heading to Broadway and a national tour, is finally returning to its roots in New Jersey.

Four decades into an accomplished career that has seen him record and tour with many of the brightest stars in the contemporary jazz, R&B and pop galaxies as well as front his own bands and solo albums, keyboardist-songwriter-producer-arranger David Garfield still feels like an outsider.

From night until morning, Jazz Holdouts frontmen Alan Palanker and Lou Cortelezzi have been toiling away in the studio diligently conceiving ultramodern electronic soundscapes to pair with their enticing keyboard and saxophone melodies. Last summer, they came up with a sensual blend of throbbing house music, nocturnal chill nuances and steamy contemporary jazz harmonies on a cut titled “Summer Nights,” which went No. 1 on the Billboard and Mediabase charts. Going downtempo for a laidback oeuvre of sunrise seduction, the duo wrote and produced “Morning Breeze,” the follow-up single that began going for radio playlist adds on Monday.      

Who doesn't want a puppy for the holidays? This year, families across The Valley can celebrate the season with six lovable pups as P.D. Eastman's book Go, Dog. Go! leaps from the page to the stage at Tempe Center for the Arts. Childsplay Theatre brings this musical adaptation to Tempe Center for the Arts weekends Nov. 25 through Dec. 23, 2017.

Who doesn't want a puppy for the holidays? This year, families across The Valley can celebrate the season with six lovable pups as P.D. Eastman's book Go, Dog. Go! leaps from the page to the stage at Tempe Center for the Arts. Childsplay Theatre brings this musical adaptation to Tempe Center for the Arts weekends Nov. 25 through Dec. 23, 2017.

The love is real at the Music Box Theatre. Jennifer Laura Thompson and Michael Park play the heads of Murphy family, but offstage they are just as close with their stage children and the rest of the gang at Dear Evan Hansen. Below, watch as the hilarious duo chats about their tight-knit clan, the road to Broadway, and so much more!

The spiritually-minded jazz fusion keyboardist Patrick Bradley doesn't need a special occasion like marking his tenth anniversary as a recording artist to acknowledge his inspirations both tangible and divine.

The spiritually-minded jazz fusion keyboardist Patrick Bradley doesn't need a special occasion like marking his tenth anniversary as a recording artist to acknowledge his inspirations both tangible and divine.

Phoenix Theatre's production of Kander & Ebb's SCOTTSBORO BOYS, directed by Jeff Whiting, is a tour de force, featuring performances that leave you unsettled, breathless, and inspired.

Hershey Area Playhouse is proud to present the second production of its 2017 season, Rabbit Hole, a story that delves into the complexity of a family navigating deep grief, and learning what it means to live a fruitful life when things fall apart.

The Marie-Josée Kravis Composer-in-Residence Esa-Pekka Salonen will conduct the New York Philharmonic in the U.S. Premiere of Tansy Davies's Forest, the New York Premiere of Stravinsky's recently rediscovered Funeral Song; and Richard Strauss's Also sprach Zarathustra. 

This December, Welsh-born and Los Angeles-based pianist and singer-songwriter Judith Owen and her husband, actor and humorist Harry Shearer (The Simpsons, Spinal Tap) will once again spread their special brand of yuletide cheer with their Christmas Without Tears 2016 Tour

Hello, McFly! From the Back to the Future franchise to TV hits like "Family Ties" and "Spin City," Michael J. Fox has thrilled, touched and moved millions with his performances as well as his commitment to the campaign for increased Parkinson's disease research.

Tempe's Stray Cat Theatre is certainly not the Valley's only alternative theatre, but their stellar show selection and quality showmanship makes them arguably the best. The group, run by locally celebrated actor and director Ron May, will soon vacate their home at the Tempe Performing Arts Center, leaving behind nearly a decade of unique, creative history that is art in the truest sense. However, with their current production of HEATHERS, Stray Cat gets ready to depart the venue (literally and figuratively) with quite a bang!