PHOENIX THEATER REVIEWS

The riveting machinations of Frederick Knott's WAIT UNTIL DARK are well-captured in Hale Centre Theatre's production, directed by Jim Roehr and featuring a convincing performance by Juli Buehrle as Susy. The show runs through November 22nd....

But while Marlowe and Goethe's protagonist utilized his diabolical powers to serve their ambitions, Johanna uses hers to make the world a better place. Surprisingly, her pact with the devil begets a deep sense of altruism as she travels through centuries to navigate human progress, conferring with f...

I, PUPPET is Hsuan Yu Pan’s engaging short documentary, featuring Yi Wei Tsai’s glove puppetry. Its first screening is at the Voelker Orth Museum in New York on October 30th....

Not to get carried away, but in this current political storm that appears to put women on defense, it's heartening to find sisterhood as an emerging national motif. The underrated monolith is galvanizing to topple a perverse establishment - and LEGALLY BLONDE, with its tongue-in-cheek, goofy affecta...

The joyful frolics of MONTY PYTHON’S SPAMALOT are on stage in full armor at Arizona Broadway Theatre through November 5th....

Overall, these performers are out of this world. A rollercoaster of emotions, SIX The Musical makes its audiences dig deeper into self-reflection and self-worth. So much so, that this reviewer had an even harder time putting words to the page that he felt could do semi-justice to this incredible sho...

The confluence of Ben's songwriting eloquence and his gritty tale of survival makes THE LION a worthy visit to the theater. Max Alexander-Taylor delivers a commanding performance that features a resonant tenor and a remarkable facility with five guitars. A confident actor, he has a natural gift for ...

GHOSTS OF BOGOTÁ is the first production in Stray Cat’s intrepid lineup. Playwright Diana Burbano (also an accomplished actress), has fashioned a dark, irreverent comedy, riffing on the incongruous motif of sexual trauma and unholy exorcism. It thumbs its nose on conventions of space and time —...

5 Guy's Named Moe wow's audiences as the true hidden gem of the valley, Black Theatre Troupe...

Order Chaos Theater Company's production of Melinda Lopez's MALA features moving performance by Angela Kabasan González as daughter caring for elderly and dying parent. Runs through October 15th at Herberger Theater Center in Phoenix....

Carpe diem! Smell the roses! These exhortations to relish life while you have it weave through the silly and reflective moments of Paul Elliott’s EXIT LAUGHING, on stage now through October 22nd at Don Bluth Front Row Theatre in Scottsdale, Arizona. Well-directed by Van Rockwell and featuring a go...

Phoenix's iTheatre Collaborative celebrates the opening of its 20th Season with a gripping and provocative production of Aaron Loeb's IDEATION, directed by Greg Lutz and featuring a superlative cast....

The play's timing is rather canny given our current global scrimmage with 'alternative facts.' We live in an age where information is obtained with a mere suggestion of a keyword, where unfettered access to data wields personal power but rarely makes for enlightened, critical thinkers. In certain po...

Ronin Theatre Company's production of Richard Warren's HOW I CAME TO BE BUFFALO BILL is an illuminating profile of the legend in the making, featuring Keath Hall's compelling performance under the direction of Lee Cooley. The show runs through August 28th at Stage Left Productions in Surprise, AZ, w...

Here lies a critical distinction between Middle Alison and Bruce. In spite of the initial tumult around her sexual revelation, she revels in her transparent admission, only to discover that her father has been harboring secrets as a homosexual. His enduring shame from illicit affairs, coupled with h...

Don Bluth directs a well-rounded and highly entertaining production of Noël Coward's PRIVATE LIVES, running through August 27th at the Don Bluth Front Row Theatre in Scottsdale. Featuring stellar performances by Tom Koelbel, Christi Sweeney, Breona Conrad, and Jack Pauly....

Always...Patsy Cline is a must-see as an homage not only to the singer's music but also to the joys and love of friendship, even where you least expect it....

Disney's THE LION KING has found its way back to Tempe nearly a decade after its sold-out multi-week visit in 2013....

Delightfully campy and nostalgic, The SpongeBob Musical is a much-needed spark of joy at Arizona Broadway Theatre...

What did our critic think? Whether poking fun at human foibles or reflecting on critical social issues, Theatre Artists Studio’s NEW SUMMER SHORTS offers an entertaining potpourri of perspectives. Runs through June 26th at The Studio in Scottsdale, AZ....

This amazing show is not to be missed. See what our critic had to say. ...

While vacuous debates are brewing about Critical Race Theory, and noxious mobs are chanting Don't Say Gay, Chris Pena's play reminds us that America is not only a work in progress, but a fragile ship at risk of capsizing. Cries of Replacement Theory are a clear indication of America's Potemkin merit...

First, a bit of background. Prolific American playwright Lauren Gunderson is a Phoenix favorite; think SILENT SKY at Phoenix College (and the Hale Centre Theater in 2023), JUSTICE and THE HEATH at Arizona Theatre Company, THE BOOK OF WILL at Phoenix Theatre and THE REVOLUTIONISTS at Stage Left Produ...

Ronin Theatre company to present The Playboy of the Western World May 12-29 at the Irish Cultural Center....

Something Rotten! is an homage to musical theater and the great bard, William Shakespeare. Come witness the hilarity, amazing music, and heart felt joy of this fantastic production....