Phoenix Metro Theater Reviews: Best Shows & Critic Recommendations Page 10

Review: The Black Theatre Troupe Presents Robert O'Hara's BARBECUE
by Herbert Paine - October 24, 2022

Directed by Ron May and featuring a pitch-perfect cast, The Black Theatre Troupe's production of Robert O'Hara's BARBECUE is a richly intelligent play and a definite must-see. Runs through November 6th....

Review: OKLAHOMA! at ASU Gammage
by Herbert Paine - October 21, 2022

A candid review of OKLAHOMA!, re-vamped and re-imagined for National Tour, currently playing at ASU Gammage, Tempe until Sunday, October 23. It is not the Rodgers and Hammerstein of your parents....

Review: Hale Centre Theatre Presents WAIT UNTIL DARK
by Herbert Paine - October 19, 2022

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....

Review: FAUSTUS: THAT DAMNED WOMAN Unveils A Bold Treatment of the Classic Myth
by Robert Encila-Celdran - October 19, 2022

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...

Review: I, PUPPET Reveals the Magical Artistry of Glove Puppetry
by Herbert Paine - October 12, 2022

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....

Review: LEGALLY BLONDE: A Showcase of Youthful Talent and Star Material at Arizona Repertory Theatre
by Robert Encila-Celdran - October 12, 2022

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...

Review: MONTY PYTHON'S SPAMALOT at Arizona Broadway Theatre
by Herbert Paine - October 09, 2022

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

Review: SIX THE MUSICAL at ASU Gammage
by Nathaniel Jones - October 09, 2022

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...

Review: Simply Put, THE LION Must Be Seen and Heard at Arizona Theatre Company
by Robert Encila-Celdran - October 09, 2022

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 ...

Review: GHOSTS OF BOGOTÁ Opens Inspired Season at Stray Cat Theatre
by Robert Encila-Celdran - October 04, 2022

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 — as i...

Review: 5 GUYS NAMED MOE at Black Theatre Troupe
by Nathaniel Jones - October 04, 2022

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

Review: Order Chaos Theater Company Presents Melinda Lopez's MALA
by Herbert Paine - October 02, 2022

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....

Review: Don Bluth Front Row Theatre Presents Paul Elliott's EXIT LAUGHING
by Herbert Paine - September 25, 2022

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 gold...

Review: iTheatre Collaborative Presents Aaron Loeb's IDEATION
by Herbert Paine - September 12, 2022

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....

Review: Invisible Theatre Opens 51st Season with THE LIFESPAN OF A FACT
by Robert Encila-Celdran - September 05, 2022

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...

Review: The Ronin Theatre Company Presents Richard Warren's HOW I CAME TO BE BUFFALO BILL
by Herbert Paine - August 23, 2022

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...

Review: SAPAC Opens New Season With FUN HOME
by Robert Encila-Celdran - August 09, 2022

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...

Review: PRIVATE LIVES at Don Bluth Front Row Theatre
by Herbert Paine - August 07, 2022

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....

Review: ALWAYS...PATSY CLINE at The Phoenix Theatre Company
by Angela Kabasan - July 17, 2022

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....

Review: THE LION KING at Gammage Auditorium
by Tim Shawver - July 11, 2022

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

Review: THE SPONGEBOB MUSICAL at Arizona Broadway Theatre
by Angela Kabasan-Gonzalez - July 07, 2022

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

Review: Theatre Artists Studio's NEW SUMMER SHORTS 2022
by Herbert Paine - June 22, 2022

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....

Review: COME FROM AWAY at ASU Gammage
by Emily Noxon - June 16, 2022

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

BWW Review: ATC Closes Season With World Premiere of HOW TO MAKE AN AMERICAN SON
by Robert Encila-Celdran - June 12, 2022

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...

BWW Review: THE REVOLUTIONISTS at Stage Left Productions
by Lee Cooley - May 25, 2022

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...