theatre review WHAT HE KNEW ABOUT WOMEN: THE MUSIC OF CY COLEMAN, Phoenix Theatre, March 8

Debby Rosenthal, Molly Lajoie and Shana Bousard

Click here to read my full review of the new musical review What He Knew About Women: The Music of Cy Coleman, that had a workshop run at the Phoenix Theatre during their Hormel Festival of New Plays and Musicals.

"Composer Cy Coleman had a prolific career, not just in musical theatre but also in jazz. He wrote the music for eleven Broadway shows, including the smash Tony winning musicals Sweet Charity, Barnum, City of Angels and The Will Rogers Follies, and his pop hits include "Witchcraft" and "The Best Is Yet to Come." All of this happened after he was already a successful jazz musician, performing and recording with his own jazz trio. With a vast catalog of material it is hard to believe there haven't been more revues of Coleman's music. The Best Is Yet to Come was a nicely constructed revue that played Off-Broadway in 2011. That show was directed by David Zippel, who wrote the lyrics for City of Angels. I'm happy to report that a new revue called What He Knew About Women: The Music of Cy Coleman that recently received a production as part of the Phoenix Theatre's Hormel Festival of New Plays and Musicals is a nicely constructed piece that, with a few tweaks, could have a long future life.

At a talkback, the creative team spoke about future ideas for this revue and also asked the audience for feedback. The ideas mentioned included adding bass and drums to lend a jazz trio sound, making it more in line with Coleman's jazz background, as well as to possibly adding more songs to make the show run longer than the current 45 minutes. Both of those ideas are highly recommended, along with creating a clearer theme in order for the songs to land even better, and adding more humor, perhaps using some of Coleman's more comical numbers.  I enjoyed What He Knew About Women: The Music of Cy Coleman, especially the use of some of his lesser known songs and the splendid vocal arrangements that many of the songs received. With just a few tweaks, some additional material, and a slightly more focused theme this could become an even better revue that pays tribute to a very skilled composer.
What He Knew About Women: The Music of Cy Coleman ran March 7th and 8th at the Phoenix Theatre at 100 E. McDowell Road in Phoenix. Tickets for other Phoenix Theatre productions can be purchased at phoenixtheatre.com or by calling (602) 254-2151

 

theatre review PIPPIN, Phoenix Theatre, March 7

Paul Stovall, Anthony Johnson and ensemble

To read my entire review at Talkin' Broadway for the Phoenix Theatre's production of Pippin, just click on this link.

"The original 1972 Broadway production of Pippin was highly identified with Bob Fosse, who directed it and added his sleek and stylized signature choreographic moves to just about every moment of the show. An updated revival of the show opened to great success on Broadway last year and now the Phoenix Theatre is presenting their own re-imagined take on this musical. Setting the show within a circus, this production is somewhat similar to the current Broadway revival, which also adds a circus theme, though the Broadway production is more in line with the highly stylized acrobatics of a Cirque du Soleil show with a considerable heightened sense of sensuality as well. While the Phoenix Theatre production does have a considerable amount of circus elements, they are more in line with a traveling group of carnival performers. And, unlike the Broadway production, they don't overdo the sexual hijinks or rely on many of the original Fosse moves, reimagining the choreography as well. For the most part this colorful, high energy re-do of the show works.

Is Pippin a perfect show? No, but it is one with many magical and memorable moments, including some excellent songs by Schwartz. With the circus theme of the Phoenix Theatre's reimagining and Trisha Hart Ditsworth's excellent portrayal of Catherine, most of the show's shortcomings are overcome, turning this musical into a joyful and dazzling story of self-discovery.
Pippin runs through March 30, 2014, at the Phoenix Theatre at 100 E. McDowell Road in Phoenix. Tickets can be purchased at phoenixtheatre.com or by calling (602) 254-2151

Photo: Tamara French/Phoenix Theatre


 

theatre review OKLAHOMA!, Hale Centre Theatre, March 5

Bryan Stewart and Rebecca Bryce

Click here to read my complete review at Talkin' Broadway of Oklahoma!, receiving an excellent intimate production at the Hale Centre Theatre in Gilbert.

"It's hard to believe that Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II's first musical collaboration together, Oklahoma!, just recently celebrated the seventieth anniversary of its Broadway opening. I've seen several large scale productions of this show, including the huge 2002 Broadway revival, so it's nice to see how successful it can be in an intimate setting, which is what it's receiving in a superb production at the Hale Centre Theatre in Gilbert. Focusing on the rivalry between a farm hand and a cowboy for the hand of a farm girl in the Oklahoma territory of the early 1900s, the musical paints a fairly simple romantic story. However, it is also set across the sweeping landscape of settlers and the various social events that take place in their simple lives. Those events include a barn raising and a social dance that provide plenty of big and elaborate stage moments to counter the more intimate and dramatic romantic ones surrounding the love triangle between cowboy Curly, farm hand Jud, and farm girl Laurey. Rodgers and Hammerstein received a special Pulitzer Prize for the show, and several famous songs came from the score, including the opening number "Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin'," "The Surrey with the Fringe on Top," the romantic duet "People Will Say We're in Love" and the show-stopping title song.

Oklahoma! is a classic musical and one with many excellent moments. The intimacy of the Hale Theatre allows the emotions of the characters to come through strongly. With excellent leads, perfect direction, and the classic Rodgers and Hammerstein songs, I urge everyone to see the fantastic production that this ground breaking musical is receiving at The Hale Centre Theatre.
The Hale Centre Theatre production of Oklahoma! runs through March 29, 2014, with performances at 50 W. Page Avenue in Gilbert. Tickets can be ordered at www.haletheatrearizona.com or by calling (480) 497-1181.

Photo: Sam Miller

theatre review CHARLOTTE'S WEB, Desert Stages Theatre, March 2

Kristin Alba and Erin Tarkington

To read my complete review at Talkin' Broadway of Charlotte's Web, just click here.

"E. B. White's classic 1952 children's novel "Charlotte's Web" tells the story of the new born pig Wilbur and the spider Charlotte who helps him escape from being slaughtered by spinning words into her web that praise Wilbur. Charlotte's words draw considerable attention to the young pig, making him into something of a media sensation that ultimately saves his life. The novel has already been turned into two feature films so it would make sense that someone would adapt the novel into a family friendly musical. Desert Stages Theatre co-founder Gerry Cullity, who passed away in 2005, adapted and wrote the music and lyrics for a musical version of Charlotte's Web and Desert Stages is currently presenting a return engagement of Cullity's creation.

Running almost two hours and spread over two acts, the musical runs a bit long with several ensemble numbers that, while nice to see the hard work of the young cast, slow the second act down. But, even though the show could be trimmed a bit, seeing the dedication and enthusiasm of the young performers is refreshing. And while the score only has a few memorable tunes, most of the songs do their job of either moving the plot forward or giving us additional insight into the characters. Charlotte's Web is a show that deals with some grown-up topics, including the slaughtering of a pig and the death of one of the main characters, so while it is geared toward families, I'd recommend keeping smaller children at home and also expecting to have older children ask some questions about the themes that are brought up.  Charlotte's Web at Desert Stages is a sweet telling of the classic children's novel, with a large cast, nice leads and colorful and creative costumes.
The Desert Stages production of Charlotte's Web runs through March 30, 2014, with performances at 4720 N. Scottsdale Road in Scottsdale. Tickets are available at www.DesertStages.org or by phone at (480) 483-1664

Photo: Heather Butcher/Desert Stages Theatre
 

theatre review EQUIVOCATION, Southwest Shakespeare Company, March 1

Joseph Cannon and Alison Sell

Click here to read my complete review of Equivocation at the Southwest Shakespeare Festival at Talkin' Broadway.com

"There is an abundance of mystery, drama, intrigue and humor in Bill Cain's fascinating play Equivocation. Receiving its Arizona premiere in an impressive production from the Southwest Shakespeare Company, Equivocation poses the question, what if William Shakespeare were approached to write a play for the King of England that would turn a current historical event of an assassination attempt into a piece of propaganda that would paint the monarchy in a very positive light? The play would be seen by thousands of people who would believe the event happened as presented in the play, the King would be perceived to be a true leader who thwarted the enemy, and the true facts of the event would be forgotten forever. What Cain has written is a mesmerizing and intellectually challenging play that portrays the balance and struggle between politics and art as well as an insight into the working mind of Shakespeare. Southwest Shakespeare Company has a superb group of just six actors portraying numerous characters, and the direction and creative elements are simply top notch.

Equivocation is a complex and intricate piece of drama. While there is a lot that happens, it is also very accessible, even if you know nothing about the Gunpowder Plot or Shakespeare's history. With the use of contemporary language and heightened theatricality, such as having the house lights come on several times to shift us out of the past and into the present, even a fire alarm that went off toward the end of the performance I attended made many people think it was part of the play. And even after we were made to leave the auditorium, we all anxiously awaited to be allowed back into the theatre in order to see where the play would take us next.  Cain's exploration of this historical event and the possible conspiracy around it are fascinating. He has crafted an excellent play that is part historical drama, part thriller but always thrilling and with a superb cast, impeccable direction and sublime creative elements, any fan of theatre or Shakespeare needs to experience Southwest Shakespeare Company's Equivocation .
Equivocation runs through March 22nd, with performances at the Mesa Arts Center, 1 East Main Street in Mesa, AZ. Tickets can be purchased at swshakespeare.org or by calling (602) 535 - 1202

Photo: Devon C. Adams/ Southwest Shakespeare Company


 

theatre review KISS ME, KATE, Arizona Broadway Theatre, February 28

Bob Downing, Renee Kathleen Koher, Marc de la Concha,
David Simmons and David Sattler

To read my complete Talkin' Broadway review of Kiss Me, Kate running at the Arizona Broadway Theatre through March 23rd, just click on this link.

"Kiss Me, Kate is considered a classic musical. With an infectious Cole Porter score and a fun and witty, though somewhat overblown, book by Sam and Bella Spewack, it humorously weaves together the story of two egotistical and recently divorced actors who are still madly in love but just can't stand to be around each other. The Arizona Broadway Theatre production, which runs through March 23rd, is a well-staged production of this fun backstage story, with impressive leads, sizzling choreography and superb creative elements.

While Kiss Me, Kate is a crowd-pleaser, the ending is a bit abrupt and a few of the Shrew scenes go on a bit too long for my liking. However, Porter's music is sublime and his lyrics, sometimes comically satirical, other times romantically lush, are superb, so there is still much to enjoy. Other than a few very small missteps, the ABT production is dynamic with a high caliber cast, top notch creative elements and some technically savvy direction and choreography.  Kiss Me, Kate runs through March 23, 2014, at the Arizona Broadway Theatre, 7701 West Paradise Lane, Peoria. Tickets can be ordered at azbroadway.org or by calling (623) 776 - 8400

Photo: Mike Benedetto

MAX RAABE & THE PALAAST ORCHESTER - New cd and 2014 US Tour Dates

I am a HUGE fan of Max Raabe and the Palast Orchester.  Max and his twelve piece band take you back to the 1920's in Germany to what is known as the Weimar era.  The songs Max sings are from the Great American Songbook and include such gems as "Singin' in the Rain" and "Cheek to Cheek."  Some of the songs Max sings are in English, others are sung in German.   But no matter what language they are in, they are simply magical.  It is hard to describe the joy that Max and the Orchester bring, but they mesmerize and entertain you and for a couple of hours you travel back in time to a much simpler time and place when the troubles of the world are far away.  But Max doesn't just stop at singing just the oldies, he also has fun by adding in his take on current pop hits like "Oops...I Did It Again."  It is an evening and an experience you'll never forget.

Max and the Orchester just started their 2014 US tour and his new cd "Golden Age" was just released on Deutsche Grammophon records.  I'll have a review of the new cd very soon, but I wanted to post the details for their tour as well as put up some links to order or listen to his cd.

March 2nd, 2014 

Fairfax, VA @ Center For the Arts, George Mason University

Tickets: http://cfa.gmu.edu/calendar/1472/

March 3rd, 2014

New York, NY @ Carnegie Hall 

Tickets: http://www.carnegiehall.org/Event.aspx?id=4294999840

March 5th, 2014 

Princeton, NJ @ McCarter Theatre Center 

Tickets: http://ticketing.mccarter.org/ticketing/tickets/production.aspx?performanceNumber=8314

March 6th, 2014 

Kennet Square, PA @ Longwood Gardens Ballroom

Tickets: [SOLD OUT]

March 8th, 2014 

Atlanta, GA @ Rialto Center for the Arts, Georgia State University

Tickets: http://rialto.gsu.edu/rialto-series/max-raabe-palast-orchester/

March 9th, 2014 

Miami, FL @ The Knight Concert Hall, Arsht Center for the Performing Arts

Tickets: http://www.arshtcenter.org/Tickets/Calendar/2013-2014-Season/Masterworks-Pops/Max-Raabe-Palast-Orchester/

You can order the new cd "Golden Age" at the links below or hear album samples at this Youtube link..

amazon 

iTunes  

Youtube video

Facebook  https://www.facebook.com/maxraabepalastorchester

Website     http://www.palast-orchester.de/en/

theatre review BLUE MAN GROUP, National Tour, Feb 25, ASU/Gammage

Blue Man Group Finale

You can read my complete review of the National Tour of Blue Man Group at Talkin' Broadway by clicking here.

"The best way to describe a performance of Blue Man Group is to call it an "experience." The current national tour of the show, which runs through Sunday March 2nd at ASU Gammage in Tempe, features three men dressed all in black with their faces and hands painted cobalt blue. With no plot and the only words spoken by an offstage electronic voiced narrator, the mute Blue Men, along with a series of pounding musical sequences, pulsating rock concert style lights and large video screens combine to create a hypnotic theatrical event like nothing else you've experienced before.

The show's finale begins with a series of informational instructional videos of rock concert etiquette, including how to do the fist pump, and ends in a party atmosphere with the audience all on their feet and giant beach balls being pushed around the crowd, is one of the most surreal experiences you will ever have. With the glowing giant balls moving all around you while changing colors as they gently glide through the air, it also, in a very strange yet heartfelt way, provides a sense of inclusiveness to the evening, a communal experience of sorts that makes all of us members of the tribe of Blue Men and turns the evening into one of discovery for audience members of any age. Blue Man Group is strange and mysterious but somehow also completely charming and alluring. It is a gleeful shared experience between three Blue Men and the audience."
Blue Man Group runs through March 2nd at ASU Gammage located at 1200 S. Forest Avenue in Tempe. Tickets can be purchased at www.asugammage.com or by calling 480 965-3434. Additional tour dates can be found at www.blueman.com.

Photo: ©Paul Kolnik

 

theatre review THE CAT IN THE HAT, Feb. 23, Childsplay

Rudy Ramirez, Kate Haas and Katie McFadzen

To read my complete review at Talkin' Broadway of The Cat in the Hat at Childsplay, click on this link.

"In 1957, Dr. Seuss' classic children's book "The Cat in the Hat" took something simple that most of us experience in our youth and turned it into a madcap escapade while also creating an unforgettable literary character. That simple experience is what to do when you're young and stuck at home on a rainy day with nothing to do. And that character is, of course, the mischievous cat who wears a red and white striped hat and a big red bow tie around his neck. While there aren't many rainy days in Arizona, I can't think of anything better for children of all ages to ward off boredom than to visit the magically theatrical Childsplay production of The Cat in the Hat playing on weekends through March 16th.

While Childsplay's The Cat in the Hat may be too simple for older children, I think younger children, parents, and anyone who has a fond remembrance of the joys the Cat brought to Sally and her brother on a rainy day will have a swell time. A brief question and answer session with the cast after the show adds a nice element for the children in the audience, allowing the adults to see how the imagination of the play piques their imagination.  With a talented cast, impressive direction and splendid creative elements, this Cat is one that anyone would welcome into their house.
The Cat in the Hat at Childsplay runs through March 16th at the Tempe Center for the Arts, 700 W. Rio Salado Parkway in Tempe, with performances on Saturdays at 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. and Sundays at 1 p.m. Tickets start at $12 and are on sale at www.childsplayaz.org or at the Tempe Center for the Arts Box Office (480) 350-2822 (ext. 0)

Photo: Tim Trumble

 

theatre review TOP GUN: LIVE, ABRIDGED AND COMPLETELY UNDERFUNDED, Feb, 21, All Puppet Players/Mesa Encore Theatre

Click here to read my complete review of Top Gun: Live, Abridged and Completely Underfunded at Talkin' Broadway

"The 1986 movie Top Gun was a gigantic hit at the box office and the film that catapulted Tom Cruise to Hollywood megastar status. Shaun Michael McNamara and his All Puppet Players' latest adult puppet spoof spectacle, Top Gun: Live, Abridged and Completely Underfunded, which just concluded a three week run in conjunction with the Mesa Encore Theatre, was another success for McNamara and showed once again his ability to take a well-known piece of entertainment and turn it on its ear with humorous results.

McNamara's savvy direction included sure-footed guidance of his more than capable puppeteers as well as a few funny touches. These included the inventive use of umbrellas for parachutes, short bits from famous musical scores at key moments along with the famous songs from the movie used effectively but not in an overbearing way. And while not every joke landed and the script did meander a bit in parts, McNamara and his cast's comic talents and improvisational skills added plenty of chuckles to the high testosterone level of the plot.  Top Gun: Live, Abridged and Completely Underfunded was another success for the All Puppet Players, the Mesa Encore Theatre and Shaun Michael McNamara, and I look forward to seeing what their next production will be in the Phoenix area.
Top Gun: Live, Abridged and Completely Underfunded ran from February 7th to February 22nd with performances at the Mesa Encore Theatre's Black Box on Brown theatre. For information on upcoming All Puppet Players productions visit www.allpuppetplayers.com. For information on upcoming productions at Mesa Encore Theatre visit mesaencoretheatre.com.

Photo: Shaun Michael McNamara


 

theatre review A FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO THE FORUM, Desert Foothills Theatre, Feb. 16

Doug Edwards and Matthew Harris

To read my complete review at Talkin' Broadway of A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum at Desert Foothills Theatre, click here.

"The Stephen Sondheim/Burt Shevelove/Larry Gelbart classic musical A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum is currently receiving a comically delicious and sharply directed production from the Desert Foothills Theater. The combination of Sondheim's music and witty lyrics and the hilarious and well integrated book by Shevelove and Gelbart won the show the Best Musical Tony in 1962 and, when done right, Forum is a crowd pleaser. With a capable cast, sure-footed musical direction and an updated setting, there is a lot of funny business and fun times on the way to Desert Foothills' production of Forum.

A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum is a classic musical comedy and the Desert Foothills production manages to impressively deliver the fast and funny humor of the book along with some lovely renditions of the Sondheim score. A notable cast, tight direction and an updated setting add to the joy of seeing this Tony winning show in a new and modern light.
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Desert Foothills Theater, runs through March 2nd at the Cactus Shadows Fine Art Center, 33606 N. 60th Street in Scottsdale. Tickets can be purchased at www.desertfoothillstheater.org or by calling 480 488-1981
 

theatre review OTHER DESERT CITIES, Arizona Theatre Company, February 15

Will Mobley, Robin Moseley, Paige Lindsey White,
Anne Allgood and Lawrence Pressman

To read my entire review at Talkin' Broadway of Other Desert Cities at the Arizona Theatre Company click here.

"Jon Robin Baitz's play Other Desert Cities, which received a Tony nomination for Best Play and was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 2012, is receiving its Arizona premiere from the Arizona Theatre Company. It was a hit on Broadway, and while that was partly due to its stellar "A list" Hollywood cast that included Stockard Channing, Stacey Keach, Rachel Griffiths and Judith Light, it is also a well written and engaging play about a family on the verge of unraveling. The story of a daughter and son who visit their parents in Palm Springs for Christmas, it is a play with many explosive moments, family secrets revealed and powerhouse acting by the five member cast. This co-production with the Indiana Repertory Theatre has very capable actors, sure-footed direction and a phenomenal set on par with the excellent Broadway production.

Other Desert Cities might come across a little too melodramatic or resembling a TV movie of the week, and Baitz spent some time writing for TV, including "Brothers and Sisters", where Griffiths played a regular. But I think the play is on par with another recent family drama, August: Osage County, which was even more melodramatic and soap opera like. So, I had no problem taking the dysfunctional family journey that Baitz has written, and I actually enjoyed it more seeing it a second time, with this very capable cast and production, even though I knew what twists and surprises were in store. The production at Arizona Theatre Company is on par with what was on Broadway two seasons ago, with a skilled and proficient cast, effective direction, and impressive creative elements."

Other Desert Cities at Arizona Theatre Company runs through March 2nd at the Herberger Theater Center, 222 E. Monroe Street. Tickets can be purchased at www.arizonatheatre.org or by calling (602) 256 – 6995. This production then moves to the Indiana Repertory Theatre with performances March 12- April 5th (http://www.irtlive.com/) 

theatre review THE WHALE, Stray Cat Theatre, February 14

Anne Marie Falvey and Damon Dering

Click here to read my full review at Talkin' Broadway of The Whale at Stray Cat Theatre.

"Samuel Hunter's play The Whale is the tale of a whale of a man, the morbidly obese Charlie, who is literally eating himself to death, and it seems only has a few days left to live. But Charlie and the other four characters we meet in this play aren't at all what they first appear to be. By the end of the play we realize that there is a true sense of beauty and strength inside the sadness of Charlie's oversized and weak exterior. Hunter's play is receiving its Arizona premiere in a thought-provoking production at Stray Cat Theatre with a heartfelt, courageous and emotionally beautiful performance by Damon Dering as Charlie.

There are many things woven throughout The Whale, including references to the aforementioned novel "Moby Dick" and the Bible story of "Jonah and the Whale" as well as a keen sense of urgency to get answers to questions and sew up estranged relationships. It covers issues between children and parents, the high price of over eating, and the high cost of health care, how religion is sometimes detrimental to a person's existence and can result in self-hatred as well as how gay couples are still frowned upon by certain people. But in many ways it is ultimately a play about honesty and the need to get people to think and state the truth as a way to truly connect to others. When Elder Thomas tells Liz that Charlie has asked him to tell him about the Mormon Church, Liz says that Charlie is a round peg in a square hole, he just doesn't fit in the Mormon Church. Every character in this play is a round peg unable to fit in the square hole of the world they should belong to. In many ways, these five dysfunctional individuals are all somewhat beached whales in how they are disconnected, cut-off and removed from the worlds they came from and how Charlie attempts to help them find a way to get back to a better place before his life is over. The Whale is a stunning, hypnotic play and the Stray Cat Theatre production is superb with perfect direction, an excellent cast and a mesmerizing performance by Damon Dering. It is a performance, a character and a play you won't soon forget." 

The Whale at the Stray Cat Theatre runs through March 1st with performances at the Tempe Performing Arts Center, 132 E. 6th Street in Tempe. Tickets can be ordered by calling 480 227-1766 or at straycattheatre.org.

theatre review THE LION, THE WITCH AND THE WARDROBE, Grand Canyon University, Feb. 7

Dylan Kim and Holly Nordquist

Click here to read my complete review of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe that ran at Grand Canyon University through February 16th

"C.S. Lewis' classic children's book series "The Chronicles of Narnia" has been adapted into a major motion picture series, TV shows, radio broadcasts, and both musicals and straight plays for the stage. Joseph Robinette's 1989 stage dramatization of the first book in the series, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, is being presented by the students at Grand Canyon University in a concise production with a talented cast and clean and simple, yet effective, creative elements. And, while this adaption is a condensed version of the book, the themes of the series of courage, faith and the triumph of good over evil are still very front and center in the play.

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is a wonderful, inspiring and imaginative tale with a slew of colorful characters, and GCU's production, though simple and short, is moving and also just as imaginative as the original novel.  The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe at Grand Canyon University's Ethington Theatre runs through February 16th. The theatre is located at 3300 W. Cambelback Road in Phoenix and ticket and performance information can be found at http://www.gcu.edu/Upcoming-Events/The-Arts.php or by calling (602) 639-8880

theatre review RESPECT-A MUSICAL CELEBRATION OF WOMEN, Herberger Center, Feb 6

Carlita Victoria, Heather Paton, Rachel Richards
and Sarah Shahinian

To read my full review of Respect - A Musical Celebration of Women, at Talkin' Broadway, just click on this link.

"When most people hear a Top 40 pop song from their past they are immediately taken back to a specific moment in their life when that song was in essence the soundtrack to a feeling, expression or experience they had. In 1999 when Vanderbilt professor Dr. Dorothy Marcic was doing research of the more than 2,400 Top 40 songs sung by women in the 20th century she noticed something else, that there was a pattern in the way women were depicted in the song lyrics. Social change over the century was embedded in the lyrics of the songs. The songs told the story of a women's journey from being girls waiting for men to love and rescue them in the early part of the century to learning to love themselves, taking responsibility for their own actions, and becoming powerful individuals toward the latter part of the century. Her research became a book and then a musical. Neither a true jukebox musical nor a simple "revue" of songs, but a show with familiar pop songs that also has an important message at its core, Respect - A Musical Celebration of Women is a fun, well written musical revue and an interesting history lesson as well. Respect has already been performed in over thirty cities and the four women heading up the cast at the Herberger Theater Center are powerful, funny and uplifting, just like the show.

Respect - A Musical Celebration of Women is a musical celebration of women but also a musical revue that both sexes can enjoy. With insightful narrative woven among the songs, and a talented group of ladies singing the songs and telling stories of women throughout the century, the show is uplifting and at times even emotional, but also fun. While it is in parts motivational and inspiring, it is never preachy. You will hear the lyrics of these many well-known songs in a completely different way.

Respect - A Musical Celebration of Women runs through March 2nd at the Herberger Theater Center, 222 E. Monroe Street in Phoenix. Tickets can be purchased by calling 602-252-8497 or at herbergertheater.org. Additional shows are planned in other cities and show dates for all cities can be found at www.respectamusicaljourney.com/.