theatre review - HENRY IV, PART I - Southwest Shakespeare Company - March 24, 2018

Tony Latham and Joshua Murphy and Cast
photo by Laura Durant

Click here for more information on this production that runs through April 7th.

"Long before "Game of Thrones" portrayed fictional families pitted against each other in a fight to see who will ultimately reign over a kingdom, William Shakespeare's history plays depicted a combination of actual and fictional figures in 15th century England and dramatized the feuds and friendships between such monarchs as Richard II and Henry IV. Southwest Shakespeare Company's production of Henry IV, Part I features a small ensemble of very talented actors and spirited direction that effectively balances the humor and drama in this Shakespeare classic.... " -Gil Benbrook, Talkin' Broadway (click here to read the complete review)

theatre review - SPIN - Brelby Theatre Company - March 25, 2018

Melody Chrispen (far right) and Cast
photo by Shelby Maticic

Click here for more information on this production that runs through April 14th.

"Anyone who has ever been a member of a group of people that spends a lot of time together knows that these close relationships can quickly evolve into a surrogate family who collectively experience both the highs and lows of life. With realistic dialogue and characters that represent a diverse group of individuals, Shelby Maticic's drama, Spin, playing in a world premiere production at Brelby Theatre through April 14th, features a solid cast who throw themselves (literally and figuratively) into this story of a family that is formed by a group of female roller derby skaters who bond together as they face good times and bad.... " -Gil Benbrook, Talkin' Broadway (click here to read the complete review)

theatre review - IT HAPPENED ONE NIGHT - Don Bluth Front Row Theatre - March 22, 2018

Harmon Swartz and Katherine Martin
Photo Courtesy Don Bluth Front Row Theatre

Click here for more information on this production that runs through April 28th.

"The "screwball comedy" was a staple on the silver screen in the 1930s and '40s. One of the best in this genre, featuring witty, fast-paced dialogue and madcap adventures and also centering around the battle of the sexes or the struggle between the classes, was It Happened One Night. This Frank Capra directed movie wasn't only a box office smash but also won big at the Oscars, receiving the top five awards for Best Picture, Director, Actress, Actor and Screenplay. That screenplay, written by Robert Riskin, with additional input from director Frank Capra, has been brought to life on stage at the Don Bluth Front Row Theatre in Scottsdale in a production that is as rewarding, rich and whimsical as the original film, with standout performances by Katherine Martin and Harmon Swartz... " -Gil Benbrook, Talkin' Broadway (click here to read the complete review)

cabaret review - Christine Ebersole with Seth Rudetsky - Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts - March 17, 2018

highlights from local critics reviews - (click link at bottom of each review to read complete review)

"Early in her career, two-time Tony winner Christine Ebersole served as both an understudy and a last minute replacement for the female lead of two big Broadway musicals. Last week, Ebersole found herself back in this position when she took over for Laura Benanti, who had to bow out due to a family emergency, for a concert with Seth Rudetsky at the Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts....Even after enduring a nightmarish 12-hour journey to get to Arizona from New York due to having to change to a later flight after mechanical problems on their first flight, Ebersole was in spectacular voice and entertained the audience with stories of her past, both comical and serious.. " -Gil Benbrook, Talkin' Broadway (click here to read the complete review)

theatre review - THE KING AND I - National Tour: ASU Gammage - March 20, 2018

Jose Llana
photo by Matthew Murphy

Click here for more information on this production that runs through March 25th.

"The classic musicals of Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II offer rich characters, intriguing storylines and an abundance of well written and beautiful songs. Their 1951 musical The King and I, which focuses on the relationship between the King of Siam and an English schoolteacher in the 1860s, is full of intrigue and rewarding characters as well as an abundance of classic show tunes. The National Tour of the recent award-winning Lincoln Center production comes to Tempe for a week-long run in a production that is as rich and rewarding as Rodgers and Hammerstein's beloved show. " -Gil Benbrook, Talkin' Broadway (click here to read the complete review)

concert review - Rob Kapilow: What Makes It Great? Finishing the Hat: The Songs of Stephen Sondheim - Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts - March 15, 2018

"I believe that Stephen Sondheim is the most influential Broadway composer of the past 50 years. He is a writer who is frequently praised for his intricate, complex and succinct lyrics that perfectly state what his characters feel and want to say. But what about his music?
Last week Rob Kapilow, a composer and teacher who for over 20 years has presented his "What Makes It Great?" series of concerts, was in Scottsdale to explore the musical structure of Sondheim's work in an evening that delved deep inside four of Sondheim's songs. Kapilow's concerts deconstruct and explore the music of famous composers, both classical and contemporary. This one was an eye-opening view into the mind of a brilliant musician..." -Gil Benbrook, Talkin' Broadway (click here to read the complete review)

theatre review - GIDION'S KNOT - Stray Cat Theatre - March 10, 2018

Alison Campbell and Shari Watts
photo by John Groseclose

Click here for more information on this production that runs through March 24th.

".Something very bad has just happened in Johnna Adams' Gidion's Knot, an intriguing drama that pits two very different women in a room for 75 minutes while secrets and truths are revealed about what led up to this unfortunate, horrible event. The room where the play is set is a fifth-grade classroom and the two women are the teacher of the class and the mother of one of her students, who just committed suicide. Though not a perfect play, Stray Cat Theatre's co-production with Tempe Center for the Arts is well directed with two actresses who exquisitely deliver nuanced performances full of heightened, raw and deep emotions....The drawback to the play is that...the debate never feels truly fair...Also, for a 75-minute one act play, the facts take a very long time to be revealed... " -Gil Benbrook, Talkin' Broadway (click here to read the complete review)

theatre review - MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET - Phoenix Theatre - March 9, 2018

Kavan Hashemian, Christopher Lash, Kurt Jenkins, Alyssa Chiarello, Bill Scott Sheets, and Austin Case
Photo by Reg Madison Photography

Click here for more information on this production that runs through April 15.

"Based on an actual event, Million Dollar Quartet documents one famous night in the lives of Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, and Elvis Presley. Phoenix Theatre's area premiere of this upbeat jukebox musical features two dozen hit songs and four talented musicians who expertly embody these iconic rock and country legends. The end result is a crowd-pleasing, toe-tapping, thrilling and energetic fact-based musical journey to the past..." -Gil Benbrook, Talkin' Broadway (click here to read the complete review)