Herbert Paine - Page 23

Southwest Shakespeare Company's second offering of its 23rd Season is THE MERCHANT OF VENICE and it is, to use the Bard's words, a palpable hit. Contemporizing Shakespeare's plays isn't an original concept, but its application in the current production works especially well and reflects a series of astute decisions by director Kent Burnham that enhance the work's accessibility, relevance, and poignancy.

William Partlan's craftsmanship and reverential interpretation of Arthur Miller's THE PRICE, now featured at Theatre Artists Studio, makes for a compelling and emotionally taut experience. He has guided his top flight cast through the depths and layers of Miller's architecture, opening one door of perception after another until truth stands naked at the exit, backed by the haunting laughter of irony.

In SEDUCTION AND THE HAND OF FATE, the opening volley of the ASU Concerts Series at the Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts, Dr. Jeffery Meyer led the spirited and proficient members of the ASU Symphony Orchestra in an energetic and authoritative performances of John Adams's The Chairman Dances and Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 5.

Captivating performances by an extraordinary cast of young performers, under the astute and inspired direction of Kelli James, make Theater Works YouthWorks' production of LES MIS a must-see.

Phoenix Theatre has kicked off its 97th Season with a block buster production of Lin-Manuel's IN THE HEIGHTS, featuring a sensational performance by Pasha Yamotahari as Usnavi, the bard of the block, the chronicler of the community's legacy, the keeper of the community flame.

The Guys Are Dolls, the Beauty Is Bawdy, But PAGEANT Lacks Legs. The cast in Arizona Broadway Theatre's current production of the spoof does its level best ~ true troupers!

The creative mind of Liz Duffy Adams seems to know no bounds, her works a diverse and intriguing whirlpool of theatrical concepts. OR, is no exception. It is in the telling of Aphra Behn's story, witty, sexy, and sophisticated, provocative and light-hearted, elevating the power of the word. It is a masterpiece, honored now by Southwest Shakespeare Company and featuring a superlative ensemble.

THE SECOND CITY, Chicago's legendary sketch and improv comedy theater, is on tour with FREE SPEECH! (WHILE SUPPLIES LAST) ~ and the cast is a blast! In what is featured as an 'irreverent look at America's electoral insanity' the hilarious and highly talented ensemble takes no prisoners. Must see!

In the wake of an otherwise amateurish production of Marcelino Quiñonez's homage to Che Guevara, two questions beg for answers: Why Che? And, to what end? If the play is a work in progress, with aspirations for a larger stage, it might be helpful to ponder the riddles.

In Valley Youth Theatre's current production of Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey's award-winning musical, the ensemble of talented teens ~ plus a couple of well-placed adults ~ kicks up a storm, plays their roles true to form, and has a grand time doing so. In other words, it's a GREASEnado! A slick and cool blending of Jessi Young's choreography, Karol Cooper's costumes, and Mark Fearey's fiery musicians.

A full and diverse menu of theatrical offerings for young and old and every persuasion is on tap for the 2016-2017 Season in the Phoenix region. It is reflective of the evolution of the performing arts in the Valley of the Sun. Lots ~ old and new, comforting and provocative, comedy and drama ~ for the savvy theatre-goer to see and assess.

Arizona Broadway Theatre's staging of SHREK THE MUSICAL exceeds expectations. Mace Archer has gone beyond the norm, directing something more than a lively and exhilarating show. He's fashioned a distinctive and incredibly intimate and engaging experience that speaks with authenticity to audience members young and older. Archer is aided and abetted in this theatrical coup by a gangbuster cast, featuring the awesome foursome of Jason Simon as the 'big stupid ugly ogre,' Liz Fallon as Fiona, Deonte Warren as Donkey, and David Brumfield as Lord Farquaad.

Fountain Hills Theater has wrapped up its 29th Season with a summertime delight ~ LEND ME A TENOR, THE MUSICAL ~ proving definitively that cool community theater is the best antidote for Arizona's triple digit heat. The musical adaptation by Peter Sham (book and lyrics) and Brad Carroll (music) of Ken Ludwig's 1989 Tony-nominated comedy is a madcap affair of love and empowerment that, under the clever and crafty direction of Peter J. Hill and with an exceptionally engaging cast, left me laughing and inspired.

Ron May, Stray Cat Theatre's founding artistic director, has further propelled his arc of artistic excellence with a stunning staging of AMERICAN IDIOT, and, in turn, reveals the work's continued relevance. The production is a triumph in every sense of the word. May can lay claim to a trifecta of oomphs!

Michael Fleck's TIDE POOLS ~ a creative, contemplative, and lovely 'paean' to Steinbeck ~ is one of eight engaging short plays on themes comical and whimsical and all relevant in Theatre Artists Studio's ninth annual festival of innovations, New Summer Shorts.

SPECTACULAR is the key word for Valley Youth Theatre's current production of DISNEY'S THE LITTLE MERMAID, directed by Bobb Cooper and featuring enough pearls of talent to fill an oyster bed or two. Karol Cooper's lavish costumes, Dori Brown's sets, Mike Eddy's lighting, Mark Fearey's orchestra all add up to an exhilarating hit for the family.

The band is the essential heartbeat of rock & roll! In Arizona Broadway Theatre's current production of ROCK OF AGES, Mark Foreman (keyboards), Daniel Stotz (bass), Douglas Ramlow (percussion), and Andrew Hake and Jeff Lauffer (guitars) prove the point with an explosive and electrifying nonstop performance that plays true to the distinctive attributes of glam metal. ROCK OF AGES is a totally amped-up and vigorous medley of '80's hits wrapped around Chris D'Arienzo's otherwise very conventional and 'irrepressible love story.'

Ben Tyler's YOU CAN'T KILL A STORY: THE MURDER OF DON BOLLES is not only a moving and truly theatrical memorial to Don Bolles but it is also a compelling tribute to the power and imperative of a free and unfettered press,

While the temperatures are rising in the Phoenix Metro area, theater lovers can be assured of a cool and diverse range of theatrical offerings this summer.

With its array of accolades ~ novel, film, and musical ~ and the richness of its themes and content, KISS OF THE SPIDER WOMAN is a treasure trove of possibility, to be mined deeply and imaginatively for its allusions to the mythology of the spider woman, cinema, and revolution. On these varied accounts, Scottsdale Musical Theater Company's current stab at the KISS falls short. The multi-talented Hector Coris directs this ambitious production, but I fear that limited resources have roadblocked him from realizing the production's full potential.