Herbert Paine - Page 25

In the rear view mirror of life, we may encounter individuals who surpass our expectations of human will and endurance and inspire us with their selflessness and courage. Consider THE ATAXIAN that rear view mirror and Kyle Bryant that epic hero. The documentary, directed by Kevin Schlanser and Zack Bennett is one of the feature films at this year's Sedona International Film Festival.

The force and power of indie film REPARATION resides in the seamlessness and masterful editing with which director Kyle Ham has weaved together multiple themes in the context of a riveting psychological thriller. It is a taut, gut-wrenching, and edge-of-the-seat experience. Marc Menchaca and Jon Huertas give the flick its sizzle, supported by an outstanding cast..

Director Tony Randel has a sure eye for comic effect and gives free rein to his ensemble to mug it up for the camera in Tony Schweikle's campy and rib-tickling HYBRIDS, to be screened at the 22nd Annual Sedona International Film Festival.

Peter Pardini's meticulously detailed documentary, NOW MORE THAN EVER: THE HISTORY OF CHICAGO, is a classic tribute to the iconic 'rock band with horns,' delivering a candid and intimate portrait of the young men who, in 1967, embarked on a journey of extraordinary musical innovation and today are legends in their own time.

Messages of forgiveness and redemption get diluted in a clutter of subplots in Matthew McDuffie's indie film, BURNING BODHI. It's the revealing performances of Kaley Cuoco and Cody Horn that merit attention and applause.

Tyne Rafaeli has excelled in recreating Bartlett Sher's original direction of BRIDGES OF MADISON COUNTY. The touring production is on stage at ASU Gammage in Tempe AZ and is rock solid, featuring the electrifying and moving performances of Elizabeth Stanley and Andrew Samonsky, a marvelous cast, and stunning technical effects.

Canadian writer and director Daniel O'Connor casts a laserlike lens on human nature in LOOK AGAIN, a whimsical and endearing film that has its central character looking at life through a mystical set of white-rimmed glasses and discovering that not all is as it seems. Featuring Anand Rajaram and a solid cast, the film is an eye-opener!

iTheatre Collaborative's phenomenal cast delivers a pulsating and moving production of Stew's PASSING STRANGE. Directed by Jeff Kennedy, the show rocks! Phenomenal!

Who doesn't love Dolly Levi? Why wouldn't anybody after Brandi Bigley's energetic portrayal of the overzealous matchmaker in Scottsdale Musical Theater Company's production of HELLO DOLLY!, directed by David Hock.

Arizona Broadway Theatre's CAROUSEL offers an uneven ride, punctuated only by the stellar performances of Jeannie Shubitz, Jill-Christine Wiley, and Kathleen Berger and Jim Hunter's elaborate set design.

A tribe ~ a people, a culture ~ is defined by its history. If that history is wrought by famine and oppression, the experience will show in its art. Such is the case of the Irish, whose spirit, passion for freedom, and fortitude are exhilaratingly showcased in CELTIC NIGHTS: SPIRIT OF FREEDOM. The national tour of this show arrived in Scottsdale with a triumphant display of sight and sound, song and dance, woe and joy.

On the stage of Phoenix Theatre, CALENDAR GIRLS basks and steeps in the glorious glow of its brilliantly assembled cast. Under EE Moe's astute direction, not one of the superb performances in this production overshadows the other; each is precious in its own right; together, they are simply magnificent.

Director Richard Powers-Hardt and his solid cast ~ Debra Rich, Shelby Daeffler, Tom Noga, and Luke Gomez ~ deliver a perfectly balanced and inspired production of GRAND CONCOURSE, Heidi Schreck's provocative and immensely relevant masterwork. GRAND CONCOURSE will stand as one of Theatre Artists Studio's most powerful and memorable productions. The show runs through January 31st.

Southwest Shakespeare Company's mastery in interpreting the Bard's work is on display in this intelligently and innovatively conceived edition of OTHELLO, directed by Harold Dixon. Jesse James Kamps and Hope Brown deliver compelling performances as Iago and the Moor.

In addition to Idina Menzel's predictably powerhouse vocals, IF/THEN features a stellar performance by LaChanze. She is a non-stop engine of energy, delivering one knockout song after another and acting up a storm. Janine DiVita stands out as well as a talent to watch.

The interpretation and staging of IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE: A LIVE RADIO PLAY by director/actor Tim Shawver and his fellow thespians ~ Marshall Glass, Devon Nickel, Katie Larson, Traci McCormick, and Timothy Pittman ~ are impressive, entertaining, and heartwarming. On the air now at AZ Broadway Theatre ~ through December 24th.

Many marvelous moments in Greasepaint's uplifting and well-played production of OLIVER! directed by Dale Nakagawa and choreographed by Molly Lajoie. A fine holiday treat for the family.

Hale Centre Theatre has rolled out more than just the proverbial red carpet for its 12th annual production of A CHRISTMAS CAROL. It has adorned the work with all the trimmings needed to dub it a glorious theatrical experience: Corrin Dietlein's lavish and exquisitely tailored costumes; David Dietlein's engineering of not just a set but of an environment; Jeff Davis's magical lighting effects; and a marvelous cast, featuring Mark Kleinman as Scrooge.

DISGRACED treads into a quicksand from which there is neither recovery, redemption, or revelation. There is only the sound and the fury of a soul adrift in the arid land of self-loathing and his irresistible pull toward tragedy. AZ Theatre Company does standup production but can't relieve play of its shortcomings. As explosive as its onstage fireworks and confessions are ~ and there is definitely no shortage of intensity in this play ~ DISGRACED ultimately falls flat, unsatisfying, and almost objectionable like an expired bromide ~ pop pop fizz fizz but no relief.

Whimsical, lyrical, and magical. A cornucopia of imaginatively crafted and elegantly integrated design elements. Charmingly acted portrayals of delightfully distinct characters. Rich with touchingly expressed insights about the journey to human connection. The vision of Melissa James Gibson's BROOKLYN BRIDGE has been fully realized in Ricky Araiza's staging of the play at the Paul V. Galvin Playhouse on ASU's Tempe campus, featuring Olga Bezpaltchikova and a marvelous cast.