December 12, 2004
A Christmas Carol
( Phoenix, AZ )KBAQ Theater Critic Chris Curcio reviews his final holiday show with Actors Theatre's annual production of "A Christmas Carol," Charles Dickens' classic tale of miserly Ebenezer Scrooge's magical transformation after a Christmas Eve dream that wakes him up to reality. It plays at the Herberger Theater Center in downtown Phoenix through December 24. For tickets, call the Herberger Theater Center box office at 602-252-8497 or order online at www.ticketmaster.com.
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December 06, 2004
The Nutcracker
( Phoenix, AZ )KBAQ Theater Critic Chris Curcio continues his annual holiday show reviews with Ballet Arizona's annual production of Tchaikovsky's "The Nutcracker" with its charming story about Clara's Christmas Nutcracker and her dream of The Land of the Sugar Plum Fairy. This year production is being staged at the Orpheum Theatre because of Symphony Hall's year-long renovation. It plays through December 26. For tickets, call the Ballet Arizona box office at 602-381-1096 or Ticketmaster at 480-784-4444 or go visit www.balletaz.org.
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November 29, 2004
Sounds of Christmas
( Phoenix, AZ )KBAQ Theater Critic Chris Curcio starts his annual reviews of holiday shows with Broadway Palm West Dinner Theatre's "Sounds of Christmas," a musical revue in six segments with traditional and non-traditional holiday tunes. It plays at the Broadway Palm West Dinner Theatre in Mesa through December 25. For tickets, call the Broadway Palm West Dinner Theatre box office at 480-325-6700.
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November 22, 2004
Anna in the Tropics
( Phoenix, AZ )KBAQ Theater Critic Chris Curcio reviews the Arizona Theatre Company's Southwest premiere production of Nilo Cruz's Pulitzer Prize winning "Anna in the Tropics," a play set in Tampa circa 1929 where Cuban immigrants continue the traditional method of hand-rolling cigars. The play looks the impact of managing the business on a family's life. It plays at the Herberger Theater Center in downtown Phoenix through December 5. For tickets, call the Arizona Theatre Company box office at 602-256-6995 or go online at www.arizonatheatre.org.
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November 15, 2004
Hurlyburly
( Phoenix, AZ )KBAQ Theater Critic Chris Curcio reviews the Nearly Naked Theatre's production of David Rabe's "Hurlyburly," a play set in Hollywood about the bitter confusion of life's drifters. It plays at The Phoenix Theatre's Little Theatre in Phoenix through December 4. For tickets, call the Nearly Naked Theatre box office at 602-274-2432.
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November 08, 2004
Debbie Does Dallas: The Musical
( Phoenix, AZ )KBAQ Theater Critic Chris Curcio reviews the Artists Theatre Project's production of "Debbie Does Dallas: The Musical," a spoof of the porn film classic that tells how five high school cheerleaders raise funds to tryout for the Texas Cowgirls, the epitome of glamorous football jobs. It plays at the 3rd Street Theatre in Phoenix through November 14. For tickets, call the Artists Theatre Project box office at 602-413-0507.
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November 01, 2004
The Fish Must Die
( Phoenix, AZ )KBAQ Theater Critic Chris Curcio reviews the iTheatre Collaborative production of local playwright Raymond King Shurtz's "The Fish Must Die," a comic look at a community theater with references to the Valley theater scene. It plays at the Performance Outreach Theater at the Herberger Theater Center in downtown Phoenix through November 14. For tickets, call the iTheatre Collaborative box office at 602-347-1071.
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October 25, 2004
Bordertown
( Phoenix, AZ )KBAQ Theater Critic Chris Curcio reviews the Actors Theatre production of Culture Clash's "Bordertown," a play that explores the cultural differences of San Diegans of different ethnicities and their neighbors in Tijuana. It plays at the Herberger Theater Center in downtown Phoenix through November 2. For tickets, call the Herberger Theater Center box office at 602-252-8497 or go online at www.ticketmaster.com.
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October 18, 2004
Arsenic and Old lace
( Phoenix, AZ )KBAQ Theater Critic Chris Curcio reviews the Hale Centre Theatre's production of Joseph Kesselring's 1941 comedy/thriller "Arsenic and Old Lace" that focuses on two doddering old-maid sisters, Abby and Martha Brewster, and their wacky house full of family weirdoes. It plays at the Hale Centre Theatre in downtown Gilbert through November 27. For tickets, call the Hale Centre Theatre box office at 480-497-1181.
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October 12, 2004
The Immigrant
( Phoenix, AZ )KBAQ Theater Critic Chris Curcio reviews the Arizona Theatre Company season opener, the new musical, "The Immigrant," that looks at the arrival of a Russian Jew in a tiny Texas town in 1909 and the challenges of adjusting to the new environment. It plays at the Herberger Theater Center in downtown Phoenix through October 24. For tickets, call the Arizona Theatre Company box office at 602-256-6995.
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October 04, 2004
Miss Saigon
( Phoenix, AZ )KBAQ Theater Critic Chris Curcio reviews the Broadway Palm West Dinner Theatre's production of "Miss Saigon." The musical looks at the Vietnam War's ramifications on a handful of people impacted by the awful political struggle including the delicate romance between sensitive American soldier, Chris, and his Vietnamese infatuation, Kim. Written by "Les Miserables" creators, Alain Boubil and Claude-Michel Schonberg, the story borrows heavily on "Madama Butterfly's" touching romance. It plays at the Broadway Palm West Dinner Theatre in Mesa through October 9. For tickets, call the Broadway Palm West Dinner Theatre box office at 480-325-6700.
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September 27, 2004
The Assassination of Jean-Paul Marat
( Phoenix, AZ )KBAQ Theater Critic Chris Curcio reviews The Shakespeare Theatre's production of Peter Weiss's play, "The Persecution and Assassination of Jean-Paul Marat as Performed by the Inmates of the Asylum of Charenton under the Direction of the Marquis de Sade" that depicts the discussion between Marat and the Marquis de Sade of their respective philosophies, with Sade representing extreme individualism and Marat representing political and social upheaval set in the bathhouse of an asylum in 1808. It plays at the Phoenix Theatre's Little Theatre in Phoenix and continues through October 9. For tickets, call The Shakespeare Theater box office at 602-796-2038.
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September 13, 2004
A Year with Frog & Toad
( Phoenix, AZ )KBAQ Theater Critic Chris Curcio reviews the Childsplay season opener, the West Coast premiere of the Broadway family musical "A Year with Frog & Toad" that explains the relationship between neighbors Frog and Toad, an unlikely pair who demonstrate the importance of friendship. It plays at the Herberger Theater Center in downtown Phoenix and continues through October 3. For tickets, call the Herberger Theater Center box office at 602-252-8497 or go online at www.ticketmaster.com.
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September 09, 2004
Oliver
( Phoenix, AZ )KBAQ Theater Critic Chris Curcio reviews the Broadway in Arizona season opener, a revival of the 1960 hit "Oliver!," a musical version of Charles Dickens' Victorian Novel about orphaned Oliver Twist and his journey through London to find a loving home. It plays at Gammage Auditorium in Tempe it continues through September 12. For tickets, call Ticketmaster at 480-784-4444.
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August 30, 2004
Rocky Horror Show
( Phoenix, AZ )KBAQ Theater Critic Chris Curcio reviews the Nearly Naked Theatre's production of "The Rocky Horror Show," a spoof of science fiction movie thrillers as it traces the weird goings on of Dr. Frank-N-Furter and his followers. It plays at Phoenix Theatre's Little Theatre in downtown Phoenix and it continues through September 18. For tickets, call the Nearly Naked Theatre box office at 602-274-2432.
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August 23, 2004
Heaven Can Wait
( Phoenix, AZ )KBAQ Theater Critic Chris Curcio reviews the Hale Centre Theatre production of "Heaven Can Wait," is a comedy/fantasy about a boxer, Joe Pendleton, who is called to Heaven before his time. He is found another body and goes back to earth. It was turned into the 1941 movie, "Here Comes Mr. Jordan." It plays at the Hale Centre Theatre in Gilbert and continues through September 25. For tickets, call the Hale Centre Theatre box office at 480-497-1181.
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August 19, 2004
Forever Plaid
( Phoenix, AZ )KBAQ Theater Critic Chris Curcio reviews the Broadway Palm West Dinner Theatre production of "Forever Plaid," a tribute to the boy group harmonizing quartets from the '50s and '60s like The Four Lads, The Four Freshmen, The Ink Spots, and The Four Aces. A small town group, The Plaids, are killed and then return to earth to perform the show they never got to do. It plays at the Broadway Palm West Dinner Theatre in Mesa and continues through September 18. For tickets, call the Broadway Palm West Dinner Theatre box office at 480-325-6700.
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July 21, 2004
New Works Festival
( Phoenix, AZ )KBAQ's afternoon music host Jon Town interviewed Richard Warren, founder and contributing play write for the Phoenix Theatre "New Works Festival." This annual festival at Phoenix Theatre showcases four plays by published playwrites. After each performance the audience is invited to join in a discussion about the play and give their opinions as well. The festival begins Friday, July 23rd and runs through August 21st.
Phoenix Theatre
Find out more about this month-long festival which provides an opportunity for playwrights (new and seasoned) to stage public readings of new scripts performed by professional actors, and allows for an audience feedback session after each performance.
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July 20, 2004
The Male Intellect: An Oxymoron?
( Phoenix, AZ )KBAQ Theater Critic Chris Curcio reviews the Theater League production of "The Male Intellect: An Oxymoron?," a one-man show by and featuring Robert Dubac in which he creates six diverse characters who are totally confused by women. Through whimsy and humor, Dubac gives guys insight into what women really want from men. It plays at Stage West in the Herberger Theater Center in downtown Phoenix. It continues through August 29. For tickets, call the Herberger Theater Center box office at 602-252-8497.
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July 12, 2004
Broadway Review
( Phoenix, AZ )KBAQ Theater Critic Chris Curcio reviews five Broadway musicals - "Barbara Cook's roadway," "Bombay Dreams,", "Assassins," "Caroline, or Change," and "The Frogs" - he saw while in New York City in June.
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June 21, 2004
The Music Man
( Phoenix, AZ )KBAQ Theater Critic Chris Curcio reviews the Broadway Palm West Dinner Theatre production of "The Music Man," Meredith Willson's musical about turn-of-the-last-century life in a small Iowa town when a traveling salesman conman arrives to sell the unsuspecting residents on creating a local boy's band. It plays at the Broadway Palm West Dinner Theatre, Brown and Higley Roads in Mesa. It continues through August 7. For tickets, call the Broadway Palm West Dinner Theatre box office at 480-325-6700 or online at www.broadwaypalmwest.com.
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June 14, 2004
Three Men on a Horse
( Phoenix, AZ )KBAQ Theater Critic Chris Curcio reviews the iTheatre Collaborative production of "Three Men on a Horse," a 1935 farce about horse race gambling and shady gangsters. It plays at the Performance OutReach Theater at the Herberger Theater Center in downtown Phoenix. It continues through June 26. For tickets, call the iTheatre Collaborative box office at 602-347-1071.
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June 10, 2004
Oklahoma
( Phoenix, AZ )KBAQ Theater Critic Chris Curcio reviews the Broadway in Arizona production of "Oklahoma," Rodgers and Hammerstein's first musical and one that revolutionized the American musical by integrating story and characters with songs and dances. It plays at Gammage Auditorium on the ASU Campus in Tempe. It continues through June 13. For tickets, call Ticketmaster at 480-784-4444 or online at www.ticketmaster.com.
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June 07, 2004
Gilgamesh
( Phoenix, AZ )KBAQ Theater Critic Chris Curcio reviews the Nearly Naked Theatre production of "Gilgamesh" that portrays the legendary Babylonian king's adventure with his friend, the animal/human Enkidu, to discover the meaning of life. It plays at the Little Theatre at Phoenix Theatre in downtown Phoenix. It continues through June 26. For tickets, call the Nearly Naked Theatre box office at 602-274-2432.
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May 24, 2004
Route 66
( Phoenix, AZ )KBAQ Theater Critic Chris Curcio reviews the Phoenix Theatre production of "Route 66," a musical revue that pays tribute to the famous road using songs and tales related to peoples' travels on it. It plays at the Phoenix Theatre in downtown Phoenix. It continues through June 13. For tickets, call the Phoenix Theatre box office at 602-254-2151.
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May 10, 2004
The Underpants
( Phoenix, AZ )KBAQ Theater Critic Chris Curcio reviews the Arizona Theatre Company's production of "The Underpants," a contemporary adaptation by comedian/playwright Steve Martin of Carl Sternheim's 1911 play that slammed middle class mores including sexism when a woman loses her underpants in a public place. It plays at Center Stage of the Herberger Theater Center in downtown Phoenix. It continues through May 23. For tickets, call the Arizona Theatre Company box office at 602-256-6995 or go online at www.arizonatheatre.org.
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May 06, 2004
Urinetown
( Tempe, AZ )KBAQ Theater Critic Chris Curcio reviews the touring production of the Broadway musical hit, "Urinetown" that is a sharp-witted, irreverent musical that pokes wicked fun at political corruption and musical theater conventions during a draught that necessitates peeing at expensive public restrooms. It plays at ASU's Gammage Auditorium in Tempe. It continues through May 9. For tickets, call Ticketmaster at 480-784-4444 or go online at www.ticketmaster.com.
More Information
Find out more about this on the KJZZ events calendar.
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May 03, 2004
Varekai
( Phoenix, AZ )KBAQ Theater Critic Chris Curcio reviews the Cirque du Soleil production of "Varekai" that is themed around the demigod Icarus' descent to the earth after flying too close to the sun. He lands in "Varekai," a word that means "wherever" and provides the locale for the dozen plus circus acts that make up the show. It plays in a blue and yellow Grand Chapiteau tent at Westworld of Scottsdale. It continues through May 23 but may be extended. For tickets, call the Cirque du Soleil box office at 1-800-678-5440 or online at www.cirquedusoleil.com.
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April 26, 2004
Cats
( Phoenix, AZ )KBAQ Theater Critic Chris Curcio reviews the Broadway Palm West Dinner Theatre production of "Cats," Andrew Lloyd Webber's phenomenally successful musicalization of T. S. Eliot's "Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats" that takes audiences to the feline's annual Jellicle Ball where one cat will be selected to travel to the Heaviside Layer to be reborn. It continues through June 12 at the Broadway Palm West Dinner Theatre in Mesa. For tickets, call the Broadway Palm West Dinner Theatre box office at 480-325-6700.
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April 19, 2004
Morning's At Seven
( Phoenix, AZ )KBAQ Theater Critic Chris Curcio reviews the Phoenix Theatre production of "Morning's At Seven," Paul Osborn's 1939 play about an extended family whose lives are interconnected. It continues through May 2 at Phoenix Theatre in downtown Phoenix. For tickets, call the Phoenix Theatre box office at 602-254-2151.
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April 15, 2004
Hairspray
( Phoenix, AZ )KBAQ Theater Critic Chris Curcio reviews the Broadway in Arizona production of "Hairspray," the Tony Award winning Broadway musical about growing up in backward Baltimore in 1962. It's based on John Waters' 1988 cult film classic. It continues through April 25 at Gammage Auditorium on the ASU campus in Tempe. For tickets, call Ticketmaster at 480-784-4444 or online at www.ticketmaster.com.
Hairspray Event Information
Find out more about Hairspray on the KBAQ event calendar
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April 01, 2004
Riverdance
( Phoenix, AZ )KBAQ Theater Critic Chris Curcio reviews the Broadway in Arizona production of "Riverdance," a world-wide phenomena that tells the story of Irish heritage through dance and song. It continues through April 4 at Gammage Auditorium on the ASU campus in Tempe. For tickets, call Ticketmaster at 480-784-4444 or online at www.ticketmaster.com.
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March 29, 2004
Oh, Coward!
( Phoenix, AZ )KBAQ Theater Critic Chris Curcio reviews the Arizona Theatre Company production of "Oh, Coward!," a musical revue that uses Noel Coward's own songs and comedy routines in a tribute to him. It continues through April 11 at the Herberger Theater Center in downtown Phoenix. For tickets, call the Arizona Theatre Company box office at 602-256-6995 or online at www.arizonatheatre.org.
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March 15, 2004
Annie Get Your Gun
( Phoenix, AZ )KBAQ Theater Critic Chris Curcio reviews the Broadway Palm West Dinner Theatre Theater League's production of "Annie Get Your Gun," Irving Berlin's 1946 musical classic that details the romance and careers of sharp-shooters Annie Oakley and Frank Butler. It continues through April 17 at the Broadway Palm West Dinner Theatre in Mesa. For tickets, call the Broadway Palm West Dinner Theatre box office at 480-325-6700.
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March 11, 2004
Say Goodnight, Gracie
( Phoenix, AZ )KBAQ Theater Critic Chris Curcio reviews Theater League's production of "Say Goodnight, Gracie," a one-man show starring Frank Gorshin recreating comedian George Burns' life including his loving relationship with his wife and partner, Gracie Allen. It continues through March 14 at the Orpheum Theatre in downtown Phoenix. For tickets, call the Orpheum Theatre box office at 602-262-7272 or order online at tickets.com.
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March 08, 2004
Lobby Hero
( Phoenix, AZ )KBAQ Theater Critic Chris Curcio reviews Actors Theatre's production of Kenneth Lonergan's moral and ethical dilemma play, Lobby Hero. It continues through March 21 at the Herberger Theater Center in downtown Phoenix. For tickets, call the Herberger Theater Center box office at 602-252-8497.
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