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Nov 15, 2024

“SCROOGE!” RETURNS TO ARIZONA THEATRE COMPANY WITH ITS LARGER THAN YOUR OWN LIFE ADAPTATION OF CHARLES DICKENS’ “A CHRISTMAS CAROL” 

By Chuck Graham. Originally published in Let the Show Begin. As promised, Arizona Theatre Company has brought back an even bigger and more dazzling production for its second consecutive year of Scrooge! with book, music and lyrics by Oscar and Grammy-winning Leslie Bricusse. Once more this tale of miserly Scrooge’s transformation into that most jovial […]

Nov 13, 2024

Local actors bring new life to ghost-filled “Scrooge!”

Originally published by KGUN 9. For Arizona Theatre Company’s spirited production of Scrooge!, actors in Tucson said they want to bring a unique well of emotions to the characters they will portray in the classic Charles Dickens holiday story. Matt Milne — playing young Ebenezer Scrooge and the old miser’s nephew — said his passion for acting […]

Oct 30, 2024

Shuler Hensley To Star in SCROOGE! at Arizona Theatre Company

By Chloe Rabinowitz. Originally Published on BroadwayWorld.com. Arizona Theatre Company will welcome back Tony Award-winning Broadway star Shuler Hensley to reprise his role as the title character in its holiday musical Scrooge! this holiday season. Performing feature roles in Broadway and West End shows like Oklahoma!, Young Frankenstein and Meredith Wilson’s Music Man, as well as feature films […]

Oct 29, 2024

Arizona Theatre Company brings ‘Scrooge!’ back

By Cathalena E. Burch. Originally published on Tucson.com. Arizona Theatre Company this weekend is bringing back Scrooge, the holiday musical about a miserly businessman’s journey to redemption as he discovers the true meaning of Christmas. The set from Emmy-winning designer Jason Ardizzone-West includes mechanical elements that transform the expansive set from scene to scene, with video enhancements […]

Oct 28, 2024

Review: DIAL M FOR MURDER at Arizona Theatre Company

By Herbert Paine. Originally published on BroadwayWorld.com Confession: This theatre critic is an unabashed fan of Jeffrey Hatcher. His prowess as a prolific and imaginative playwright shines through his ingenious adaptations of classics like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, The Turn of the Screw, and his original Sherlock Holmes stories, including Holmes and Watson and Sherlock Holmes and the Adventure […]

Oct 21, 2024

About the Play: “Scrooge!”

When we think of the Holiday Season, we think of the joy that it brings. We think of how it is a season where people around the world are inspired to do generous acts for absolute strangers. We think about family and how we drop our normal routines to make space for them and enjoy the […]

Sep 17, 2024

ATC Workshops Bob & Jean: A Love Story Featuring Casey Likes and Jeff McCarthy

By A.A. Cristi. Originally published on BroadwayWorld.com. Arizona Theatre Company (ATC) continues its commitment to develop new works with its latest developmental workshop reading of Robert Schenkkan’s Bob & Jean: A Love Story, an ode to his own parents’ romantic saga during World War II. “This play is a demonstration of love transcending a lifetime. It is […]

Sep 16, 2024

HAVE YOU SEEN THESE? ATC has produced 8 plays (and now 9!) by “Dial M For Murder” author Jeffrey Hatcher

ATC has a longstanding relationship with the renowned playwright Jeffrey Hatcher, whose works have consistently captivated audiences with their wit, depth, and insight. His ability to weave intricate narratives has made him a favorite among ATC patrons, drawing in theatergoers year after year. From gripping dramas to light-hearted comedies, Hatcher’s plays span a wide range […]

Sep 9, 2024

DIAL M FOR MURDER to Kick Off Arizona Theatre Company 57 Season

By Chloe Rabinowitz. Originally published on BroadwayWorld.com. Arizona Theatre Company will open its 57th season with the classic revenge thriller Dial M For Murder, written by Frederick Knott and adapted by playwright Jeffrey Hatcher. Director Michael John Garcés returns to ATC to pilot the production just in time for the Halloween season. “Season 57 is about great stories told by […]

Sep 4, 2024

About the Play: “Dial M For Murder”

Following his service in the British Royal Artillery during World War II, playwright Frederick Knott found himself fascinated by what would drive the average person to commit the heinous act of murder. And while he was noted to have hated writing – doing so only to pay the bills – there was no doubt he […]

Aug 28, 2024

Recovery Leads Tucson Actor to New Leading Role

By Ryan Fish. Originally published on KGUN9.com. Aaron Cammack is the ‘2024/2025 Resident Artist’ for the Arizona Theatre Company. He will be in three main stage productions for ATC this upcoming season, along with hosting community outreach efforts including an upcoming workshop for about 20 other local actors. It’s something that wouldn’t have been possible just […]

Jun 20, 2024

Arizona Theatre Company Names Aaron Cammack Resident Artist

By A.A. Cristi. Originally published by Broadway World. Arizona Theatre Company has announced Tucson local Aaron Cammack as Resident Artist. This appointment showcases the company’s commitment to local Arizona artists, creating world-class theatre, and inspiring creativity that brings all Arizonans together. “There is real talent in the state of Arizona,” says ATC Kasser Family Artistic Director Matt August. “I […]

May 30, 2024

Arizona Theatre Company To Present New Musical Workshop Of MY MAN GODFREY

The new musical will feature a book by Tony Award winner Rupert Holmes and music & lyrics by Tony Award-winning composer Mark Hollmann. By A.A. Cristi. Originally published by BroadwayWorld. Arizona Theatre Company (ATC) has begun workshopping the first-ever musical adaptation of the 1930s classic novel My Man Godfrey. The new musical will feature a book […]

May 23, 2024

Welcome, New Board Members

Three new members have joined ATC’s Board of Trustees recently and will serve three-year terms. Arizona State Rep. Analise Ortiz, Former Tempe Mayor Hugh Hallman, and Business Leader Debra Larson join the 22 current Trustees who govern the 57-year-old non-profit. Born and raised in Arizona and a Maryvale resident, Ortiz was elected to the Arizona […]

May 22, 2024

Mathew DeVore: The Power of Sound

Every Season, ON Media celebrates Arts Heroes in our state, this year ATC’s Sound Supervisor Mathew DeVore was among those chosen! Read more about Mathew and his path to ATC’s Sound Department in the article below originally published by ON Media. If the goal of every live theater production is to strike a chord with […]

May 8, 2024

Review: Sam Shepard’s “True West” Truly Ignites the Arizona Theatre Company Stage with Equal Parts Violence and Humor in the Company’s Best Show of the Season

By Chuck Graham. Originally published by TucsonStage.com. Come for the energy (and the laughs) but stay for the artistic insight, that’s my advice when it comes to seeing Arizona Theatre Company’s bristling smack-down production of Sam Shepard’s Pulitzer Prize-nominated True West. I’ll guarantee you this – no one who watches this show thoughtfully will go […]

May 6, 2024

Review: Powerful acting, set elevate Arizona Theatre Company’s “True West”

By Ann Brown. Originally Published by the Arizona Daily Star. Arizona Theatre Company’s production of Sam Shepard’s True West is a powerful, poignant portrayal of family dysfunction and sibling rivalry punctuated with laugh-out-loud humor. True West which opened Friday, May 3, closes the ATC season on May 18. Prolific playwright Shepard (1943-2017) is known for […]

May 6, 2024

Review: TRUE WEST at Arizona Theatre Company

By Zach Wetzel. Originally published by Broadway World. True West explodes onstage at Arizona Theatre Company. This is the single greatest piece of live theater I have ever seen. True West is the story of two estranged siblings forced to interact while one of them house-sits for their mother. Written by Sam Shepard and directed by Jenn […]

Apr 19, 2024

About the Play — “True West”

Consider the American Dream. Consider the promise that hard work breeds success. Nothing is off the table. As long as you are willing to put in the hours to make it happen, the world is at your fingertips. So, you put your head down and you get to work. You do the best you can […]

Apr 11, 2024

About the Playwright — Sam Shepard

Sam Shepard has been described by New York Magazine as “the greatest American playwright of his generation,” a description earned as a result of several successful works he created. Gruff, gritty, and bold, Shepard’s work stands out amongst the peers of his time. “He was Tarantino, before Tarantino,” said Kasser Family Artistic Director Matt August. […]

Apr 10, 2024

Arizona Theatre Company to Conclude 56th Season With Sam Shepard’s TRUE WEST

By Chloe Rabinowitz. Originally published on BroadwayWorld.com. Arizona Theatre Company will present Sam Shepard’s True West in an electrifying conclusion to its 56th season. This raw and gripping production promises audiences a hilariously unforgettable journey into the heart of family, rivalry, and the American Dream. True West depicts the turbulent relationship between two estranged brothers, Austin and […]

Mar 25, 2024

The Dark & Comedic “True West” at ATC

By Kathleen Kennedy. Originally Published in Desert Leaf. Arizona is in for a true Western masterpiece this month when ATC presents the acclaimed Sam Shepard play True West, nominated in 1983 for a Pulitzer Prize and in 2000 for three Tony Awards, including Best Play, and two Drama Desk Awards. Director Jenn Thompson brings a […]

Feb 23, 2024

Review: Intimate Apparel, Arizona Theatre Company

By Gil Benbrook. Originally published in Talkin’ Broadway. Lynn Nottage’s Intimate Apparel is a poignant drama that explores love, longing, and the pursuit of dreams in early 20th-century New York City. Arizona Theatre Company is currently presenting an exquisite production of this deeply resonating drama with an impeccable cast, emotionally rich direction, and gorgeous creative elements. Set […]

Feb 20, 2024

Review: Intimate Apparel at Arizona Theatre Company

By Herbert Paine. Originally published on BroadwayWorld.com. One of the great and all too infrequent joys of being a theatre critic is to happen upon a show where all the stars converge to create a stellar and commanding theatrical experience. Such a moment occurred during opening weekend of Arizona Theatre Company’s production of Lynn Nottage’s Intimate Apparel. The […]

Feb 15, 2024

Celebrating Arizona Theatre Company Day

The Arizona House of Representatives today officially proclaimed February 15 Arizona Theatre Company Day in celebration of ATC’s contributions to enhancing the vibrant cultural landscape of Arizona. This momentous decision recognizes Arizona Theatre Company’s leadership role in the state’s artistic community and its profound impact on the cultural enrichment of residents and visitors alike. Arizona […]

Feb 13, 2024

About the Play – “Master Class”

Mastery is a decision. A decision to endure the uncomfortable pains that come with the evolution to greatness. A decision to surrender your soul to the grueling fires of refinement. A life-changing decision that will either breed lifelong happiness or deep-rooted regret. A decision only you can make. And when mastery does come, it does not come […]

Feb 10, 2024

About the Playwright – Terrence McNally

“Theatre changes hearts,that secret place where we all truly live…” — Terrence McNally2019 Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement Acceptance Speech Terrence McNally was an American playwright, librettist, and LGBTQ+ trailblazer, described by the New York Times as “the bard of the American Theater.” One of the few playwrights of his generation to successfully pass from the avant-garde to […]

Feb 6, 2024

Meet the Director: Marcia Milgrom Dodge

Marcia Milgrom Dodge “MMD” is a Tony, Drama Desk, and Astaire Award-nominated director and choreographer for her celebrated revival of Ragtime (Broadway and Kennedy Center), for which she also won the Helen Hayes Award for Outstanding Director, Resident Musical. MMD is thrilled to return to ATC after 30 years, when she directed and choreographed Some Enchanted Evening: The […]

Feb 2, 2024

Arizona Theatre Company Delivers Tony Award-Winning Play “Master Class”

By A.A. Cristi. Originally published by Broadway World. Arizona Theatre Company continues its virtuosic season with the Tony Award winning play Master Class, by five-time Tony winner Terrence McNally. Master Class tells the story of opera superstar Maria Callas as she delivers a hilarious and harrowing masterclass to the future stars who are nipping at her heels. Broadway and […]

Jan 25, 2024

About the Play — “Intimate Apparel”

Esther has spent years with her head down, working as a seamstress designing intimate apparel for women from all walks of life. They come with secrets and romances that she could only imagine. But now, one letter launches the beginning of her own adventure. Esther’s landlady, Mrs. Dickson, delivers the letter from a man named […]

Jan 5, 2024

About the Playwright — Lynn Nottage

Playwright and screenwriter Lynn Nottage is the first, and remains the only, woman to have won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama twice: in 2009 for her play Ruined, and in 2017 for her play Sweat. Her plays have been produced widely in the United States and throughout the world – including here, at Arizona Theatre […]

Dec 29, 2023

Meet the Director: Oz Scott

Legendary award-winning television, motion picture, and theatrical director Oz Scott returns to the stage to direct ATC’s Intimate Apparel. Scott has nearly five decades of experience directing hundreds of television episodes along with dozens of stage productions, made-for-TV movies, and motion pictures.  Oz Scott  is an award-winning entertainment industry veteran and highly sought after director whose notable work includes hundreds […]

Dec 12, 2023

Review: Another Christmas Delight in ATC’s “SCROOGE”

By Chris Curcio. Originally published on Curtain Up Phoenix. Arizona Theatre Company has found the perfect holiday show with its glistening production of the reworked 1992 Leslie Bricusse musical Scrooge!  This Scrooge does not have the evil and malicious Ebenezer seen in many shows based on Charles Dickens’ melancholy A Christmas Carol. Scrooge’s Ebenezer is […]

Dec 8, 2023

10 Questions With Shuler Hensley

By Julie Coleman. Originally published by Frontdoors Media. 1. You play the title character in Arizona Theatre Company’s new adaptation of “Scrooge! The Musical.” How is this holiday show different from the classic story? It’s interesting how this particular production came to be. Arizona Theatre Company’s artistic director, Matt August, was working with Leslie Bricusse, […]

Nov 14, 2023

Get in the holiday spirit with ‘Scrooge’ musical

By Kathleen Allen. Originally published by the Arizona Daily Star. Well, this was a surprise. We hadn’t expected to like Arizona Theatre Company’s production of Scrooge!. It’s a Christmas cliché and a too-obvious grasp for a holiday money-maker. But we couldn’t help it: We liked it. We really liked it. The musical is based on the 1970 […]

Nov 7, 2023

About the Author: Leslie Bricusse

Leslie Bricusse (1931-2021) was a writer/ composer/lyricist who contributed to many musical films and plays during his long, awardwinning career. He was born in London and educated at University College School and Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge. At Cambridge, he was president of both the University Footlights Club and Musical Comedy Club. There, he co-authored, […]

Nov 2, 2023

Arizona Theatre Company Cuts the Ribbon at Tempe Center for the Arts

By Barbi Walker-Walsh. Originally published by Wrangler News. Arts Unite: Tempe’s Dazzling Pact with the Official State Theater of Arizona Sets the Stage for a Cultural Renaissance. Tempe Center for the Arts and Arizona Theatre Company have announced details of a five-year partnership to bring high-quality, professional theater to Tempe. The announcement came during an […]

Oct 30, 2023

Arizona Theatre Company Actors Sing National Anthem at Arizona Cardinals Game

Cast members from Arizona Theatre Company’s upcoming Scrooge! sang the National Anthem before the Arizona Cardinals’ October 29 home game at State Farm Stadium in Glendale. The show’s headliner, Shuler Hensley, along with four of the cast’s child actors who are all native Arizonans, kicked off the game. Hensley most recently appeared on Broadway as […]

Oct 27, 2023

Meet the Famed Creative Dream-Team Bringing You “Scrooge!”

Arizona Theatre Company’s production of Scrooge! promises to be a magical and heartwarming experience, thanks in no small part to the incredible talents behind the scenes. The creative team responsible for bringing this timeless holiday classic to life is a group of seasoned professionals, each with a remarkable list of career accomplishments. Let’s take a […]

Oct 26, 2023

About the Play: “Scrooge!”

When we think of the Holiday Season, we think of the joy that it brings. We think of how it is a season where people around the world are inspired to do generous acts for absolute strangers. We think about family and how we drop our normal routines to make space for them. We think […]

Oct 5, 2023

Tony Award-Winning Actor Shuler Hensley Headlines “Scrooge! A New Holiday Musical” At Arizona Theatre Company

By A.A. Cristi. Originally published by Broadway World. Arizona Theatre Company has announced Hollywood film and stage actor Shuler Hensley as the title character in the theatre’s holiday show, Scrooge! The Musical. Hensley’s list of roles and awards is long and illustrious. His film appearances include The Greatest Showman, The Legend of Zorro, Van Helsing, The Bread, My […]

Sep 18, 2023

SAG-AFTRA vs. Actor’s Equity Association: Understanding the Key Differences Amidst the Ongoing Strike 

The world of entertainment has always been marked by passion, dedication, and sometimes, controversy. In recent news, the entertainment industry has been buzzing with headlines about the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) strike, which has highlighted some fundamental differences between SAG-AFTRA and the Actor’s Equity Association (AEA). Let’s explore these […]

Sep 6, 2023

Who was Neil Simon?

American playwright and screenwriter Neil Simon (1927-2018) is widely regarded as one of the most successful, prolific, and performed playwrights in theatre history. In addition to Lost In Yonkers, which won a Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize, his plays and musicals include Come Blow Your Horn, Little Me, Barefoot in the Park, The Odd Couple, Sweet Charity, The Star-Spangled […]

Aug 31, 2023

Profile: Matt August

Named Arizona Theatre Company’s Kasser Family Artistic Director in January 2023, Matt August brings experience as a theatre, opera, and film director as well as educator. His productions have broken Broadway box-office records (Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas) and played in London, across the UK, Off-Broadway, in major regional theatres, at festivals, on […]

Aug 25, 2023

About the Play: “Barefoot in the Park”

It’s the 1960s. You meet someone. You get swept off your feet. You fall in love. You marry them. Boom. End of story. At least, that’s what a majority of the films from that time look like. Audrey Hepburn falls in love with Fred Astaire. Debbie Reynolds falls in love with Gene Kelly. Actually … […]

Aug 8, 2023

Matt August’s Vision to Build on ATC’s Legacy

It’s been 8 months since Matt August took over as the Kasser Family Artistic Director, and yet his passion and drive heading into his inaugural season has anything but slowed. His love for Arizona Theatre Company and its continued legacy of bringing about meaningful work is the perfect home for his ambition to accomplish the […]

Jul 25, 2023

The Making of An Artistic Director

Like so many who come into the theatre world, Matt August discovered his love for the arts in his adolescence. Since then, August has gone on to develop an extensive resume that includes working alongside Tony-winning artists and a number of celebrities before they were launched into stardom. Now, as he adds Artistic Director to […]

May 5, 2023

The Tony Nominations are in! 

It’s time to celebrate the power of theatre and the artists who make it happen. Often, shows seen on Broadway get their start on regional stages like Arizona Theatre Company. As one of 75 LORT Regional theatres in the country, ATC has a long history of developing world-class theatre in Arizona, and eventually transitioning works […]

Apr 3, 2023

Feature: Matt August Talks New Role As Artistic Director, Programming Future at Arizona Theatre Company

ATC’s new leader is no stranger to directing — or to Arizona, for that matter. By Robert Encila-Celdran. Originally published by BroadwayWorld.com. Matt August recalls his first introduction to Arizona Theatre Company as a fortuitous occasion. The year was 2015, a theater season that culminated with a show he directed – the eccentric and lengthily titled three-hander, The Gospel According […]

Apr 3, 2023

Review: Arizona Theatre Company’s ‘Pru Payne’ Shines a Light on the Complexities of Dementia

By M.V. Moorhead. Originally published by Phoenix Magazine. “Keep your mind active.” We’re often told that this is a key to long term cognitive health: doing crossword puzzles or Sudoku or Wordle, reading, writing. But being a famous, award-winning critic and essayist hasn’t kept Prudence “Pru” Payne from one of the scourges of aging: dementia. […]

Apr 3, 2023

Review: PRU PAYNE at Arizona Theatre Company

By Herbert Paine. Originally published by BroadwayWorld.com. Pru Payne is a lost and found story. The title character, Prudence ‘Pru’ Payne (Mimi Kennedy), is a witty and sharp-tongued critic who, while being honored by her peers, starts showing signs of dementia. Despite losing some of her memories, she makes a few new ones with Augustus ‘Gus’ […]

Apr 2, 2023

Review: “Pru Payne” – Arizona Theatre Company

By Chris Curcio. Originally published on Curtain Up Phoenix. Arizona rarely sees world premiere plays and often when plays begin here they aren’t stellar.  So, it is wonderful that the Arizona Theatre Company’s Pru Payne is such a remarkable piece. Steven Drukman’s play is a sensitive and touching telling of dementia’s impacts on two very […]

Mar 30, 2023

About the Playwright: Noël Coward

Noël Peirce Coward was born in 1899 and made his professional stage debut as Prince Mussel in The Goldfish at the age of 12, leading to many child actor appearances over the next few years. His breakthrough in playwriting was the controversial The Vortex (1924), which featured themes of drugs and adultery and made his […]

Mar 15, 2023

Review: Mimi Kennedy, Gordon Clapp Dazzle in World Premiere of PRU PAYNE at Arizona Theatre Company

Steven Drukman’s devastatingly honest play sheds light on mental illness and the invigorating power of love. By Robert Encila-Celdran. Originally published on BroadwayWorld.com. When Arizona Theatre Company redesigned its programming two years ago, a cloud of ambivalence engulfed a complacent viewing public. The company’s commitment to supporting uncharted material by a working crop of playwrights signaled ATC’s pivot […]

Mar 9, 2023

Arizona Theatre Company Announces 56th Season Lineup Under the Helm of a New Artistic Director and Venue

Arizona Theatre Company’s 56th season features a grand slam lineup of productions under the direction of new Kasser Family Artistic Director Matt August. As Arizona’s Official State Theatre, ATC’s new home in metro Phoenix will be at Tempe Center for the Arts. Tucson productions will remain at the Temple of Music and Art. Subscriptions, including five-play […]

Mar 2, 2023

Get to Know the Director of “Private Lives,” KJ Sanchez

ATC has had the pleasure of working with countless talented and insightful directors throughout its years as a company. With ATC’s addition of Noël Coward’s Private Lives, comes the addition of accomplished director KJ Sanchez. Growing up on a ranch as the youngest of 12, Sanchez had her sights set on becoming a physical therapist. […]

Feb 6, 2023

Playwright’s Notes: Steven Drukman

Funny word: playwright — so often misspelled, given that “wright”and “write” are homonyms. But any playwright can tell you that plays are wrought — crafted — more than they’re written. You might ask four different wheelwrights to make you four different wheels; you wouldn’t ask any to write you one. Hand-wrought jewelry looks lovely on […]

Feb 2, 2023

Review: ATC Production Breaks More Than Glass Figurines

THE GLASS MENAGERIE delivers a solid and heartbreaking cast at Arizona Theatre Company. By Robert Encila-Celdran. Originally published on BroadwayWorld.com. We can never know how Tennessee Williams might have fared had he remained a poet. By happy chance, his lyric acuity parlayed into a singularly rare narrative form, revolutionizing the theater landscape post-World War II. If the structure […]

Jan 30, 2023

Wingfield Toxic Traits

In an ever-conscious world of mental health and self-care, many people in our generation are trained to spot toxic behaviors and encouraged to avoid them. Unfortunately for the Wingfield family, these sharp skills were hard to come by. Left and right throughout Tennessee Williams’ The Glass Menagerie, we see how the characters miss opportunities to […]

Jan 11, 2023

Meet Lillie Richardson

At Arizona Theatre Company we get to bring amazing artists and creators together to manifest wonderful pieces of art. In the upcoming production of Tennessee Williams’ The Glass Menagerie, Lillie Richardson has joined our team to play the one and only Amanda Wingfield. We sat down with Richardson to get to know her a little […]

Dec 29, 2022

Hollywood Star Returns to the Stage at ATC

Mimi Kennedy Will Lead Award-Winning Production Pru Payne Arizona Theatre Company is excited to announce that Mimi Kennedy, best known for her roles on the television series Mom and Dharma & Greg, will be returning to the stage for the first time in over a decade as the title character in ATC’s world premiere of […]

Dec 21, 2022

Let’s Talk Shop: The Wingfield’s Apartment

In any stage production, as soon as our eyes hit the stage we’re met with the careful collaboration of each element of design. The lights, sound, and scenic design work together to transport us into the world of the play. And if done well, the world outside of the play begins to disappear. At ATC, […]

Dec 15, 2022

A Deeper Look: Victorian Era Servants

When you have a classic such as “Pride and Prejudice,” it’s hard not to get swept up in the romance and drama that occurs between characters like Wickham and Lydia. However, in Lauren Gunderson and Margot Melcon’s The Wickhams: Christmas at Pemberley, we get a closer look at the people who were supposed to be […]

Nov 30, 2022

What is a Memory Play?

The Glass Menagerie is often described as a memory play. Just what does that mean? In the stage directions, Tennessee Williams writes, “The scene is memory and is therefore nonrealistic. Memory takes a lot of poetic license. It omits some details, others are exaggerated, according to the emotional value of the articles it touches, for […]

Nov 26, 2022

Time Frame of “The Glass Menagerie”

The Glass Menagerie takes place in 1937, during The Great Depression. The Depression had been ongoing for some time and its effects were widespread and deeply felt by the American public. Below are some additional events that were happening … Social Trends:• Popularity of the movies (by 1930, 90,000,000 people attended the movies weekly, including […]

Nov 23, 2022

A Look at Tennessee Williams

Thomas Lanier Williams was born on March 26, 1911, in Columbus, Mississippi, to parents Cornelius and Edwina Dakin Williams. From an early age, Thomas, often called Tom, felt he did not belong anywhere. His father was often abusive, repeatedly taunting his son as a “sissy boy.” Edwina was a woman desperately holding onto a southern […]

Nov 17, 2022

Arizona Theatre Company Names Matt August Artistic Director

Distinguished Broadway Director, Educator to Take Helm of ATC’s Artistic Process Arizona Theatre Company today announced that Matt August has been named the Kasser Family Artistic Director of the 55-year-old professional theatre company. An artistic leader, distinguished director and educator with more than 27 years of theatre experience, August has worked in diverse markets including […]

Nov 15, 2022

Review: Second play in Jane Austen trilogy provides light holiday fare

By Kathy Allen. Originally published by the Arizona Daily Star. The drama isn’t always upstairs at Pemberley, the elaborate estate where Darcy and his wife Elizabeth live. It’s definitely downstairs, in the servants domain, as well. And that’s where the action takes place in Arizona Theatre Company’s “The Wickhams: Christmas at Pemberley.” This is the second […]

Nov 11, 2022

Behind the Scenes: Distressing Wickhams Jacket

A couple dashes of sawdust and a few splashes of ale and you’ve got one seriously out of sorts jacket. We asked Resident Costume Designer Kish Finnegan about her process distressing George Wickham’s military coat and here’s what she had to say. “This was a fun one! In theatre we do a lot of ageing […]

Oct 31, 2022

Thrilling Theatre Haunts

The theatre is a thing that many people are passionate about. They spend endless hours rehearsing lines, writing scripts, designing sets, etc. Some might say that the theatre is their life, so much so that they are still around long after they are gone … Spooky Tale #1 – David Belasco Lives and Dies Theatre […]

Oct 31, 2022

Amber Ruffin & Matthew López Bring Fresh Perspective to Some Like It Hot

NOTE: ATC will present Playwright Matthew Lopez’s The Legend of Georgia McBride in Tucson June 3-24 and in Phoenix June 29-July 16. By Felicia Fitzpatrick. Originally Published on BroadwayDirect.com With a number of movie adaptations playing on Broadway over the last decade, the industry has been deep in discourse about the balance of shows that […]

Oct 27, 2022

ATC Partners with Make Way for Books This Holiday Season

During The Wickhams: Christmas at Pemberley, ATC will be collecting new or gently used books for children up to 18 years of age as part of Make Way for Books’ Blue Book House Project. Storybooks (board books, picture books, chapter books) and children’s literature can be dropped off in the lobby during any performance of the […]

Oct 10, 2022

Review: Simply Put, THE LION Must Be Seen and Heard at Arizona Theatre Company

Max Alexander-Taylor dazzles with commanding simplicity.By Robert Encila-Celdran. Originally published on BroadwayWorld.com. If a work of art is inspired by one’s real-life travails, there’s no bigger catalyst for a masterpiece than one’s ruthless fray with desolation and mortality. That’s what we’re privy to in ATC’s one-man musical that launches the company’s 55th season: a stirringly intimate recounting […]

Sep 27, 2022

Interview: The Lion Team Talks Arizona Premiere

One-man show comes to Arizona after an acclaimed London stint. by Robert Encila-Celdran. Originally published on BroadwayWorld.com. Last summer for me was one for the books. I had the good fortune to visit London and absorb the city’s renowned theatre scene — a significant item off the proverbial bucket list. From revered classics at Shakespeare’s Globe to […]

Sep 20, 2022

ATC Artistic Director Accepts New Job

Arizona Theatre Company announced today that its Kasser Family Artistic Director, Sean Daniels, will be leaving ATC in Spring 2023 to pursue a new opportunity as Florida Studio Theatre’s new associate director. Daniels has served as ATC’s artistic director and co-CEO since 2019, where he has helped produce and present award-winning dramas, comedies, musicals, world […]

Sep 2, 2022

Q&A with Actor Emily Mohney

For each show, Associate Artistic Director Chanel Bragg highlights a member of the cast or creative team who is not only local to Arizona but exemplifies excellence within their field. There is such incredible talent within our community, and as the state theatre of Arizona, we love to highlight it. In August, Bragg interviewed Emily Mohney, who is starring as Cassie in ATC’s highly […]

Aug 31, 2022

We HEAR You!

We’re delighted to share several sound improvements you’ll notice when you return to the theatre this fall, including additional microphones, sound mixing improvements, assistive listening device options at every performance, and open captioning at a select performance of every show. Sound Supervisor Mathew DeVore and his team will be approaching all six shows as they […]

Aug 30, 2022

About the Play – The Wickhams: Christmas at Pemberley

What do we do about the servants? As evidenced in British programs such as Upstairs, Downstairs or Downton Abbey, and the more recent Hotel Portofino, the long-suffering members of the upper class have to contend with their servants as much as their own foibles. Remember Rose Buck, who was in the service of the Bellamy […]

Aug 25, 2022

About the Play: The Lion

Traditional music theater scores are said to need a good old fashioned “I want” song – remember “Wouldn’t it be Loverly” from My Fair Lady: All I want is a room somewhereFar away from the cold night airWith one enormous chairOh, wouldn’t it be loverly? Or maybe you are more familiar with “If I Were […]

Aug 19, 2022

Erlina Ortiz Wins ATC’s 2022 National Latine Playwrights Award

Arizona Theatre Company is excited to announce that Dominican-American playwright, performer and theatremaker, Erlina Ortiz, has won the 2022 National Latine Playwrights Award with her dramedy La Egoista, for which she will receive $2,500 and a professional workshop. In conjunction with ATC senior artistic staff, panelists included director, playwright and Associate Artistic Director for Syracuse […]

Aug 10, 2022

Celebrating World Lion Day!

World Lion Day is celebrated on August 10! ATC is celebrating as we prepare for the opening show of our 55th Season, The Lion. Enjoy this animated music video of the title song, “The Lion,” performed by Benjamin Scheuer!

Jul 20, 2022

ATC Adds Noël Coward’s Private Lives to 2022/2023 Show Lineup

Classic comedy replaces The White Chip for the fifth show in ATC’s 55th Season As Arizona Theatre Company closed its first complete two-city, six-play season in three years on July 17, the State Theatre announced that it will be producing Noël Coward’s Private Lives as its fifth show in the coming 2022/2023 Season. The beloved […]

Jun 16, 2022

Feature: Transatlantic Team Revives Powerful One-Man Musical

THE LION plays to rave London reviews; will open 2022-23 season at Arizona Theatre Company by Robert Encila-Celdran. Originally published on BroadwayWorld.com. The year was 2013. Sean Daniels met singer-songwriter Benjamin Scheuer at Goodspeed Musicals, where the Johnny Mercer Foundation launched The Writers Grove: a veritable sanctuary for gifted writers to create and develop new musicals. […]

Jun 12, 2022

Review: ATC Closes Season With World Premiere of HOW TO MAKE AN AMERICAN SON

Christopher Oscar Pena delivers a riveting new play at Arizona Theatre Company by Robert Encila-Celdran. Originally published on BroadwayWorld.com. Occasionally a critic comes across a production that impairs his sense of objectivity. Indeed I’m guilty as chris peña’s play hits a little too close to home. how to make an American Son is a provocative immigration story, […]

May 19, 2022

About the Play: how to make an American Son

To know chris peña is to come face to face with a hurricane — intense, relentless, focused, and deliberate. To know chris peña is to know passion, humor, generosity, and spirit. To know chris peña is to know talent. His play how to make an American Son is fueled by these emotions and a point […]

May 12, 2022

Geri Wright Awarded 2022 Phoenix Titan 100

Titan CEO and headline sponsors, Class VI Partners and Wipfli LLP, are pleased to announce Arizona Theatre Company’s Managing Director Geri Wright as a 2022 Phoenix Titan 100. The Titan 100 program recognizes Phoenix’s Top 100 CEO’s & C-level executives. They are the area’s most accomplished business leaders in their industry using criteria that includes […]

May 2, 2022

Arizona Illustrated Features Justice

A behind-the-scenes look at Arizona Theatre Company’s world premiere musical Justice. The play examines the friendship between Supreme Court Justices Sandra Day O’Connor and Ruth Bader Ginsburg, what it means to be the first and how the court continues to move forward thanks to their efforts. Playwright Lauren Gunderson also created a third character, Vera, […]

Apr 27, 2022

Q&A with Playwright christopher oscar peña

Recently, Associate Artistic Director Chanel Bragg sat down with christopher oscar peña, ATC Artistic Associate and playwright of the upcoming production how to make an American Son, which is premiering at ATC and this summer. In addition to being a playwright, peña is currently a television writer for several shows on HBO, Hulu, and ABC. […]

Apr 16, 2022

The White Chip Takes Scotland

The White Chip, a New York Times Critics’ Pick, shows a path to recovery that is poignant, funny, and uplifting. The White Chip will be in Scotland this May for two co-produced readings in Edinburgh and Glasgow! A dry comedy about drying out, the show follows the main character Steven as he forms a new bond […]

Apr 12, 2022

Social Impact Theatre Grant

Thank you to The Sheri and Les Biller Family Foundation for their Social Impact Theatre Grant! Our Production of Nina Simone: Four Women was one of ten productions selected for its commitment to bringing different viewpoints together on challenging subjects, reaching new audiences and partnering with organizations, community members and subject matter experts to help amplify its […]

Apr 8, 2022

Arizona Theatre Company Celebrates 54 Seasons with ‘Club 54’ Themed Gala

Originally published by Frontdoors Media. The Event: Season 54 Gala The Cause: Arizona Theatre Company Event Date: March 12, 2022 Location: Temple of Music and Art in Tucson  Presenting Sponsor: RBC Wealth Management  Honorees: Char Augenstein – Georgy Award Recipient & Chef Janos Wilder – Rainmaker Award Recipient  Co-Chairs: Marcia Meyer & Anastasia Palmer Johnson Dollars Raised: $370,000+ Entertainment: Annaleigh Ashford, The Cast of Nina […]

Apr 6, 2022

Q&A with Costume Designer Kish Finnegan

Meet Kish Finnegan, the talented costume designer for the world premiere of Justice! At the beginning of this year, Associate Artistic Director Chanel Bragg interviewed Arizona Theatre Company’s very own Kish Finnegan, the talented costume designer for the world premiere of Justice. Finnegan is one of ATC’s main costume shop attendants and identifies as a […]

Apr 5, 2022

Industry Night at ATC

On Sunday, April 3, ATC proudly celebrated the perseverance of our local theatre-makers with Industry Night for Nina Simone: Four Women. The Arizona theatre community is resilient, passionate, and beautiful. The evening consisted of a reunion of local theatre-makers and a coming together of multiple organizations including members Arizona Equity Members & Supporters (Equity Night Out) and United Colours […]

Mar 25, 2022

“Nina Simone: Four Women” In The News

Originally published by ABC15. By Venton Blandin Taking to the stage for Women’s History Month! The Arizona Theatre company is hosting a historic production. The story of Nina Simone, a 20th century icon of American music, who was deeply affected by the experiences of Black people during the civil rights movement is about to come […]

Mar 3, 2022

About the Play: Justice

There are The Supremes (Florence Ballard, Diana Ross, Mary Wilson). And then there are THE Supremes – Thurgood Marshall, Warren Burger, Earl Warren, et al. Both are recognized for their lasting impact on the world they inhabit. Both have been given to periodic internal dissent. Both sometimes slide a tad too close to the political. […]

Mar 1, 2022

Nina Simone + Protest Songs

Protest Songs have been around for centuries. These songs are usually associated with a movement for social change and, at their core, they draw people together to inspire action and/or reflection. It is no secret that Nina Simone used her voice and songs to support the civil rights movement and speak out against racism in the United States. […]

Feb 10, 2022

Q&A with Scenic Designer Arnel Sancianco

In early November, Associate Artistic Director Chanel Bragg interviewed Arnel Sancianco, the talented scenic designer for Nina Simone: Four Women. Arnel is a professor at Arizona State University and identifies as a first-generation Asian scenic designer of Filipino descent who is now a proud Arizona transplant! Chanel and Arnel spoke over Zoom while Arnel was in Washington […]

Feb 10, 2022

Who was Nina Simone?

Christina Ham’s Nina Simone: Four Women gives us a glimpse into the artistry and activism of one of the most powerful voices in American song history, Nina Simone. By looking at her life’s work through the lens of three other women – a housekeeper, an activist, and a prostitute on the day of the Birmingham church bombing on […]

Jan 15, 2022

Shop It Forward: ATC Wins 1st Place!

Thank you to Scottsdale Fashion Square’s Shop It Forward Program and to all those who supported Arizona Theatre Company! We are thrilled to share, we placed 1st! Shop It Forward is a grassroots community program that allows participating nonprofits in the program to earn points from qualified purchases. Under the Shop It Forward Program, nonprofit […]

Jan 10, 2022

About The Play: Women in Jeopardy!

Crime and punishment. Law and order. Wine and cheese. One of these is not like the others, except in Wendy MacLeod’s Women in Jeopardy!, a perfectly structured mash-up of a police procedural and Real Housewives, but with a bit more heart. MacLeod, noted playwright, essayist, and professor at Kenyon College in Ohio, gives us three women – […]

Dec 12, 2021

Q&A with Costume Designer Connie Furr

As we voyage into rehearsals for the next show in our 54th season, we are delighted to feature another Arizona artist, Arizona State University professor (and award-winning design extraordinaire) Connie Furr. We are ecstatic to take this moment to feature the local design staple as our costume designer for Women in Jeopardy!. Connie’s iconic designs have been […]

Dec 10, 2021

Celebrate Everything with STEM SWAG!

ATC is proud to partner with STEM SWAG during our 54th Season! Throughout the season they are supplying us with beautiful floral arrangements for our opening night celebrations in Phoenix. As a locally owned and operated company, STEM SWAG is proud to support the State Theatre and realizes the importance of what arts and culture brings to […]

Dec 10, 2021

A Letter from Pemberley Cast Member Seth Tucker

Dear ATC Family, The wait is over. The silence that befell the theatre has lifted. The darkness that filled our stage has been banished, and the emptiness that filled both our seats and hearts has once again been filled. Theatre is back and better than ever at Arizona Theatre Company, and the timing has beautifully coincided with […]

Dec 8, 2021

Secrets Behind The Scenes

Off The Record … Mr. and Mrs. Darcy’s chemistry sizzles on stage and off!  Newlyweds John Patrick Hayden and Alexis Bronkovic met in Minneapolis while working on Born Yesterday at the Guthrie Theatre. Since then, they have appeared together on stage in the Off-Broadway Production of The Big Broadcast and Cape May Stage’s Chapter Two.  Experience their real life romance in Miss Bennet: Christmas […]

Dec 4, 2021

UArizona Student Makes ATC Debut!

On December 3, University of Arizona School of Theatre, Film & Television junior, Camden Stankus, went on stage to play the role of Elizabeth Darcy with thirty minutes notice!  This was a role that she had not understudied for, but with a script in hand, she earned a standing ovation during curtain call! She learned dances at […]

Nov 18, 2021

Student Matinees Are Back!

Thursday, November 18 marked another great day in the return of live theatre at ATC! Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley welcomed over 500 students from around Tucson for our first Student Matinee in almost 2 years. It was a rousing success, everyone was engaged, laughing, clapping, and “oohing and aahing” throughout the show. It was everything we love […]

Nov 2, 2021

What is it about Jane Austen?

Is it the setting, England during the Regency, where a prince instead of a king ruled and empire waist dresses were introduced by another “Emma”? Is it the language, where women speak up and men listen? Where irony and social commentary meld effortlessly together? Is it characters like Elizabeth Bennet, Elinor Dashwood, Emma Woodhouse, and so […]

Oct 28, 2021

Shop it Forward!

SHOP IT FORWARD TO HELP BENEFIT ARIZONA THEATRE COMPANY! Join us in celebrating Scottsdale Fashion Square’s 60th Anniversary by Shopping it Forward from October 15 – December 15. Shop, dine, and enjoy entertainment anywhere at Scottsdale Fashion Square, and then submit your receipts to raise money for ATC, one of six participating nonprofit organizations. To […]

Oct 18, 2021

Q&A with Seth Tucker

Meet Seth Tucker Seth conducted this interview while working at Barnstormers Theatre in New Hampshire. Renowned as the oldest summer stock of 91 years in the country, he is currently performing in a reimagined telling of “The Wife of Bath’s Tale” of Geoffrey Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales. In this new work titled “Far From Canterbury,” he is […]

Oct 10, 2021

Q&A with Elena Quach

Meet Elena Quach  Elena expresses that’s she is so freaking excited, and that her students are ecstatic about her being cast. Upon telling them on the first day of school that she would be missing some of the winter session, her students excitedly exclaimed, “Miss, this is so much fun, you are like famous!” Elena shared […]

Sep 25, 2021

ATC Returns to the Stage

Originally published on ONStageAZ.com.  A new direction, mission and leadership team advance ATC into its 54th season.  Arizona Theatre Company (ATC) puts artists and audiences at the heart of all it does. ATC performances bring people together to experience essential stories, from reimagined classics to contemporary plays, original works, and innovative musicals. The theatre’s mission is to […]

Sep 20, 2021

“My 80-Year-Old Boyfriend” To Go Off-Broadway

Originally published on BroadwayWorld.com.By Robert Encila-Celdran It’s rush hour on a Friday afternoon and I have the good fortune to locate a parking spot across the lane from the Temple of Music and Art. I don’t recall parking this close to the building in my years as a patron of Arizona Theatre Company. Of course, my sense […]

Sep 16, 2021

Now is the Moment Grants Commemoration

Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust Awards Surprise “Now is the Moment Grants Commemoration” to 71 Nonprofits, including ATC—the Largest Single-Day Grant Initiative in Arizona History  The grants were presented to the awardees throughout the day on September 13, 2021—as a complete surprise. Trustees personally met with the CEOs and Board Chairs of the organizations to […]

Sep 15, 2021

Spotlighting Our Schools

This summer, as we prepared to get back on the mainstage, Arizona Theatre Company’s Production Department cleaned all of our lighting instruments.In doing so, we discovered we had equipment to share!  Last week, ATC donated 44 Colortrans lighting instruments, barrels, and replacement bulbs to three Tucson area high schools – Tanque Verde High School, Palo […]

Sep 1, 2021

ATC Volunteer Ushers In the House

The Temple of Music and Art in Tucson was filled with laughter, friendship and joy on Saturday, September 4 as nearly 150 volunteers gathered for an orientation to prepare for ATC’s long-anticipated 54th Season. A celebration as much as it was an orientation, the event brought together ushers from all 24 series’ to hear about […]

Aug 20, 2021

Rachel Lynett Wins ATC’s 2021 NLPA

Rachel Lynett, a playwright, producer, and teaching artist, has won Arizona Theatre Company’s 2021 National Latinx Playwrights Award for Black Mexican. Set against current questions of inclusion and representation, Lynett’s play compels audiences to also ask: Who defines identity?  Lynett, the recipient of the 2021 Yale Drama Prize for the play, Apologies to Lorraine Hansberry (You Too August Wilson), will receive $1,000 and a workshop of Black Mexican at Arizona […]

Jul 25, 2021

New Research: Benefits of Live Theatre

Live theatre can boost empathy and pro-social behavior, according to new research by Eric W. Dolan, published in PsyPost July 25, 2021. Watching a live theatre production can increase empathy for the groups depicted in the plays and may even result in real changes in charitable behavior, according to new research published in the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology. […]