Tim Shawver

The Bridge Initiative is proud to present the world premiere of 'The Flora and Fauna' by Alyson Mead at the Tempe Center for the Arts Studio Theatre. Inspired by a single line from the famous letter read in court during the Stanford rape case in 2016, Alyson Mead crafted a gripping narrative that explores the complexities of a fictional 40-year friendship and the dark secret of how the two women met.

What did our critic think of MJ THE MUSICAL at Gammage Auditorium?

In a landscape flooded with jukebox musicals, (Four of them in this ASU Gammage season!) JAGGED LITTLE PILL stands out as the first artistically and socially responsible integrated catalog musical. It is a gem that deserves recognition.

What did our critic think of BEETLEJUICE at Gammage Auditorium?

HAIRSPRAY returns to Gammage Auditorium through June 25th offering audiences a welcome revisit to the original Broadway staging of one of the most frequently produced musicals of the 21st century. Ben Brantley’s 2002 NY Times Broadway review said HAIRSPRAY is 'as sweet as a show can be without tooth decay.' Two decades later, still no cavities.

Arizona Opera brings Mozart's THE MAGIC FLUTE to Phoenix and Tucson next month. One of history's most popular masterpieces, the family-friendly classic explores the search for truth and reason, love and enlightenment. Joseph Specter, the president and general director of Arizona Opera, calls it 'a fantastical tale rich with comedy, enchantment, and fantasy...inviting the audience along a journey of darkness and light.'

What did our critic think of DISNEY'S FROZEN NATIONAL TOUR at Gammage Auditorium?

Aaron Sorkin's stage adaptation of Harper Lee's classic novel TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD is playing at Gammage Auditorium through December 6th. The book has been re-imagined by the Academy Award winning screenwriter. He's crafted a satisfying theatre experience with his trademark crackling dialogue serving a feast of material for the show's flawless cast.

Disney's THE LION KING has found its way back to Tempe nearly a decade after its sold-out multi-week visit in 2013.

HADESTOWN has arrived in Sun Devil country for a six day run at ASU's Gammage Auditorium. The 2019 Best Musical Tony Winner succeeds with an expressive, haunting score and the dark imagination of director Rachel Chavkin.

Last fall, when local companies were announcing their various seasons, one particular show made my eyes widen as I thought, 'WHO'S doing WHAT?' I'm talking about Arizona Opera bringing to Phoenix and Tucson a fully orchestrated presentation of the infrequently produced, head-shakeningly brilliant Stephen Sondheim musical, A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC. Elegant, poetic, heady, romantic, A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC is an exciting choice for a large-scale staging leaning into traditional opera. Arizona Opera makes the most of the moment with an enchanting, delightful treat of a show.

A tribute to adolescent angst and nerd revenge fantasies, MEAN GIRLS is a satisfying, hilarious musical adaptation of Tina Fey's 2004 comedy. It's an entertaining (if guilty) pleasure propelled by superb video design, skilled comedians all over the stage, and its fun (if disposable) score. The hit musical has resumed its National Tour, re-premiering in Tempe's Gammage Auditorium and the energy in the theatre is palpable. The performers are clearly bursting to perform and the audience is eager to watch.

With DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS, Hale Centre Theatre treats the East Valley to an exquisite production of a rarely produced musical gem. It's delightful from moment one and impeccably staged by director/choreographer Cambrian James. It's full of skilled performances, but the design elements might be the greatest successes of the show.

Scottsdale's Desert Stages Theatre presents TICK, TICK...BOOM in a limited engagement through May 16th.

Don Bluth Front Row Theatre debuts their new venue with ORSON WELLES, a one-man theatrical biography of the acclaimed actor/filmmaker. It’s a pleasant 80 minutes featuring Keath Hall’s expert performance of an unambitious script. 

The impact on American theatre of N. Richard Nash's THE RAINMAKER, a mid-century, self-described Romantic Comedy, is primarily found in its formidable presence (exceeded only by OUR TOWN) in any and all monologue and scene-study books. The leads, 'Lizzie' and 'Starbuck', are ever present at auditions, duo-acting tournaments, and Intro to Acting courses in high schools and colleges coast-to-coast. Despite it's not uncommon presence in local theatre, I'd never seen the full play before attending Hale Centre Theatre's current production. The play is culturally dated most certainly but made enjoyable by some strong performances and deft staging by director Tim Dietlein.

THE ISOLATION PROJECT is two one-acts told through a series of Zoom chats between teenage friends (and frenemies), both set during the current health crisis.

BEAUTIFUL: THE CAROLE KING STORY is the most earnest jukebox musical to date. The chord progressions and resolutions felt like being at an oxygen bar. It's ripe with nostalgia, fascinating for its window into 1960s pop and rock music, and spirit lifting for its recording of a beautiful human life

Arizona Theatre Company's current production hits the mark as a historical reminder and, through masterful performances by its cast of three, depicts institutionalized racism's capability to destroy even the most loving relationships.