AYAA Opinions: What I Am Excited for this Season

Like many of you, I frequently lurk on the Phoenix Stages website. I particularly love the tab which allows us to see many of the shows occurring around Arizona this season. I am so excited with so many of the different shows happening this year that I thought I would share a list of both the adult and youth productions I am excited to see this year!


*denotes a show inappropriate for younger audiences

October:

• The Book of Mormon - ASU Gammage - October 20 to November 8 - I had the opportunity to see this show in Washington D.C. and I am so excited it is finally coming to Arizona.*
• The Producers - Greasepaint Youtheatre - October 16 to 25 - I absolutely love this show and I think it is really rad that a youth theatre is putting it on.*
• Something's Afoot - Hale Centre Theatre - Runs until October 10 - If you haven't seen this show yet, go see it now! I didn't realize how funny it would be when I went to see it, but I laughed for a solid majority of the show.
• The Toxic Avenger - Phoenix Theatre - October 28 to November 22 - I love Joe DiPietro and I didn't know what this musical was, so I looked it up when PT announced it as a part of its season. The song titles alone convinced me I need to see this show.*
• James and the Giant Peach - Valley Youth Theatre - October 9 to 25 - I am so excited someone finally made this into a stage musical and so happy it was Pasek and Paul who decided to do it! I know VYT will do a great job bringing this awesome story to life.

November:

• The Hobbit - Actor's Youth Theatre - November 12 to 21 - I'm a giant nerd; I love the Hobbit. I think it is so awesome that there is a stage show of it and knowing AYT, they will bring all the fantasy of Bilbo Baggins and his crew to life.
• The Drowsy Chaperone - Desert Foothills Theatre - November 13 to 22 - The Drowsy Chaperone is by far my favorite musical comedy and every time a theatre does it, my heart fills with joy. Fun fact: I played Aldolpho - a Latin male - in eighth grade and yes, I was and still am a caucasian female.*
• The Secret Garden - Mesa Community College - November 5 to 14 - I have been hearing such wonderful things about this show from the cast, so I am so anxious for it to finally open.
• Monster - Nearly Naked Theatre - November 7 to 28 - The promo photos for this show are incredible! I'm absolutely obsessed and I love Frankenstein, so I know this will be a show for me.*
• Disgraced - Arizona Theatre Company - November 12 to 29 - I have never been anything but impressed and astounded by ATC and the Disgraced script is absolutely amazing. I can't wait to see it brought to life.*

December:

• Elf, the Musical - Actor's Youth Theatre - December 10 to 19 - "Buddy the Elf, what's your favorite Christmas movie?" ELF. Elf is my favorite Christmas movie and I am obsessed with the music in this show. It will look fantastic on AYT's stage.
• Heathers, the Musical - Stray Cat Theatre - December 4 to 20 - Be still my Christian-Slater-lovin' heart. I was one of the first of my friends to find out they were developing Heathers into a musical - I've been obsessed with the movie for years - and Stray Cat puts on such excellent shows. I could not be more excited.*

January:

• Carousel - Arizona Broadway Theatre - January 15 to February 13 - I fell in love with this show when I saw it at MET last year and the more I read about it, the better it gets. I'm excited to see ABT bring this R&H classic to life.
• La Cage Aux Folles - Fountain Hills Theater - January 22 to February 7 - I love that Fountain Hills is doing this show. It is such a classic and it seems so appropriate to perform this show right now. Love, love, love it.*
• The Calendar Girls - Phoenix Theatre - January 20 to February 7 - When I read what this show is about, I just about died laughing. What a hilarious concept!*
• I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change - Theater Works - January 22 to February 7 - Another awesome Joe DiPietro musical with a stellar score. If you're interested in winning free tickets to see this show -- and hello, who wouldn't be? -- click here for more information. *

February:

• Goodnight Moon - Childsplay - February 14 to April 10 - This was by far my favorite book as a kid and Childsplay's productions are always to creative and well staged, so this will definitely be a stellar production.
• The Children's Hour - Desert Foothills Theater - February 14 to 28 - This play by Lillian Hellman is so heartfelt and well-written. I am so excited that a theatre in Arizona is doing it this year.*
• Anything Goes - Hale Centre Theatre - February 18 to April 2 - I think this might be my favorite older musical. It is so madcap and fun; I know Hale will do a wonderful job with it.
• Evita - Phoenix Theatre - February 24 to March 20 - I do not like Andrew Lloyd Webber, but something about Evita is just so wonderful to me. The music, the dancing, the characters -- ugh! it's just magnificent. Phoenix Theatre will give it the justice it deserves.
• Fences - Arizona Theatre Company - February 11 to 28 - This play is so beautiful; one of my absolute favorites. ATC will do an amazing job with it.*

March:

• Of Mice and Men - Arizona Theatre Company - March 31 to April 17 - John Steinbeck is one of my favorite writers and Of Mice and Men is one of the most incredible pieces of literature. I know I will be transported by this play.*
• A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder - Gammage - March 15 to 20 - YESSSSSSS! I was so excited when this won a Tony and so sad to see it close on Broadway. Thank goodness the tour is coming through Arizona.
• Spamalot - Mesa Encore Theatre - March 4 to 13 - After The Drowsy Chaperone, this is my favorite musical comedy. It's so clever and "His Name is Lancelot" is my anthem. I want to be the real life Lady of the Lake. I am so glad MET is doing Spamalot this season.*
• Twelfth Night - Southwest Shakespeare Company - March 25 to April 9 - Definitely one of my favorite Shakespeare plays. Who doesn't a love story/tale of mistaken identity? Southwest Shakespeare is going to knock this one out of the park.
• John Lennon & Me - Spotlight Youth Theatre - March 4 to 13 - I love this play; what a beautiful story. Spotlight does such a magnificent job with these serious human interest plays (see: Yellow Boat, the Laramie Project) so I know this one will be just a fantastic.
• Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat - Studio 3 Performing Arts - March 30 to April 4 - Studio 3 is known for their amazing choreography and spectacular design, which is just what Joseph lends itself to. 

April:

• Jurassic Puppets - All Puppet Players - April 22 to May 7 - I love everything about this. Puppets. Dinosaurs. I want to see it 12 times.*
• The Drowsy Chaperone - ASU Lyric Opera - April 15 to 24 - Whoop whoop another Drowsy Chaperone in AZ this year! So excited for ASU to tackle this awesome show.*
• The Diary of Anne Frank - Hale Centre Theatre - April 7 to May 14 - This is one of the most beautiful stories of human resilience of all time. It also doesn't really seem like a typical Hale show, so I am very excited to see the direction they take it.
• Bring It On, the Musical - Spotlight Youth Theatre - April 22 to May 8 - I am one of those people who gets real hyped for Bring It On Cheer-a-thons and I also am in love with Lin-Manuel Miranda, so I am so glad Spotlight chose this show for their season.*
• Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike - April 8 to 24 - I LOVE SPIKE. This is one of my favorite plays and Theater Works always does a great job with their shows, so I'm glad they're putting it on. For info on how to get free tickets to this show, click here!*

May:

• Rock of Ages - Arizona Broadway Theatre - May 27 to June 19 - I love 80s rock music and this show is chock full of it. It's also such a clever story and I am super glad ABT is staging this rockin' musical in the summer.*

June: 

• Newsies - Gammage - June 14 to 19 - I love the original Disney movie and I have not had the opportunity to see the musical, so I am very excited that the national tour is making a stop here! "King of New York" is one of my favorite Broadway songs.
• Snow White and Rose Red - East Valley Children's Theatre - June 16 to 26 - EVCT always chooses shows slightly off the beaten path and the concept of this story is so interesting that I think it will make for an incredible stage production.
• next to normal - Nearly Naked Theatre - June 4 to 25 - This musical makes me cry and laugh. It tackles mental illness so beautifully and in such a real way. Nearly Naked will do a fantastic, honest job with this magnificent musical.*
• Moon Over Buffalo - Desert Stages - June 3 to July 24 - Ken Ludwig is one of my favorite playwrights and this play seems like another killer from him! Desert Stages always puts on a good show and I am excited to see them stage this.
• Green Day's American Idiot - Stray Cat Theatre - June 24 to July 16 - I have been a die hard Green Day fan since I was like 5. When they turned Green Day's music into a jukebox musical, I was thrilled. Stray Cat Theatre puts on a great show and I was very excited when they announced this as a part of their season.*

July:

• West Side Story - Hale Centre Theatre - July 7 to August 20 - Tooonigghhtt tooniiighhhht... This musical is such a classic and I love the idea of it being staged in Hale's round theatre. The lights, the dancing... I can already picture it.

And that's what I am excited for! Let me know what you are excited for in the comments!