Tuesday, September 29, 2015

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! 

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