November 23, 2009
"The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee"
( Phoenix,AZ )KBAQ Theater Critic Chris Curcio reviews the Phoenix Theatre production of "The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee." The play looks at the foibles of spelling competitions, the participants, and some weird words.
Permanent link
November 19, 2009
"The Little Dog Laughed"
( Phoenix,AZ )KBAQ Theater Critic Chris Curcio reviews Nearly Naked Theatre's local premiere of Douglas Carter Beane's "The Little Dog Laughed" that explores the outing of New York actor, Mitchell. His lesbian agent, Diane, thinks a hot New York play about two gay men can serve as her client's Hollywood break if Mitchell stays straight.
Permanent link
November 16, 2009
"George is Dead"
( Phoenix,AZ )KBAQ Theater Critic Chris Curcio reviews the Arizona Theatre Company's production of Elaine May's new comedy "George is Dead," that deals with Doreen and George, a rich couple. Doreen is superficial and loves George for his wealth. When he is killed in a skiing accident, Doreen can't handle his death or her reponsibilities and turns to Carla, daughter of her beloved nanny. May also directs the production that stars Marlo Thomas.
Permanent link
November 09, 2009
"Fools"
( Phoenix,AZ )KBAQ Theater Critic Chris Curcio reviews the Arizona Jewish Theatre Company's production of Neil Simon's comedy "Fools," that tells of a small Russian town, Kulyenchikov, where the inhabitants are plagued by a curse that makes them all foolish.
Permanent link
November 02, 2009
"The Phantom of the Opera"
( Phoenix,AZ )KBAQ Theater Critic Chris Curcio reviews the fifth local visit by the touring "The Phantom of the Opera" production that recreates the now 23 year old original staging. It tells the story of the disfigured title character who lives in the Paris Opera House's basement lair in 1881 and yearns for a normal romance. He picks Christine, a young opera soprano, but his manipulations and career enhancemants do not succeed.
Permanent link
October 29, 2009
"Broadway"
( Phoenix,AZ )KBAQ Theater Critic Chris Curcio reviews, in the first of a two part series, the four best current Broadway productions; the musical "Next to Normal," the comedy "God of Carnage," the comedy/drama "Superior Donuts," and the off-Broadway musical "The Toxic Avenger."
Permanent link
October 26, 2009
"Boom"
( Phoenix,AZ )KBAQ Theater Critic Chris Curcio reviews the Actors Theatre's new production of "Boom" that tells the story of Jules, a gay biologist, who has studied fish and learned from them that the end of life as we know it is about to happen. He lives in a subterranean lab and hopes to re-establish life by placing an online ad for a woman to have "sex to change the world."
Permanent link
October 19, 2009
"Smokey Joe's Cafe"
( Phoenix,AZ )KBAQ Theater Critic Chris Curcio reviews the Broadway Palm Dinner Theatre production of the musical revue "Smokey Joe's Cafe" that cosists of 40 Jerry Lieber and Mike Stoller '50s & '60s rock-n-roll song hits.
Permanent link
October 12, 2009
"The Kite Runner"
( Phoenix,AZ )KBAQ Theater Critic Chris Curcio reviews the Arizona Theatre Company's staging of "The Kite Runner" based on the best-selling novel by Khaled Hosseini that tells of two boys who grow up together in Afghanistan and the effects that the war-ravaged country has on their relationship. It also exposes the cultural differences of Afghan life that most Americans don't know.
Permanent link
October 05, 2009
"Steal Away"
( Phoenix,AZ )KBAQ Theater Critic Chris Curcio reviews tha Black Theatre Troupe's staging of "Steal Away," a depression era comedy set in Chicago about a group of black ladies who create an organization to send young black women to college. Since selling homemade pies no longer makes the necessary money to continue, they decide to rob a bank.
Permanent link
October 01, 2009
"The Comedy of Errors"
( Phoenix,AZ )KBAQ Theater Critic Chris Curcio reviews the Southwest Shakespeare Company's staging of "The Comedy of Errors," an early Shakespeare farce that set the comic tone the Bard used throughout his later comedies. This one focuses on confusing mistaken identities.
Permanent link
September 29, 2009
"Blackbird"
( Phoenix,AZ )KBAQ Theater Critic Chris Curcio reviews the local premiere of "Blackbird," a British play that explores the affects many years later that Ray's sexual seduction of then 12-year old Una had. The controversial play tackles a challenging theme.
Permanent link
September 24, 2009
"Legally Blonde"
( Phoenix,AZ )KBAQ Theater Critic Chris Curcio reviews "Legally Blonde," the new Broadway in Arizona season opener. The new musical adapts the movie about a UCLA sorority sister who is accepted into the Harvard Law school and hopes to win back her boyfriend. Instead she proves she can be a good lawyer and finds a new boyfriend.
Permanent link
September 21, 2009
"Curtains"
( Phoenix,AZ )KBAQ Theater Critic CVhris Curcio reviews "Curtains," Phoenix Theatre's season opener. The Broadway whodunit is about the backstage shenanigans at a tryout show plagued with murders. The musical was the last of the John Kander/Fred Ebb team that contibuted such big hits as "Cabaret," "Chicago" and "Kiss of the Spider Woman."
Permanent link
August 17, 2009
"Rent"
( Phoenix,AZ )KBAQ Theater Critic CVhris Curcio reviews the Nearly Naked Theatre's staging of Jonathan Larson's "Rent." The musical uses an updated version of the "La Boheme" opera plot to trace the lives and challenges of '90s young people in New York City. This is the award- winning "Rent's" first local production.
Permanent link
August 10, 2009
"Midlife! The Crisis Musical"
( Phoenix,AZ )KBAQ Theater Critic Chris Curcio reviews "Midlife! The Crisis Musical" at the Broadway Palm Dinner Theatre in Mesa. The musical looks at the middle age years with quips and jokes about growing older.
Permanent link
July 13, 2009
"Disney's Beauty and the Beast"
( Phoenix,AZ )KBAQ Theater Critic Chris Curcio reviews "Disney's Beauty and the Beast," the summer attraction at the Hale Centre Theatre in downtown Gilbert. The musical tells the fanciful story of Belle who confronts a local Beast and breaks the spell he is under by marrying him.
Permanent link
July 06, 2009
"Wicked"
( Phoenix,AZ )KBAQ Theater Critic Chric Curcio reviews the musical "Wicked." This is the story of two witches and their lives before Dorothy arrives in "The Wizard of Oz." The gigantic production re-creates the masterful Broadway staging.
Permanent link
June 22, 2009
"Disney's High School Musical"
( Phoenix,AZ )KBAQ Theater Critic Chris Curcio reviews the stage version of "Disney's High School Musical" that tells about two high school lovers who discover that a common interest in the annual stage musical opens new doors and brings them together.
Permanent link
June 18, 2009
Chris Curcio reviews 'Chitty Chitty Bang Bang'
( Phoenix, AZ )KBAQ Theater Critic Chris Curcio reviews the stage version of the musical film "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang", telling the story of the Potts family's magical adventure to restore a relic care from an earlier Grand Prix race, and a subversive plot by Vulgaria to steal it. "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang" plays through June 21st at ASU Gammage in downtown Tempe.
More information about "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang" on the KBAQ events calendar
Permanent link
June 15, 2009
3 Redneck Tenors -- review by Chris Curcio
( Phoenix, AZ )KBAQ Theater Critic Chris Curcio reviews the Phoenix Theatre production of "3 Redneck Tenors", telling the story of three Texas yokels with tremendous voices who combine classical music excerpts, conventional songs, and humor into a vaudeville act. "3 Redneck Tenors" plays through June 21 at Phoenix Theatre in downtown Phoenix.
Permanent link
June 08, 2009
"Blood Brothers"
( Phoenix,AZ )KBAQ Theater Critic Chris Curcio reviews the Nearly Naked Theatre's production of the British musical "Blood Brothers" that tells the story of twins separated at birth and two mothers who promise to keep them apart. Fate intervenes and they become blood brothers as children.
Permanent link
May 18, 2009
"Sarasota"
( Phoenix,AZ )KBAQ Theater Critic Chris Curcio attended the American Theatre Critics Association annual conference that was held this year in Sarasota, Florida. Along with 50 national theater critics, Chris saw seven theater offerings. Chris will tell us about the productions he saw and he will compare Sarasota theater with the valley theater Chris regularly reviews.
Permanent link
May 11, 2009
"Beethoven, As I Knew Him"
( Phoenix,AZ )KBAQ Theater Critic Chris Curcio reviews the Arizona Theatre Coimpany production of "Beethoven As I Knew Him," starring Hershey Felder. This is a one act show that provides facts about Beethoven and uses them to show the influences on the composer's musical compositions.
Permanent link
May 07, 2009
"Stomp"
( Phoenix,AZ )KBAQ Theater Critic Chris Curcio reviews "Stomp," the long running percussive hit that uses a cast of eight and an assortment of common, everyday items like pipes & garbage cans, and couples it with a lot of rhythmic foot stomping to create entertainment.
Permanent link
April 27, 2009
"Company"
( Phoenix,AZ )KBAQ Theater Critic Chris Curcio reviews the Stephen Sondheim musical "Company" that tells the story of bachelor Bobby's 35th birthday party. It harshly examines marriage through vignettes of Bobby's married friends.
Permanent link
April 20, 2009
"Ring of Fire"
( Phoenix,AZ )KBAQ Theater Critic Chris Curcio reviews the musical revue "Ring of Fire" that explores singer/composer Johnny Cash's life using 30 of his songs.
Permanent link
April 06, 2009
"Somebody/Nobody"
( Phoenix,AZ )KBAQ Theater Critic Chris Curcio reviews the world premiere production of Jane Martin's "Somebody/Nobody" presented by Arizona Theatre Company. The play looks at the silliness of American celebrity fascination through wacky comic situations.
Permanent link
April 02, 2009
"Frost/Nixon"
( Phoenix,AZ )KBAQ Theater Critic Chris Curcio reviews the touring production of Peter Morgan's "Frost/NIxon," a play about the famous television interview by British journalist David Frost of ex-president Richard Nixon. During the final interview, Nixon admited publicly some of his wrongdoings while in office.
Permanent link
March 30, 2009
"Tosca"
( Phoenix,AZ )KBAQ Theater Critic Chris Curcio reviews Arizona Opera's final production of the current season, Puccini's popular opera "Tosca," that is about the celebrated singer and her painter/lover Cavaradossi.
Permanent link
March 23, 2009
"Parted Waters"
( Phoenix,AZ )KBAQ Theater Critic Chris Curcio reviews the Srizona Jewish Theatre Company's world premiere of "Parted Waters" that explores crypto-Jews who continued to practice their original religion when forced to convrert to Catholicism. Some crypto-Jews ended up in contemporary New Mexico.
Permanent link
March 09, 2009
"Rabbit Hole"
( Phoenix,AZ )KBAQ Theater Critic Chris Curcio reviews the Actors Theatre production of "Rabbit Hole." the play that won the 2007 Pulitzer Prize for drama. It discusses the very different way two parents react to their only son's accidental death.
Permanent link
February 27, 2009
"Broadway II"
( Phoenix,AZ )KBAQ Theater Critic Chris Curcio reviews three more of the six Broadway productions he saw during his annual January trip to the Big Apple. In this segment, he covers two new Broadway musicals, "In the Heights," set in the Washington Heights area of New York City and that deals with the Hispanic culture and "Billy Elliot" that tells of a boy with a natural dancing talent who escapes the coal mining town he lives in to become a renowned ballet dancer. It's based on the popular 2000 film. Chris also briefly discusses the Broadway revival of Rodgers and Hart's classic 1940 show, "Pal Joey."
Permanent link
February 26, 2009
"Singin' in the Rain"
( Phoenix,AZ )KBAQ Theater Critic Chris Curcio reviews the Broadway Palm Dinner Theatre production of the stage musical "Singin' in the Rain," based on the classic film musical set in Hollywood in the late 1920's when movies were transitioning from silent to talking pictures.
Permanent link
February 23, 2009
"Les Miserables"
( Phoenix,AZ )KBAQ Theater Critic Chris Curcio reviews the smaller scale Phoenix Theatre production of the epic musical "Les Miserables" that focuses less on the spectacle and more on the story and the music. It is based on Victor Hugo's classic novel set in 19th century France, that looks at government mistrust and mistreatment leading to a people's rebellion.
Permanent link
February 16, 2009
"An Impending Rupture of the Belly"
( Phoenix,AZ )KBAQ Theater Critic Chris Curcio reviews the Stray Cat Theatre production of Matt Pelfrey's dark comedy, "An Impending Rupture of the Belly," that looks at Clay Stilts, a seemingly normal member of society who fortifies his suburban house in preperation for the apocalypse he's convinced is just around the corner and for his new baby.
Permanent link
February 09, 2009
"A Raisin in the Sun"
( Phoenix,AZ )KBAQ Theater Critic Chris Curcio reviews the Arizona Theatre Company production of Lorraine Hansberry's "A Raisin in the Sun," the first Broadway play by an African-American playwright to deal with the black experience.
Permanent link
February 02, 2009
"Broadway Shows"
( Phoenix, AZ )KBAQ Theater Critic Chris Curcio reviews three of the six Broadway productions he saw during his annual trip to the Big Apple. In this segmant, he covers three Brodway revivals, the musicals "Gypsy" and "South Pacific" plus the British play "Equus" starring Harry Potter film star Daniel Radcliffe.
Permanent link
January 26, 2009
"How the Other Half Loves"
( Phoenix,AZ )KBAQ Theater Critic Chris Curcio reviews the Phoenix Theatre production of "How the Other Half Loves," a British comedy by Alan Ayckbourn. It's about three couples who are inter-related because the men work together and the youngest man is having an affair with the oldest man's wife.
Permanent link
January 19, 2009
"Triple Espresso"
( Phoenix, AZ )KBAQ Theater Critic Chris Curcio reviews the Actors Theatre production of "Triple Espresso," a comedy born in Minneapolis back in 1996 about three guys explaining why their one chance at television comedy fame fizzled. The show is filled with various humorous bits including songs, shadow puppets, comedy routines and audience participation.
Permanent link
January 12, 2009
The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas
( Phoenix, AZ )KBAQ Theater Critic Chris Curcio reviews the Broadway Palm Dinner Theatre production of "The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas," a musical, about a pleasure palace that has been in existence for years until a do-gooder television evangelist decides to expose what goes on there and forcing it to close down.
www.broadwaypalmwest.com
"The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas" continues at the Broadway Palm Dinner Theatre in Mesa through February 14. For tickets to "The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas" call the Broadway Palm Dinner Theatre box office at 480-325-6700 or go online at www.broadwaypalmwest.com.
Permanent link
January 08, 2009
Lion King
( Phoenix, AZ )KBAQ Theater Critic Chris Curcio reviews the touring production of Disney's "The Lion King" in which Julie Taymor's spectacular stage production plays out the familiar animated cartoon story of Mufasa's animal kingdom, his death, and his son, Simba's, assumption of the leadership role. The show is complimented with songs by Elton John and Tim Rice.
www.ticketmaster.com
"The Lion King" continues at ASU Gammage in downtown Tempe through February 8. For tickets to "The Lion King," call the Ticketmaster box office at 480-784-4444 or go online at www.ticketmaster.com.
Permanent link
January 05, 2009
Hair
( Phoenix, AZ )KBAQ Theater Critic Chris Curcio reviews the Arizona Theatre Company's revival of the 1968 rock musical "Hair," which has proved amazingly timely today with current political dealings and the Iraq War. "Hair, with its story about a group of hippies, continues at the Herberger Theater Center in downtown Phoenix through January 18.
arizonatheatre.org
For tickets to "Hair," call the Arizona
Theatre Company box office at 602-256-6995 or go online at www.arizonatheatre.org.
Permanent link
January 01, 2009
"Grease"
( Phoenix,AZ )KBAQ Theater Critic Chris Curcio reviews the national tour of the 2007 Broadway "Grease" revival. The musical, with story and songs by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey, recreates what growing up in high school during the '50s was like.
Permanent link
