Protect What Matters Most This Make-A-Will Month

Protect What Matters Most This Make-A-Will Month    August is National Make-A-Will Month, a time to think about the people, places, and causes you want to care for in the future.  At The Phoenix Theatre Company, we spend a lot of time thinking about stories. The stories shared on our stages. The stories passed between…

Rod Kaats Returns to The Phoenix Theatre Company for Murder for Two

  By The Phoenix Theatre Company Director Rod Kaats chats with us about Murder for Two and gives us a peek inside this fast-paced musical murder mystery comedy. He may have even revealed the identity of the murderer off-camera, but no spoilers here! Two actors. Ten suspects. One piano. Tickets are on sale now!    Q: Please tell us about Murder for Two.  Kaats: Murder…

Director’s Download: Brendan Stackhouse Revisits This Classic

Director’s Download: Brendan Stackhouse Revisits this Classic Brendan Stackhouse brings his extensive experience as the Resident Director of the North American tour of Les Misérables to our production! He speaks about the grand scale of the show in the Dr. Stacie J. and Richard J Stephenson Theatre, the story’s timeliness, and keeping it fresh in Phoenix. Whether it’s…

Building the World of Dear Evan Hansen, One Character at a Time

  By Elizabeth Montgomery The Tony award-winning musical Dear Evan Hansen asks its characters to navigate the complicated ways people try to connect. For the actors telling their stories, that means looking beyond the choices each character makes to understand the fear, love, and longing beneath them.  We spoke with members of the cast about how they…

More Performances Added for Les Misérables

The people have spoken! Les Misérables is EXTENDED!   Due to overwhelming demand, The Phoenix Theatre Company has extended one of the world’s most beloved musicals through October 18! Whether you’ve been waiting for the perfect time to see it or you’re already planning a return visit, there’s now even more time to experience this unforgettable…

Creative Conversations: Alan Plado, Dear Evan Hansen Music Director

By Elizabeth Montgomery Dear Evan Hansen music director, Alan Plado, shares what he enjoys about music directing this production, keeping the integrity of a well-known musical album, and how every great musical encourages characters to sing when words fail.    Q: Dear Evan Hansen has one of the most recognizable contemporary musical theatre scores. What stands out…

The Staying Power of Les Misérables

  By Theresa Kellar-Tonner Les Misérables has been performed thousands of times in over 40 countries, 438 cities, and has been translated into 21 languages, and yet audiences seem to always want more. When Les Misérables was performed at The Phoenix Theatre Company in 2009, it became the highest-grossing show in the theatre’s history at…

The Art of Looking Real: Creative’s Conversation with Cari Smith, Dear Evan Hansen Costume Designer

  By Elizabeth Montgomery   Dear Evan Hansen costume designer, Cari Smith, talks through costuming a modern-dress show, the character whose playlist she had on repeat, and how to honor an iconic striped polo.     Q: How challenging was it to find the right shirt for Evan? Smith: In the first production meeting, I asked Michelle, “So do we use the polo??”   Both of us…

From the Runway to the Stage: How The Phoenix Theatre Company Guild Has Supported Theatre in Phoenix for Over 70 Years

  By Elizabeth Montgomery   In 1953, a group of volunteers came together to support The Phoenix Theatre Company, and they haven’t stopped since.    The Phoenix Theatre Company Guild has spent more than 70 years raising funds for the nonprofit theatre, growing from a small volunteer organization into one of the Company’s most steadfast community…

Summer of Dance Director Molly Lajoie Builds Community Through Movement

  By Elizabeth Montgomery   Molly Lajoie doesn’t remember a time before dance. She was two-and-a-half when her mother enrolled her in her first ballet and tap class, and she’s been dancing ever since.   Now, Lajoie is one of the valley’s most accomplished choreographers and Director of The Phoenix Theatre Company’s Summer of Dance program.    With credits spanning Arizona Opera,…