Welcome to our 103rd Season! We are stronger than ever and thrilled to present a lineup produced with the finest artisans in the Valley, across three stages – all as we prepare to set an even larger stage by transforming our Hormel Theatre and preparing for, not only this upcoming remarkable year, but the next 100 years of theatre in Arizona. The future is sparkling like Cinderella’s glass slippers!
Our 2022/2023 Season will be like no other – filled with enchanting stories of fate, chance, tomorrow’s promise, and a passionate love for the theatre! Join us, and enter a world of possibility…
The Book of Will
Written by Lauren Gunderson
Directed by Melissa Rain Anderson
Aug 31, 2022 to Sep 18, 2022
Hormel Theatre
An unforgettable true story of love, loss, and laughter that sheds new light on a man you may think you know – in a race to preserve his legacy.
Lauren Gunderson’s witty and moving play follows Henry Condell and John Heminges who are dedicated to preserving the works and memory of their good friend William Shakespeare – which is quickly being erased and endangered by the plagiarism of his work at the Globe Theatre. In a chaotic rush to collect what will eventually be the First Folio, they join forces with his acting troupe and face a wide array of characters and...
Bandstand
Music by Richard Oberacker
Book + Lyrics by Richard Oberacker + Robert Taylor
Directed by Pasha Yamotahari
Sep 21, 2022 to Oct 23, 2022
Mainstage Theatre
After the ticker tape parades cease, will musical glory bring hope, purpose and redemption for a group of World War II veterans? The New York Times called this “an open-hearted musical that will have you clapping your hands and clenching your fists, tapping your toes and blinking back tears.”
Donny Novitski returns home from WWII in 1945 to parades and celebrations in his small town of Ohio, but, amongst the festivity, he feels lost. Deciding to return to his love of music and life as a pianist, Donny forms a band with veterans who also feel the lingering effects of...
Cinderella
Music by Richard Rodgers
Lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II
Book by Douglas Carter Beane
Directed by Michael Barnard
Nov 16, 2022 to Jan 1, 2023
Mainstage Theatre
Your favorite pair of slippers this winter are made of glimmering glass in this spin on Rodgers and Hammerstein’s timeless classic that will charm and inspire audiences of all ages.
Nominated for nine Tony Awards including Best Book of a Musical and Best Musical Revival, Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella tells the endearing tale of a girl who learns to believe in what’s possible. This enchanting fairytale is filled with stunning orchestrations, witty dialogue, and features a new cast of characters (and a few new songs, too!) set in a kingdom ruled by a...
Constellations
Written by Nick Payne
Directed by Karla Koskinen
Jan 11, 2023 to Jan 29, 2023
Hormel Theatre
If you’ve ever wondered – what if? – this spellbinding story of fate, chance, and choice is a cosmic collision of romance and relativity.
Marianne is a physicist and Roland is a beekeeper. After meeting at a barbecue, their lives are changed forever. Set in the multiverse, the trope of “boy meets girl” suddenly becomes more complicated – and continuously expands in poetic possibility. Marianne and Roland’s relationship takes twists and turns whose impact is dictated by choice – and the cosmos. Discover the infinite in Nick Payne’s award-winning romantic drama about...
An American in Paris
Adapted for the stage by Christopher Wheeldon
Songs from George + Ira Gershwin
Book by Craig Lucas
Directed by Larry Raben
Choreographed by DJ Gray
Jan 25, 2023 to Mar 12, 2023
Mainstage Theatre
Romance, dance, and the soaring melodies of George and Ira Gershwin – who could ask for anything more?
Full of grandeur and set to the exhilarating music of George and Ira Gershwin, this new hit musical inspired by the 1951 film includes the timeless favorites, “’S Wonderful,” “I Got Rhythm,” and “You Can’t Take That Away From Me.” The story follows a young American soldier and French girl each yearning for a new beginning in the most romantic city in the world – amongst breathtaking ballet, sweeping scores, and decadent dance. This modern and theatrical telling...
The Last Five Years
Book, Music, and Lyrics by Jason Robert Brown
Directed by Dwayne Hartford
Mar 15, 2023 to Apr 2, 2023
Hormel Theatre
There are two perspectives in every love story. The Last Five Years will captivate you with its emotional examination of relationships and ingenious, interchanging structure between present and past.
Intimate and bittersweet, Jason Robert Brown's powerful, award-winning musical chronicles the triumphs, heartbreak, and intricacies of two artists in New York City. Cathy, a struggling actress, and Jamie, a literary prodigy, are in love but chasing their dreams to extents they may or may not admit to each other. Fall in and out of love with this hit musical...
A Chorus Line
Music by Marvin Hamlisch
Lyrics by Edward Kleban
Book by James Kirkwood Jr. + Nicholas Dante
Directed by Jeff Whiting
Apr 5, 2023 to May 14, 2023
Mainstage Theatre
This dazzling, dance-filled confessional is for anyone who has ever put it all on the line for a dream.
Gritty, raw and revealing. What would you do for the love of theatre? A Chorus Line follows 17 dancers auditioning to be part of an eight-member chorus line. Composed by Marvin Hamlisch, this poignant concept musical explores these stakes in real-time as inspired by true stories of professional dancers – their joys, fears, and triumphs – during a time when we’re all longing to return to the stage – and bare it all.
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The Prom
Music by Matthew Sklar
Lyrics by Chad Beguelin
Book by Bob Martin and Chad Beguelin
Based on an original concept by Jack Viertel
Directed by Michael Barnard
Jun 7, 2023 to Jul 9, 2023
Mainstage Theatre
The most anticipated night for every high school teen has never been so glittery, or inclusive. Variety says that The Prom is “so full of happiness you think your heart is about to burst.”
When Emma wants to take her girlfriend to the prom, the PTA cancels the dance and her story goes viral on social media. Little does she know, four faded and eccentric Broadway performers are on their way to transform her small town of Indiana and throw her the prom of her dreams – albeit in an attempt to improve their own PR. What begins as selfish insincerity results in a...
Dreamgirls
Music by Henry Krieger
Lyrics + Book by Tom Eyen
Directed by Daryl Brooks
Aug 2, 2023 to Sep 3, 2023
Mainstage Theatre
From dream to diva… every star has a story in this glamorous, high-energy, Motown-minted hit.
Inspired by acts like Diana Ross and The Supremes, Dreamgirls follows the journey of Effie, Deena, and Lorrell as they rise to stardom in the 60s – and quickly learn what’s beneath the glitz and glam of success. Fame, fortune, and competition push their friendship to the limit in this high-energy musical told through gospel, R&B, smooth pop, and disco – featuring hits like “And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going” and “One Night Only.” You’re going to love this...
Let the Good Times Roll: A New Orleans Gumbo
Jan 12, 2024 to Jan 14, 2024
Judith Hardes Theatre
Musical Reading
Written and Conceived by: Jack Viertel
Let the Good Times Roll: A New Orleans Gumbo, is a ride through the music, the spirit and the unquenchable thirst for joy and “more life” that defines the city known as The Big Easy. Featuring songs of many eras, from Jelly Roll Morton and Bessie Smith to Fats Domino, Randy Newman, The Meters, Dr. John, Harry Connick, Jr. and The Neville Brothers, it traces the tale of as heartbroken...
First Draft Series: Young Playwrights
Jan 13, 2024 to Jan 14, 2024
Judith Hardes Theatre
Through a collaboration with Spotlight Youth Theatre, we are presenting a special iteration of our First Draft Series featuring young playwrights. This free event will feature sit down readings of four different one-act plays which competed and won Spotlight Youth Theatre’s 2023-2024 Playfest, their annual playwriting competition for young adult playwrights.
New Works Design Panel
Jan 13, 2024
Judith Hardes Theatre
Book Write and Conceiver - Jack Viertel
Scenic Design - Douglas Clark
Costume Design - Mattaea Reeves
Lighting Design - Nathaniel White
This new Festival event puts a spotlight on the work of designers and their role in establishing the world and aesthetic of a new work. This will be an informative panel with lighting, costume, and scenic designers who are new work veterans. This panel is also in conjunction with the reading of Let the Good Times Roll: A New Orleans Gumbo. The artists will talk about their creative process and design ideas for a fully...
Choreography Lab
Jan 13, 2024
Judith Hardes Theatre
Choreographer 1: Sarah Wiechman
Dancers: Shani Barrett, JR Lagunas, Katie Jurich, Jackie Brecker
Choreographer 2: Jacody Bullard
Dancers: Wesley Bradstreet, Shanna Trigili, Noah Delgado, Arielle Lemke
Modeled after and inspired by the New York Theatre Barn event of the same name, this offering will showcase how movement and dance can elevate and expand storytelling in new musicals. This event will feature two different choreographers setting movement with four dancers to "Mine/Yours" from Safe Hands by Alara Magritte and Daniel Rosen. The two interpretations will...
