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The Herberger Theater Center today announced its 2023–2024 Season featuring three productions and a Mariachi & Folklorico Festival. The line-up includes a world premiere, an Arizona premiere, and a chilling drama. Audiences will be entertained, captivated and moved by the power of live theater.

“We are so excited to announce our 2023-2024 season,” said Mark Mettes, President & CEO of the Herberger Theater Center. “Since this is our first presenting season, we are bringing new theatrical experiences to audiences at the Herberger Theater Center, with stories and melodies that will connect and inspire. You won’t want to miss your chance to share these “Firsts” with us.”

The 2023-2024 season is sponsored in part by Billie Jo Herberger and Holly Herberger DelCastillo.


Islander – January 11-28, 2024
The first show is the Arizona premiere of Islander, winner of Best New Musical at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Conceived and directed by Amy Draper, with associate direction by Eve Nicol, Islander is a musical showcase of epic storytelling, intimately staged with a contemporary Scottish folk-inspired score as dramatic as the Scottish coastline. The book is written by Stewart Melton and music and lyrics are by Finn Anderson.

Two performers create a world of characters while weaving, building, and layering their voices using live looping technology to create a dazzling and unexpected soundscape. Islander will create an expansive, ethereal soundscape for the ears and imagination as it tells the story of a community in peril and two young people finding connection inside it. The New York Times calls it “mystical and beautiful.” The Daily Beast touts that “Islander is really gorgeous—sharp, moving, funny.”


The Woman in Black – February 8-25, 2024
Next up is the Arizona premiere of The Woman in Black, one of the longest-running plays in London. The Woman in Black is a chilling drama, adapted by Stephen Mallatratt from the 1983 novel by Susan Hill. The acclaimed ghost story comes dramatically alive in Mallatratt’s ingenious stage adaptation. Out of a gauze, a wicker skip and a door, Mallatratt conjured a complete world into which generations of young people have entered, surrendering to the ultimate magic of theatre: their own imaginations.

The New York Times calls it “Ingenious.” “The most brilliantly effective spine-chiller you will ever encounter” – Daily Telegraph. This adaptation is a brilliantly successful study in atmosphere, illusion and controlled horror that brought audiences to the edge of their seats for more than three decades in the West End. “One of British theatre’s biggest – and scariest – hits” – The Guardian.


Mariachi & Folklorico Festival – March 2, 2024
In partnership with Maestra Vanessa Ramirez, the Herberger Theater Center and C.A.L.L.E. de Arizona will present the inaugural Mariachi & Folklorico Festival. Experience the rich cultural history of Mexico through vibrant music and dance. The event will feature several world-renown Mariachi bands and performers, along with a dazzling array of folklorico dancers from Ballet Folklorico Quetzalli-AZ.


Mad Hatter the Musical – May 1-19, 2024
Closing out the season is the exciting world premiere of Mad Hatter the Musical, a thrilling and unforgettable new production that will bring new life to familiar characters as a prequel to Alice in Wonderland. Interwoven with a powerful musical score, the story begins on the dark and gritty streets of London where we follow the broken soul of a young man named Franklin Magellan, aka Mad Hatter. We witness the tragic life events he endures until he finds his way to Wonderland and a life void of pain and sadness. When his new life is threatened, Franklin’s obsession with Wonderland leads to madness as he does whatever it takes to be in Wonderland, including taking on the infamous Queen.

Audiences at the Herberger Theater Center will be the first to experience this vivid new musical production of Mad Hatter the Musical, which is on course for Broadway and the West End in the future. The creative team consists of award-winning composer and co-creator Michael J. Polo, book writer Vincent Connor and songwriter Victor Valdez. The Center for Family Guidance, a firm which provides mental health services, is a proud founding partner of Mad Hatter the Musical.

Full casting and creative teams for all productions will be announced at a later date.

Flexible and Traditional Subscriptions available! Season subscriptions go on sale May 22, with tickets to the general public available in September. Season subscriber benefits include access to the best available seats before the general public, best available prices of the season, invitation to special events and experiences, and free ticket exchanges. For more information, visit HerbergerTheater.org or call 602.252.8497.

New York, NY, January 31, 2023 – Theatre for Young Audiences USA (TYA/USA), the national organization that provides advocacy and resources to the field of Theatre for Young Audiences, in collaboration with Childsplay in Tempe, Arizona, will present the 2023 TYA/USA National Festival & Conference: AMPLIFY on May 9-12, 2023. This landmark event, which will take place at the Childsplay Campus, Tempe Center for the Arts, and the Herberger Theater Center in Phoenix, will provide a platform for exchange, dialogue, and connection the largest convening of leaders, educators, artists, and organizations in the field of Theatre for Young Audiences.

Sponsors for the 2023 TYA/USA National Festival & Conference currently include National Endowment for the Arts, Children’s Theatre Foundation of America, Dramatic Publishing, and Tempe Center for the Arts.

2023 Programming Highlights include:

  • A Keynote Speech featuring Mahogany Browne (Vinyl Moon; Chlorine Sky; Woke: A Young Poets Call to Justice; Woke Baby; and Black Girl Magic) a Kennedy Center Next 50 leader and Wesleyan’s 2022-23 Distinguished Writer-in-Residence. Browne is also, the Executive Director of JustMedia, Artistic Director of Urban Word, and a playwright, organizer, and educator.
  • 4 live performances featuring stories of young people and their resilience by Honolulu Theatre for Youth (Honolulu, HI), Glass Half Full Theatre (Austin, TX), Manual Cinema (Chicago, IL)  and Childsplay (Tempe, AZ).
  • A professionally performed SONG SLAM cabaret featuring songs from a variety of new musicals for young audiences, music directed by renowned theatrical composer Deborah Wicks La Puma.
  • 18 Breakout Sessions led by TYA leaders across the nation, including “Insights to Advancing Access: Disability Justice in TYA,” “TYA Advocacy in the Time of Book Banning,” “Power Sharing: Colaboración & Creating Comunidad in the Devising Process,” and “If You Build It: Creating New Platforms for a New Canon in TYA.”
  • 3 new immersive theatre workshops, hosted and showcased by Childsplay’s Write Now, the institution’s renowned new work development program.
  • Pre-Conference Training Program Co-hosted by Childsplay and Arizona State University’s Theatre for Youth and Community MFA Program: a FREE opportunity for students and emerging career professionals the afternoon of Tuesday, May 9. This event will include a master class led by Assistant Professor of Theatre Education at Emerson College Josh Streeter, a panel featuring TYA leaders including Director of Education & Engagement at Seattle Children’s Theatre Johamy Morales and TYA/USA Executive Director Sara Morgulis, and networking opportunities.

TYA/USA Executive Director Sara Morgulis states, “The 2023 National Festival and Conference’s theme is AMPLIFY, as we seek to highlight TYA as a powerful catalyst to support and inspire multiple generations: our young audiences, families, and surrounding communities. We will showcase innovation in the immersive Write Now Workshops, examine new models of presenting and touring, and highlight groundbreaking arts in education practice, as we collectively envision a more sustainable and equitable future for our industry.”

Childsplay Artistic Director Dwayne Hartford shares, “Childsplay is proud to host the 2023 TYA USA National Conference at our Campus for Imagination and Wonder and at Tempe Center for the Arts. We are honored to partner with TYA/USA in this venture. After three years of virtual conferences, we are excited to welcome TYA professionals, students, and educators from across the country to Arizona this May. We are also thrilled that Write Now, Childsplay’s national new play festival, will be part of the TYA/USA National Conference. The TYA world has been shaken by the events of the last three years.  We and our national colleagues are looking to TYA/USA to facilitate the conversations to help us adapt to this new landscape. The conference will be geared to do just that. Our field must figure out how to operate in a more inclusive and equitable way while adjusting to new financial challenges. We as a field must be willing to explore new ways of bringing theatre to young people. TYA/USA and Childsplay are both committed to this journey.  We look forward to greeting our national colleagues in-person for what is sure to be a dynamic and engaging three days.”

Registration is now open. More information can be found at www.tyausa.org/festival

Photo from Manual Cinema’s Leonardo! A Wonderful Show About a Terrible Monster –
Pictured from left to right: Kerry (Leah Casey), Sam (Sarah Fornace), Leonardo (Anney Fresh), Frankenthaler (Lily Emerson). Photo By Rebecca Michelson. 

 

About TYA/USA: Theatre for Young Audiences/USA (TYA/USA), is a national service organization whose mission is to promote the power of professional theatre for young audiences through excellence, collaboration, and innovation across cultural and international boundaries. The organization provides advocacy and resources in order to strengthen and diversify the field of theatre for young audiences.   Founded in 1965, TYA/USA is the only theatre organization in the United States which has the development of professional theatre for young audiences and international exchange as its primary mandates. TYA/USA is the United States Center for the International Association of Theatre for Children and Young People (ASSITEJ). TYA/USA hosts an annual national conference and offers a range of professional development opportunities, both for its membership and the greater field. www.tyausa.org.

 

About Childsplay: Founded in 1977, Childsplay is a nationally and internationally respected professional theatre company whose chosen audience is children. At Childsplay we believe that young people deserve to experience challenging, thought-provoking theatre of the highest artistic quality. Our respect for children’s intelligence and creativity drives us to produce new and innovative works by theatre’s finest artists. Equally, our understanding of the challenges facing Arizona’s classroom teachers leads us to offer arts education resources throughout Arizona. In the past 45 years, we have educated and inspired more than six million young people and families. We have grown to serve an average annual audience of 250,000 students, teachers, and families.

 

About Tempe Center for the Arts:  Tempe Center for the Arts, owned and operated by the City of Tempe, is a jewel in the crown of a city known for its support of the performing and visual arts. Opened in September 2007, the striking venue houses a state-of-the-art 600-seat proscenium theater, Sculpture Garden, 200-seat studio theater, 200-seat multi-purpose Lakeside room, 3,500 square-foot art gallery, as well as an outdoor amphitheater with capacity of 1500. Patrons come to experience, engage, and connect through diverse performances, activities, special events, educational exhibitions, and programs. Tempe Center for the Arts is an inclusive space and embraces art in all forms and all voices.

 

More About the Productions:

FEATURED PERFORMANCES

The Pa’akai We Bring

Honolulu Theatre for Youth – Honolulu, HI

This original production introduces audiences to Native Hawaiian ideas of balance and healing by exploring our relationship to pa‘akai (salt).  This original production introduces young audiences to the Native Hawaiian relationship to pa‘akai (salt).  Traditionally, pa‘akai is food, medicine, a sacrament and a treasured gift.  The play follows a family with multiple generations of salt farmers on the island of Kauai, mixing in ancient stories, hula, live music, original songs and plenty of audiences participation into a tasty potluck of performance, joyously served up with aloha.

Created in partnership with the Bishop Museum and cultural elders and leaders, the performance is intended for a multi-generational audience, so audience members young and old can have this restorative experience together.

The Hula-Hoopin’ Queen

Childsplay – Tempe, AZ

Kameeka is confident that today she will finally beat her rival, Jamara, and become the Hula-Hoopin’ Queen of 139th Street. But then Mama reminds her that today is their neighbor Miz Adeline’s birthday, and Kameeka has a ton of chores to do to get ready for the party they are hosting. Kameeka is so preoccupied with thoughts of victory that she accidentally ruins Miz Adeline’s birthday cake, and has to confess to her that there won’t be a cake for her special day. And Miz Adeline loves chocolate cake. But to Kameeka’s surprise it turns out she also loves something else — hula hooping!

The Hula-Hoopin’ Queen is a charming celebration of family and community ties. Set in Harlem, this intergenerational story shows the importance of staying young at heart.

Cenicienta: A Bilingual Cinderella Story

Glass Half Full Theatre – Austin, TX

Ten-year-old Belinda is a budding poet and loves to tell stories, but when she’s stuck in the basement preparing for a party upstairs that her stepmother and stepsisters will host, she’ll have to get creative. It’s a story within a story; Belinda lives out her version while also re-enacting the classic tale of Cinderella, using whatever objects are at her disposal: napkins, teapots, and doilies, to name just a few. With these everyday items, a healthy dose of imagination, and a love of poetry passed down by her father, Belinda imagines a bigger world for herself…

When she learns that the party’s special guest is (real life) writer Gary Soto, Belinda wants desperately to attend the party and share her own writings with Soto.  But to do that, she must learn to stand up for herself and take charge of her life and dreams. This captivating bilingual one-woman performance is a modern spin on the beloved fairy tale and tackles cultural heritage, family, and the power of language.

Leonardo! A Wonderful Show About a Terrible Monster

Manual Cinema – Chicago, IL

Created by Manual Cinema

Inspired by the Books Leonardo, The Terrible Monster and Sam, The Most Scaredy-Cat Kid in the Whole World by Mo Willems

Leonardo is a terrible monster. He tries so hard to be scary, but he just… isn’t. Then Leonardo finds Sam, the most scaredy-cat kid in the world. Will Leonardo finally get to scare the tuna salad out of someone? Or will it be the start of an unlikely friendship? The plot thickens when this pair meets Kerry and Frankenthaler, an even scaredier-cat and her monster friend. Kerry and Sam need to make a big decision: will they just be scaredy cats or can they become friends?

SONG SLAM

Song Slam Cabaret featuring selected songs from current or future TYA musical works, performed by professional singers, and music directed by renowned theatrical composer Deborah Wicks La Puma.

WRITE NOW WORKSHOPS

Experience immersive theatre “in process” as Write Now hosts three dynamic creative teams who are making new immersive work for young people. Participants will experience a section of the new work and unpack it together with the artists. Projects will be announced in April. (For more information and to apply, visit www.writenow.co.)

I HAVE A STORY

Join us for a lively and thought-provoking conversation featuring a panel of young theatre-goers, moderated by Childsplay’s Associate Artistic Director, Jenny Millinger. What excites them about theatre? What are they looking for in a theatre experience? And, in this moment of historic change, what are the stories that matter most to them?

 

More About the Speakers:

Mahogany L. Browne

Mahogany L. Browne, selected as Kennedy Center’s Next 50 and Weseleyan’s 2022-23 Distinguished Writer-in-Residence,  the Executive Director of JustMedia, Artistic Director of Urban Word, a writer, playwright, organizer, & educator. Browne has received fellowships from Arts for Justice, Air Serenbe, Cave Canem, Poets House, Mellon Research & Rauschenberg. She is the author of recent works: Vinyl Moon, Chlorine Sky, Woke: A Young Poets Call to Justice, Woke Baby, & Black Girl Magic. Founder of the diverse lit initiative Woke Baby Book Fair, Browne’s latest poetry collection Chrome Valley is a promissory note to survival and available from Norton Spring 2023. As she readies for her stage debut of Chlorine Sky at Steppenwolf Theater in Chicago, Illinois, she drinks coffee while living in Brooklyn, NY. She is the first ever poet-in-residence at Lincoln Center.

# # #

Childsplay Theatre presents Selena Maria Sings,
Co-production with Magik Theatre in San Antonio.

New music adorns the show for its Texas and Arizona performances.

Childsplay Theatre, a pioneer in theatre for youth since 1977, brings Selena Maria Sings back to the theater in its 46th season.

Opening in October, Childsplay (in co-production with Magik Theatre in San Antonio, Texas) will begin its season with Selena Maria Sings—a new work written by celebrated playwright Miriam Gonzales, featuring original music by Las Cafeteras‘ Daniel French. The play is getting a second chance at a debut this season, after its world premiere faced the continued repercussions of the pandemic in 2021. Selena Maria Sings tells the story of Selena Maria, a young songwriter living amid the legacy of Tejano superstar Selena Quintanilla. Through the help of her cousin and a few others along the way, Selena Maria finds her voice. It is a moving story of music, family, immense love, and the strength it takes to be yourself.

Interview with the Playwright & Composer >

Tickets start at $13 and will be on sale starting August 22nd. Selena Maria Sings runs weekends, October 22nd through November 5th.

The show will feature Jillian Sainz in the role of Selena Maria, Melissa Gonzalez as Felly/Mrs. Coleman, Isabella Montes as Cissy/The Moon Goddess, as well as local actors Luz Navarro as Vicky/Olga and Carlos Sanchez Beltran as Rudy/Herman/Minion. Selena Maria Sings is directed by Arizona-native and former Childsplay ensemble member, Andréa Morales. It is recommended for children ages 9 and up.

SELENA MARIA SINGS
Weekends, October 22 – November 5, 2022
Herberger Theater Center – Stage West

Performance Schedule
Sat, October 22 @ 1PM – $13 Storybook Preview
Sat, October 22 @ 4PM – Opening Performance
Sun, October 23 @ 1PM
Sat, October 29 @ 1PM
Sat, October 29 @ 4PM
Sun, October 30 @ 1PM – ASL Interpretation Available
Sat, November 5 @ 1PM
Sat, November 5 @ 4PM

All performances held at the Herberger Theater Center, 222 E. Monroe Street in Phoenix. Tickets start at $13 and are on sale at childsplayaz.org.

Learn more at the official show page >

About Childsplay:
Childsplay, Inc. is a nonprofit theatre company of professional, adult artists who perform for and teach young audiences and their families. The mission of Childsplay is “to create theatre so strikingly original in form, content or both, that it instills in young people an enduring awe, love and respect for the medium, thus preserving imagination and wonder, the hallmarks of childhood which are keys to the future. For more information, visit https://www.childsplayaz.org.

Arizona Theatre Company (ATC) single tickets went on sale for its 2022-2023 season this week. The collection of shows features some beloved and charming classics as well as new entertainment for Arizona audiences.

The season kicks off with The Lion which runs from September 24 to October 15 in Tucson and October 20 to November 6 in Phoenix. Presented in association with Danielle Tarento, The Lion, is a heartwarming and powerful one-man folk musical. This mesmerizing true story of survival and redemption reminds us that great things can come from challenging times. Max Alexander-Taylor stars in the lead role of Ben with a supporting cast of six guitars. The Lion is a story about courage; the music about finding it. The show will be co-produced with Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park.

ATC fans may remember its holiday show from last year, Christmas at Pemberley, as it introduces a new addition to the storyline, The Wickhams: Christmas at Pemberley. The show runs from November 5 to December 2 in Tucson and December 8 to December 23 in Phoenix. Boisterous sister Lydia Wickham returns front and center for this holiday season joined by her long lost husband and the home’s downstairs residents. The bustling staff find themselves amid a holiday scandal, complete with misunderstandings and shenanigans. When the festivities spiral into chaos, Lydia finds her voice in this celebration of family and forgiveness. Don’t miss this sequel to last season’s holiday show!

Rounding out the first half of the season is The Glass Menagerie, a poetic and raw portrayal of a family on the brink of change. Reimagined for Arizona Theatre Company’s stages, this intimate and intense classic that changed the way we tell stories draws from the memories of narrator Tom and explores the complex web of love, longing, loyalty, and constraints that bind families together. Directed by ATC’s own Chanelle Bragg, the show runs from January 21 to February 11 in Tucson and February 16 to March 5 in Phoenix. 

The second half of the season starts with excitement as ATC presents the world premier of Pru Payne. Written by Pulitzer Prize Nominee Steven Drukman, Pru Payne is a remarkable, funny, and life-affirming story about the relationship between a mother and son. An esteemed critic, Prudence “Pru” Payne is widely recognized as a wit, a scholar, and a public intellectual; her son Thomas lives in that shadow. But as her memory begins to fade, all her preconceived notions – about herself and, more importantly, others – also slip away. Pru Payne runs from March 4 to March 25 in Tucson and March 30 to April 16 in Phoenix.

Get ready for some laughs in ATC’s next show, Private Lives, which runs from April 15 to May 6 in Tucson and May 11 to May 28 in Phoenix. Amanda and Elyot are enjoying a romantic honeymoon – just not with each other. This hilarious classic comedy filled with clever, witty barbs starts when an explosive divorced couple and their new spouses inadvertently honeymoon in adjacent rooms at the same hotel. When combustible chemistry reignites, mayhem occurs, and strong passions and stronger personalities take over. Noël Coward’s most popular and enduring comedy is a funny, tempestuous battle of equals.

Closing out the season is the long-awaited show that was scheduled for the 2020 season, but was delayed due to the pandemic. The Legend of Georgia McBride runs from June 3 to June 24 in Tucson and June 29 to July 16 in Phoenix. This big-hearted, fierce, music-filled comedy has been hailed as “stitch-in-your-side funny” by the New York Times. Casey, an Elvis impersonator with everything going for him, including a flashy sequin jumpsuit, suddenly loses his gig, his rent is overdue, and his wife announces a baby on the way. So, when Elvis leaves the building and a drag show moves in, “The King” transforms into an all-out queen. With some snappy zingers and dance-worthy numbers, this wildly entertaining story challenges assumptions with extraordinary humor and depth.

Most shows in the ATC season can be enjoyed for $25-$80 depending on seat location. For tickets and more information, visit ATC.org.

Featured photo: The Lion On the Stage at Southwark Playhouse: London | Photographed by Pamela Raith

The Cat in the Hat, Gertrude McFuzz, the Jungle of Nool! 

The Herberger Theater Center welcomes the talented, young performers of Valley Youth Theatre (VYT) to the spotlight for VYT’s season opener this Friday, August 12. 

Seussical takes Center Stage through August 28 and invites families, children, and fellow Dr. Seuss fans to enjoy this one-of-a-kind, extraordinary musical. 

Sink into the red velvet seats of Center Stage while you immerse yourself in the world of all of your favorite Dr. Seuss characters, including Horton the Elephant, The Cat in the Hat, Gertrude McFuzz, lazy Mayzie and a little boy with a big imagination – Jojo. The colorful characters transport us from the Jungle of Nool to the Circus McGurkus to the invisible world of the Whos. A fantastical, magical, musical extravaganza, Seussical will be sure to bring a smile to the faces of children of all ages! 

Purchase tickets for Seussical here. 

Seussical is the first of six shows in Valley Youth Theatre’s 2022-2023 season including Spookly the Square Pumpkin: The Musical (October 7-30, 2022), A Winnie-the-Pooh Christmas Tail (December 2-23, 2022), Sleeping Beauty (February 10-26, 2023), Junie B. Jones, The Musical (April 7-30, 2023), and The Spongebob Musical performed at the Herberger Theater Center in Downtown Phoenix. Season tickets can be purchased here.

The Herberger Theater Center invites guests to the 12th Annual Festival of the Arts on Saturday, November 20th. The event takes place from 11:00 am to 6:00 pm and is free admission. The Festival of the Arts is a popular event that celebrates the arts in our community through performances, dance, visual art, live music, hands-on activities for kids, vendor market, food, aerials, craft beer and wine tasting, and more! 

Laurene Austin, Director of Development & Marketing, states “The Herberger Theater wanted to provide an event where people could experience all of the arts – performance, visual, music, culinary – under one roof. The Festival of the Arts started in 2010 and has grown each year and become a gathering place of art and audience. We believe cost should not be a barrier to coming to the theater and creating the festival for people of all ages, backgrounds, and cultures to enjoy the magic of live performances. One of our goals is to connect the community with the arts and make it accessible to all in our community.” 

Numerous performers will be showcased on The Pavilion stage at this year’s festival. We are excited to welcome Padma School of Odissi Dance, Ethington Dance Ensemble, Karen Burns, Fushicho Daiko, Phoenix Boys Choir, Grey Matters Productions, Dance Shoppe, Desert Sounds Mariachi, Ballet Theatre of Phoenix, Scottsdale School of Ballet, Bricks Dance Studio, Ballet Folklorico Quetzalli-AZ, Phoenix Conservatory of Music, and aerial performances from Aero Terra Arts! The full schedule of performances can be found on the Festival of the Arts page.

The Herberger Theater will also host a Vendor Market with companies such as Renewal by Andersen, Contemporary West Fine Art LLC, Arizona Theatre Company, Old Soul AZ, Arizona Broadway Theatre, Sheila Grinell, Grace&Heart, Party On Ice and High Note Productions LLC, Biltmore Psychic Shop, Phoenix Boys Choir, Fieldwork Phoenix, Sunset Scents by Michele’s Candles & More, Caricatures by Murawski, Art Creations by Teresa, and Ironman Customs! The Vendor Market will be located on the main plaza of the Herberger Theater, adjacent to the children’s activity area and aerial performances. 

The event is sponsored by Billie Jo and Judd Herberger, Cable One, Homelight, National Bank of Arizona, Old Soul AZ, Arizona Center, and Downtown Phoenix, Inc. For more information, visit our Festival of the Arts page at herbergertheater.org.

The Herberger Theater, alongside more than 15 Arizona arts organizations, will honor the life of Judd Herberger with a dimming of the theater lights at 7:15pm on Friday, November 5. Judd Herberger, longtime arts philanthropist and beloved member of the community, passed away on October 27, 2021.

The tradition of dimming the lights pays tribute to the life of celebrated artists who have passed away. For a few moments, the marquees and facades of theatres dim to symbolize a light going out in the community.

The arts community from across the valley will honor Judd’s legacy in this collective effort to commemorate Judd’s life and pay homage to the Herberger family. These organizations include Herberger Theater Center, Arizona Theatre Company, Childsplay, iTheatre Collaborative, Arizona Opera, Arizona Broadway Theatre, Ballet Arizona, Chandler Center for the Arts, Phoenix Theatre Company, Valley Youth Theatre, Theater Works, Southwest Shakespeare Company, Symphony Hall, Orpheum Theatre, ASU School of Film, Dance and Theatre, Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts, Scottsdale Arts Canal Convergence, and Del E. Webb Center for the Performing Arts.

While the true reach of Judd Herberger and the Herberger family’s support is incalculable, it is well known across the arts community that their support has made a difference in the success of many organizations and touched the lives of countless people who have had the ability to experience the arts as a direct result of their efforts. Without Billie Jo and Judd Herberger and the Herberger family’s commitment to creating and maintaining the first major theatres and arts organizations in Arizona, the arts community would not be what it has become today.

Billie Jo and Judd Herberger were often nominated as honorary chairs of major arts and philanthropic events. In October of 2019, Billie Jo and Judd were inducted into the Herberger Performing and Broadcast Arts Hall of Fame for their commitment to the arts. The couple joined Judd’s parents, Bob and Kax Herberger, who were inducted posthumously into the Hall of Fame in 2005.

The Herberger Theater extends its deepest condolences to the family of Judd Herberger and invites organizations to join in solidarity as it dims the lights on Friday evening.

Rebecca Sasnett

Tuscon.com
Arizona Daily Star

Ropes are hoisted from the catwalk, known as the high steel, above the theater space at the Temple of Music and Art and tied to white light boxes, each one 15 feet tall, lying horizontal on the stage.

A voice is heard shouting, ‘Applying tension!’ from above. The ropes tighten as crews on the ground guide each box into an upright position.

Like Roman columns, the boxes tower above crew members, each box standing tall as if ready for their theatrical debut.

For the first time in 18 months, there is a set on the Arizona Theatre Company stage.

‘I am so glad it came together,’ said Taylor Moss, who serves as assistant technical director for ATC. ‘We see everything in pieces. We get pieces of whatever comes from the creative team. We get pieces of information from artistic management. We see pieces of scenery that come out to the shop floor and it’s like, ‘I don’t know what this is going to look like when it all comes together or painted or with props on it.” After being shut down for the last year and a half, ATC reopened this weekend with previews of its current production, ‘My 80 Year Old Boyfriend.’ The onewoman musical is based on the true tory of actress Charissa Bertels, who creates an unlikely friendship with an octogenarian named Milton. Its opening night is Friday, Oct. 1.

Roughly 100 employees helped make the production happen, then not happen, then happen, then not happen, over the course of 18 months, according to Becky Merold, production manager.

‘My 80-Year-Old Boyfriend’ was initially set to open the 2020-’21 season, but was canceled due to the pandemic. It was pushed back to January of this year, then pitched as a possible streaming film in March, said Sean Daniels, its director.

‘Every time we’d call people and were like, ‘Okay, this is our first rehearsal,’ everyone was like, ‘Sure, sure, you got it. When we get closer you’ll call me again,” Daniels said.

Even during the first rehearsals of this latest attempt, Daniels and Bertels were unsure if the season was going to happen.

‘You just can’t dare to let yourself hope that it’ll actually move forward,’ Bertels said.

After taking a tour of the Temple of Music and Art on her first day in Tucson, Bertels, who hails from New York City but has lived in Kansas since the pandemic, was excited that things were back.

‘It was nice that first day to be like, ‘Oh my gosh this is really happening,” Bertels said.

For Charlotte Alcorn, the ATC artist in charge of overseeing the scenery, the moment the season officially started wasn’t when they were working in the production shop, looking for props or seeing the set on stage. It was during the designer run.

The designer run, which happens about a week before the tech and final rehearsals, is when the design team sits in on rehearsal with the directors, performers and stage managers.

Alcorn said the experience made her emotional.

‘I personally have been waiting for the other shoe to drop for a very long time,’ said Alcorn. ‘Because more shoes kept falling. So, even coming back and (with the ATC) saying we were going to go and everything, I was like, ‘but are we really?” Props supervisor Sara Pugh felt like things might be back in full swing at the first tech rehearsal. For Pugh, the rehearsal felt surreal at first, but as it continued, she thought, ‘I am home. I am right where I need to be,’ she said.

Previews for ‘My 80-Year-Old Boyfriend’ continue tonight at 7 p.m. and Tuesday-Thursday at 7:30 p.m. Tickets for those shows are $25-$58 through arizonatheatre.org. Opening night on Friday, Oct. 1, begins at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $40-$73. The production runs through Saturday, Oct. 16.

ATC is currently requiring face masks at performances, and proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test taken within 72 hours of the show.

In preparation of Arizona Theatre Company’s “My 80-Year-Old Boyfriend” show, John Crain, right, carpenter, helps Nils Emerson, left, technical director, as well as other ATC employees lift a 15 foot light box at Temple of Music and Art, 330 S. Scott Ave., in Tucson, Ariz. on Sept. 13th, 2021. It has been 18 months since ATC has put on a show due to the Covid Pandemic. “It was nice that first day to be like ‘Oh my gosh this is really happening’,” said Charissa Bertels, actress and original performer, “cause until now we have all been ‘is this happening? Is this happening? It is happening?’ It was a giddy excitement to be back on a stage again,” added Bertels
Timothy Smith, lighting and projection supervisor, tests stage lights, in preparation of Arizona Theatre Company’s “My 80-Year-Old Boyfriend” show, at Temple of Music and Art, 330 S. Scott Ave., in Tucson, Ariz. on August 20th, 2021. Smith and other lighting and sound employees cleaned 300 lights in preparation of the 2021-2022 season which is something they do before every season said Becky Merold, production manager.
Taylor Moss, right, assistant technical director, lowers rope to the stage from the high steel while Isabel McNeil, carpenter, untangles a pile of ropes at Temple of Music and Art, 330 S. Scott Ave., in Tucson, Ariz. on Sept. 13th, 2021. Moss and McNeil lowered ropes to the stage to help hoist up four light boxes for Arizona Theatre Company’s “My 80-Year-Old Boyfriend” production. “My 80-Year-Old Boyfriend” will have just one stage set due to it being ATC’s first show back since the pandemic over a year ago.
Taylor Moss, left, and Arthur Potts, assistant technical directors, work on the wood framing for the light boxes in Arizona Theatre Company’s show “My 80-Year-Old Boyfriend” at Arizona Theatre Company Production Shop, 840 E. 18th St., in Tucson, Ariz. on August 16th, 2021. The light boxes and a piano are the only set pieces for the one-women show. There won’t be a painted backdrop and the light boxes will have the ability to change colors to match the mood of the show, said Becky Merold, production manager.
Samie Nickel, assistant scenic charge artist, pours white paint into a paint tray in preparation of painting the wooden frame work for the light boxes in the set of “My 80-Year-Old Boyfriend” at Arizona Theatre Company Production Shop, 840 E. 18th St., in Tucson, Ariz. on August 16th, 2021. Due to “My 80-Year-Old Boyfriend” being the first show back since the pandemic, the set is simple in which there are few props and few paints being used. Red and white paint are the primary paints in the shows set. ATC decided to keep the first show back simple due to the staff being smaller and to ease back into putting on productions, said Becky Merold, production manager. ATC has a more elaborate show in December with their Christmas show, “Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley,” where there are more props, different paints and a large painted backdrop.
Isabel McNeil, carpenter, saws wood pieces for the framing inside the light boxes in preparation of Arizona Theatre Company’s show “My 80-Year-Old Boyfriend” at ATC’s Production Shop, 840 E. 18th St., in Tucson, Ariz. on August 18th, 2021. The production of the set began in the middle of August to start building the light boxes and the frames they stand on. “My 80-Year-Old Boyfriend” was initially scheduled to be the 2020-2021 season opener, according to Sean Daniels, director. With the cancelation of the 2020-2021 season, the show was rescheduled for January of this year. Then it was talked about making the show a film version in march. “Every time I called people to tell them its delayed, they were like ‘I know, we’re all watching the same news. I know’,” said Daniels. “No surprises here,” added Charissa Bertels, actress and original performer. “So this time, every time I think ‘okay things are happening’. I think we are getting here,” said Daniels. “I think we are really going to Arizona,” Bertels added.
Andrew Babb, assistant props supervisor, preps some paint for a small prop which will be used in Arizona Theatre Company’s show “My 80-Year-Old Boyfriend” at Arizona Theatre Company Production Shop, 840 E. 18th St., in Tucson, Ariz. on August 19th, 2021. There aren’t many props needed for “My 80-Year-Old Boyfriend” production so most of the props crew has been working on getting props for the Christmas show, “Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley,” said Babb. Having a decrease in props is due to easing back into a show from not having shows for the past 18 months as well as budget and the constant changes in the design of the show due to the pandemic, said Becky Merold, production assistant. 
Matthew DeVore, sound supervisor, double checks a light after cleaning it in preparation of Arizona Theatre Company’s production “My 80-Year-Old Boyfriend” at Temple of Music and Art, 330 S. Scott Ave., in Tucson, Ariz. on August 20th, 2021. The one thing DeVore missed the most from the past 18 months was “humans.” “It’s not just co workers its back with your friends and in the same room,” said DeVore. “And also, I don’t necessarily always help with lighting maintenance so its fun to jump in and be able to help the other departments. We are really working towards that this season [because] we kind of have to because we are short staffed.” In addition to wearing masks, sanitizing and requiring the covid vaccine amongst employees, one of the biggest changes in regards to covid for sound engineers is that mic tests have changed. The sound engineer won’t be using the classic mic test as seen in the past, said DeVore. “We are not doing that any more. We’re gonna use a tone generator to set tones from a phone,” added DeVore.
Phyllis Davies, costume designer, works on a skirt for Arizona Theatre Company’s production “My 80-Year-Old Boyfriend,” at Temple of Music and Art, 330 S. Scott Ave., in Tucson, Ariz. on August 20th, 2021. Though most employees are happy to be back, there are still concerns about safety and focusing on cleaning protocols. “Since we have issued the vaccine requirement for staff, it does make us feel safer but we are still masking and cautious,” said Mary Woll, costume shop manager. “We can’t do our job 6 feet away from someone. We literally have to stand there and do zippers and everything.” If there wasn’t a vaccine mandate things would be different such as employees wearing face masks, face shields, gloves and protective gowns, added Woll.
Charlotte Alcorn, scenic charge artist, begins painting a piece for Arizona Theatre Company’s second show of their 2021-2022 season, “Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley,” at Arizona Theatre Company Production Shop, 840 E. 18th St., in Tucson, Ariz. on Sept. 3rd, 2021. While preparing for ATC’s opening season production of “My 80-Year-Old Boyfriend,” the prop shop also began working on the second show which requires more painting, props and sets.
Charlotte Alcorn, scenic charge artist, and Samie Nickel, assistant scenic charge artist, work on painting the backdrop for Arizona Theatre Company’s second show of their 2021-2022 season, “Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley,” at Arizona Theatre Company Production Shop, 840 E. 18th St., in Tucson, Ariz. on Sept. 9th, 2021. ATC prepared for their season opener “My 80-Year-Old Boyfriend” as well as their second show “Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley.”
Kish Finnergan, residnet costume designer and design assistant, sorts through a set of delivered packages inside the costume shop at the Temple of Music and Arts, 330 S. Scott Ave., in Tucson, Ariz. on August 20th, 2021. During the last 18 months, Mary Woll, costume shop manager, built an inventory data base for their costume stock. “We have never had a full inventory done of our costumes and we have always just relied on our institutional knowledge,” said Woll. The inventory is also used to share Arizona Theatre Company’s stock with their location in Phoenix.
Taylor Moss, assistant technical director for ATC, takes a picture of the final light boxes after helping other Arizona Theatre Company production employees put them on stage at the Temple of Music and Art, 330 S. Scott Ave., in Tucson, Ariz. on Sept. 13th, 2021. Seeing the light boxes on stage was a moment for Moss since she, along with other production employees, only see certain parts in small amounts. ‘We see everything in pieces. We get pieces of whatever comes from the creative team. We get pieces of information from artistic management. We see pieces of scenery that come out to the shop floor and it’s like, ‘I don’t know what this is going to look like when it all comes together or painted or with props on it,” said Moss.

The original article by Rebecca Sasnett can be found here.

Childsplay recently announced the cast for their upcoming 2021-2022 National Tour of Schoolhouse Rock LIVE! Starring Anissa Garza as Shulie, Jermane Jackson as George, Greta Perlmutter as Dina, and Bruno Streck Rodrigues as Tom, this cast is sure to excite! 

Schoolhouse Rock LIVE! presents our character, Tom, who is a teacher on the first day of teaching. To calm his nerves, he turns on the tv, but he’s surrounded by three characters out of nowhere. They are all part of him, facets of his personality, and through imagination and song, they help him to gain confidence and teach several subjects like grammar, math, civics, social studies, and science! 

Schoolhouse Rock LIVE! features iconic songs like “I’m Just A Bill”, “Conjunction Junction”, “Three Is The Magic Number”, “The Preamble” and so many more! This wonderful show will tour across the country to cities like Los Angeles before returning home to Phoenix for a run on the Herberger Theater Center’s Stage West from April 23 to May 22, 2022.

The show has a sixty-minute run time with an optional panel talkback with the performers after the show. This show is recommended for children ages 6 and older, but guests of any age can enjoy this nostalgic experience.

Childsplay will also be returning to Stage West this year with productions of Selena Marie Sings (October 3 – 31, 2021), Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (November 7 – December 24, 2021), and The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show (February 5 – March 13, 2022). For more information about the show, visit https://herbergertheater.org/calendar/. To learn more information about our Health and Safety guidelines, visit our page at herbergertheater.org/health-safety-protocols/.

Have you ever wanted to go behind the scenes and see how the breathtaking costumes that Arizona Opera uses are created?

A few weeks ago, Arizona Opera launched their Marlu Allan and Scott Stallard Costume Shop Masterclasses, a series focused on taking audiences behind the scenes to learn tricks and tips from their professional costume artisans. These workshops suit a wide variety of audiences and supply kits can be purchased along with the masterclass registration. The upcoming masterclasses include Tailoring Your Own Clothes (August 11th, 12-2pm) and Intro to Jewelry (August 25th, 12-3pm).

Led by Arizona Opera’s Costume Shop Manager Kathleen Trott and Arizona Master Stitcher Becky Giblin, Tailoring Your Own Clothes masterclass attendees will learn the secrets of fitting, pining, and altering clothes so that they can better improve their personal wardrobes from home. Attendees are also eligible for a later 20-minute wardrobe consultation with Trott and Giblin.

The Intro to Jewelry masterclass, led by Kathleen Trott, will show attendees how to string and join beads and gems to create vintage-style jewelry. They will also learn techniques to antique their own jewelry like professionals.

These costume-making masterclasses are a part of Arizona Opera’s wide variety of online content, including the UnMic’d Podcast, virtual opera performances, LOUD!, and the Behind the Scenes! Podcast. These initiatives are designed to engage the culturally diverse communities of Arizona, while we await the return of live shows. To learn more, check out the Arizona Opera Connection Lab here or check out Arizona Opera OnDemand here.

Arizona Opera will be returning to the Herberger Theater’s Center Stage with the El Milagro del Recuerdo (The Miracle of Remembering) from December 3-5. Other shows in their season include Carmen, A Little Night Music, and Così Fan Tutte.

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