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 BertelsTimothy 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.
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.
The Herberger Theater Center is pleased to announce the appointment of five new board members, Becky Gonzales with Metromile, Kaaren-Lyn Graves with NABEDC, Monica Greenman with Transwestern, Greg Marshall with Snell & Wilmer, and Trish Niemann with Cable One, Inc.
“We are excited to begin working with our new board members as we enter this long-awaited fall season,” said Mark Mettes, President & CEO of the Herberger Theater Center. “These new members are bringing with them excellent skillsets that will help the theater continue its pursuit of providing quality and accessible arts experiences to all.”
Becky Gonzalez is the Vice President, Strategic Finance at Metromile, where she oversees financial planning, analytics, and strategy. She brings more than 15 years of accounting and finance experience across various industries, including manufacturing, technology, and financial services. Prior to joining Metromile, Becky served in various financial leadership roles with Trax Group and General Electric.
Kaaren-Lyn Graves serves as the Project Director for NABEDC (pronounced “Nah Bed See”), a project serving the business needs of American Indians, Alaska Natives, and Native Hawaiians who reside in Arizona, Utah, Nevada, and on the Navajo Nation. In addition to serving as the Project Director for NABEDC, she also owns her own business, and is the Executive Business Consultant, Technical Writer, and Grants Manager for the Arizona Hispanic Chamber of Commerce; one of the largest Chamber’s in Arizona.
Monica Greenman is an Associate Broker with Transwestern. In addition to managing over 2M square feet in downtown Phoenix properties, several of Monica’s properties have been awarded Energy Star Labels, LEED EB Gold Certifications and BOMA TOBY awards. Monica also serves as a Board Member for BOMA – Greater Phoenix Chapter and the Downtown Phoenix Partnership.
Greg Marshall is a 20-year lawyer and partner at the law firm of Snell & Wilmer, where he currently co-chairs two of the firm’s litigation practice groups. As the former chair of the firm’s pro bono committee, he oversaw approximately 20,000 hours every year of attorneys donating their time and energy to a variety of community organizations like the Herberger Theater and enjoys doing his part to make Phoenix a great community to live.
Trish Niemann is Senior Director, Corporate Communications & Brand Marketing for Cable One, Inc. Cable One, Inc. (NYSE: CABO) is a leading broadband communications provider serving more than 950,000 residential and business customers in 21 states through its Sparklight®, Fidelity Communications, ValuNet Fiber and Clearwave™ brands. In this role she sets the vision and direction for internal and external communications, oversees public relations, corporate social responsibility, brand marketing, and social media.
The Herberger Theater announced the launch of its new identity and website redesign this week (HerbergerTheater.org). Long known for its ‘H’ with draping curtains, the theater’s new identity features the iconic rotunda which is the literal and figurative heart of the building where audiences converge to enjoy art on one of the theater’s three stages.
The new branding elements seen across the website and marketing applications feature a wide variety of colors that pay tribute to Arizona’s desert landscape and colorful sunsets while more subtle elements attribute themselves to a physical theater.
The Herberger Theater established a new mission statement during the rebranding: We are Arizona’s center stage, engaging the community through diverse arts experiences that ignite emotion, stimulate conversation and inspire connections to the arts. The theater’s new mission statement and values remain at the core of the rebrand including its commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion. By offering support to the artists who perform and exhibit in the space, the Herberger Theater helps ensure the values it holds are showcased through the work that enters its space.
“This rebrand moves the theater into the modern age and strengthens our focus to bring audiences and art together on Arizona’s Center Stage,” said Mark Mettes, President & CEO of the Herberger Theater. “The theater had outgrown its original identity and we were looking to capture the modern essence of the Herberger Theater in a way that showcased who we are today and who we strive to be in the future. We play an essential role in bringing the timeless classics of the American stage to our community as well as works by new and venerable artists alike. We have a role in today and tomorrow — with our outreach, community and education programs — to foster a deep appreciation and respect for the arts in people of all ages, incomes and backgrounds.
The new website includes scheduled shows for the upcoming 2021-2022 season including seasons from Arizona Theatre Company, Arizona Opera, and Childsplay. Single tickets for shows are expected to go on sale in June.
The Herberger Theater Center is launching a special campaign to raise funds essential to not only raising the curtain again for live performances in Phoenix, but to supporting the continuation of the Theater’s unique outreach programs for low-income children and teens across the Valley.
In this multi-year campaign, the Herberger Theater aims to grow its donor base to 1,000 active donors over a 1,000-day period through its “1,000 Friends in 1,000 Days” challenge. The campaign will run from May 26, 2021 to February 20, 2024 and funds will be dedicated to nourishing the theater as it recovers from massive financial loss experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Between performance cancellations and stage closures, the pandemic’s effect on the Herberger Theater community has been staggering. From March through November 2020, the Herberger Theater lost 90% of its earned revenue.
Despite these losses, the Herberger Theater worked to find imaginative solutions to safely raise the curtain again, including its outdoor stage, The Pavilion. With new creative plans in place, the Herberger Theater is turning to avid supporters of the performing arts to help it recover from the pandemic and return to bringing life and culture back to the Phoenix community.
“The pandemic upended the arts world, and the Herberger Theater was no exception to that disruption,” said Mark Mettes, President & CEO of the Herberger Theater. “Our 90 percent loss in earned revenue means 90 percent less funding to foster diverse performing arts experiences; 90 percent less funding to sustain outreach programs that allow children from throughout the community to express themselves through theater and the arts; and 90 percent less funding to contribute to the cultural and educational development of the Valley. The 1,000 Friends in 1,000 Days campaign will ensure the survival of these initiatives and help preserve the magic of live theater in Arizona.”
Through performances and outreach programs, the Herberger Theater is dedicated to bringing people together, inspiring imagination, and fostering important conversations.
For more information about the 1000-day fundraising campaign, visit HerbergerTheater.org/donate-now/
Questions may be directed to Laurene Austin at 602-254-7399 x105 or 1000Challenge@herbergertheater.org.
Created in response to the inability to host shows indoors, Chandler Center of the Arts put their spin on virtual performances in a series called CCA Anywhere.
The series highlights high-quality performances on their stage that audience members can view ‘anywhere’ like the title implies.
As many venues and production companies have come to learn, free online performances boast a critical and new way to reach audience members. Many companies have been forces to pivot their offerings to the community, particularly with virtual or streamed performances. Virtual performances are not new, but the Center’s spin on them is – framing the series as a group of performances meant to be viewed anywhere, anytime, at your leisure.
The concept of virtual performances has, for the past year, meant viewing them at a certain time on a certain day. CCA Anywhere is innovative in that the website constantly showcases the series and previous performances if you were to miss it live. With 30+ diverse performances to watch ‘anywhere,’ the collection of videos showcases the width of the arts and the resiliency of the arts community.
In an ever-changing and innovative digital landscape, one company has stood out to me the most – Arizona Theatre Company (ATC). From their initial approach to cancellations and pay-per-view performances to their Hang & Focus Live Podcast, the company has managed to keep theater-goers and arts enthusiasts happy with the wide range of content the company is producing for free consumption.
“As someone who grew up in Arizona, [the podcast] is a great way to share the work that we do,” said Sean Daniels, podcast host and Artistic Director for Arizona Theatre Company, “[We] really use[d] this moment to re-envision ourselves.”
One of the most interesting and captivating pieces the company has been releasing is their Hang & Focus Live podcast which has managed to host some of the most prominent performing arts figures in the country. Recently, the company sat down with Tony Award Winning Director, Kenny Leon.
Kenny and Sean shared a mutual respect and admiration in the podcast, both crediting each other’s incredible feats in the arts community. Kenny Leon goes on to share what his experience has been in navigating a COVID-19 shutdown world of Broadway, which we won’t spoil.
Arizona Theatre Company’s innovation in this podcast has allowed it to connect with some truly amazing people in the arts and has given listeners and viewers the chance to hear candid conversations with some of their most valuable contributors to the arts community, from local playwrights to Broadway stars.
Chanel Bragg, Associate Artistic Director for ATC and podcast co-host explains, “It is our responsibility to reflect what is going on in the world.”
Blood, meat pies, a barber, and the NFL? In 2018, Arizona Broadway Theatre and the Herberger Theater were co-producing Sweeney Todd, a Tony award-winning musical about the Fleet Street barber. The show, in its Arizona Broadway Theatre rendition, lent itself to a spotlight walk-on role. While many of these roles came to be auctioned off or gifted to donors, one performance welcomed Rob Nkemdiche to the stage.
Although currently a free agent, Nkemdiche was drafted in 2016 as the 29th overall pick by the Arizona Cardinals. His star seasons as Mississippi landed him NFL first-round pick status after three years at University of Mississippi.
The walk-on role was simple: have your throat slit and bleed out before being dropped from the barber chair to the first-floor bakery. At least, that was the plan…
At 6’4”, 296 pounds, Rob Nkemdiche is a big guy. Far bigger than the average actor. This meant that the chute intended to drop customers from the barbershop to the bakery was far too small for the Cardinal’s star. Plus, Rob’s agent was concerned about Rob being injured as he slid through the chute. A small workaround and a switch of scenery allowed Rob to escape off the stage without being seen.
When he arrived, Rob was put into costume and makeup. The only potential problem was his size 14 shoes, but luckily Arizona Broadway Theatre had a pair that fit perfectly.
“Would you say you are more nervous to have your head chopped off on stage or play against the Rams?” asked Katherine Fitzgerald.
“My head chopped off, for sure,” replied Nkemdiche.
Rob, though never having been a professional actor, managed to put on an all-star performance that elicited many laughs from the crowd as he accentuated the blood pouring from his neck more than the role may have intended. Nkemdiche credited his performance to his days in drama class.
The experience was a hit, earning Nkemdiche and the Herberger Theater sports channel coverage by FOX sports, AZ Central, and a handful of football writers.
Judy Rollings has been working with the Herberger Theater Center since its early days. Currently the Director of Art Education and Outreach, Judy directs Lunch Time Theater and the Arizona Young Artists’ Competition.
If you have ever attended a Lunch Time Theater show, you know Judy’s famous curtain speech, which she executes precisely and consistently three days a week. Many Lunch Time Theater regulars recognize Judy and applaud her as she makes her entrance to the Kax Stage.
The idea for Lunch Time Theater came from Judy’s realization that the Herberger Theater stages were just too full to feature new artists. The most prominent artists in the scene were taking many of the dates on the big stages. This meant that in order to fulfill her passion for outreach, Judy needed to come up with a solution. Thus, Lunch Time Theater was born.
In 2001 the rehearsal hall was reimagined and equipped to do theatre performances. The first LTT show took place in February that year. However when the Herberger Theater was renovated in 2008, it completely converted what was once its rehearsal hall/black box theatre into a space solely intended for intimate performances. This renovation set the stage for Lunch Time Theater as it operated for 20 seasons as a program originally intended for downtown workers to enjoy their lunch breaks.
It wasn’t all this easy though. For many years, Judy Rollings worked tirelessly with her associates, Dee Rich, Cherie Donahue, and most recently the amazing Mary Robinson, to build the program. Together, their efforts have made Lunch Time Theater a successful outreach program and enrichment experience for guests, while allowing up and coming artists to showcase their work in a professional environment.
Judy looks forward to continuing Lunch Time Theater with her new associate, Elizabeth Broeder. Elle has been seen on stage with iTheatre Collaborative among other companies, as a summer intern with Lunch Time Theater, and in the Herberger Theater box office!
Judy is also one of the founding members of the Arizona Young Artists’ Competition, a scholarship competition for young performing artists. As one of the members of the program committee, Judy has helped evolve the program into the massive success it is today, managing the drama portion of the event and overseeing the outreach to schools and artistic studios.
Judy is a founding member of Actors Theatre of Phoenix and served as the Artistic Director for over eight years. During her tenure, they won the Critics Circle Award for Innovative Programming – Brown Bag Theater and the Best Professional Theater Award.
Throughout her tenure in Arizona, Judy has received a number of awards that include Best Director of a Drama, Arizoni Lifetime Award for Outstanding Contribution to Theater, and the 2010 Actors Equity Association Theatre Service Award.
As an actor herself, Judy innovated and ran the successful STAGES actor training program. Her current acting credits include Spinning Into Butter, The Death Bite, her own one-woman show Starring Judy from Chicago, Light Up The Sky, Suocera,Over The River and Through the Woods, The Velocity of Autumn, Ripcord and Love or Money. Current directing credits include Collected Stories, Sudz, Honor, Eleemosynary, The Road to Mecca, Nureyev’s Eyes, Doubt, Great Falls, And Miss Reardon Drinks A Little, The Herd, Trying and Rathmines Road.
Judy is a member of the Board of Directors of the Theatre Artists Studio where she acts in and directs performances as well.
If you ever see Judy in the theater, make sure to say hello!
