musical theatre

Singin’ in the Rain: A Monsoon of Promising Talent at Pima Community College Center of the Arts

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by Regina Ford 

When taking a nostalgic look back at the Golden Age of Hollywood musicals, few entertainers take the spotlight like Gene Kelly in his starring motion picture role in Singin’ in the Rain. Kelly’s iconic dance routine in the pouring rain featuring a lamppost as his stationary partner is tattooed in the memory of those who were blown away with the scene on the silver screen.

It must have been challenging to duplicate that magic for stage some 40 years later when the 1952 Metro-Golden-Mayer film was adapted as a stage musical with story by Betty Comden and Adolph Green, lyrics by Arthur Freed, and music by Nacio Herb Brown. 

Director Todd Poelstra met the challenge head-on at Pima’s Proscenium Theatre (located on the west campus) and deserves immense credit for taking this complex musical and bringing it to life with choreographer Mickey Nugent and music director Martha Reed.

Singin' in the Rain

Photo courtesy of Pima Community College.

Set in Hollywood in the disappearing days of the silent screen era, the musical focuses on romantic lead Don Lockwood (Tristan Acevedo), his sidekick Cosmo Brown (Alden Lester), aspiring actress Kathy Selden (Kyndall Viapiano), and Lockwood’s leading lady Lina Lamont (Veronica Conran). At Monumental Studios, the money-hungry boss, R. F. Simpson (Adrian Ford) decides that his next silent movie, The Dueling Cavalier should be transformed into a talkie entitled The Dancing Cavalier featuring his studio’s two biggest names, Lockwood and Lamont. As it happens, Lamont’s painfully shrill vocal tones make her an unlikely pick for stardom in talking pictures. Behind the scenes, they recruit the talented newcomer Kathy Selden to do Lamont’s voice overs until things go astray.

From the opening scene, the costumes (designed by Kathy Hurst, assisted by McKay Keith and Mary Adkisson) are stunning as the favorite movie stars from yesteryear arrive at Grauman’s Chinese Theater for the premiere of The Royal Rascal, starring Lockwood and Lamont. The number of costume changes alone for a large cast of 22 is impressive. Plenty of feathers and sequins can be tricky and messy but no visible costume malfunctions could be seen.

Poelstra not only directed the show, but also designed the set, where “less was more” and just enough to create 14 different scene changes in the first act alone. Moving scenery made ample use of the various playing spaces in the theater.  Cast members moved set pieces on and off stage with relative ease. The pinnacle of set design in Act I is no doubt the famous “Singin’ in the Rain” number, danced by Acevedo in an actual rainstorm. The illusion of rainfall engineered by Polestra, assisted by Nate Saiffer along with the direction of technical director Anthony Richards, was an effective and show-stopping addition to the production. Luann Read’s lighting design provided the feel of a stormy night that no one who isn’t crazy in love would wish to venture out in. What is wonderfully remarkable is Acevedo’s stunning dance performance as he is pelted with rain.  Minimal props complemented with vintage furniture (much of it built with the help of master carpenter Brandon Saxon) was very clever. The office of R.F. Simpson deserves special mention for its subtle opulence, as well as the movable scenery complete with balcony in The Dancing Cavalier.

Video designer Kyle O’Dell worked magic with the addition of edited projections of the show’s silent black and with movie clips complete with subtitles.

Thanks to Nugent, the choreography captured the attention of the audience with remarkable dance numbers featuring the entire cast. The ensemble numbers were electric, and “Broadway Melody” was particularly vibrant. “Good Morning,” featuring Cosmo, Don, and Kathy was downright joyful to see.

Acevedo and Viapiano had the daunting task of stepping into the iconic roles of Don Lockwood (originally played by Gene Kelly) and Kathy Seldon (originally played by Debbie Reynolds), but these two actors did an incredible job.  Their vocals, especially during the ballads, were lovely.  Well-known tunes such as “You Were Meant for Me” and “Would You” were beautifully delivered by the duo. 

Acevedo embraced his role as the matinee idol as did his sidekick Lester and the pair stole the show with “Make ‘em Laugh.” These two actors worked so well together and captured the vaudeville era with gusto. Both are triple threats. Likewise, Conran put her own twist on her character, and did a nice job finding the humor, pathos, and wiliness of this actress who stands to lose so much with the advent of the talkies. Her song “What’s Wrong with Me” was an audience favorite. Another strong performer was Adrian Ford as the larger-than-life  R.F. Simpson. Ford’s powerful stage presence made him ideal for his role. Other notable performers are Gianberi Debora Deebom as Miss Dinsmore, the male diction teacher, and Stefan Baker-Horton as the production singer. 

Singin’ in the Rain doesn’t disappoint, but this college production had a few unfortunate glitches that were apparent, even though the student cast continued without hesitation. Audience members who care about the future of live theatre should forgive the minor sound issues with microphones and a near-miss scene change with a descending Grauman’s Chinese Theater that could have resulted in a lead character taking a fall. Credit goes to the actors who kept on going and didn’t miss a beat. Poelstra used a diversified cast and replaced many roles traditionally filled by male actors with women who played not only Hollywood dancers but movie studio stage hands and film crew as well.

Pima Theatre’s production of Singin’ in the Rain deserves an audience.  The amount of work that goes into a musical of this magnitude is hard to imagine unless you see it for yourself. The students deserve your applause. It is playing at Pima Community College Center for the Arts Black Box Theatre, West Campus, 2202 W. Anklam Road. Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays at 7:30 pm and Saturdays and Sundays at 2pm through March 1. Tickets can be purchased online at www.pima.edu/cfa  or by calling  520-206-6986

 

SAPAC’s Hot Mikado is a Hoot: A Well-Executed (pun intended) Take on an Old Favorite

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by Emily Lyons

Southern Arizona Performing Arts Company’s production of Hot Mikado, now playing at the Scoundrel & Scamp theater, lives up to the title. It sizzles with fast pacing, fun choreography, and spunky, high-energy performances from the whole ensemble. 

Erin Anderson as Pitti-Sing, Aliyah Douglas as Yum-Yum, Ruthie Hayashi as Peep-Bo in Hot Mikado. Photo by Molly Condit, courtesy of Southern Arizona Performing Arts Company.

Erin Anderson as Pitti-Sing, Aliyah Douglas as Yum-Yum, Ruthie Hayashi as Peep-Bo in Hot Mikado. Photo by Molly Condit, courtesy of Southern Arizona Performing Arts Company.

Hot Mikado puts a swing-era spin on Gilbert and Sullivan’s 1885 operetta, but aside from reworking Sullivan’s music in a different style and updating some of the dialogue, the familiar story is largely unchanged. Nanki-Poo (Christopher Esguerra), son of the Mikado (Matthew Holter) and heir to the throne of Japan, has fled the court and the aggressive attentions of Katisha (Jaqueline Stewart), an elderly court lady. Disguised as the second trumpet in the Titipu town band, he has wandered far and wide in search of his beloved Yum-Yum (Aliyah Douglas), with whom he reunites only to discover that she is shortly to be married, albeit unwillingly, to Ko-Ko (Tyler Wright), the recently appointed Lord High Executioner. We learn that Ko-Ko acquired his title through a loophole in the Mikado’s law declaring flirting a capital offense. Nevertheless, to satisfy the Mikado’s order that someone must be beheaded, “a victim must be found,” and soon. This creates a series of complications for romantic rivals Nanki-Poo and Ko-Ko, and their would-be bride Yum-Yum. 

Before I get into reviewing this production, I have to confess that I was both curious and a little nervous about this assignment. I was curious because, although I am a die hard Gilbert and Sullivan fan and could probably sing the entire score of the original The Mikado from top to bottom, I was only vaguely aware of Hot Mikado. As much as I love The Mikado, it is, at best, a problematic choice in 2020. Many historic (and sadly, even some recent) productions featuring largely white casts have leaned into the script’s offhand caricaturing of Japanese culture and gone full yellow-face, rendering the productions cringey and unwatchable now. So, I was nervous about how SAPAC would navigate the ridiculous and orientalist version of Japan, and also how a 1940s jazzy update might further compound the material’s inherent problems. David H. Bell and Rob Bowman’s Hot Mikado is reconstructed from jazz-infused, all-black productions of The Mikado dating from the heyday of the Harlem Renaissance. My question going into the show was, how do you pull this off with a majority white cast and band without teetering into cultural appropriation and minstrel show territory? Consider these issues, but I’ll leave it to you to judge what is appropriate or not. I will say that I think director Kelli Workman was wise for choosing to take a minimalist route with set design and costumes that mostly avoid overt references to either Japan or the Cotton Club. 

Happily, Hot Mikado is A Very Silly Play that manages to mostly transcend its baggage. I found myself smiling broadly starting from Nanki-Poo’s debut in “A Wand’ring Minstrel I” until the show’s finale—and only raised my eyebrows a couple of times. With a premise this absurd and jokes that can seem dated, the directing, especially regarding physical comedy, can make or break the show. My hat is off to Kelli Workman, assistant director/choreographer Thea Hinojosa, and assistant choreographer Jessica Lumm for their inventive and humorous direction. There’s one bit in “I Am So Proud” that makes me cry-laugh to remember: the song was so well executed by Tyler Gastelum (Pooh-Bah), Jacob Walters (Pish-Tush), and Tyler Wright (Ko-Ko) due to their great chemistry as this trio of buffoons. I also noticed many people in the audience were clearly hearing these jokes for the first time, and their genuinely delighted reactions were wonderful for me to experience as someone who knows the text well.

In this production, everybody is given something to do, so even minor characters and ensemble members get a chance to shine. The entire cast had great energy and played off of one another really well. I especially want to commend the younger members of the cast for their great jobs, and I look forward to seeing them in future shows. Still, I want to highlight a few standouts. Aliyah Douglas is very funny and very darling as Yum-Yum. Erin Anderson as Pitti-Sing wows with her gospel stylings in the Act 1 finale. Jacqueline Stewart as Katisha brings big vamp energy to her two solo ballads (thankfully not played for laughs). Jacob Walters is delightfully campy and frenetic as Pish-Tush. While his performance came uncomfortably close at times to a Cab Calloway impersonation, Matthew Holter is suave and captivating as the tap-dancing Mikado. Finally, Tyler Wright as Ko-Ko very nearly stole the show with his spot-on, hilarious performance. 

Take your whole family to Hot Mikado; there’s something in it that everyone will enjoy. Even Gilbert and Sullivan purists will not be disappointed. Hot Mikado runs until January 26th at the Scoundrel and Scamp Theater. Tickets are $20-$25; for ticket information call (520) 261-9309 or visit www.sapactucson.org

U of A’s Pippin Still Has Some Magic To Do

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by Lena Quach

Pippin is a mysterious musical filled with memorable music, magic and simple joys. The story follows the young prince Pippin and his quest for fulfillment in life. Pippin originally opened in 1972 with music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz and a book by Roger O. Hirson. The original production was directed and choreographed by the legendary Bob Fosse. Arizona Repertory Theater, directed and choreographed by Christie Kerr, had some rather large shoes to fill and unfortunately did not succeed. 

I was excited when I first came in and saw the rather impressive set. I have seen Pippin in a couple different forms and this looked promising. I was quickly let down by the ending of the song “Magic To Do”. The ensemble of players were all beautiful and sounded amazing but lacked the mystery and pizzazz that you usually see in the first number of the show. 

Tony Moreno as and Paige Mills as The Leading Player. Photo by Ed Flores, courtesy of Arizona Repertory Theatre.

Tony Moreno as Pippin and Paige Mills as The Leading Player. Photo by Ed Flores, courtesy of Arizona Repertory Theatre.

I did see some small homages to the original choreographer in the show but felt that maybe the choreography was too advanced for the cast. Yes, Fosse is an extremely hard dance style to perfect but there was a very large disconnect between the actors and the movement. It was especially noticeable in the isolations of the hips that looked more like twerking and the movements of the arms that looked more like a bird flapping then a directed movement coming from the back. These movements are essential that highlight and add levels to the catchy score. This was the productions biggest let down. 

I was also quite disappointed by Paige Mills in the role of The Lead Player. This role is so essential to the show and how the story is told. Mills has an agile and clear voice and I can see why she was cast in the role for that alone. The Lead Player should be more mysterious and should have more of an inner battle between herself and her sympathy for Pippin, in certain parts of the show. This rendition of the character seemed to plateau quickly and never see any depth until the end of the show. Mills put in a solid effort with choreography and blocking given to her but lacked grace and the showstopping quality that any Lead Player should posses. 

There were some highlights in the show including some very magical characters. Tony Moreno played the title role of Pippin. Moreno has a beautiful voice and gave the audience the perfect balance of his character that can sometimes come off as awkward and somewhat rude to completely charming and heroic. Moreno is definitely going places. I was also very impressed by Tristan Caldwell who added just the right amount of sass and comedy to the character Charlemagne. I was completely charmed by Marina Devaux as Pippin’s grandmother Berthe. Devaux gave me a Broadway-worthy performance and had me singing along during her number. Catherine, played by Sofia Gonzalez, was sweet, beautiful and organic just like any Catherine should be. 

In the end, Arizona Repertory Theater’s production of Pippin still has some “Magic To Do”. The ensemble gave an honest performance filled with magic tricks, great vocals, and some Broadway-worthy highlights but lacked the mystery, grittiness, and dancing with purpose. 

You can catch Arizona Repertory’s production of Pippin now through November 3rd at the University of Arizona’s Marroney Theatre. Tickets can be purchased via their website at theatre.arizona.edu or by calling the box office at (520) 621-1162. 

 

Meta Musical Fun

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by Gretchen Wirges

There is a hopefulness about musicals that I love. They allow characters the perfect vehicle to release their hopes, dreams, love and loss. The song allows a heart to crack open and reveal itself, warts and all. SAPAC’s season/company opener, [Title of Show], accomplishes this not-so-easy feat in such a beautifully entertaining way. We not only get to see the warts, we also become privy to Wonder Woman, playbills, remote controls, Broadway call sheets, turkey burgers, and vampirish doubts that lurk on the insides of its dynamic characters.

The cast of [title of show]. Photo by Molly Condit at Great Bear Media, courtesy of Southern Arizona Performing Arts Company.

The cast of [title of show]. Photo by Molly Condit at Great Bear Media, courtesy of Southern Arizona Performing Arts Company.

At first glance, I reveled in the simplicity of the set design. With just four chairs, and some well-placed windows, I was transported into working/living spaces in New York City. The basic plot involves two friends, Jeff (Andy Miller) and Hunter (Tyler Wright) looking to shake off their humdrum day jobs and television obsessions in order to write a musical for a festival. The story is a musical about musical in a musical festival. They enlist other friends Heidi (Mara Katrina Capati), Susan (Robin Bousel), and accompanist Larry (Brice Kimble). The hilarity that ensues is meta, full of pop culture, and a lot of heart. 

The play, directed by Carson Wright, is incredibly witty, quick, and touching. It’s a story about friendship as much as it is a story about the creative process. The cast does a superb job in connecting and making us believe that they really care about each other. Wright especially impressed with his soaring voice, and his razor-sharp comedic timing. He has the ability to make the most subtle gestures and expressions that instantly bring the audience to fits of laughter. Miller, as Jeff, so deftly plays Abbot to Wright’s Costello. He delivers hilariously wry jokes with sincerity and sings perfect harmony with Wright. 

Photo by Molly Condit at Great Bear Media, courtesy of Southern Arizona Performing Arts Company.

Robin Bousel as Susan and Katrina Capati as Heidi. Photo by Molly Condit at Great Bear Media, courtesy of Southern Arizona Performing Arts Company.

Capati and Bousel, proclaimed in the script as “Secondary Characters” are anything but. Capati has the voice of a raspy angel. Her rendition of “A Way to Back Then” gave me chills and reminded me of my own childhood musings and dreams. Bousel delivers snarky sarcasm like a champ. Her witty one-liners were laser-focused and perfect. And her songs, most notably “Die Vampire Die” left me clutching my chest out of both laughter and poignancy. Both Capati and Bousel recently returned to Tucson. I couldn’t be more excited to see what they do next. 

Larry (Brice Kimble) is a mostly unseen character who accompanies the musical numbers. The occasional moments where he pops up are hilarious and perfectly timed. 

In a conversation with SAPAC director Dennis Tamblyn, I found out that this is considered the “clean version” of the script. The alternative version had more expletives and adult content. One of the elements removed from the clean version were any mention or innuendos of homosexuality. Tamblyn wasn’t happy that depicting or mentioning LGBTQ was categorized as “adult content”. He contacted the publishing company, Rodgers & Hammerstein, and said that he intended to do the clean version, but add those references back in. The publisher agreed that the categorization was antiquated and needed to be updated. This, my friends, is how we can continue to move theater forward. When we know better, we should do better. I’m happy that SAPAC chose to speak up instead of just relenting to seemingly bigoted delineation. 

Now, this doesn’t mean that the script is without flaw. It isn’t. I thought the female characters got caught in the tired trope of female cattiness. They also lament about being secondary to their male counterparts. But the cast overcame that with the strength of their performances. It also doesn’t mean the production itself is without flaw, it wasn’t. I thought the transitions could have been smoother by continuing to underscore the blackouts between scenes. The abrupt changes to silence often halted the momentum and stilted the story. 

All that being said, I left the theater singing Die Vampire Die, wanting to watch Wonder Woman, cursing Sutton Foster in solidarity, and daydreaming about being part of this show. The cast is a musical actor’s dream. And show itself is the contemporary musical lover’s musical. 

[Title of Show] has four more performances for you love: 7:30 p.m. on Sept. 20 and 21, and matinees at 2 p.m. on Sept. 21 and 22. The show is playing at the Temple of Music and Art Cabaret Theatre at 330 S. Scott Ave. Tickets are $25 Reservations/information: sapactucson.org, or by calling 261-0915.

 

Be simultaneously charmed, offended, and amazed at Gutenberg! The Musical!

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by Gretchen Wirges

Carson Wright as Bud and Tyler Wright as Doug. Photo courtesy of the Southern Arizona Performing Arts Company.

Carson Wright as Bud and Tyler Wright as Doug. Photo courtesy of the Southern Arizona Performing Arts Company.

Weird.
Irreverent.
Meta.
Nerdy.
Genius. 

That would be my laundry list of words to describe Gutenberg! The Musical!, written by Scott Brown and Anthony King, as the debut production for Southern Arizona Performing Arts Company. It’s the perfect show for the person who doesn’t take themselves, or their love of musicals, so seriously that they can’t have fun exploring the tropes and cliches often found in the world of theatre. 

Gutenberg! The Musical! is a musical about making a musical. Writers Bud and Doug (played by Carson Wright and Tyler Wright respectively) perform a whirlwind mock-up of their show about the inventor of the printing press, Johannes Gutenberg and the kinda sorta, probably made up, wikipedia-sourced journey of his invention. The show starts with Bud and Doug introducing each other, the musical, and the fact that there are Broadway producers in the audience who hopefully will provide a nod of approval and a contract once they’ve seen the audition. As it progresses, Bud and Doug take on the roles of a variety of characters, delineated by a displayed cache of trucker hats emblazoned with the character’s name (Woman, Beef Fat Trimmer, Daughter, Gutenberg, Monk #2, and more). 

Carson and Tyler portray their characters with a grounded humor reminiscent of Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly. There is a beloved earnestness and sincerity that permeates their comedic choices, making them believable and yet ridiculous (in all the best ways). This groundedness is what really sells the rest of the often cliched wrongness of the story they’re trying to tell. Carson has a fantastically confident agility about him that allows him to glide effortlessly between characters both in voice and in physicality. Tyler has a pointed seriousness about him that gives him the unique ability to deliver absurdity with beautiful patience, keenness, and impeccable timing.

Given a suggested PG-13 rating; misogyny, antisemitism, and abusive relationships are just some of the interwoven themes of the made-up musical, but because of the grounded portrayal by Carson and Tyler, and the truth of the tropes of which they’re making fun, I found myself laughing out loud again and again. Okay, there may have even been a snort (or two). Reminiscent of shows like Book of Mormon and Avenue Q, the sometimes shock value of what was being said, was absorbed by the sincerity of the actors’ spot-on delivery and the super clever, word-nerd level lyrics.

Carson Wright as Bud and Tyler Wright as Doug. Photo courtesy of the Southern Arizona Performing Arts Company.

Carson Wright as Bud and Tyler Wright as Doug. Photo courtesy of the Southern Arizona Performing Arts Company.

Carson and Tyler, billed as both directors and designers on the show, were able to do what few self-directed casts can achieve. Often it’s difficult to step outside of the creative brain to add a critical eye to the overall performance. But this production doesn’t suffer from that difficulty. The choreography is prudent and funny and a well-oiled machine. The finesse they display in telling both stories (both of the writers and the actual musical) while physically shifting hats, props, and each other, was incredibly deft and polished. All of this was accented and made even more magical by the actors’ incredible singing voices and their equally talented musical accompanist, Khris Dodge.

The show is being performed at Unscrewed Theater, known typically for its improv comedy. The sparse black-box style theater made for a perfect backdrop for the show. Lighting was sometimes lacking, but almost gave the overall intention of the show a bit more integrity as it’s intended to be a grassroots, self-produced show. There were a few times when there were props or choreography that took place on the proscenium or floor of the stage when I couldn’t see what was happening. This was only frustrating because I didn’t want to miss any of the action. 

Go see Gutenberg! The Musical! Laugh at the jokes, sing the songs, and allow Carson, Tyler, and Dodge to simultaneously charm, offend, and amaze you with their utterly brilliant performance. 

Gutenberg! The Musical! plays at Unscrewed Theater, 4500 E. Speedway Blvd., for only one more weekend with remaining shows on Thursday, Aug. 22 at 7:30 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 24 at 2pm, and Sunday, Aug. 25, at 2pm.

Tickets are $25 general admission; $20 military, students, teachers. For details and reservations visit www.sapactucson.org, email boxoffice@sapactucson, or call 520-780-6119.

 

Tucson Welcomes a New Theatre!

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Editor’s Note: This is the eighth in a series of interviews with creative decision makers and artistic directors at all of Tucson’s theatres as we look forward to the 2019-2020 season.

Filling a gap in the Tucson theatre community: Southern Arizona Performing Arts Company opens this August!

by Leigh Moyer

SAPAC logo+wordmark

Tucson has theaters that focus on classic works, theaters that focus on contemporary works, theaters that focus on family-friendly, alternative, and new works. And while many of these theaters feature musical theatre productions during their season, Tucson has had few theaters dedicated just to presenting a full season of quality musicals. Until now.

I sat down with the founders of Southern Arizona Performing Arts Company (SAPAC) Kelli Workman, Artistic Director, and Danielle Wright, Production Manager, to talk about musical theatre and starting a new company in Tucson.

“We’re looking to fill the gap between professional and amateur theatre in the community. The long-term goal is to be an equity theatre. We want to give the talent in Tucson the experience of working on high level productions,” said Workman. “We want to add to the effort in bringing quality musical theatre to Tucson. We have a wish list of epic proportions that we want to bring to this community.” 

Each season they plan to bring a classic musical, a contemporary musical, and a concert style musical. Once they are more established, they want to workshop new musicals as well. “We want to do musicals people know but with a fresh concept so that people see something new, see a production in a new way,” explained Wright.

For their inaugural season, SAPAC is bringing stories of origins. [title of show] is about writing a show, the creating – the origin – of a musical. Hot Mikado is an updated adaptation of the piece by the pioneers of musical theatre: Gilbert and Sullivan; it is an opportunity to look at the roots of musical theatre and how artists are fostering growth in the medium. And then, 1776 is about the origins of our country. “For 1776,  we are focusing on nontraditional casting to showcase the breadth and  diversity of experiences in our country,” Wright said. “We’re planning to have a female director to insure a different voice comes through what is usually a very male-centered narrative. ”

Attention to diversity is important to SAPAC. The founding team, Workman, Wright, and Executive Director Dennis Tamblyn, are all white. They are interested in casting against tradition to see more women and people of color on stage and behind the scenes. They are also looking to select shows that show different people and different stories. And, when they work with an older piece, making sure that it meets 2019 expectations. Wright admitted they are still learning how to produce theatre responsibly and justly. “When doing classic musicals there were different social justice standards when they were written. We have to ask ourselves why something is important to the show but also what challenges  need to be considered; what interpretation of the material might encourage a conversation with our audience.”

Each production gives Tucsonans the chance to see and hear the stories of others. “Theatre fosters empathy,” Wright said. “At a Broadway League conference, Lin Manuel Miranda talked about how theater is one of the last things that eliminates the viewer’s power to create their own reality. Audience members with different ideologies all sit in one room and view the same thing. He said, ‘You ask the audience to live outside of themselves. You’re asking the audience to identify with people they might not normally ordinarily identify with.’ Storytelling helps individuals to learn about people who aren’t like them and knowing someone is loving someone.”

“I get really passionate about Broadway shows I love. This season each show is an important part of the season. We not only selected the shows specifically, but the venue that supported the show best,” Workman said. “We are very attached to each show.” From traditional proscenium theater space like that offered by the intimate Cabaret Theater at the Temple of Music and Art to the Demeester Outdoor Performance Center at Reid Park, each show is homed in the best location to help tell the story.

The full season is listed online and below. Tickets are $25.00, with discounts for seniors, students, teachers, and members of the military. Or as a season ticket subscriber see all four shows for the price of three. Tickets can be purchased online, by email at boxoffice@sapactucson.org or by phone at (520) 261-9309.

SAPAC 2019-2020 Season

Southern Arizona Performing Arts Company 2019-2020 Season:

Gutenberg! The Musical! by Anthony King and Scott Brown
August 15 – 25, 2019
Back by popular demand after being nominated for a MAC Award in 2018, this production of the hit two-man musical spoof is a special add-on event to our regular full season of musical productions. Two desperate (and bravely untalented) songwriters perform a backers’ audition for their new musical about Gutenberg, the inventor of the printing press. With an unending supply of enthusiasm, Bud Davenport and Doug Simon (portrayed by real-life brothers Carson and Tyler Wright) sing all the songs and play all the parts in their hilarious historical epic. Called “A smashing success” by the New York Times, Gutenberg! The Musical! went on to receive Lucille Lortel Award and Outer Critics Circle Award nominations for Outstanding Musical.

[title of show] by Jeff Bowen and Hunter Bell
September 13 – 22, 2019
Writing a musical is hard! Just ask Jeff and Hunter, two struggling writers, scrambling to write a musical to submit to a theatre festival. With the deadline looming, and with nothing to lose, the pair enlists the help of their friends Susan and Heidi (with Larry on the piano), and decide to try and create something exciting and new. What you get is four friends writing a musical about four friends writing a musical: meta-theatre at its most hilarious! This Tony-nominated musical is sure to leave you laughing!

Hot Mikado, adapted and arranged by David H. Bell and Rob Bowman
January 17 – 26, 2020
This hilarious and ‘HOT’ updating of Gilbert and Sullivan’s comic masterpiece weaves a sharp witted, fun-filled tale where – despite life or death stakes – characters still find time to tap their toes and croon their troubles away. Set in a fictionalized Japan, at a time when outlandish laws harshly sentence people for almost any indiscretion, it is the language of jazz, gospel, and the blues that is spoken most fluently. Hot Mikado thrills by combining traditional Japanese storytelling with the big band sights and sounds of popular American song and dance.

1776 by Peter Stone and Sherman Edwards
April 24 – 25, 2020
Long before Hamilton, there was three-time Tony Award-winning 1776 – the original American Revolution Musical! It’s a long, hot summer in Philadelphia, and the Continental Congress is at each other’s throats. The nation is on the brink of revolution – if only our founding fathers can agree to sign the declaration. American history blazes to vivid life in this extraordinary musical, revealing the humor and humanity behind these national icons. With a limited 2-performance run, you won’t want to miss our modern re-shaping (including nontraditional casting) of this hit show!