Archived Reviews of This Season's Productions

2000/2001 Season


The 2000/2001 ariZoni Recipients

My Season of Empathy
What I Learned as a Theatre Critic in the Trenches: An Essay

An Essay on The Role of a Dramaturg
The Dramaturg: Modern Day Court Jester

An Article for the American Theatre Critics Association's publication, Critics Quarterly, about my trip to the International Theatre Critic's Conference held at The National Playwright's Conference at The Eugene O'Neill Theatre Center in Waterford, CT.

An Earnest Report
Is What It Is Theatre's What I Did Last Summer 8/17/01 - 9/1/01

Shading the Moor
Shakespeare Sedona's Othello 7/13/01 - 8/5/01

This Ends Justifies the Means
Shakespeare Sedona's All's Well That Ends Well 7/20/01 - 8/5/01

A supportive letter from Justin Brooks

A question about audition notices from someone newly arrived from Richmond

A supportive letter from Kari Redfield

A Brown Paper Package, but Missing the String
Scottsdale Community Players' & Greaspaint Youtheatre's The Sound of Music 7/20/01 - 8/5/01

A Guest Critique by Tina Scarpaci
The Sound of Music Step By Step: A Choreographer's Perspective

The Sin Unforgiven
In Mixed Company's Mr. Bundy - 6/28/01 - 7/14/01

The Ensemble Theatre Does Simon Doing Chekhov
The Ensemble Theatre's The Good Doctor - 6/15/01 - 8/19/01

An Unrefined Coward
Theater Works' Blithe Spirit - 6/8/01 - 6/24/01

An Amusing Twist
Valley Youth Theatre's Oliver! - 6/8/01 - 6/24/01

Letter from Popeye8888 concerning my review of Valley Youth Theatre's Oliver!

Letters from Jean Sidden and Ron May concerning the disappearance of my review of Valley Youth Theatre's Oliver!, and response

Letter from Pam Duty concerning my review of Valley Youth Theatre's Oliver!, and response

The Best Show that (Unfortunately) Nobody is Seeing
The Shakespeare Theatre's Titus Andronicus - 6/7/01 - 6/24/01

Letter from Actor/Director/Producer Peter J. Hill concerning my essay My Season of Empathy

A Step in the Right Direction
Black Theatre Troupe's Once On This Island - 6/1/01 - 6/17/01

Why the only winners of the Sexual Revolution were the viruses.
Nearly Naked Theatre's Sexual Perversity in Chicago - 5/25/01 - 6/10/01

As Much Fun as You Can Hope to Find in a British Bedroom
Tempe Little Theatre's Bedroom Farce - 5/25/01 - 6/3/01

Highlighting Great Performances and Paid Sponsors
Phoenix Theatre's I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change - 5/11/01 - 6/3/01

The Perfect Final Bow
Actors Theatre of Phoenix' Blown Sideways Through Life - 5/4/01 - 5/20/01

I'm 'en-er-y the Fourth, I am.
Arizona State University Department of Theatre's Enrico IV - 4/13/01 - 4/29/01

Innocuous Pirates
Desert Foothills Theatre's The Pirates of Penzance - 4/13/01 - 4/21/01

A Better Comedy than a Lecture
Actor's Renaissance Theatre's Bard Variations - 4/6/01 - 4/22/01

Letter from local actress Kim Parmon, concerning my review of Actors' Renaissance Theatre's Bard Variations, and response

Revealing April Fools
April Fools Productions' Shah Guido G. - 3/30/01 - 4/8/01

Letter from local actor Steven Scally concerning my review of A. F. Production's Shah Guido G., and responses

A Bone of Contention
In Mixed Company's Pterodactyls - 3/23/01 - 4/14/01

A Dream Done Right
Southwest Shakespeare Company's A Midsummer Night's Dream - 3/29/01 - 4/7/01

A Tragedy of Slapstick
Phoenix Theatre's The Comedy of Errors - 3/23/01 - 4/8/01

Letter from local actor Peter Good about my review of Phoenix Theatre's Comedy of Errors

Hogan's Heroes with an Arizona Twist
Desert Foothills Theatre's Escape from Papago Park - 3/15/01 - 4/1/01

Letter from Ben Tyler, Desert Foothills Theatre's Managing Director, concerning a second scheduled run for Escape From Papago Park

Tapping Into Dissent
Actors Theatre of Phoenix' The Archbishop's Ceiling - 3/9/01 - 3/25/01

Saved by Innocence and Puppets
Mesa Encore Theatre's Carnival - 3/9/01 - 3/25/01

A Production More Balanced than its Script
Theater League's Jekyll & Hyde - 3/13/01 - 3/18/01

Betrayal in the Cyber-Age
Upstairs Theatre Company's Closer - 2/16/01 - 3/4/01

Battling a Declaration of Independence
Arizona Jewish Theatre Company's Talley's Folly - 2/17/01 - 3/4/01

Six Southern Belles Sittin' Around Drawlin'
Phoenix Theatre's Steel Magnolias - 2/9/01 - 2/25/01

One-and-a-Half Worthwhile One-Acts
Algonquin Theatre Company's Death Defying Acts - 2/9/01 - 2/25/01

Letter from a cast member of Algonquin Theatre Company's Death Defying Acts

21 Actors in Search of a Nap
Scottsdale Community Players' Victor/Victoria - 1/26/01 - 2/18/01

The American Dream(scape)
Actors Theatre of Phoenix' American Safari - 1/26/01 - 2/11/01

1 1/2 Performances, 1/2 a Show
2 1/2 Jews Productions/The Ensemble Theatre's 2 1/2 Jews - 1/19/01 - 2/4/01

Who Needs Keanu and Samuel L.?
Southwest Shakespeare Company's Romeo and Juliet - 1/18/01 - 2/3/01

A Tin Pan Alley Medley of a Life
Theater League's Leader of the Pack: The Ellie Greenwich Musical - 1/16/01 - 1/24/01

The Complete Henry V (Condensed)
The Shakespeare Theatre's Henry V - 1/4/01 - 1/21/01

Waiting Too Long
Black Theatre Troupe's Waiting To Be Invited - 1/4/01 - 1/21/01

Traditional Appeal, Innovatively Presented
Arizona Theatre Company's H.M.S. Pinafore - Tucson: 12/1/00 - 12/16/00, Phoenix: 12/31/00 - 1/28/01

Arise, Ye Prisoners of Reality!
Arizona Jewish Theatre Company's I'm Not Rappaport - 12/30/00 - 1/14/01

Still Crazy After All These Months
Super-Boffo Productions' The Wallace & Ladmo Show - 12/21/00 - 1/7/01

Must I?
Tempe Little Theatre's Catch Me If You Can - 12/8/00 - 12/17/00

Hmmm. This must've been the good version of the script.
America West Airlines Valley Broadway Series' The Scarlet Pimpernel - 12/5/00 - 12/10/01

Sleepwalking through the Holidays
Actors Theatre of Phoenix' A Christmas Carol - 12/2/00 - 12/23/00

Lawng Eyeland Subtlety
In Mixed Company's The Mineola Twins - 12/1/00 - 12/23/00

Genesis Through Rose Colored Glasses
Phoenix Theatre's Children of Eden - 12/1/00 - 12/17/00

In the Spirit of Planet Earth
Nearly Naked Theatre's Salome's Last Dance - 11/25/00 - 12/18/00

A Mid-autumn Night's Sound Design Nightmare
Shakespeare on the River's A Midsummer Night's Dream - 11/16/00 - 11/26/00

A Full Plate from this Table
Arizona Theatre Company's Crumbs From the Table of Joy - 11/11/00 - 11/26/00

God's Favorite, but not mine.
Mesa Encore Theatre's God's Favorite - 11/10/00 - 11/26/00

Sweetness Simon-ized
Arizona Jewish Theatre Company's Romance in D - 11/4/00 - 11/19/00

An Evening Wasted with Tomfoolery
Desert Foothills Theatre's Tomfoolery - 11/5/00 - 11/19/00

The Tragedy of Talent Lost
The Ensemble Theatre's Barrymore - 11/3/00 - 11/18/00

E.L. Doctorow Sings!
America West Airlines Valley Broadway Series' Ragtime - 10/31/00 - 11/12/00

An Emotional Near-Miss
Algonquin Theatre Company's Of Mice and Men - 10/27/00 - 11/12/00

A Flea In His Ear
Scottsdale Community Player's The Ritz - 10/27/00 - 11/12/00

A member of Scottsdale Community Players' The Ritz cast comments on the circumstances of my review

The Lighter Side of Blasphemy
Actors Theatre of Phoenix' The Bible: The Complete Word of God (abridged) - 10/20/00 - 11/12/00

There's Magic in the (Open) Air
Southwest Shakespeare Company's The Tempest - 10/13/00 - 10/29/00

The Ayes of the Beholder
Arizona Theatre Company's ART - 10/5/00 - 10/22/00

God Works in Mysterious Ways
Black Theatre Troupe's Grace and Glorie - 10/5/00 - 10/22/00

Virtually Overplayed
Theater League's Evita - 10/4/00 - 10/11/00

Youth Theatre critique question, and response

"Unflinching gratitude is not typically my style...but"

Two Outta Three Ain't Bad
Actors Renaissance Theater's Cat on a Hot Tin Roof - 9/29/00 - 10/15/00

Interactive Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre, sans Dinner
Theater Works' Musical Comedy Murders of 1940 - 9/15/00 - 10/15/00

To Each His Don Quixote
Phoenix Theater's Man of La Mancha - 9/15/00 - 10/15/00

SPECIAL: A counterpoint guest review from local actor/writer/producer Jackson Fisher of
Phoenix Theater's Man of La Mancha - 9/15/00 - 10/15/00

Half a Heartbreak
Nearly Naked Theatre's 'night, mother - 9/14/00 - 10/7/00

Not quite "a poke in the eye," but not exactly A Walk in the Sky, either.
Scottsdale Community Players' A Walk in the Sky - 9/8/00 - 10/1/00

Updated, But Still Dated: Springer & Starbucks Collide with Simon
Tempe Little Theatre's Barefoot in the Park - 9/8/00 - 9/23/00

Another Voice from the Audience
Ms. Jean Sidden reviews Theater Works' Under Milk Wood

Peter J. Hill explains why no one will dare to review Under Milk Wood, and my response


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