Broadway In Tucson

Went to Newsies opening night and had an absolute blast! Fabulous dancing, acting, and music by the orchestra! Our seats were fabulous — close enough to literally see the actors spit as they were projecting their voices. But the Centennial Hall theater is small enough that seats are probably pretty decent just about anywhere in the theater. I was so impressed with the skill all around — from the actors to the musicians, to the stagehands changing out props and backdrops. A really incredible performance!

I mentioned in my previous review that it really doesn’t matter where you see a Broadway musical as long as the venue is decent. Last night’s performance of Newsies is a great example of that.
Newsies was spectacular! The choreography, the great Alan Menken tunes, and the set made for top-​notch entertainment. Shoot, the set and the tech crew deserve a place as Best Supporting Actor. Truly one of the most innovative and amazing sets I have ever seen. And the other tech marvel, the lighting, was superb.
This just highlights that you should be going to the shows. Get a season pass. The only thing you would be missing is the cost of a plane ticket to New York. Or rather, Noo Yawk. We’ve got it right here in Tucson.

Luck be lady tonight
Luck if you’ve been a lady to begin with
Luck be a lady tonight
What fun hanging out with the wisecracking Guys — Nathan Detroit, Sky Masterson, Nicely Nicely Johnson and Big Jule from Chicago — and Adelaide and the Dolls from «The Hot Box». This classic musical was everything I hoped for. Funny, clever, fast-​paced and gorgeously staged, bringing the streets of New York and clubs of Havana to life at Centennial Hall. The songs/​lyrics were fun. The characters, priceless. I wish I had Big Jule’s signature spin and throw-​of-​the-​dice (he’d removed all the dots, but HE knew where they used to be) on video. I was not alone … the packed opening night audience jumped up in unison at the end with an enthusiastic standing ovation. Well done, Broadway in Tucson!

Extra, extra read all about it… Broadway in Tucson has partnered with Unilocal!Your eyes are not playing tricks on you. You read that correctly, free Broadway shows for Unilocalers and a guest. Isn’t that just the bees knees?!
Make sure you get there on time, as Centennial Hall has a six minute hold once the show begins. Plus, if you get there early, you can grab a beer or wine outside. No alcohol is allowed inside.
Every seat in the theater has a great view. Last year I was way up front for the tango show and recently I was in the Mezzanine/​Balcony for Flashdance. The seats are also wide enough and are nice and cushy for your tushy.
I think this partnership is genius and extremely generous. I can’t wait to see more. Crossing my fingers that they extend the free tickets to the upcoming Alton Brown appearance. And I’m still sulking that I missed Jack Hannah last year.
Afterwards, we were invited to a private party at Wilco with the cast! I was all like, «I’m so fancy»… well as fancy as one can be stuffing her face with those amazing herbed fries!

I’m new to Tucson. Went to Wicked (wicked prices). The production was great as one would expect, BUT the sponsoring Tucson company falls into the fail category for taking care of their customers: the parking traffic control after the event is the worst ie nonexistant! In many other cities, the sponsor spends a few dollars to hire cops for traffic control, especially after events. Broadway in Tucson cheaped it out. Maybe a couple hundred out of their profits is just too much. Avoid unless you can walk blocks to get there.

In the Heights, WOW. I would love to throw out some expletives but let’s keep this PG. I should start with a big thank you to Unilocal (and Corey D!) for hooking it up with free tickets. I wanted to see this show a few years ago when it premiered in Chicago and after watching the documentary about it on PBS. I was bummed I couldn’t see it then but was ecstatic I got to see it last night. The talent in the show was out of this world. It’s great to see the immigrant experience being told/​danced/​sung on stage and it was even better having it done with Latin flair. The rapping flowed effortlessly throughout the show and the lyrics were witty and deep in many moments. So deep I almost missed the little SB1070 jab but it clicked last second and the crowd definitely reacted to it positively. Awesome. No joke my roommate and I were among the minority of audience members under the age of 50. But even with an older crowd the entire audience LOVED the hip-​hop in the show. The story line went through the gamut of emotions and there was never a dull moment; even through scene changes the actors kept the audience captivated. Overall fantastic show and I HIGHLY recommend it to everyone. See this show now!

I WANNA ROCK!!!
and you will too after going to the latest Broadway in Tucson show, Rock of Ages!
Great Sets — Rock Club, Strip Club (with poles and all!!) and the LA Strip.
Great Hits — Whitesnake, Poison, Journey, Twisted Sister, Bön Jovi etc.
Great Performers — Acting, Dancing and real Singers that don’t lipsync!
This show will have you pumping your fist and yelling along so, break out your leather, Aquanet, and eyeliner to re-​live the 80’s!

What was in town, but Rock of Ages… and it definitely was rockin’ the house! Excellent showing, practically a full house! The energy and talent of the group was definitely pulsating through the theatre. I loved the voices and dancing stylings of the entire group. Throughout the show, I was entranced by its choreography, and different characters.
My favorite by far was the character Lonny, who narrated the show, had me in stitches, and made us feel part of the show. The only reason I wouldn’t give it 5 stars (this is a 4−½ star rating personally) is because I’m not an 80’s metal fan but if I was, I definitely would have given the 5 stars! Thank you Unilocal for letting me experience Rock of Ages opening night, you rock! :)
Thank you Broadway in Tucson for bringing some sweet shows to town! :D Love it!

ROCK OF AGES! ROCK OF AGES! KEEP ROLLIN’!
Went to see Rock of Ages on opening night and wow! Talk about an awesome performance. Rock of Ages brought the 80’s Metal scene back and in style. All the performers were amazing and the band really knew how to rock. The metal riffs and big hair vocals were out of this world! Stellar performance and a wonderful tribute to all 80’s metal bands. I would recommend this to a first time show goer and to a off Broadway fanatic.

Shrek is a fart on your friends laughing good time not to be missed.
I had such a blast Tuesday night seeing Shrek on Broadway at Broadway in Tucson.
The actors were talented, props impressive, stage magnificent, and performance outstanding.
I was rather impressed with the overall quality of everything being done, the execution and the stage props were incredible.
The facility has an underwhelming sound system and seating reminiscent of my high school auditorium but the production was so great that even a sound enthusiast like myself could overlook the muffled dialogue and lack of room filling sound.
I feel bad for the ladies because their bathroom line was always backed up no matter when I walked by so if you are woman don’t hold your water too long you have a wait ahead of you.
The drink and snack prices are reasonable as well as the parking.
This was my first stop at Broadway in Tucson but I am sure it won’t be my last.

SHREK: *fart* …oh well, better out than in.
FIONA: (glances at Shrek) *faaaaart*
SHREK: Hm mm mm mm mm *burp*
FIONA: Hm mm mm mm mm *buuuuurp*
After a series of burps and farts, Fiona and Shrek were successful in having a most hilarious burp/​fart off last night, as they performed Shrek the Musical at Broadway in Tucson. I still have the song that went with it ringing in my head, «I think I’ve got you beat, yeah yeah yeah.» And Liz Shivener, who played Fiona, is still in shock that she’s getting paid to fart on stage.
Each of the characters throughout the clever performance kept the audience surprised and laughing. Pinocchio’s nose actually grew each time he lied. Lord Farquaad was convincingly short in stature… sure, Merrit David Janes was on his knees the whole performance, but the yellow leggings and silver boots dancing from his hips were mostly believable and absolutely hysterical. Not to mention, nearly every word that came out of his mouth was laugh-​out-​loud funny. The gingerbread man, Gingy, was adorable. The inflection in his voice kept shifting from super high to super low, yet what I found to be even more amusing was the way his mouth and eyebrows moved! And don’t get me started on the dragon — she was outstanding. She was this giant stuffed animal who gracefully «flew» above the stage. She would close her eyes appropriately, and bat her massive eyelashes. Her eyes magically shifted from yellow to green as she fell in love with Donkey. And then Donkey, with a hint of Eddie Murphy, was quick to speak, hyper, and over the top flamboyant.
Anyway, as much as I appreciated the characters and their costumes, the set was likewise a spectacle. Each piece was cleverly designed. From the life-​size fairy tale books that Shrek and Fiona walked out of, to the ceiling-​high trees that moved to give a lost-​in-​the-​magical-​forest sensation. One of my favorites was the image of the castle interior. The depth in the drawing made it seem like we were really looking inside the castle. Brilliant. There was just one minor glitch with the set… initially they weren’t able to get the backdrop of the castle exterior to slide down all the way. It was kind of one of those moments where the audience starts to cringe out of pity. Luckily, Shrek and Donkey saved the mistake. As Shrek cocked his head up to the castle, which at this point was dangling in mid-​air, he recited, «Look Donkey, a castle!» Donkey enthusiastically went with it. I just about died laughing, and the whole situation became amusing.
Some additional shout-​outs…
+ The four knights that the dragon kept as backup singers sounded slick together.
+ The scene with the three Fionas was neato. They managed to pull it off, and with smooth transitions.
+ The tap dancing rats were freaking awesome.
+ The sassy three blind mice (with Donkey) did a great job at singing the catchy «You’ve gotta make a move.»
+ The decked out ogre costume was spot on. How the hay did Fiona transform so quickly at the end? Within seconds, she was green and chubby with ogre ears popping out of her hair.
To top the show, all the freaks let their freak flags fly as they had a mass dance party to «I’m a Believer.» Mama bear’s deep mama voice blew me away, and the three plump pigs cracked me up as they danced. Overall, it was a very well done performance, with a well-​designed set, and super fun characters. Oh, and way to get the audience involved with the cheer manipulation and «awww» cue cards. Yep, good show. Thanks Unilocal

Wow…“Shrek the Musical” presented by Broadway in Tucson was remarkable!!! Once again, Broadway in Tucson brought a world-​class production to our town, and this time their entertaining production of this Dreamworks Animation classic had something to offer nearly every member of the family. It’s a must-​see, and you have to hurry because the show runs only to 23 October. If you do go, prepare to be completely amazed!
If you think Shrek is a show mainly for children, then you would be missing out on an incredible performance. The comedic acting, the talented singing, the incredible stagecraft, and underlying love story has something to offer everyone in the family! I watched this show with friends, and we had so much fun! We could not stop laughing, watching the lovable antics of Shrek, Donkey, Fiona, and Lord Farquaad. Kids will enjoy the colorful land of «Far Far Away» brought to life before their very eyes, complete with cute fairy tale creatures and funny dialogue.
I can honestly say that it was a magical experience. I don’t know how they made the Gingerbread Man talk or change facial expressions, or how four puppeteers can make the dragon come so alive, and I am still curious on how Princess Fiona transformed into an ogre within seconds on Stage, or how Pinocchio grew his nose. If you go and have an explanation, please let me know… or better yet, don’t. Let me continue to think of it as pure magic.
It was a sensational, high-​energy show. The actors sang and danced their way into our hearts. A cheerful standing ovation from the audience concluded the performance. Thank you, Unilocal and Broadway in Tucson for such a memorable experience!

It aint easy being green, a bipolar princess, an amputee gingerbread boy or a wooden one! But hey, all’s-well-that-ends well for the big green Ogre and his supporting cast of «Freaks». Shrek the Musical was AWESOME! I felt the movie was beautifully transformed into the live show, and the laughs didn’t stop. I’m still chuckling remembering scenes of exploding birds, fart & burp contests, and pretty much everything Lord Farquaad said and did.
So, for the main characters, Shrek was fantastic, delivering a great performance both in his singing, humor, and just being that big-​green-​lug we all fell in love with in the movie. True to the movies, Donkey was soooo funny, and the actor even sounded a LOT like Eddie Murphy, hitting his mark every time, and also delivering on his singing chops as well.
I loved all the Fionas, each had a great voice and the transitions between them were really cool — we are still trying to figure out how the transformation was done in the end when suddenly Fiona was an ogre. Lord Farquaad had me and the girls cracking up, and I was so impressed that the actor spent so much time on his knees. I loved pretty much all the supporting characters as well, the Gingerbread Boy, Pinocchio, and the Witch stood out for me.
The costumes and sets were really cool, the singing SPECTACULAR, great comedic relief, happy fully engaged and entertained kiddos — a great time all around!
Thank you Broadway in Tucson! AND Thank you Unilocal/​Corey D!!!

A fan indeed! Blown away by their most recent showing… West Side Story? No. Everything felt sort of «young” — the actors, the scenic design, even the lighting design didn’t have much going on. However I applaud Broadway in Tucson for bringing this classic to town. It’s certainly not your typical happy-​go-​lucky musical, but it was solid all in all and I was thrilled that place was packed on opening night for their season opener! Best part of the experience, checking in on Unilocal earned you an iTunes gift card. Music to my ears! That’s not the case at every show so don’t rush to Shrek and think the same ;). But rush to Shrek, it should be a good one!

Thanks to Unilocal for giving me free tickets to this event! I had never seen «West Side Story» and after seeing «Wicked» I was somewhat disappointed. The show started at 7:30pm and around 9:30pm my entire row looked like they were looking through the program for when the intermission would happen. When it finally happened, I bolted for the bathroom and I heard women inside saying the movie was not even as long at the first act. The show ended around 10:30pm which was a definite con on a week night. I saw some people even get up and leave before the performance ended because of this.
I have to say the set and costumes were beautifully done. The orchestra was on point but some of the singing was too pitchy.
Overall a good performance and definitely worth seeing this classic. I just wouldn’t sit through a Titanic long performance again.

I recently went to see Burn the Floor, courtesy of CMYE and I am so grateful! I now know about the great shows that Broadway in Tucson brings to our city each year. I’ve actually bought show tickets for my parents in the past as gifts, but this was the first time I’d been myself.
Burn the Floor was an amazing show, so many different numbers and styles — each performance was something different!
We were able to see everything from our seats and didn’t miss a spin or twirl. The only disappointing fact is that this show was only in Tucson for a few days!
If you get a chance to go to future productions, you won’t regret it. We’re already planning when we’ll go see some of the shows coming up next season.

Phenomenal. Amazing. Wonderful. Outstanding. These are just a few of the adjectives that come to mind when I reminisce about Burn the Floor.
I expected to see stellar dancing with beautiful costumes and excellent technique. The production definitely delivered on that. These are phenomenal dancers. The choreography, stage, lighting, everything was exceptional. What I didn’t expect was the live percussion and vocalists. Amazing. Seriously folks, amazing. It was such a nice little surprise that pulled the whole production together. I mean WOW!
My 2 favorite parts: The Waltz — elegant, beautiful and magical. The kind of scene that brings tears to your eyes. The Latin Quarter — passionate, sexy, sultry and full of attitude. Just what Latin dancing should be. Fantastico!
How great to have this kind of talent perform in T-​town!