Archive

Old Pueblo Playwrights New Play Festival

APR   2 OPP NEW PLAY FESTIVAL THURS OPENING NIGHT 7 pm “HOA Blues” by Debra Vassallo APR   3 SECON D NIGHT  7 pm “AI AI O” by Mel Hector APR   4 SAT. MATINEE 2 pm “CLUTCH” by Liisa Rose  (11:03) “WHAT A TRIP” by Leslie Powell  (10:57) “CHANGE” by Leslie Powell  (14 Min) “MOVING DAY” by Kristen Kallen-Keck   (13 min,) APR   4 THIRD NIGHT 7 pm “The Chemo Lounge” by John Vornholt APR   5  EASTER  CLOSING NIGHT 7 pm “Don’t Feed the Troll” by Adrian Cory APR   6  RECAP OF THE 2026 FESTIVAL

YOU’VE GOTTA HAVE HART

Long time friends and collaborators, Armen Dirtadian (Gaslight Theatre favorite) and Betsy Kruse Craig (Managing Artistic Director at Invisible Theatre), with the amazing DANIEL “SLY” SLIPETSKY, bring the Great American Songbook to life! These incredible entertainers will have you singing along as they perform some of the most iconic songs ever written! Your ears will be treated to music by Cole Porter, George and Ira Gershwin and Rodgers and Hart – they really don’t write them like this anymore. These songs of love will leave you tapping your toes and humming in your seat!  November 19th, 7:30pm

THE REAL MACHIAVELLI

by Monica Bauer

FEBRUARY 8TH, SUN., 2:00PM: THE REAL MACHIALVELLI BY MONICA BAUER Continuing our commitment to being avid supporters of new work, our Women’s Voices Series is back for 25-26! Niccola Machiavelli:  Josh Parra

RICHARD GLAZIER: FROM BROADWAY TO HOLLYWOOD

Join pianist and historian Richard Glazier as he weaves together interviews, piano performances, and commentary to create a unique view of Broadway and Hollywood through music. Glazier explores the history of the great music that has been written for Broadway musicals and Hollywood films and television, sharing his lifetime love of each.

BROADWAY BARBARA’S HOLIDAY SPECTACULAR

Broadway Barbara, the stage legend, social media sensation (@BroadwayBarbaraOfficial), and subtly understated international entertainment titan, makes her triumphant Tucson, Arizona debut! Barbara’s sliding down your chimney with a sackful of holiday tunes and unbelievable showbiz tales – for a one-of-a-kind holiday extravaganza packed with yuletide cheer. Give yourself the gift that keeps on giving, and witness the ultimate Christmas miracle: Broadway Barbara, live in Tucson Saturday, December 13th at 7:30pm Sunday, December 14th at 2:00pm

The Cake

by Bekah Brunstetter

A North Carolina baker is torn when a young woman she helped raise asks her to bake her same-sex wedding cake.

Ken Ludwig's Moriarty

by Ken Ludwig

Sherlock Holmes's greatest nemesis takes center stage.

Constellations

by Nick Payne

A beekeeper and a physicist's relationship plays out across parallel universes.

Inside Out: Men Behind Bars

by Created by the incarcerated men of FCI Tucson

A documentary-theatre work built from the original writings and voices of incarcerated men at FCI Tucson.

Incident at Our Lady of Perpetual Help

by Katie Forgette

It's 1973, and the O'Shea family faces a crisis of biblical proportions when a "birds and the bees" talk is overheard by the parish priest. Holy hell and hilarity break loose.

Oh, Coward!

by Devised by Roderick Cook; words & music by Noël Coward

A sparkling musical revue of Noël Coward's songs and sketches — dry-as-a-martini wit for four performers and a piano.

SIZZLING SUMMER SOUNDS-Featuring Sarah Tolar

Sarah Tolar: From New York City to the Sonoran Desert – A Journey in Song Step into a world where the pulse of New York City meets the soul of the desert night. Join acclaimed jazz vocalist Sarah Tolar for an unforgettable evening of music, memory, and transformation. With a voice that shimmers like Manhattan’s skyline and sways like a desert breeze, Sarah takes you on a sonic journey from the fast-paced avenues of NYC to the wide-open skies of the Sonoran Desert. Blending sophisticated jazz arrangements with evocative storytelling, this performance is more than a concert. Expect reimagined standards, sultry originals, and unexpected twists that trace Sarah’s bold leap from the Big Apple to the Big Cactus. Backed by a stellar ensemble of jazz musicians, Sarah Tolar: From New York City to the Sonoran Desert – A Journey in Song is a musical migration filled with grit, grace, and groove. Whether you’re a longtime jazz lover or a curious traveler of sound, prepare to be transported—no passport required.

SIZZLING SUMMER SOUNDS-Featuring Liz Cracchiolo

Velvet & Vino: Cool Sounds of the ’60s is a sultry, tribute to the iconic women of mid-century jazz. Featuring the timeless music of Julie London, Peggy Lee, and their era-defining peers, this concert pairs sophisticated swing with vintage cool. Join jazz vocalist Liz Cracchiolo and her band for an evening of lush melodies, smoky grooves, and that unmistakable 1960s vibe—served up with a full pour of elegance, nostalgia, and a touch of sass.

SIZZLING SUMMER SOUNDS-Featuring Joe Bourne

Get ready for a dazzling night of timeless tunes and smooth sophistication as we celebrate the legendary voices and brilliant minds behind the music that shaped generations. Great Gentlemen of Swing, Blues, and Pop is a thrilling live jazz performance paying tribute to the iconic male vocalists and composers who defined the golden eras of American music.Whether you’re swaying to a smoky blues ballad or snapping along to a big band swing, Great Gentlemen of Swing, Blues, and Pop promises a night of elegance, emotion, and musical excellence. Let the legacy live on—one note at a time.

TRUTH

by Marilyn Harris Kriegel

The Invisible Theatre presents, through the generous support of Dr. Bella Eibensteiner, RUTH by Marilyn Harris Kriegel. This is the third and final offering in Invisible Theatre’s Women’s Voices play reading series produced by Fred Rodriguez and Susan Claassen. TRUTH, starring Maedell Dixon*, Susie Cookie Baker, Eric Anson,  Joe L. Smith is a fast-paced suspenseful drama. Directed by Susan Claassen.  It  takes place in Paris in the first decade of the 21st century when the United States, shocked by 9/11 struggles to protect itself from further attack. It is in this context that fiction writer and former activist Maggie Leeds arrives in Paris, jet lagged and disoriented, from a long flight, to visit to her son and his new wife. It’s entirely unclear from the shreds of her bizarre travel tale whether she is just a muddled, confused woman, a national security risk or something far darker. Andrew, her adult, expatriate son, blocks any attempts at opening the door to her confusion while his intrepid French wife, Martine, risks her marriage and her Mother-in-law’s safety to discover “la verite”, the truth. * Maedell Dixon appears through the courtesy of Actors’ Equity Association

SMALL DOMESTIC ACTS

by Joan Lipkin

This is the second offering in Invisible Theatre’s Women’s Voices play reading series, made possible in part through the generous support of Dr. Bella Eibensteiner, produced and directed by Fred Rodriguez and Susan Claassen. Part Brecht, part Pirandello and part day time drama, SMALL DOMESTIC ACTS starring Sean Hazen, Haley Jaeger, Lori Hunt, Meagan Jones and Dante Crossroad, is the story of a working class heterosexual couple and a lesbian couple who become friends over beer and poker. Problems quickly become apparent in both relationships as the characters turn to each other and the audience for support and try to search for greater understanding. When the two couples come to the theatre to tell their unconventional story, the thin line between past and present becomes blurred while the issues of sexual identity, relationships, family and gender roles are deconstructed. PLEASE NOTE: Mature Subject Matter and Language

SWEET SPOT By Germaine Shames (Part of the WOMEN’S VOICES PLAY READING SERIES)

In the segregated, elitist world of 1950s amateur lawn tennis, two outsiders — one an African-American, and the other a Jewish Englishwoman — join forces to dominate centre court and revolutionize the sport. Althea Gibson and Angela Buxton were not only unbeatable doubles partners but lifelong friends and two barrier-breaking female champions. Their example has much to teach us today about overcoming discrimination and transcending personal tragedy. SWEET SPOT explores their climb to the peak of their sport, decline into relative obscurity and coming-to-terms through the power of a singular friendship.

MOLS AND SUZ TOGETHER AGAIN

ONE NIGHT ONLY! An Invisible Theatre Fundraising Event. Very Few Tickets Left!!The “Dynamic Duo” of Molly McKasson and Susan Claassen performed together as the comedy and improv group “Mols and Suz” throughout the mid 1970’s and 1980’s. This one night only performance will feature reminiscences and iconic scenes from decades ago that are as hilarious and relevant today. as when originally performed.

WINSTON CHURCHILL: MAN OF THE CENTURY

WINSTON CHURCHILL: MAN OF THE CENTURY Written and Performed by Randy Otto at the Berger Performing Arts Center From birth to death and beyond…a biographic masterpiece. Journey with Winston from his 18th Century upbringing, through careers as a soldier, journalist, politician, and statesman then ultimately exploring Churchill’s lasting legacy of leadership and its meaning to us in the 21st Century. Randy Otto brings Churchill to life in a tour-de-force performance.

TEVYE IN NEW YORK

TEVYE IN NEW YORK Written and Performed by Tom Dugan Directed by JP Hubbell At the Berger Performing Arts Center Tevye In New York picks up where the original stories left off. Follow Tevye as he fights for his piece of the American dream in the crowded streets of Manhattan’s lower East Side in 1914. Tevye’s humor takes us through high tech advances like automobiles, electricity and the most curious contraption of all, the telephone! Tevye In New York! is a tale filled with laughter, heartbreak, and joy as Tevye the irrepressible dairyman tries to balance tradition with what it means to be an American Jew.

Aren’t You…?

Several years ago, Fred found himself on a mission to explore every California Mission. What started out as a ‘geek’s road trip’ became an examination of his fellow tourists and Mission personnel. Some were experts on the Catholic Church, a few experts on Native American history, and others are experts on…everything else. Yet, they all seem to have one thing in common: they are all experts on which famous black person Fred resembles. We are excited to have the Patronatus Society as our community partner for this production. Patronato San Xavier funds and directs ethical conservation, conducts scientific research, and conveys the significance of Mission San Xavier del Bac, a National Historic Landmark, in the community of Wa:k, part of the Tohono O’odham Nation. PSX is a non-sectarian, non-denominational 501(c)(3) and does not receive sustaining support from any government or religious organization.

What the Constitution Means to Me

by Heidi Schreck

A woman revisits her teenage debate-champion self across four generations of women and the U.S. Constitution.

Birds of North America

by Anna Ouyang Moench

A father and daughter birdwatch over the years as their relationship shifts.

Almost, Maine

by John Cariani

On one cold, clear winter night in a town so far north it's almost not in the United States, the residents of Almost, Maine fall in and out of love in unexpected and hilarious ways.

The Garbologists

by Lindsay Joelle

A blue-collar veteran and an Ivy-educated newbie are thrown together in the cab of a New York City garbage truck — and discover there's more that binds them than the trash they collect.

Hopscotch to Infinity

by Alejandro Canelos

A warm-hearted return to childhood through the "peeps" of Plinkett Elementary.

Woody’s Order!

Woody was eight when he asked his parents for a sibling, the only way a bright, nonverbal, cerebral palsied boy could – he pointed to Mom’s tummy and Dad’s lap. The result: Ann – an actress/ comedian torn between her Broadway career (playing Elizabeth Taylor’s daughter) and being her brother’s loving caregiver. How do you live your own life when you’re “Woody’s Order”?

Going It Alone

GOING IT ALONE is a collection of monologues by local playwrights celebrating the unique challenge of writing for a solo performer and performing solo! Solo performance is a unique experience for the actor, the playwright and the audience! Actors take the stage alone and must singularly engage the audience. For the playwright, the challenge is in creating a fully realized rich narrative within the confines of a short monologue. The Invisible Theatre has a rich history presenting this art form having produced the first GOING IT ALONE series decades ago. 11 original monologues will be presented with their only common theme being that they are monologues.

The Shadow of Her Smile

Award-winning, four-time Broadway veteran, Ann Talman makes her debut at The Playhouse with a special and personal performance, Elizabeth Taylor and The Shadow of her Smile. Talman portrayed Elizabeth Taylor’s daughter on Broadway in The Little Foxes, beginning their lifelong friendship that lasted for the rest of Taylor’s life. The Shadow of Her Smile is an evening of story and song about Ann and Elizabeth’s amazing bond, filled with hilarious and touching stories that only Ann can tell, and woven with classic Broadway and Great American Songbook gems. “Ann‘s imitation of Elizabeth is so spot on, if you close your eyes, you’ll swear they’re together again!”

Come Fly With Me

Wendy Sue Knecht always had a passion for travel, even as a little girl. After pursuing her degree at the University of Arizona, she became a flight attendant for the world’s most iconic airline, Pan Am. Her rich and amazing career included many humorous adventures, observations, and life lessons. Her story is a mix of hilarious, seat gripping moments, and inspiring tales of heroism. A love of writing compelled her to share her story of an era like no other in aviation history.

A Conversation With Edith Head

Susan Claassen, along with Host Stuart Moulton, stars in her internationally acclaimed award-winning portrayal of legendary costume designer, Edith Head, winner of eight Oscars®. Hollywood’s golden age comes to life in an evening of wit, wisdom, and a whisper of gossip!

Hedy! The Life & Inventions of Hedy Lamarr

Hedy Lamarr, glamorous siren of the silver screen, was more than ‘The Most Beautiful Woman in the World.” She invented Frequency-Hopping Spread Spectrum Technology that makes the world of wireless communication tick. From Austria to Hollywood, WWII, torpedoes, ecstasy, and intrigue to the very cell phone in your pocket, she was there! Heather Massie enchants the audience as Hedy Lamarr and unearths the truth behind how a glamorous Hollywood film star could create an invention which launched today’s wireless technology revolution!

I Love to Eat

by James Still

A one-man comedy spent in the Greenwich Village kitchen of the eccentric "father of American cooking," chef James Beard.

Dear Jack, Dear Louise

by Ken Ludwig

A poignant WWII-era epistolary romance between an Army captain and an aspiring actress — based on the courtship of the playwright's own parents.

Unbossed and Unbowed

by Ingrid Griffith

An award-winning solo biographical play about Shirley Chisholm, the first African-American congresswoman and presidential candidate.

The Bookstore

by Adam Szymkowicz

The future of a whimsical, magical bookstore hangs in the balance after its owner dies and leaves the shop to her niece.

From Broadway to Hollywood

by Richard Glazier

Pianist-storyteller Richard Glazier's multimedia musical journey through the great American songbook, concluding with Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue.

Thriller of the Year

by Glyn Jones

A crime novelist faces a series of murder attempts that mirror the methods in her own award-winning book.

The Lifespan of a Fact

by Jeremy Kareken, David Murrell & Gordon Farrell

A zealous young fact-checker, a celebrated essayist, and their editor wrestle over where truth ends and art begins.

Red Hot Patriot: The Kick-Ass Wit of Molly Ivins

by Margaret Engel & Allison Engel

A one-woman portrait of the unsinkable, famously brassy Texas newspaper columnist Molly Ivins.

Wiesenthal

by Tom Dugan

The riveting true story of Simon Wiesenthal, the ordinary man who became the world's most famous Nazi hunter.

The Sabbath Girl

by Cary Gitter

A contemporary romantic comedy with an old-fashioned heart — about big-city loneliness, the surprise of another culture, and finding love next door.

Billie! Backstage with Lady Day

by Synthia L. Hardy

An NAACP Award-winning musical journey through the life of Billie Holiday, from "God Bless the Child" to "Strange Fruit."

Small Mouth Sounds

by Bess Wohl

Six city escapees embark on a silent woods retreat — a compassionate, often wordless comedy about facing life's biggest questions.

Now and Then

by Sean Grennan

A mysterious older gentleman offers a young bartender and his girlfriend a thousand dollars each just to sit and talk for one hour — and changes their lives.

Last Train to Nibroc

by Arlene Hutton

December 1940: May shares a train seat with a charming young flyer, Raleigh, beginning a journey of family differences, emotional struggle, and ultimately love.

Texas in Paris

by Alan Govenar

Based on true events: a Black man and a white woman, invited from Texas to perform in France, forge a surprising spiritual bond through song.

Becoming Dr. Ruth

by Mark St. Germain

The remarkable journey of Dr. Ruth Westheimer — from fleeing the Nazis on the Kindertransport to becoming America's most famous sex therapist.

From Brooklyn to Broadway

by Steve Solomon

The author and star of one of Broadway's longest-running one-man comedies brings two dozen oddball characters to life.

The Absolute Brightness of Leonard Pelkey

by James Lecesne

A hard-boiled detective pieces together the disappearance of an irrepressible queer teenager — and the indelible mark he left on a small town.

The Busy World Is Hushed

by Keith Bunin

Faith, love and loss collide when an Episcopal minister, the young academic she hires to ghost-write her book, and her wayward son are drawn into a charged triangle.

Zero Hour

by Jim Brochu

Jim Brochu's solo tour-de-force as the larger-than-life actor and blacklist survivor Zero Mostel.

Dancing Lessons

by Mark St. Germain

A young man on the autism spectrum hires a Broadway dancer for a single lesson, and an unlikely connection begins.

20th Century Blues

by Susan Miller

Four women who meet once a year for a photograph reckon with friendship, aging and memory across four decades.