Deus Ex Machina’s “Dream Scream”

Most art spaces in this town feel like solid, real world places, built out of the stuff of waking life. Safe places where the art is caged on walls lik e docile zoo animals and can’t get close enough to take a swipe at your face. Walking into Deus Ex…

Agnes of God at Desert Stages Gives Birth to a Great Performance

The debate raging through John Pielmeier’s Agnes of God concerns the veracity of miracles and the possibility of virgin birth. In a series of monologues and flashbacks, it tells a story that’s often ambiguous and deliberately vague. But in its Desert Stages production, one thing is very clear: The young…

Scorpius Dance Theatre’s Catwalk Is Model Perfect Until the End

Scorpius Dance Theatre is known for several things: sensual movements, innovative choreography and Artistic Director/Choreographer Lisa Starry’s creativity in designing shows that appeal to a broad audience. Last night’s performance of Catwalk is no exception. Modeled (no pun intended) after a haute couture fashion show, Catwalk incorporates rock music and…

Stray Cat’s Twelfth Night of the Living Dead Is Lifeless

Audience members who attend Stray Cat Theatre’s current show can buy $5 ponchos before entering the playhouse. The ponchos are meant to protect the clothing of those sitting in the first few rows from being spattered with the fake gore that is the real star of this worthless one-act. Unfortunately,…

Phoenix Improv Community Scores a New Home in Central Phoenix

Homeless no more. Starting May 1, the downtown Phoenix-area improv community, which has really blossomed over the past few years, will have its own digs. The venue, which will most likely be called The Torch Theatre, is an approximately 1,400-square-foot space located at Central Avenue and Highland. Once they get…