Invisible Theatre News

Righto, love: A whole lot of deducting going on www.tucsoncitizen.com ® : Righto, love: A whole lot of deducting going on CHUCK GRAHAM Published: 12.06.2007 What will it be? Revenge or forgiveness? Seeking revenge surely makes for better theater. Check out the mind games in "The Business of Murder" by Richard Harris. This ingenious whodunit shifts into a howdunit before reaching its resolution as a whydunit. Invisible Theatre has turned to secular counter-programming for the holidays by coming up with this crisp production directed by James Blair. The subject is murder, but the active ingredient is cleverness. If you love to watch a good mystery unfold onstage, if you enjoy staying at least one jump ahead of the playwright, this show is for you. It is written in the grand old tradition of Agatha Christie, with a whole lot of deducting going on. The story takes place in London, in the relatively modern time of 1981. The one-room set does include a telly that is turned on now a

Tucson Weekly : Arts : Intriguing Theater PUBLISHED ON DECEMBER 6, 2007: Intriguing Theater IT's 'The Business of Murder' is an impeccable play By JAMES REEL As audience members take their seats before the start of The Business of Murder at Invisible Theatre, Bernard Herrmann's music for various Alfred Hitchcock movies plays in the background. This is an important clue: Hitchcock was a master of psychological thrillers, not Agatha Christie-style whodunits, and it's a psychological duel that's about to play out on the IT stage. The Business of Murder is a 1981 play by Richard Harris, not the late actor but a prolific British television writer who specialized in crime and detective teleplays. TV shows can open up and go on location, but plays are necessarily limited in their settings, unless the producers have a large budget or a very imaginative director and audience. Harris makes the most of the constricted theater, capitalizing on the claustrophobic atmosphere

Mitchell is a must-see in Invisible Theatre's whodunit www.azstarnet.com ® : Published: 11.30.2007 Mitchell is a must-see in Invisible Theatre's whodunit By Kathleen Allen ARIZONA DAILY STAR Pay attention. Pay very close attention. In the first scene of the first act of "The Business of Murder," which Invisible Theatre opened Wednesday, about everything you need to know to solve the mystery is revealed to you. Still, we're willing to bet you'll miss it. That's what makes this genre, and this Richard Harris play, so much fun — it keeps you guessing, even as the clues are hidden in plain view. The play — which IT first staged 17 years ago — is a pretty standard cat-and-mouse story. Mr. Stone lures the detective, Hallett, to his apartment under false pretenses. And he lures Dee, the married Hallett's lover, there, too. It seems he's setting them up, but for what? And why? Playing Stone is Douglas Mitchell, who is fairly new to the Old Pueblo. He is an

Tucson Theatre Announcements List: Tucson: The Invisible Theatre Presents THE BUSINESS OF MURDER From: CATHY JOHNSON [mailto:cathyj@flash.net] Sent: Wednesday, November 28, 2007 1:32 PMSubject: The Invisible Theatre Presents THE BUSINESS OF MURDER Mention you saw this announcement on TTA and receive a special discount on your ticket price!! “Welcome to a thriller that achieves it all…” - London Times THE BUSINESS OF MURDER By Richard Harris Directed by James Blair Through the generous support of Dr. Robert and Sandy Maxfield WHEN: November 28 – December 16, 2007 WHERE: The Invisible Theatre (1400 N. First Avenue at Drachman) TICKETS: Ticket Price: $16 - $25 per person Call (520) 882-9721 for reservations and information Discounts available for groups of 10 or more SHOW DATES: Preview on November 27th at 7:30 pm = $16.00 Wednesdays & Thursdays at 7:30 pm = $22.00 Fridays & Saturdays at 8:00 pm = $25.00 Sunday matinees at 3:00 pm = $25.00 RUSH TICKETS: One half-hour prior to curt

'Business of Murder' is suspenseful and full of twists www.azstarnet.com ® : Published: 11.23.2007 'Business of Murder' is suspenseful and full of twists By Kathleen Allen ARIZONA DAILY STAR It's autumn in London, the early 1980s. A man by the name of Stone has asked the police detective, John Hallett, to help set his son straight — he's selling drugs, and he's in serious trouble, says Stone. And so begins "The Business of Murder," a suspense-filled story with more twists than San Francisco's Lombard Street. "I love this genre," says James Blair, who is directing the production for Invisible Theatre. "I like the old English mysteries that are a little claustrophobic. Something's familiar about them, but something's off." And there's definitely something off about this Richard Harris story. And compelling — it ran in London for nine years. That doesn't surprise Blair. "It's just very intelligently wri

Tucson Theatre Announcements List: Tucson: Invisible Theatre presents THE NIGERIAN SPAM SCAM SCAM From: CATHY JOHNSON [mailto:cathyj@flash.net] Sent: Tuesday, October 16, 2007 1:22 PMSubject: Invisible Theatre presents THE NIGERIAN SPAM SCAM SCAM The Invisible Theatre presents THE NIGERIAN SPAM SCAM SCAM By Dean Cameron ARIZONA PREMIERE Three Performances Only! $25 Mention this e-mail to buy tickets for half price! October 18 at 7:30 pm October 19 at 8:00 pm October 20 at 8:00 pm “Please help me! I am beneficiary to a fortune of 30 million dollars!!!” You’ve seen something like that in at least one e-mail a week. You’ve deleted it immediately or you’ve read it and wondered what was going on. Actor Dean Cameron did not delete the e-mail but instead began corresponding with one of the scammers. What results is an innovative and award winning theatrical event! “Screamingly funny…” - Los Angeles Times Please Call 882-9721 for Reservations Invisible Theatre 1400 N. First Avenue (at Drachman

Do not delete this 'Nigerian Spam Scam Scam' www.azstarnet.com ® Published: 10.12.2007 Do not delete this 'Nigerian Spam Scam Scam' By Levi J. Long ARIZONA DAILY STAR When Dean Cameron got an e-mail from a Nigerian con artist, the actor didn't immediately trash the forwarded scam letter. Instead, Cameron turned the tables on the con man, wrote him back and turned nine months worth of e-mails into "The Nigerian Spam Scam Scam," a comedy detailing the unusual correspondence. After more than 150 national and international shows, Tucson audiences can get a glimpse at the curious e-mail messages that make up "The Nigerian Spam Scam Scam," opening Thursday for a three-night run at The Invisible Theatre. In the spirit of the play, the Star conducted its interview through a chat program with Cameron from his Los Angeles home. Why did you decide to write the play based on the e-mail? "Initially, I'd just been sending the e-mails to friends. After

Tucson Weekly : Arts : My Nigerian Partner PUBLISHED ON OCTOBER 11, 2007: My Nigerian Partner Actor Dean Cameron tells how he managed to scam a spam scammer By JAMES REEL Dean Cameron and Victor Isaac in The Nigerian Spam Scam Scam. You get one almost every day: an e-mail from a stranger requesting an "urgent business relationship." The sender, a barrister or the widow or orphan of some deceased African strongman, needs help moving millions of dollars from a threatened bank account into the United States. A remarkably large percentage of it can be yours, if you open a U.S. account, put some of your own money in it and help facilitate the wire transfer. In the immortal lyrics of Monty Python, "Spam, spam, spam, spam ..." It's the inescapable "4-1-9" scam (named after the Nigerian statute that, ineffectively, outlawed it), a descendant of the good old "Spanish Prisoner" con. A few people fall for it and get bilked out of hundreds or thousands

Tucson Weekly : Arts : Love as Salvation PUBLISHED ON SEPTEMBER 27, 2007: Love as Salvation Jim Brochu and Steve Schalchlin share their hilarious and touching story at Invisible Theatre By JAMES REEL Jim Brochu and James Schalchlin in "The Big Voice: God or Merman?" Now, here's a real odd couple. Jim is an extroverted Brooklyn Catholic who, as a boy, dreamed of becoming pope, mainly because he liked the clothes. Steve is an introverted Arkansas Baptist who, as a boy, toyed with the idea of evangelism until he learned that queers aren't welcome at the seminary, even if they never stray far from the closet. Jim grew up going to Broadway shows starring the likes of Laurence Olivier and Vivian Leigh. Steve once saw a dinner-theater production featuring Bob Crane. Jim and Steve meet on a cruise--in the Bermuda Triangle, aboard the sister ship of the Andrea Doria. Surely, the relationship has about as much of a chance of success as Ethel Merman did when she tried to sing q

'The Big Voice' speaks volumes to audiences - WildLife 'The Big Voice' speaks volumes to audiences play review By: Elizabeth M. Holder Posted: 9/27/07 It's amazing how you can find someone, that significant other, in the most unlikely of circumstances. Who could have known that a Roman Catholic boy from Brooklyn and a Baptist boy from Arkansas would one day meet on a cruise ship in the Atlantic Ocean? Jim Brochu and Steve Schalchlin never anticipated their chance meeting, their eventual life partnership and the creation of "The Big Voice: God or Merman?" But now they definitely have an inspirational life together and an astounding show that everyone should see in Tucson while they still can. Where some two-person shows may feature one actor and use the other to play a supporting role, this musical equally showcases two talented actors and their unique life experiences. "The Big Voice" Invisible Theatre 5 stars!!! Through Oct. 7 1400 N. First Ave.

Tucson Citizen review 09.27.2007 by Chuck Graham Tucson Citizen

AZ Star Review 070921 by Kathy Allen Arizona Daily Star

Tucson Theatre Announcements List: Tucson: Invisible Theatre to host LA's award-winning Charles Phoenix From: BELSUZ@aol.com [mailto:BELSUZ@aol.com] Sent: Thursday, June 28, 2007 9:18 AMSubject: IT July 1 My Dear "Funny" Friends,On July 1 at 3 PM an extraordinary humorist and entertainer is coming to Tucson. That's right, the Invisible Theatre will host LA's award-winning Charles Phoenix. You ask ... Who is Charles Phoenix? From the kitsch to the classic, Charles Phoenix loves to celebrate mid-century design and culture. His passion combined with his thrift shop-found vintage 40s, 50s, and 60s slides developed into crowd-and-critic-pleasing live slide show performances. SRO audiences on both coasts are delighted by Phoenix’s unique ability to point out the hysterical and historical, the ironic and the iconic “He joyfully mines America’s past through its fashion and design…” â€" New York Times"Our most favorite cultural anthropologist!" â€&

Tucson Theatre Announcements List: Tucson: Sizzling Summer Sounds at Invisible Theatre From: Suz [mailto:invisibletheatre@email.com] Sent: Friday, June 01, 2007 3:39 PMSubject: Sizzling Summer Sounds at Invisible Theatre IT's Coming ...Tucson's Original Cabaret Series!Sizzling Summer Sounds!Starting June 14. Click here for information: http://www.invisibletheatre.com/html/sizzling_summer_sounds.html ACT NOW by calling (520) 882-9721$25 with Discounts Available Don't forget to make your dinner reservation at Pastiche 3025 North Campbell520 325-3333 http://pasticheme.com/ Invisible Theatre 1400 North First Avenue (at Drachman) Tucson AZ 85719

Tucson Theatre Announcements List: Tucson: Invisible Theatre presents SWIMMING IN THE SHALLOWS From: Suz [mailto:invisibletheatre@email.com] Sent: Tuesday, May 08, 2007 2:45 PMSubject: Invisible Theatre Event The Invisible Theatre presents the hilarious, SWIMMING IN THE SHALLOWS. This quirky and mad-cap comedy, directed by Joy Hawkins, stars William Hubbard, Christopher Johnson, Molly McKasson, Sarah MacMillan, Victoria McGee and Jeffrey Scotland. It revolves around six friends who try to find the meaning of existence while negotiating their way through the tricky world of love. This is a contemporary look at heterosexual relationships, gay marriage and everything in-between! Please call 882-9721 (Tickets $22-$25 with group discounts available)for this not-to-be-missed comedy! May 15 - June 3, 2007Performances are Tuesday-Thursday 7:30 PM, Friday and Saturday 8 PM and Sunday 2 PM. Invisible Theatre http://www.invisibletheatre.com/ Invisible Theatre 1400 North First Avenue(at Drachman)