Bigger and better:
Canyon Moon rises for Season V

The music of Frank Sinatra sung by four fabulous singers . . . Hamlet played by a soap star (!) and coached by the ghost of the greatest Hamlet of all - Scrooge . . . a family of coyotes, and the Twelve Days of Christmas . . .

This is just some of what you’ll see in the Main Stage Series at Canyon Moon Theatre Company this season - the company’s first full season in its new theatre at the Old Marketplace in West Sedona.

Get ready for some more theatre magic from northern Arizona’s only year-round professional theatre. To date, Canyon Moon has presented musical reviews, comedy, poetry slams, musical concerts, dramatic productions, a melodrama, and a summer theatre academy for young people.

“Our audiences have been thrilled with our new intimate space,” said Mary Guaraldi, the producing artistic director. “Our goal is to provide programming that reflects the variety of people we serve. With our own space, we can expand our commitment to the needs of the community and make this a center for artists and audiences alike.”

As Canyon Moon begins Season V, there’s exciting programming in the works. First and foremost is a continuation of the Main Stage Series of four shows that begins in September and ends in May. The opening show of the series is My Way: A Musical Tribute to Frank Sinatra. Sedona audiences once again will be spoiled by the glorious voices of Nathaniel Hackmann, Antoinette Torres Tucker, and Lynne Wieneke as they sing their way through the songs that made Ole Blue Eyes famous.

Coyote Christmas is a celebration of winter, featuring original work as well as traditional favorites expressed in dance, music, and theatre. What happens to a teenaged boy who has a fight with his father on Christmas Eve and is adopted by a family of coyotes? How does Scrooge react to a slightly different group of ghosts than usual? Bring your family, your holiday guests, or take a moment to remember the true pleasure of the season with a friend.

The third production is an Audience Choice show. Canyon Moon wants to know what you want to see. Cast your ballot between now and October 15 for the play you would most like to see as part of the Canyon Moon main stage in Season V.

The final play of the series finds soap opera star - excuse me - daytime drama star Andrew Rally in New York to rehearse for a production of Hamlet in Central Park. I Hate Hamlet is the hilarious story of the efforts of the ghost of the greatest Hamlet of all, John Barrymore, to help Andrew “speak the speech” as a true actor in a long tradition of Hamlets. As an L.A. agent attempts to pull Andrew to the dark side and Barrymore gets distracted by Andrew’s very real girlfriend, the play provides laugh after laugh, romance, and an inside view of the theatre world.

The Splinter Series is new programming for Canyon Moon in response to requests from audience members for more challenging material. From new plays premiering at Canyon Moon to the intellectually challenging humor of Tom Stoppard, the series will bring a new dimension to the Company.

The Splinter Series opens in October with Art, the story of three close friends and a very expensive white painting. Watch as they discuss the nature of art and uncover the nature of friendship. Stoppard’s Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead is the second show in the series. Told from the point of view of two of the minor characters in Hamlet, the play explores the nature of life and death. The third production is the Audience Choice slot. Be sure to vote for the play you would like to see.

Subscriptions to Canyon Moon are available now. Be guaranteed seating in the front rows of the theatre. Enjoy exchange privileges. Become part of a community of theatre lovers that insures high quality professional theatre will thrive in northern Arizona.

Subscriptions are available for the Main Stage Series, the Splinter Series or a combination of both. A season subscription makes a wonderful gift to someone you love or to yourself and saves you money over the cost of single tickets. For more information, call (928) 282-6212 or go online (oakcreektheatre.org). Canyon Moon is located in the Old Marketplace, on Highway 89A in West Sedona.

Join Canyon Moon for a season of excitement. See you at the theatre!