Our Mission
We produce theatre and theatre education in Tucson that entertains, educates, and enlightens children, adults, and families.

Live Theatre Workshop
3322 E Fort Lowell Rd
• Tucson, AZ 85716
Reservations: (520) 327-4242
• livetheatreworkshop@gmail.com

BUY TICKETS ONLINE!

LTW's Children's Theatre
THE SPRING/SUMMER 2022 SEASON

Live Theatre Workshop presents three plays in the Spring/Summer 2022 season from local playwrights and musicians.

 

3rd Annual Young Playwrights of Tucson Competition

June 3 & 4, 2022 (only 3 shows)

Welcome to our 3rd annual Young Playwrights of Tucson Competition! Each year LTW encourages students from all over our community to write and submit their short stories for a chance to be workshopped in the summer. This year we had over 30 plays submitted and we narrowed it down to the top 7. Each young playwright is teamed up with one of LTW’s seasoned playwrights/directors to help get their plays from the scripts to the stage. We have 29 student cast members and 21 student backstage designers and crew. With the help of LTW’s Children’s Theatre leaders, these students take the stage and give a voice to the stories they want everyone to hear. Come see Tucson’s talented teens as they present:

"It's a Trans Thing" by Maddie Hill

"Watson and Homes: A CAT-Tastrophe" by Evan Eider

"Fourteen Stories Up" by Hayden Adams

"Lydia Lan and The Smiling Man" by Catherine Oda

"Back to the 50's" by Nathaniel Wiley

"The Infomercial" by Adam Sommers

"Everything You've Got" by Maddie Hill

SHOW DATES AND TIMES
Friday: June 3, 2022 @ 4:00 PM
Saturday: June 4, 2022 @ 10:00 AM and 6:00 PM

TICKET PRICES
$10 for Children and Adults

Seating: Children’s Theatre

Tall Tales: Legends of America

Written by Richard Gremel
Music by David Ragland and Richard Gremel

July 15 - 31, 2022

This theatrical storytelling experience centers around the tall tales of Paul Bunyan, Pecos Bill, and John Henry. Five storytellers help to navigate these tales using movement, puppetry, shadow work, and traditional and original folk songs. These tales have been beautifully crafted to hit on the heart of the legendary characters and put forth the morals that we should be willing to lend a helping hand, we should be brave and strong and stand up for our fellow man, and we should show determination and always set our sights high.

SHOW TIMES
Fridays and Saturdays at 7:00pm
Sundays at 3:00pm

TICKET PRICES
$10 for Children
$12 for Adults

Seating: Children’s Theatre

DJ In Onederland

Written by Gretchen Wirges
Music by Michael Martinez, David Ragland, and Richard Gremel

August 13 - 28, 2022

DJ in Onederland is a modern musical about the pains of growing up. As DJ gets ready to start high school, they become challenged to let go of childhood and fanciful imagination, plunging DJ through a door in time, and into a fantastical, technicolor world. This journey through 1derland and back again introduces DJ to a cast of fascinating and lyrical characters who help DJ learn about the true meaning and gifts of growing up.

SHOW TIMES
Saturdays at 5:00pm
Sundays at 1:00pm

TICKET PRICES
$10 for Children
$12 for Adults

Seating: Children’s Theatre

About LTW's Children's Theatre Series

Our Children's Theatre program deepens our connection to kids and families by offering interactive musical theatre performances at Live Theatre Workshop and in more than 15 schools across the city. These performances have become a tradition for Tucson families. Kids are introduced to and learn to love theatre through this program, and many continue on to take LTW classes and even advance to become performers in these shows themselves.

 

Children's Theatre Writers

Click on pictures to read biographies of some of the writers of LTW Family Series plays.

 

Stephen Frankenfield has been writing for LTW’s Family Series for more than six years. His 20+ plays had their debut in Tucson; favorites include “The Rootin’ Tootin’ Tale of Little Red Riding Boots” and “The Great Zantini and the Magic Thief”. He has five published plays with Heuer Publishing and Pioneer Drama Services, which have been performed across the United States, China, Canada, and South Africa. Stephen is the Assistant Director of Children’s Programming at Live Theatre Workshop, where many of his plays have been performed. He also has acted and director for LTW for more 15 years. He is a graduate of The American Musical and Dramatic Academy (AMDA) in New York City, where he studied for theatre and film. Steph has two amazing boys who also frequently perform on the LTW stage.
Stephen Frankenfield
Richard Gremel has been writing for the LTW Family Series for more than 12 years. He has written 30+ plays that have been performed in the Tucson area. His favorites include “Robin Hood and His Merry Men,” Not Your Average Zombie Apocalypse,” “The Mysterious Murder at Manchester Manor,” and “RAPunzel: A Hip-Hop Musical.” Richard also performs and directs many of the shows on the LTW Family Series stage. He has nine published plays with Heuer and Brooklyn Publishing that have been produced in schools and theatre companies all over the United States, Canada, India, Australia, England, and Hong Kong. Richard is the acting and technical theatre teacher at Empire High School in Tucson, where his students have performed several of his original full-length productions
Richard Gremel
Kris Kissel is the theatre teacher at Sabino High School, where he also sponsors the Sabino Improv Club, serves as the Fine Arts Department Chair, is the AIA Theatre South Region Director, and is a member of the Arizona Thespians State Board. He is the author of four published plays, three of which premiered at Live Theatre Workshop. He holds a BFA in Theatre Education from the University of Arizona and a master’s degree in Theatrical Production & Design from Southern Oregon University. He has lived in Tucson for most of his life, and calls the city home with his wife and two boys. He loves working with Live Theatre Workshop, where he has taught, written, directed and acted.
Kris Kissel
Tyler West recently moved to New York City from Tucson. He does some work as a physical comedian and actor. His one-man solo physical comedy show "The Wait" has won several awards across the nation and internationally. Live Theatre Workshop will always have a special place in his heart, and it's his pleasure to continue writing and being a part of the Family Series.
Tyler West
Gretchen Wirges has been acting, directing and writing for Tucson stages for nearly 10 years. As a playwright, her works have been featured in local festivals and theaters, including the Old Pueblo Playwrights New Play Festival. Gretchen is also an accomplished improv teacher and performer. She spent four years on stage with Not Burnt Out Just Unscrewed and now performs around the country with her long-form improv duo Ex-Boyfriend. She is the President of the Tucson Fringe Festival Board and writes for the feminist-oriented theater review site Taming of the Review.
Gretchen Wirges
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