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October 01, 2008

Peoria Center For The Performing Arts Is Valley's Best New Playhouse

PEORIA, Ariz. (Oct. 1, 2008) – The Peoria Center for the Performing Arts and Theater Works, its resident theater company, have had a great week. Fresh off Phoenix New Times' selection of the theater as the Valley's "Best New Playhouse," Theater Works earned 13 "ariZoni" awards for superior acting, directing and production. But that's not all – the facility also earned an award of merit from the Arizona component of The American Institute of Architects.

Theater Works was nominated for 44 "ariZoni" awards, Arizona's premier live theater honors. They took home 13, including eight for their original youth production, "Life as Joby." Written and directed by Theater Works' Jim Gradillas, "Life as Joby" earned awards in the children's theater category for best original production, best actress (Heather Gottlieb), best supporting actor (Jeremy Katz), best guest actor (Markus Maes), best director, best original writing and best lighting and sound design. Theater Works also won awards for "Bram Stoker's Dracula" and youth productions of "Peter Pan" and "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory."

"We knew that once we moved into the Peoria Center for the Performing Arts we would be able to ramp up our production values and improve the overall artistic quality to a level that our patrons, supporters, advertisers and the community at large expected and deserved," says Jack Lytle, Theater Works' managing director. "I am happy to report that we are doing just that."

In selecting Peoria's venue as the Valley's "Best New Playhouse," Phoenix New Times said the quaint and cozy theater "stole our heart," and raved about its "dazzling" production quality, "cool" concession stand and "groovy" copper roof. Perhaps most impressive is the fact that Peoria's theater topped both the new Tempe Center for the Arts and Mesa Arts Center to take the award.

An amazing week for the Peoria Center for the Performing Arts was capped when the Arizona component of the American Institute of Architects selected it as one of 12 design award winners for 2008. The awards recognize excellence in design, planning and construction. A distinguished group of international architects from Mexico City chose this year's award recipients from among 145 nominations.

Lytle says that all of these awards from different organizations point to one thing – superior productions at a first-rate facility – one that more people should come out and see.

"If you haven't seen a Theater Works show lately, you haven't seen Theater Works."