Arizona Broadway Theatre, seen during a past production of “A Christmas Carol,” will join Arizona Opera and Childsplay as new resident companies of Herberger Theater Center beginning with the 2018-2019 season. Arizona Broadway Theatre announced this month it will join Arizona Opera and Childsplay as new resident companies of Herberger Theater Center beginning with the 2018-2019 season. They will join current resident companies Arizona Theatre Company, Center Dance Ensemble and iTheatre Collaborative.

These new companies will add to the offerings of performing arts as the Herberger Theater Center fulfills its vision to provide and support significant and relevant experiences and to serve as a premier performance venue “Where Audience Meets Art.”

ABT will continue to produce its award-winning brand of musical entertainment at its main campus at 7701 W. Paradise Lane, while expanding its brand of Broadway-style musicals to an ever-growing audience in the Central and East Valley through this continuing partnership. The 2018-2019 HTC season will include three ABT co-productions that will move to HTC after debuting on the ABT Mainstage.

“I am thrilled the Herberger Theater Center’s Board of Directors has accepted ABT as one of its newest resident companies,” Kiel Klaphake, CEO & Executive Producer of Arizona Broadway Theatre, said in a news release. “With our recent success at HTC of ‘A Christmas Carol’ last December and Disney’s ‘Beauty and the Beast’ this past summer, we know there is an audience in central Phoenix and the East Valley for ABT’s brand of entertainment. As we foster new relationships with the other resident companies, working together to offer audiences a variety of exciting productions, ABT is eager to advance the mission of the Herberger Theater – bringing the art to the audience. I applaud the leadership of the Herberger Theater for their vision.” “We are excited and proud to welcome ABT and these wonderful organizations joining the amazing resident companies who call the Herberger Theater Center home,” Mark Mettes, President and CEO of the Herberger Theater Center, stated. “Each of these new companies has a long history of quality productions for audiences throughout the Valley, and I can’t wait to see their performances on our stages. Together, the diverse offerings of the resident companies of the Herberger Theater Center will entertain and inspire audiences of all ages, providing more reasons than ever to live, work and play in downtown Phoenix.” ABT also plans the opening of the new 5,200 square foot Encore Room in the fall of 2018. The space will offer expanded programming including concerts, specialty acts and special events. It will also offer much needed conference and banquet space in the West Valley.

ABT will see its 100th Mainstage production take the stage this June with Disney’s “Mary Poppins.” The show will then take the stage for a three-week run July 6-22 at HTC. In its 13 years producing live theatre in the Valley, ABT had welcomed close to 1 million patrons through its Mainstage musical productions, Theatre for Young Audience programming, and Academy for Young Performers summer camp program.

Arizona Broadway Theatre, Arizona’s leader in Musical Theatre, is a professional theatre located in Phoenix’s West Valley that showcases locally and nationally acclaimed artists. Visit AZBroadway.org for more information.