Desert Rose Theatre

About DRT

1. Who are you and what's your mission statement?

   Mission Statement: Desert Rose Theatre is a not-for-profit organization conceived for the purpose of bringing reasonably-priced, high quality theatrical entertainment to the community. In a world of lowered standards and ambiguous values we strive to provide live theatre that is not only excellent in artistic quality but also an uplifting experience for the audience. We welcome volunteers and cast members from every walk of life and seek to unify the community through fellowship and hard work in the arts. The ultimate goal of Desert Rose Theatre will always be to create works that are virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy.

   And in plain English: DRT brings you great plays at reasonable prices that the whole family can enjoy. We welcome everyone and strive for excellence!

Company History

1. What's your story?

   

   Founded in 2005 by Artistic Director Katherine Stewart and Producer Christina Stewart, DRT moved into a derelict storefront formerly occupied by another (now defunct) theatre. They tore out all the old construction, painted the bare blocks flat black, and held auditions for Romeo and Juliet.

   With Katherine directing, designing costumes and sound, and Christina playing Juliet, building and painting the set, the first DRT production opened with a cast of fourteen and just eight people in the audience. By the second weekend of performances they were sold out and had to turn people away.

   Other shows follwed and received acclaim from local critics and a devoted audience base. When DRT won its first ariZoni Awards, it was clear that it was considered a respected indie theatre in the Valley.

   Due to their property being sold in 2008, DRT found itself without a home. The economy was heading into its severe downturn and so the theatre shuttered after its fourth season. DRT made its formal announcement that is was officially "on hiatus."

   During that time, Christina married and relocated to South Africa, and Katherine worked as a film and Equity stage actor.

   In the fall of 2010, Katherine re-opened Desert Rose Theatre in POOL Together and began rebuilding its audience. Though the new venue failed in early 2011, DRT simply pulled up stakes and found a temporary home to finish their fifth season.

   For Season Six in the fall of 2011, DRT found a host venue in St. Daniel the Prophet Church in Scottsdale. Still on the lookout for a permanent home, the theatre company keeps its eyes on the horizon and their classic scripts in hand.

Ticketing

1. Where can I get tickets?

   DRT uses the services of Brown Paper Tickets online. Presale tickets may be purchased by credit card simply by clicking the show's corresponding link on our Box Office page.

   If you do not wish to use a credit card, tickets may be purchased at the door on the evening of the performance. Cash or check is acceptable.

   We do encourage you to purchase in advance however, as our more popular shows can fill up quickly.

Location

1. Where are you, anyway?

   We are happy to say that we just moved into our new home at Power Square Mall in Mesa, and are readying the space for our Christmas show, The Rat Pack Holiday Extravaganza!

   The address is 2055 South Power Road, #1087, inside entrance 2, and a map can be found on our Location page.

Auditions

1. When are Auditions?

   DRT holds season general auditions around June of every year, with supplementary auditions and callbacks at various times of the year.

   For general auditions: we ask that actors prepare two monologues, one of which should be Shakespeare or another classical playwright. If you are unfamiliar with what is considered "classical," please check the following link. www.empirecontact.com/plays

   We generally discourage selecting plays from the upcoming season's playbill, and we ask that you refrain from performing material with profanity or sexually explicit language as DRT produces family-friendly plays.

   We welcome submissions year round and gladly consider all headshots and resumes that are sent our way. Please email them to: info@desertrosetheatre.com.

Volunteers

1. How can I help?

   DRT is a non-profit, 501c3 entity, and so we are always in need of extra funds. If you would like to throw some change our way, you can simply send it to our PayPal account. we've linked it on our home page, but you can also go directly to PayPal and type in info@desertrosetheatre.com to send funds. Thank you!

   We also encourage volunteering, as DRT is a local, community-minded organization. We're always looking for enthusiastic individuals to help get the word out about our excellent shows and our Education Outreach Initiative to bring Shakespeare to the schools.

   If you would like to get involved in production, marketing or public relations, please drop us a line at: info@desertrosetheatre.com