The Gaslight Theatre

Family entertainment in Tucson for the whole family! Musical comedy melodramas 6 nights a week, and 5 different shows per year.

About The Gaslight Theatre

The Gaslight Theatre is a Tucson theater devoted to family entertainment, with musical comedy melodramas presented six nights a week. Established in 1977, the theater has built its identity around lively stage productions for young audiences, older audiences, and everyone in between. Its schedule includes five different shows each year, along with concerts and special performances. The theater is located on East Broadway in Tucson, where it continues a history that began with a small troupe and a single production in Alaska.

The story started when Tony Terry Jr., then a 24-year-old University of Arizona student, gathered friends from the drama department and traveled to Skagway, Alaska. There, they founded the Mighty Moose Melodrama Theatre and produced "Gold Fever! or Danger at Bonanza Creek!" After that summer, the group returned to the desert. With help from Tony's brother Tom, they opened The Gaslight Theatre in an old red barn at Trail Dust Town on Tanque Verde Road. The first space held 100 seats, or 106 when people were seated on the bar, and the company eventually outgrew it.

In 1980, with help from many friends, the theater designed and built a new 223-seat venue at the corner of Sabino Canyon and Tanque Verde Road. After ten years there, the company moved again, purchasing the former Jerry Lewis Theatre at Broadway and Kolb. The Gaslight team renovated the theater and built Little Anthony's Diner from the ground up. The current location is part of that later chapter in the company's Tucson history, and the theater's story has been shaped by repeated moves, hands-on construction, and the steady support of its performers and audiences.

The theater's work is supported by a long-running artistic community. Scenic designer and founding partner Tom Benson began with the company in Skagway. Danny Griffith, known as "The King of the Melodrama Pianists," joined during the second show in 1978, while David Darland began as the youngest stage technician in the theater's history in 1977. The company has also worked with performers and artists including Tim Gilbert, Joe Cooper, Armen Diratdian, Glenda Young, Donna Davis, David Fanning, and David Orley. Newer generations of Gaslight favorites have included Mike Yarema, Todd Thompson, Heather Stricker, Jane Page, Jacob Brown, and Jake Chapman. The theater also recognizes the contributions of its directors, musicians, technicians, and other crew members.

Gaslight productions include returning classics such as "The Phantom of the Opera" and "The Two Amigos," as well as newer comedies including "Space Wars," "Wizard of the Rings," "Henry Porter," "Ghostblasters," and "Elf'd." Its programming is designed to create shared memories across generations, with broad family appeal at the center of the experience. In addition to its regular shows, the theater presents concerts, offers group sales, and maintains a youth theatre program. Visitors can review the current and upcoming season, showtimes, seating information, and ticket options through the theater's box office. With its East Broadway location, long Tucson history, and mix of melodramas, musical comedy, and concerts, The Gaslight Theatre remains a gathering place for family-focused live entertainment.