PLEASE NOTE EVEN IF INITIALS ARE THE SAME, THE CONTRIBUTORS ARE DIFFERENT
"The play was really good! So much that I was mad at one of the actors because she performed her role too well!" - NB
"Another amazing theater night! “Sweat” by Pulitzer Prize winner Lynn Nottage was top tier. When I say wow, I mean wow. Rapheal and Roosevelt, it’s always my pleasure to see you both bring such passion to your roles. Kudos for a job well done. Simply superb!" - SC
"Only one more chance to see a powerful, timely play performed by uber talented, totally committed actors. Go see Sweat at Stray Cat Theatre." - P.S.
"Great show tonight. Wonderful cast; all were perfect and an impactful production. Thanks!" - CD
"This show. Go see this show. I don’t have words to properly convey the talent and intensity that all the actors had on the stage. It is seldom that a show can hit so hard, piss you off, make you cry, and feel so low yet makes you want to celebrate all these actors for putting you through it. See this show. It’s a masterclass. End of story." - AG
"What an intense experience. SWEAT is so timely. You and the team of actors on stage with you were mesmerizing! The play began and before you knew it (2.5 hours later) it ended. Totally captivating. Congratulations on bringing to life this great play!" - JB
"Y’all, I’m still processing our night out to see SWEAT at Stray Cat Theatre last night. A stunning, brutal, timely piece with breathtaking sincerity from a killer cast and brilliantly nuanced direction from the font of inspiration that is Chanel Bragg. Congrats to everyone involved on a moving and necessary piece of perfectly executed theatre. It’s not too late to catch this heart stopper. Get your tickets NOW." - MS
"Kudos to Ryan Lynette J, Kim Richard, Ricky Araiza, and the rest of the cast for their outstanding work on this show. And thanks to Ron May, Louis Farber, Chanel Bragg, Brooke Unverferth, and the rest of the kitties for continuing to bring us powerful theater. Closing weekend is here: Go See This!" - DT
"Really compelling story with great acting!" - DW
"Enjoyed a strong production of SWEAT, by Lynn Nottage, at Stray Cat Theatre on Friday. My grandmother grew up in eastern PA, in Allentown, just an hour from where the play is set, so it hits close to home. (Cue up Billy Joel.) The play's episodes seem very like snapshots, which works nicely with the design work, especially Tiana Torrilhon-Wood and Stacey Walston on scenic and lighting. (The metaphor of folks who labor with their hands in the theatre struggling too, the last four years, did not go unnoticed.) Hard to highlight outstanding performances when the full ensemble is so strong---terrific moments for each, truly---but Ricky Araiza as Oscar, Cindy Covington's Tracey, and Roosevelt Watts's haunted Brucie, all really splendid. None more so than Ryan L. Jenkins, (Viola for us just a month ago at Southwest Shakespeare), showcasing a tremendous range as Cynthia. Walt Pedano's Stan looks and sounds exactly as if Jon Stewart stepped in for a night---can absolutely see folks wanting to hang out wherever he tends the bar. SWEAT is another perfectly chosen play for Stray Cat, running in the nifty studio space at Tempe Center for the Arts through this Saturday, DEC 7. Go! Oh, and consider donating to them tomorrow on #GivingTuesday, or any day." - GM
"Wow. Wow. Wow. What a powerhouse of a play! Directing, acting, set, sound design, lights, props, everything!" - MH
"Guys!!!! Sweat at Stray Cat Theatre!!!!!!! I’ll be digesting this one for a while. See it if you can!" - RS
"Stray Cat's SWEAT deserves your attention!" - SM
"Expertly done. Congratulations to all!" - CR
"Powerful stuff!" - GT
"What an outstanding production. A play that hits so many issues including the struggles of the working class, the greed of corporations and their total lack of commitment to their employees, racial tensions, addiction, hardship, hard decisions, the fragility of friendships and family.. The cast is absolutely stellar, pulling you into their story so believably. A story relevant to today. A shout out to Tiana’s set!" - PT
"The play SWEAT has been on my radar since Stray Cat announced their season. Chanel Bragg and her cast dig deep and give this relationship driven story life-excellent ensemble work. Kudos to Raphael Hamilton, Ty Klassen, Tanner J. Conley, Walt Pedano, Ricky Araiza, Cindy Covington, Ryan L. Jenkins, Kim Richard, and Roosevelt Watts Jr. This story about the consequences of corporate greed, NAFTA, and companies relocating resonates more today than when I saw this in 2017. Thank you Ron May and Stray Cat Theatre for producing SWEAT. You don't want to miss this." - ML
"Thank the theatre gods along with Chanel Bragg and Ron May at Stray Cat Theatre! "Sweat" is an absolute stunner. With a script that hits hard using a slow burn build of complex, relatable, working person relationships and a cast that has introduced at least two of my newest, favorite performers, "Sweat" is another crowning achievement for director Chanel Bragg right on the heels of "Waitress" at PTC. A show like this is one the entire country should see. A pulled back perspective of division driven by the callous greed of American corporation played out amongst colleagues, friends, and family. Congratulations!" - ST
"Saw the absolutely incredible play Sweat last night at Stray Cat Theatre. Wonderfully acted by the passionate cast and deftly directed by Chanel Bragg - and an incredible script by Lynn Nottage. Highly recommend making your way to Tempe to see this perfectly-timed, cathartic evening of theatre. Intense, honest - and even though it takes place in the early 2000’s, it does a great job of putting this year’s election results in context. Oh and the fight choreo - !!! Please go see this play!" - KB
"Just saw Sweat at Stray Cat Theatre. Another absolutely riveting show- beautifully acted and directed and as always, a show that will make you uncomfortable but will make you think! The show just opened, so you have lots of time to see it!" - HRH
"One of the best plays I have ever seen performed by an excellent ensemble. Playwright and cast without equal. Bravi a tutti." - NG
"Another outstanding production!" - DW
"Truly wonderful show. The captivating characters and storyline made this production so riveting and intriguing. I loved every moment of it. Thank you for bringing such incredible theatre to your audience. Kudos to everyone involved! I hope y'all get the audiences this wonderful production deserves." - FG
"Went to see Stray Cat Theatre's "Sweat" by Lynn Nottage with my grandson...That in itself was quite lovely. As far as "Sweat", it was a breath of fresh air because the production was SO squeaky clean beautiful. The brilliance and believability each actor brought to their interpretation of the unified story telling and their individual character was particularly wonderful to see. (Made me keep looking at (my grandson) for his reaction.) Congrats to all and Director Chanel Bragg, and the artistic design team and tech that went into the production. We are all Humans....each with our own desires and dreams and our sometimes brutally-wide differences and backgrounds just make it so difficult to compromise. But how very hard it is when we stop listening. Beautiful production. Go see it." - DL
"Hugely successful in terms of acting , script, direction. You must see this show. And grow." - JS
"I lived in Pittsburgh for 25 years, so could totally relate. I know so many people whose families went through this. Entire towns like Homestead. Anyway, good work. The acting was terrific and the direction and the set. Music was awesome. Stray Cats Rock." - AH
"This cast is so talented and the show is phenomenal!" - AR
"We all talked about it outside after … my husband and I talked about it all the way home and again lying in bed this morning. It’s that kinda show…
So many thoughts and feelings. It may even make you look in the mirror and ask yourself some hard questions." - CC
"Oh my Gosh! The ending blew me away. I got tears in my eyes in the beginning, I was laughing so hard and tears in my eyes at the end, it was so beautifully sad!” - AB
"Ho. Lee. Shit. Plan to see it." - JG
"...you really don’t want to miss this." - BD
"This is a SHOW!! Powerful, moving performances and incisive directing by Chanel Bragg. I think everyone should SEE THIS SHOW." - VR
"SWEAT. See it. Stray Cat Theatre. Chanel Bragg is at the helm of this moving and riveting award winning production. She has brought together a talented cast and guided them through this piece flawlessly. The story, the performances, the sound, the staging, the set, the blocking and the stage manager’s perfect orchestration of this show is spot on. You know it is brilliant when at the end of a powerful scene, the lights go off and everyone around quietly draws a breath and say “WOW” - not kidding. See this show." - EC
"Got plans for tonight? Go see SWEAT @ Stray Cat Theatre…. Chanel Bragg directs this very poignant and important piece… the cast is phenomenal, the direction spot on , the characters weaved their way into my head and I was taken in by the way each told the story… the issues are just as important today as they were 25 years ago….go see this show and feel the inner struggle of these characters…. Congratulations to Ron May and crew for this wonderful piece." - SL
"Such a great play and awesome performances from all the cast!" - MK
"We saw this amazing and timely production of Sweat tonight from Stray Cat Theatre. It was so powerful. Thank you to all the actors and production team for sharing this story." - JI
"Saw "Sweat" last night. It's classic STC - high quality production, socially relevant issues and a searing 2nd act. A nice 180 from holiday fare, but maybe less volatile than some of your upcoming Thanksgiving dinners. Go in blind and let the drama unfold!" - HC