reviews
Freaky Friday
Heidi-Liz Johnson and Hope Niven are exceptional as Katherine and Ellie, respectively. While the body swap happens toward the beginning of the show, they both get just enough time to create realistic characters so when they switch, you instantly see how they are now completely different individuals. They both use fun and numerous changes in their body language and facial expressions to make the change not only believable but also hilarious. Ellie wears sneakers, so seeing Johnson trying to walk in her mother's wedge shoes once the body switch happens is just one thing that adds to the hijinks. This is Johnson's 25th Hale show and she delivers another flawless performance. It's a joy to witness Johnson instantly change before our eyes from the uptight mom to the teenager who talks back and is full of sass. Both actresses have superb singing voices that soar, assured line delivery that makes every joke land, and they make excellent acting decisions that ensure the emotion in the relationships their characters have with each other, their family members, and their friends is real.
Daddy Long Legs
Sweet, romantic and charming are just three of the words to describe the warm and winning musical Daddy Long Legs - Hale Centre Theatre's production is top notch.
As Jerusha, Heidi Liz Johnson beautifully projects the appropriate shades of naiveté one would expect from a sheltered orphan but also exhibits the strength, inquisitiveness and determination of a budding feminist. Johnson does a superb job in portraying the range of emotions of this headstrong young woman as she comes of age and finds her voice and place in the world. Johnson and Bailey create believable and realistic characters, and they have excellent singing voices that bring out the humor, emotion and charm in all of their songs... . Lincoln Wright's music direction derives gorgeous harmonies from [both].
Gil Benbrook - Talkin' Broadway Regional News
Bright Star
Hale Centre Theatre presents the Phoenix premiere in a production with excellent direction and a talented cast featuring a staring performance by Heidi-Liz Johnson that soars. As Alice Murphy, Heidi-Liz Johnson is simply stunning. She effectively uses two distinct voice inflections to portray Alice at the two different time periods in the piece and instills the character with a range of emotions and wit that beautifully help the audience see how the events in the carefree character's past have made the older Alice the fairly emotionless woman she is. Johnson's singing voice is full of shine and sparkle with notes that are crystal clear.
Johnson and Rollins, and DeWitt and Glenn, create realistic relationships with desire, a palpable heat, and a large amount of love, making it easy to root for them all to succeed. I've seen Johnson in numerous shows in town and she is always excellent. Her portrayal of Alice may be her best performance yet.
Gil Benbrook - Talkin' Broadway Regional News
Ms. Johnson's portrayal of Alice is an act of sheer beauty and radiance, seamlessly shifting between two distinct periods in her life and revealing the travails that she endured as she graduated from a rebellious teen to a woman of prominence in her community. ....the shining performances of Ms. Johnson and Mr. DeWitt infuse the production with the emotional weight that it requires.
Herbert Paine - Broadway World
Guys and Dolls
With an exceptional cast who bring the beloved musical's characters vibrantly to life, Hale Centre Theatre's crowd-pleasing production is a winning reminder of the lasting charm of this 1950 musical. This gifted cast, under Cambrian James' clear direction, ensure Runyon's colorful and humorous characters are more than just cartoon creations. Matthew R. Harris and Heidi-Liz Johnson are comically delicious as Nathan and Adelaide....Harris and Johnson wring every ounce of humor from their comical lines and situations. Johnson's rendition of "Adelaide's Lament" is a knock-out and her duet with Harris, "Sue Me," is comic gold.
Gil Benbrook, Talkin' Broadway, Regional News
Me and My Girl
...a gifted cast that adds freshness to this old-fashioned musical comedy. Vinny Chavez and Heidi-Liz Johnson are superb as Bill and Sally. They instill their roles with a natural ease full of charm and grace that makes the audience immediately fall in love with them both and their unpretentious and simple ways. Johnson's strong vocal chops elevate her ballad "Once You Lose Your Heart" into an incredibly simple yet moving love song, and she infuses the sassy Sally with enough vulnerability to make you care for her even more. Also, Chavez and Johnson deliver an infectious tap number in their performance of the title song.
Gil Benbrook - Talkin' Broadway Regional News
...fraught with corny puns, ridiculous one-liners and visual gags that within minutes had the Hale audience eating out of its proverbial hand....regular bloke Bill Snibson (Vinny Chavez) discovers he is aristocracy, but is at risk of losing the title if he can't brush up his etiquette and lose his low class ties, namely his fishmonger best girl, Sally Smith (Heidi Liz Johnson). The show risks a fizzling implosion without a dynamic duo in the two title roles. Happily, the Hale couple sparked. ..Hale favorite Chavez as leading man made the role and the show. With Johnson literally and figuratively at his side, their polished team just didn't miss a comedic or rhythmic beat....
Jennifer Haaland - Examiner
The Marvelous Wonderettes: Caps & Gowns
Hale's cast creates engaging, unique, and lovable characters and all four women have excellent singing voices that deliver rich and powerful vocals. Heidi-Liz Johnson is energetic and spunky but also a little ditzy as Suzy. Just a few of the many song highlights are Johnson's charming delivery of "Rock and Roll Waltz" and a winning performance of "What a Wonderful World".
Gil Benbrook, Talkin' Broadway, Regional News
Mary Poppins
Heidi-Liz Johnson wonderfully gets across Mary's perfect combination of strictness and good intentions with undercurrents of fun and love. Under Johnson's capable hands you never lose faith that Mary will save this family, even if her demeanor is somewhat stern and slightly cross. Johnson's voice excels on every song she sings with bright, beautiful notes. MET has included a flying component in the show, which adds a few magical moments for Johnson.
Gil Benbrook, Talkin' Broadway, Regional News
Something's Afoot
Heidi-Liz Johnson and Geoffrey Goorin are delicious as the flirty maid and the randy groundskeeper. Both Goorin and Johnson have great Cockney accents and hilarious facial expressions, bringing a nice bit of jaunty double meaning to their duet, "Problematical Solution".
Gil Benbrook, Talkin' Broadway, Regional News