Meet the Member: Showtune Productions
About Showtune Productions
Showtune Productions is a Mesa-based entertainment company, started in 2010, and dedicated to bringing live professional performances to audiences throughout Arizona and the United States. They have performed in over 100 venues throughout Arizona with subscription series at Chandler Center for the Arts, Queen Creek PAC, Red Mountain UMC, and Apache Junction PAC. Nationally, they have performed at the Tropicana-Atlantic City, Apollo-Chicago, Resorts World-Catskills, Maine State Music Theatre, New Theatre-Kansas City, Derby Playhouse-Lousville, and their newest venture for 2025 is a Concert Series at Skyline H.S. Performing Arts Auditorium right here in Mesa!
Last winter, Showtune Productions produced a sold-out production of Disney’s Beauty and the Beast with a live orchestra onstage of the Chandler Center for the Arts and, in March 2025, they will be producing Wizard of Oz. In 2017-18, Showtune Productions staged The Music Man in Concert with 100 people onstage and Singin’ in The Rain in Concert at the Orpheum Theatre-Phoenix.
With over 75 different productions, they feature top entertainers including Graceland’s 2023 winner of the Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Competition, Victor Trevino, Jr. and Karen Hester as Dolly Parton, winner of the Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon’s reality show.
Meet the Owner
JR McAlexander has had the distinguished pleasure of performing in front of hundreds of thousands of audience members in his lifetime. Watching the smiles on their faces during and after their shows makes all the hours he works worth it. Especially coming out of the pandemic, it has just been a joy seeing everyone finally enjoying live entertainment again. Entertainment is one of the best escapes from the world’s problems, if only for 90 minutes.
He also employs over 150 Arizona musicians and entertainers every year as independent contractors. It is so hard to make a living as a professional musician, so he is proud to be someone who can offer these talented musicians steady work during peak season.
JR’s background for 40 years has been being a musical director and pianist for Broadway shows all over the U.S. & Canada. Â So, he not only does all the business end of his company like marketing, contracting venues, contracting entertainers, insurance, bookkeeping and being a talent agent, but he is also the creative end of the concerts, writing, orchestrating, rehearsing, and playing keyboards for most of the performances.
He started his company here in 2010 with two productions, Remember Patsy Cline and Broadway Showstoppers. He had about 10 bookings that first winter, mostly at small RV Resorts in the East Valley. This year, he has 40 different productions and over 100 performances across the country.
JR has lived in Las Sendas for over 20 years with his partner of 31 years. Although retired, he serves as Artistic Director for Showtune Productions and directs many of his productions, and they have 2 rescued dogs, Winston and Abrams. He has been Tech Worship Director/Musician at Red Mountain United Methodist Church since 2012. He loves travelling internationally, going to the movies and is a huge tech nerd.
Company Values
JR has worked for many different producers throughout his 40-year career. The one thing he prides himself in is being an honest and nice person to work with. He treats everyone he works with the way he would want to be treated. Unfortunately, this is not always common practice in his line of work.
He sees so many producers/agents who are solely in the business for how much money they can make. He believes that he is truly blessed and wouldn’t be where he is today if these amazing musicians and performers weren’t right there with him! He works with some of the same musicians that started with him in 2010, so if he makes more money on a booking, they make more money on a booking.