It was a big year for Mary Poppins in metro Phoenix. During Monday, September 21’s 25th annual AriZoni Theatre Awards of Excellence ceremony, held at Tempe Center for the Arts, Phoenix Theatre’s production of Mary Poppins waltzed off (sans umbrella) with the best overall production for a contracted musical. It’s…
It can be exhausting to keep up with all the festivals, concerts, and politicians visiting the Valley. Sometimes you just want a quiet day to spend doing your favorite things, or maybe learning some new skills or picking up a new hobby. Here’s your guide to some of the best…
Jonathan Evison Writing is not unlike talking into a void – at least until you introduce (what might be) writing’s most crucial element: the reader. New York Times bestselling author Jonathan Evison will be leading a workshop about the importance of the reader at Changing Hands Phoenix, 300 West Camelback…
When it comes to comedian Lewis Black, to paraphrase Rage Against the Machine, his anger is a gift. That is to say, the often-incensed comedy veteran and sociopolitical pundit has made a considerable living and earned significant fame over the years with his rage-filled rants that hilariously skewer stupidity, hypocrisy,…
“Part of what I do comes with an apology,” says Bob Saget. Throughout the 1990s, Saget had a corner on the family-friendly, “America’s Dad” market courtesy of hit shows Full House and America’s Funniest Home Videos. When the light-hearted laughter ended, he found himself back on the stand-up circuit, bluer…
Hello, Dalí! I was late for the theater, a particular and long-held fear of mine. But Mesa Arts Center was celebrating its 10th anniversary with an outdoor carnival (because how better to honor an arts center than with a frybread truck and a Tilt-A-Whirl?), which gobbled up all the parking…
Gallery Talk: Ehren Tool and Garth JohnsonEhren Tool found ceramics as a creative outlet after serving as a marine in Operation Desert Storm. The veteran handcrafts cups covered in imagery referencing the effects of military service on veterans and the impact of war on societies. Serving as both social commentary…
The Palms Theatre in Mesa has shuttered. A Wednesday, September 9, e-mail announced the closure of the dinner theater located near Brown and and Higley roads formerly known as Broadway Palm. “It is with our deepest and most sincere regrets that we must announce the closure of The Palms Theatre,…
The start of the 2015-16 dance season is looking delightfully eclectic, with offering that include not only Phoenix-area traditions such as Scorpius Dance Theatre’s A Vampire Tale, but also some touring productions including modern takes on music by Bizet and Bach. From classic story ballets to contemporary works infused by…
Tempe-born actress Alexandra Ncube is about to have a serious circle-of-life moment. She returns to Tempe in October as a cast member with the first national tour of The Book of Mormon, which plays at ASU Gammage from October 20 to November 8. Born in 1990, Ncube remembers going with her…
“Cactus and Coral” It is a rare moment when one can see the world from someone else’s point of view. Through Each Others Eyes, promotes that concept via cultural exchange, placing photographers in unfamiliar settings to understand how they see things. With the “Cactus and Coral” exhibit, photographers from Australia…
Cumbia Dance Night Our Southwest city is no stranger to celebrations of salsa and flamenco dancing, and now Cumbia, hailing from Colombia’s costal region alongside the Caribbean Sea, is making a name for itself. DJs Nico and M.Rocka, the duo behind local group Clandestino, bring La Diabla from Tijuana and DJ…
Scientist turned mutant. Pregnant teen athlete. Drone operator. A whole slew of clueless but well-meaning missionaries. The cast of characters looks pretty appealing for this fall’s crop of theater offerings — which also include Sigmund Freud, Salvador Dali, and Joan of Arc. Shows by local and touring companies are taking…
Anwar Newton still remembers the feeling he had his first time on stage: embarrassment. “I wrote down some stuff beforehand, but you realize very quickly that what you think is funny is actually really dumb and boring,” he says. “I don’t even remember what I said. My brain just locked…
Aerial Silks Class When it comes to extracurricular activity, we figure that if Real Housewives in multiple cities can do it, the general public can, too. Which is just as good an excuse as any to try out Scorpius Dance Theatre’s aerial silks class. The company’s master of aerial arts,…
Though one of the most tumultuous weeks in stock market history may have worked itself out by the end of last week, the panic stretched across the country as people feared the worst for their finances. We can’t exactly give you stock market advice, but we can provide you with…
Etsy Craft Night Music, snacks, kaleidoscopes. . . it’s not your preschooler’s Monday morning lesson plan, it’s Etsy Craft Night at TechShop, 249 East Chicago Street in Chandler. Friday night, amateur and expert crafters alike are welcome to come build cool things out of paper. Sculptures, mosaics and the Everest…
Minneapolis is a city full of art and culture. Everywhere you turn there’s a statue to see, a musician to hear, or a gallery to dip into. Even the sides of buildings are proof this town appreciates art. In between modern glass skyscrapers you’ll find older brick buildings with tiny,…
Tom Green has been a “silly” guy for over 20 years now. He’s hosted TV shows, starred in movies, written a book, and a wide variety of other comedic things. Regardless of the medium, Green has always preferred to do his own thing rather than what someone else is telling…
Some artists are too swamped with their own work to manage meaningful collaborations with other artists. But Ron May, founding artistic director for Stray Cat Theatre, isn’t letting his own hectic schedule keep him from the sorts of collaborations that fuel artistic growth and audience development. By day, he works…
It looks like [nueBOX], the nonprofit arts organization established in 2014 by Matther Mosher and Julie Akerly, is already starting to think outside its own box. Conceived as a nonprofit residency program for emerging performance and installation artists, [nueBOX] recently announced its newest artists in residence: a pairing of CONDER/dance…
The good news is that no one among us will go broke seeing every single interesting and innovative theater production this coming season. The bad news is that commerce dictates another year of More of the Same. The exceptions are worth noting. Perhaps taking a cue from Phoenix Theatre, which…
