Spillers Storytelling events have been all the rage the last few years. Unlike many of these happenings that feature writers presenting pieces based on their own real-life experiences, the quarterly event, Spillers: Short Fiction and Tall Drinks features six wordsmiths performing edgy, 10-minute, short fiction stories for the crowd. If…
If you’re the sort that wished Halloween would last longer than just one night, we’ve got some good news: While a host of parties in and around the Valley will happen on All Hallow’s Eve, there also will be a multitude of macabre events taking place during the days leading…
WWE superstar Dolph Ziggler is a man of many talents. Besides being one of the more gifted professional wrestlers currently on the WWE’s roster (and a two-time world heavyweight champion to boot), the 35-year-old is also a stand-up comedian and actor. The common trait with all of these pursuits is,…
Day of Our Lives Book-Signing Watch out for fan apoplexy at the Days of Our Lives: 50 Years book-signing event at Changing Hands Tempe. It’s not just a soap opera; it’s a fiercely beloved soap opera that’s been on since 1965. The lovely commemorative book ($34.99) gets you and a…
After three decades of witnessing theater extravaganzas like The Book of Mormon, which launched ASU Gammage’s new season this week, I can sometimes find my attention wandering from the spotlight. In the case of Trey Parker and Matt Stone’s irreverent book musical, I was more interested in the adulation with…
You might not know J.B. Smoove by name, but you’ve almost definitely seen him on your television. He’s Leon Black in Curb Your Enthusiasm, a regular in sketches on Conan, and he’s been featured on enough TV (and reality TV) shows to fill an entire network schedule. When he’s not…
As Arizona Opera opened its three-day Phoenix run for an operetta titled Arizona Lady at Symphony Hall on Friday night, the audience was clearly excited by the prospect of hearing a story set in the Southwest. Simply the sight of the set, complete with cactus and a distant mesa, was enough to…
“Engangled” The candles from Standard Wax don’t just smell good; they look good, too. Samantha Thompson and Andrew King’s creations are meant to be art — a decision certainly influenced by King’s outside work as a contemporary painter and pastel artist. A collection of his recent pieces, “Entangled,” debuts this…
Arizona Opera’s falls season opens with a collaboration that sets a high bar. Arizona Poet Laureate Alberto Ríos recently collaborated with Arizona Opera for its production of Arizona Lady, an operetta set in Tucson in 1925. Think gold rush, rodeos, and horse thieves. It’s opera on the lighter side, with plenty…
Frank Higgins’ The Taste Test is a smartly written, talky play about power struggle and betrayal. Its snappy dialogue and brittle undertones require a strong cast and tight direction to sell finer points and to keep the story moving. Unfortunately, the Black Theatre Troupe production does not offer these amenities…
Yakuza Apocalypse Japanese filmmaker Takashi Miike’s latest movie Yakuza Apocalypse has been called “inspired lunacy.” This action thriller, packed with martial arts, supernatural beings, and lots of blood, should get you in the mood for Halloween, and it’s screening at FilmBar, 815 North Second Street, October 9 to 13. But…
I have, on very rare occasions, left theater productions at intermission. When I’ve done so, it’s not only because the mess onstage has run me out of the room, but because I’ve also determined I have nothing greater to share about the production than a list of its inadequacies. That…
It’s no secret that budget constraints impact artistic endeavors. For iTheatre Collaborative, it’s a reality played out in the recent decision to scrap a show planned for its current season. After not receiving a $5,000 grant they’d hoped for, the theater company decided to cancel Port Authority, which was scheduled…
Emerging and established dancers are taking to the stage at Tempe Center for the Arts for this weekend’s Arizona Dance Festival, a two-evening event featuring separate lineups. More than a dozen dancers and dance companies will perform at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, October 9, and Saturday, October 10. The event…
Repellent Fence It’s a truth that comes in many forms to the border areas between the United States and Mexico: If you can’t reach through the fence, reach over it. That same concept drives Postcommodity, a long-term social collaboration between artists and activists Raven Chacon, Cristobal Martinez, and Kade L…
Seductive vampires writhed their way around the stage last week as Scorpius Dance Theatre opened its 12th annual run of A Vampire Tale — a show conceived, choreographed, and directed by Lisa Starry, the company’s artistic director. It’s being performed at Hormel Theatre, located on the Phoenix Theatre campus, through Saturday, October…
You work hard for your money, and you shouldn’t have to spend it all just to have a good time. This week, metro Phoenix offers plenty of options for those looking to socialize and save, including talks, presentations, yoga, and poetry. Take some time to relax your mind, spirit and…
“Sirens and Serpents” If “Sirens and Serpents: The Art of Tara Sharpe” had a rating, it would probably be “R,” for nudity and post-impressionist expressionism. {9} The Gallery, 1229 Grand Avenue, is hosting the exhibit on Friday, October 2, and the installation will feature hand-pulled block prints and works on…
New things are coming to Space 55’s this fall season. The small downtown Phoenix theater space has welcomed Duane Daniels as its new artistic director. Apart from the theater presenting an upcoming season of “off-Broadway style, adventurous theatre,” it will also host Kim Porter as she leads an eight-week (versus the typical…
In 1985, Phoenix Mayor Terry Goddard had an idea. He approached the City Council with a proposal to create a commission dedicated entirely to preserving the growing arts scene and encouraging others to pursue their artistic endeavors. Interest and funding for the local art scene had grown significantly, and Goddard…
Ballet is a beautiful thing, especially performed by moonlight. Which is why one of our favorite fall dance traditions is Ballet Under the Stars. It’s a series of free Ballet Arizona performances on outdoor stages at several parks throughout metropolitan Phoenix at 7 p.m., just as twilight descends over the…
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…
