In a proclamation worthy of a Rodgers and Hammerstein musical, the Arizona Theatre Company Board of Trustees has announced in a release that fundraising efforts to save the 2016-17 season has succeeded, and the 50th Anniversary season will indeed launch with Kind Charles III as previously scheduled. Arizona audiences will have their shows, and ATC company and staff will keep their jobs.

The number capped at 448 Tucson donors and 320 from Phoenix. Mike Kasser, Tucson business leader and stalwart ATC patron sent a heartfelt thank you to the generosity of Arizona's loyal theatre-goers:

 “I’m so happy that this effort came together and reached the goal. With over 700 small-to-medium size donors, It was like a crowd-funding campaign without the Internet. I also very much appreciate the support from Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton and Tucson Mayor Jonathan Rothschild as well as several large donors. We know that this does not represent the end of our fund-raising focus, but now ATC can move forward with a very exciting season and plan for the future.”

Other leaders within ATC, including Artistic Director David Ira Goldstein and Board of Trustees Chair Lynne Wood Dusenberry, expressed their deep gratitude for the outpouring of support, but qualified the statements by reminding the community of all the fundraising and reorganizing that still needs to be done to ensure company sustainability. 

"And to those who so generously donated to the effort, at whatever level they could afford, we can only offer our deep thanks and a promise to take every necessary step to ensure that ATC is in a position to produce 50 more seasons," Dusenberry said. "At the same time, as wonderful as this day is, there is still much work to be done on both the fund-raising side and organizationally to ensure ATC’s long-term financial and artistic stability.”

You can now, finally, check out the ATC website for more information on tickets and dates for the upcoming season of shows. King Charles III will open in September, followed by An Act of God in October, and closing with Fiddler on the Roof at the end of the year. 

While most of the community still lay in their beds resting in preparation for Independence Day, 65-year-old David Knowlton was taking his usual morning walk around the neighborhood. Knowlton had moved to Oro Valley almost two years ago to escape the New Hampshire cold and find a climate more suited to his battle with multiple sclerosis.

While his Fourth of July began like so many other days, Knowlton would soon end up at Banner-University Medical Center. At approximately 6:15 a.m., Knowlton was struck by a passing vehicle, which then fled the scene, while walking along the 9300 block of North Calle El Milagro.

“A lot of MS patients tend to lose their ability to walk,” said Kayla Jacks, Kowlton’s daughter. “My father was extremely gracious that he was able to walk and that was always a positive note for him—which makes it that much harder for me to accept what has happened. If it was not daily, it was almost seven days a week that he would go on a morning five-mile walk and that was all to help his MS in the best way that he could—to stay strong and to exercise.”

The Oro Valley Police Department launched an investigation into the hit-and-run based on a description of the 2010 Nissan Cube that was seen leaving the scene. Later that day, police arrested the car’s registered owner, John J. Pedicone, 37, on charges of failing to stop at an accident involving serious physical injury or death and aggravated assault, causing serious physical injury, according to reports.

After arriving at Banner, Knowlton was immediately admitted into a seven-hour surgery. According to Jacks, who has made a GoFundMe page to help fund her father’s expensive recovery, Knowlton’s injuries were quite extensive, including multiple, severe injuries to his spine.

Last we heard, Arizona Theatre Company had two weeks to come up with two million dollars, otherwise the theatre would be forced to close its doors for its next season. The announcement came last week in a press release, saying the company needed the cash or an entire year of reorganizing in the hopes they could raise the curtain the year after.

On July 8, ATC sent out another press release to announce that nearly 360 donors from Tucson and Phoenix have pledged a quarter million ($220,000 to be exact) in a fundraising effort to save the 2016-17 season. In addition to the 213 Tucson donors and 145 from Phoenix, an anonymous donor pledged a separate $100,000 donation to have the deadline for closure extended to July 15. Mike Kasser, board member at ATC, has also agreed to match the funds if one million can be raised before the deadline.

Members of ATC's governing bodies said in the release that the support from the Tucson and Phoenix communities is cause for hope, but they are reaching a critical timeframe that needs to be met otherwise "options are very limited," according to  ATC Managing Director Billy Russo. 

"Either we go on temporary hiatus to restructure the business model or close our doors," he said. "We are hopeful that the people of Arizona won’t let that happen.”

To donate to the cause or for more information, visit www.arizonatheatre.org.

Hey Tucson, hey. Adiba here, and I'm coming to you with a heavy, 50lb heart. 

Alton Sterling. Philando Castile. 

As someone on Twitter said, "another day, another hashtag," and I can't wrap my mind around this. For some reason these two deaths have hit me harder and deeper than any of the countless deaths of Black men and women that have come before them. I have watched the video of every death prior to these. I've listened to countless audio tapes. I've listened to Trayvon Martin beg for someone, ANYONE to help; his screams heard through closed doors, brick frame homes and transmitted clearly over a telephone line into a 911 operator's ear. I've watched Walter Scott get shot in the back by a police officer as he ran for his life. I've witnessed via the terrors of YouTube as Laquan MacDonald had 17 bullets pumped into his body—execution by legal firing squad. So, watching my brothers die at the hands of corrupt police officers is not new to me—it has come to be part of the narrative of 2013 - ???.

But what was it about these two men? Is it because this time I witnessed the "what happened before" that people are always talking about? Is it because I saw Alton Sterling standing there, not resisting arrest, before being tackled to the ground like a linebacker? It because I watched the police officer put the gun to his chest more than once, watched him pull the trigger, and then watched life leave this man's body? Is it because Philando Castile's girlfriend invited me into her loved ones last moments on this earth, and I watched yet another soul float away? Is it because his 4-year-old daughter was still strapped into her carseat when her daddy was gunned down before her eyes? Or is it because I then listened to this same 4-year-old girl console her mother in the back of a police car, as she mourned the death of her loved one. This baby didn't even get to mourn. She was placed in the role of protector. At 4-years-old she unearthed the role of "saving grace." This shouldn't happen. This should never happen. It hasn't happened here. 

But it can. 

Tucson, I am a Black woman. I live here. I walk amongst you every day. It can happen to me. I have a 20-year-old brother who lives here. I have three nephews that live here, ages five, one and two. My three sisters live here. My mother lives here. 

We all live here. We don't look like the majority of you—only about 5 percent of Tucson is Black. But we are here—which means that like you, WE ARE TUCSON. Collectively. What you do to the least of us, you do to all of us. So I must ask, what are we doing collectively to make sure that my brother, YOUR brother, is not the next Philando Castile? What are we going to do collectively to make sure that my nephews, YOUR nephews, do not become the next Trayvon Martin, Eric Garner, and Alton Sterling? What are we going to do COLLECTIVELY to make sure that I, the woman writing this article, am not the next Sandra Bland?

Because if I am the next Sandra Bland, then so are you.  
If you would like to be part of the solution, please join the local chapter of Black Lives Matter on Saturday, July 9 at Armory Park. There will be a vigil and healing circle taking place, starting at 6 p.m. For more information please click here.

Sylvia Sander, local private investigator, began fielding interviews with the homeless early this year as a volunteer. She said a common complaint of the many homeless people she met living in the downtown area concerned the issue of photographs, namely those taken by street photographers and tourists who snapped shots of individuals living on the streets without so much of a "may I?"

Curious about what the homeless would capture given the opportunity, Sander gave her two inaugural volunteers 35mm disposable cameras to capture daily life on the streets of Tucson. The results eventually gave rise to the Bright Eyes Project, a venture promoting awareness and compassion through the work of homeless photographers.

The project, supported by The Carlos G. Figueroa Foundation, will be having its first public showing on Sunday July 10 from 6 to 10 p.m. at the Monterey Court (505 W. Miracle Mile) in Tucson (details here). The exhibition will feature the work of the Tucson homeless artists Sander contacted through the project, some of whom have since found residence off the streets. 

However, according to a Pima County count of homeless populations for 2016, there are still 381 persons living without shelter in Tucson, not including the over 1,300 other homeless individuals moving between temporary, transitional and emergency housing.

A short drive around the downtown and university areas reveal a grim reality for hundreds of homeless Tucsonans huddling under patches of shade in De Anza Park and beyond. With temperatures at a steady one-hundred-and-miserable for the rest of the foreseeable future, it behooves us to lend a hand to those who must endure the heat out of necessity and hard times. 

If you can spare a moment, some supplies or even a case of water, take a look at the 2016 list of summer sun respite sites around town. Points of contact are listed for each site and some may take donations or volunteers during the summer months. Additionally, the Community Emergency Medical Responders (C-EMRs), an organization under the auspices of volunteer MDs, trains street-based medical volunteers to facilitate healthcare for the homeless also takes donations here. 

For more information on the Carlos G. Figueroa Foundation or the Bright Eyes project, visit their Facebook pages or thecarlosgfigueroafoundation.com.

Hey hey, Tucson! I am thrilled to be writing to you about all the delicious shenanigans, and points of ponderance Tucson (and the world) has to offer! I grew up reading the Weekly, and my plan for my inaugural post was to take you on a trip down memory lane; share a bit of MY Tucson with you. But then I read this Huffington Post article about a local family that is being terrorized by some racist bigots.

Um, that's not MY Tucson.

According to the article, the family of Syrian refugees recently came home to find a note taped to their front door with phrases like "Go away killers!," "America hates terrorists like you!" and "You are Muslim and not welcome!" among other hateful things.

What? Did we enter some weird Twilight Zone vortex of idiocy? Has the heat finally fried our brains to the point of bumbling lunacy? I simply cannot wrap my brain around this, and I certainly cannot accept it. This family fled a country where they lived in fear every day because of terrorists and came to America—the land of the free (for some, but that's another post altogether).The family came here under the promise of relief from fear, bigotry, and certain death. Then they came all the way to Tucson—TUCSON; the liberal stepsister to the uber conservatives 2 hours north. Tucson—artsy-fartsy, retired hippy, live and let live, WE BUY SONORAN DOGS FROM DIRT FIELDS ON CORNERS AND TAMALES FROM WOMEN WE KNOW ARE HERE ILLEGALLY BUT DAMN, WE CAN'T GO WITHOUT OUR TAMALES—Tucson, and then we have the nerve, the gall, nay, the absolute audacity to do this?

No. This is not MY Tucson. If you're reading this right now, I'm willing to bet it's not YOUR Tucson either. In Tucson, we don't stand for bigotry. We don't stand for hate. And we sure as hell don't stand for cowardly fear tactics played out against our most vulnerable citizens. Hell-to-the-hot-ass-desert-NO.

Tucson and its surrounding communities will be offering the public plenty of ways to celebrate their independence this July 4.

All events take place on July 4 unless marked otherwise: 

Marana will be holding its annual Star Spangled Spectacular at Crossroads at Sliverbell District Park (7548 N. Silverbell Road). The festivities will take place between 5 and 9:30 p.m., with something for the whole family. Kids will enjoy inflatable play equipment, airbrush tattoos, games put on by Parks and Recreation, and the park's playground. Parents will enjoy Catalina Brewing Company’s beer garden. There will be two stages with live music playing all night long. The Star Spangled Spectacular will feature 35 vendors, 22 of which will serve food. Of course the event would not be complete without a fireworks show, which claims to be the most spectacular in
Southern Arizona.

Oro Valley’s Fourth of July Celebration takes place at the James D. Kriegh Park (23 W. Calle Concordia) from 5 to 9:30 p.m. Free activities for kids include face painting, tie-dye t-shirts, patriotic crafts, climbing walls and jumping castles. Residents can enjoy a selection of 10 food
trucks and live entertainment all night long. At 9 p.m. there will be a fireworks show provided by Hilton El Conquistador Resort. The town of Oro Valley asks that you please leave your pets at home.

The Stars and Stripes Extravaganza is a ticketed public event in Oro Valley hosted by Hilton Tucson El Conquistador Golf and Tennis Resort (10000 N. Oracle Road) The event kicks off with a classic barbecue buffet from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m., followed by classic July Fourth desserts like apple pie. There will be a 30 minute fireworks show at 9 p.m. Tickets are $55 for adults and $25 for children ages 5-12, children under four are get in for free. The Hilton Tucson El Conquistador Golf and Tennis Resort will have reduced rates for the holiday weekend, with prices starting at $139 with a two night minimum. Hotel guests will receive a discount on tickets for the extravaganza: $49 for adults and $20 for children 5-12.

As a bright-eyed, eternally optimistic student of theatre in Tucson, a coveted spot on Arizona Theatre Company's stage was considered the peak of success during four years of actor training at the UA School of Theatre, Film and Television.

One of my most memorable acting experiences happened as an understudy in ATC's God of Carnage, a role I was egregiously unprepared for, yet one that hurtled me into a new phase of growth and appreciation for my craft at the time. ATC's understudy programs for young actors are crucial first steps into the realm of professional theatre and towards the golden ticket of an Actor's Equity Card. Not to mention Summer on Stage, Student Matinees and Cafe Bohemia, programs which foster youth performance and new works of theatre by up-and-coming playwrights. 

Now, facing its 50th year serving southern Arizona's theatre community, ATC might not see the curtain rise for its 2016-17 season. Without the $2 million necessary to keep its doors open by Friday, July 1, ATC will consider canceling the upcoming shows to reorganize, despite sustained efforts by private donors to keep the doors open. 

Although ATC's recent seasons left the company in the black by the end of the fiscal year, 2016's recent fundraising efforts to bring the business out of a substantial debt has reached a "critical juncture" according to a press release sent out Monday to donors and subscribers.

The Tucson Pima Arts Council is inviting you to celebrate your favorite artists and organizations by nominating them for 2016 Lumies Arts and Business Awards. 
TPAC honors "luminaries" each year for the profound impact they've made on Southern Arizona communities through the arts. 

According to the TPAC their seven awards include:

Arts Education Award: Awarded to an individual or organization that has demonstrated excellence in arts education and/or youth work. May apply to a program for youth and/or adults.
Arts and Cultural Advocate: Awarded to an individual or organization that has significantly contributed to the Tucson and Pima County cultural community and has raised the visibility of Southern Arizona's arts and culture sector. This may include work through direct advocacy efforts as well as promoting the value of the arts.
Business Award: Awarded to a private-sector business that actively supports and promotes local arts organizations, programs, and individual artists through advocacy and/or community outreach and involvement initiatives, such as work-place based gallery exhibitions, volunteerism, scholarships, and a variety of other activities that promotes the value of arts and culture in our community.
Artist Award: Awarded to an individual artist who has demonstrated excellence, originality, and ingenuity in the local arts and culture sector.
Arts Organization Award: Awarded to a public or private arts organization that has demonstrated excellence in serving the people of Tucson and Pima County. This may include exemplary work across disciplines, as well as advocating for and promoting the value of arts and culture in Southern Arizona.
The David Hoyt Johnson Award for Outstanding Achievement in the Arts: Awarded to an individual, organization, or arts administrator who has demonstrated excellence, resilience, integrity, and resourcefulness in the arts and culture sector.
Emerging Artist or Arts Organization: Award to an individual, collective, or organization with three years or less of operating experience that has demonstrated excellence in Southern Arizona's arts and culture sector. May apply to a program for or by youth.

Winners will be announced and nominees will be honored at the their gala event on Friday, Sept. 16 at the Rialto Theatre. 

For more information and to nominate and individual or organization click here. 

Nominations will be accepted until Monday, August 5. 

In response to the state's shit show of a presidential preference election back in March, U.S. Reps. Ann Kirkpatrick and Ruben Gallego, alongside several community advocates, will host a voting rights forum in Phoenix on Wednesday. 

To refresh your memory: Thousands of voters, mostly in Maricopa County, were either turned down at polling places because they were incorrectly registered as independents, or waited for hours and hours due to a massive cutback in voting locations. 

At the panel, Kirkpatrick, Gallego and representatives of the African-American, Latino/Mexican American communities, the state's Department of Education, as well as other statewide leaders will discuss the need for local, state and federal efforts "to fully engage voters and prevent the March debacle from repeating in November's general election or in future election years," a press release from Kirkpatrick's office says. 

The forum will also address the need for restoring the Voting Rights Act, which was weakened in 2013 by the Supreme Court’s ruling in Shelby County v. Holder—a ruling that has been called “a dagger in the heart of the Voting Rights Act.” In that decision, Chief Justice Roberts acknowledged the persistence of voter discrimination and invited Congress to come up with a new coverage formula based on current conditions. Two bipartisan bills in Congress would do so, but leaders in the House and Senate will not take up either bill. 

Among the panelists are, Cloves Campbell Jr., executive director of Arizona Commission of African-American Affairs, Debora Colbert, chair of Rep. Gallego’s African-American Advisory Council; Alex Gomez, co-director of Living United for a Change in Arizona, Dr. Ann Hart, chair of Women in NAACP, deputy associate superintendent of Arizona Department of Education
Francisco Heredia, national field director for Mi Familia Vota, John Lewis, former executive director of Intertribal Council of Arizona, and Daniel Ortega Jr., civil rights attorney and former chair of National Council of La Raza, according to the press release, which adds that the lineup is still being worked out.

Tucsonans, if you're able to attend, do so.

The forum takes place Wednesday, June 29 from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at Greater Bethel A.M.E. Church, 7040 S. 40th Street (remember, this is in Phoenix).