Rafiki at the Loft Cinema. The Loft Film Fest is here, so it's an excuse to see as many movies as possible. Rafiki, a film in competition for the Cicae Award, is a romantic story between two women in a society that bans homosexuality. Even though this film has been banned in Kenya, the African culture shines proud throughout this movie and the director wants it to be an example of what the African film world should look like. She describes its as "Afrobubblegum" which means, fun, fierce, and frivolous African Art. See this film at The Loft at 3 p.m. Details Here.

UA Dance “Premium Blend” 2018. If you’ve ever seen a show put on by the UA School of Dance, you won’t be surprised to hear that it’s got what’s considered one of the top dance programs in the United States. The director of admissions at Juilliard listed it as one of the best 20 in “The Performing Arts Major’s College Guide,” for example. At their annual fall presentation, you’ll see athleticism and artistry at their finest in the Stevie Eller Dance Theatre. The 140-person ensemble performs more than 40 times a year, but this chance to see some of the best in ballet and contemporary dance in an intimate setting is not to be missed. Wednesday, Nov. 14 through Sunday, Nov. 18, with shows at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday, 1:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday and 6 p.m. Sunday. Stevie Eller Dance Theatre, 1737 E. University Blvd. Details Here.

Eli Young Band at the Rialto. A modern country band, also known as a true band of brothers who each play their own instruments, bring some unique beats to the stage. With their fourth studio album titled "Fingerprints" these self-proclaimed "misfits" are embracing what makes them unique. They will be performing at the Rialto Theatre on Wednesday, Nov. 14. Doors will open at 7:00 p.m. and the show will start at 8:00 p.m. Tickets $24-27 per person. Details Here.

Conrad Wilde Gallery: Closing the Doors. After 13 tremendous years, Conrad Wilde Gallery is closing their doors. Before they close them for good, make sure to head over the gallery to see their last ever exhibits. The gallery is open Tuesday-Saturday. The final exhibit will be on Dec. 1, 2018. There will also be an art supplies sale from Dec. 8-15. Prices may vary. 101 W 6th St. Details Here.

UA Women's Basketball vs. Loyola Marymount. Get back into the basketball spirit and watch UA women's basketball kill it on the court on Tuesday, Nov. 13. We all know how much love the guys receive so lets get out there and cheer on our women too! Send good luck their way, the game will begin at 6:30 p.m. at McKale Center.1721 E Enke Dr. Details Here.

Second Tuesday Talks: Iran, Experiences and Observations. On Tuesday, Nov. 13, Michael  Zaccaria will talk about his trip to Iran in 2018. He will discuss its political and religious landscape, holiday observances, nuclear relations and much more. Zaccaria has a MA in History and has worked in higher education much of his life. Since 2003 he has taught History of the Middle East at Pima Community College and UA. The conversation will be hosted at the United Nations Association of Southern Arizona. 12-1:00 p.m. 6242 E Speedway Blvd. Details Here.

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If you go to any of the events listed above, snap a quick pic and message it to us for a chance to be featured on our social media sites! Find us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram @tucsonweekly.

Events compiled by Brianna Lewis, Emily Dieckman, B.S. Eliot and Jeff Gardner.

At the end of this week, one deserving Tucsonan will have a good reason to smile.

Robert Wood, Nicholas Coles and Negin Saghafi of Arizona Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeons will announce the recipient of the Second Annual Second Chance Program at their Tucson office on Thursday, Nov. 15 at 9 a.m.

376 people from the greater Tucson area applied to receive a $50,000 smile makeover for this year’s giveaway. The oral surgeons have partnered with Hammel Dentistry in Tucson to create a full upper and lower set of permanent teeth for the recipient.

Last year’s recipient, Christina Bazaldua, had only three teeth and couldn’t eat solid foods. All the while she had to provide for seven children on just a cashier’s salary. Bazaldua said the smile makeover changed her life completely.

Learn more about the Second Chance Program here.

Arizona Heroes of WWI Documentary Screenings. Incorporating a 100-year-old film from the vaults of the National Archives brings personal, heroic and inspiring stories of men and women from Arizona who served in WWI. A perfect documentary to see on Veteran's Day,  the movie will run every hour on the hour 9:00AM - 4:00PM.  Adults $10/Seniors $8/Student Adult $5/Student Youth (7-17) $4 Child (6 & under) free/Veterans and AHS members free. Arizona History Museum 949 E. 2nd Street. Details Here.

Tucson's 99th Annual Veterans Day Parade. Join the American Legion Morgan McDermott Post 7 and the City of Tucson to honor the Veterans of Tucson and all around the country. The parade is Monday, Nov. 12 at 11 a.m. Every year the theme is different and this year it is, "Celebration of Armistice Day." The parade will be held downtown and starts at west Alameda Street and Granada Ave. Free. Details Here.

Adult Painting at Creative Juice Bar. Well, they have the name, "Creative Juice Bar" for a reason, they really know how to get your creative senses tingling. On Monday, Nov. 12 at 6:30 p.m. you have the opportunity to get your paint on at Bianchi's Italian. Enjoy some wine and food while you create a masterpiece. Details Here.

Send Us Your Photos:
If you go to any of the events listed above, snap a quick pic and message it to us for a chance to be featured on our social media sites! Find us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram @tucsonweekly.

Events compiled by Brianna Lewis, Emily Dieckman, B.S. Eliot and Jeff Gardner.

Crush Party! Why not spend your Friday night at the Tucson Museum of Art? With some of Tucson’s best restaurants serving high-end bites and samples, enjoy a variety of different alcoholic beverages while you stroll the plaza. Live music will be played by the Zona Libre Band as the Museum of Art gathers all of their partners for this fun event. 6 to 9 p.m. Friday, Nov. 9. 140 N. Main Ave. 21+. $60 ($70 for day of). Details Here.

Anne-Marie McDermott at the Tucson Symphony Orchestra. If you’ve heard of Anne-Marie McDermott, then you know you’re in  for a treat by hearing her play Mozart’s final Piano Concert, No. 27. If you haven’t heard of her, then you are certainly still in for a treat with the opportunity to hear an artist who has been called “exceptional on every count.” The night also features Edward Elgar’s Symphony No. 2, a work which Elgar told a friend in a letter that he had written his very soul into. James Judd, assistant conductor of the Cleveland Orchestra, conducts. 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 9 and 2 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 11. Tucson Music Hall, 260 S. Church Ave. $30 to $86. Details Here.

Sahuarita Pecan Festival. One of the best attractions at this event, now in its 10th year, is also the most obvious: the pecans! And with pecan harvesting demonstrations, a pecan pie contest and a pecan cracking contest, there’s something pecan-related for everyone. Plus, there’s the Pecan Classic and Family Fun Run; a kids area with bounce houses, bungee jumping, a rock climbing wall and a petting zoo; arts and crafts; a huge array of local vendors selling food and goods; and special entertainment by the Southern Reins Band, Grizzly Band and the Walden Grove High School dance team (whom you might have seen on America’s Got Talent!) The festival has raised more than $100,000 for local charities since it started, so it would be a worthy place to spend your money even if it weren’t so delicious. 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 10. Green Valley Pecan Company, 1625 E. Sahuarita Road. Free, with $5 on-site parking and $2 for horse-drawn wagon rides into the orchard for harvest demonstration. Details Here.

Old Town Tubac Historic Adobe Building Tours. Join the Tubac Presidio State Historic Park and the Lowe House Project for this rare chance to tour the inside of some of Tubac’s oldest historic buildings. Knowledgeable docents, costumed living history interpreters and descendants of original occupants will share what they know about these buildings’ beginnings and tell stories about their occupants that have been passed down through generations. One building is believed to have housed Spanish colonial soldiers in the mid-1700s. Another from the 1850s was home to one of America’s earliest 19th century Anglo settlers. Others were built on existing foundations at the turn of the 20th century. You really ought to see it—and you can! 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 10. Tubac School of Fine Art, 4 Calle Iglesia, Tubac AZ. $40. Details Here.

Tap & Bottle Invitational Beer Festival. Tap & Bottle is bringing you the beer event you need this weekend. Celebrate with 18 local breweries on the MSA Annex outdoor festival grounds with beer, food trucks and live music. General admission will include specialty glassware and 22 4-ounce pours of beer. 4 to 9 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 10. 267 S. Avenida del Convento. $55 Details Here.

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Rick and Morty Bar Crawl. It’s time to get Rickety Rickety wrecked! Grab your Rick and Morty

gang and stroll on down to Maloney’s to start off this topical (and hopefully not overplayed) bar crawl. Get with your friends and dress up as your favorite characters for this one-night-only adventure. Don’t be a Jerry and stay at home! If you didn’t get that reference, you better start binge-watching. 5 to 10 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 10. 213 N. Fourth Ave. Details Here.

Bach’s Mass in B Minor. This is your chance to see this choral masterpiece by Bach himself live in Tucson! With Guy Whatley on the harpsichord, plus an orchestra and a chorus, it’s going to be a true treat. This is regarded as one of classical music’s highest achievements, even though Bach didn’t finish it until later in life when he had already gone blind. Interestingly, however, it was never performed in its entirety while Bach was still alive. So get ready to feel awestruck, inspired and maybe even a little bit spiritual—after all, it’s a mass! 7 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 10. Catalina United Methodist Church, 2700 E. Speedway Blvd. $10 to $40. Details Here.

Free Admission Days at the Tucson Children’s Museum. Because the Dusk Music Festival will have some streets closed to the public this Friday and Saturday, the museum is having shorter hours, but offering totally free admission. What better opportunity to make some art in the Imaginarium Art Studio, learn about gravity and electricity at various museum stations, hang out in the Butterfly Garden or explore the new “Sense of Place” exhibit, which lets you take a tour of Tucson attractions ranging from Kitt Peak to Sabino Canyon without ever leaving the room. 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 10, and Sunday, Nov. 11. Tucson Children’s Museum, 200 S. Sixth Ave. Free. Details Here.

Living History Days at the Tucson Presidio. It sure is nice to imagine living back in a time when things were simpler. And it’s even nicer to spend an afternoon experiencing it. At this event, step into the shoes of some of the soldiers or families living in the Presidio in the late 1700s. See candle making, weaving and blacksmithing demonstrations; enjoy fresh-baked bread and handmade tortillas; and watch soldiers fire a four-pound bronze cannon and practice their drills. You can even play with the blacksmith’s forge, spin some cotton and learn how soldiers fire their muskets yourself. This month’s event celebrates the history of Arizona’s military, from the time of New Spain to today. 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 10. Presidio San Augustin del Tucson, 196 N. Court Ave. $5 GA, $1 kids 6 to 14, free for kids 5 and under and Presidio Trust members. Details Here.

Debra S. Jacobs Book Signing. This Tucson-based author will be signing copies of her new book, Safety and Consent for Kids and Teens with Autism or Special Needs—A Parent’s Guide, as well as doing a presentation with Linda Clay of the Southern Arizona Children’s Advocacy Center. Jacobs has been working with children with special needs for more than four decades. She says she has always been passionate about helping children reach their full potential and keeping them safe, and that the “Me Too” movement made her feel the timing was finally right to publish this book. 2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 10. Southern Arizona Girl Scouts office, 4300 E. Broadway Blvd. Free. Details Here.

Sixth Annual Marana Turkey Trot. Maybe you’re training for the El Tour or just enjoy doing 5Ks and 10Ks. But maybe you just want to run for the far more relatable reason that the holidays are coming, and it can never hurt to put some time into burning off a few of those mashed potato calories. And it certainly can’t hurt to do it along the gorgeous Santa Cruz River. The town is hosting a half-mile fun run starting at 7:15 a.m. and a 5K and 10K, which both start at 8 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 10. Crossroads at Silverbell District Park, 7548 N. Silverbell Road. $15 to $25 for 5K/10K or $5 to $10 for fun run. Details Here.

Tenth International Guitar Festival. The Tucson Guitar Society has some seriously sweet sensory treats coming your way over the next month or so, and they’re kicking it off with a performance by Duo Assad from Brazil. Brothers Sérgio and Odair play original music composed by Sérgio and his re-workings of folk and jazz music, as well as Latin music in all styles and pieces by composers ranging from Bach to Gershwin to Debussy. Though Odair is now based in Brussels and Sérgio in Chicago, we’re lucky enough to have them visit the UA regularly, to headline this festival and offer master classes for advanced guitar students. 7 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 10, and 4 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 11. Holsclaw Recital Hall at the Fred Fox School of Music. $25 TGS members, $30 GA, $15 students. Details Here.

International Science Center Day at Flandrau. Science centers and museums all over the world will be celebrating today in honor of World Science Day for Peace and Development. Tucson’s slice of the action is free admission to Flandrau for the day, hands-on science activities in everything from chemistry to neuroscience and physics and other space science activities. For the first time, Flandrau is also presenting a “domecast” lecture, where they’ll be live-transmitting “The Cosmos in a Heartbeat,” a lecture from the Adler Planetarium in Chicago by Shane Larson of Northwestern University, across the dome. Event is 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 10, with the lecture at 11 a.m. and special events from 1 to 4 p.m. Flandrau Science Center & Planetarium, 1601 E. University Blvd. Free admission to Flandrau and activities, $2 for “domecast” lecture and regular price for other planetarium shows ($8 adults, $6 kids). Details Here.

Terrariums & Festive Mimosas! Are you in an artsy mood? Do you maybe want to try a new hobby? Terrariums might be for you. Join Green Things and drink festive apple cider mimosas while you plant and go through the process of making your own terrarium. Select your favorite form of terrarium and get to work. Make sure to RSVP with Green Things before the event. Noon to 2 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 11. 3384 E. River Road. Details Here.

VegOut! Tucson Vegan Festival. VegOut Events is returning to Tucson to celebrate all vegan foods and recipes in an all-day Vegan festival. Taking place at the beautiful Whistle Stop Depot, this is a paradise for all vegan foodies. Food, drinks, live entertainment, educational speakers, chef demonstrations and fitness talks, will be available to all attendees. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 11. 127 W. Fifth St. $15 (Free for kids 12 and under). Details Here.

14th Annual Argentina Heart & Soul. With wines exclusively from Argentina and regionally inspired dishes, come to Hacienda Del Sol for their Argentina-themed night. Foods like chili and sugar-rubbed pork ribs, empanadas and Argentinian dulce de leche crepes will be available alongside elite wines, while live musicians perform. 5 to 8 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 11. 5501 N. Hacienda del Sol Road. $65. Details Here.

Footprints at the Fox. Ballet Tucson presents this evening of original works developed through the group’s ChoreoLab initiative, designed to support the next generation of choreographers as they hone their art and develop their own voice. You’ll see pieces by nine choreographers in the style of everything from classical ballet to contemporary and jazz, and then vote on your favorite. The top three pieces will receive a prize! Will it be the piece set to Elephant Gun exploring adolescent identity? The one inspired by the English poem The Lark Ascending? Perhaps the one depicting social and political views about immigration? You, the audience, will decide! 1 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 11. Fox Tucson Theatre, 17 W. Congress St. $25.Details Here.

Free Entrance to National Parks. It’s the fourth and final day of 2018 where you can get into all of the National Park Service sites in the country totally free! Saguaro National Park, which is enjoying cooler temperatures this time of year, is the obvious choice, but you could also pay a visit to the Grand Canyon, the Petrified Forest or any other National Park that usually charges admission. It can be easy to take the saguaros we’re surrounded by for granted, but a walk, bike or hike through the park is a good way to remind yourself just how much majesty we’re dealing with here. Sunday, Nov. 11. Details Here.

Bread and Puppet. Bread and Puppet is one of the oldest political theaters in the country, and has inspired puppeteers around the world, including those working in the All Souls Procession. And now they’re coming to Tucson! Don’t miss their two shows: The Grasshopper Rebellion Circus, showing at 4 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 11, at Flam Chen at the Mercado Annex, 100 S. Avenida del Convento, and 4 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 13, at the schoolhouse in Arivaca, 17180 W. Fourth St., Arivaca. And The Basic Bye-Bye Show is at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 14 at the Global Justice Center, 225 E. 26th St. Suggested donation is $10 to $25, but no one will be turned away. Details Here.

Hats off to Heroes: Tucson’s Tribute to America’s Veterans. This Veterans Day, enjoy music from local bands like the George Howard Band, the Robert Moreno Band, the Billy Shaw Jr Band and 80s and Gentlemen. And of course, be sure to check out some of the displays of U.S. military equipment and a fireworks show set to patriotic music. And, in what is perhaps the best way of all to honor our veterans, a group of local businesses and organizations ranging from the Army Wounded Warrior Program to Habitat for Humanity to Tucson Veterans Serving Veterans are coming together for a veterans resource fair. Hats off to heroes indeed! Noon to 6:30 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 11. DeMeester Band Shell at Reid Park, 900 S. Randolph Way. Free. Details Here.

Second SundAZe Family Day at TMA. On second Sundays, admission to the Tucson Museum of Art is free to Arizona and Sonora residents, courtesy of the Stonewall Foundation. This month, the day full of activities is centered around the theme of movement in art. Create mobiles and action paintings, paint with a spinner and enjoy dance performances by Ballet Rincon at 10:30 a.m. and 12:15 p.m., as well as a demonstration and interactive workshop at 11 a.m. There are also two exhibit openings today: Pictures of Hope, which celebrates its opening from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. and El Nacimiento, which celebrates its opening from 1 to 4 p.m. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 11. Tucson Museum of Art and Historic Block, 140 N. Main Ave. Free. Details Here.

GABA 2018 Fall Bike Swap. Get ready to buy, swap and sell at the largest bicycle swap in the southwest, which attracts more than 5,000 attendees and more than 40 vendors twice a year. Come on down to see a huge selection of bicycles and bicycle parts from all over the Southwest, and let your bicycle dreams come true. Have a bike to sell? Feel free to slap a price on it and walk it around while you’re checking out all the items available from vendors and other individuals. What a beautiful day for a bike swap! 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 11. 311 E. Seventh St. Free entry. Details Here.

Send Us Your Photos:
If you go to any of the events listed above, snap a quick pic and message it to us for a chance to be featured on our social media sites! Find us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram @tucsonweekly.

Events compiled by Brianna Lewis, Emily Dieckman, B.S. Eliot and Jeff Gardner.

What cuter way to kick of the holiday season than with your pets and Santa?

The Humane Society of Southern Arizona (HSSA) are encouraging well behaved and vaccinated dog and cat owners to visit for Pet Santa Photos on Saturday, Nov. 10 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at HSSA Main Campus on 635 W. Roger Rd.

Come dressed in holiday costumes with your pet or do pet solo photos with Santa! Photos will cost $15 each. All purchases are tax-free and the proceeds will go towards funding in caring for homeless pets at the Humane Society.

"This is one of my favorite events of the year," said Diana Canon, Chief Development Officer. "We bring our dogs each year to get their photo taken with Santa and use it as our Christmas card. It's a great feeling knowing we are supporting the homeless pets at HSSA." 

The Humane Society of Southern Arizona has saved over 1 million pets in its 74 years of operation. The shelter takes pets who have serious medical needs and animals who are in need of a home.

To reserve your spot and to get your pets photo taken with Santa, visit http://www.hssaz.org/SANTA or to help volunteer for HSSA visit, http://www.hssaz.org/

The Bread and Puppet Theater will be coming to Tucson for the first time in over 30 years as part of a 14-week tour across the country. It is one of the nation's oldest political theaters and originally started in New York City in 1963 before moving to Vermont in the 1970s.

The internationally celebrated company includes  performances with art, music, and dance. The shows are both political and creative, known for their huge puppets made of papier-maché and cardboard material.

On Nov. 11, The Grasshopper Rebellion Circus theater performance will demonstrate riot and rebellion against intolerable situations with state of the art papier-maché weaponry and the Bread and Puppet Brass Band.

Bread and Puppet will also be providing its famous free sourdough rye bread with aioli. Books, posters, postcards, pamphlets and banners from the Bread and Puppet Press will also be for sale at the event.

The Bread and Puppet Theater is making their trip to Tucson worth the travel by putting on two shows while they are here in town. Bread and Puppet's Grasshopper Rebellion Circus will be on Sunday, Nov. 11 at 4 p.m. hosted by Flam Chen at the MSA Annex located on 267 Avenida Del Convento. The second show called Basic Bye Bye will be on Wednesday, Nov. 14 at 7 p.m. at the Global Justice Center located on 225 E. 26th St.

The events are free and welcomes all ages, however there is a $10-25 suggested donation. For more details and  information about the event visit, http://breadandpuppet.org 

The EVE Project, Celebrating the Many Facets of Womanhood. The Martha Graham Dance Company is the oldest and most celebrated modern dance company in the nation. With this show, they are celebrating the centenary of American women having the right to vote! Three of Graham’s signature pieces—The Dark Meadow Suite, Ekstasis and Errand into the Maze—are on the schedule, as well as some new works from some of today’s top choreographers, such as The Lamentation Variations by Aszure Barton, Bulareyaung Pagalava and Larry Keigwin, and Woodland by Pontus Lidberg. If you don’t think you’re a fan of dance, give this gripping show a shot—you might just find you’re a modern dance fan after all. 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 8. Centennial Hall, 1020 E. University Blvd. $19 to $80+. Details Here.

UA Science Café Series. A night at Borderlands Brewing Co. is always a good time, but it’s especially cool when you can kick back with a beer and learn about some of the bad-ass research being conducted at the University of Arizona. At this one, Valerie Madera-Garcia, a PhD student in the Mel & Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, will be talking about the Dengue virus fever, a disease transmitted by mosquitos and endemic in Puerto Rico. Normally, this type of mosquito breeds in clean water, but in the southeastern part of the island, they’ve been known to reproduce in septic tanks—especially after Hurricane Maria in 2017. Madera-Garcia will talk about the importance of predictive models and spatial analysis to mitigate this burden for the next hurricane season. 6 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 8. Borderlands Brewing Co., 119 E. Toole Ave. Details Here.

Lights of the World. Starting Thursday Nov. 8 Lights of the World will be taking over Kino Sports Complex until Jan. 2. Lights of the World is the largest light and lantern festival in North America. Representing many different cultures and landmarks there are 11 exhibits and 75 lantern displays. There are carnival rides and games, arts and crafts, food vendors and much more. General admission tickets $24.99. 2400 E. Ajo Way. Details Here.

Send Us Your Photos:
If you go to any of the events listed above, snap a quick pic and message it to us for a chance to be featured on our social media sites! Find us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram @tucsonweekly.

Events compiled by Brianna Lewis, Emily Dieckman, B.S. Eliot and Jeff Gardner.

Maria Bamford fan Molly McCloy is a four-time Moth winner and PCC teacher of creative nonfiction. Bamford headlines the Tucson Improv Movement’s Tucson Comedy Arts Festival with a performance at 8 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 10, at the Rialto Theater. Visit rialto.com for Bamford tickets, alone or with a $25 TCAF festival pass. Visit tucsonimprov.com for the schedule of festival performances starting Nov. 7, a festival pass and $5 tickets for individual shows.

“When was the last time you had a Peanut Buster Parfait?” I asked Maria Bamford.

“It’s been so long,” she replied. “You’re reminding me that I need to get back to the true path.”

The Dairy Queen treat comes up at least twice in Bamford’s work. In one standup bit, she demands a Peanut Buster Parfait from a friend, calling out the layers in a drill sergeant’s voice: “Hot fudge, peanuts, ice cream, hot fudge, peanuts, ice cream!”

In a scene from her NetFlix show Lady Dynamite, her character falls into a serious depression, and her father offers to take her out for a Peanut Buster Parfait.

I have a history of both mental illness and Dairy Queen employment in my family, so I’m sold on Bamford’s humor. I especially like the way she normalizes her bipolar diagnosis, since, for many of us, mental illness is normal.

In standup sets, Bamford pencils a family history of violence into a game of “emotional sudoku,” sings a deadpan song about her couples’ therapist and describes a psych ward in the voice of a set designer expertly arranging the broken chairs and puzzles with missing pieces. The current tour features all new material on marriage and religion.

Bamford told me that her humor about mental illness is successful because “the audience is down for it.”

She also explained the source her fabulous voice work, which includes dead-on impressions of business executives, teenagers, and hungry raccoons. “It started when I was a kid watching TV. It developed out of a need to be heard,” she explained, “the idea that if you change your voice the odds might be better that you’ll be heard because of the surprise factor.”

Since Tucson Improv Movement offers beginning improv and comedy courses, I asked Bamford what advice she would give new comedians.

“You just start,” she explained. “Tell yourself a little story you think is funny. Talk for five minutes and you do it over and over again. You add that five minutes to another five, and soon you have an hour.

Looking to avoid the gravy induced guilt this Thanksgiving? Consider running in the 6th Annual Marana Turkey Trot.

The event takes place on Saturday, Nov. 10 and features a half-mile fun run as well as a 5 and a 10k race.

Check-in starts at 6:30 a.m. The half-mile fun run starts at 7:15 a.m. and the 5 and 10k races start at 8 a.m. Early registration prices are $10 for the fun run, $20 for the 5 or 10k for adults and $15 for kids 12 and under. Shirts will also be available for $8 at the event.

Runners are also encouraged to bring non-perishable food items for the Veterans of Foreign Wars Association who will be taking donations at the event. Donors will be entered into a raffle to win prizes.

Feel free to run, walk or roll for the Turkey Trot at Crossroads at Silverbell District Park. Go fast and you can eat to your heart’s desire come turkey day!

Learn more here.