Thursday, May 31, 2018
Music
Duran Duran Tribute. Are you hungry (like the wolf) for some good entertainment as a prelude to the weekend? Don’t miss a performance by Planet Earth, a group of five musicians who love the ’80s and like to incorporate period instruments and precise costuming into their sets. They’ll be playing stuff all the way from the early ’80s to the mid-2000s, so the odds of your favorite Duran Duran song being in the mix are high. It’s hard to believe something this great could happen in an Ordinary World, but it can! 8 p.m. Thursday, May 31. Paradiso Lounge at Casino del Sol, 5655 W. Valencia Road. Free, 21+.
This is Folklife: Unpacked. No matter how much you know about country music, you could almost certainly learn something from ethnomusicologist Kate Alexander, a UA professor who is currently researching queer country music and dance culture. She’ll give a talk that will include country music’s European and (enslaved) African origins, the masculine country cowboy archetype, and alternative forms of country like the ones she studies. 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday, June 2. 44 N. Stone Ave. $45.
Creed Bratton at 191 Toole. There are few characters quite so charming as Creed in The Office. He once said “I am not offended by homosexuality. In the ’60s, I made love to many, many women, often outdoors in the mud and rain. It’s possible a man could’ve slipped in there. There’d be no way of knowing.” Through his signature wow-that’s-so-creepy-it’s-kind-of-funny delivery of lines, viewers learned Creed’s character in the show was a man who knew his cults, his painkillers, his mung beans and his DIY hair-dyeing techniques. At this show, viewers have the chance to see Creed in a totally different role—a sweet, folksy singer-songwriter. Doors 7 p.m., show 8 p.m. Thursday, May 31. 191 Toole, 191 E. Toole Ave. $20 to $25.
Friday Night Live Summer Jazz Concert Series. Have you been going to the concert series at Geronimo Plaza? If you haven’t, why not? These Friday night shows are completely free! And this week’s band Purple Spectre has so much going on, it’s really like seeing several different bands at once. The modern jazz/fusion quintet features Angelo Versace of the UA School of Jazz on the Rhodes Organ, as well as musicians on the electric bass, saxophone, trumpet and drums. Get ready to feel really classy as you spend your evening in the park listening to jazz. 7:30 p.m. Friday, June 1. Geronimo Plaza, 800 University Blvd. Free.
Art
The Little Big Art Show. For such a small word, art is one of the biggest, broadest and universal things out there. While in that sense, there really is no little art, art sometimes comes in the form of small-scale sculptures, covers compact canvases or uses miniature mediums. When you bring a bunch of those together for a display at the Contreras Gallery, you get a “Little Big Art Show.” Check out art by the likes of Jane Buckman, Nina Duckett and Ruben Moreno, and be free from the worry that you’ll spend your whole time at the gallery staring at one enormous piece on the wall that you don’t understand. Show runs Saturday, June 2 through Saturday, July 28, with opening reception from 6 to 9 p.m. on June 2. Contreras Gallery and Jewelry, 110 E. Sixth St. Free.Tags: music , food , art , kids' stuff , travel , Bisbee , Graham , The Office , Image
Thursday, May 24, 2018
Performances
Sun Records: A Million Dollar Story. They say you can’t teach an old dog new tricks, but you can certainly have Old Tucson put on a brand new show, written especially for everyone’s favorite Wild West attraction. Michael Monroe Goodman’s show is all about the record label that brought the world rock ’n’ roll, by being the first to record artists like Johnny Cash, Elvis Presley and Jerry Lee Lewis. If you’re not All Shook Up with excitement about this show, you should be! This is the first in a trio of shows which will include a Marty Robbins tribute in June and an Everly Brothers show in September. If you buy all your tickets at once, you can use the promo code ALL3 to avoid paying three separate online convenience fees. Dinner at 6 p.m. and show at 7 p.m. on Saturday, May 26. Old Tucson, 201 S. Kinney Road. $48.95 includes the price of dinner.Terry Fator. Whether you’re into the fine art of ventriloquism or not, Terry Fator has a pretty cute little story of how he got so famous. He got his first dummy when he was in fifth grade, and spent years and years in a band and performing as a ventriloquist at county fairs. One time he performed for the ONE person who showed up in a 1,000 seat venue. Then, of course, he won season 2 of “America’s Got Talent,” and skyrocketed to success, along with his cast of characters, including the little girl with the big voice, the Impersonating Turtle, the Elvis Impersonator and the annoying neighbor. How does he do it? No one knows—his lips are sealed. Doors 7 p.m., show 8 p.m. Saturday, May 26. Desert Diamond Casino, 1100 W. Pima Mine Road. $35 to $70.
John Philip Sousa in the Park. The Tucson Pops Orchestra is seeing off Memorial Day weekend with a tribute to the good ol’ American March King. Sousa, or JP to his friends, wrote such bangers as “The Stars and Stripes Forever,” “Semper Fidelis” and “The Liberty Bell,” all of which you’ve heard even if the names don’t sound familiar. (As a side note, Sousa also wrote three novels, and was a fantastic trapshooter.) At this event, you’ll hear just one piece by Sousa, and then a smattering of compositions including “Hymn to the Fallen” and “America the Beautiful.” You’ll also see the world premiere of “Fairy Tale, an Imaginary Ballet,” by composer Pete Fine. 7 p.m. Sunday, May 27. DeMeester Outdoor Performance Center at Reid Park, 900 S. Randolph Way. Free—but BYOFSOB (Bring Your Own Folding Chair Or Blanket).
The Wizard of Oz. If you were off to see the Wizard, the Wonderful Wizard of Oz, what would you ask him for? To keep net neutrality safe? To have all the potholes in your neighborhood fixed? Or something simple, like an eegees now that it’s getting hot? You’d better get your answer ready for when you go to see the Academy of Ballet, Tap and Jazz Dance School’s presentation of The Wizard of Oz. Dancers of all ages will be dancing down the yellow brick road, past the flying monkeys and through the Emerald City. It sounds like it’s going to be totally wicked. 2 p.m. Sunday, May 27. Tucson Convention Center Music Hall, 260 S. Church Ave. $16.
Thursday, May 17, 2018
Performances
Cirque Italia. As if Cirque de Soleil wasn’t crazy enough, this show has all the acrobatics, contortionism, aerials and other impressive feats, but with a 35,000-gallon tank of water underneath it all. Who wouldn’t be impressed by one of those people flipping around on a piece of fabric hanging from the ceiling? Or someone doing a headstand on top of someone else’s head? And they’ve got some seriously good performers—the show held auditions in 25 countries to find the 30 artists featured in the show, and travels to about 50 cities per year. You’ll love it, the kids’ll love it, your in-laws’ll love it. What’s not to love? Showtimes at 1:30, 4:30 and 7:30, depending on the day of the week. Friday, May 18 through Monday, May 28. Cirque Italia’s Big Top Silver, 5870 E. Broadway Blvd in the Park Place parking lot. Tickets range from $10 for the cheapest children’s seat to $40 for the most expensive adult seat.Voices Like Ours. The Reveille Men’s Chorus is offering up a friendly reminder of that most universal of truths: Music is for anyone and everyone, regardless of who they are, where they came from or what they enjoy. (Assuming there isn’t anyone who truly hates all music?) To do it, they’ll be singing songs that range from the 1960s to today, and combining music, comedy, dance and drama to explore more universal (or near-universal) themes, like aging and gender. Lift those voices, and those spirits! 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, May 19. 2 p.m. on Sunday, May 20. Temple of Music and Art, 330 S. Scott Ave. $20 in advance, $25 at the door.
Tim Allen. Which of the many faces of Tim Allen is your favorite? Is it the debonair, grunting man’s man from “Home Improvement?” The tricked-out, totally enviable Buzz Lightyear in the Toy Story films? The grinchlike Scott Calvin-turned-Santa Claus in “The Santa Clause?” Face it: You can’t choose. And you don’t have to. Allen, who recently finished the sixth season of the sitcom Last Man Standing, is on a comedy tour across the country, including to Tucson and beyond! 8 p.m. Saturday, May 19. Tucson Music Hall, 260 S. Church Ave. $49 to $89+.
Star Wars. You might not usually spend your weekends seeing shows put on by the City High School theater department, but the City High School theater department isn’t usually putting on one of the most beloved stories of all time. If watching the Star Wars movies makes you feel nostalgic, imagine how nostalgic you’re going to feel when you watch the show put on by people who were the same age you were when you first got really into the franchise. 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Friday, May 18 and 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Saturday, May 19. Their dress rehearsal at 6 p.m. on Thursday, May 17 is also open to the public and free. 47 E. Pennington St. Tickets are available at the door or at City High in advance. $5 or free for CHS and PFFS students. Email [email protected] to reserve tickets in advance.
Tags: voices like ours , music , theater , culture , bingo , history , performances , kids , children , house show , froggy fresh , stargazing , astronomy , cosmos , Image
Wednesday, May 16, 2018
Flip Schultz’ destiny was ordained at age eight when his comedy set swept the voting at a summer camp talent show. This was no fluke. He had for years made the rounds of family gatherings, bar mitzvahs, senior centers—wherever he found an audience.
At 18, he won the first open mic contest he ever entered. His commitment to standup survived college and a degree in theatre. He has since performed in comedy clubs throughout the world. Per his bio, he is now especially “sought-after” in Scandinavia. Yes! We feel cooler just typing Scandinavia.
John Stringer headlines and Jimmy Earl opens on Friday and Saturday, May 25 and 26. The Sunday, May 27 show has sold out.
Stringer brings some trademark Austin weirdness to the Laff’s stage. His comedy is accessible, high-energy, physical and loud-ish, reflecting a singular resistance to maturity.
Jimmy Earl’s name and coloring conjure the Ozarks and secret sausage recipes, but he often introduces himself as a Filipino from Canada. Humor ensues, often revolving around his family’s unique cultural mélange.
Laff’s shows are at 8 and 10:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays. Tickets are $12.50 and $17.50 via laffstucson.com.
On losing the beloved Jen Finley
Few things focus the attention like a bald comedian onstage with a feeding tube, but even laid low with cancer at 32, Jennifer Finley was crazy funny. She joked mainly in one-liners—original, twisted, unique and, whenever possible, shocking. Tucson comics were united in love for her and inspiration they took from her commitment to comedy. Literally from her deathbed last week she made jokes for those gathered to say goodbye. There may never have been so much laughter at a funeral. Thanks, Jen.Mic news
Kev Lee hosts the new“Sunday Night Live Stand-up or Shut Up Open Mic” at Flycatcher, 9 p.m. Sunday, May 20. Rory Monserrat and Cindell Hansen, hosts of a former mic at Loudhouse, reboot at 7 p.m., Tuesday, May 22 at the new Cans Deli, 340 N 4th Ave. Word is that both these mics will continue if there’s support. You know what to do.
Tags: Flip Schultz , Jill Kimmel , Laff's Comedy Caffe , John Stringer , Jimmy Earl , Kev Lee , Rory Monserrat , Cindell Hansen , Flycatcher , Cans Deli , Jennifer Finley , Image
Tuesday, May 15, 2018
Hearing "You've got a month left to vote in Best of Tucson!" might sound a lot like "You've got SO MUCH TIME left to vote in Best of Tucson!" Then again, consider that it's already mid May. Wasn't it March just, like, yesterday? No. Time slips away, and so does your time to show your love for your favorite Tucson institutions.
What I'm saying is: You should start your Best of Tucson ballot. Take a look at the list of categories, carefully consider who you're going to vote for, and submit your ballot! You can come back to your submissions again and again and again and again as many times as you want before midnight on June 17. Then, we'll lock you out of the voting portal, ruthlessly sweep away everyone but the top contenders in each category, and release a new ballot wherein the only people/places you'll be able to vote for are the ones you and your fellow Tucsonans deemed real contenders.
If you want to like the choices you have in the finals, vote in the primaries—and do it soon.
Thursday, May 10, 2018
Shows and Performances
Miss Witherspoon. She may be with a spoon, but the main character in this show is without life. In fact, the play opens with Veronica Witherspoon waking up in the afterlife shortly after committing suicide. She’s not super stoked to hear that she’s supposed to be reincarnated and go right back to earth (exactly where she was trying to get away from!) but with a little guidance from Jesus, a Hindu spirit and Gandalf, she gets to take a look at what life and death are all about—and so do we! Thursday, May 10 to Saturday, June 9. Live Theatre Workshop, 5317 E. Speedway Blvd. $15.Catalina Foothills High School Steel Band. Let’s get percussive! Did you know that this high school steel band, Falcon Steel, was founded in 1996, and today has more than 130 students of all levels? While it’s always wonderful to support local art and music efforts, this is an event that promises to be fun, with numbers like the “Tucson March,” selections from “Wildcat,” and the song from that incredibly sweet montage at the beginning of the movie Up. Bring folding chairs or a blanket, and heartstrings that are ready to be plucked. 7 p.m. on Sunday, May 13. DeMeester Outdoor Performance Center at Reid Park, 3400 E. Zoo Court. Free.
Mothers’ Day
Mothers’ Day at Old Tucson. Happy Mothers’ Day from Old Tucson, not just to mothers, but to all women and girls! Take your mom, take your daughter, take your girlfriend or wife, take yourself for free if you’re a woman or girl! Trust us, watching stunt and comedy shows, enjoying living history presentations, going on historic site tours and letting the little ones ride the train or the antique carousel is a great way to spend the weekend with Mom. Plus, there’s a dinner special where you can get a prickly pear chicken breast (if Mom’s not from Tucson, you have to give her the Old Pueblo prickly pear experience), corn on the cob, a side salad and a drink for $14.95. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, May 12 to Sunday, May 13. Old Tucson, 201 S. Kinney Road. $19.95 for adults (anyone 12 and over) and $10.95 for kids 4 to 11. Free for all women and girls!Tags: afterlife , death , high school band , throat singing , mothers’ day , moms , mothers , women , woman , females , ladies , girls escape rooms , finding nemo , 5K , running , run , walking , walk , rodeo , motorcycle rodeo , vintage bicycle ride , locomotive saturdays , trains , train , cars , vehicles , hot rods , car show , art , 90s kids only , birds , birding , birders , happy hour , the great american read , reading , read , books , having fun isn’t hard when you’ve got a library card , public gardens , music , Image
Wednesday, May 9, 2018
If we had written two best-selling books, were set to voice Buzz Light Year for the fourth time in the Toy Story franchise (Toy Story 4, 2019); had been anointed by Disney to play Santa Claus for four eponymous films (1991 People’s Choice Award); had an eight-year, prime time run of Home Improvement, winning a Golden Globe and, every year of the run, the People’s Choice Award for Favorite Male Performer in a Television Series; and had just wrapped the sixth season of Last Man Standing for ABC, wouldn’t we hang it up and just go parasailing? Maybe buy a football team? Run for office?
Not Allen. He continues to hit the road for stand-up dates nearly every weekend. Why? Because he can. “Oh boy, I get excited about standup comedy!” he says. “Always have. To be one of the guys who has been able to do this is really honor.
“I've been tenacious about it, too. I want to make that crowd laugh with me, all of us together. Pryor did it to me. When I saw Pryor, it changed my life I laughed so hard and so deeply.”
Allen wouldn’t pretend to the experience that drove Pryor’s comedy content, but Pryor became the model for the effect that Allen strives for in an audience. “If I could get the crowd rolling like Richard Pryor did,” his voice trails off. “I don't stop, I'm going to give you an hour or more of the best comedy that will relate all of us together.”
A philosophy major in college, Allen eschews politics, but retains his wonder about human nature. “I’m interested in what’s underneath politics and sexism and masculinism – the foibles we have as humans, the best and worst that we are. I love making fun of that stuff.
“My (comedy) is mostly observational stuff about men and women, living our lives, and games and food,” he says. “I don't argue as much as I get older. I'm just looking for clarity. ‘Why is it like this?’”
Allen performs at Tucson Convention Center at 8 p.m., Saturday, May 19. Reserved seat tickets are $49 to $89 and available online.
Tags: Tim Allen , Tucson Convention Center Music Hall , tucsonconventioncenter.com , Image
Friday, May 4, 2018
Thursday, May 3, 2018
Music and Shows
Beach Boys Tribute. The Beach Boys used to wonder, “Wouldn’t it be nice if we were older?” But now their loyal fanbase can’t help but sometimes wonder, “Wouldn’t it be nice if they were younger?” Enter Surf’s Up, one of the world’s first “true” Beach Boys tribute bands, made up of a couple brothers, their dad and their cousin who have spent the last 25 years working on their sandiest harmonies. 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. Sunday, May 6. Gaslight Music Hall, 13005 N. Oracle Road. $30 adults, $29 senior/student/military, $13 children.
Adrián Uribe and Omar Chaparro, Imparables, El Show. You know when you laugh so hard that your stomach hurts and you can’t breathe and it’s actually kind of scary for a minute? Buckle up, because two of Mexico’s favorite comedians are coming to Tucson with a comedy battle, featuring characters that include El Policia de Transito and La Litenciada. There will be wigs, there will be short-sleeved, button-up shirts paired with ties and there will be a lot of laughing until it hurts. 9 p.m. Saturday, May 5. Tucson Music Hall, 260 S. Church Ave. $45 to $95+.
Sounds of Spring. Spring is upon us (if you didn’t notice based on the way it’s no longer borderline comfortable to wear a sweater outside), and what sounds more like spring than the sweet sound of a girls’ chorus? That’s right! Nothing! The more than 200 young women in the Tucson Girls Chorus, directed by Marcela Molina, will perform everything from traditional seasonal music to contemporary and folk pieces. 3:30 p.m. Sunday, May 6. Fox Tucson Theatre, 17 W. Congress St. $15 to $18.
Tucson Folk Festival. Tucsonans, it’s time to get folked up. Here are just some of the bands who will be playing at this year’s festival: Pokey LaFarge (national headliner), Greg & Randal Morton Band & Special Guests (local headliner), Peter Alsop (children’s show headliner), Kay Miracle, Minute2Minute, Igor, Odaiko Sonora, The Cat Wranglers, Bobby Rondstadt and Baba Marimba. And that’s just a little slice of this deliciously acoustic pie. It’s taking place at several different venues downtown, so it’s kind of like Tucson’s own little SXSW. Noon to 10 p.m. Saturday, May 5. 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday, May 6. Historic Downtown Tucson. Free.
Art and Museums
Free First Thursdays at the Tucson Museum of Art. Happy First Thursday! TMA has an awesome lineup of events celebrating members of our community’s immigrant and refugee population along with their artistic and cultural contributions. They’ll be displaying Sanctuary Benches developed in tandem with local schools and other organizations, as well as a project documenting the stories of Tucson refugees, “Dismantling Fear: Voices of Tucson’s Refugee Community.” Artists from Syria, Bulgaria and Morocco will play live music, and museums exhibition tours will be offered in Spanish and Arabic. 5 to 8 p.m. Thursday, May 3. Tucson Museum of Art and Historic Block. Free.
Tags: babababababarann , barbara ann , comedians , comedy , shows , spring , chorus , choral music , folk festival , museums , refugees , exhibitions , art , local artists , history , art , sunsets , Cinco de Mayo , burritos , eegees , agave , agave is life , harley davidson , chihuahuas , make-a-wish , the centurions , splish splash I was takin’ a bath , lovepup , dogs , dog adoptions , stars around us , OSIRIS-REx , Bennu , Kentucky derby , derby hats , cmic books , Mercado , Jenny Don’t , Carter Winter , Entresol , Pink Mexico , Image
Thursday, April 26, 2018
Theater and Performance
Our Town. The Oro Valley Theatre Company is opening up their very first season with a bang—but maybe not exactly the kind of bang you’d expect. Our Town, written by Thornton Wilder, won the Pulitzer Prize for drama in 1938. It’s performed on a mostly bare stage, with actors miming their interactions with imaginary props, and the main character is a stage manager who narrates the story, speaks to the audience and plays several characters in the story. The play turns 80 this year, but it’s as fascinating and refreshing as ever, whether you’re a theater person or not. 6 p.m. on Thursday, April 26 and 2 p.m. on Sunday, April 29. Gaslight Music Hall, 13005 N. Oracle Road. $20 adults, $15 kids, $18 senior/student/military.
King Lear at the Rogue Theatre. Are you ready to be awestruck and inspired, if a little bit depressed? Pretty widely considered one of Shakespeare’s greatest achievements, and one of the greatest tragedies of all time, King Lear is just as revered as it is Lear-ed. This production is directed by Rogue Theatre co-founder and UA alumna Cynthia Meier, and musical direction and original composition is provided by Jake Sorgen. Each show will be followed by a discussion with the cast and director, so you can reflect on the play’s deeper meanings, or even clear up any confusion you may have had about the plot. Thursday, April 26 through Sunday, May 13, with performances at 7:30 p.m. Thursday through Saturday and 2 p.m. on Sunday, plus 2 p.m. matinees on Saturdays May 5 and 12. The Rogue Theatre at the Historic Y, 300 E. University Blvd. $38, or $28 for previews on Thursday, April 26 and Friday, April 27. $15 student rush tickets available 15 minutes before curtain, pending availability.
The Parlor Show at Pinnacle Peak. Steak is a kind of magic unto itself, and it’s the kind of magic you can get all year at Pinnacle Peak. But the parlor show, with its mindreading magic led by magicians Nate Anderson and John Redmon, is more rare. Before you watch the wonder unfold before you, enjoy a three-course dinner of chicken, filet mignon or salmon; a baked potato or fresh vegetable; a garden salad; a dessert sampler (why should you have to choose just one dessert?); and either a glass of house wine, a draft beer or a golden margarita. Doors at 5:30, dinner at 6 and show at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, April 26. Pinnacle Peak, 6541 E. Tanque Verde Road. $55 per person or $100 for two people.
Music and Sound
Tags: our town , no props , pantomime , community theater , gaslight , king lear , Shakespeare , parlor show , magic , Arizona Repertory Singers , King David , Bach , Gregorian chants , Tucson Women’s Chorus Spring Concert , sing , sung , singers , singer , singing , sings , tucson noise symposium , noisy , noise , whale , Miss Olivia and the Interlopers , Kyklo , variety show , anthropology , Diane Bombshelter , art , agave festival , tequila! , indigo days , ladies night , ladies day , ladies , may flowers , april showers , speed dating , artists , Catalina Wildflower Park , Gaston , Urban Garden Festival , Tucson Botanical Gardens , bird , birding , beast of birdie’ , rodders days , car show , May Day , Museum of Miniatures , Buddhist Ethics , Tucson Bird Expo , Autism Walk , Ugly God , Leon the God , Paper Foxes , Tyson Motsenbocker , Image
