Studio Showcase
Scorpius Dance Theatre
7:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 11
Metropolitan Arts Institute
1700 N. 7th Ave.
Scorpius has been invited back to perform its annual cult classic, “A Vampire Tale,” as part of the Bram Stoker International Film Festival in Whitby, England. The showcase is a means to raise travel funds as well as give local patrons a chance to get up-close and personal with the dance troupe via an intimate evening of dance and aerial arts. Mix and mingle with the dancers, enjoy hors d’oeuvres, and bid on amazing raffle items. Tickets are $30 (plus service fee), available at www.scorpiusdance.com/shows.
‘The Revival’
10:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 19
Space 55
636 E. Pierce St.
The Torch Theatre revives its roots at Space 55 by bringing longform improvisation back to downtown Phoenix for one night a month. Every third Saturday these two theaters join together to bring you “The Revival.” The show will feature some of The Torch Theatre’s hungriest groups who will create completely unscripted performances along with a few surprises in-between. Tickets are $5 at the door. More information is at www.space55.org.
‘Sex With Strangers’
Arizona Theatre Company
Sept. 24-Oct. 11
Herberger Theater, Stage West
222 E. Monroe
602-252-8497
A collaboration with Stray Cat Theatre. A new comedy about the calculations people are making to find love or fame in an age of social media, brightly-lit phone screens, and blogging. A raging snowstorm traps two beautiful strangers in a secluded cabin. Opposites instantly attract, undeniable chemistry ignites, and sex is imminent. As dawn rises, however, what could have been just a one-night stand transforms into something much more complicated. Tickets are $28-$61 plus fees. Visit www.arizonatheatre.org.
Ballet Under the Stars
7 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 26
Steele Indian School Park
300 E. Indian School Road
To kick off its 30th season, Ballet Arizona invites residents to spend a relaxing evening under the Arizona sky. Free and open to the public, Ballet Under the Stars allows the local community to enjoy dance in a unique outdoor setting complete with a stage, lighting, costumes and beautiful Arizona weather. In addition, Ballet Under the Stars will feature a presentation of Class Act, one of Ballet Arizona’s education and outreach programs, which combines the talents and expertise of the professional dancers of Ballet Arizona with the youthful ideas and creative energies of school-age children. Free and open to the public. Bring blankets and lawn chairs; no glass containers permitted in the park.
Free Discussion on Spanish Colonial Art
6-8 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 30
Phoenix Art Museum
1625 N. Central Ave.
“Painting in the New World: A Symposium of Spanish Colonial Art” is a free presentation developed in collaboration with scholars from the Herberger School for Art and Design, Arizona State University. It ties in with the new exhibit, “Masterworks of Spanish Colonial Art,” which opened on Sept. 2 and continues through Feb. 28, 2016. This exhibition features a selection of paintings as well as a grouping of retablos (small-scale paintings on copper or tin) recently acquired by Phoenix Art Museum from the Estate of Gerry S. Culpepper and the Diane and Bruce Halle Foundation. The Virgin Mary, Jesus Christ, the Last Judgment, saints, and archangels conquering Satan are among the most prominent subjects of the works on display. Visit www.phxart.org for more information.
‘A Vampire Tale’
Scorpius Dance Theatre
7:30 p.m. Oct. 1-3 & 8-10
Phoenix Theatre
100 E. McDowell Road
602-254-2151
This very popular original dance production evolves annually to provide a fresh take on this local cult classic. A young woman is drawn to the dark side and finds herself lured into an assorted band of bloodsuckers. Frightened yet fascinated by their shadowy showmanship and seductive transactions, the girl struggles to avoid becoming part of their underworld when she becomes infatuated with the king vampire. Tickets start at $25 and can be purchased by calling the box office or at: www.scorpiusdance.com.
Creative Photo Transfer Workshop
1-6 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 3
Shemer Art Center
5005 E. Camelback Road
602-262-4727
This one-day workshop taught by David Miller highlights four techniques for transferring your photographic or hand-drawn images onto unusual surfaces and creating beautiful, one-of-a-kind mixed media photographic pieces. The technique covered are Xerox transfer, alcohol transfer, heat transfer and cyanotype, as well as mixed media strategies for after you photograph is transferred. No experience necessary. Class fee is $75, plus a $25 supply fee made payable to the instructor that will cover all materials needed for the workshop. Visit http://www.shemerartcenter.org/ programming/event-registration.
‘Hershey Felder As Irving Berlin’
Arizona Theatre Company
Oct. 8-25
Herberger Theater
222 E. Monroe
602-256-6995
From the depths of Czarist Russia, to New York’s Lower East Side, and ultimately all of America and the world, Irving Berlin’s story epitomizes the American dream. Hershey Felder, a bravura performer, compelling storyteller, and superb concert pianist, returns to ATC in another tour-de-force. This time, Felder brings to vibrant life the remarkable story of “America’s Composer.” Featuring Irving Berlin’s most popular and enduring songs, from “Alexander’s Ragtime Band” to “God Bless America” to “White Christmas”. Visit www.arizonatheatre.org.
‘James and the Giant Peach’
October 9-25
Valley Youth Theatre
525 N. 1st St.
Based on the children’s book by Roald Dahl, this musical follows the story of James, an orphaned boy who enters a gigantic, magical peach, and has a cross-world adventure with six magically altered garden bugs he meets. Tickets are available at www.VYT.com or by calling 602-253-8188.
