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CCA season has comedy, nostalgia, more

Tickets are on sale for most of the Chandler Center for the Arts’ 201314 season, which features something for everyone—dance, music, comedy, nostalgia and more. Below are just some of the season highlights for the CCA, located at 250 N. Arizona Ave. in Chandler. To review the entire season lineup, visit chandlercenter.org.

Flashbacks

Get your groove back with some help from “Jive Talkin’: The Australian Bee Gees Show,” a tribute to the Bee Gees, 7:30 p.m. Sat., Nov. 9. Tickets are $36-$48. The Bee Gees sold more than 200 million records worldwide and had more than 40 hit singles. Jive Talkin’ presents the story of the Bee Gees on stage, accompanied by a live string section.

In keeping with the flashback-music theme, Michael A. Pollack presents Blood, Sweat & Tears, 7:30 p.m. Sat., Nov. 16. Tickets are $38-$54. It’s been more than four decades since drummer/producer Bobby Colomby and friends assembled the first group to successfully blend rock and jazz into a genre-crossing sound and style. So successfully, in fact, that the band’s second album, “Blood, Sweat & Tears,” topped the Billboard charts, beat out The Beatles’ “Abbey Road” for Grammy Album of the Year, and produced three major hit singles: “You Made Me So Very Happy,” “And When I Die,” and “Spinning Wheel.”

COMING TO TOWN: “Jive Talkin’,” a tribute to 1970s mega-group the Bee Gees, showcases all the top hits and fan favorites during the show set for 7:30 p.m. Sat., Nov. 9, at the Chandler Center for the Arts. Submitted photo

Freddie Mercury fans will rejoice with “One Night of Queen,” 7:30 p.m. Sat., March 8. Tickets are $36-$48. Gary Mullen brings legendary Queen frontman back to life in a two-hour energy-filled concert that will have toddlers to grandparents dancing in the aisles.

Comic relief

Give your funny bone a workout with

Joan Rivers in Comic Pain Relief, 7 p.m. Fri., Nov. 15. Tickets are $55-$100. Rivers is an American television personality, comedian, writer, film director and actress. She has proven herself time and time again as a fantastic entertainer and she is still on top of her game even after 40-plus years in the business. All attendees will experience the “Orange Carpet Entrance.”

Back by popular demand is humorist Jeanne Robertson, 7:30 p.m. Sat., Feb. 1. Tickets are $28-$38. You may have seen this southern Hall of Fame speaker being interviewed by CBS correspondent Morley Safer on “60 Minutes.” Or you may have watched one of the six humor DVDs she has produced in the last 12 years … or heard her daily on Sirius/XM Radio’s Family Comedy Channels. Her YouTube clips have had more than 13.5 million hits. But only if you’ve seen Robertson in person at one of the thousands of speeches she has given over the past 48 years can you really appreciate why she stands at the top of her profession.

Comedian Yakov Smirnoff is on the road, taking a break from his own theater in Branson, MO, to stop by the CCA at 7:30 p.m. Sat., March 15. Tickets are $40-$50. The funny philosopher takes us on a comedic journey and brings a unique insight into life, family, and these United States. His comedy focuses on the dynamics between men

and women, the happiness that can be found inside oneself, and a celebration of the spirit of life. He shares a vision of the world where laughter truly is the best medicine.

Techodelic Comedy, often described as Japan’s answer to the Blue Man Group, performs 7:30 p.m. Fri., March 21. Tickets are $28-$38. The show perfectly fuses modern technology with mime, breath-taking optical illusions, movement and—all set to a pulsating electro beat. This visually stunning show performed to 30,000 people at the Shanghai Expo and won the Spirit of the Fringe award at the prestigious Edinburgh Festival.

Family affair

Family friendly entertainment is also a highlight of this year’s season. Zoppe, An Italian Family Circus, returns to the CCA’s west lawn in its 500-seat tent, Dec. 26 through Jan. 5. Ticket prices vary and range from $22-$34 for adults and $15-$28 for children. This one-ring circus honors the best history of the Old-World Italian tradition: where you come as strangers but leave as family.

A bit of history mixed with adventure and love can be found with “Mr. & Mrs. Wyatt Earp, The Sunset Years,” 3 p.m. Sun., Jan. 28. Tickets are $20-$24. This is the true story of love, adventure, secrets and betrayals as told by the elderly Wyatt and Josephine Sarah Marcus Earp. The show follows the couple’s 47-year life together as they traveled and prospected throughout the west and Alaska.

This play is as historically accurate as possible.

Moscow Festival Ballet’s “Swan Lake,” returns to the CCA 7:30 p.m. Fri., Jan. 31. Tickets are $38-$52. It is a story of a brave prince fighting to break the curse of a wicked sorcerer and free the woman he is destined to love—who, by day, is transformed into a beautiful swan under the curse. Recommended for ages 8 and older. Fog effects are used in this show.

Inspired by astronauts who spoke of the life-changing power of seeing the Earth from space, Bella Gaia (“Beautiful Earth”) will take place 7:30 p.m. Fri., March 28. Tickets are $32-$44. Created in partnership with NASA, this multimedia journey of our world combines highfidelity imagery of the Earth from space, data visualizations, and stirring live performances of music and dance from around the world, threaded by an orbiting flight path and stunning NASA imagery from the International Space Station.

Another classic ballet performance, “The Sleeping Beauty” is on stage April 26 through 27, presented by Ballet Etudes. Tickets are $17-$22. The timeless fairytale of the beautiful Princess Aurora, the evil sorceress Carabosse, a century of sleep and the awakening kiss of a handsome prince comes to life in this production for all ages. Set to Tchaikovsky’s ravishing score with a wealth of dazzling dance.

Medley of music

Opera, jazz, world music and more

Arts

TV FAVORITE: Movie, television and stage star

Dick Van Dyke sings tunes from his stage and screen work with his quartet, The Vantastix, 7:30 p.m. Sat., Jan. 25 at the CCA. Tickets are on sale. Photo courtesy of the CCA

will delight the ears this season at the CCA. Just announced is a onenight concert by Los Lonely Boys, 7:30 p.m. Sat., Feb. 8. Tickets are $34$44. Los Lonely Boys are a Grammy Award-winning trio from San Angelo, TX. The three brothers’ first single, “Heaven,” reached No. 1 on the Adult Contemporary chart, also crossing over to the Hot Country Songs chart and won a Grammy Award for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group. Other songs nominated for Grammys include “More Than Love” and “Onda.”

Another popular group heading to the CCA stage is The Texas Tenors, who perform 7:30 p.m. Sat., Feb. 15. Tickets are $32-$42. More than 100 million people worldwide tuned in to NBC’s “America’s Got Talent” in 2009 to see The Texas Tenors become the highestranking vocal group in the history of the

show. From Alabama to Puccini, John Hagen, Marcus Collins and JC Fisher bring their unique blend of country, gospel, classical and Broadway to the stage.

Movie, television and stage star Dick Van Dyke sing tunes from his stage and screen work with his quartet, The Vantastix, 7:30 p.m. Sat., Jan. 25. Tickets are $48-$68. The Vantastix is the result of a chance meeting at a Malibu coffee shop. The group that started “just for fun” has built up an impressive and enjoyable repertoire.

River City Brass presents “American Heroes,” 3 p.m. Sat., Feb. 22. Tickets are $28-$38. This premiere 28-piece ensemble delights audiences with its signature style. Every performance features superb soloists and a powerful repertoire from classical to pops and from jazz to marches.

Another classic movie star and stage performer, Debbie Reynolds, shares stories and songs 7:30 p.m. Sat., March 1. Tickets are $38-$48. “Singin’ in the Rain” set Reynolds on the path to fame and by the mid-1950s she was a major star. She received a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actress for “The Unsinkable Molly Brown” (1964). Whether she is filming a new movie, on tour with her stage show or doing book signing for her latest book, “Unsinkable: A Memoir,” Reynolds is always in demand.

For more information and to purchase tickets to any of these shows online, visit ChandlerCenter.org, or call the box office at 480-782-2680.

Symphony season promises music, drama, art

The Chandler Symphony Orchestra (CSO) will open its 21st season on Sun., Oct. 6 with the overture from “Nabucco” by composer Giuseppe Verdi. The concert begins at 3 p.m. at the Chandler Center for the Arts, 250 N. Arizona Ave.; doors open at 2:30 p.m.

“Nabucco” is an opera about the Biblical story of King Nebuchadnezzar driving the Israelites out of their homeland. It is considered to be Verdi’s finest work.

Horn virtuoso Carl Heinrich Hübler created the “Concerto for Four Horns and Orchestra.” CSO horn players Donald Harvey, Mark Cannon, Darren Robinson and Megan Rodriguez will be the featured soloists in the performance of the first movement of Hübler’s signature work.

In closing, the symphony will perform “Pictures at an Exhibition” by Modest Mussorgsky, which the composer penned in honor of his good friend, artist and architect Victor Hartmann. Mussorgsky was so impressed with Hartmann’s painting that he created what is noted as his finest orchestral composition. The afternoon’s performance will include an exhibition of works of art that promises to intensify and deepen the musical experience.

The orchestra is comprised of more than 100 professionally trained volunteer musicians, under the direction of conductor Jack Herriman and associate conductor Alex Zheng. Concert admission is free, however donations are encouraged.

MAKING BEAUTIFUL MUSIC

IT UP: The 52nd Street

Oct. 20

Band performs its Chicago-style jazz at a “pre-festival rally” from 1 to 4

the Crowne Plaza San Marcos Golf Resort, 1 N. San Marcos Pl., Chandler. Cost is $10 for ACJS members, $15 for nonmembers, students free; become a member Oct. 20 and get in free. The Arizona Classic Jazz Society presents this show as a prelude to its 24th annual festival, to be held Nov. 7 through 10. Call 480-620-3941 or visit azclassicjazz.org for more information. Submitted photo

Fiber ‘paintings’ at Vision Gallery

Finding inspiration in the beauty and solace of her garden, award-winning textile artist Paula Chung’s fiber art will be on display in an exhibition called “Flora: The Fiber Paintings of Paula Chung,” Nov. 1 through Jan. 18 at the Vision Gallery, 10 E. Chicago St., Chandler.

A reception for the artist will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Fri., Nov. 1; it is free and open to the public.

Like a painter, Chung builds a rich palette from fabrics incorporating hand-dyed silks, overdyed many times to capture a rich depth of color, with nature serving as her pattern. Chung’s work resembles the beauty of watercolors and conveys the raw emotions the artist experiences from their beauty.

“Their images express my thoughts on life and I find they are a perfect metaphor for life’s processes of birth, aging and death,” Chung explains.

Copperstar amazes with ‘Dreamcoat’

Copperstar Repertory Company’s production of “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” opens Oct. 16 and continues through Oct.19 at the Mesa Arts Center, One E. Main St. in Mesa.

Gallery hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday; 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday; closed Sunday. For more information, call 480-782-2695 or visit visiongallery.org.

“This show has that excited feeling you get when you’re watching great magic!” says Artistic Producing Director Mary-Jo Okawa.

“You’re dazzled, mystified and captivated all at once.”

Starring as “Joseph” will once again be Brady Quisberg, who originated the role with Copperstar in 2009. Kristin Briggs, who played Anna in Cooperstar’s “The King and I,” returns to play the part of the Narrator. Also returning is local favorite Caleb Allred who will play The Pharaoh and Joseph’s Brother, Asher. Other Copperstar favorites include Tucker Abney, Nate Dutson, Josh Hudgins and Dylan Pinion.

Copperstar has a Spectacular Ticket

Offer: two tickets to each of the four remaining shows, and two season T-shirts, all for $120. The package is available at: ticketsandtees.eventbrite.com.

Single tickets are $24 for adults, and $22 for seniors and students. Purchase them online at mesaartscenter.com.

Laugh your way into fall season

It’s time to tickle that funny bone with a little help from local improv company improvMANIA, which will bring its live comedy to the stage for four shows at Chandler Center for the Arts, 250 N. Arizona Ave., Chandler.

The comedy troupe performs two 90-minute, family friendly improv shows at 7 and 9 p.m. Oct. 11 and Nov. 2. Each scene is based on audience suggestions.

The locally owned and produced improv company is comprised of professional actors and comedians and has performed at several local restaurants, galleries and businesses.

Tickets are $10, $8 for students and seniors. Visit chandlercenter.org or call 480-782-2680 for tickets.

A grownup story about

growing up

Watch a screening of Broadway’s ‘Memphis’

The 2010 Tony Award-winner for Best Musical, “Memphis,” will be screened 7 p.m. Wed., Oct. 9, at Harkins Chandler Fashion Center 20, 3159 W. Chandler Blvd., Chandler.

Set in the underground clubs of the segregated ’50s, a young white DJ named Huey Calhoun (Tony nominee Chad Kimball) falls in love with everything he shouldn’t: rock ‘n’ roll and an electrifying female black singer (Tony nominee Montego Glover).

“Memphis” is an original story about the cultural revolution that erupted when his vision met her voice, and the music changed forever. Packed with explosive dancing, irresistible songs and a tale of fame and forbidden love, this story is filled with laughter and roof-raising rock ‘n’ roll.

When his parents get divorced and he’s forced to move from New York to a small town in Indiana, Evan Goldman just wants to make friends and survive the school year, in CounterPoint Theatre’s production of “13.”

The star quarterback is threatening to ruin Evan’s life and his only friend, Patrice, won’t talk to him. The school freak sees an opportunity for blackmail and someone is spreading the nastiest rumors.

With an unforgettable rock score from Tony Award-winning composer Jason Robert Brown,

Learn more about the Sun Lakes Chorale

Get up close and personal with the Sun Lakes Chorale as the group hosts three open houses in October.

These meet-and-greet events will give community members a chance to speak with chorale members and view the group’s latest concert video, which highlights the chorale’s four-part harmonies and wide repertoire.

The schedule of open houses includes:

• 9 a.m. to noon Sat., Oct. 5 at the Sun Lakes Country Club, 25425 S. Sun Lakes Blvd., Chandler

Tickets are $9.50 for adults, $5.50 for children and $6.50 for seniors. They can be purchased in advance at movietickets.com. Note a $1 convenience fee will be applied per ticket.

Presented by SpectiCast, one of the fastest growing all-digital distribution companies in the world. For more information, visit directfrombroadway. net.

“13” is a high-energy musical for all ages about discovering that cool is where you find it, and sometimes where you least expect it.

Shows take place 7 p.m. Fridays, Oct. 25 and Nov. 1, and 2 p.m. Saturdays, Oct. 26 and Nov. 2, at the Baker School of Music, 263 E. Warner Rd., Suite C-103 in Gilbert. General admission tickets are $10. Reserve tickets by emailing info@ counterpointmusicarts.com.

This production is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI).

• 9 a.m. to noon Sat., Oct. 12 in Cottonwood Country Club’s San Tan Ballroom, 25630 S. Brentwood Dr., Chandler

• 10 a.m. to noon Sat., Oct. 19 at the Oakwood Country Club, 9645 SE J. Robson Blvd., Chandler

For more chorale information, visit sunlakeschorale.com to learn about the group’s background and coming year’s events.

Hale captures 16 AriZoni Awards

Forty theaters from around the Valley, including youth, contracted, and noncontracted theaters, were recognized with ariZoni Theatre Awards of Excellence on Sept. 16—Arizona’s version of the Tony Awards.

Gilbert’s Hale Centre Theatre, which falls under the noncontracted category, swept 16 awards, receiving the most earned out of all theaters Valleywide.

Hale’s hit straight play of the season, “The 39 Steps,” received rave reviews from audience members around the Valley and took home eight awards, including Best Production, Director, Hair & Makeup, Props, Lighting, Sound Design, Scenic Design and Supporting Actor.

David Hale Dietlein, owner of Hale Theatre, won Best Director of a Play for “The 39 Steps” as well as Best Director of a Musical for “The Price of Freedom.”

Cambrian James directed and choreographed the musical comedy, “Damn Yankees,” which earned him Best Director of a Musical, and Best Choreographer nods. “Damn Yankees” also captured the highest ariZoni title of Best Overall Musical.

Actors at Hale Theatre also earned high honors this year. Mark Kleinman won Best Lead Actor in a Musical for “South Pacific,” Emily Evans walked away with the Best Lead Actress in a Musical for “Damn Yankees,” and costar Kate Cook received the Supporting

WHATEVER LOLA WANTS: Emily Evans, who starred as “Lola” in the Hale Centre Theatre’s production of “Damn Yankees,” recently won the AriZoni Award for Lead Actress in a Musical. Photo courtesy of the Hale

Actress in a Musical award; and Gary Caswell won the Supporting Actor in a Play for “The 39 Steps.”

Dietlein says, “It’s great when you are recognized for all your hard work. Everyone at our theater plays a valuable role. None of what we do is possible without everyone’s hard work and dedication to the arts.”

The new buzz is ‘Yesterday Once More’

Local rock ‘n’ roll band, Time and Time Again, has a new name: “Yesterday Once More.” The group still performs hits from the ’50s and ’60s.

Comprised of experienced professional musicians, many of whom live in the Chandler and Sun Lakes area, the group also recently introduced a new lead singer—versatile performer Dan Schultz from Dayton, Ohio. Like many in the group, Schultz has been entertaining in bands since his teens.

MUSIC OF YESTERDAY: Yesterday Once More will perform hits from the ’50s and ’60s at two East Valley venues in November. Submitted photo

As Time and Time Again, the vocal ensemble has performed numerous times at Harrah’s Ak-Chin Hotel and Casino, Sun Lakes ballrooms, Sun City West, Mesa Country Club, San Marcos Hotel, Mesa Performing Arts Center and the Arizona State Fair.

This fall, Yesterday Once More will perform at the Sun Bird Ballroom on Nov. 29 and the Sun Lakes Country Club Ballroom on Dec. 12. The group is booking appearances for 2014. For the schedule of upcoming appearances, ticket details, booking information and videos of past shows, visit YesterdayOnceMoreAZ.com, or call 480-882-8770 or 480-980-8394.

EVCT offers music, more at Garden Party

East Valley Children’s Theatre will host its annual fall fundraiser “Garden Party,” featuring dinner and dancing, 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Sat., Oct. 19 at the Arizona Museum for Youth, 35 N. Robson in Mesa.

Guests will enjoy music from the Sonoran Swing jazz band and food supplied by Carrabba’s Italian restaurant; there also will be a cash bar. Additional entertainment is provided by On The Spot Improv.

A silent auction includes a two-night stay with dinner at the Arizona Biltmore, a one-night stay and breakfast at Squaw Peak resort, four passes to the Heard Museum, and numerous tickets to events and restaurants around the Valley.

Business casual attire is recommended. Tickets are $45 per person, or $300 for a table of eight. RSVP and purchase tickets at www.evct.org by Oct. 8. All proceeds benefit programs at East Valley Children’s Theatre.

Comedy sends in the ‘Cons’

Fun and fraud are the fare as Mesa Encore Theatre offers up the sidesplitting “Dirty Rotten Scoundrels,” through Oct. 20 at the Mesa Arts Center, One E. Main St. in Mesa.

It’s a tawdry tale of two smooth-talking swindlers living on the French Riviera: Lawrence Jameson, a smarmy and sophisticated ladies man that feigns self-importance, and Freddy Benson, a humbler small-time fabricator who preys on women’s sympathies. When their two worlds collide and they discover the small town cannot support both these scamming slicksters, they wager for the rights to be sole proprietor.

What ensues is a series of schemes, masquerades, high society hi jinx, and double-crosses that keep the audience laughing, humming, and guessing to the end.

Recommended for mature audiences only. Tickets are available at the Mesa Arts Center Box Office, 480-644-6500 or at mesaartscenter. com. Advance tickets are $25 for adults and $22 for students, teachers, military, and seniors.

Artists, performers talk about their experiences

Tania Katan, performer and author of “My One-Night Stand With Cancer,” opens a series of public talks on arts entrepreneurship, 4 p.m. Fri., Oct. 11 in the Lyceum Theatre, 901 S. Forest Mall in Tempe.

The free presentation is part of the 2013-14 Speaker Series, focusing on the subject of “Thriving as an Artist,” sponsored by The Pave Program in Arts Entrepreneurship.

Katan is an award-winning author, keynote speaker and solo-performer. Her memoir “My One-Night Stand With Cancer” received the Stonewall Book Award and Publishing Triangle Award, and was a finalist for the Lambda Literary Award. She has appeared on NPRs Snap Judgment, at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, ACT Seattle, Painted Bride Art Center, Comedy Central Stage, TEDx, and more.

She is producer at Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art Lounge (SMoCA Lounge). For more info about her writing, speaking and performance work, visit taniakatan.com.

Additional speakers this month include playwright, performer and teacher Aaron Landsman, 4 p.m. Sat., Oct. 28.

For more information on the series, contact the ASU School of Film, Dance and Theatre at 480-9565337 or visit theatrefilm.asu.edu/initiatives/ and select the “Pave Program.”

“The Secret Garden,” through Oct. 6, MAC. The East Valley Children’s Theatre presents this story based on the 1911 novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett.

“Little Women,” through Oct. 12, HCT. Follow the adventures of Jo, Meg, Beth and Amy March as they grow up in Civil War America. The beloved chronicle of the March sisters is timeless, dealing with issues as relevant today as when it was written.

“The Diary of Anne Frank,” through Oct. 20, DST. National Youth Theatre Award winner Rachel Redleaf stars as the title character, a 13-year-old Jewish girl whose family is hiding from the Gestapo in war-torn Amsterdam. For two years the Frank family and others lived in a cramped attic fearful of being discovered.

Jon Batiste & Stay Human Band, 7:30 p.m. Thu., Oct. 10, MAC. With his unique voice, virtuosic piano chops and dapper sense of style, Batiste transcends music genres. At 25, he has performed in more than 40 countries. With his modern take on American music, and clever use of the harmonaboard, Batiste has collaborated with musicians from across the spectrum ranging from Jimmy Buffett to Lenny Kravitz.

“An Evening with Under the Streetlamp,” 8 p.m. Fri., Oct. 11, MAC. America’s hottest new vocal group was formed from the leading cast members of the Tony Award-winning

musical “Jersey Boys.” They will perform a repertoire of The American Radio Songbook of the ’50s, ’60s and ’70s. Indigo Girls with The Phoenix Symphony, Oct. 11-12, SCPA. The folk-rock duo of Amy Ray and Emily Saliers began performing together in high school, transferred their honest, urgent performing style onto the stages of countless small clubs, then saw their public profile take off with the 1989 release of their self-titled breakthrough—an album that included their first hit, “Closer to Fine.”

Comedian Craig Shoemaker, Oct. 11-13, IMPROV. Best known for his engaging, relatable standup and his iconic baritone-voiced character, Shoemaker, a.k.a. “The Lovemaster,” is a modern-day renaissance man.

“Two Gentlemen of Verona,” Oct. 1126, MAC. Shakespeare’s early comedy seems to proclaim “all’s fair in love and war,” as it unfolds a tale of a disguised and resourceful heroine, an irreverent servant, shady characters, outlaws, and one of the most famous and funny canines in all of classical literature.

Presented by Southwest Shakespeare Company, set in the 1950s.

Steve Earle and The Dukes, 7:30 p.m. Mon., Oct. 14, SCPA. Earle’s songs have been recorded by Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Emmylou Harris, Waylon Jennings, Travis Tritt, The Pretenders, Joan Baez and countless others. His debut album, released in 1986, shot to No. 1 on the country charts and immediately established the term

“New Country.” Hailing from Texas, the husband-and-wife duo of Chris Masterson and Eleanor Whitmore will open the concert.

“An Evening with Garrison Keillor,” 7:30 p.m. Wed., Oct. 16, SCPA. The affable host of “A Prairie Home Companion,” humorist and celebrity speaker Keillor shares hilarious anecdotes about growing up in the American Midwest,

the people of Lake Wobegon and “latelife fatherhood.”

“Dirty Rotten Scoundrels,” Oct. 17-Nov. 30, HCT. Based on the popular 1988 film starring Michael Caine and Steve Martin, the play centers on two con men living on the French Riviera.

Eva Ayllón in Concert, 8 p.m. Fri., Oct. 18, HCPA. Throughout the early 1970s, Ayllón appeared in many groups such

as Rinconcito Monsefuano, La peña de los Ugarte, Los Mundialistas o Callejón and Los Kipus. By 1979, she began touring internationally as a soloist. In 1989, Ayllón formed Los Hijos del Sol (Children of the Sun), a supergroup made up of Peruvian musical stars. In addition to Música Criolla, Ayllón emerged as the leading exponent of Afro-Peruvian landós and festejos.

Ricky Skaggs & Bruce Hornsby, 8 p.m. Sat., Oct. 19, SCPA. Virginia cool meets Kentucky thunder in a quintessential collaboration between multi-instrumentalist virtuoso Skaggs and genre-bending pianist Hornsby. Combined, the pair lay claim to an astonishing 15 Grammy Awards.

“Women Who Rock: Vision, Passion, Power,” Oct. 19-April 20, MIM. Created by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, this is the world’s first museum exhibition to honor nearly a century of iconic female musicians. Highlighting more than 70 artists, the exhibition demonstrates how women have been engines of creation and change in popular music.

The Tenors, 8 p.m. Sat., Oct. 19, MAC. Since their inception only five years ago, The Tenors have thrilled audiences of all ages with their powerful voices, blend of classical music and contemporary pop, and performance of rich and soulful music with powerful anthems and beautiful melodies.

“Mrs. Lincoln: An Americana Roots Band,” 3 p.m. Sun., Oct. 20, HCPA. A band that takes contemporary folk to a

ON STAGE VENUE INDEX

DST – Desert Stages Theatre

AC – Actor’s Café

CC – Children’s Theatre

4720 N. Scottsdale Rd., Scottsdale

Tickets: 480-483-1664, DesertStages.org

HCT – Hale Centre Theatre

50 W. Page Ave., Gilbert Info: 480-497-1181, haletheatrearizona. com

HCPA – Higley Center for the Performing Arts

4132 E. Pecos Rd., Gilbert Tickets: higleyarts.com, 480-279-7194

IMPROV – Tempe Improv 930 E. University Dr., Tempe

new level, blending influences from rock, country, bluegrass, and rhythm and blues to create a sound that has attracted a following that spans all age groups.

Rock Guitarist Steve Vai, 7:30 p.m. Sun., Oct. 20, OLS. Described as a virtuoso guitarist, Vai is widely recognized for his vast creativity, technical mastery and visionary compositions. This world-class musician stepped into the spotlight in 1980, as a guitarist for Frank Zappa’s band and later worked with Whitesnake and David Lee Roth, of Van Halen fame.

“The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane,” Oct. 20-Nov. 10, TCA. Adapted from the book by Kate DiCamillo; appropriate for ages 7 and older.

With his handmade silk suits, wide array of hats and tiny gold pocket watch, Edward Tulane was the most exceptional

Info: 480-921-9877, tempeimprov.com

MAC – Mesa Arts Center

1 E. Main St., Mesa Tickets: MesaArtsCenter.com, 480-6446500

MIM – Musical Instrument Museum

4725 E. Mayo Blvd., Phoenix Info: 480-478-6000, themim.org

OLS – Ovations LIVE! Showroom

Wild Horse Pass Hotel & Casino

Tickets: 800-946-4452, WinGilaRiver.com

SCPA – Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts

VGPT – Virginia G. Piper Theater 7380 E. 2nd St., Scottsdale

toy in Abilene’s room. But then, one day, he was lost. A story of finding friendship, finding yourself, and eventually finding your way home.

ACS, 7:30 p.m. Tue., Oct. 22, MAC. The group is comprised of three Grammy Award winners: pianist Geri Allen, drummer Terri Lyne Carrington and bassist/vocalist Esperanza Spalding— three preeminent female musicians whose careers intersect across the landscape of contemporary jazz.

“Concert for A Cause,” 6 p.m. Thu., Oct. 24, TW. The four-hour event features performances by Javier Garcia and Desert Dixie. Admission is free, but donations are appreciated and benefit Ryan House. There will be a raffle with items ranging from restaurant gift cards to hotel stays.

Box office: 480-499-8587, scottsdaleperformingarts.org

TAS – Theatre Artists Studio 4848 E. Cactus Rd., Suite 406, Scottsdale Tickets: 602-765-0120, thestudiophx.org

TCA – Tempe Center for the ArtsGallery; Studio 700 W. Rio Salado Pkwy., Tempe Tickets: tempe.gov/TCA, 480-350-2822

TW – The Western 6830 E. 5th Ave., Scottsdale Info: bonnie.machen@cushwake.com

“Ever After: The Story of Jack & Jill,” Oct. 25-26, HCPA. MTV’s “America’s Best Dance Crew” Season 7 Champion, Chris Thomas, A Time To Productions and The Happily Ever After League present a fulllength dance musical production set to the sounds of the ’80s and ’90s. It tells the backstory of Jack and Jill and many other Mother Goose characters.

“Mrs. Klein,” Oct. 25-Nov. 10, TAS. Psychoanalyst Melanie Klein is shattered by the news that her son has died in a climbing accident. Her daughter, also a psychoanalyst, thinks he committed suicide to defy their overbearing mother. When the battle between these two women spills over into their professional lives, the childhood events that lie at the heart of the conflict are exposed.