Arts Briefs (7/18)

Public art auction tonight

The eye lounge: a contemporary art space will host a public art auction, "A Midsummer Night's Green" from 5 to 9 p.m. Friday, July 18, at 419 E. Roosevelt in the Roosevelt Row arts district in downtown Phoenix.

A preview will be held from 5 to 6 p.m., and bidding will last from 6 to 9 p.m. This event is free and open to the public.

For more information, call (602) 430-1490 or visit www.eyelounge.com.

Target World Music Festival kicks off Phoenix Symphony's season

With the support of Target, The Phoenix Symphony presents its inaugural Target World Music Festival around the Valley Sept. 11 to 21. The festival features a stunning roster of world-renowned guest artists, including Celtic fiddler Natalie MacMaster, Chinese pipa sensation Wu Man and the Kronos Quartet.

Single tickets go on sale to the general public on Aug. 3 and can be purchased by visiting www.phoenixsymphony.org or by calling the box office at (602) 495-1999.

Sedona Jazz on the Rocks

The 27th annual Sedona Jazz on the Rocks Festival brings together a diverse and eclectic mix of jazz artists and an expanded-event schedule, Sept. 23 to 28, at locations throughout Sedona.

Proceeds support educational programs and scholarships for students from across Arizona.

The main event, the all-day outdoor JazzFest Saturday, Sept. 27, on the lawn at the Radisson Poco Diablo Resort, begins at 10 a.m.

Individual tickets start at $65 for lawn seating and $85 for chair seating. Seats in the VIP Tent are $125 for SJOR members only.

For complete details or to order tickets, visit www.sedonajazz.com or call (928) 282-1985.

ZooFari early bird tickets on sale

Tickets for ZooFari, the Phoenix Zoo's black tie fundraiser, are now available at a special "early bird" price of only $180 per ticket. ZooFari 2008, set for 7 to 11 p.m. Friday, Oct. 3, raises funds to support the non profit Phoenix Zoo.

Early bird tickets can be purchased online through Aug. 31 at www.phoenixzoo.org or by calling (602) 914-4333. After Aug. 31, tickets prices will be $200 per person for members and $225 per person for non-members.

Also new this year - ZooFari 2008 will hold a portion of their Zoopendous Silent Auction online. The top 25 items to be auctioned off at ZooFari will be available for early bidding at www.phoenixzoo.org. The online auction begins Sept. 3.

For more information, the raffle or the silent auction, visit www.phoenixzoo.org.

ASU Art Museum upcoming exhibitions and events

The Arizona State University Art Museum, located at Tenth Street and Mill Avenue in Tempe, continues to present contemporary art with exhibitions in all media by regional and international, emerging and established artists. 

Upcoming schedule:

- Through Sept. 28, NOW: Selections from the Ovitz Family Collection. Reception: Sept. 26, 7 to 9 p.m.

- Through Sept. 28, Exploring Dreams: Images from the Permanent Collection.

- Aug. 23 through Feb. 28, Midstream: New Ceramics from the Heartland. Friday Conversations in the Gallery: Sept. 5, noon. Reception: Sept. 26, 7 to 9 p.m., with a performance by Teri Frame at 7:30 p.m.

- Sept. 27 through Jan. 4, The Other Mainstream II: Selections from the Collection of Mikki and Stanley Weithorn. Opening reception: Sept. 26, 7 to 9 p.m., Trunk Show with local artist Roy Wasson Valle. Friday Conversations in the Gallery: Oct. 3, noon, local artist Steve Yazzie. Friday Conversations in the Gallery: Oct. 24, noon, collector Mikki Weithorn.

- Oct. 16, 7 p.m., Jan Fisher Memorial Lecture Series, Annebeth Rosen.

- Oct. 18 through Jan. 25, ASU Herberger College School of Art Faculty Exhibition. Opening reception: Oct. 17, 7 to 9 p.m.

- Oct. 16 through Nov. 19, Social Studies: Project 3. Artist in residence.

- Oct. 18 through Jan. 25, Nadia Hironaka: The Late Show. Opening reception: Oct. 17, 7 to 9 p.m. Friday Conversations in the Gallery: Oct. 17, noon, Artist Nadia Hironaka.

- Dec. 4 through 7, Video Project Space: Aqua Art Miami, Wynwood.

- Jan. 24 through April 26, Breathing is Free: 12,756.3 - The First 1,500, New Work by Jun Nguyen-Hatsushiba. Artist performance: Jan. 20 to 30. Artist performance reception: Feb. 20, 7 to 9 p.m.

- Feb. 14 through May 16, Eden Revisited: The Ceramic Art of Kurt Weiser. Reception: Feb. 20, 7 to 9 p.m. Friday Conversations in the Gallery: Feb. 20, 11 a.m., local artist Kurt Weiser.

- Feb. 17 through July 26, Social Studies: Project 4. Artist in residence. Reception: Feb. 20, 7 to 9 p.m. 

- March 21 through May 30, NCECA Clay National, 43rd Annual NCECA Conference, April 8 to 11, Ceramic Interface: From Dawn to Digital.

- March 28 through May 31, Potters on Paper: Selections from the Collection. Reception: April 9, 5 to 7 p.m.

- April 2009, 13th Annual ASU Art Museum Short Film and Video Festival. Date to be announced, check website for details http://asuartmuseum.asu.edu/filmfest.

- May 16 through Aug. 30, 10th Annual Summer Family Exhibition, Food: Feasts for the Eyes from the Permanent Collection. Family Fun Day: July 10, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The ASU Art Museum is part of the Herberger College of the Arts at Arizona State University. Entry is free. Hours are 11 a.m.  to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and until 9 p.m. Tuesday during the academic year, and 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday.

For more information, call (480) 965-2787 or visit the museum online at http://asuartmuseum.asu.edu.

Phoenix Girls Chorus holding auditions

The Phoenix Girls Chorus is conducting auditions for its 2008-09 season. Girls aged 7 to 17 are eligible and will, upon acceptance, be placed in one of five choir levels. The auditions will take place through September at the Phoenix Girls Chorus office at 2701 N. 16th St. in Phoenix, south of Thomas Road.

Girls wishing to audition are asked to prepare one song to sing in the classical, folk, show tune or spiritual style. They should bring either sheet music for the song, or a back-up CD with no vocals. The audition fee is $10.

The Phoenix Girls Chorus is a nonprofit organization that serves approximately 180 girls in five choirs. Six major public concerts are performed each year, as well as numerous public appearances at city events, retirement homes and hospitals.

For more information, call (602) 252-5562 or visit www.girlschorus.org.

New Carpa Theater launches new season

New Carpa Theater (formerly Colores Actors-Writers Workshop) launched its 2008-09 season July 8 at the Herberger Theater Center.

Show schedule:

- Through July 19, Por Amor/For Love: An Operachi in One Act, by James E. Garcia and Raul Yzaguirre. Runs July 8 to 17 at the Herberger Theater Center (Lunchtime Theater), 222 Monroe St. Tickets available at the door. Doors open at 11:40 a.m.. Show starts at noon and ends by 1 p.m. Runs July 18 to 19 at Playhouse on the Park, 1850 N. Central Ave. (Palm and Central). Tickets available immediately at americanlatino.net/caww or by calling (602) 254-2151, then press 4.

- Nov. 6 to 16, Mr. Ambassador: The Life and Times of Raul H. Castro, by James E. Garcia, Playhouse on the Park. Tickets available immediately at the Web site and phone number listed above.

- Dec. 11 to 20, American Pastorela: The Road to the White House, by James E. Garcia, Playhouse on the Park. Tickets available soon at the Web site and phone number listed above.

For more information, visit www.americanlatino.net/caww.

Chandler Center for the Arts summer concert series

The Chandler Center for the Arts announces the return of its annual, free summer concert season. The 2008 summer series features five family-friendly, free-to-the-public concerts. Tickets are not required, and seating will be on a first-come, first-served basis. Foyer doors will open one hour prior to show time, and doors to the theater will open a half hour prior to show time.

Schedule (all begin at 7:30 p.m.):

- Saturday, July 26, the Trans Celtic Gala featuring Oceans Apart, the McTeggart Irish Dancers and the Phoenix Pipe Band (www.oceansapartmusic.com).

- Saturday, Aug. 2, the Armand Boatman Be Bop Revolution. 

- Saturday, Aug. 16, Mikioi (visit them on their MySpace page).

- Saturday, Sept. 6, Susan Artemis will entertain the crowd on piano and with vocals (www.susanartemis.com).

- Friday, Sept. 19, Meadowlark (www.meadowlarkmusic.com).

The Chandler Center for the Arts is located at 250 N. Arizona Ave. This series is supported in part by the Ocotillo Tribune and the Ahwatukee Foothills News.

For a complete schedule, visit www.chandlercenter.org.

ASU Herberger College spotlights the season

Arizona State University Herberger College of the Arts spotlights a season of performance in dance, guitar, jazz, musicals, organ, opera and theater, including The Festival of New Work.

Subscription packages start at $9 per ticket and are available now through July 11. Single tickets are available July 12 and are $7 to $18 for guitar, jazz and organ; $7 to $20 for dance and $7 to $22 musicals, operas and plays.

For a listing of performances, ticket or subscription information, visit herbergercollege.asu.edu/subscriptions or call (480) 965-6447. Receive a 2008-09 season subscription brochure by calling (480) 965-5144.

Musical performances for young children

Maureen Conlin of Happy Notes Music is offering a variety of summer musical performances for  children ages 2 to 7. The schedule is as follows:

- 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. July 17 at Kid to Kid, 5030 E. Ray Road, Ahwatukee Foothills;

- 3:30 to 4 p.m. July 23 at Wildflower Bread Company, Wildflower Kids, 3425 E. Baseline Road, Gilbert (includes free cookie and milk);

- 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. Aug. 8 at Borders Books and Music, Chandler Pavillions, 870 N. 54th Street, Chandler; and

- 10 to 11 a.m. Aug. 29 at Borders Books and Music, 1361 S. Alma School Road, Mesa.

All events are free and open to the public.

For more information, contact Maureen Conlin at (602) 820-1900 or visit www.happynotesmusic.com.

Community audition for New Year's Eve Gala vocalist

Win a chance to sing the role of "Christine" from Andrew Lloyd Webber's The Phantom of the Opera. The Phoenix Symphony is hosting a statewide competition for the opportunity to sing at its annual New Year's Eve Gala.

The vocal competition is open to female Arizona residents ages 8 through 18 years old. Semi-finalists and finalists will perform in front of a panel of celebrity judges. The winner of the competition will perform All I Ask of You live with The Phoenix Symphony and Franc D'Ambrosio, the "World's Longest Running ‘Phantom.'" A fellowship will be awarded to the winner, including season tickets to The Phoenix Symphony Classics Concerts series, a monetary gift and vocal coaching sessions. Entries are being accepted through Oct. 8.

For detailed contest information and official entry form, visit www.phoenixsymphony.org.

Heard Museum exhibits and events

Upcoming exhibits at The Heard Museum, 2301 N. Central Ave.

Young Jewelers: Forging A Future, on display through Sept. 7; Underworlderness, on display through Jan. 18, 2009; Old Traditions In New Pots: Silver Seed Pots From The Norman L. Sandfield Collection, on display through Sept. 2009; La Casa Murillo: A Life-size Shadow Box, Oct. 3 through Jan. 11, 2009; Innovative Ceramics By Mothers and Daughters, Jan. 10 through Aug. 2009; and The Gifts: Pacific Coast Salish Art and Artists, Feb. 21 through Aug. 16.

Ongoing exhibitions include Home: Native People in the Southwest; Around The World: The Heard Museum Collection; Life In A Cold Place: Arctic Art From The Albrecht Collection; Every Picture Tells a Story; Remembering Our Indian School Days: The Boarding School Experience; We Are! Arizona's First People; and History and Collections of the Heard Museum.

For more information, call (602) 252-8848 or visit www.heard.org.

Free Friday admission at SMoCA in July, August

Guests will receive free admission to SMoCA, Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Fridays during its "Free Fridays" event July through August.

SMoCA is in downtown Scottsdale on the Civic Center Mall at 7374 E. Second St. The museum will continue to offer complimentary admission all day on its traditional Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.

For more information, call (480) 874-4666.

Music in the Garden fall concert series

See the beautiful Desert Botanical Garden and listen to the Valley's premier musicians during the fall 2008 Music in the Garden Concert Series. Performances will be held 7 to 9 p.m. Fridays on Ullmann Terrace, located in the Garden at 1201 N. Galvin Parkway. Doors open at 6 p.m.

Performances include: Oct. 3, Jaleo - Cuban World Beat; Oct. 10, Big Pete Pearson - Blues; Oct. 17, Incendio - Latin World Fusion; Oct. 24, Drew Bennett & Ensemble - Nuevo Flamenco Guitar; and Oct. 31, Chris Burton Jácome - Flamenco Guitar. Performers for Nov. 7 and 14 are yet to be determined.

Tickets are $14 for members and $20 for non-members, general seating only, and include garden admission.

To purchase tickets, log on to www.dbg.org, call (480) 481-8188 or visit the Admissions Box Office.

Calling past A Chorus Line performers

Arizona State University Gammage and the National touring company of A Chorus Line are looking for any past cast members from the original production of A Chorus Line that played on Broadway at the Shubert Theatre in New York between 1975 and 1990.

The 30th Anniversary Production of A Chorus Line comes to ASU Gammage Sept. 2 to 7, and the current cast would like to extend an invitation to all former cast members to join them for a special reunion event.

If you were a part of the cast, contact ASU Gammage at (480) 965-1884 or press@asugamamge.com by Aug. 22. This is a great opportunity for former cast members to share their memories of how they once dazzled the stage in this "one singular sensation!"

Ahwatukee Children's Theatre offers classes

Ahwatukee Children's Theatre, 5051 E. Elliot Road, is offering several classes:

- ALL THAT is a class that reflects the hit comedy-variety show which airs on Nickelodeon. Class members will be given scripts featuring sketches in a manner somewhat reminiscent of Saturday Night Live. Students' performance DVD's will be provided with this course, which meets 5 to 6 p.m. Mondays for grades fourth through ninth.

- Lights, Camera, Action! Do you have a budding commercial actor on your hands? How about a soap opera or sit-com star? This class will present the basics of acting on camera as opposed to being on stage. At the end of this class, students will receive a video resume of their work. Class meets 6 to 7 p.m. Mondays.

- Hip-Hop Aerobics. Want to dance like the Cheetah Girls or the kids in High School Musical? Don't miss out on fun and cleaned up hip-hop moves. Add your own style and attitude to make this class flare! Let loose and have fun from 7 to 8 p.m. Mondays.

The new semester starts Aug. 4, and registration begins July 14.

For more information or to register, call the theater at (480) 705-9319 or contact the teacher, Jennifer Aguirre, at jenni_act@yahoo.com or (602) 516-0569.

SMoCA exhibition schedule

The following exhibitions will be on display at The Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art (SMoCA), 7374 E. Second St., Scottsdale: through Sept. 7, Pae White: Lisa, Bright & Dark; through Sept. 21, Branded and On Display; Sept. 20 through Feb. 1, Radical Lace and Subversive Knitting; Oct. 5 through Jan. 18, Flip a Strip, Oct. 5 through Jan. 18, Heresies/Herejias: A Retrospective by Pedro Meyer.

For more information, visit www.smoca.org.

Junior history detectives, scavenger hunters welcome

Tempe History Detectives is an ongoing children's activity at Tempe Historical Museum for children age 6 to 12. The program is designed to engage children in educational activities that will arouse their curiosity and excitement about history while they explore Tempe's past. There are two levels of difficulty for ages 6 to 8 and 9 to 12. Each level has activities appropriate for the age group.

Contact the Tempe Historical Museum at (480) 350-5100 or visit www.Tempe.gov/Museum for more information. Hours are Monday through Thursday and Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sunday 1 to 5 p.m., closed Fridays and major holidays. Admission and participation in the Tempe History Detectives program is free through Aug. 27.

Interactive New Works Festival announced

Thanks to the Phoenix Theatre New Works Festival, several very cool new works will offer a refuge from the summer heat as the 11th Annual New Works Festival opens in mid-July.

Audiences will enjoy four staged readings over four weeks, each of which will include discussions with the playwright, director and actors following the reading on the intimate Little Theatre stage at Phoenix Theatre, 100 E. McDowell Road. Friday readings are at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday readings are at 2 and 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $9 each, or $33 for all four readings.

Featured new works include: The Jesus Hickey, July 11 and 12; All the More to Love, a musical, July 18 and 19; Engagement Rules, July 25 and 26; and The Onset Phenomenon, Aug. 1 and 2.

Additionally, Phoenix Theatre's 2008-09 Mainstage Season will kick off in August with Unbeatable, a production that got its start as a new work at Phoenix Theatre in 2006 and will head from Phoenix straight to off-Broadway after this season opening production.

Tickets are available at PhoenixTheatre.com or through the box office at (602) 254-2151.

Weekly film series at Heard Museum

The popular Movie Mondays series offers an air-conditioned refuge and showcases the best in filmmaking by and for Native people. Every Monday, visitors to the Heard Museum can enjoy movies and post-film tours/discussions at 1:30 p.m. in the 30-seat Joel and Lila Harnett Theater, located at 2301 N. Central Ave.

The schedule:

- Aug. 4: Marks of Our Ancestors: Indian Rock Art of Arizona (43 min.) looks at important rock art sites and presents comments by archaeologists and Indian communities to interpret the designs.

- Aug. 11: Allan Houser: The Lifetime Work of an American Master (54 min.) provides a thorough biographical summary and displays hundreds of Houser's important paintings and sculpture.

- Aug. 18: Maria: Black Pottery of San Ildefonso Pueblo (30 min.) shows the famous potter making and firing pottery. Pablita Velarde: An Artist and Her People (20 min.) highlights the career of the painter from Santa Clara Pueblo.

- Aug. 25: Mystery of Chaco Canyon (56 min). Narrated by Robert Redford, the film unveils the astronomical brilliance of an ancient people in the Southwest.

- Sept. 1: Labor Day - museum closed.

- Sept. 8: Shaman's Apprentice (54 min.) documents the work of Dr. Mark Plotkin, who works with Indian shamans in the Amazon rainforest to learn and preserve traditional knowledge of plants and healing.

- Sept. 15: Unnatural and Accidental (77 min). Rebecca has returned home to track down her mother, an aboriginal woman who has long been missing. She is drawn into the mysteries of the killer who still haunts the alleys, streets and hotels of this urban wasteland.

- Sept. 22: Shadow Warrior: A Return to Iwo Jima (35 min.) details the story of Navajo Code Talker Teddy Draper Sr.'s 2005 journey back to the Pacific Island of Iwo Jima to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the historic Battle of Iwo Jima.

- Sept. 29: New Year Baby (80 min). A Cambodian woman's father finally reveals the truth behind how the family came to flee the Khmer Rouge and her birth in a Thai refugee camp.

- Oct. 6: Our Nationhood (96 min) chronicles the Listuguj Mi'gmaq community in Quebec - a people determined to live off of their traditional lands.

- Oct. 13: Relive the Past (2004, 30 min.) is the stirring story of how one tiny tribe defeated the federal and state governments' plans to build a dam that would have drowned their homeland.

- Oct. 20: Woven By Their Grandmother: 19th Century Navajo Blankets (30 min). Explore the 19th century Navajo textiles collection of the National Museum of the American Indian and learn how contemporary weavers sustain their communities' economies and culture.

- Oct. 27: Expiration Date (94 min). Charlie Silvercloud III's father and grandfather were both killed by milk trucks on their 25th birthdays. Charlie is about to turn 25. He has accepted his fate, and is going about shopping for caskets and returning his library books when he meets a girl who won't let him die in peace.

Movie Monday programs are included with museum admission: $10 for adults, $9 for seniors (55+), $5 for students, $3 for children (6 to 12); and free for children under 6, Heard members and American Indians.

For more information, call (602) 252-8848 or visit heard.org.

Storytelling at CoffeeBuzz

Members from South Mountain Community College's Storytelling Institute will host a storytelling event from 1:30 to 3 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 3, at the Coffeebuzz, 4804 E. Chandler Blvd., Suite 110. Listeners and tellers are needed.

LynnAnn Wojciechowicz, South Mountain Community College Storytelling Institute Director, will emcee. She will be gearing up for the start of a new academic year and has chosen "new beginnings" as the theme. If you want to tell but are concerned that your story doesn't fit the theme, she will find a way to make it fit.

For more information, or to sign up to tell, email Wojciechowicz at  lynnann.woj@smcmail.maricopa.edu.

Mesa Arts Center announces 2008-09 season

Mesa Arts Center has announced the initial offerings for its "Performing Live" series for the 2008-09 season. The upcoming lineup includes major artists from a wide array of genres - from classical masters and country superstars to rock sensations and world musicians.

Tickets will go on sale to the general public at 10 a.m. July 12 by calling the box office at (480) 644-6500 or online at www.mesaartscenter.com. Tickets will also be available by walk-up during box office hours: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday and noon to 4 p.m. The box office is located at 1 E. Main St. in downtown Mesa.

Weekend workshops at Phoenix Art Museum

Scottsdale Artists' School is continuing its series of weekend workshops at Phoenix Art Museum this summer.

- Beginning Drawing will be held July 19 and 20. Learn how to transfer what you see onto paper. Students will get a chance to explore various drawing techniques and different methods for getting a realistic image. There will be instructor demonstrations and hands-on practice.

- Introduction to Oil Painting will take place Aug. 30 and 31. Experiment with mixing colors, painting on a canvas board and creating a simple still life painting. Students will learn the process of creating an oil painting, from composition and blocking in shapes, to using colors, values, and brushwork to make an image have excitement and depth.

No experience is required for any workshop. Materials are included with tuition, but all students should bring a sketchpad and pencil. Sessions meet from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day.

For more information or to register, call (480) 990-1422 or go online to ScottsdaleArtSchool.org (classes are listed under Semester 2008 Local Offsites).

SMoCA offers rejuvenating yoga event

The Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art (SMoCA) invites the public to celebrate the end of the work week from 6 to 8:30 p.m. on July 18, with a special summer evening designed to calm the soul and energize the mind featuring yoga, art contemplation and sumptuous organic snacks.

SMoCA's ‘Yin Friday' event allows visitors to try the whole holistic experience with yoga instruction by Michael Warner in the galleries, cooling down for art talk with guest artist Gregory Sale and visionary Tarot readings by Ozma. To truly tempt the palate, guests will also be able to enjoy delicious creations by Mandala Tea Room, raw juice blends by Wisdom Nectar and organic vegan chocolate by Wei of Chocolate.

The cost is $25 for members, $35 for non-members. SMoCA is located at 7374 E. Second St. in Scottsdale.

For more information, call (480) 874-4641.

Arizona Opera summer film series

The Arizona Opera Film Series is in its fourth year and is presented in partnership with Phoenix Art Museum's "Movies at the Museum." The summer series is composed of three films that connect to the company's upcoming season, which runs October 2008 to April 2009.

Films are free with museum admission and begin at 1 p.m. at Phoenix Art Museum, 1625 N. Central Ave. Films include: Tosca's Kiss, July 27, in Italian with English subtitles; Topsy-Turvy, Aug. 24; and Love Potion No. 9, Sept. 28.

Arizona Opera's 2008-09 season includes Verdi's Rigoletto, Gilbert and Sullivan's The Mikado, Donizetti's The Elixir of Love, Mozart's Don Giovanni and Puccini's Tosca.

For more information, contact Colin Columna at (602) 218-7323 or colin@azopera.com.

Ballet Arizona offering classes for all ages, experience

While summer programs have only recently begun at The School of Ballet Arizona, the staff is ready to accept registrations for the 2008-09 programs that begin in August.

The school's studios at 36th Street and Indian School Road are the same spaces where Ballet Arizona Artistic Director Ib Andersen and his award-winning company will begin crafting their new season in September, including A Midsummer Night's Dream, Romeo and Juliet, The Best of Balanchine, and The Nutcracker (featuring school students, selected by audition).

The school offers classes for students of nearly any age and experience. Children's dance programs for ages 3 (with an adult) and up introduce students to the grace and discipline of ballet, while a full range of adult classes provide a fun, musical way to stay fit. New this year is a recreational ballet program, which allows students who love to dance to train in the pre-professional program with a less rigorous schedule.

There are six levels of focused, intensive, pre-professional classes for ages 8 and up. Fall classes begin Aug. 11. Tuition begins at less than $20 per class.

For information, call (602) 381-0188 or visit www.balletaz.org/school.

Webb Center announces upcoming season

Tickets to all shows for the 2008-09 season at the Del E. Webb Center for the Performing Arts in Wickenburg will go on sale to the general public on Monday, Aug. 4.

Shows in the upcoming season include Jungua - Descendants of the Dragon, Oct. 19 and 20; Natalie MacMaster, Oct. 26; Special Election Edition: The Complete History of America (abridged), Oct. 30; Spaghetti Western Orchestra, Nov. 6; The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Nov. 10; Rhonda Vincent & the Rage, Nov. 14 and 15; American Ballet Theatre II, Nov. 22; 3 Redneck Tenors: Holiday SPEC-TAC-YULE-AR, Dec. 11, 12 and 13; Footloose: the Musical, Jan. 22 and 23; Blue Note Records 70th Anniversary - On Tour, Jan. 29; Matt Dusk, Feb. 6; Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Feb. 12 and 13; Caroline Markham, Feb. 19; Celtic Legends, Feb. 22; Brubeck Brothers Quartet, Feb. 27; Bryan White, March 6; Riders in the Sky, March 7; The 5 Browns, March 14; Kathy Mattea, March 25 and 26; and BIG Big Band: Jazz with the Phoenix Symphony, April 5.

For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.delewebbcenter.org or call (928) 684-6624.

Valley Youth Theatre's 20th anniversary season

Valley Youth Theatre will experience a 2008-09 season of "firsts." Five of the six productions have never been produced by VYT before. Now in its 20th anniversary season, this exciting lineup of five musicals and one Shakespearean comedy will take audiences on a journey over the high seas and to far off lands, each play an adventure through unknown worlds and classic tales.

The upcoming season includes: Disney's AIDA, By Elton John and Tim Rice, Aug. 8 to 24; Treasure Island, A Musical Adventure, Oct. 10 to 26; A Winnie The Pooh Christmas Tail, Dec. 5 to 23; A Midsummer Night's Dream, Jan. 23 to Feb. 8, 2009; Seussical The Musical, March 6 to 22; and Geppetto and Son, By Stephen Schwartz, An Arizona Premiere, May 1 to 17.

Full season ticket packages and Pick-Your-Own Four packs are available now. To order, visit www.VYT.com and download a form or call (602) 253-8188, ext. 309.

Exhibits at the DBG

Upcoming exhibits at the Desert Botanical Garden, 1201 N. Galvin Parkway:

- The Spirit of the Saguaro, Sept. 5 to Oct. 19, Ottosen Gallery in Dorrance Hall, open daily 10 a.m.-5 p.m. The Desert Botanical Garden presents an exhibition of photographs from Arizona photographer Holly Metz. The Spirit of the Saguaro celebrates the beauty and uniqueness of this ancient desert plant. Twenty black and white images will be displayed.  Free with Garden admission or membership.

- Mariposa Monarca Monarch Butterfly Exhibit, Sept. 27 to Nov. 2, Marshall Butterfly Pavilion, open daily from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Free for members. $3 for non-members 3 years and older, with paid Garden admission. Stroll through the best butterfly habitat in the Southwest and be immersed among hundreds of colorful, fluttering monarchs.

- Ottosen Entry Garden, opening in November, daily from 8 a.m. to  8 p.m. The Ottosen Entry Garden officially opens this November with new visitor amenities and creates more drama and beauty by opening the vista to the beautiful Papago Butte. This new introduction area will highlight the sculptural quality of plants set against iconic local landscape features like Papago Park red buttes, distant desert mountains and the river beds and canals that cut through the Valley floor.  Free with Garden admission or membership.

- Chihuly: The Nature Of Glass, Nov. 22 to May 31, 2009, throughout the Garden. The upcoming Garden-wide exhibition by renowned artist Dale Chihuly will feature new and unique works of glass. Chihuly is known for his innovative glass sculptures, and his work is immediately recognizable for its grand scale and vibrant colors.

For more information, call (480) 941-1225 or visit www.dbg.org.

Music in the Garden fall 2008 concert series

Visit the beautiful Desert Botanical Garden this fall and listen to the Valley's premier musicians from 7 to 9 p.m. Fridays on the Ullmann Terrace.

The lineup is as follows: Oct. 3, Jaleo (Cuban World Beat); Oct. 10, Big Pete Pearson (Blues); Oct. 17, Incendio (Latin World Fusion); Oct. 24, Drew Bennett & Ensemble (Nuevo Flamenco Guitar); and Oct. 31, Chris Burton Jácome (Flamenco Guitar). Performers for Nov. 7 and 14 are to be determined.

The cost is $14 for members and $20 for nonmembers, general seating only. Fabulous Food Catering & Events will provide gourmet picnic dinners for an additional charge. Dinner can be ordered online at www.fabulousfood.net. The Patio Café will also be open for food purchases. Wine tastings are available with the opportunity to purchase wine by the bottle. A cash bar is provided. 

The Desert Botanical Garden is located at 1201 N. Galvin Parkway.

Tickets are limited, and advance ticket purchase is strongly recommended. There are no refunds or exchanges on ticket(s) purchased. No outside food or beverage allowed. The ticket price includes Garden admission. Tickets may be purchased at www.dbg.org, by calling (480) 481-8188 or visiting the admissions box office.

RENT: School Edition to kick off Greasepaint season

The revived Greasepaint Youtheatre in Scottsdale has announced the theatre's 2008-09 schedule, which will get under way with RENT: School Edition Oct. 3 to 26. Other performances include Children of Eden, Dec 5 to 28; Wiley and the Hairy Man, Jan. 30 to Feb. 8; Pippin, March 27 to April 19; and Snoopy!!!, May 8 to 31.

Tickets for musicals are $20, $18 for students/seniors and $15 for children under 12. Groups of 15 or more can order tickets for $10 each. Tickets for Wiley and the Hairy Man (the only play in the season) are $16, $14 for students/seniors and $11 for children under 12 with $8 tickets for groups.

Greasepaint Youtheatre, celebrating 24 years, is a nonprofit corporation that offers a full range of theatrical and educational programming for young people ages 5 to 19. The company performs at Stagebrush Theatre, located at 7020 E. Second St.

For more information or to purchase tickets, call (480) 990-7405.

ASU Gammage announces its 2008-09 Broadway season

Arizona State University Gammage has announced its 2008-09 M&I Bank Broadway Across America - Arizona season. The seven show series includes some of today's biggest hits straight from Broadway along with several blockbusters that will make their Valley return.

The series includes A Chorus Line, Sept. 2 to 7; The Rat Pack- Live at the Sands, Oct. 14 to 19; Happy Days, Nov. 18 to 23; Spring Awakening, Dec. 9-14; Disney's The Lion King, Jan. 2 to Feb. 8, 2009; Frost/Nixon starring Stacy Keach, March 31 to April 5; and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, June 16 to 21.

M&I Bank Broadway Across America - Arizona special engagements during the 2008-09 season include Rent, March 17 to 22, 2009; Cats, April 7 to 12; Stomp, May 5 to 10; and Wicked, July 1 to 26.

New season subscribers may sign up through July 20, subscriptions start at $118.

Single tickets will go on sale to the general public July 21. Groups can order tickets now at www.asugammage.com/group or by calling (480) 965-6678.

For more information or tickets, visit the box office, www.asugammage.com, Ticketmaster locations, www.ticketmaster.com or call (480) 784-4444.

Art workshops offered in cool NM mountains

The Cloudcroft Art Workshops, considered one of New Mexico's top art workshops, will offer week-long classes from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily throughout the summer.

For more information, visit www.cloudcroftart.com, e-mail maryellenkeith@gmail.com, or call (512) 417-3147.

Childsplay announces the 2008-2009 season

Childsplay, Arizona's professional theatre company for young audiences, has announced its 2008-09 Season at the Tempe Center for the Arts, 700 W. Rio Salado Parkway, Tempe. Childsplay is offering eight productions for the public through June 2009 that includes one world premiere, two old favorites, three regional premieres, three musicals and seven page-to-stage adaptations.

The season will include:

- Miss Nelson is Missing, Sept. 7 preview at 4 p.m., runs Sept. 13 to Oct. 5. Recommended for ages five and older.

- Getting Near to Baby, Oct. 19 preview at 4 p.m., runs Oct. 25 to Nov. 9. Recommended for ages seven and older.

- The Velveteen Rabbit, Nov. 16 preview at 4 p.m., runs Nov. 22 to Dec. 21. Recommended for ages three and older.

- Busytown, Jan. 18 preview at 4 p.m., runs Jan. 24 to Feb. 21, 2009. Recommended for ages three and older.

- Rock, Paper, Scissors, Feb. 28 preview at 1 p.m., runs Feb. 28 to March 8, 2009. Recommended for ages five and older.

- Ferdinand the Bull, March 14 preview at 1 p.m., runs March 14 to April 5, 2009. Recommended for ages five and older.

- The Neverending Story, April 19 preview at 4 p.m., runs April 25 to May 17, 2009. Recommended for ages five and older.

- Peter and the Wolf, May 31 preview at 4 p.m., runs June 6 to 21, 2009. Recommended for ages four and older.

Childsplay Play Passes (flexible subscription packages customized for families) are on sale through the Childsplay Web site, www.childsplayaz.org. Single tickets will be on sale at the theater box office closer to opening dates. Passes cost between $15 and $18 each depending on quantity and date purchased. Single tickets cost between $18 and $25 for adults, $18 and $20 for children, students and seniors (depending on the production) plus applicable box office charges. Each production will have one discounted preview performance with a single ticket price of $12. 

For box office information, call (480) 350-2822 or visit www.childsplayaz.org/tca.

For more information, visit www.Childsplayaz.org.

ASU Gammage announces 2008-09 Broadway season

Arizona State University Gammage has announced its 2008-2009 M&I Bank Broadway Across America - Arizona season. The seven show series includes some of today's biggest hits straight from Broadway along with several Blockbusters that will make their Valley return. The series includes: A Chorus Line, Sept. 2 to 7; The Rat Pack- Live At The Sands, Oct. 14 to 19; Happy Days, Nov. 18 to 23; Spring Awakening, Dec. 9 to 14; Disney's The Lion King, Jan. 2 to Feb. 8, 2009; Frost/Nixon starring Stacy Keach, March 31 to April 5; and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, June 16 to 21.

M&I Bank Broadway Across America - Arizona special engagements during the 2008-09 season include: Rent, March 17 to 22; Cats, April 7 to 12; Stomp, May 5 to 10; and Wicked, July 1 to 26.

For more information, call (480) 784-4444 or visit asugammage.com.

Arizona Theater Co. seeks volunteers

The Arizona Theatre Company is looking for volunteers, called ATC Associates, to help out during performances.

Volunteers receive benefits such as free admission to ATC productions, free parking downtown, an annual appreciation banquet and an opportunity to connect with the community and make new friends.

ATC Associate activities include working at the gift shop during ATC productions, organizing the annual fundraising event, a fashion show, silent auction and high tea at the Phoenician, lending a hand at the ATC administrative office in Phoenix, etc. For information or to volunteer, visit www.aztheatreco.org or e-mail mstrange@arizonatheatre.org.

Send submissions to: (480) 898-7924 or jwalker@ahwatukee.com.