Residents of Laveen are ready for the South Mountain Loop 202 Freeway to be built.

Ahmed Alsoudani says that America is a dreamland. Yet, his complex paintings of violence and warfare are very much influenced by his upbringing.

Children will listen to other children in a way they don’t to adults, says Bobb Cooper — and he’s hoping an awful lot of them get to do just that over the next two weeks.

We have our fair share of Disney animated favorites, but from time to time it’s fun to treat the family to a live theater production of a classic fairy tale. Valley Youth Theatre’s “Rapunzel,” playing Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays through March 10, is a great option.

You probably wouldn’t recognize Ahwatukee Foothills’ Rebecca Caswell as the gray-haired, shabby witch in Valley Youth Theater’s current production of “Rapunzel.” But it is her under that wig.

IF YOU GO

A total of 32 Phoenix nonprofit arts and culture organizations received $525,346 in grant funding in the 2012-13 fiscal year from the Phoenix Office of Arts and Culture.

More than 300 Valley Youth Theatre supporters helped raise nearly $120,000 to fund education and outreach programs and six mainstage productions at The Most VYTal Event of the Season, the company’s 14th annual fundraiser.

Volunteers handed out Subway sandwiches June 21 to nearly 800 at-risk youth after they were treated to the Valley Youth Theatre’s production of “The Wiz” at the Herberger Theatre in downtown Phoenix.

Spotlight Youth Theatre first performed “Annie Jr.” six years ago, but under different circumstances. The youth troupe didn’t have a permanent space, so they set up shop in the former West Valley Art Museum in Surprise for the production. “Back then, we were struggling and didn’t have a home,” said Kenny Grossman, artistic director of Spotlight Youth Theatre.

Rhys Gilyeat takes on the physically demanding role of the title character in the Arizona premiere of Disney’s “Tarzan.” For several weeks, Gilyeat has been training to become the vine-swinging hero for Arizona Broadway Theatre’s production, which opens Friday. The former Chandler resident, who now lives in New York, returned home to the Valley for “Tarzan.”

The Valley Youth Theatre became the first and only theater outside of New York to premiere “Freckleface Strawberry, The Musical” last Friday before its national tour in 2013.

Theater Works executive director Dan Schay and artistic director Robyn Allen are looking forward to a long working relationship with together with the company as they move toward the next level at the Peoria Center for the Performing Arts. “We really want to continue all of the excellent programming on the stage as well as the educational and outreach programs,” Shay said.

‘Charlotte’s Web’: Valley Youth Theatre’s stage rendition of E.B. White’s classic children’s tale, starring a pig, a spider and a young girl.

With little fanfare, “Little Orphan Annie” disappeared from the comic strips in June 2010 after an 86-year run, but Creative Stages Youth Theater is making sure she is not forgottten.

The second annual Herberger Theater Festival of the Arts, presented by SRP, is scheduled from 1 to 5 p.m. Oct. 1.

The second annual Herberger Theater Festival of the Arts, presented by SRP, is scheduled from 1 to 5 p.m. Oct. 1.

Broadway has its Tonys, the annual awards for excellence in theater nationally.

Broadway has its Tonys, the annual awards for excellence in theater nationally.

Actors Theatre

Actors Theatre

ASU Gammage

ASU Gammage

ASU Gammage

ASU Gammage