Even
with the Loop 101 now at the service of Valley arts lovers, it sometimes
seems impossible to attend a variety of performing arts events without
driving from Cave Creek to Scottsdale to Phoenix to Sun City and
back-all on the same weekend. It is possible, however, to plan an
entire week at one place and still experience a range of events.
It's especially possible if the place is the Scottsdale Center for
the Arts.
Take the coming week at the venerated venue in Old Town Scottsdale:
Chinese acrobats; a long running stage comedy; New Orleans jazz;
local blues talent; and the uncategorizable talents of Dame Edna.
The lineup is so diverting, you could camp out on the velvety green
lawn between the center and the James Hotel and call it your vacation,
though I think the security forces would frown on that.
Direct from the People's Republic of China to Arizona, The Peking
Acrobats are the result of 2000 years of Chinese tradition and the
latest technology. Special lighting and a multiple screen video
system will enhance the uncanny gifts of the jugglers, cyclists
and tumblers who twist their bodies like turkish taffy and remain
intact.. Performances are scheduled at 8 p.m. on Friday and Saturday
(April 7 and 8), as well as a matinee Saturday at 2 p.m.
You'll want to be called out of class and put in the corner in the
interactive comedy, "Late Night Catechism," the long running
SCA phenom. That's because the ire of Patti Hannon as "Sister"
in a Catholic School is all for fun. Shows continue in the tiny
Stage 2 at SCA (across from the main hall) every Saturday at 5 p.m.
from now until whenever. And there's now a "Late Night Catechism
II" for the real masochists out there, playing Saturdays at
8 p.m.
The City of New Orleans marches on, despite a storm called Katrina,
as the New Orleans Jazz Orchestra-NOJO for short-preserves the musical
traditions of the Big Easy by combining the talents of older and
younger New Orleans musicians. The 16 piece ensemble, led by trumpeter
Irvin Mayfield, comes to the SCA for a single concert at 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, April 9.
Dame Edna isn't a dame and her name ain't Edna, and that's the way
all her possums like it. Australian actor Barry Humphries' one of
a kind, Brit flavored comedy is legendary. The Dame makes her appearances
in six shows at SCA between Tuesday, April 11, and April 16.
But I promised you some local blues, didn't I? How about Sistah
Blue, the all woman Valley group that has become synonymous with
rhythm and blues around here?
Sistah Blue will perform as the headliner for the final "Sunday
A'fair" event of the SCA. "Sunday A'fair" is a series
of free outdoor concerts given at the center on alternate Sundays
between January and early April. It's been going on for 17 years,
but you may not have even heard of it.
"A lot of people don't even know we're here, but we still get
crowds of around 3500 to 5000 for a typical concert," says
SCA project manager Bob Kylar.
Free music is the focus, but there are also crafts booths set up
around the grounds. You can bring your own food or buy some at the
site. Beverages of all kinds are also sold.
"It started because the Cultural Council wanted us to provide
free entertainment for the community," Kyler says. Can it really
be as simple as that?
"We do hand out brochures for our season. The Sunday A'fair
has been known to open doors to new patrons for our paid events."
Aha! A loss leader.
The music ranges from jazz and blues to world and folk. Kyler spends
a lot of the off season searching for new acts. One he found last
year, which played its Sunday A'fair debut last month, was Traveler,
a group specializing in Turkish and Greek tunes.
This Sunday's event starts at noon with another well regarded local
blues band, Cold Shot and the Hurricane Horns, followed by Sistah
Blue at 2 p.m.
For ticket information on any of the following SCA events, call
(480) 994 2787 or log on to www.scottsdalecenterforthearts.org |
