PICS HITS AND THRILLS

®MDRV¯RXP: see note below at "Art Films"®MDNM¯

@day:wednesday
@mon:january
@date2:26Martha Graham Dance Company: The most celebrated of all American dance companies observes the 100th birthday of its founder, late dance doyenne Graham, with a performance at 8 p.m. Wednesday at Gammage Auditorium, Mill and Apache in Tempe. It's also the 50th anniversary of Graham's signature work, her choreography for composer Aaron Copland's Appalachian Spring, which highlights the four-part program. Tickets are $22, $19 and $16, available at Gammage and Dillard's box offices. For details call 965-3434 or 678-2222.

@body:Disney on Ice: This sparkling, family-style skate spectacle inspired by Walt Disney's acclaimed animated film musical Beauty and the Beast continues through Sunday at America West Arena, First Street and Jefferson; see Kid Pics for complete performance schedule. Tickets are $22.50, $14.50, $12.50 and $10.50, available at Dillard's box offices. For details call 379-7800 or 678-2222.

Phoenix Open: Those who love to watch other people play golf can get their fill during this world-class segment of the Professional Golfer's Association Tour, held at Tournament Players Club of Scottsdale, Pima and Bell roads. Wednesday's fun includes the Dial Corporation Pro-Am and Xerox Silver Pro-Am. Actual PGA tournament play is Thursday through Sunday, featuring defending champion Lee Jantzen and a field of worthy challengers; all four days are nationally televised on ESPN. The event concludes with the American Express Challenge on Saturday and Sunday and the Oldsmobile Hole-in-One competition on Sunday. Tickets for spectators are $15 per day; various package deals are available. For details call 870-4431.

Kris Kristofferson: Army vet, wild man, musician, vocalist and songwriter Kristofferson is also a fairly competent actor. As Barbra Streisand's co-star in the 1976 film A Star Is Born, Kris did a live concert at Tempe's Sun Devil Stadium. On Wednesday, fans can get a much closer look at Kristofferson as he performs in a more intimate venue, the Mason Jar, 2303 East Indian School. Michael Nitro opens shows at 6:30 and 9:30 p.m. Tickets are $12, available at Ticketmaster outlets. For details call 956-6271 or 784-4444.

®MDRV¯RXP: Both Life and Times and It's All True are history for Feb 2 issue (Life and Times actually was for Jan 26 issue - we fixed). Krista says they may have something opening February 4, but we won't know 'til end of week - she says it's likely that double-feature of Like Water for Chocolate and Strictly Ballroom will continue in l®MDNM¯®MDRV¯ieu of anything new. Thanks, CM.®MDNM¯ Art Films: Director Jerry Aronson's The Life and Times of Allen Ginsberg (unrated), a documentary-style portrait of the Sixties beat poet and political activist that examines its colorful subject in chronological order via historic film footage, photographs and interviews with period luminaries such as Norman Mailer, Ken Kesey, Joan Baez and William S. Burroughs, plus scenes of Ginsberg reading his own works, continues this week at Valley Art Theatre, 509 South Mill in Tempe. Also, It's All True (G), a documentary examination of a never-finished project by enigmatic actor/director Orson Welles, continues this week; and The Rocky Horror Picture Show (R) is shown at midnight every Saturday. For prices, showtimes and details, call 829-6668 or 784-4444.

@day:thursday
@mon:january
@date2:27Phoenix Symphony Chamber Orchestra: Several acclaimed young musicians from China serve as guest soloists with Phoenix Symphony's 40-member chamber configuration in concert at 7:30 p.m. Thursday at Symphony Hall, 225 East Adams. Ma Xiang-Hua, an 18-year-old who plays the erhu (a two-stringed Chinese instrument), along with violinist Lu Wei, 12, pianist Li Chen-Yin, 17, and cellist Ma Wen, 20, joins the orchestra in a program to be announced; principal conductor James Sedares wields the baton. Tickets are $18, $15, $12 and $8, available at the symphony box office, 3707 North Seventh Street. For details call 264-6363.

@body:Windowgames: The Edge Project 94: This brand-new collection of 18 short playlets was created by nine local writers as a follow-up to last season's critically lauded Edge Project collaboration, Voices on the Edge. The world-premiäre run of Windowgames continues through February 12 at Playwright's Workshop Theatre, 3302 North Seventh Street. Performances are at 8 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays. Tickets are $9 and $7. For reservations and details, call 279-5151.

Smokin' Joe Kubek Band featuring B'nois King: Dallas-bred Kubek is surely the most energetic blues guitarist to come out of Texas since Freddie King. Along with powerhouse vocalist/rhythm guitarist B'nois King, drummer Phil Campbell, bassist Greg Wright, organist Ron Levy and sax man Jim Spake, Smokin' Joe has turned out two red-hot recordings to date, Stepping Out Texas Style and Chain Smokin' Texas Style. Shows are planned for 9 and 11 p.m. Thursday at Char's Has the Blues, 4631 North Seventh Avenue. Admission is $5, good for both gigs. For details call 230-0205.

Freewill--the Rush Tribute: Diehard fans who couldn't get tickets to Tuesday's sold-out Rush concert may have to settle for this thrifty imitation. The sound-alike band Freewill plays a program of Rush standards at 9 p.m. Thursday at the Roxy, 2110 East Highland. Tickets are $7, available only at the door; those who show either a KUPD-FM Red Card or an actual Rush concert ticket can get in for $5. For details call 954-7838.

@day:friday
@mon:january
@date2:28Hal Holbrook in Mark Twain Tonight: Ever since creating his original homage to Mark Twain in 1954, veteran actor Hal Holbrook of TV's Evening Shade has become inseparably identified with that beloved American writer. Back then, it took the youthful Holbrook several hours to apply the heavy makeup and shaggy wig required to transform himself into the elderly Twain; now, 40 years and countless performances later, far less artificial aging is required. Holbrook performs his one-man show at 8 p.m. Friday at Gammage Auditorium, Mill and Apache in Tempe. Tickets are $25, $22 and $19, available at Gammage and Dillard's box offices. For reservations and details, call 965-3434 or 678-2222.