Pic Hits for the week

thursday
may 23
Six Women With Brain Death or Expiring Minds Want to Know: Theater League presents a special tenth-anniversary revival of the oft-revived all-woman musical inspired by soap operas, supermarket tabloids and other unfortunate by-products of pop culture's ascension. Bob Sorenson directed this Six Women reincarnation, which stars Debby Rosenthal, Renee Morgan Brooks, Melissa Spevacek, Heidi Ewart, Sherri Hildebrand and Christie Klein. The run continues with previews at 8 p.m. Thursday, May 23; 8 p.m. Friday, May 24; 8 p.m. Saturday, May 25; 2 p.m. Sunday, May 26; and 8 p.m. Wednesday, May 29, at the similarly revivified Scottsdale Playhouse, 7219 East Main. Previews continue through Thursday, June 13. The press opening is on Friday, June 14, and the production continues through Sunday, July 7. Preview tickets are $12.50. Regular tickets are $19.50. They're available at Dillard's; call 678-2222. For general information, call 952-2881.

Andrew Lloyd Webber--Music of the Night: Kevin Gray (Miss Saigon, The Phantom of the Opera) stars in this touring showcase of works by the title composer, Broadway's reigning hit man. The "theatrical concert" includes revamped orchestrations and settings of tunes from Sunset Boulevard, The Phantom, Cats, Evita and other Lloyd Webber productions. Performances are at 8 p.m. Thursday, May 23; 8 p.m. Friday, May 24; 2 and 8 p.m. Saturday, May 25; and 2 and 7 p.m. Sunday, May 26, at Symphony Hall, 225 East Adams. Tickets range from $35 to $45, available at Phoenix Civic Plaza and Dillard's. Call 262-7272 or 678-2222.

friday
may 24
Private Eyes: Like the film The Usual Suspects, with which this play by Steven Dietz shared a title until being changed recently, Private Eyes is a complex whodunit. Unlike Suspects, Dietz's work is a farce. Arizona Theatre Company presents the world premiere of the play about a gang of backstabbing characters that couldn't shoot straight with one another. The Valley run begins with a preview at 8 p.m. Friday, May 24, in Center Stage at Herberger Theater Center, 222 East Monroe. The official opening is at the same time Saturday, May 25. The rest of this week's performances are at 1 and 7 p.m. Sunday, May 26; and 8 p.m. Wednesday, May 29. A discussion follows Sunday's matinee. The production continues through Sunday, June 9. Tickets range from $20 to $30, available at Herberger and Dillard's. Call 252-8497 or 678-2222.

"Millennium: 21 Artists on the 21st Century": A horde of Valley poets and performance artists, including Bridget Carroll, David Chorlton, Jeff Falk, Leslie Barton, Bob Nelson, Mike Darrah and Paula Robinson, presents this "evening of apocalyptic apothegms and visionary vignettes." The show starts at 7 p.m. Friday, May 24, at Pickles, 2605 North Central. Admission is free. Call 241-1151 or 264-6266.

Fool for Love: Planet Earth Multi-Cultural Theatre, 909 North Third Street, continues its season with Sam Shepard's harrowing drama about tortured lovers Eddie and May--who also happen to be siblings. Opening performances are at 8 p.m. Friday, May 24; 8 p.m. Saturday, May 25; and 3 p.m. Sunday, May 26. The production continues through Saturday, June 15. Tickets are $9, $7 for students and seniors. Call 241-1828.

Andrew Lloyd Webber--Music of the Night: See Thursday.
Six Women With Brain Death or Expiring Minds Want to Know: See Thursday.

saturday
may 25
Cibo Matto: This band's name, pronounced "Chee-bo Motto," roughly translates as "food crazy," and is a play on the title of a macho cheap-o Italian flick from the '70s, Seso Matto (Sex Madness). The group is as weird--in the best sense of the word--as its name. It's really a duo comprising vocalist Miho Hatori and keyboardist/sample goddess Yuka Honda, female Japanese expatriates now living in New York. Together, they make beautiful, insane--again, in the best sense of the word--noise that falls somewhere between ABBA and the current riot-grrrl rage: a dash of stupid-power-ballad pop, a splash of English-challenged hip-hop and a heavy dose of the kitchen sink; see the story on page 91. Touring in support of its recent Warner Bros. disc Viva! La Woman, Cibo Matto performs on Saturday, May 25, at Hollywood Alley, 2610 West Baseline in Mesa. The Pork Torta shares the all-ages bill. Showtime is 8 p.m. Tickets are $8, available at the club and Alternatix. For details call 820-7117 or 244-8444.

Arizona Rattlers: Coach Danny White's minigridiron squad hosts the Florida Bobcats at 7 p.m. Saturday, May 25, at America West Arena, First Street and Jefferson. Tickets range from $8 to $36, available at the arena and Dillard's. Call 514-8383 or 678-2222.

Sam Moore, and the Shirelles: The "Sam" half of the late, great soul duo Sam & Dave and the '90s edition of the '60s "girl" group co-headline a benefit for United Phoenix Firefighters on Saturday, May 25, at Desert Sky Pavilion, 2121 North 83rd Avenue. Bowzer and the Stingrays share the bill. Showtime is 8 p.m. Tickets are $15. Call 248-9191 or 254-7599.

Road Trip: High Country Stampede in St. Johns: The second annual rodeo, sanctioned by the Southwest Professional Rodeo Association and the New Mexico Professional Rodeo Association, is scheduled on Saturday, May 25; Sunday, May 26; and Monday, May 27, at the fairgrounds in the eastern Arizona town. Daily hours are 1 to 4 p.m., and admission is $6, $3 for kids under 12. Related events include a nonmotorized parade on Saturday morning, a rodeo dance on Saturday evening and a Native American dance festival on Saturday and Sunday nights. Call 1-520-337-2000.