Calendar for the week

thursday
march 13
Cactus League Baseball: The boys of spring are back for this year's slate of preseason games, which continues daily, through Friday, March 28, at stadia Valleywide. On Thursday, March 13, the Milwaukee Brewers host the Colorado Rockies at 1:05 p.m., the Chicago Cubs play the Oakland A's at the same time and the Anaheim Angels take on the San Diego Padres at 7:05 p.m. For the rest of this week's schedule and other details, see the "Cactus League Baseball" subsection in the Sports listing.

St. Petersburg State Ice Ballet: The icebound ballet from Russia skates Tchaikovsky's Sleeping Beauty on the frozen stage at the Orpheum Theatre, 203 West Adams. Performances of the all-ages production, choreographed by Konstantin Rassidin of the Kirov Ballet and sponsored by Southwest Dance, are at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, March 13; 7:30 p.m. Friday, March 14; 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, March 15; and 2 p.m. Sunday, March 16. Tickets range from $23 to $30, $5 less for kids, $2 less for seniors, available at Dillard's; call 503-5555.

Phoenix Jaycees Rodeo of Rodeos: The 67th annual version of the venerable midwinter competition is scheduled Thursday, March 13; Friday, March 14; Saturday, March 15; and Sunday, March 16, at the Grandstand Arena at Arizona State Fairgrounds, 19th Avenue and McDowell. Country musician Ty Herndon headlines a rodeo dance that starts at approximately 9:45 p.m. Saturday at the nearby Lagoon Stage. Rodeo tickets range from $8 to $18; concert tickets are $10. All are available at Dillard's. Proceeds benefit the Jaycees' programs for underprivileged kids. For details call 263-8671 or 503-5555.

"Ask Not . . .": Ballet Arizona rocks out and rolls over Beethoven in this "balletdelic" work, choreographed by the troupe's artistic director, "unbound baby boomer" Michael Uthoff, and featuring music by Jimi Hendrix, Sonny and Cher, Led Zeppelin, Petula Clark, the Rolling Stones, and Janis Joplin. The finale, "Sinfonia Danzante," is danced to Beethoven's Symphony No. 7 in A major, Opus 92. See the story about Uthoff on page 59. Final performances are at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, March 13; 7:30 p.m. Friday, March 14; 7:30 p.m. Saturday, March 15; and 2 p.m. Sunday, March 16, in Center Stage at Herberger Theater Center, 222 East Monroe. Tickets range from $15.25 to $29.25, available at Herberger and Dillard's; call 252-8497 or 503-5555.

The Nighthawks: The long-lived bar band was co-founded by Jimmy Thackery and Mark Wenner in Washington, D.C., circa 1972. Guitarist Thackery's long gone (he now leads the Drivers), but vocalist/harmonica player Wenner's still around, and so's the quartet's inelegant but lively mix of roadhouse rock, soul and R&B. Touring behind their latest disc, Pain & Paradise (which opens with a cover of Frank Zappa's "Trouble Comin' Every Day"), the 'hawks perform Thursday, March 13, at the Rhythm Room, 1019 East Indian School. Showtime is 9 p.m. The cover is $7.50. For details call 265-4842.

Katsina: The Valley's Carol Duval Whiteman adapted this drama from the 1940 novel Sun Chief, a true story about survival, sacred/secular conflict and societal sins written by a Hopi scribe from Second Mesa. Actors Theatre of Phoenix presents the world premiere of the play. This week's performances are at 8 p.m. Thursday, March 13; 8 p.m. Friday, March 14; 2 and 8 p.m. Saturday, March 15; and 2 p.m. Sunday, March 16, in Stage West at Herberger Theater Center, 222 East Monroe. Discussions follow Thursday's and Sunday's shows. Saturday's early performance is a "priceless matinee"; patrons pay what they can afford (call 253-6701). The production continues through Sunday, March 23. Regular tickets range from $16 to $26, available at Herberger and Dillard's (call 252-8497 or 503-5555).

friday
march 14
Paul Dresher Ensemble: The "electric chamber" group fuses world, classical, jazz, rock, new-age and the kitchen sink. Violinist David Abel joins the ensemble for a program of works by Dresher and Alvin Curran. Showtime is 7:30 p.m. Friday, March 14, at Gammage Auditorium, Mill and Apache in Tempe. A free, open rehearsal precedes at noon (call 965-5062). Concert tickets range from $12 to $18, available at Gammage and Dillard's (call 965-3434 or 503-5555).

3-on-3 Roundball Jam: The street-hoops tourney for adults and kids is slated for 5 to 9 p.m. Friday, March 14; 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, March 15; and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, March 16, at Phoenix Preparatory Academy, 735 East Fillmore. Proceeds benefit the Monroe Alumni Youth Association. For details call 842-9657 or 582-6391.

"Ask Not . . .": See Thursday.
Cactus League Baseball: See Thursday.
Katsina: See Thursday.
Phoenix Jaycees Rodeo of Rodeos: See Thursday.
St. Petersburg State Ice Ballet: See Thursday.

saturday
march 15
Drew Carey: With his horn-rimmed glasses and buzz cut, the former waiter from Cleveland looks more like, well, a former waiter from Cleveland than a shooting star of standup comedy. But his stock is rising fast, thanks to the dry-white-whine, average-Joe humor of his self-titled sitcom on ABC-TV. Carey performs all-ages shows at 8 and 11 p.m. Saturday, March 15, at Celebrity Theatre, 440 North 32nd Street. Tickets are $25, available at the scene and Dillard's; call 267-1600 or 503-5555.

St. Patrick's Day Parade and Faire: This year's event commemorates the 150th anniversary of Ireland's potato famine. It steps off at 10 a.m. Saturday, March 15, from the intersection of Central and Thomas, traveling south on Central to Margaret T. Hance Deck Park, site of the "faire." The latter continues 'til 6 p.m. at the park, Central and Culver, and features entertainment, exhibits and more. There's no admission charge for either event, but free-will canned-good donations for various Valley food banks will be accepted. Call 280-9221.