Non-Fat Soy Peppermint Mocha Latte ... with Sprinkles: A Tale of Christmas Spirit
A local holiday performance favorite is Non-Fat Soy Peppermint Mocha Latte ... with Sprinkles: A Tale of Christmas Spirit, presented by Brelby Theatre Company at Herberger Lunch Time Theater through Thursday, December 14. The story features Spirit, a barista who’d seem suspiciously perky if we hadn’t embraced the Dutch Bros. experience. She’s working some magic on Darren and Trish, a potential couple whose Yule-o-meters register at opposite ends of the spectrum. Because party-poopers deserve love, too!
Showtime’s 12:10 p.m. on Thursday, December 7, at 222 East Monroe Street. Admission is $7. A preordered lunch is optional, or bring your own. Visit the Herberger Theater website or call 602-252-8497. Julie Peterson
Phoenix Suns vs. Washington Wizards
Phoenix Suns general manager Ryan McDonough has made plenty of questionable decisions during his tenure helming the Valley’s storied franchise — trading away Isaiah Thomas springs to mind — but offloading disgruntled forward Markieff Morris wasn’t one of them. Late last season, the Suns shipped Morris to Washington for two players you’ve probably never heard of and, you guessed it, a draft pick.
Considering the burden that Morris’ presence had become, however, the Suns probably made out like bandits in the deal. The only thing sweeter than seeing the former Sun in a different uniform would be seeing him lose upon returning. But don’t bet on it when the superior Washington Wizards visit Talking Stick Resort Arena, 201 East Jefferson Street, on Thursday, December 7. Tickets are $9 and up. Visit the
Phoenix Poetry Slam
The 2017 Phoenix Poetry Slam, hosted by Lawn Gnome Publishing, will pit 10 of the Valley’s best versifiers against each other to represent our metropolis at the All-Arizona Poetry Slam Championship in Maricopa early next year. Five judges will be pulled randomly from the audience to score each performance through three rounds of competition. Spectators are encouraged to get wrapped up in the rhyme as the wordsmiths energetically pour their hearts out.
Experience the power of the spoken word at 8 p.m. on Thursday, December 7, at Megaphone PHX, 4700 North Central Avenue. Tickets are $10 the day of the show. For more information, visit Lawn Gnome Publishing website. Jason Keil
Phoenix Festival of the Arts
Picture outdoor holiday shopping amid palm trees and green grass. That’s what you’ll find at Phoenix Festival of the Arts
The free fest will run from noon to 5 p.m. on Friday, December 8, and continue through Sunday, December 10, at Margaret T. Hance Park, 1202 North Third Street. It’s a chance to explore fresh art, diverse performances, food trucks, and live mural painting. You’ll have plenty of great choices, as featured artists work in ceramics, drawing, fiber, glass, jewelry, leather, metal, mixed media, painting, and textiles. Get details at the Phoenix Festival of the Arts website. Lynn Trimble
Keep your arms inside the vehicle in general, including for The Light Rail Plays.
Courtesy of Rising Youth Theatre
About once a year, Rising Youth Theatre introduces itself to new audiences and expands the definition of public art with The Light Rail Plays, a collaboration between adult professional theater artists and young artists from Valley schools. Metro passengers are taken by surprise as short original plays in diverse genres burst onto the scene. Meanwhile, other audiences have planned ahead to witness the
Performances will take place on selected light rail platforms in Phoenix, Tempe, and Mesa through Sunday, December 10. The timetable for Friday, December 8, indicates scheduled arrivals at the Central Avenue and Roosevelt Street stop at 6 p.m. and again at 7. Admission is free, but you can reserve a spot and get more info at the Rising Youth Theatre website. Julie Peterson
Bea Arthur, Carrie Fisher, Lumpy the Wookie ... what's better than the Star Wars Holiday Special during the holidays?
Courtesy of FilmBar
Dan Stone, the man behind The Unfathomable Film Freakout, continues his annual tradition of showing the greatest bootleg video of all time: The Star Wars Holiday Special. It aired just once in November 1978.
“It does work as a time capsule of the brief period of time before the sequels expanded the Star Wars mythology, where any of the characters and settings created by George Lucas could have gone in any direction,” Stone says. “It just so happens, where it went was a variety show centered on a Wookiee space holiday featuring Harvey Korman and Jefferson Starship.”
Feel the force at 8 and 10 p.m. on Friday, December 8, at FilmBar, 815 North Second Street. Admission is $7. For more information, visit the FilmBar website. Jason Keil
“We were like, ‘Where are the artistic ladies? We know they are out there,’” he recalls. “So we dedicated an entire [show] to showcase only female performers with the clause that any male performer involved in the show had to be dressed lady-like on stage.”
It became Firestage’s most successful event. Though that venue shuttered, Moncada is keeping the flame going with a fresh mix of musicians, dancers, and poets.
Ladies On Fire Nine starts at 8 p.m. on Friday, December 8, at Alwun House, 1204 East Roosevelt Street. Admission is $10 in advance and $15 at the door. For more information, visit the Alwun House website. Jason Keil
Pop culture fiends already might have Libcon West 2017 marked on their calendars. The all-ages library and comics convention at the Glendale Public Library, 5959 West Brown Street, will have vendors, panels, and of course, cosplay.
The second annual edition of the event will offer a slate of things to do, including the Author Chat (a panel of graphic novel and science fiction writers, including Nate Evans, Amy K. Nichols, Beth Cato, and more) and the interactive show, Syndicate Saber Presents
The free con runs from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, December 9. For more information, call 623-930-3537 or see the Libcon West website. Lauren Cusimano
How to Create Silk Screens
Silk screening isn’t as complicated as you might think. Get the D.L. during an interactive class on how to create silk screens using organza fabric, an embroidery needle, and acrylic paint. Mixed-media artist and muralist Kyllan Maney will give a demonstration of the process and provide samples of screen prints. Beginners or professional artists can bring drawings and prints to the course, or use images provided. The class takes place from 2 to 4 p.m. on Saturday, December 9, at Practical Art, 5070 North Central Avenue, and costs $20 per person. For more information, call 602-264-1414 or see the Practical Art website. Laura Latzko
The Nutcracker
Clara dreams of toy soldiers and dancing sweets in The Nutcracker, a classic Christmas tale that’s fueled many a young girl’s hopes of becoming a ballerina. It’s performed throughout the country, but only a handful of ballet companies have the distinction of being deemed one of the nation’s very best productions by New York Times dance critic Alastair Macauley.
Ballet Arizona is one such company. With magical snowfall, giant sparring rats, and pirouettes galore, it’s a must-see for dance aficionados and Christmas traditionalists, the troupe will perform The Nutcracker, choreographed by artistic director Ib Andersen, with Tchaikovsky’s dramatic score performed live by the Phoenix Symphony, at Symphony Hall, 75 North Second Street. On Saturday, December 9, performances happen at 2 and 7:30 p.m. The Nutcracker continues through Sunday, December 24. Tickets are $25 and up. Visit the Ballet Arizona website. Lynn Trimble
Santarchy
Santa Claus is coming to town this weekend — and he’s in the mood to party. Jolly Ol’ Saint Nick won’t be alone, however, as he’ll be rolling through the streets of downtown Phoenix in search of drinks and merriment with a ho-ho-horde of Christmas-inspired costumed characters, including countless Kris Kringle look-alikes.
It’s all a part of Santarchy, the annual costumed bar crawl that’s inspired by the Santa Claus mythos and features hundreds of participants dressed as reindeer, elves, snowmen, or anything else holiday-related. After taking place in Old Town Scottsdale the last several years, the 2017 edition of Santarchy on Saturday, December 9, will occur in downtown Phoenix and will include stops at multiple bars in the area starting at 7 p.m.
As always, it’s free to participate in the crawl, which is a little bit kooky, creative, and chaotic, not to mention a whole lot of fun. Costumes, however, are mandatory. For more info, including the starting location and participating bars, visit the Facebook event page. Benjamin Leatherman
courtesy of Glam Squad Couture
Looking good for a seasonal get together is one thing. When it’s the Ford/Robert Black Agency’s Holiday Party, you might want to crank it up a few notches. To add some extra sparkle to the bash, the talent and modeling agency got the team from the Scottsdale formalwear boutique Glam Squad Couture in on the action. That crew will present a fashion show featuring designs by Sherri Hill, whose creations have been worn by celebs like Selena Gomez and Ariana Grande.
Doors to this stylish soiree will open at 9 p.m., and the fashion show will begin at 10 on Saturday, December 8, at the W Hotel Scottsdale, 7277 East Camelback Road. Admission is free, but VIP tables are available. Call 602-405-0099 or visit the Facebook event page. Amy Young
It's out of this world.
Kathryn Maxwell
“Halfway Between the Earth and Stars” opens at Mesa Contemporary Arts Museum on Sunday, December 10. The astronomy-themed exhibition features the work of artist Kathryn Maxwell
Sunday hours are from noon to 5 p.m., and the exhibition will run through March 25, at 1 East Main Street. Members of the public will have a chance to meet the artist during an opening reception at the museum on Friday, February 9. For more information on the free show, call 480-644-6560 or visit the Mesa Arts Center website. Laura Latzko
Khizr Khan
Khizr Khan, the Gold Star father who spoke truth to power at the 2016 Democratic Convention, will present his vision of the American Dream at 2 p.m. on Sunday, December 10. He will share his story and sign copies of his memoir, An American Family: A Memoir of Hope and Sacrifice.
Before he made headlines for angrily calling out then-candidate Donald Trump, Khan was the son of a Pakistani farmer, put himself through college, and came to America to pursue his dreams of freedom. After earning a law degree from Harvard, he became an American citizen and raised his children, including his late son Humayun, an Army captain killed in Iraq.
Tickets are required for the event at Central High School, 4525 North Central Avenue, and they are included with
Arizona Cardinals v. Tennessee Titans
Outside of Tom Brady and New England’s pigskin paradise, consistency in the NFL is hard to come by. A team poised to become a perennial contender is suddenly befallen by injuries or unable to pony up for coveted free agents, knocking them right back into a quagmire of mediocrity. Sound familiar?
In a nutshell, it’s how the Arizona Cardinals went from darlings to downers in just a year’s time. Meanwhile, the Tennessee Titans, who spent the last decade being the league’s punching bag, have found new life under head coach Mike Mularkey.
In a scenario that would have previously been unthinkable, Tennessee visits Glendale’s University of Phoenix Stadium, 1 Cardinals Drive, on Sunday, December 10, as the favorite against Arians' bedraggled Cardinals. Game time is 2:05 p.m.
Puente Human Rights in action.
Elizabeth Stuart
After 24 years, the Arpaio era has ended. But even though “America’s toughest Sheriff” finally got the boot, there’s still a lot of work to be done.
That’s why on Monday, December 11, Puente Human Rights Movement will host Human Rights Day, a protest with a few topics are the fore. Puente wants ICE removed from Maricopa, the jail on Fourth Avenue closed, and human rights violations halted in Arizona prisons.
The gathering will take place at 4:30 p.m. at 550 West Jackson Street. For more information, visit the Facebook event page. Lindsay Roberts
Taco Tuesday
Phoenix’s taco game is strong, with lots of choices and lots of styles. Taco Tuesday is a thing (naturally), and many eateries and bars have risen to the occasion by offering incentives to make theirs your most crunch-worthy option.
At the bar and dance club Rock Phoenix, Taco Tuesday means access to a complimentary taco buffet with the purchase of any drink. One of the owners, Michael Jacobs, tells us that he plays with the menu sometimes: “You could see a nacho or fajita bar.”
It gets even better with a two-for-one special on well drinks and bottles that runs from 2 until 8 p.m. The free feast starts at 5 p.m. on December 12 at Rock Phoenix, 4129 North Seventh Avenue. Admission is free. Visit the Facebook event page. Amy Young
It's LeviOsa, not LeviosA.
Courtesy of Warner Bros
So you’ve read all the books, seen all the movies twice, and taken that Pottermore quiz multiple times to ensure that you were sorted to Gryffindor. What good is all of that time and energy spent if you don’t show off all that Harry Potter knowledge?
On Tuesday, December 12, Valley Bar is hosting a magical round of Harry Potter Trivia. Witches, wizards, and yes, muggles are welcome to kick back with craft beer. Prizes will include concert tickets and gift cards.
Sign-up starts at 7 p.m. in the basement of 130 North Central Avenue. For more information, visit the Facebook event page. Lindsay Roberts
Cássio Vasconcellos, Uma vista (A Perspective), 2002. Lambda print. Museum of Modern Art, São Paulo, Collection, Gift of Ursula Erika Marianna Baumgart.
Courtesy of Phoenix Art Museum
Exhibitions of visual art can be ingeniously designed and deeply moving, along with providing the prettiness we all need. When a piece gets you to thinking, it’s great to have the museum step up with some ancillary programming to keep that brain engaged. In conjunction with the current “Past/Future/Present” exhibition at Phoenix Art Museum — the first U.S. showing of works from the collection of Museu de Arte Moderna, São Paulo — several artists are delivering lectures on their work.
On Wednesday, December 13, photographer Cássio Vasconcellos will discuss his assemblages, which take straightforward cityscapes on a little walk to the land of fragmentation and reassembly. Admission is $5 for the 6:30 p.m. event at 1625 North Central Avenue. Call 602-257-1880 or visit the Phoenix Art Museum Ticket website. Julie Peterson
Levi Platero
Blues guitarist and vocalist Levi Platero is on his own, and that’s a good thing.
The Southwestern rocker from the Navajo Nation spent a decade playing in his family’s namesake band, The Plateros. After that, he did a one-year stint with the Indigenous Blues Band. Now, the bluesman has embarked on a solo career, leading his own group. The players are different, but what’s consistent is Platero’s guitar mastery, bringing classic and modern blues styles to life with a laid-back ease.
Ethan 103, Adero, Now or Never, and Roadside Dwellers share the bill for Native Metal Festivals’ night of rock, starting at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, December 13, at Yucca Tap Room, 29 West Southern Avenue in Tempe. Admission to the 21-and-over show is free. Call 480-967-4777 or visit the Yucca Tap Room website. Amy Young
