6 RMS RIV VU
In Manhattan, finding a suitable apartment can be more challenging than finding a soulmate. (That’s why many of our favorite sitcom characters stalk the dying in hopes of scoring their digs.) The plot of 6 RMS RIV VU springs from a classified ad for a desirable rental property on Riverside Drive (six rooms, river view) that attracts Anne and Paul, who attract each other. They’re happily married to other people, so awkwardness ensues, especially when they’re accidentally locked in together for the night. The 1974 TV-movie version starred Carol Burnett and Alan Alda, leading millions of parents to assume it was wholesome enough for us to watch.
Bob Randall’s comedy runs through Sunday, April 8, at Desert Stages Theatre in Scottsdale Fashion Square, 7014 East Camelback Road. (Behind the Jamba Juice!) Showtime on Friday, March 16, is 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $22 to $28 at the Desert Stages website or 480-483-1664. Julie Peterson
Join author Elena Passerello for a free reading at Piper Writers House.
Photo courtesy of Piper Writers House
Medieval books filled with images and tales of real and imagined creatures prompted actor and writer Elena Passarello to create the compendium Animals Strike Curious Poses. It’s a collection of essays about “16 famous animals named and immortalized by humans.”
See how Passarello blends history, culture, myth, art, and science, when she reads from the book on the back patio at Piper Writers House, 450 East Tyler Mall in Tempe, on Friday, March 16. The free event runs from 7 to 8:30 p.m. and includes an informal Q&A and book signing. Visit the Piper Writers House website. Lynn Trimble
Convert your druids at the St. Patrick’s Day Parade and Faire.
Courtesy of St. Patrick's Day Parade and Faire
On the same day your “Kiss Me, I’m Irish” shirt might actually nab you some smooches, you can also get festive at the annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade and Faire.
Loaded with decorative floats, the parade is a moving party featuring live music and dancers. Hit the park for the Faire, where the fun continues. Three stages will feature traditional music, step dancing, and bagpipe players. Food vendors will sell Irish fare. Irish clubs and a genealogy tent get you informed.
Drape yourself in green and party from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on March 17 at the Irish Cultural Center at Margaret T. Hance Park, 67 West Culver Street. Admission is $12 for adults, $10 for those 55 and older and military, and free for kids 12 and younger. Get in the VIP Pub for $20, which includes general admission. Visit the St. Patrick’s Day Parade website for more. Amy Young
Check out the fun spinning chairs at the festival.
Courtesy of Mesa Arts Center
Expect to bump into a lot of art car fans at the annual Spark! Mesa’s Festival of Creativity. The event will feature “Art Car World,” an exhibition of 16 such vehicles ranging from hot rods to lowriders, with names like Bohemian Rhapsody, Owl Car, and the California Fantasy Van. There will also be the community art car build and an interactive chalkboard car.
Some non-car attractions will include kinetic sculptures, a night garden, [nueBOX] performances, and Light Rail Plays by Rising Youth Theatre. The free event runs from noon to 11 p.m. on Saturday, March 17, at Mesa Arts Center, 1 East Main Street. See more information at the Mesa Arts Center website. Lauren Cusimano
Jorge Pardo, Untitled, 2014. Seven hand-painted ceramic light fixtures, dimensions variable.
Courtesy of the artist and Ceramica Suro
There’s no shortage of talking heads when it comes to immigration issues. But creatives bring
“A Dream on a Dream: Encounter with Claudio Dicochea” explores what the American dream means today. “Bajo Presión/Under Pressure” reveals the powerful intersection of politics and art. And “Saber Acomodor” highlights the marriage of traditional techniques with contemporary ideas.
Several “Saber Acomodor” artists will be at the opening, along with guest curator Patrick Charpenel, the new executive director for New York’s El Museo del Barrio. Expect a great lineup of performances, as well. Museum admission is free. Visit the ASU Art Museum website. Lynn Trimble
Spiny house: Dress up your indoors and outdoors at Desert Botanical Garden.
Courtesy of Desert Botanical Garden
The vernal equinox is just around the corner. Equinoxes get short shrift compared to sexy solstices, but if you don’t pay attention, you’ll wind up saying to yourself, “Here it’s the vernal equinox, and I haven’t done anything.” Beat the crowd at Desert Botanical Garden’s annual Spring Plant Sale through Sunday, March 18. Buy plants, plant them, and you’ll have spring in the bag.
Broaden your concept of desert vegetation beyond cactuses and succulents: The sale includes herbs and vegetables, trees, flowers, and other green stuff with leaves. Baby plants, big plants, 30,000 freakin’ plants — and expert horticultural advice. Hours on Saturday, March 17, are from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 1201 North Galvin Parkway. Call 480-481-8188 or visit the Desert Botanical Garden website for more info. Julie Peterson
Phoenix Suns vs. Golden State Warriors
While it’s great to celebrate the glory days and near-championship seasons the Phoenix Suns have had, the fact of the matter is your home team needs you now. During this sluggish season, they haven’t cracked 20 victories. They have, however, racked up nearly 50 losses. A chance for some redemption comes this
Be a diligent athletic supporter and help rock them out of the slump at 7 p.m. on Saturday, March 17, at Talking Stick Resort Arena, 201 East Jefferson Street. Tickets start at $85. Visit the Ticketmaster website. Amy Young
Smells like teen spirit.
Melissa Fossum
MTV’s Total Request Live embraced
On Saturday, March 17, DJ A Claire Slattery will spin tunes by popular artists and bands like Nirvana, NSYNC, Mariah Carey, the Backstreet Boys, Coolio, and Destiny’s Child.
Attendees are encouraged to dress in their favorite ’90s attire (ahem, overalls and scrunchies) for the free, 21-and-over party at 2303 East Indian School Road. Doors open at 10 p.m., and the fun starts at 10:30. For more information, see the Rebel Lounge website. Laura Latzko
Arizona Rattlers v. Green Bay Blizzard
The Arizona Rattlers are easily the most dominant franchise in the world of indoor football. After splitting from the unstable Arena Football League in 2016, the team won the whole shebang in their inaugural Indoor Football League season last year. Pretty impressive, considering the IFL presents much stiffer competition along with some minor differences in play. None of that fazed Arizona, obviously, and the defending champs are already off to a winning start in 2018.
Check out the Valley’s only sports dynasty when they host Green Bay at Talking Stick Resort Arena, 201 East Jefferson Street, at 3:05 p.m. on Sunday, March 18. Tickets are $10 and up. Visit the Arizona Rattlers website or call 602-379-2000 for details. Rob Kroehler
The Irish will fiddle with ya if you don’t watch out, at the Musical Instrument Museum.
Courtesy of MIM
Irishness is featured in enough festivals, businesses, museums, and — oh, that’s right, bars — this week that you can’t avoid some marination in celebration of the island nation. A tribute to St. Patrick is well-paid at the Musical Instrument Museum’s Experience Ireland event Saturday and Sunday, March 17 and 18.
Enjoy musical and dance performances by people who are good at it. Or you, yourself, can assay the Celtic harp or perhaps a bit of free-form céilí-style dancing on a floor piano, which sounds nightmarish but is probably good fun. Crafts, face-painting, a photo booth, and high-class Irish grub from the Museum’s café make for a full day of festivities.
Museum hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 4725 East Mayo Boulevard. Admission to the Experience Ireland event is free with museum admission, $10 to $20, and children younger than 4 get in free. Call 480-478-6000 or visit the MIM website. Julie Peterson
Did we mention that there might be dragons?
courtesy of Right Angle Entertainment
Game of Thrones is a serious drama, filled with murder, power struggles, and trash talk. But it does have its tongue-in-cheek moments. Jon and Al Kaplan’s Musical Thrones: A Parody of Ice and Fire amplifies the comedic aspects of the show while staying true to the plot and characters. Fans will get
The musical parody show comes to Chandler Center for the Arts, 250 North Arizona Avenue, at 7 p.m. on Sunday, March 18. Tickets range from $38 to $48. For more information, call 480-782-2680 or visit the Chandler Center for the Arts website. Laura Latzko
Keep an eye our for local artists like Aztec Smurf during the Oak Street Alley Mural Festival.
Courtesy of Oak Street Alley Mural Festival
If you’re a big fan of mural art, there’s an event that’s right up your alley. The Oak Street Alley Mural Festival will take place at 1450 East Oak Street between 9 a.m. and 7 p.m. on Sunday, March 18. More than a dozen artists will gather to paint murals and share their skills.
The free event will include a stencil and wheat paste workshop, a community mural workshop, an open mic, and live music. Bring cash for food and drinks. Participating artists include Isaac Caruso, Maggie Keane, Aztec Smurf, Lucretia Torva, and Volar.
For more information, visit the Facebook event page. Lynn Trimble
