february 22
Don Pasquale: Arizona Opera continues its silver-anniversary season with Donizetti's comic opera about the mutually exclusive properties of love and marriage. Performances are at 7:30 p.m. Thursday through Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday at Symphony Hall, 225 East Adams. Shows are sung in Italian, with English surtitles. Tickets range from $14 to $56, available at Dillard's. For details call 262-7272 or 678-2222.
Craig Dahn, and Christopher Dillon: Pianist Dahn is an Arizona State University alum and a protege of the late Liberace. Grammy-winning vocalist Dillon specializes in recording topBroadway hits. Both have been known tobook a cruise-ship gig or two in their day, but they team up for a dry-land bash at 8 p.m. Thursday at the Sundome, 19403 R.H. Johnson Boulevard in Sun City West. Tickets range from $5 to $14, available at the 'dome and Dillard's. Call 975-1900 or 678-2222.
State Basketball Championships: Arizona's best boys' and girls' high school teams collide in the Arizona Interscholastic Association (AIA) tournament, which concludes Thursday through Saturday at America West Arena, First Street and Jefferson. Tickets are $5, available at the arena and Dillard's. For details call 379-7800 or 678-2222.
Scottsdale All-Arabian Horse Show: About 2,000 of the world's top show equines compete in categories like cutting, jumping and driving at this 41st annual event, the country's largest. It continues daily, through Sunday, at WestWorld, 16601 North Pima Road. Outside the two big-top arenas, vendors hawk clothing, jewelry, art and other "horseware." General-admission tickets are $5, $3 for seniors, $2.50 for kids under 12. Reserved-seating tickets are available at Dillard's. Proceeds benefit various Valley charities. For details call 951-1180 or 678-2222.
ASU Baseball: Pat Murphy's Arizona State University baseball squad hosts the University of Wyoming at 2:30 p.m. Thursday, and the University of Virginia at 7 p.m. Friday and 1 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at Packard Stadium, First Street and Rural in Tempe. The Sun Devils' next home series is March 1 through 3 against Stanford University. Tickets range from $2 to $5. For details call 965-2381.
friday
february 23
Ian Moore Band: Though the young Texas guitarist--the latest in a long line of Austin exports--can't fill the void left by the death of Stevie Ray Vaughan, Moore's flying fingers and soulful fills relieve the sting. Touring in support of the recent Capricorn release Modernday Folklore, Ian and band perform Friday at Gibson's, 410 South Mill in Tempe. The Freewheelers share the bill. Showtime is 9 p.m. Tickets are $13 in advance, $14 the day of the show, available at the club and Ticketmaster. For details call 968-8664 or 784-4444.
The Pirates of Penzance: Los Angeles-based Opera ala Carte enacts Gilbert and Sullivan's sublime farce about the buffoonish pirate king and the befuddled major general. Performances are at 8 p.m. Friday at Gammage Auditorium, Mill and Apache in Tempe, and at 2 p.m. Sunday at the Sundome, 19403 R.H. Johnson Boulevard in Sun City West. Tickets range from $11 to $24, available at Gammage, the Sundome and Dillard's. For details call 965-3434, 975-1900 or 678-2222.
Arizona Scottish Highland Games and Gathering: Caledonian Society of Arizona presents this 30th annual event, which begins at 7 p.m. Friday with a concert featuring Alex Beaton, the Browne Sisters and George Cavanaugh, Laurie Riley and Michael MacBean, and Thomas and Marie Teven. The gathering proper begins at 8 a.m. Saturday and continues 'til 5 p.m.; highlights include competitions, music, dancing, a dog show, kids' activities and more. All events take place at Riggs Stadium on the Mesa Community College campus, Dobson and Southern. Concert tickets are $5, $2 for children ages 5 to 11. Admission to the gathering is $10, $5 for kids ages 5 to 11, free for those younger. For details call 431-0095.
"The Masters": Ballet Arizona continues itstenth season with a trio of 20th-century works, including George Balanchine's "Serenade," Paul Taylor's "Esplanade" and Antony Tudor's "Lilac Garden." This week's performances are at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday in Center Stage at Herberger Theater Center, 222 East Monroe. More shows are scheduled February 29 through March 3. Tickets range from $17.25 to $27.25, available at the ballet box office and Dillard's. For details call 381-1096 or 678-2222.
The Night of the Iguana: Arizona State University theatre professor and New Times contributor Marshall W. Mason directed this student production of the Tennessee Williams work about the relationship that develops between a former minister, fallen from grace and on the skids, and a lonely artist. This week's shows are at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday at Paul V. Galvin Playhouse in ASU's Nelson Fine Arts Center, Tenth Street and Mill in Tempe. More performances are planned at 8 p.m. February 29 through March 2. Tickets are $11, $8.50 for ASU faculty and staff, $6 for students. For details call 965-6447.
Phoenix Suns: The Suns host the Toronto Raptors at 7 p.m. Friday and the New York Knicks at 1:30 p.m. Sunday at America West Arena, First Street and Jefferson. Free parties at Symphony Hall Terrace, Second Street and Adams, precede both games (call 262-6225). The team's next home game is at 7 p.m. March 1 against the Detroit Pistons. If game tickets are available, they're at the arena and Dillard's. For details call 379-7867, 379-7800 or 678-2222.
ASU Baseball: See Thursday.
Don Pasquale: See Thursday.
Scottsdale All-Arabian Horse Show: SeeThursday.
State Basketball Championships: SeeThursday.
saturday
february 24
Fred Hersch Trio: Pianist/composer Hersch has been concentrating on the jazz field of late--his second solo album, 1995's I Never Told You: Fred Hersch Plays Johnny Mandel, was nominated for a Grammy--but he's equally comfortable and accomplished in the realm of classical music. He and his group deliver the best of both worlds at 8 p.m. Saturday at Scottsdale Center for the Arts, 7380 East Second Street; a free lecture by jazz maven Sandar Nassan precedes at 7 in the Cinema. Concert tickets are $14 and $18, available at the center and Ticketmaster. For details call 994-2787 or 784-4444.
Padres/Mariners Fan Fest: Preparing for the upcoming Cactus League season, the San Diego and Seattle baseball squads take the field at Peoria Stadium, 16101 North 83rd Avenue, for practice sessions from 10a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Saturday, and fans are admitted free to watch. The players, including Mariners Ken Griffey Jr. and Randy Johnson and San Diego's Rickey Henderson and Tony Gwynn, are expected to sign autographs throughout the day. Call 412-4210 or 412-7137.
Arizona Scottish Highland Games and Gathering: See Friday.
ASU Baseball: See Thursday.
Don Pasquale: See Thursday.
"The Masters": See Friday.
The Night of the Iguana: See Friday.
Scottsdale All-Arabian Horse Show: SeeThursday.
State Basketball Championships: SeeThursday.
sunday
february 25
Ian Tyson: The Canadian broke into the music business back in '62 as the "Ian" half of the folk-revival duo Ian and Sylvia. As a folkie, Tyson's best known for his song "Four Strong Winds," but, interestingly, Tyson's no longer a folkie. In the early '80s, he traded in the barstool and the goatee for a cowlick, a yodel and a whole new career. He now strums old-timey cowboy songs, and albums like Cowboyography and Old Corrals and Sagebrush have made him a superstar in the Great White North--again. Tyson performs at 8 p.m. Sunday at the Rockin' Horse, 7000 East Indian School in Scottsdale. Tickets are $10, available at the scene and Ticketmaster. Call 949-0992 or 784-4444.
Tracy Lawrence, and Toby Keith: The Nashville hats kick off the new season at Desert Sky Pavilion, 2121 North 83rd Avenue, with a concert on Sunday. Rich McCready, Savannah Rose, and Mogollon share the bill. Showtime is 6 p.m. Limited seating was available at press time. Call 254-7599.
ASU Baseball: See Thursday.
Don Pasquale: See Thursday.
"The Masters": See Friday.
The Night of the Iguana: See Friday.
Phoenix Suns: See Friday.
The Pirates of Penzance: See Friday.
Scottsdale All-Arabian Horse Show: SeeThursday.
monday
february 26
Compagnie Marie Chouinard: Southwest Dance presents the fabulous French troupe in a loving deconstruction of Stravinsky's "The Rite of Spring." Prepare tobe floored. Showtime is 8 p.m. Monday at Symphony Hall, 225 East Adams. Tickets range from $12 to $18, available at the hall and Dillard's; discounts are available for students, seniors and kids. For details call 262-7272 or 678-2222.
The Presidents of the United States of America: The Seattle trio is more popular than any Oval Office occupant in recent memory (Ronald Reagan doesn't count, since he doesn't have any recent memories), and also more effective at getting its message--which is no message--across to the American public; see the story on page 88. The Presidents play the idiot-savant smash "Lump" and other sonic oddities from their platinum, Grammy-nominated, eponymous debut on Monday at Electric Ballroom, 1216 East Apache in Tempe. Love Jones shares the all-ages bill, which starts at 8 p.m. Tickets are $10, available at the scene and Ticketmaster. For details call 894-0707 or 784-4444.
tuesday
february 27
Pilar Medina: The choreographer draws on flamenco and other traditional Spanish dances to create a cutting-edge blend of body movement, theatre and art. Showtime is 8 p.m. Tuesday at Gammage Auditorium, Mill and Apache in Tempe. The show is part of the venue's "OnStage" series, in which audience members are seated onstage with the performer; space is limited. Tickets are $14, available at Gammage and Dillard's. For details call 965-3434 or 678-2222.
Once Upon a Time ... When We Were Colored: Tim Reid (Venus Flytrap on TV's WKRP in Cincinnati) directed this new movie, based on Clifton L. Taulbert's autobiographical 1989 novel about coming of age in the segregated South. Richard Roundtree, Phylicia Rashad, Isaac Hayes and Al Freeman Jr. star. Reid isscheduled to introduce the PGrated film at its Valley premiere, scheduled for 7 p.m. Tuesday at Harkins Cine Capri, 24th Street and Camelback. Tickets are $50; all proceeds benefit Planned Parenthood of Central and Northern Arizona's Special Friends Program. For details call 277-7526 or 956-4200.
wednesday
february 28
"Diamonds": Mark Harris, the author of Bang the Drum Slowly and The Southpaw, makes a rare personal appearance at this baseball-writing forum. Cordelia Candelaria (Seeking the Perfect Game) speaks on "The Origin of the Shrunken Head, or How Baseball Got Its Start." Showtime is 7 p.m. Wednesday at Kerr Cultural Center, 6110 North Scottsdale Road in Scottsdale; a reception follows. Tickets are$12, $10 for students, available at Kerr and Dillard's. Call 965-5377 or 678-2222.
Rebel Without a Cause: Director Nicholas Ray's unrated 1955 classic almost single-handedly created the generation gap. James Dean, Natalie Wood, Sal Mineo and Dennis Hopper are the stars of this week's classic selection at United Artists Cinemas 6, located inside Christown Mall, 19th Avenue and Bethany Home. Showtimes are 10 a.m. and 7 p.m. Wednesday. Tickets are $3 for the matinee, $4 for the evening screening. The series continues through March 27. For details call 242-4525.
