Iliza Shlesinger
There's a lot more to girls than sugar, spice and everything nice. There's Uggs, glitter, and pumpkin recipe Pinterest boards, too. Just ask Iliza Shlesinger, winner of NBC's Last Comic Standing and star of her own comedy specials War Paint and Freezing Hot. Whether she's discussing the weather or dishing on dating, Shlesinger leaves no stereotype untouched in the battle of the sexes.
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Shlesinger will perform at the Tempe Improv, 930 East University Drive. Showtimes are 7:30 and 10 p.m. Friday, April 17; 7 and 10 p.m. Saturday, April 18; and 7 p.m. Sunday, April 19. Tickets are $20 with a two-drink minimum for each 21-and-over show. Visit www.tempeimprov.com or call 480-921-9877. Katie Johnson
"Equal Parts"
Selves will be introspected, genders will be questioned, and some lines will probably be drawn, crossed, and erased during Frontal Lobe Community Space and Gallery's latest show, "Equal Parts." Local artists and curators Amanda Adkins and Ashley Macias called 22 artists to focus on the differences between genders and their own feelings about them. Join the likes of artists Therese Grossmeyer and Sean Deckert, Marilyn Szabo, Daniel Funkhouser, and Julio Caesar Rodarte as they look at their own identities and how we as humans separate ourselves beyond sexuality during the reception on Friday, April 17, from 6 to 11 p.m. at 1301 Grand Avenue, Suite 2B. Visit www.facebook.com/FontalLobeCommunitySpaceAndGallery for more. Evie Carpenter
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Arizonaland
Proud Arizonans and historical nerds alike will be pleased with Arizonaland, an unconventional historical slideshow. The ninety-minute visual tour takes audience members on a journey through the Grand Canyon State of old, filled with pictures from the 1950s and '60s, the kind now reserved for hipster postcards. Led by Charles Phoenix -- self-proclaimed Ambassador of Americana who hails from Los Angeles -- the lecture is less PowerPoint presentation, more retro comedy show, offering mid-century architecture, pop culture, and plenty of kitsch. It's a field trip and time hop rolled into one!
Catch the show at 8:30 p.m. on Saturday, April 18, at Stage 2 Theater in the Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts, 7380 East Second Street. Tickets are $25. Call 480-499-8587 or visit www.scottsdaleperformingarts.org or www.smoca.org. Janessa Hilliard
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ZapCon 2015
Calling all joystick jockeys and pinball addicts: you've now leveled up to the most exciting weekend in the valley for retro-gaming enthusiasts. ZapCon 2015 space-invades Mesa on April 18.
The third annual congregation of all things arcade sets nearly 200 game machines, ranging from vintage to modern, to free-play for all attendees. Players can invite friends to settle old scores or fire up their button-mashing skills and pinball wizardry in competition events like the Tetris Tournament, Marvel vs Capcom 2 tourney, and the Pinball Rodeo. The air will be filled with blips, bloops, and pings which will be music to the ears of attendees of all stripes and ages.
ZapCon 2015 is at the Mesa Convention Center, 263 North Center Street, from 10 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. on Saturday and continues on Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Single-day passes are $25 and weekend-long passes are $40. For more information, visit www.zapcon.com. Jose Gonzalez
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Bad Buddhist
Last summer, storyteller and comedian Dan Hull entertained and enlightened Phoenix with his tales of being a Buddhist monk. Yep, this middle-aged Valley resident, known for hosting storytelling events in downtown Phoenix including Yarnball at Lawn Gnome and Storyline at Space 55, is also an ordained Buddhist monk. And he's racked up the years of meditating and gained the Zen-filled wisdom to prove it. And thanks to popular demand, you can get a glimpse into ups and downs of Hull's life as a monk when he brings back his one-man performance of Bad Buddhist at Space 55, 636 East Pierce Street, on Friday, April 17, and Saturday, April 18, at 8 p.m. Tickets are $10 in advance or $15 at the door. For more information, visit space55.org. Evie Carpenter
