In recent years, the metro Phoenix theater scene has witnessed both boom and bust. Phoenix Theatre underwent significant renovations after receiving a $1 million gift from The Walton Family Foundation. But other theater companies, including Arizona Jewish Theatre and Actors Theatre of Phoenix, ceased to exist after facing financial challenges. In…
“Statement Piece” Pottery goes political at ASU Art Museum Brickyard, as curator Garth Johnson presents “Statement Piece,” an exhibition pairing works from Danish-born war objector Erik Gronborg and American veteran Ehren Tool, who served in Operation Desert Storm. Though from different backgrounds, the two have used functional ceramics in their…
There’s no way to decide who you’re going to end up dating, but there are certain places where it’s weirder to find romance than others. Intra-office relationships are about as dicey as it gets. One wrong move, and you could be putting not only your love life in danger but…
We Arizonans are pretty damn fortunate to live in the midst of one of the most beautiful landscapes in the world. This August, take advantage of all the great things the outdoors have to offer. Here are five ways to get out (and maybe get a little sweaty) in metro…
Americans these days are bombarded with a steady stream of advertisements, television programming, social media, and online offerings. Screens deliver images at airports, restaurants, doctor offices, gyms, stadiums, and even gas stations. Saturated in visual culture, we’ve grown accustomed to tuning out much of what we see. That’s the cultural…
From the trailer, and just from its initial vibe, Joel Edgerton’s directorial debut, The Gift, looks like your stock “When bad things happen to good people” thriller, complete with a soulful pet dog you just know is going to get it. But dog lovers, and everyone else, should know that Edgerton (who…
In the holy trinity of N.W.A., each icon had a power: Dr. Dre produced, Ice Cube wrote the words, and Eazy-E was the comic relief. N.W.A.’s biopic, Straight Outta Compton, blurs those roles. Both Dre and Cube produced the film and seem to have edited the script with a red…
Promising and disappointing all at once, Jon Watts’ backroads thriller Cop Car heralds the arrival of a significant director, one adept not just at the usual action and suspense but also at the fleet, affecting depiction of lives as they’re actually lived. In the opening scenes, the camera glides alongside…
The Aristocrats Best of Enemies toasts Vidal and Buckley’s televised insult comedy. Even if you’re the sort who believes there can be no such thing as too much political coverage, it can’t hurt to cast a fond glance back to 1968, when only three networks — NBC, CBS, and the…
Less than a generation ago, Yonkers, New York, became the face of segregation today, segregation tomorrow, segregation in my backyard. A federal court order to construct 200 units of low-income residences east of the Saw Mill Parkway, i.e., in the white part of town, led to riots and bombings, death…
If you stayed home on Sunday and missed the 8th annual Dancing with the Bars competition, you truly missed out. The event title is fairly self explanatory, only rather than pairing second rate celebrities with professional dancers, bartenders, the pros trained with local entertainers, small business owners, and drag queens…
What happens in the studio shouldn’t always stay in the studio. Studio Visit Q+A is a weekly series that profiles artists in their studios. We ask them questions, they provide answers, and then we have a nice discussion about their work. This week: Phoenix artist Lara Plecas. Lara Plecas is…
Perhaps unexpectedly, choosing the greatest kids movies of all time is quite the serious task. First of all, just deciding what constitutes a kid movie is surprisingly difficult. Should we judge by the ratings and only go with films rated G? PG? Include a few that are PG-13? Instead of…
Saving money can be difficult during the season of panic-inducing utility bills. We feel your pain, and we want to help you and your budget by finding free things to do. We rustled up some no-cost things to do that could get your your toes tappin’ or inspire an artistic streak. …
He may have been thinking about it while growing up hiking across the five acres of desert landscape surrounding his home in Queen Creek. It was certainly something he considered while taking classes at Central Arizona College, creating his own schedule of botany and sociology courses, studying the impact plants…
Amid the ceaseless noise of nonsense from politicians and pundits comes a new art exhibition titled “Statement Piece,” a pairing of works by two ceramicists whose pieces are deceptively quiet yet speak volumes about America’s identity and reach. Curated by Garth Johnson, it’s currently on view at the ASU Art Museum’s Ceramics Research…
Amid a month of not-so stellar releases (we’re looking your way, Fantastic Four), Phoenix Film Festival offers a great reason to head to the theater. For the first time ever, the must-attend spring movie event debuts its summer showcase. Kicking off the showcase is Noah Baumbach’s latest Greta Gerwig vehicle, Mistress America,…
Looming rainclouds did little to dampen enthusiasm for August’s First Friday, which was well-attended — especially along Roosevelt Street just east of Central Avenue, where there was plenty to see and talk about. The trio of shipping containers turned art galleries featured cool solo exhibitions curated by Nic Weisinger, and…
Emerging Arts Leaders Phoenix Happy Hour Cheers to Phoenix’s arts scene. No, literally. During Emerging Arts Leaders Phoenix’s fourth and final summer happy hour, local makers, shakers, and observers are invited to discuss what’s wrong and what’s right with the Valley’s arts community — and, perhaps more importantly, what’s next…
Last night marked the third Bar Flies, New Times’ live reading series at Valley Bar. Pretty good, right? Now that you’ve got the drill down, we’re going to change things up. On September 30, Phoenix New Times will join with Scottsdale Public Art and Museum of Walking to present a…
Vintage boutique Kitten Retro Glamour celebrated its grand opening in downtown Scottsdale last Saturday, selling out of most styles almost immediately. The store, located at 7122 E. Fifth Avenue, is a one-stop shop for people who love brands like Sourpuss and Hell Bunny, but tend to rack up extensive returns when ordering online through Modcloth…
Growing up in Arizona, Tom Zoellner was always surprised to find stories set in Arizona. But the journalist and novelist, now living in Los Angeles where he’s an associate professor of English at Chapman University, will champion their cause during a panel discussion at Changing Hands Bookstore in Phoenix on Tuesday, August 11. He’s heading…
