Arts & Culture

Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it. An Iliad is the Obie Award-winning production directed by Lisa Peterson that depicts the nearly universal glory and gore of warfare. This modern retelling of Homer’s epic poem is brought to life through Tony Award-winning actor Denis O’Hare,…

There may not be an Arizona sports team with a more successful history than ASU’s baseball team. The Sun Devils have been a perennial contender for the better part of the last half-century, they’ve won five national championships, and they’ve produced some of the best major league players of all…

It’s time for a meat and greet. The Fifth Annual Arizona BBQ Festival is cooking up a full day of games and grub, serving up smoked savories such as brisket, chicken, ribs, and pulled pork, as well as sides and drinks from vendors like Honey Bears BBQ, Little Miss BBQ,…

Whether you’re a fixed or a 10-speed, gear up for the third annual Cyclomesa event.Formerly The Great Arizona Bicycle Festival, this two-day affair is a one-stop street fest for all things two-wheeled. Each day features a large-scale race, including a crash-and-burn sprint and the start and finish of the 70-mile…

According to Back to the Future Part II, we have hoverboards to look forward to next year. Until then, skateboarders will have a headstart on the sickest of tricks. The 13th Annual Cowtown Skateboards PHXAM gets fly Saturday, April 5.Nearly 200 up-and-coming riders will hail from all over including Canada,…

Living in the same town as Great Arizona Puppet Theater means we get to see acclaimed and unusual visiting puppet shows that the GAPTeers can snag due to their own decades of experience and connections. Coming up: Animalitos from The Magical Moonshine Theatre, a very musical company based in Vallejo,…

Dave Ross is a busy guy. You may remember him as a co-host of the now-defunct Holy Fuck comedy show, or by his current project on Nerdist: Terrified, which takes a look at people’s fears. Dave has also done some great work with the comedy troupe Women — just take…

While so much of Latino culture has been embraced and integrated into everyday life here in Arizona, there’s one biggie that hasn’t broken through yet. Really, when was the last time you spotted a Salsa song on the Top 40? Or didn’t blow by the Spanish stations on your FM…

‘Tis the season to get back in touch with nature, take a few hikes, and head out for some camping adventures. The dangers, though, of spinning into the wild range well beyond simply getting a sunburn or bug bites. Award-winning author Nevada Barr revisits the great outdoors in her latest…

It’s showtime.The 14th annual Phoenix Film Festival opens Thursday, April 3, with a 7:30 p.m. screening of the UK thriller Locke. Starring the alternately heartthrobby and horrifying Tom Hardy, this Steven Knight film unravels the life of a man over the course of a car ride.But the festival lineup isn’t…

You’re out and about and yet another cloned strip mall clogs the view, raising the question: “Why do these malls need to exist every couple miles?” Amid the Valley’s sprawl, some are trying to make a difference. The third annual Phoenix Urban Design Week is a gathering of urban planners,…

Nation, a play for youth receiving its North American première from ASU Tempe’s MainStage, sounds not unlike The Blue Lagoon, but it’s based on the novel by Terry Pratchett (Discworld). That’s probably better, given Pratchett’s knighthood, 70 million books sold in three decades, etc. Mark Ravenhill (who also wrote the…

South Beach meets the Southwest in a pop-up exhibition that mixes the work of two Miami artists with that of a couple Phoenix ones.“CROSSCURRENT” features Arizona artist Bill Dambrova, whose colorful explorations of innards won him consideration for the Whitney Biennial-esque “State of the Art” exhibition at Crystal Bridges Museum…

You’re looking good for 102, Arizona. So good, in fact, that local friends and photographers, Lisa Olson and Terry Pisel, have teamed up to produce a special exhibition to celebrate the newly developed but highly diverse 48th state. “Century Club” is grand depiction of the Grand Canyon state, comprising 102…