The Best Plays Robrt Pela Saw in Metro Phoenix in 2015

I am not sleeping with actor/director Ron May. I am a happily married man who’s a sucker for a well-crafted theater performance. I mention these simple facts because, in reviewing the best theatrical events I saw in 2015, I find that I have as usual favored productions in which May…

Breaking Ground 2016: Here’s the Lineup for Dance and Film Festival in Tempe

Tempe dance company CONDER/dance has announced the 2016 edition of its annual film and dance festival Breaking Ground. Since 2007, CONDER/dance’s namesake and founder Carley Conder has organized the festival to spotlight local and international contemporary dance, choreography, and, more recently, filmmaking.  Held Friday and Saturday, January 29 and 30,…

9 Best Things to Do in Metro Phoenix This Weekend

New Times picks the best arts and culture events and things to do in metro Phoenix from December 4 to December 6. Heathers Heathers could have passed as a horror movie, but with a tender-yet-squicky love story and a trio of characters basically dressed as a traffic light, it wound up…

7 Things to Do in Downtown Phoenix on First Friday, December 4

Need proof that the Phoenix arts scene is filled with diverse and intriguing offerings? You’ll find plenty of evidence during December’s First Friday art walk, which features artworks exploring urban decay, ice, gender identity, light, and celebrity. Here’s a sampling of shows, including one that couples visual art with dance,…

13 Things to Do Thanksgiving Week 2015 in Metro Phoenix

Thanksgiving is approaching and with the holiday comes visiting relatives, vacation days, and the serious consumption of deliciously starchy foods. We found a couple things to keep you and yours busy during Thanksgiving week 2015. No matter what you’re into, there’s something to keep you entertained including parties, runs, art…

Stray Cat Theatre Is Moving to Tempe Center for the Arts

Stray Cat Theatre, a Tempe-based indie theater company that presents classic and contemporary works with a smart and edgy vibe, will move to Tempe Center for the Arts in June of 2016, artistic director Ron May says. Stray Cat’s final production at its current venue, Tempe Performing Arts Center (TPAC) located…

7 Best Arts and Culture Events in Metro Phoenix This Weekend

New Times picks the best in art, culture, comedy, and theater events in metro Phoenix from November 20 to 22. For more things to do, see our curated calendar of events.  Emerging Artists II There’s not enough modern dance hereabouts. Meanwhile, performing arts grad students can’t just toil away at…

Are Arizona Artists Doing Enough to Address Issues of Racial Injustice?

Issues related to racial injustice are prevalent in contemporary political rhetoric, as both activists and creatives acknowledge that American society has yet to keep its promise of liberty and justice for all. Artists like Kara Walker, whose large-scale cut-paper silhouettes depict scenes infused with racial stereotypes, are part of the…

5 Best Things to Do in Metro Phoenix This Week

Suns vs. Lakers There have always been rumblings that legendary Laker Kobe Bryant might at times be more of a liability than a luminary to his teammates. Well, in what may be Bryan’ts final season, no one is rumbling anymore. It’s obvious. On a roster chockfull of young talent, Bryant’s…

5 Best Things to Do in Metro Phoenix This Week

Spillers Storytelling events have been all the rage the last few years. Unlike many of these happenings that feature writers presenting pieces based on their own real-life experiences, the quarterly event, Spillers: Short Fiction and Tall Drinks features six wordsmiths performing edgy, 10-minute, short fiction stories for the crowd. If…