Banned Books Reading
Eager to support free expression? Get an assist from fellow censorship opponents during an adult
Haiku Deathmatch
There’s more to poetry than floating clouds and chirping sparrows. Check it out during a Haiku Deathmatch that runs from 7 to 9 p.m. on Thursday, September 27, at The Lost Leaf, 914 North Fifth Street. It’s part of the Phoenix Poetry Slam, a regular series presented by Lawn Gnome Publishing. In case you need a refresher,
Tempe Art A Gogh-Gogh
The seventh anniversary of
Piff the Magic Dragon
Music fans may recognize Piff The Magic Dragon from the cover of Mumford and Sons’ album Babel. Reality show fans may know the costumed magician from the 10th season of America’s Got Talent. While he didn’t win the competition, his hilarious appearance on the program breathed fire into his career. The British artist formerly known as John van der Put, accompanied by his adorable magic chihuahua Mr. Piffles, has a residency at the Flamingo in Las Vegas in addition to performing to sold-out audiences throughout North America. The magic begins at 7:30 p.m. and 10 p.m. on Friday, September 28, at Stand Up Live, 50 West Jefferson Street, with additional shows on Saturday, September 27. Tickets are $27 with a two-drink minimum. For more information, visit phoenix.standuplive.com. Jason Keil
Y2K: High School Musical Night
Back in the day, Friday nights used to mean sitting in front of the TV and watching the next Disney Channel Original Movie. Now that you’re a little older, you can go back to listening to music from Camp Rock and Hannah Montana. Y2K: High School Musical Night is a great time to grab your fellow Wildcats and dance to The Jonas Brothers and The Cheetah Girls. Throw in two full bars and a photo booth and this night will be truly unforgettable. This event is 21+. The fun begins at 10 p.m. on Friday, September 28, at Crescent Ballroom, 308 North Second Avenue. Tickets are $10-$15. For more information, visit crescentphx.com. Jason Keil
Maria de Buenos Aires
The worlds of tango and opera were forever intertwined 50 years ago when Astor Piazzolla wrote the operetta Maria de Buenos Aires. When the composer fused the styles to tell the surreal story of an Argentinian prostitute enticed by the seductive dance and doomed to hell as a result, many fans of ballroom dance were shocked by this hybrid of genres. In the years since Piazzolla’s nontraditional masterpiece has brought new fans to the musical theater.
The curtain rises at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, September 28, at Herberger Theater Center, 222 East Monroe Street, with additional performances on September 29 and 30. Tickets are $30 to $140. For more information, visit azopera.org. Jason Keil
Chile Pepper Festival
Haul out those Donna Summer disco tunes, because the hot stuff is headed your way. The free Chile Pepper Festival returns to Roosevelt Row from 5 to 10 p.m. on Saturday, September 29. It’s a mix of local food, live music, and creativity presented by the Roosevelt Row CDC and the Roosevelt Growhouse Community Garden, complete with
Amour de Agony
The Alwun House has been home to many a thrilling performance over the years, particularly those of a sexy, strange, spectacular, or fringe nature. So it seems fitting that the historic art space and venue, which is located at 1204 East Roosevelt Street, would host an event like this weekend’s Amour de Agony affair.
Described as a blend of sideshow spectacle and vaudeville thrills, this “variety theatrical spectacular” on Saturday, September 29, will feature performances offering a mix of pain and pleasure as the audience is taken on a trip “through the tragic, inevitability of the unadulterated human condition.” (Fire-dancing and bizarre body modifications may also be involved.)
Amour de Agony’s cast of performers will include local pinup queen Ginger
San Tan Brewing's Oktoberfest
According to number-crunchers at the U.S. Census Bureau, Maricopa County boasts the largest concentration of German-Americans in the nation. Their ranks tend to swell this time of year, however, when practically everyone and their mutter claims to be of Germanic descent, particularly those in attendance at any of the Oktoberfest celebrations happening across the Valley. One of the biggest is San Tan Brewing’s Oktoberfest, a one-day bacchanal of beer, bratwurst, and other Bavarian delights that takes over Dr. AJ Chandler Park, 178 East Commonwealth Avenue in Chandler.
This year’s edition takes place on Saturday, September 29, and will feature brews like San Tan’s seasonal Oktoberfest lager, eats like pretzels and brats, and plenty of
Gates open at 3 p.m. Tickets are $12 for general admission and $125 for VIP admission (which includes six drinks, catered food, and other amenities.) Benjamin Leatherman
Phoenix Rising FC versus Saint Louis FC
It turns out that not every Valley sports team has been an utter disappointment this year. As a matter of fact, local pro soccer squad Phoenix Rising FC are having their best season ever. Led by head coach Patrice Carteron, they’ve become one of the premier clubs in the United Soccer League, racked up one of their best won-loss records (29-17 as of this writing), and are on track to secure a top berth in next month’s playoffs.
There’s still plenty of regular-season play to contend with before they begin their drive for postseason glory, however. Next up is a home game against Saint Louis FC on Saturday, September 29. Back in May, our hometown soccer heroes handily beat Saint Louis, 3-1, and hope to do the same during their match this weekend at the Phoenix Rising FC Soccer Complex, 751 North McClintock Drive in Tempe. The game starts at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $17.73 to $103.29. Call 623-594-9606 or see phoenixrisingfc.com. Benjamin Leatherman
Garlic Festival
Phoenix Suns Open Practice
Are you a believer in the Phoenix Suns yet? Okay, well it’s early. Their first game is still a few weeks away. They’ve got so many new players you’ll need a program to identify them. Their superstar guard, Devin Booker, had surgery on his shooting hand. But now is the time to be hopeful that they will be much better than last season’s last-place team. So if you want a sneak
Serenity in the Desert
It’s going on 16 years since the shortsighted executives at the Fox network canceled Firefly, and fans of Joss Whedon’s cult sci-fi show (a.k.a. Browncoats) couldn’t love the program more. Hence the annual Serenity in the Desert, a one-day geek gathering and charity fundraiser put on by the Arizona Browncoats fan group that celebrates all things Firefly and its creator. This year’s event takes place on Sunday, September 30, at the Studio Movie Grill, 15515 North Hayden Road in Scottsdale, and will feature screenings of Serenity, the 2005 film that continued the show’s storyline, and Doctor Horrible’s
The Wiz
Recently, The Wizard of Oz fans celebrated the recovery of stolen ruby red slippers worn by Judy Garland in the 1939 film. But there’s something else to celebrate: the Black Theatre Troupe’s production of The Wiz, a musical that puts a new twist on the L. Frank Baum tale that inspired the movie. Think Dorothy meets gospel, rock, and soul music.
The Broadway production earned several 1975 Tony Awards, including Best Musical. And NBC presented The Wiz Live! in 2015. Now you can see how Arizona creatives rock it. Check it out on Sunday, September 30, at 2:30 p.m. at Tempe Center for the Arts, 700 West Rio Salado Parkway, Tempe. Tickets are $35. Visit blacktheatretroupe.org. Lynn Trimble
Quintron and Miss Pussycat
“You’ve never seen anything like this” is a phrase that gets tossed around with much hyperbole but perfectly applies to performers Quintron and Miss Pussycat. The New Orleans-based duo, who once toured with The White
Phoenix Suns versus Sacramento Kings
When the Phoenix Suns hit their home court this weekend against the Sacramento Kings, it’ll be significant for
The friends then became foes back in July when the Suns trounced the Kings, 71-63, in summer league play. The loss reportedly irked Bagley, who’s already nursing a major grudge against the Suns for being passed over by his hometown team in the draft. And he’ll be seeking some payback this weekend when Sacramento battles Phoenix. Watch the drama unfold on Monday, October 1, at Talking Stick Resort Arena, 201 East Jefferson Street. Tipoff is at 7 p.m. Tickets start at $5. See nba.com/suns. Benjamin Leatherman
Waitress
When Hamilton won the 2016 Tony Award for best musical, it eclipsed several other nominees, including Waitress, the tale of a small-town, pregnant pie maker who dreams of escaping her diner job and devastating marriage. The touring Broadway production is heading to ASU Gammage, 200 South Forest Avenue in Tempe, where your first chance to see it is 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, October 2.
The musical, with music and lyrics by Sara Bareilles of “Brave” and “Love Song” fame, is beautiful and bittersweet. Piemaker Jenna pursues her dreams, of course. But they change during the course of the musical, affirming that sometimes you just have to roll with it, rather than sticking with a recipe. Tickets start at $47. Visit asugammage.com. Lynn Trimble
Big Gay Classics: Mean Girls
Lindsay Lohan went from Disney star to teen royalty in the classic comedy Mean Girls. Tina Fey wrote the script about a high-schooler navigating her way through the cliques at her new school. The movie inspired a Broadway musical, an endless glut of Buzzfeed quizzes, and a litany of memes and catchphrases that have entered the pop culture lexicon. Since this is part of FilmBar’s Big Gay Classic Series, there will be wine specials and prizes, and be sure to come dressed as your favorite Plastic. Fetch happens at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, October 3, at 815 North Second Street. Tickets are $14; proceeds from the event benefit LGBT charities. For more information, visit thefilmbaraz.com. Jason Keil
