Start the crash by packing your weekend full of fun. For the next few days, you can see an award-winning musical in Tempe, see monster-themed artwork at Alwun House, or watch the Chandler Symphony perform. click to enlarge This year’s Arizona State Fair awaits you. Melissa Fossum Arizona State Fair Opening Day 2021 The Arizona State Fair has seen more twists and turns than a tilt-a-whirl ride over the past year. First, the pandemic resulted in the 2020 edition being canceled, with the exception of a drive-through food fair that was held in its place. Then show organizers announced that the event would be relocated to the Wild Horse Pass in Chandler, only to reverse their decision and bring them back to their long-standing home at Arizona State Fairgrounds at 1826 West McDowell Road. And last month they announced that the popular free concert series at the Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum was not taking place due to budget issues. So what can the public expect when it comes out on Friday, October 1st, on opening day? Most of the usual highlights, including a middle ground full of games and rides, lots of farm animals, and an abundance of fried foods. There are also monster truck rallies and rodeos in the grandstand area and all the usual providers and exhibits. The fair runs from Wednesday to Sunday until October 30th. Opening times vary. Admission is $ 12 for adults, $ 10 for seniors and children ages 5-13, and free for children under 4 years of age. Benjamin Leatherman Click to enlarge Werewolf stories are coming to Taliesin West. Stacey Walston Werewolf Legends theater geeks were dizzy last week when they saw four hours of coverage of the Tony Awards and the return of live Broadway theater in New York City. Shakespeare got some kind of shoutout. Mainly because more and more people are realizing that the theater canon must be expanded far beyond the bard. Still, there’s no reason you can’t have a little fun with the Southwest Shakespeare Company getting into the spirit of the scary season with a Beau Heckman play called Legends of the Werewolf. We’ve been told it will answer some of your burning questions about werewolf, including where they came from and if they are still with us. Directed by Mary Way, it will be performed at the Pavilion Theater, Taliesin West, 12345 North Taliesin West, Scottsdale. The premiere of this world premiere is on Friday, October 1st, at 7 p.m. The play runs until October 15th. Entry is $ 35 and premium seating is $ 45. If you find inspiration for a new twist on a classic Halloween costume, do some thought on the spot. Lynn Trimble click to enlarge Empyrean and Child by Jimmy Fike. Alwun House ‘Monsters Menagerie’ Strange and creepy things are going on at Alwun House, 1204 East Roosevelt Street, as evidenced by the huge, creepy-looking Daddy Longlegs spider on the front yard. Inside the historic arts center are the strange, disturbing, and provocative works of more than two dozen local artists that make up this year’s “Monsters Menagerie” show. Creations by painters Jimmy Fike and Henry Hermetet, photographer Holly Shoemaker and others are featured in the annual exhibition (previously described as “blood-clotting creations, profane noir fantasies and other unworldly art”). The offers range from mixed media to taxidermy from Echoes of Natura to strangely repurposed figures from Thrift Creeper. An artist reception will take place on Friday, October 1st from 6pm to 10pm. Admission is free. The show runs through October 30th. Benjamin Leatherman click to enlarge Mariachi music and folkloric dance come to Chandler. Chandler Center for the Arts Mariachi Festival If you’re going to a rock concert or jazz club rather than enjoying a little mariachi music, you’ve missed out on some talented Arizona artists. Fortunately, there is a simple solution. The 22nd annual Mariachi and Folklorico Festival takes place on Saturday, October 2nd at 7 p.m. at the Chandler Center for the Arts, 250 North Arizona Avenue, Chandler. will take the stage. The evening also includes art vendors in the lobby and an exhibition in the gallery at the Chandler Center for the Arts. Tickets start at $ 35, and VIP tickets start at $ 75. Performers include Mariachi Tesoro de Tucson and Ballet Folklorico Quetzalli-AZ. It never hurts to expand your musical horizons, and you could feel inspired to add a lot more mariachi to your life. Lynn Trimble I Support Local Community Journalism Support the independent voice of Phoenix and help keep the future of the New Times free. click to enlarge The Irish Cultural Center is getting a temporary Hogwarts makeover. Lynn Trimble Wizarding Extravaganza We’re not leaving JK Rowling off the hook here and remembering her epic failures when it comes to transgender rights. But some people find that it is possible to take on the character of Harry Potter without supporting the writer who gave him life. Hence, popular culture is still full of references to the fictional world of Hogwarts, where Potter and his friends learned all the subtleties of wizardry. The Irish Cultural Center, 1106 North Central Avenue, is transforming its McClelland Library into a unique vision of Hogwarts for its wizarding extravaganza on Saturday, October 2nd, from 4pm to 10pm. Costumes are welcome, of course, and you should bring a blanket and sit down if you plan to stay outside for the evening Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone performance. Celebrations include themed treats and cocktails, as well as photo opportunities and other Hogwarts-inspired activities. Non-member tickets are $ 40 (or $ 20 for children under 12). Of course, the Sorting Hat will be available for those who can’t find their inner Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw or Slytherin. Lynn Trimble click to enlarge So ready for the return of classic live music. Chandler Symphony Orchestra Chandler Symphony Just when you think you’re going to be able to shake that pesky jingle from a certain commercial with a band of kids pretending to play musical instruments while they sing about cars to donate to charity, the catchy tune takes it deep again immerse yourself in your brain cells. The anger is compounded when you actually play an instrument like the violin, knowing that even young musicians are learning not to hold the bow like a hacksaw. Fortunately, with just a little bit of time, you can wipe away all of that frustration by listening to live classical music from professionals including the Chandler Symphony Orchestra. They’re giving a free concert at the Chandler Center for the Arts, 250 North Arizona Avenue at 3:00 p.m. on Sunday, October 3rd; and the event will also be broadcast live. Vanja Gjumar Nikolovski conducts works by the composers Emmanuel Chabrier, Franz Liszt, Franz Schubert and Richard Wagner. Seating is first-come, first-served, and the organizers are asking live and virtual attendees to register online. Fair warning: once you see the finesse of the professional bow, you will be even more afraid of commercials that fail to get it right. Lynn Trimble Click to enlarge Can you spell musical theater? ASU Broadway Buzz Have you ever wondered about the inner psyche of children competing in spelling or geography bees? Get a sneak peek with a musical comedy called The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, which highlights all of the little weaknesses of six middle school spellers and their three adult jurors. The show opened on Broadway in 2005 and received two Tony Awards, including one for best book (that’s the part of a musical that is spoken, not sung). Now it’s part of the 2021-22 season for ASU Music Theater and Opera, which will perform the musical at the Evelyn Smith Music Theater, 50 East Gammage Parkway, Tempe. The last performance is on Sunday, October 3rd, at 2 p.m. Tickets are $ 22. It’s a chance to relive your uncomfortable youth, even if you take on your own quirky, strange traits (past and present). Wear tennis shoes to the show if you have to, but remember to tie your shoelaces. Lynn Trimble
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