Thursday 6
FLYING HIGH. The newest show at The Gaslight Theatre dredges up a television series you're sure to recognize.
"Harley" is the unseen head of a detective agency that specializes in one-of-a-kind cases.
He calls his detectives "angels" because, well, they're beautiful.
Sound familiar?
Find out what happens when Harlie summons his babes to crack a case involving double-dealing in the fast-paced worlds of music and high fashion. Swing back to the '70s as these glam P.I.'s high kick their way to solving their toughest job yet.
Harley's Angels opens today and runs through Aug. 17 at Gaslight, 7010 E. Broadway. Tickets are $14.95 adults, $12.95 seniors, students and military, and $6.95 children 12 and under. Tickets are available at 886-9428.
CHOCK FULL OF CHUCKLES. You may remember him as Police Academy's officer Larvell Jones.
His real name is Michael Winslow and you can catch him being Jimi Hendrix, Robert Plant, Mick Jagger, Jim Morrison and Tina Turner.
Wilson's been touring the comedy club circuit, performing more than 200 shows a year. Also, he's gearing up for a nationwide tour of rock clubs for his new show, The Michael Winslow Experience, which is backed by James Brown's world-famous band, Soul Power Posse.
Wilson will be performing tonight through Saturday at Laff's Comedy Caffe, 2900 E. Broadway Blvd. For reservations, showtimes and ticket information, call 323-8669. Also, visit www.michaelwinslow.com.
Friday 7
FIND YOUR BEAT. Drum Circle/Dance Sphere hopes to "circle the wagons of your consciousness" again.
Tonight's drumming is anchored by One Heart Beat, a group known to share its drums and instruments as well as provide tips on their proper use.
So bring your own drums, your dancing feet and "other appropriate apparatus" to the event from 8 to 11 p.m. tonight at the Orts Space, 121 E. Seventh St. Cost is $5 requested donation for adults, $1 for children under 14. For more information, call 322-8020.
Saturday 8
SPINNING A GOOD TIME. Join the Mollys tonight for a party to celebrate the group's latest CD.
The Mollys play a mix of original and traditional country, Mexican, Irish and folk, using traditional instruments--penny whistle, guitars, accordion, harmonica. Combining all that with strong vocals with electric bass and drums, the Mollys crank out some great tunes that will get your feet tapping.
The all-ages CD release party starts at 8 p.m. today at Plaza Palomino, Swan at Fort Lowell. Tickets are $12. For more information, call 622-0077.
A DECADE FOR DOUBTERS. "The Toole Shed continues to produce art not because we want to, or have to, but because somebody said it wouldn't last a month, and we have made art for 10 years just to 'spite' them."
So says James Graham, who, along with Jon Laswick, Julia Latane and Dave Lewis, started The Toole Shed Studios a decade ago.
Graham provided some interesting shed history for those interested in a couple of shows celebrating the anniversary.
"A year after the successful renovation of The Shane House, an artist colony on South Fourth Avenue, the need for industrial working space became a priority for the artists who had filled up the living spaces downtown."
The Arizona Department of Transportation had several years earlier purchased all of the buildings on Toole Avenue with the intent of knocking them down for the ever-mysterious Aviation Highway. Following the lead of other artists who had called the state's bluff, the original Toole School spent the hottest summer in Arizona's history cleaning out the building, patching the roof, stealing building supplies and exploiting convict labor, all while living on Advil, donuts and Jolt ...
"Ten years later the building originally slated for demolition has finally been completely renovated and expanded, and the Toole Shed artists continue to produce the most cutting edge hard core art west of the Pecos."
Spite: 10 Years of the Toole Shed Studios in the HazMat Gallery is an exhibition that presents a sampling of the best work of the Toole Shed artists past and present.
In conjunction, recent photographs by the group Flashflood are on display in the HazMat Basement Gallery. The show, called Flashflood--Photographic Endeavors: Space/Place/Environment, will include works by Jessi Atwood, Diana Berntzen, Kristin Giordano, Rebecca Horton and Rosanna Salonia.
Both exhibitions open with a reception from 7 to 10 p.m. tonight at The Museum of Contemporary Art, 191 E. Toole Ave. Flashflood ends July 20 and Spite runs through Aug. 24. Summer hours are noon to 6 p.m. Thursday through Saturday. For more information, call 624-5019 or visit www.moca-tucson.org.
Sunday 9
RETURN ENGAGEMENT. A pile of puppets that debuted in January is back in the Barn.
New Kiva Motions Puppet Theatre's Basketfull of Puppets is a collection of short stories and songs acted out by puppets. A lap show is presented in front of the puppet stage, so this is a unique production.
After the show--every Sunday through June--kids get some up close and personal action with the puppets and then the audience gets a chance to make a simple puppet to take home with them.
Basketfull of Puppets is perfect entertainment for kids 3 through 7. The show starts at 1:30 p.m. today at the Red Barn, 948 N. Main. Tickets are $3 per person; $5 for 2 children; and $2 for those with an AHCCCS card or low income bus pass. For more information, call 887-5144.
Monday 10
EYES TO THE SKIES. This afternoon, residents of the western United States will witness a rare, deep partial eclipse of the sun.
In Tucson, the sun will set while still in eclipse. Because of Old Pueblo's proximity to the central path of the eclipse, 74 percent of the sun's diameter will be covered by the new moon.
The eclipse in southern Arizona will be best around 6:25 p.m., when the new moon will appear to turn the sun into a solar crescent. From parts of the Pacific Ocean and Mexico's central coast, the eclipse is an annular or "ring" eclipse of the sun, where only a narrow ring of bright, direct sunlight is visible around the dark disk of the new moon.
Get out this evening and join other sky watchers as Flandrau Science Center at the University of Arizona hosts a viewing event. To help the public view this rare celestial event, the science center will have safe eclipse glasses on sale in its Science Store in the weeks prior to the eclipse. Eclipse glasses also will be on sale at the event.
Today's free eclipse viewing starts at 5 p.m. and lasts until sunset, at 7:30 p.m.
Telescopes with safe solar filters will be set up for public viewing free-of-charge at the top level of the Tyndale Avenue parking garage, located between Tyndale and Euclid Avenues, just south of Speedway Boulevard.
Don't try this at home; at no time during this eclipse will it be safe to look directly at the sun. Only safe, approved solar filters made of astronomical grade Mylar (or equivalent glass filters) are safe when viewing the sun during the eclipse. Permanent blindness may occur to those who stare at the sun unprotected.
Information about the eclipse and the night sky is available by calling Flandrau's free Astronomy Newsline at 621-4310 or visiting its Astronomy News section at www.flandrau.org.
Tuesday 11
HISTORY ON THE CHEAP. Walk the same streets as western legends John Wayne, Glenn Ford and Clint Eastwood once walked.
Visit the set of the TV series High Chaparral, the embodiment of western culture and romance.
Experience the more than 120 years of western heritage showcased on the streets of Old Tucson.
And do it all on the cheap as Old Tucson Studios offers new seasonal guided tours to accommodate guests on Tuesdays and Wednesdays throughout the summer.
Tour guides on the hour from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. highlight the park's architecture and legendary film history.
The price of the 45-minute tour is $5 for adults, $3 for children 4-11 and free for children 3 and under. The cost of the tour can be applied to regular park admission if guests choose to return another day for the entertainment, shops and restaurants. For more information, call 883-0100 or visit www.oldtucson.com. for details.
Old Tucson Studios is located at 201 South Kinney Road, in the Tucson Mountain Park. Take I-10 and exit Speedway Boulevard and head west, following the signs. Recreational vehicles should travel Ajo west to Kinney Road. Passenger cars may find this route more convenient when approaching Tucson from south of the city.
COOKING UP LAUGHTER. Think kitchens. Think Christmas.
Alan Ayckbourn, Britain's reigning king of comic theatre, who's been described as a "British Neil Simon," had a hit on both sides of the Atlantic with his highly theatrical screwball comedy, Absurd Person Singular.
The play is set in three acts, in three different kitchens, during three subsequent Christmas parties over three years thrown by three unique couples. Sound complicated? It isn't. But it is hilarious.
Arizona Repertory Theatre's production, directed by Brent Gibbs, previews at 7:30 tonight at Marroney Theatre, UA Campus--southeast corner of Park Avenue and Speedway Boulevard. Preview price is just $12. Tickets for other performances are $14 to $20. A split production run is 7:30 p.m. June 12-15, 20-22 and Sept. 4-7, 12-14. Matinees are scheduled for 1:30 p.m. June 16, 22, 23 and Sept 8, 14, 15. Tickets are available through the UA Fine Arts Box Office, 621-1162. For more information, visit www.arts.arizona.edu/theatre.
Wednesday 12
LIFE'S LITTLE PLEASURES. It's a big show about little things.
More than 60 Tucson area contemporary artists have been invited from the ranks of Davis Dominguez Gallery, plus guest artists from throughout the community for the 10th annual All-Tucson Small Works Invitational.
Dubbed "The Biggest Little Show in Town," the exhibition features one piece by each invitee, either a small 12-by-12 inch painting, a sculpture 18 inches high or other small object d'art.
A "Who's Who" of Tucson's contemporary artists together under one big roof to show off their skills at creating a single, small piece of art results in an exhibition packed full of visual delights and not a few surprises.
Definitely not a show of miniatures, Small Works is an annual review of fully developed statements by artists using a small amount of materials.
The show runs through July 27 at 154 E. Sixth St. Admission is free. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays. For more information, call 629-9759 or e-mail davisdominguez@mailbug.com.
