City Week


Thursday 1

BUY INTO THE BOUQUET. Itching to do something for the arts community?

Pick up something during A Bouquet for Lou Bernal, a benefit silent auction that runs through Aug. 10.

The event unites the diverse work of more than 40 local artists. Many of the contributing artists in a special fundraiser were students, friends and colleagues of Bernal, the late Pima Community College photography department head.

During the time Bernal was a photography instructor he received international recognition for his work inspired by his Chicano heritage and life in the barrio. Shortly after his death in 1993, efforts were started to recognize the contribution he made to Tucson and Pima Community College. The auction fundraiser benefits the Louis Carlos Bernal Dedication Project, which will exhibit and preserve Bernal's work.

A retrospective exhibition in October will culminate on Nov. 2 with a reception and dedication ceremony to re-name the college gallery in his honor.

A Bouquet for Lou Bernal is at The Drawing Studio, 214 N. Fourth Ave. The show runs through Aug. 10 during regular gallery hours, noon until 5 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday. For more information, call 620-0947.


Friday 2

ACTING UP. The Catalina Players are offering up four performances for the price of one.

The Ages of Love ... 4 Hilarious One-Acts includes The Marriage Proposal, Here We Are, The Red Coat and I'm Herbert.

Need more? Here's what you're in for:

The Marriage Proposal, by Anton Chekhov, is directed by Joel Charles. A light-hearted and fast-paced comedy about a bachelor's misunderstood marriage proposal to his neighbor's spinster daughter.

Here We Are, by Dorothy Parker, is directed by Leslie Miller. We get a charming view of a newly married young couple on their wedding day traveling towards the honeymoon. As the first night of their lives together grows closer we see that they each have their own hopes and expectations for the days and nights to come.

The audience is treated to a humorous inside look at our bride and groom as they anticipate the first night of their brave new adventure ... marriage.

The Red Coat, by John Patrick Shanley, is directed by Hal Melfi. A young girl, on her way to a party, meets an old friend under the glow of a streetlight and discovers a new love, the sweetness of sharing and the secret of the red coat.

I'm Herbert, by Robert Anderson, is directed by Leigh-Ann Santillanes. Two old, old people sitting on a porch in a pair of rocking chairs and talking. Just talking. Each has had one or more previous marriages and perhaps a few flings, but they are hazy as to details. In fact, they don't always know which one the other one is.

The Catalina Players presents The Ages of Love ... 4 Hilarious One-Acts with an opening at 7:30 p.m. today at 400 E. University Blvd. Dinner starts at 6. Other performances, all at 7:30 p.m. are Saturday, and Aug. 9, 10, 16, 17 and 18. Tickets are $12 general admission and $6 students. Dinner and show tickets are $20. Tickets may be reserved by calling 409-8407.

HISTORY FOR THE ASKING. The U.S. Army once had rigid standards not only for its cavalrymen, but for the horses they rode.

The most common saddle used by the cavalry was the McClellan saddle.

Learn more from Jim Ganas and Robert Hunter, who dress the part as they lead you on a little journey to the past. Decked out in period costumes, Ganas and Hunter will teach you all about Fort Lowell and the arrival of the U.S. Calvary.

Take a look at the McClellan and find out about mount and dismount drills, ceremonies and the life of a cavalryman in the Arizona desert.

Free one-hour tours are Wednesdays and Fridays at Fort Lowell Museum, 2900 N. Craycroft. The tours run through Oct. 11. For more information, call 628-5774.


Saturday 3

GARDEN FREEBIE. Whether Civano ever lives up to the hype remains to be seen, but anybody who's ever been out to the funky community to the southeast has gotta admit it's pretty cool.

Take a drive to Civano today and you can squeeze in a free gardening class.

Creating Gardens with Cacti is a presentation being hosted by Civano Nursery. Staff members will teach you how to be "wild at heart" with lessons on creating an environmentally friendly garden space.

Many staff members are Arizona Certified Nursery professionals so you'll be getting expert advice on all your gardening and landscaping needs any time you visit the nursery.

Today's free talk starts at 9 p.m. at the nursery at 5301 S. Houghton Road, south of Irvington. For more information, call 546-9200 or visit www.civanonursery.com.

AN ITSY-BITSY ... Spiders and other creepy-crawly things are creeping and crawling all over the grounds of the Mason Audubon Center.

Amazing Arthropods is an educational journey into the world of spiders and other insects.

Learn about these fascinating animals beneath the center's ironwood canopy as you explore the trail looking for burrows, webs and other evidence of resident arthropods.

In case animals are scarce along the trail, you'll have the opportunity to experience a close-up visit with a live tarantula and vinegroon.

The event is from 8 to 10 a.m. today at 8751 N. Thornydale Road. For more information, call 744-0004.

BOOGIE NIGHT. Yavaz brings its infectious Afro-Cuban and Brazilian dance music to Tucson tonight.

The energetic San Diego-based group takes its name from the Spanish term ya vas, which means let's go.

The band's spicy blend of merengue, salsa, sambas and island rhythms earned it Best Latin Band honors during San Diego's annual music awards. Two previous shows in the Old Pueblo have sold out, so make plans now.

The show at Plaza Palomino, at Swan and Fort Lowell, starts at 8 p.m. Tickets are $17 advance and $20 at the door. For tickets and more information, call 297-9133.

ATTENTION, MALL RATS. Hey, your kids spend half their lives there anyway ...

Tucson Mall is rolling out the red carpet for teens tonight in an "event" called Your Taste, Your Style, Your Night of Shopping.

Gag me with a ... --oh, never mind.

The night's complete with discounts and activities for area teens. Special offers at mall stores, free Pepsi and food samples, makeovers, live music and information booths make this a happening to remember.

The gimmick is from 6 to 9 p.m. tonight at Tucson Mall, 4500 N. Oracle Road. For more information, call 293-7330.

WEARABLE ART. Is your kid creative?

Children can make their own bracelets and necklaces during jewelry making workshops at a local gallery.

The activities take place 11 a.m. to noon Saturdays at Sally Huss Gallery, 2924 E. Broadway. Reservations are required. For more information and reservations, call 326-5421.


Sunday 4

MAKE IT A FAMILY AFFAIR. A strong response is keeping Beauty and the Beast on stage a bit longer.

This play's a magical journey into a wonderland of enchanted castles, disguised princes and fantastical flowers. Beauty and her beast discover that good things come to those of us who look past a person's exterior and love others for who they are at heart.

The story has been brought to life with charm, humor and music. Kids will be delighted by the colorful characters, parents by the timeless message and the whole family by the inventive songs created to accompany the piece.

The production is the premiere of the new adaptation by local playwright Charlotte Langford.

The show starts at 1 p.m. today and Aug. 11 at Live Theatre Workshop, 5317 E. Speedway Blvd. Tickets are $5. For more information, call 327-4242.


Monday 5

GET YOUR TIX. Enjoy all four concerts in the Sabor de Mexico series for less than $40.

Tickets go on sale today for the annual event to mark the start of the UApresents season. The shows include Santiago Jiménez, Jr. on Aug. 25, Lila Downs on Sept. 6, Jaime Camil on Sept. 21 and two performances by Ballet Folklórico de México de Amalia Hernández on Sept. 26 and 27.

Singer and accordion virtuoso Santiago Jiménez, Jr. is a major figure in Tex-Mex border music with a style that reveals the true essence of the traditional conjunto style. The Grammy-nominated musician has made a career of playing this vibrant music that is a direct representation of rich Mexican culture and artistic expression.

Singer and songwriter Lila Downs captures the mosaic of voices of Mexico, blending elements of jazz and blues. Downs retells the bittersweet stories of her ancestors and homeland through her beguiling, soul-penetrating music. Her songs, driven by a desire to break down barriers, address issues such as the fear and anxiety of young border-crossers.

Mexican pop sensation Jaime Camil is emerging as the new voice of romance through his evocative, emotion-laden songs. Camil's voice, imbued with passion and soul, easily moves from ballads to the bouncy melody and rhythm of salsa and cumbia.

Founded in 1952, Ballet Folklórico de México de Amalia Hernández is revered as Mexico's oldest and finest dance company. Led by the daughters of the late founder, the company lavishly recreated the variety of cultures throughout Mexico from the moving, melancholic Yaqui deer dance to the frenetic footwork of the Mexican hat dance.

Tickets to the entire Sabor de Mexico series may be purchased for as little as $37 for all four shows. For more information, call the Centennial Hall Box Office at 621-3341.


Tuesday 6

FOR THE KIDS. Bring your kids to the Tucson Mall for some free entertainment today. As part of Tucson Mall's Kid's Club, today's program features West African Music and Dance. The festivities start at 10:30 a.m. at the food court.

Tucson Mall's Kid's Club is a free, year-round program geared toward children 10 and under. Events are held on the first and third Tuesdays of each month. Giveaways from mall merchants are also available. For more information, call 293-7330.


Wednesday 7

NOT SO FAST. Tired of hearing the words, "I'm sorry?" Maybe you're just too forgiving.

Tonight, a UA psychology instructor presents Forgiving: What it is; what it isn't. Patty Harada, certified as a grief counselor and death educator, will discuss a model for forgiving that utilizes self love as a tool for engendering compassion toward others, and eliminates premature reconciliation and continued abuse. This seminar is part of a series.

All seminars are $10. No reservations are required. The seminars are held in the University Medical Center's DuVal Auditorium from 7 to 9 p.m. every Wednesday evening. For more information, call 886-6046, email patti@lovematters.net or visit www.lovematters.net.