Tucson Weekly: Theatre (April 5

THEATER
Opening This Week
ARIZONA CHILDREN'S THEATRE COMPANY. Temple of Music and Art. 330 S. Scott Ave. 622-2759. Performances of the classic tale of Rumplestiltskin take place April 7, 14 and 21 at 11 a.m. Tickets are $3 at the door.
ARIZONA THEATRE COMPANY. Temple of Music and Art. 330 S. Scott Ave. 622-2823. Inventing Van Gogh is the story of a young, struggling artist blackmailed by an art authenticator to produce a fake Van Gogh--a replica of a famous "lost" self-portrait that possibly never existed. Performances run from April 7 through April 29. Tickets range in price from $22 to $35 and are on sale at the ATC box office. Half-price adult rush tickets are available for all performances one hour prior to the curtain.
BORDERLANDS THEATER. PCC Center for the Arts Proscenium Theatre. 2202 W. Anklam Road. 882-7406. Performances of Sueño by José Rivera, which is an adaptation in English of Calderón de la Barca's Spanish Siglo de Oro masterpiece La Vida Es Sueño (Life is a Dream), run April 5-14 at 7:30 p.m. This metaphysical drama follows the life of young Prince Segismunco, heir to the Spanish throne, who is imprisoned at birth when astrologers predict his reign as king will result in the country's ruin. Tickets range from $8 to $16.
WISE FOOL PUPPET. Lucky Street Studios. 520 N. Ninth Ave. 792-3262. Flam Chen hosts Wise Fool Puppet, the all women circus performance troupe. They'll perform an original work called The Curtain April 6 at 9 p.m. The show explores the cultural, political and personal lines that divide people. Tickets cost $10 at the door.
INVISIBLE THEATRE. 1400 N. First Ave. 882-9721. Sketches: Edith Head's Hollywood runs from April 11-15. Call for more information.
PCC THEATRE ARTS. Center for the Arts Black Box Theatre. 2202 W. Anklam Road. 206-4528. Four different recollections of a crime raise questions about truth and falsehood in the Great Rashomon Murder Mystery. This tale of intrigue is based on a short story written in the 1920s by Ryunosuke Akutagawa. Performances run April 5-8 and April 12-14. Tickets are $7 and $5.
Continuing
ARIZONA REPERTORY THEATRE. UA Laboratory Theatre. 621-1162. King Lear, Shakespeare's towering tragedy of pride, anger, love and forgiveness, runs through April 22 at 7:30 p.m. with 1:30 matinees April 8, 15, 21 and 22. Tickets range from $10 to $18. A pre-show discussion will be held April 19 at 6:45 p.m. in Directing Studio 116.
BUCKAROOS ON BROADWAY. Hidden Valley Inn. 4825 N. Sabino Canyon Road. 299-4941. Hoot, holler and stomp your feet with the Crystal Palace Players as they salute Broadway's bronco-bustin' showstoppers in a spur-studded revue about western-themed musicals. Performances run through April 12 at 7 p.m. Tickets are $13.95 for adults and $8.95 for children 12 and younger. A separate, optional show menu features appetizers, entrees, desserts and a full bar, with entrée prices starting at $7.95.
LIVE THEATRE WORKSHOP. 5317 E. Speedway Blvd. 327-4242. The Gin Game visits two residents of a nursing home as they play gin rummy and reminisce about their lives and the human experience. Performances run through April 22. Tickets cost $12.
LIVE THEATRE WORKSHOP. 5317 E. Speedway Blvd. The company's Sunday Afternoon Children's Theatre series presents The Firebird, a charming Russian folktale with magical creatures, a prince and princess. Performances continue through April 22 at 1 p.m.; there is no show April 15. Call 327-4242 for ticket information.
NEW KIVA MOTIONS PUPPET THEATRE. Red Barn Theatre. 948 N. Main Ave. 887-5144. The theater presents A Really Bug Show featuring Mother Nature's Fashion Show Sundays through April at 1:30 p.m. Tickets are $3 per person, $5 for two children, and $2 per person with AHCCCS card or low-income bus pass.
PSYCHO BEACH PARTY. Temple of Music and Art. 330 S. Scott Ave. Charles Busch's Psycho Beach Party exposes the darker comic side of the 1960s beach party movies, spoofing such films as Gidget and Beach Blanket Bingo. Performances run through April 7 at 8 p.m., with 3 p.m. weekend matinees. Tickets are $5 and $6. Call 797-4792 for reservations.
RELUCTANT GUN FIGHTERS. Trail Dust Town. 6541 E. Tanque Verde Road. 296-4551. Enjoy the Dragoon Street Wild, Wild West stunt shows every night at 7, 8 and 9 p.m. with an additional 6 p.m. show Saturdays and Sundays. Tickets are "pay what you want."
ROBIN HOOD. Gaslight Theatre. 7010 E. Broadway Blvd. 886-9428. The classic tale told Gaslight-style features silly songs, comical melodrama and the usual antics of the Gaslight actors. Performances run through June 2 at various times. Tickets range in price from $6 to $13.95. Dinner is also available in the theater.
Upcoming
TUCSON COMMUNITY THEATRE. Himmel Park Outdoor Amphitheatre. 1000 N. Tucson Blvd. 791-4663. The Miser, April 12-14 and 19-22, 7 p.m.
LIVE THEATRE WORKSHOP. 5317 E. Speedway Blvd. 327-4242. The Trip to Bountiful, May 11-June 3.
ARIZONA THEATRE COMPANY. Temple of Music and Art. 330 S. Scott Ave. 622-2823. Hamlet, May 16-20, 7 p.m.
Out of Town
DON VOLPONE. Bisbee Repertory Theatre. 94 Main St., Old Bisbee. (520) 432-3786. An adaptation of Ben Jonson's Don Volpone by Bisbee playwright Steve Bovee plays through April 8. This rollicking farce tells the tale of an old man who tries to con his greedy friends into giving him their valuables in trade for being included in his will. Tickets are $10 in advance and $12 at the door and are available at the Bisbee Chamber of Commerce and Tombstone Pharmacy.
Announcements
AUDITION NOTICE. Music Theatre Arizona is holding auditions for singers who act for She Loves Me, Jerry's Girls and Annie Warbucks April 7 at the TCC Maricopa/Mohave Room. Bring a picture and résumé and be prepared to sing 32 bars of a musical theater song. An accompanist will be provided. Call 293-7880 for an appointment.
AUDITION NOTICE. Rio Nuevo Productions is auditioning performers/acts for its weekly talent showcase. Clean, fun and interactive magicians, comedians, cabaret entertainers, Western revues, murder mysteries and gangster/flapper shows may apply. Call Kelley at 325-4114 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. any day except Wednesday to set an appointment.
COMEDY SUMMIT. The group Stand-Up, Sit Down offers aspiring comedians a forum for material and constructive criticism from its members. Call or e-mail Mike at Comedy Summit, 290-6600 or ghost_writer72@hotmail.com, for information.
DRAMA CLASSES. Casas Adobes Fine Arts Academy. 6801 N. Oracle Road. Classes for preschool and elementary age children are offered through May 26. Participants learn pantomime, theater games, improvisation, acting and more. Classes cost $25 and $40. For more information call 531-8074.
IMPROV WORKSHOP. International Arts Center. 516 N. Fifth Ave. Explore creative methods at 7 p.m. every Wednesday. All disciplines are welcome at this free workshop. Call Dennis Williams at 235-7846, or call 557-9121 for information.
SCRIPT MEETINGS. Professional and aspiring writers for the stage, screen, radio and other performance media are invited to join Old Pueblo Playwrights, a non-profit organization dedicated to encouraging the creation of new scripts by Arizona authors. OPP meets for readings and critiques at 7 p.m. every Monday in the rehearsal hall of the Temple of Music and Art, 330 S. Scott Ave. Call 615-8980 for information.
TEMPLE FOR RENT. The Temple of Music and Art and the Tucson Center for the Performing Arts have rental spaces available on a first-come, first-serve basis. Call 884-8210 for more information.
TEMPLE TOURS. See the Alice Holsclaw and Cabaret theaters and all the behind-the-scenes areas with free guided tours at 11:30 a.m. Saturdays through April 28. Tours begin in the courtyard of the Temple of Music and Art, 330 S. Scott Ave. Reservations are not required, but calling ahead to confirm tour availability is suggested. Call 884-8210 for information.