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Thursday, September 19, 2019
Laughing Stock: All kinds of funny
Posted By Linda Ray on Thu, Sep 19, 2019 at 12:27 PM
Lisa Landry at the Wench
Comedy at the Wench steps up its game with its first booked national act, Lisa Landry, at 7:30 p.m., Monday, Sept. 23. The show is also the series’ first for which advance tickets are available. They are $10 on Eventbrite.
Tucson comedy regulars know Landry from her headlining sets at Laffs Comedy Caffe. At the Wench she’ll top the bill of the club’s annual Cat Show, featuring cat-themed outfits and laughs in tribute to the next best pet to a dog.
It seems impossible that the life of a popular comedian with cover-girl looks could be anything like ours, but apparently it is. She nails the nexus of daughterhood, motherhood, the grind in general and the mixed legacy of her Louisiana birthplace with line after line of laugh-makers. It’s pretty much exactly what’s in our own 21st-century-afflicted brains, if we were that funny.
Landry uses swear words like a first language, which is to say deftly and where nothing else will do. She won her stripes at the crucible of New York comedy clubs, but her comedy is as grounded as a Costco. She’s had a Comedy Central special, headlined shows in Las Vegas, appeared on a dozen TV shows and released four CDs.
Comedy at the Wench is now in its fourth year with host Roxy Merrari at the helm. The Cat Show is a favorite in the series of special shows that take place on the fourth or last Monday every month. The club’s weekly Monday open mics are free, and past special shows, featured on the fourth or last Monday of the month, have been funded by audience donations.
Kristine Levine and Friends
Tucson’s most famous comedian Kristine Levine opens a new venue for greater Tucson comedy at 10 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 21. She’ll headline and host a show at Circle S Saloon in Marana. Tickets are $10 at the door or $5 in advance at (520) 682-5377.
Levine is best-known locally as Frank Brinsley’s partner on KLPX’s popular World -Famous Frank Show. She performed on several episodes of Portlandia and has guested at comedy festivals all over the U.S.
Last Friday, Last Laughs
This popular free monthly comedy series continues at Hotel McCoy on Friday, Sept. 27 at 8 p.m. In recent months the crowd has regularly overflowed into the patio and an adjacent room so we recommend arriving by 7:30. This month’s lineup includes, among others, Ashley Tappan, Tony Bruhn, Jerry Robin, Leo Skrzypczak, Mo Urban and Jarrod Martin.
Polo Ceniseros and Ryan Talmo at The Screening Room
Los Angeles comedy scene regulars Polo Ceniseros headlines a show at The Screening room with fellow angeleno Ryan Talmo at 8 p.m., Friday, Sept. 27. Tickets are $10 via Eventbrite.com. Rich Gary (Battle at the Roast Room, Keep Tucson Sketchy) hosts the show, which also features Chris Quinn (Open Mic Night at The Screening Room) and Dom DiTolla.
Hot Ticket: Keep Tucson Sketchy
If you were shut out of the first two, standing room only Keep Tucson Sketchy shows, they’ve heard you. The Saturday, Sept. 28 edition offers two showtimes: 7 and 10 p.m. Tickets are $15, but $10 in advance via keep-tucson-sketchy.ticketleap.com/ktsep3/.
Tucson Improv Movement (TIM) cast member Amanda Tennyson hosts the event with includes funny videos as well as hilarious sketches, written, produced and performed by a cast of more than 40 talented Tucsonans. Local musician Amanda Rochelle, also a TIM member, provides a musical break and DJ Sonario plays music for dancing in the aisles.
More Laughs
Friday, Sept. 20: Standup with Ben Roy, feat. Monica Nevi, at 8 and 10:30 p.m., Laffs Comedy Caffe ($12.50 and $17.50). Improv with Constable, Three’s Company and Chocolate Wheatie Things at 7:30 p.m. and The Soapbox at 9 p.m. at Tucson Improv Movement (TIM) ($5). Family-friendly improv with Not Burnt Out Just Unscrewed (NBOJU) at 7:30 p.m. at Unscrewed Theatre ($5 and $7).
Saturday, Sept. 21: Comedia standup en español with Franco Escamilla at Fox Tucson Theatre ($42 to $128). Standup with Joe Koy at 7:30 p.m. and 10 p.m. at Tucson Music Hall ($40 to $55). Standup with Ben Roy, feat. Monica Nevi, at 8 and 10:30 p.m., Laffs Comedy Caffe ($12.50 and $17.50). Improv with The Openers and Spanish language team Como Se Dice at 7:30 p.m., followed by Round 2 of the 3 v 3 Tournament at 9 p.m. at TIM, ($5). Family-friendly improv with NBOJU at 7:30 p.m. followed by House Team Double Feature at 9 p.m. at Unscrewed Theater ($5 and $8).
Sunday, Sept. 22: Free open mic at 8 p.m. at Chuckleheads in Bisbee.
Tuesday, Sept. 24: Free open mic at 6 p.m. at The Music Box
Wednesday, Sept. 25: Free open mics at 7 p.m. at The Screening Room and 8:30 p.m. at The Mint.
Thursday, Sept. 26: Standup with Tom Segura at The Fox Tucson Theatre ($43 to $79). Free open mics at 8 p.m. at Laffs Comedy Caffe and 8:30 p.m. at Rockabilly Grill.
Thursday, August 29, 2019
Laughing Stock: Funny how food goes with comedy.
Posted By Linda Ray on Thu, Aug 29, 2019 at 12:01 PM
Oh, that Tennessee Tramp!
National touring comedian Janet Williams has brightened some of my favorite holiday weekends at Laff’s Comedy Caffe. Last year her set tickled me so that I bought an extra LeCave’s donut the next morning.
Like me, Williams is up there in years. But so is Dolly Parton! Their boss attitudes and wicked sense of humor are alike enough they could be cousins. Dolly would wear Williams’ handle, the Tennessee Tramp, with pride, but Williams would laugh at the idea of all of Parton’s cosmetic surgery.
Williams’ comedy is as natural as daily life, spun by a force of nature. Her subject matter encompasses all ages, genders, and ethnic groups, and she’s a USO favorite. She’s performed for dozens of fundraisers and appeared on two seasons of BET Comic View.
She’ll be at Laffs Comedy Caffe at 8 and 10:30 p.m., Friday and Saturday, and at 8 p.m., Sunday. Reservations are $12.50 and $17.50 at laffstucson.com. There’s also a two-item minimum.
Because connections are what Tucson is all about . . .
Tucson downtown’s biggest night of the month will include a sampler of Tucson’s amazing indie comedy scene at The Screening Room starting in November. Producer Chris Quinn says his new Second Saturday series will feature two-hour, booked events with all local comedians. Admission will be $5.
In the way of so many Tucson things, the opportunity arose from serendipitous connection of people and inspiration.
Quinn’s best friend, Tyron Engle is a sound engineer and business partner in Cquinn-Ty. Engle owns an eponymous recording studio and handles sound for The Strada Company’s Reel Tucson show at The Screening Room. Reel Tucson, featuring shorts by local filmmakers, is run by drag queens Rew Bee Renard (Andrew Baughman) and Mary Jane (Alexander Robinson). Quinn knows Baughman as his wife’s former co-worker at Bookman’s.
In May, Reel Tucson featured comedy shorts and included a standup comedy show. It was such a success that The Strada Company began looking for other ways to bring comedy into the organization’s orbit. Engle encouraged the leadership to talk to Quinn, who had been thinking along the same lines.
“I've known (Baughman and Robinson) for almost five years,” Quinn says, “and they're like, ‘Hey, we're putting on a comedy show!’ And I was like, ‘Oh yeah, I do comedy.’ And they're like, ‘We know! You're the first name on the list.’ I was like, ‘Perfect’.
In June, Quinn, a relative newcomer in Tucson’s comedy scene, launched Open Mic Comedy Wednesdays at The Screening Room. “The first few mics had 12 to 15 people, which we were anticipating because it was brand new,” Quinn Says. “The last three shows we’ve had 20. We’ve gotten the numbers we were hoping for and we've been getting a bunch of great comics out.”
He and Engle believe there will be plenty to keep the Second Saturday crowds laughing between the bands and food trucks.
Let’s do this again! Comedy at Tony’s Deli
This party was so good in July, they ran out of beer. But there was still plenty of all kinds of pasta for the crowd jammed under the striped tent out back. A great time was had by all, like a family reunion with no kids, where everybody’s laughing, and you all get along.
Organizer and host Roy Lee Reynolds promises another big helping of the same at 7 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 31. The lineup will comprise Andrew Scott, Rebecca Tingley, Paul Fox and local superstar Pauly Casillas.
A $15 ticket includes dinner and the show. Tickets are at outlaw-comedy.ticketleap.com/comedy-at-tonys. Reynolds posted on Facebook, “If 25 people pre-order tickets . . . then Rebecca Tingley, Paul Fox, Andrew Scott and I will post a video of us telling our favorite street jokes while eating wings doused in The Last Dab (hot sauce).” You may still get in under the wire.
Last Friday, Last Laughs
Hotel McCoy’s free monthly comedy series continues at 8 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 30. The line-up includes Andrea Salazar, Joel Martin, Drake Horner, Chinna Garza, Em Bowen, Mariah Dickson, Jacob Breckenridge, Linda Ray (me) and Pauly Casillas. There’s usually a food truck
More Laughs
Thursday: Free open mics at 8 p.m. at Laffs Comedy Caffe and 8:30 p.m. at Rockabilly Grill.
Friday: Sebastian Maniscalco,(sold out) at Desert Diamond Casino. Improv with The Riveters and Shatfan at 7:30 p.m. and The Soapbox featuring Kristel Foster at 9 p.m. at Tucson Improv Movement ($5). Improv with NBOJU (Not Burnt Out Just Unscrewed) at 7:30 p.m. at Unscrewed Theater ($8 adults, $5 children).
Saturday: Improv with The Game Show Show and Laugh Tracks at 7:30 p.m. and the Dating Scene and The Family of Things at 9 p.m. at Tucson Improv Movement($5). Improv with family friendly NBOJU at 7:30 p.m. and 9 p.m. at Unscrewed Theater ($8 adults, $5 children).
Sunday: Free Open Mic at 8 p.m. at Chuckleheads in Bisbee.
Monday: Free Open Mic at 7 p.m. at The Surly Wench.
Wednesday: Free open mic at 7 p.m. at The Screening Room.
Wednesday, May 29, 2019
Laughing Stock: Still More Comedy at The O, Fitzsimmons Spotlights Local Laughs
Posted By Linda Ray on Wed, May 29, 2019 at 5:14 PM
Andy Andrist redux, Bruce Jingles, Amy Miller, Caitlin Weierhauser at the O
Bruce Jingles brings his smart observations, eloquent storytelling and pitch-perfect comedic timing to The O on June 1. He’s the second half of a weekend double-header doubling down on The O’s commitment to creating an uptown jazz and comedy club.
The Unbookables’s Andy Andrist headlines at 8 p.m. on May 31. Tickets for his show, a free-associative trip through his kaleidoscopic mind with side-trips to the floor, may still be available for $8 via Eventbrite.com, or you can pay $10 at the door.
It’s Jingles’ first visit to Tucson, and he performs at both 7 pm and 9 pm on June 1. Tickets are $10 via Eventbrite and $15 at the door. A favorite in Southern California’s stand-up comedy stomping grounds, Jingles plies relatable tales of everyday life with, for example, law enforcement, stereotyping, and weed. He drives them cheerily home with impersonations of people audience members may recognize from their own lives.
Jingles is a popular podcast guest and a fixture on USO tours. He’s been seen on ABC, VH1, TMZ, NUVOTV, and two Showtime specials, and he appeared in the 2008 dark comedy Driving Bill Crazy. His live comedy album, Bruce Jingles: Comic, released by RBC Records, can be found on iTunes, Pandora and Spotify.
The O keeps rolling on Wednesday, June 5 with Amy Miller, Caitlin Weierhauser and Steve Hernandez. According to her bio, headliner Miller was one of Comedy Central’s Up Next comics for 2018, and was a breakout favorite in Season 9 of Last Comic Standing. She’s also appeared on the Adam Carolla Show, Viceland and the Doug Loves Movies comedy podcast. Most recently she guested on the Stephen Colbert Show.
Miller describes her comedy as “personal, political, and 100 percent authentic.” She earned her comedy stripes in the Bay Area, but began attracting more widespread attention when she moved to Portland’s rich and even more diverse comedy scene.
She won the title Portland’s Funniest in a 2015 competition sponsored by Helium Comedy Club and was voted Portland’s Funniest Comedian in both 2013 and 2015 by readers of the independent Willamette Week. She was the first woman to top either, let alone both, of those contests.
Her album, Solid Gold, is available on the prestigious Kill Rock Stars label. Her podcast, Who’s Your God, with fellow O linep member Steve Hernandez, is at libsyn.com. She’s performed at numerous comedy festivals, including SXSW, Bridgetown, Big Sky and the San Francisco Sketchfest.
L.A.-based Weierhauser describes her comedy as social commentary with “coach vibes and … unhinged enthusiasm, often political, frequently personal and entirely too tantrum-prone.” Naturally she was cast in a Disney movie. It’s Timmy Failure, being readied for the 2020 debut of the new Disney streaming service, Disney +.
Weierhauser was voted one of the top three performers at Big Sky Comedy Fest and has performed for Bridgetown Comedy Festival, Bumbershoot, and the All Jane Comedy Fest.
Also from L.A., Steve Hernandez founded the popular LA bar show, Chatterbox Comedy Night. He was featured as a Field Correspondent on I Love You, America! With Sarah Silverman and appeared in Comedy Central’s Corporate.
Local First Arizona kind of spells LAF
Tucson’s favorite cartoonist and raconteur David Fitzsimmons hosts a comedy show at 8 p.m. Wednesday, June 5 at Borderlands Brewery. Admission is $5 at the door or in advance via squareup.com.
The event wraps up a Local First Arizona Roadshow hosted from 4 to 7 pm by the Rialto Theatre at its offshoot entertainment venue 191 Toole. It’s at the other end of the block from Borderlands.
LFA-member the Comedy Alliance of Tucson (full disclosure: I am its founder) organized the comedy show to include, besides Fitzsimmons: Roxy Merrari, host of Comedy at the (Surly) Wench; Monte Benjamin, known for clean comedy rooted in his experiences as a black American; Matt Ziemak, co-host of the monthly Brew Ha Ha comedy show at Borderlands; Mo Urban, stand-up comedy coach at Tucson Improv Movement, founder of a half-dozen local comedy shows and frequent guest in Arizona comedy festivals; Alex Kack, a leader in CAT, producer of this show and host of several local comedy shows, and Josiah Osego, a popular guest in comedy shows in Phoenix and all over Southern Arizona.
Ever the joker, Borderlands Brewing Company co-owner Michael Mallozzi says, “Running a business is no joke! But that doesn’t mean we can’t laugh! Join us for the Local First Arizona Roadshow to support your local businesses because you can’t spell laugh without LFA.” (Just don’t overthink it.)
Michael Peel, Southern Arizona Director of Local First Arizona, says the LFA Roadshows, which are free to the public, are a new program to get business members out in the community, like farmers’ markets promoting products and services. Peel says, “We create fun and engaging ways to connect local businesses to the community on a regular basis and keep more dollars in our local economy.
Peel and Mallozzi have been advisers in the formation of the Comedy Alliance of Tucson (CAT), seeing it as a means to expand the local business sector using comedy as a draw. Since it was established last year, CAT has worked with local businesses to create more opportunities for comedy in Tucson, promoting existing shows and venues while encouraging new ones. The organization promoted its first CATcomedy520 LOL crawl last January and currently is networking and pursuing initiatives with FEATS-AZ, the Marana Chamber of Commerce, Visit Tucson and TEN WEST as well as Local First.
Peel says, “Expect different themes and a rotating cast of LFA members and partners each month spotlighting and celebrating what makes our community so unique.”
Bruce Jingles brings his smart observations, eloquent storytelling and pitch-perfect comedic timing to The O on June 1. He’s the second half of a weekend double-header doubling down on The O’s commitment to creating an uptown jazz and comedy club.
The Unbookables’s Andy Andrist headlines at 8 p.m. on May 31. Tickets for his show, a free-associative trip through his kaleidoscopic mind with side-trips to the floor, may still be available for $8 via Eventbrite.com, or you can pay $10 at the door.
It’s Jingles’ first visit to Tucson, and he performs at both 7 pm and 9 pm on June 1. Tickets are $10 via Eventbrite and $15 at the door. A favorite in Southern California’s stand-up comedy stomping grounds, Jingles plies relatable tales of everyday life with, for example, law enforcement, stereotyping, and weed. He drives them cheerily home with impersonations of people audience members may recognize from their own lives.
Jingles is a popular podcast guest and a fixture on USO tours. He’s been seen on ABC, VH1, TMZ, NUVOTV, and two Showtime specials, and he appeared in the 2008 dark comedy Driving Bill Crazy. His live comedy album, Bruce Jingles: Comic, released by RBC Records, can be found on iTunes, Pandora and Spotify.
The O keeps rolling on Wednesday, June 5 with Amy Miller, Caitlin Weierhauser and Steve Hernandez. According to her bio, headliner Miller was one of Comedy Central’s Up Next comics for 2018, and was a breakout favorite in Season 9 of Last Comic Standing. She’s also appeared on the Adam Carolla Show, Viceland and the Doug Loves Movies comedy podcast. Most recently she guested on the Stephen Colbert Show.
Miller describes her comedy as “personal, political, and 100 percent authentic.” She earned her comedy stripes in the Bay Area, but began attracting more widespread attention when she moved to Portland’s rich and even more diverse comedy scene.
She won the title Portland’s Funniest in a 2015 competition sponsored by Helium Comedy Club and was voted Portland’s Funniest Comedian in both 2013 and 2015 by readers of the independent Willamette Week. She was the first woman to top either, let alone both, of those contests.
Her album, Solid Gold, is available on the prestigious Kill Rock Stars label. Her podcast, Who’s Your God, with fellow O linep member Steve Hernandez, is at libsyn.com. She’s performed at numerous comedy festivals, including SXSW, Bridgetown, Big Sky and the San Francisco Sketchfest.
L.A.-based Weierhauser describes her comedy as social commentary with “coach vibes and … unhinged enthusiasm, often political, frequently personal and entirely too tantrum-prone.” Naturally she was cast in a Disney movie. It’s Timmy Failure, being readied for the 2020 debut of the new Disney streaming service, Disney +.
Weierhauser was voted one of the top three performers at Big Sky Comedy Fest and has performed for Bridgetown Comedy Festival, Bumbershoot, and the All Jane Comedy Fest.
Also from L.A., Steve Hernandez founded the popular LA bar show, Chatterbox Comedy Night. He was featured as a Field Correspondent on I Love You, America! With Sarah Silverman and appeared in Comedy Central’s Corporate.
Local First Arizona kind of spells LAF
Tucson’s favorite cartoonist and raconteur David Fitzsimmons hosts a comedy show at 8 p.m. Wednesday, June 5 at Borderlands Brewery. Admission is $5 at the door or in advance via squareup.com.
The event wraps up a Local First Arizona Roadshow hosted from 4 to 7 pm by the Rialto Theatre at its offshoot entertainment venue 191 Toole. It’s at the other end of the block from Borderlands.
LFA-member the Comedy Alliance of Tucson (full disclosure: I am its founder) organized the comedy show to include, besides Fitzsimmons: Roxy Merrari, host of Comedy at the (Surly) Wench; Monte Benjamin, known for clean comedy rooted in his experiences as a black American; Matt Ziemak, co-host of the monthly Brew Ha Ha comedy show at Borderlands; Mo Urban, stand-up comedy coach at Tucson Improv Movement, founder of a half-dozen local comedy shows and frequent guest in Arizona comedy festivals; Alex Kack, a leader in CAT, producer of this show and host of several local comedy shows, and Josiah Osego, a popular guest in comedy shows in Phoenix and all over Southern Arizona.
Ever the joker, Borderlands Brewing Company co-owner Michael Mallozzi says, “Running a business is no joke! But that doesn’t mean we can’t laugh! Join us for the Local First Arizona Roadshow to support your local businesses because you can’t spell laugh without LFA.” (Just don’t overthink it.)
Michael Peel, Southern Arizona Director of Local First Arizona, says the LFA Roadshows, which are free to the public, are a new program to get business members out in the community, like farmers’ markets promoting products and services. Peel says, “We create fun and engaging ways to connect local businesses to the community on a regular basis and keep more dollars in our local economy.
Peel and Mallozzi have been advisers in the formation of the Comedy Alliance of Tucson (CAT), seeing it as a means to expand the local business sector using comedy as a draw. Since it was established last year, CAT has worked with local businesses to create more opportunities for comedy in Tucson, promoting existing shows and venues while encouraging new ones. The organization promoted its first CATcomedy520 LOL crawl last January and currently is networking and pursuing initiatives with FEATS-AZ, the Marana Chamber of Commerce, Visit Tucson and TEN WEST as well as Local First.
Peel says, “Expect different themes and a rotating cast of LFA members and partners each month spotlighting and celebrating what makes our community so unique.”
Friday, February 15, 2019
Laughing Stock: Wear your roller skates on Saturday
Posted By Linda Ray on Fri, Feb 15, 2019 at 11:00 AM
Congratulations to all involved in the first CATcomedy520 LOL Crawl. Mark your calendars for the next one, Sunday, Jan. 26 through Feb. 1, 2020. Meanwhile, follow CATcomedy520 on Facebook and CATcomedy.org on the web for Tucson comedy shows.
This month, we’re being treated to a string of top national standup comics.
Ali Wong: The Milk and Money Tour comes to the Tucson Convention Center at 7 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 16. Wong catapulted to the national scene with her 2016 Netflix feature Baby Cobra. In 2017, she drew record crowds to eight shows at the San Francisco Masonic. In 2018, she voiced and produced Netflix’s animated Tuca and Bertie, starred in a Netflix movie she co-wrote, and wrote a book coming out on Random House this year. Tickets are $37 to $63 via Ticketmaster.
Brian Regan performs at the Fox Tucson Theatre at 7 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 16. Vanity Fair is a fan, and Entertainment Weekly calls him “your favorite comedian’s favorite comedian.” In 2018 he delivered the first Netflix special of his 30-year career, tenderly named "Nunchuks and Flamethrowers." Regan is a frequent guest on The Tonight Show and appeared regularly on Letterman.Tickets are $37.50 to $74.50 via Foxtucsontheatre.ticketforce.com
Fried Chicken and Latkes with Rain Pryor features at Leo Rich Theatre at 7:30 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 16. Legendary TV producer Norman Lear is adapting for television this one-woman show created by his casting director, Rain Pryor. The daughter of comedian Richard Pryor, she is half Jewish and all entertainment.Tickets are $10 via SquareUp.com
Brew Haha Comedy Showcase Presents: Black Chicks and Pink D*cks! at 8 p.m., Monday, Feb. 18. This collective of top black female comics promises “A stand-up comedy show featuring open minded strong black women who are coming for your inheritance.” They’ve won top reviews in their travels. Tickets are $10 via SquareUp.com.
Tucsoncomedy.com Presents Gilbert Gottfried at Laffs Comedy Caffe in two Wednesday shows, Feb. 20 at 7 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. (Update: the 7 p.m. show is sold out.) This mean, dirty and relentlessly hilarious jokester was the subject of documentary last year that let fans see his softer, more human side. No worries! The mellow Gottfried won’t be showing up at Laff’s. Gottfried’s long-time fans who may have caught his act only on TV or in arenas can enjoy the 360 degree Gottfried experience in the uniquely intimate setting of Laff’s, where even newcomers to comedy can watch the master up close. Tickets are $25 at Eventbrite.com
This month, we’re being treated to a string of top national standup comics.
Ali Wong: The Milk and Money Tour comes to the Tucson Convention Center at 7 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 16. Wong catapulted to the national scene with her 2016 Netflix feature Baby Cobra. In 2017, she drew record crowds to eight shows at the San Francisco Masonic. In 2018, she voiced and produced Netflix’s animated Tuca and Bertie, starred in a Netflix movie she co-wrote, and wrote a book coming out on Random House this year. Tickets are $37 to $63 via Ticketmaster.
Brian Regan performs at the Fox Tucson Theatre at 7 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 16. Vanity Fair is a fan, and Entertainment Weekly calls him “your favorite comedian’s favorite comedian.” In 2018 he delivered the first Netflix special of his 30-year career, tenderly named "Nunchuks and Flamethrowers." Regan is a frequent guest on The Tonight Show and appeared regularly on Letterman.Tickets are $37.50 to $74.50 via Foxtucsontheatre.ticketforce.com
Fried Chicken and Latkes with Rain Pryor features at Leo Rich Theatre at 7:30 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 16. Legendary TV producer Norman Lear is adapting for television this one-woman show created by his casting director, Rain Pryor. The daughter of comedian Richard Pryor, she is half Jewish and all entertainment.Tickets are $10 via SquareUp.com
Brew Haha Comedy Showcase Presents: Black Chicks and Pink D*cks! at 8 p.m., Monday, Feb. 18. This collective of top black female comics promises “A stand-up comedy show featuring open minded strong black women who are coming for your inheritance.” They’ve won top reviews in their travels. Tickets are $10 via SquareUp.com.
Tucsoncomedy.com Presents Gilbert Gottfried at Laffs Comedy Caffe in two Wednesday shows, Feb. 20 at 7 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. (Update: the 7 p.m. show is sold out.) This mean, dirty and relentlessly hilarious jokester was the subject of documentary last year that let fans see his softer, more human side. No worries! The mellow Gottfried won’t be showing up at Laff’s. Gottfried’s long-time fans who may have caught his act only on TV or in arenas can enjoy the 360 degree Gottfried experience in the uniquely intimate setting of Laff’s, where even newcomers to comedy can watch the master up close. Tickets are $25 at Eventbrite.com
Monday, February 11, 2019
GIVEAWAY: Tucson Craft Beer Crawl
Posted By TW Fun & Games Desk on Mon, Feb 11, 2019 at 11:21 AM
Here at the Tucson Weekly we are pretty excited that it's Arizona Beer Week. We are so excited that we had a whole special edition dedicated to breweries, brewers and brew! Check out our beer review, our cover story about all the love within the local brewing community, our full beer week calendar and more in this week's issue on stands now.
As you can see by our calendar, there are loads of events happening around town that celebrate all things beer, but we have your chance to attend one special event for free!
Enter for your chance to win two free tickets to the Tucson Craft Beer Crawl on Saturday, Feb. 16. This year is number five for the crawl which organizers describe as a bar-crawl-meets-beer-festival that takes over downtown. Gear up to sample beer from 30 breweries!
Entrants must be 21+ to participate.
As you can see by our calendar, there are loads of events happening around town that celebrate all things beer, but we have your chance to attend one special event for free!
Enter for your chance to win two free tickets to the Tucson Craft Beer Crawl on Saturday, Feb. 16. This year is number five for the crawl which organizers describe as a bar-crawl-meets-beer-festival that takes over downtown. Gear up to sample beer from 30 breweries!
Entrants must be 21+ to participate.
Monday, December 31, 2018
Happy New Year's Eve!
Posted By TW Fun & Games Desk on Mon, Dec 31, 2018 at 4:25 PM
There's so much going on in the Old Pueblo to kick off 2019 tonight!
Here are just a few of your possible options:
Through The Decades Party at Congress. Hotel Congress is putting the cap on A LITERAL CENTURY of business with this bash from the past. Featuring music and decorations from the best decades since opening 100 years ago, Congress is hosting multiple parties all under one roof. We're talking multiple stages of live music, all-night dancing, photo booths, a Ferris wheel and more. Here's your chance to fully embrace the "born in the wrong generation" fact you've been touting to all your friends. And if you didn't know, Hotel Congress is also a hotel! So if you party too hard, you can sleep right then and there. 8 p.m. to 2 a.m. 311 East Congress Street. $35 early bird, $70 general admission, $140 VIP. hotelcongress.com.
Valli Fever at Gaslight Music Hall. Frankie Valli may have worked with Four Seasons, but there's only one season you need to worry about: New Year's! Gaslight Music Hall is enlisting the help of oldies-singers The 4GENTS to celebrate the music of Frankie Valli & the Four Seasons. And better yet, this show is a matinee! So you can swing by for the daytime performance if you already have evening plans, or you can catch dinner and a show a little bit later. Either way, this will turn you into a dapper toe-tapper. 3 p.m. or 7 p.m. special show with dinner. $30 for the 3 p.m. show, $64.95 for the 7 p.m. show and meal. Book online at gaslightmusichall.com or call 529-1000.
The Labyrinth New Year's Eve Party and Masquerade Ball. We know what you're thinking: Why haven't you been kicking off every new year with a sing and quote-along edition of Labyrinth? Maybe that's why 2018, and all those other years, just weren't your year. Not to worry: Just head over to The Loft to watch David Bowie do his thing, and Jennifer Connelly learn that age-old "Be careful what you wish for" lesson. There's a costume contest before the show, pre-show Bowie music videos, a make-your-own mask table in case you forget your masquerade mask at home. Plus, lots of props and a free champagne toast at midnight. Event starts at 11, but movies start promptly at 11:45. Loft Cinema, 3233 E. Speedway Blvd. $15, or $12 for Loft members. loftcinema.org.
Check out our full list of festivities for all of the 2018-to-2019 fun here!
Here are just a few of your possible options:
Through The Decades Party at Congress. Hotel Congress is putting the cap on A LITERAL CENTURY of business with this bash from the past. Featuring music and decorations from the best decades since opening 100 years ago, Congress is hosting multiple parties all under one roof. We're talking multiple stages of live music, all-night dancing, photo booths, a Ferris wheel and more. Here's your chance to fully embrace the "born in the wrong generation" fact you've been touting to all your friends. And if you didn't know, Hotel Congress is also a hotel! So if you party too hard, you can sleep right then and there. 8 p.m. to 2 a.m. 311 East Congress Street. $35 early bird, $70 general admission, $140 VIP. hotelcongress.com.
Valli Fever at Gaslight Music Hall. Frankie Valli may have worked with Four Seasons, but there's only one season you need to worry about: New Year's! Gaslight Music Hall is enlisting the help of oldies-singers The 4GENTS to celebrate the music of Frankie Valli & the Four Seasons. And better yet, this show is a matinee! So you can swing by for the daytime performance if you already have evening plans, or you can catch dinner and a show a little bit later. Either way, this will turn you into a dapper toe-tapper. 3 p.m. or 7 p.m. special show with dinner. $30 for the 3 p.m. show, $64.95 for the 7 p.m. show and meal. Book online at gaslightmusichall.com or call 529-1000.
The Labyrinth New Year's Eve Party and Masquerade Ball. We know what you're thinking: Why haven't you been kicking off every new year with a sing and quote-along edition of Labyrinth? Maybe that's why 2018, and all those other years, just weren't your year. Not to worry: Just head over to The Loft to watch David Bowie do his thing, and Jennifer Connelly learn that age-old "Be careful what you wish for" lesson. There's a costume contest before the show, pre-show Bowie music videos, a make-your-own mask table in case you forget your masquerade mask at home. Plus, lots of props and a free champagne toast at midnight. Event starts at 11, but movies start promptly at 11:45. Loft Cinema, 3233 E. Speedway Blvd. $15, or $12 for Loft members. loftcinema.org.
Check out our full list of festivities for all of the 2018-to-2019 fun here!
Thursday, November 15, 2018
Laughing Stock: “Southern” Accents.
Posted By Linda Ray on Thu, Nov 15, 2018 at 4:45 PM
Allen Strickland Williams comes to Brew Ha Ha
How much love can Tucson muster for a prep-school-named comic in a suit and tie? You’re not from Stanhope country, are you, son? Somehow on him, though, the anomalous sartorial choice is kinda hot. You know he could beat the pants off Idris Alba in trivia. Then there’s that telltale Southern accent.
Allen Strickland Williams has performed twice on Conan and been named to Comics to Watch lists on both Comedy Central and the Los Angeles Times. He’s performed at South by Southwest, Portland’s Bridgetown Comedy Festival and LA’s Riot Fest, among many other festivals. And he trained with UCB in both improv and sketch.
An iPhone flip through his YouTube channel is the best choice in any waiting room. Plus, he plays guitar, writes for Vice and, in an impossible case, landed a role in the 2018 season opener of Corporate.
Brew Ha Ha co-producers Rory Monserrat and Matt Ziemak regard his booking for their Nov. 19 Brew Ha Ha a big step in the project’s growth.
“Our main goal for Brew Ha Ha has always been to produce a quality stand-up showcase,” Zeimak says, “so being able to bring in these comics we respect and enjoy lets me know that the hard work we’re doing is paying off.
“(Partnering) with such a caring local business (Borderlands Brewing Company) has definitely helped make this a show people come back to month after month.”
The rest of the Nov. 19 bill includes New Yorker Brian Bahe, Phoenicians Tristan Bowling and Dana Whissen, and Tucsonan Eli W.T.
There’s a Brew Ha Ha every third Monday at Borderlands Brewery. The cover is $5, payable at the door and includes one of any Borderlands brew.
Blame it on Estrogen
Our top women-run comedy show, The Estrogen Hour, and the upstart Let’s Talk About Sex, Baby, both play for your adventurous mind this week.
A benefit for cancer research, The Estrogen Hour isn’t entirely about sex, but it always sells out. The show is at 6:30 p.m., Sunday, Dec. 2. It’s $15 plus a two-item minimum. Go to Estrogen Hour on Facebook for reservation details and the lineup.
Rebecca Tingley says her “Let’s Talk About Sex, Baby” on Thanksgiving, is all about giving and receiving. That show’s gift is that we always learn something new. It’s at 7:30 p.m., Thursday, Nov. 22, at Club Congress; $3.
How much love can Tucson muster for a prep-school-named comic in a suit and tie? You’re not from Stanhope country, are you, son? Somehow on him, though, the anomalous sartorial choice is kinda hot. You know he could beat the pants off Idris Alba in trivia. Then there’s that telltale Southern accent.
Allen Strickland Williams has performed twice on Conan and been named to Comics to Watch lists on both Comedy Central and the Los Angeles Times. He’s performed at South by Southwest, Portland’s Bridgetown Comedy Festival and LA’s Riot Fest, among many other festivals. And he trained with UCB in both improv and sketch.
An iPhone flip through his YouTube channel is the best choice in any waiting room. Plus, he plays guitar, writes for Vice and, in an impossible case, landed a role in the 2018 season opener of Corporate.
Brew Ha Ha co-producers Rory Monserrat and Matt Ziemak regard his booking for their Nov. 19 Brew Ha Ha a big step in the project’s growth.
“Our main goal for Brew Ha Ha has always been to produce a quality stand-up showcase,” Zeimak says, “so being able to bring in these comics we respect and enjoy lets me know that the hard work we’re doing is paying off.
“(Partnering) with such a caring local business (Borderlands Brewing Company) has definitely helped make this a show people come back to month after month.”
The rest of the Nov. 19 bill includes New Yorker Brian Bahe, Phoenicians Tristan Bowling and Dana Whissen, and Tucsonan Eli W.T.
There’s a Brew Ha Ha every third Monday at Borderlands Brewery. The cover is $5, payable at the door and includes one of any Borderlands brew.
Blame it on Estrogen
Our top women-run comedy show, The Estrogen Hour, and the upstart Let’s Talk About Sex, Baby, both play for your adventurous mind this week.
A benefit for cancer research, The Estrogen Hour isn’t entirely about sex, but it always sells out. The show is at 6:30 p.m., Sunday, Dec. 2. It’s $15 plus a two-item minimum. Go to Estrogen Hour on Facebook for reservation details and the lineup.
Rebecca Tingley says her “Let’s Talk About Sex, Baby” on Thanksgiving, is all about giving and receiving. That show’s gift is that we always learn something new. It’s at 7:30 p.m., Thursday, Nov. 22, at Club Congress; $3.
Wednesday, November 7, 2018
Arizona Farm & Food Festival
Posted By Savanah Modesitt on Wed, Nov 7, 2018 at 10:27 AM
The Southern Arizona Arts & Cultural Alliance (SAACA) and Casino Del Sol are partnering for the Arizona Farm & Food Festival on Saturday, Nov. 10. The festival will include live cooking demonstrations, food samplings, a farmer's market, children's activities, cultural entertainment and opportunities to meet with local chefs.
The festival will showcase more than 35 sampling stations. Some of the stations will offer foods like truffle artisan popcorn, gourmet salsa, lavender lemonade, ceviche, smoked brisket and many different variations of tacos. Local restaurants that will be participating include Boca Tacos y Tequila, Grand Canyon Brewery, Brushfire BBQ Co., KingFisher, El Charro, Seis Kitchen, and many more!
There will also be an interactive wine and beer tent that will showcase local spirits purveyors. Libations from local breweries and distilleries will be offered along with tasting tours for individuals over the age of 21.
While festival goers sample on foods and drinks, live bands will be performing including The Blues, Americana, Alt-Country, Kevin Pakulis and his Band, The Begave Trio and Navajo music.
"The Arizona Farm & Food Festival is an investment in the sustainability of Arizona's cultural food heritage. Connecting chefs and restaurants with local food producers supports preservation of our culture," said Kate Marquez, SAACA Executive Director.
The Arizona Farm & Food Festival will be on Saturday, Nov. 10 from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Casino Del Sol's AVA Amphitheater located on 5655 W. Valencia Rd.
Tickets for general admission will be sold at $35 and upgraded tickets to sample alcohol will be $50 per ticket.
For more information about the festival and to purchase tickets, visit http://www.saaca.org/
