The Rogue Theatre: “Under Milkwood”
JAN. 11 TO JAN. 28
Based on a radio broadcast by Dylan Thomas, this stage play uses the device of a narrator revealing the characters’ internal lives as they evolve toward understanding how they affect each other. Thomas originated the script in 1934 at age 17. Later he’s said to have once lost it on a barstool. Characters evolved and others were added as he met new inspirations among English villagers. He wrote the last lines just before the 1954 broadcast in New York City.
The Rogue Theatre 300 E. University Boulevard, Tucson, various days and times, tickets start at $37, www.theroguetheatre.org
Japanese New Year Festival
JAN. 13
Happy birthday, dragons! You have the most coveted sign in the Chinese zodiac. Use the numbers 1, 6 and 7 at every opportunity, but avoid 3 and 8. Yume Gardens celebrates the advent of your year with a festival filled with Japanese music, traditional dancing, a variety of authentic Japanese food, snacks and drinks, and the annual ritual of Mochitsuki – pounding rice to make the Japanese sweet treat known as mochi.
Yume Japanese Garden, 2130 N. Alvernon Way, Tucson, $15, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., www.yumegardens.org, advance registration required
“Wings Over Willcox”
TO JAN. 14
An estimated 20,000 Sandhill Cranes winter at Cochise Lake, famously dubbed by a prominent birder, the “best sewage treatment pond for birding.” But beyond the Sandhill Cranes, The National Audubon Society regards Willcox as an “Important Bird Area” for more than 300 species. This event attracts birders from around the world to its seminars, field trips and nature expo.
Willcox Community Center, 312 W. Stewart Street, Willcox, $20 registration, additional for some activities, various dates and times, www.wingsoverwillcox.com
Poetry Reading with
Allison Adelle Hedge Coke, Derek Sheffield and Julie Swarstad Johnson
JAN. 11
Literary magazine “Terrain.org” celebrates its 25th anniversary with a reading by prominent poets, both in person and streaming. Multiple award winner and Fulbright Scholar Coke is distinguished professor of creative writing at the University of California Riverside. Sheffield, also the recipient of many distinguished awards, is poetry editor of “Terrain.” Johnson is archivist and outreach librarian at the UA Poetry Center and producer of the podcast “Poetry Centered.”
UA Poetry Center, 1508 E. Helen Street, Tucson, free, 7 p.m., and streaming,
www.poetry.arizona.edu
Tasting History:
Greens and Herbs
JAN 12. AND JAN. 13
Established on the site of some of the earliest-known agriculture along the Santa Cruz River, Mission Garden keeps history alive by growing hundreds of traditional local crops. In its “Tasting History” series, participants learn about the crops’ origins as they come into season. Historic traditions represent Spanish Colonial, Mexican and Chinese influences.
“The Placita,” Mission Garden, 946 W. Mission Lane, Tucson, free, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., www.missiongarden.org
Secret Jazz Series
JAN. 12 TO JAN. 14
The lineup for the Tucson Jazz Festival is overwhelming. No one can do it all, but how to choose. See as much as you can, but we’re not going to miss this little secret. Danish drummer Kresten Osgood will take the audience back to where jazz began, in an ad-hoc venue where musicians impressed each other and shaped a musical revolution.
The Cabaret Theater, Temple of Music and Art, 330 S. Scott Avenue, Tucson, tickets start at $20, 7 p.m.,
www.eventbrite.com
Second Saturday at Steam Pump Ranch
JAN. 13
Shop, eat and tour the historic Pusch House Museum and Steam Pump Ranch at this family event. Archaeology Southwest offers demonstrations and activities illustrating agricultural practices in the area’s pre-history. The Heirloom Farmers Markets sell fresh, organic produce in the Ramada area and the Makers Market features arts and crafts by local makers. There will also be craft activities for kids.
Historic Steam Pump Ranch,10901 N. Oracle Road, Tucson, free, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., www.orovalleyaz.gov
Guided Geology Tour
JAN. 13
Geologist Tom Buckley points out where fault thrusts raised rocks that once were buried more than 5 miles beneath the surface. With an interactive discussion along the mile-long trail, he points out major geological events that created the Santa Catalina Mountain landscape once covered by warm, shallow seas. Space is limited for this exploration, but it’s offered monthly, and reservations are available two months in advance.
Oracle State Park, 3820 Wildlife Drive, Oracle, $7, 10 a.m., reservation only, 520-896-2425,
www.azstateparks.com
Tucson Desert Song Festival 55th Season
JAN. 14 TO FEB. 29
The event’s scale and scope may eclipse even that of the Tucson Jazz Festival. Music from Renaissance Italy kicks things off on Jan. 14. A lecture on the 17th revisits works of under-represented composers and lyricists. Concerts explore a comprehensive range of genres in venues where first-class acoustics are paramount. Highlights include Katherine Byrnes channeling Edith Piaf, renowned tenor Michael Fabiano introducing a world premier by Jimmy Lopez Bellido, and the Mark Morris Dance Group performing “Songs of Burt Bacharach.”
Tucson Desert Song Festival, multiple venues, Tucson, various prices and times,
www.tucsondesertsongfestival.org
Curious Conversations: Khris Dodge Hosts “Getting Into Jazz”
JAN. 16
A uniquely American art form, jazz is a mystery to many Tucsonans. Yet the annual Tucson Jazz Festival attracts thousands from all over the world. Hosted by Tucson Meet Yourself, the festival’s executive director Khris Dodge, a long-time music educator, offers a primer for folks who’d like to know more. Sharing stories, music and demonstrations, he promises to demystify the genre that floods Tucson’s stages and hotels in January.
Fox Tucson Theatre, 17 W. Congress Street, Tucson, free, 1 p.m.,
www.foxtucson.com
