ON STAGE PHOENIX | 2025-2026 SEASON

STAGE

PHOENIX

2025 - 2026

PROMOTING THE ARTS, TOGETHER.

SRP supports the imagination and innovation that create a vibrant arts community — one that enables and inspires us to build bridges between cultures.

srp.net/arts

Michael O’Connor

Arizona Theatre Company

Matt Engle

Arizona Opera

Kara Montalvo

Ballet Arizona

Erika Castro

Chandler Center for the Arts

Geri Mingura

Desert Botanical Garden

John Coggins

Heard Museum

Sheenam Arora

Mesa Arts Center Foundation

Rob Taylor

Phoenix Art Museum

Vanessa Kisicki

The Phoenix Symphony

Molly Greene

Phoenix Theatre Company

Jim Pratt

Phoenix Zoo

Bryanna McHenry

Scottsdale Cultural Council

Justin Hockemeyer

SOUNDS Academy

Kristofer Kautz

TheaterWorks

PROGRAMS

PRESIDENT

ROBYN LAMBERT LYNCH

DIRECTOR

GINA DOWNEY

PRODUCTION MANAGER

JULIE VANCE

LISA GRANNIS

MICHELLE SCHNEIDER

MORGAN MCCLELLAN

OWNER MAC PERLICH

GRAPHIC DESIGN

JENNIFER KELLER

COVER

2025-26 SEASON Sponsor Welcome

SRP IS PROUD to support the arts and Valley artists and the immeasurable value they bring to our lives and to our community.

The arts have the remarkable power to inspire connection. Artistic expression can unite us in a common experience of imagination and emotion.

Beyond their cultural and personal impact, the arts help to drive economic growth. Throughout the Valley, theaters, museums, galleries, concert venues and more contribute significantly to local economies by invigorating neighborhoods, stimulating tourism and creating jobs while improving the quality of life for us all.

On behalf of SRP’s more than 5,000 dedicated team members, thank you to the artists, performers, educators and enthusiasts who bring our culture to life. Their passion and dedication lift our community and inspire generations of artists to come.

Thank you for your support. Together, we can continue to foster an environment that encourages artistic growth and expression, celebrates diversity and enriches our sense of community.

Jim Pratt

SRP

General Manager & Chief Executive Officer

Phoenix legacy, Nationwide future

Increase speed to market and reduce logistical hurdles for your marketing deployment, nationwide.

Prisma is proud to be a supporter of the arts.

Of all the enthralling “E” words out there, our favorite is “Equal.”

Too many people still feel they need to live undercover, hiding who they are or presenting a version of themselves that conforms to the current norms. We think this is egregious.

At Friendship Village Tempe, we don’t live undercover. We live out loud. Under an umbrella of equality. We like to think we exemplify what life at a senior living community (and, really, life in general) should be. If you’re ready to eschew the expected and live life on your terms, we’d be elated if you joined us. Call 480-207-3056 or visit FriendshipVillageAZ.com to learn more about our eclectic, exuberant brand of living.

ARTS PERFORMING

2025

SEASON ARTS GROUPS HIGHLIGHT THEIR PERFORMANCES

- 2026

Arizona Bach Festival 2026

February 15

JS Bach

Violin Concerto & Brandenburg #5

Jonathan Swartz, violin leading the Festival Orchestra

All Saints’ Episcopal Church

February 22

Sonatas of JS Bach

Steven Moeckel, violin

Western Spirit: Scottsdale’s Museum of the West

March 1

Lidarti’s Oratorio “Esther”

Josefien Stoppelenburg, soprano with the Festival Orchestra and Chorus Valley of the Sun Jewish Community Center

March 8

Organ & Trumpet

Avi Stein, organ and John Thiessen, Baroque trumpet

All Saints’ Episcopal Church

ARIZONA BACH FESTIVAL 2026: Bringing the Finest in Baroque Music to Arizona!

The Arizona Bach Festival brings superb musicians from around the world each year to join with local artists in presenting the music of Bach and his contemporaries. The 2026 season opens on Sunday, Feb. 15 with a Baroque Tour de Force: ASU Professor Jonathan Swartz leads the Festival Orchestra in a Bach Violin Concerto and the Brandenburg Concerto #5, as well as Telemann’s Don Quixote Suite and Johann Bernhard Bach’s Ouverture-Suite in G minor. The concert will be held at All Saints’ Episcopal Church in Phoenix.

On Sunday, Feb. 22, Steven Moeckel, Associate Professor of Violin at Northern Arizona University and past concertmaster of the Phoenix Symphony, presents Soul Searching, a journey through the three sonatas for violin solo by J. S. Bach at Western Spirit: Scottsdale’s Museum of the West amid their glorious artwork. Admission to this special event includes a tour of the museum and a pre-concert reception.

On March 1, the Festival presents the Arizona premiere of Christiano Giuseppe Lidarti’s Oratorio Esther, the only late Baroque oratorio in

the Jewish tradition. This performance features Dutch soprano Josefien Stoppelenburg in the title role as well as Phoenix favorites Nina Cole Garguilo and Paul Nicosia along with the Festival Orchestra and Choir, all under the direction of Scott Youngs, Festival Music Director. This unusual and beautiful work was commissioned for the Jewish community in Amsterdam and tells the Purim story of the heroine Esther. The work will be sung in Hebrew.

The Festival’s Annual Organ Recital features Avi Stein, joined by Baroque trumpeter John Thiessen, both Juilliard School faculty in NYC, on Sunday, March 8. The concert will be held at All Saints’ Episcopal Church in Phoenix on the beautiful Visser mechanical action organ.

For more information, visit arizonabachfestival.org

Arizona Bach Festival

JOSEFIEN

PHOTO BY HILDE

ARIZONA BROADWAY THEATRE Announces Supersized 21st Season of Shows

Arizona Broadway Theatre announces a 10-show lineup for its 21st season of live performances in the West Valley. This is the largest season of shows in the theater’s history. The 2025-26 lineup includes a mix of award-winning musicals 42nd Street and Avenue Q , family favorites like Disney’s Newsies, A Christmas Story and Cats , regional premiers of Pretty Woman and Grumpy Old Men , rounded out with Bonnie & Clyde, Million Dollar Quartet Christmas and The Prom , all sure to delight audiences of all ages.

The shows that make up Arizona Broadway Theatre’s 21st season were chosen to excite audiences with the theater’s artistic vision and provide a varied theatrical experience. The company is especially eager to bring newly released shows to the Valley and put a spin on them, while also taking classics and reinvigorating them for a new generation of audiences.

Arizona Broadway Theatre plays a significant role in Peoria’s growing arts and

entertainment scene. Its combination of professional productions, educational offerings and community events has made it a cultural cornerstone of the West Valley. The theater frequently collaborates with local schools, hosts behind-the-scenes tours and supports educational programs such as youth theater camps and internship opportunities.

The 466-seat Arizona Broadway Theatre is located in the Northwest Valley in the heart of the P83 entertainment district in Peoria. It provides an all-encompassing entertainment experience for audiences of all ages by combining a one-of-a-kind venue with worldclass dining and professional theater. It is the only theater of its kind in Arizona.

For more information, visit www.azbroadway.org or call 623-776-8400.

ARIZONA MUSICFEST CELEBRATES ITS 35TH ANNIVERSARY SEASON

With Over 50 Concerts Featuring Oscar, Tony and GRAMMY

Award Winners

Arizona Musicfest proudly announces its milestone 35th Anniversary Season for 2025–2026, featuring another stellar lineup of celebrity entertainers, distinguished artists and thrilling performances.

The 2025–26 season features iconic artists including instrumental superstar Kenny G ;

sixteen-time GRAMMY Award winner David Foster with television and Broadway star Katharine McPhee; the legendary duo The Righteous Brothers in their Farewell Tour ; author and radio personality Garrison Keillor ; the genre-defying group The Ten Tenors from Australia; five-time GRAMMY-winning jazz sensation Samara Joy ; the lush vocals of the

MORGAN FREEMAN

worldwide phenomenon Il Divo; and one of the top selling artists ever to come out of America’s Got Talent, The Texas Tenors. To further celebrate the star-studded 35th anniversary, Academy Award winner and film legend Morgan Freeman will join Musicfest live onstage in January to present his Symphonic Blues Experience, a highlight of the season.

Broadway fans will enjoy performances by three-time Tony Award winner Patti LuPone; Tony winner Laura Benanti with Tony nominee Norm Lewis; and Musicfest’s return to the Herberger Theater Center in April for its full-scale production of the modern musical classic, Ragtime. Additional theatrically themed concerts include Michael Feinstein’s Big Band Broadway with The Carnegie Hall Big Band, and the return of Musicfest favorites The Barricade Boys with their brand-new show, Broadway at the Movies.

For fans of jazz, Musicfest presents the classic sounds of The Hot Sardines with the Musicfest Pops Ensemble; the nostalgic retro sounds of acclaimed jazz duo Rachael & Vilray ; and the return of Jazz at Lincoln Center Presents with their new show The Great American Crooners

celebrating the music of Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, Bobby Darin and more.

Each season, Musicfest assembles elite musicians from some of the nation’s finest orchestras to perform as the Festival Orchestra. Under the direction of Maestro Robert Moody, the 2026 Orchestra will include musicians from the New York Philharmonic, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Cleveland Orchestra, Philadelphia Orchestra, San Francisco Symphony, the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra and more. Concert programs will include Mozart’s Symphony No. 35, Christopher Tin’s modern masterpiece The Drop that Contained the Sea, Rachmaninoff’s Symphony No. 2, Brahms’ Violin Concerto with guest soloist Ben Beilman, Holst’s The Planets, Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 2 featuring pianist George Harliono and a special concert tribute to America’s 250th birthday with selections from Copland, Gershwin and more. Separate from Festival Orchestra Week, additional classical concerts include Counterpoint, featuring pianist Conrad Tao and tap dancer Caleb Teicher, as well as Charlie Chaplin’s Smile, where GRAMMY-nominated violinist Philippe Quint will take the audience on a multimedia celebration of

PATTI LUPONE

KENNY G

Chaplin’s legacy as a musician and composer.

Musicfest will celebrate Christmas with the swingin’ sounds of “Hollywood’s hottest little Phat Cat Swinger: A Not So Silent followed by the traditional Irish sounds and dance of PBS sensation Christmas with

Finally, this season, Musicfest audiences will enjoy concert tributes to rock ‘n’ roll and timeless eras of music with performances by The Electric Light Orchestra Experience; a celebration of ‘50s rock ’n’ roll with The Dreamboats; an evening of classic music from the ‘60s with The British Invasion , including hits from The Beatles, The Beach Boys, The Who, The Rolling Stones, The Monkees and more; Three American Troubadours, which honors the music and careers of James Taylor, Carly Simon and Carole King; and the return of audience favorite Neil Berg with his brand-new tribute to music of the ‘70s.

50,000 ticket buyers, we’re thrilled for what this milestone year will bring.”

“From its humble beginnings as a small classical music festival, Arizona Musicfest has grown into a major cultural destination, drawing top-tier performers from around the world and enthusiastic sold-out audiences from across the Valley and beyond,” says Allan Naplan, Executive & Producing Director, CEO. “Following last season’s record-setting attendance of over

For 35 years, Arizona Musicfest has served the Valley as a valued non-profit arts organization. Musicfest concerts are presented in convenient and attractive venues in North Scottsdale and beyond. Along with its popular concert season, the organization also provides extraordinary opportunities to aspiring young musicians through important educational, performance and scholarship programs, as well as to older residents through Music Alive!, the organization’s dynamic community lifelong learning and creative music-making series featuring hundreds of mostly free events for the Greater Scottsdale/Phoenix area.

The 2025–26 concert season runs from October to April.

For more information, visit azmusicfest.org or call 480-422-8449

THE RIGHTEOUS BROTHERS

DAVID FOSTER & KATHARINE MCPHEE

THE TEXAS TENORS

PASSION. POWER. BEAUTY. This Is Opera at Its Best.

Arizona Opera’s 2025/26 Season features three unforgettable productions in Phoenix and Tucson, each leaping from the page to the stage with beautiful music, riveting characters and drama and everything you’d expect from the incredible world of opera. The season also features a recital in March from operatic sensation, Jamie Barton, “Opera’s NoseStudded Rock Star” — The New York Times.

This fall, the legendary masked vigilante, Zorro, makes a thrilling appearance in a new opera by Héctor Armienta, marking the production’s Arizona premiere. Follow the return of Diego de la Vega to his native pueblo in Los Angeles,

encountering old flames and tyrannical rulers as he fights to right the plight of the oppressed. Performed in both Spanish and English alongside Puccini-esque melodies with a Latin flair, Zorro is guaranteed to be a “swashbuckling’ly good time” — Opera San José.

This winter, Puccini’s masterpiece, Madama Butterfly, returns to the stage with a story of hope, ultimate sacrifice and some of the most gorgeous melodies in opera. Follow the young geisha Cio-Cio-San as she dreams of a life of love with Pinkerton, an American naval of ficer. Betrayal and heartbreak cast their shadow, leading to an unforgettable

MADAMA

climax. For generations, Madama Butterfly has captivated audiences and will once again in Arizona this winter.

In the spring, step into the magic of Rossini’s Cinderella (La Cenerentola), a delightful semi-staged production brimming with humor, charm and enchanting melodies. Angelina — mistreated by her stepfather Don Magnifico and his scheming daughters — dares to dream of a brighter future. With help from Prince Ramiro’s

clever valet and a sparkling twist involving a pair of bracelets, Angelina must navigate royal intrigue to capture the prince’s heart. This vibrant retelling of the beloved fairytale promises laughter, romance and soaring arias to adore.

Tickets — including for Jamie Barton’s recital — are available online, where guests can also subscribe and save on regular ticket prices.

For more information, visit azopera.org.

CINDERELLA

ZORRO

ATC’S 58TH SEASON DELIVERS a Stacked Lineup for Every Audience

Complete with action-packed sequences, toetapping music and moments that will have you rolling on the floor with laughter — ATC's 58th season promises to dazzle from every angle.

The season opens with Deceived, a chilling thriller that will have audiences hanging on every word. The momentum continues with the cinematic, high-stakes play Heist. ATC kicks the new year off on a high note with the musical revue Ain’t Misbehavin’ followed by the hilarious two-woman show The Roommate. Then the season closes with the Off-Broadway smash hit Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors

Adapted from Patrick Hamilton’s Gaslight, Deceived is a tense psychological thriller that follows a young woman who struggles to decipher fact from fiction within the walls of her own home. As she takes steps to uncover the truth, paranoia and distrust heighten her suspicions that someone may be manipulating her view on reality. This new take on an old classic is a rollercoaster of suspense that will leave even the most apt observers in shock. (Sept. 28 – Oct. 18, 2025)

Next up, ATC audiences are thrust into the adrenaline-pumping world of Heist. Inspired by caper classics like Ocean’s Eleven, The Italian Job and The Sting, audiences can expect a delicious display of daring escapes, disguises and double crosses. When the best thieves in the business get together to pull off the ultimate job, their plan seems to be foolproof — that is, until it’s not. Follow these swindling savants in a fast-paced, high-octane adventure where nothing is as it seems and the payoff is pure fun. (Nov. 30 – Dec. 20, 2025)

Audiences looking to get into a new rhythm for 2026 will love Ain’t Misbehavin’, an upbeat musical revue honoring the greatest hits of Fats Waller. This show personifies the golden age of jazz with an extraordinary cast of performers who don’t miss a beat. With songs that swing and grooves that get down, this three-time Tony Award-winning piece is a can’t-miss theatrical experience. (Jan. 25 – Feb. 14, 2026)

The season continues with The Roommate, a fresh new Broadway comedy about two women navigating life as empty nesters. What begins as a search for companionship quickly turns into a surprising, hilarious shake-up of both their lives. With sharp wit and big heart, The Roommate explores reinvention, second chances and the messy joy of starting over. It’s a funny look at what happens when we step outside our comfort zones and who we might become when we do. (March 15 – April 4, 2026)

Finally, ATC closes the season with a hilarious twist on one of literature’s most iconic characters in Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors. This

lightning-fast farce delivers a laugh-out-loud take on the classic vampire tale, complete with rapid-fire quick changes, pop culture nods and outrageous theatricality. A madcap romp that’s equal parts clever and campy, this is Dracula like never before. It’s a fang-tastic finale for audiences of all blood types. (April 26 – May 16, 2026) As Arizona’s State Theatre, ATC brings the best theatre talent in the country to create shows in Arizona just for Arizonans. Each production offers a unique experience – from classic thrillers to new comedies – as ATC continues its legacy of delivering top-notch theatre that entertains, inspires and delights audiences of all kinds. Don't miss this exceptional lineup and be part of this memorable season.

Season tickets, flex passes or single-show tickets available now.

For more information, visit atc.org.

SHAPING THE Future of the Arts at ASU

The ASU School of Music, Dance and Theatre brings the stars of tomorrow to the stage, right here in the community’s backyard!

Talented students, faculty and guest artists bring creativity to life with over 600 concerts, recitals, events and productions. Audiences can discover a broad range of experiences:

• A variety of musical performances from musical theatre and opera productions to innovative concert programming — including world premieres by wind bands, choirs, jazz ensembles, orchestras — and world and popular music ensembles.

• Original choreographic works and community dance festivals that celebrate Hip-Hop, Afro-Latin, Caribbean and Contemporary Modern dance.

• Classic works and innovative new plays that bring love, history and humor to the stage.

Not only do these events promise unforgettable experiences — they also support the next generation of performers, choreographers, composers and theatre makers. Attending these performances is an investment in the future of the arts.

Explore the full calendar of events.

For more information, visit musicdancetheatre.asu.edu.

In Wine Spectator’s 49 year history, not one senior community had been recognized for their dedication to wine – until 2024, when Mirabella at ASU was the first.

Now we did it again!

And the best pairing to great wine? Great food, of course. Which is why we offer exceptional dining as well.

We invite you to come see what luxury senior living on the ASU campus is all about. Schedule your visit today.

BALLET ARIZONA’S 2025-2026 SEASON: Spellbinding Classics & Global Sensations

Ballet Arizona captivates audiences with a mix of classical and contemporary ballets throughout its 39th season. Beginning with The Sleeping Beauty from Oct. 23 – 26 at Symphony Hall, audiences step into a world of romance and grandeur in this retelling of the timeless tale.

Featuring live performances of Tchaikovsky’s iconic score, spectators of all ages will be spellbound by Princess Aurora’s journey, from her cursed slumber to true love’s kiss.

From Dec. 12 – 27, Ballet Arizona’s beloved production of The Nutcracker returns to Symphony Hall with heartwarming performances that invite audiences to rejoice in the spirit of the holidays. Live music from The Phoenix Symphony brings the enchantment of The Nutcracker to life alongside Ib Andersen’s dazzling choreography. Ballet Arizona’s production has been named “top three in the country” by The

AN EVENING AT DESERT BOTANICAL GARDEN | PHOTO BY ED FLORES

New York Times and has celebrated sold out performances over the last three years.

In 2026, Ballet Arizona will present an extraordinary interpretation of ALICE (in Wonderland) by acclaimed choreographer Septime Webre from Feb. 12 – 15. This breathtaking production will blend ballet and contemporary dance for a whimsical and visually striking journey that will delight audiences of every age.

March 19 – 22, Arizonans can experience a trio of dynamic ballets during Cacti & Other Works at Orpheum Theatre, including George

From May 13 – 30, An Evening at Desert Botanical Garden is back and better than ever before. This audience favorite now showcases two ballet experiences as a double-feature event. Ballet Arizona will present Concerto Six Twenty-Two by acclaimed American choreographer Lar Lubovitch and the U.S. premiere of Reset choreographed by Artistic Director Daniela Cardim. These captivating ballets bring the season to an exhilarating close.

For more information, visit balletaz.org.

ALICE (IN WONDERLAND) | PHOTO BY ED FLORES

SLEEPING BEAUTY | PHOTO BY ED FLORES

Balanchine’s Apollo, Hans van Manen’s Concertante and Alexander Ekman’s Cacti.

“BALLET ETUDES… TURNING OUT STARS-TO-BE.”

- The Arizona Republic

Ballet Etudes, founded in 1986 as the Phoenix Valley’s first pre-professional dance company, offers professional-level training in addition to an array of performing opportunities showcasing the excellence in training the company’s students receive from enchanting fulllength classical ballets — like Cinderella and The Nutcracker to innovative contemporary pieces.

Experience the 39th annual production of The Nutcracker during the 2025/2026 Season at Chandler Center for the Arts and Mesa Arts Center. A feast for the eyes and ears with colorful costumes paired with Tchaikovsky’s original score, it is the perfect way to celebrate the holiday season with the entire family.

Alums who have gone on to professional careers have attributed much of their performance success to their time with Ballet Etudes. Alumni are currently dancing with Ballet Arizona, Ballett Zürich, Boston Ballet, New York City Ballet, Philadelphia Ballet and more. “I feel so fortunate that I was able to train at a studio that was focused on helping dancers reach their full potential. Ballet Etudes gave me the technique

and confidence I needed to take the next step.” — Malorie Lundgren, New York City Ballet.

Ballet Etudes Academy, located in Mesa, offers classes for ages 3+ with classes in Ballet/Pointe, Tap, Modern, Boys Ballet, Adult Ballet and more. “Throughout my six years at Ballet Etudes Academy I have learned to meet new people, make mistakes and strive to improve. There is something truly special about our studio that you can’t find anywhere else.” — Ellie (11 years old).

Learn more about how dancers ages 7 – 18 can audition to be a part of Ballet Etudes company and Ballet Etudes’ production of The Nutcracker at balletetudes.net/auditions. However, there is no audition needed to enroll at Ballet Etudes Academy — enrollment is ongoing!

For more information about Ballet Etudes and Ballet Etudes Academy, visit balletetudes.net.

THE NUTCRACKER

PHOTO BY KELLAN MEKO

A PERFORMANCE FOR EVERYONE at Chandler Center for the Arts

Chandler Center for the Arts (CCA) is proud to present its 2025-2026 season, featuring musical performances ranging from ska to Motown and stage acts including musical theatre, dance, a science lecture and even a canine stunt show. With so many different performances to choose from, this season has something for everyone.

Multiple GRAMMY Award-winning artists will shine on the Steena Murray Mainstage. GRAMMY-winning vocalist Ledisi (Oct. 2, 2025) brings her artistry to the timeless music of Dinah Washington with her voice that moves effortlessly between power and subtlety. Joss Stone (Feb. 7, 2026) will take to the stage with her rich and expressive voice that stands as one of the most compelling voices in modern soul. The legendary reggae-pop band, known for global chart-toppers like “Red Red Wine” and “Can’t Help Falling in Love,” UB40 (Sept. 30, 2025) is delivering its high-energy performance at Chandler Center for the Arts.

The fun doesn’t stop there! The CCA stage will come alive with incredible live performances.

A first for Chandler Center for the Arts, embark on a journey of over two decades of space exploration with NASA engineer Kobie Boykins in Beyond Earth: The Quest for Life (Feb. 13, 2026). Then, featuring professional dog athletes from humble beginnings, Canine Stars Stunt Dog Show (Feb. 21, 2026) includes non-stop action performed by rescued dogs from all over the world and supports dog rescue and adoption.

All of these performances and more are delivered in a state-of-the-art facility with award-winning acoustics. With free parking, proximity to bustling downtown Chandler and a staff dedicated to customer service, what more could audiences ask for?

For more information, visit chandlercenter.org or call 480-782-2680

JOSS STONE

HUMOR, HERITAGE AND HEART

Chandler Center for the Arts’ 2025-2026 Musical Theatre Season

Chandler

Center for the Arts (CCA) presents a 2025-2026 musical theatre season with a dynamic lineup of performances full of humor, heritage and heart. With some of the best acoustics and sound in the Valley and no seat further than 100 feet away from the Mainstage, the CCA provides an exciting environment for musical performances.

Kicking off the season is Las Cafeteras: Hasta La Muerte (Oct. 17, 2025), which offers a vibrant Día de Muertos celebration. The performance blends music, dance and storytelling to honor life and death and reflects on the rich traditions of Mexican culture.

Menopause The Musical® 2: Cruising Through ‘the Change’ (Nov. 15 and 16, 2025) is a hilarious and heartfelt look at the joys of menopause and friendship, featuring parodied hits from the '70s through the '90s. The hilarious sequel follows four women navigating menopause with laughter and friendship.

You’re invited on a journey to early 1900s

Ireland with Celtic Spells (March 8, 2026). Led by GRAMMY-nominated Máiréad Nesbitt, this production combines traditional Irish music, dance and storytelling in a mesmerizing performance.

The beloved ogre Shrek is back in a stage adaptation based on the Oscar-winning animated film. Shrek the Musical (March 13-15, 2026) is locally produced and features a live orchestra. It’s the perfect family-friendly outing with two matinee showtimes available.

From laugh-out-loud moments and cultural celebrations to stories that touch the soul, the 2025-2026 musical theatre season at Chandler Center for the Arts invites audiences to connect, celebrate and leave inspired.

Tickets for all performances — including youth pricing — are available now.

For more information, visit chandlercenter.org or call 480-782-2680

EXPERIENCE CHILDSPLAY’S SEASON of Imagination and Wonder!

Childsplay is proud to present its 2025-2026 season! With four unforgettable shows, two world premieres and the return of a fan favorite, Childsplay’s 49th season will inspire and amaze you and your family!

This holiday season, follow the delightful journey of Rudolph, Hermey the Elf and Yukon Cornelius as they discover the Island of Misfit Toys and fight off the Abominable Snowman! Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer promises to become your family’s newest holiday tradition, reminding us all that what makes us different can also make us special!

Next, experience the heartbreaking tale of The Diary of Anne Frank, onstage January 2026. Recommended for middle-school audiences and older, this powerful true story, adapted for the stage, recounts the experiences of Anne Frank, a Jewish teenager and seven others in hiding during the Holocaust.

Then, perfect for younger audience members, Hare and Tortoise comes to the stage this

spring, featuring rich storytelling and lively visuals. This tale celebrates the importance of friendship, perseverance and slowing down to appreciate each moment.

At the end of Childsplay’s 2025-2026 Season is The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane The Musical. Kate DiCamillo’s beloved story comes to life with enchanting new music! This heartwarming new musical follows porcelain rabbit, Edward Tulane, on a journey of love, loss, and finding your way home.

Public performances take place on weekends and field trip performances for school audiences take place Tuesday through Friday.

For more information, visit childsplayaz.org or call 602-252-8497.

THE MIRACULOUS JOURNEY OF EDWARD TULANE THE MUSICAL | PHOTO BY TIM TRUMBLE

2025-2026 SEASON

One Christmas Night in Memphis

Featuring holiday classics and hits by Cash, Perkins, Lewis and Presley DEC 19 & 20, 2025

BRINGING WORLD-CLASS ARTS to the Heart of the West

Nestled in the historic West Valley community of Wickenburg, the Del E. Webb Center for the Performing Arts is a cultural gem that brings world-class entertainment to Arizona’s high desert. This intimate venue offers an unparalleled experience, where audiences can connect with renowned performers, discover emerging artists and explore new ideas. From soul-stirring Broadway-style shows to foot-stomping concerts, the Webb Center curates a diverse lineup that inspires and delights all ages.

Beyond the stage, the Webb Center fosters a deep appreciation for the arts through

educational programs and community outreach. Whether a guest is a lifelong arts enthusiast or a first-time visitor, the Webb Center invites them to immerse themselves in the magic of the live performing arts. With a state-of-the-art facility and a special brand of Western hospitality, every show at this must-visit destination becomes an unforgettable experience.

For more information, visit dewpac.org or call 928-684-6624.

MEDIA SPONSOR

Spamilton

ONE CHRISTMAS NIGHT IN MEMPHIS

PERFORMING LIVE AT MESA ARTS CENTER

SEASON HIGHLIGHTS

The 2025–26 Performing Live Season is filled with fantastic shows at Mesa Arts Center. GRAMMY Award-winning Chicago Symphony Orchestra (CSO) performs with renowned conductor Riccardo Muti on Jan. 15. CSO is hailed as one of the greatest orchestras in the world, and the program features Brahms Symphony No. 4 , Stravinsky Divertimento

from “The Fairy’s Kiss” and Ravel’s Bolero MasterChef All-Stars Live! brings culinary magic on Oct. 22. Then, Black Violin’s “classical boom” energizes audiences when they bring their Full Circle Tour to Mesa on April 16.

BROADWAY

Mesa Arts Center is excited to announce its second Broadway season! TINA – The Tina Turner Musical tells the most uplifting comeback story of all time from Jan. 30 – Feb. 1. Then, HADESTOWN imagines a world where a song can change your fate from April 10 – 12. Finally, audiences are swept away by the mesmerizing choreography and breathtaking performance of Riverdance 30: The New Generation from May 8 – 10.

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC LIVE

National Geographic Live returns to Mesa Arts Center with a new cast of adventurers and explorers! On Oct. 15, Lisa Briggs in A Pirate’s Life sets sail for a pirating adventure. Then, photographer Jaime Rojo explores the journey of monarchs in Chasing Monarchs in January.

BLACK VIOLIN

| PHOTO BY

On Feb. 18, Ecologist Lucy Hawkes investigates. astonishing stories of animal perseverance in Life on the Move. On March 18, audiences explore the groundbreaking science happening with Darwin’s finches, tortoises and more in Discovering the Galapagos. Finally, Untangling the Mind reveals the foundation of thoughts, emotions and memories on April 8.

FUN FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY

On Sept. 28, Gabby’s Dollhouse Live brings the magical world of the global preschool sensation from DreamWorks Animation to the stage in a brand-new production. The Día de Los Muertos celebration on Oct. 25 – 26 features cultural performances, live music, delicious food, fun family activities and more. Cirque Musica Holiday Wonderland delivers dazzling aerial feats and acrobatics on Dec. 20. Finally, on March 26, audiences immerse themselves in

the high-energy and innovative performance of Drum Tao.

JAZZ, CLASSICAL AND POP PERFORMANCES

The legendary Stanley Clarke returns to Mesa Arts Center on Nov. 14 with his N•4EVER Tour The Voice of Whitney: A Symphonic Celebration features the powerhouse vocals of Whitney Houston on Nov. 22. The performance features master recordings of Whitney’s vocals set to new orchestrations of her biggest hits — including “I Wanna Dance with Somebody,” “Higher Love” and “I Will Always Love You.” Also in November, Penn and Teller return with their hilarious brand of magic — early reservations are recommended, as tickets are expected to sell out! Finally, audiences take a chance on MANIA: The ABBA Tribute that delivers an authentic and unforgettable tribute to the legendary Swedish band on Jan. 28.

PENN AND TELLER

HADESTOWN

EVAN ZIMMERMAN FOR MURPHY MADE

INTERDEPENDENT NATURE BY SHEPARD FAIREY AT MESA ARTS CENTER

For 20 years, Mesa Arts Center has stood as a vibrant hub for creativity, connection and community. To honor that legacy, and mark this milestone anniversary, Mesa Arts Center has unveiled a bold new mural by internationally acclaimed artist Shepard Fairey.

Interdependent Nature is Fairey’s first mural in Arizona, marking this a landmark moment not just for Mesa Arts Center, but for public art in the region. The mural transforms the Center Street entrance into a powerful visual statement about harmony and resilience.

Ten years ago, Mesa Arts Center celebrated its first decade with Desert Rose, a mural by El Mac in the Mesa Contemporary Arts Museum courtyard. Now, these two iconic murals stand together as a tribute to Mesa Arts Center’s 20year commitment to public art.

Fairey is one of the most influential street

artists of this era, known worldwide for his OBEY campaign and HOPE poster. Inspired in part by Mesa’s Climate Action Plan, the mural invites viewers to consider a shared responsibility for peace, justice and the planet. With imagery that includes floral scales of justice, Barb Wire Dove and a lotus rising from the mud, the mural is symbolic of the interconnectedness of humanity and nature.

More than a centerpiece of downtown Mesa, Interdependent Nature embodies Mesa Arts Center’s mission to create meaningful arts experiences in Mesa for everyone. It reflects the community, welcomes dialogue and speaks to the power of art to connect people and place.

For more information, visit mesaartscenter.com.

SHEPARD FAIREY, INTERDEPENDENT NATURE | PHOTO BY DELIA JOHNSON

SOAR WITH THE PHOENIX BOYS CHOIR in Their Uplifting 78th Season

The Phoenix Boys Choir proudly launches its 78th season with the theme Soaring — a yearlong journey celebrating the power of music to lift hearts, voices and dreams. Through inspiring premieres, bold collaborations and moving performances, audiences are invited to experience music that rises above fear, limitation and expectation.

The season begins in November with A Night with Our Stars, our season-opening gala. This dynamic evening celebrates the lifechanging mission of PBC and showcases the true stars — its choristers — through powerful performances and heartfelt stories of growth and transformation.

In December, the Choir’s beloved holiday tradition returns with Yuletide featuring festive classics, joyful surprises and all five PBC choirs joined by a chamber orchestra and guest artists.

In January, When Dreams Take Flight brings back our Gospel Honor Choir Festival, uniting youth from across Arizona with the ASU Gospel Choir, Pilgrim Rest Baptist Church and a guest gospel clinician for a soul-stirring celebration of faith, unity and song.

Our March Classics Series features American Mosaic, highlighting works by American composers and honoring the voices that shape our nation’s diverse choral heritage.

The season concludes in May with PBC Remixed, an electrifying Pops concert featuring fresh takes on popular hits from the last 50 years, complete with bold choreography and collaborations with local artists.

Since 1947, the GRAMMY-winning Phoenix Boys Choir has inspired boys ages 7–18 through exceptional choral education and characterbuilding programs. PBC invites audiences to soar into its unforgettable 78th season.

Families can learn more about joining the Phoenix Boys Choir at boyschoir.org/join

For more information, visit boyschoir.org or call 602-264-5328

PHOENIX CHORALE'S NEW SEASON:

Signature Sound, Landmark Moments

The Phoenix Chorale returns with a season of warmth, wonder and world-class choral artistry — inviting listeners to reconnect with the beauty and power of the human voice.

The season opens with Draw On, Sweet Night — a serene and jazzy a cappella program featuring Rutter’s Birthday Madrigals. In December, A Chorale Christmas brings festive cheer under the baton of guest conductor Dr. Edith Copley, complete with a joyful audience sing-along.

In January, Transcendence — a collaboration with live orchestra at Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts — blends lush contemporary works, engaging visuals and the warm sound that has earned the Chorale international acclaim.

The season concludes in March with Chant and Polyphony, an intimate, sacred program with local ensemble Floriani, exploring the emotional power of early music at Trinity Cathedral.

From beloved traditions to bold new experiences, this season offers something for every listener.

Learn more at phoenixchorale.org.

YOUR JOURNEY BEGINS HERE –

The Phoenix Symphony 2025/26 Season

The Phoenix Symphony’s 2025/26 Season features extraordinary performances, worldclass guest artists, beloved holiday traditions and unforgettable one-night-only events. The Phoenix Symphony remains committed to artistic excellence, music education and meaningful community engagement.

The musicians take listeners on a journey that inspires, uplifts and connects communities through the power of live music.

Jeanne L. Herberger Classical Series Highlights: Audiences experience timeless masterpieces, including Dvořák’s New World Symphony, Mozart & Mahler, Rimsky-Korsakov’s Scheherazade, Pictures at an Exhibition, The Sorcerer’s Apprentice, Enigma Variations, Celebrating America at 250: Gershwin, Copland & More and Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto — just to name a few! Patrons enjoy worldrenowned guest conductors and soloists throughout the season.

SYMPHONY HALL

NEW – FRIDAY MORNING EXPLORATIONS

Formerly Coffee Classics Friday Morning Explorations opens the weekend with this fresh, 90-minute, no-intermission concert experience at 11:00 a.m. on Fridays. These educational programs highlight works from the Classics Series, and feature live insights from conductors and musicians. Guests are encouraged to come early for complimentary coffee, and stay for a post-concert Q&A. Full-series subscriptions offer the best seats and value!

PHOENIX POPS® HIGHLIGHTS

The Phoenix Pops® season brings iconic sounds to life with:

• Celebrating Día de los Muertos starring Mauricio Martínez

• Rick Steves’ Europe

• Summer Breeze: Yacht Rock Classics

• Disco Divas

• The Music of Elton John starring Michael Cavanaugh

• Sinatra & Beyond starring Tony DeSare

MOVIES IN CONCERT

Blockbuster films are shown on a giant screen while the Symphony performs the scores live:

• Home Alone™ in Concert

• How to Train Your Dragon™ in Concert

• Back to the Future™ in Concert

• Marvel Studios’ Infinity Saga Concert Experience

• Star Wars: Return of the Jedi™ in Concert

SPECIAL CONCERTS

The season also offers these unforgettable special experiences:

• Danny Elfman’s Music from the Films

BY

RICK

DANNY ELFMAN

PHOTO

of Tim Burton

• Dolly Parton’s Threads: My Songs in Symphony

• Igor DAMN Stravinsky — Steve Hackman’s electrifying fusion of Stravinsky modern chart-toppers with Kendrick Lamar.

CHAMBER ORCHESTRA AT THE MIM

Great Eras of Classical Music

This intimate four-concert series explores the Baroque Era, Classical Era, Romantic Era and The Music of Our Time: Sounds of America at 250. Held at the Musical Instrument Museum — these concerts sell out quickly!

ADVENTURE AWAITS – FAMILY SERIES

Held at Madison Center for the Arts on Saturday afternoons, this four-concert series is designed especially for kids, with interactive themes,

musical storytelling and engaging pre-concert activities for the whole family.

HOLIDAY FAVORITES

Holiday traditions return with Holiday Pops Spectacular, Handel’s Messiah, Christmas Baroque and the New Year’s Eve Celebration with Champagne Toast!

SUBSCRIPTIONS ON SALE NOW:

Subscribers save 20% off single ticket prices with subscription packages and experience an entire season filled with music, magic and meaning.

Visit phoenixsymphony.org or call 602-495-1999.

SYMPHONY HALL | PHOTO BY TAVITS PHOTOGRAPHY

106 SEASONS STRONG: The Phoenix Theatre Company Enters a Bold New Era

Audiences are welcomed to the 106th Season at The Phoenix Theatre Company, where unforgettable moments spark change, bold stories ignite conversation and the power of human connection takes center stage.

From the world premiere of The Roads to Loch Lomond and Ever After, to beloved classics like Hairspray and A Christmas Carol, this season brings stories that move hearts and inspire hope.

The Phoenix Theatre Company opens this season in the brand-new Dr. Stacie J. and Richard J Stephenson Theatre, a state-of-theart space designed to elevate every aspect of the theatre experience. With expanded seating, enhanced acoustics, upgraded lighting and sound technology, this new venue allows The Phoenix Theatre Company to produce musicals

with greater scale, detail and ambition than ever before. The new theatre marks a bold leap forward in how the company tells stories, connects with audiences and shapes the future of the arts.

2025/2026 SEASON

The Roads to Loch Lomond Oct. 8 – Nov. 2, 2025

For centuries, the haunting Scottish ballad Loch Lomond has echoed across time, its lyrics telling a tale of love, loss and sacrifice yet few know the profound story behind the song. The Roads to Loch Lomond, a regional premiere musical, unveils this lost fable through a breathtaking Celtic-inspired score, following two brothers caught in the turmoil of the Jacobite rebellion — a fight for Scotland’s future that would change history.

SEUSSICAL

PHOTO BY BILLY HARDIMAN

Looking Over the President's Shoulder

Oct. 29 – Dec. 14, 2025

Behind every great leader, there is a story waiting to be told. Looking Over President’s Shoulder is the remarkable true account of Alonzo Fields, who served as Chief Butler to four U.S. presidents, bearing witness to pivotal moments in American history. From the shadow of the Great Depression to the dawn of the Cold War, Fields navigated duty and sacrifice, trading his dreams of the opera stage for a front-row seat to history. This powerful solo performance is a tribute to resilience, service and the unseen figures who help shape a nation.

A Christmas Carol

Nov. 26 – Dec. 28, 2025

A Christmas Carol is a musical journey through the heart of one man’s transformation. On one fateful Christmas Eve, Ebenezer Scrooge is visited by three ghosts who guide him through his Past, Present and Future, leading him to discover the true spirit of Christmas. Featuring a stirring score by The Phoenix Theatre Company’s late Music Director, Alan Ruch, this production continues a beloved holiday tradition. The show celebrates nearly two decades of magic, music and storytelling in this cherished classic.

Million Dollar Quartet

Dec. 17, 2025 – March 8, 2026

Inspired by true events, the Tony Awardwinning musical Million Dollar Quartet takes audiences inside the famed 1956 recording session at Sun Studio that brings together Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins and Jerry Lee Lewis. Through electrifying performances of rock ‘n’ roll classics like “Great Balls of Fire” and “Folsom Prison Blues,” this jukebox musical captures the passion, energy and camaraderie of four music legends at the moment their careers collide.

Festival of New American Theatre

Jan. 9 – 25, 2026

Hosted annually by The Phoenix Theatre Company, the Richard P. Stahl Festival of New American Theatre amplifies new voices and expands the canon of American theatre. The 2026 Festival honors a longstanding commitment to the development of new works, playwrights and performers and features a variety of events that allow artists to see their work come alive onstage.

Come From Away

Jan. 28 – March 29, 2026

A story of kindness in the face of tragedy, Come From Away tells the true story of a small Newfoundland town that welcomes 7,000 stranded travelers after 9/11. As fear and uncertainty grip the world, the people of Gander open their hearts, forge unexpected friendships and prove that even in the darkest times, compassion can shine through. With a soaring score and unforgettable storytelling, this Tony Award-winning musical is a deeply moving and unexpectedly joyful celebration of human connection.

Tenderly: The Rosemary Clooney Musical March 4 – May 3, 2026

The golden age of Hollywood comes alive in Tenderly: The Rosemary Clooney Musical, a heartfelt tribute to one of America’s most beloved voices. This intimate and powerful musical takes audiences beyond the spotlight, revealing Clooney’s meteoric rise to fame,

CHURCHILL | PHOTO BY BILLY HARDIMAN

The Roads to Loch Lomond Disney's Frozen - SPECIAL Engagement!

Oct 8 – No Sept 24– Oct 26, 2025 v 2, 2025

Looking Over the President’s Shoulder

Oct 29 – Dec 14, 2025

A Christmas Carol

Nov 26 – Dec 28, 2025

Million Dollar Quartet

Dec 17, 2025 – Mar 8, 2026

The Richard P. Stahl Festival of New American Theatre

Jan 9 – Jan 25, 2026

Come From Aw a y

Jan 28 – Mar 29, 2026

Tenderly: The Rosemary Clooney Musical

Mar 4 – M a y 3, 2026

Daddy Long Legs Apr 1 – Apr 19, 2026

Ever After May 6 – Jun 14, 2026

Dear Evan Hansen Jun 10 – Aug 2, 2026

Hairspray Jul 15 – Aug 23, 2026

her struggles and her triumphant comeback. Featuring timeless classics like “Come On-a My House,” “Hey There” and “Tenderly,” this intimate production captures the music and the resilience of a true legend.

Daddy Long Legs

April 1 – 19, 2026

A slow-burn love story with heartfelt connections, Daddy Long Legs is the perfect romantic escape. When a mysterious benefactor sends the intelligent and witty Jerusha Abbott to college, she begins writing him letters filled with curiosity, humor and dreams for the future. As years pass, an unexpected bond begins to form. With a gorgeous score and timeless storytelling, this musical is a beautiful reminder that love can grow in the most unexpected places.

Ever After

May 6 – June 14, 2026

This bold reimagining of a classic fairy tale blends adventure, romance and resilience as a heroine defies expectations to carve out her own destiny. When a chance encounter with Prince Henry leads to an unexpected romance, Danielle must navigate deception, courage and self-discovery to forge her own destiny. Inspired by the beloved film Ever After, starring Drew Barrymore, this musical celebrates a timeless story of courage and love.

Dear Evan Hansen

June 10 – Aug. 2, 2026

This Tony Award-winning musical touches hearts with its emotional depth and resonant songs such as “You Will Be Found” and “Waving Through a Window.” It is a journey through the fragile threads of human connection, exploring themes of identity, longing and the spaces people inhabit between isolation and community. This musical invites audiences to reflect on the paths to selfacceptance and the courage it takes to be seen.

Hairspray

July 15 – Aug. 23, 2026

“You can’t stop the beat!” This Tony Awardwinning musical tells the inspiring story of Tracy Turnblad, a girl with a passion for dance who takes 1960s Baltimore by storm. As

INTO THE WOODS | PHOTO BY BILLY HARDIMAN

she fights for acceptance, Tracy proves that one person is enough to make a difference. Featuring an electrifying score and showstopping choreography, Hairspray is a feelgood celebration of self-love and the power of change.

SELF-PRODUCING FOR OVER A CENTURY

Founded in 1920, The Phoenix Theatre Company is Arizona’s first arts organization and the largest professional regional theatre company in the state. With nearly 600 performances annually across multiple stages, it plays a vital role in the cultural fabric of the Valley and is dedicated to enriching lives through the power of live theatre.

MORE REASONS TO VISIT

• Live orchestra with crystal-clear sound and advanced audio system

• Professional artists, nationally recognized and locally celebrated

• ArtBar+Bistro for pre-show dining and intermission refreshments

• Ample lobby for mingling and lush courtyard for exploring

• Free, convenient parking in the heart of the arts district

ACCESSIBILITY

Commitment to accessibility remains a cornerstone of their mission, which includes wheelchair accessibility in all venues and American Sign Language (ASL)/Audio Description Nights which feature services such as hearing amplification, audio descriptions and ASL interpretation.

Some moments change everything. Join The Phoenix Theatre Company this season to experience them together.

For more information, visit phoenixtheatre.com or call 602–254–2151.

WAITRESS | PHOTO BY BRENNEN RUSSELL

SEE EVERY SHOW WHENEVER YOU WANT AND AS MANY TIMES AS YOU WISH FOR ONLY $49/MONTH*

For the theatre lover who appreciates options, the All Access Pass lets you see any of our productions whenever you want! Instead of paying one large sum upfront, you pay just $49 per person, per month.* Book your shows in advance, or grab a seat at the last minute!

25% OFF additional single tickets; 20% OFF year-round at the ArtBar+Bistro (including concessions and merchandise), and FREE/unlimited exchanges. *Requires a 12-month commitment. ALL ACCESS PASS HOLDERS GET MORE!

PROMUSICA ARIZONA

Chorale & Orchestra Takes Flight!

This season, audiences are invited to experience ProMusica Arizona live in concert for these flights of fancy:

Birds of a Feather

Oct. 18 and 19

It’s a celebration of musical birds! This enchanting repertoire, including a gorgeous

new work by local composer Dana Graybeal, promises to leave audiences humming for days. An experience audiences won’t want to miss.

Winter Wonderland

Dec. 20 and 21

'Tis the season to sing along with ProMusica Arizona! Familiar favorites and pieces with a new twist will take wing with Thomas Hartwell's amazing visuals, celebrating the wonders of winter.

Flying Away (to the Land Down Under)

April 18 and 19

Much of the chorale and orchestra will be flying away to a concert tour in Australia in May. Their final home concert this season will preview their Australian repertoire, including original works by both Arizonan and Australian composers!

For more information, visit pmaz.org or call 623-920-1194.

CELEBRATING 50 YEARS of Scottsdale Arts!

Scottsdale

Center for the Performing Arts is celebrating its 50th anniversary throughout the 2025–26 season! The Center first opened its doors in October 1975 with an inaugural performance by Roger Miller. In recognition of the eclectic artists who have performed in the 50 years since, Scottsdale Arts welcomes a diverse selection of musicians, dancers, comedians and more, from frequent favorites to new faces. Pianist Jeffrey Siegel has been performing his Keyboard Conversations® at the Center for nearly its entire history, and he returns for his 47th season with four performances. Meanwhile, Scottsdale Symphonic Orchestra, which only formed a few years ago, returns for six-part series recognizing another major milestone: the 250th anniversary of the United States of America. The annual Dance Series continues with the return of Ballet Hispánico and Jacob Jonas The Company, while both Hung Dance and GALLIM make their Arizona debuts. Concerts by Broadway performers are part of a long tradition at the Center, and this season includes Lea Salonga, Cheyenne Jackson and backto-back nights of Jeremy Jordan. Additional

performances throughout the season include Rita Rudner, Fran Lebowitz, Chris Thile, Five for Fighting, Squirrel Nut Zippers, Drew and Ellie Holcomb, Mariachi Sol de México, Dee Dee Bridgewater with Bill Charlap, Gunhild Carling, Paquito D'Rivera and more! While many of the shows immerse audiences in the immaculate sound of the Center’s intimate Virginia G. Piper Theater, some take advantage of the beautiful atmosphere outside on the lawn or in the amphitheater spaces at Scottsdale Civic Center, including a concert from Trampled by Turtles and the return of popular events like the Dreamy Draw Music Festival, Arizona Concours d’Elegance and the free Sun & Sounds spring concert series.

For more information, visit ScottsdalePerformingArts.org or call 480-499-8587.

SCOTTSDALE MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY ART (SMoCA)

Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art (SMoCA) debuts four new exhibitions in fall 2025. Opening in September, James Perkins | Burying Painting presents process-based land art in the artist’s first museum exhibition, highlighting his approach to nature — including a pack of coyotes — as a collaborator. October brings three new shows, all of which kicks off at SMoCA’s Fall Opening Celebration on Oct. 10.

Casey Curran: Tidal Sky, an exhibition of new sculptural works and an immersive installation, asks what remains when structures collapse — and what new beginnings emerge in their wake.

Jeanne K. Simmons: Rooted blends sculpture and photography in a site-specific meditation on humanity’s delicate, interwoven relationship with nature. And Evan Roth: Pathfinding — on view in the museum’s free community area, (blank) space — includes two series of work featuring the sky: slow-moving, meditative videos and large-scale quilts. Additional exhibitions open in spring 2025, including Tender Alchemy: Beth Ames Swartz and Julianne Swartz, which open in March. Tender Alchemy presents

the works of mother and daughter artists with distinct practices but united by a shared devotion to transformation, healing and the invisible forces that shape human experience. These exhibitions join Infinite by the UK-based Squidsoup, the collective behind SMoCA’s most popular exhibition to date, 2017’s Ocean of Light: Submergence. Visitors enter Infinite during its run from June 2025 through August 2026 and are surrounded by hundreds of illuminated spheres that form a symphony of notes. Beyond the exhibitions, SMoCA has a series of events planned throughout the year, including the return of popular favorites like Mystery in the Museum and the Glow Up @SMoCA series.

For more information, visit SMoCA.org or call 480-499-8587.

THIS JUST IN | PHOTO BY CLAIRE WARDEN

An Evening with Jeremy Jordan

Thursday, Oct. 16, 7:30 p.m.

Friday, Oct. 17

Experience Newsies and Floyd Collins star’s dynamic blend of powerhouse vocals and heartfelt storytelling.

BROADWAY SERIES SPONSOR:

Lea Salonga Stage, Screen & Everything in Between Wednesday, Nov. 12, 7:30 p.m.

Musical theatre royalty and Disney Legend brings her powerful voice to our intimate venue.

BROADWAY SERIES SPONSOR:

Ballet Hispánico

Saturday, Jan. 31, 7:30 p.m.

Inspired by Bizet’s opera, CARMEN.maquia is a bold reimagining of the classic story.

DANCE SERIES SPONSOR:

BETTY HUM AND ALAN YUDELL

JOHN AND KAREN VORIS

DR. MISCHA COHEN PECK

Cheyenne Jackson

Signs of Life

Sunday, Feb. 1, 7 p.m.

The star of screen and stage, delivers a musical meditation on art, love, and fatherhood.

BROADWAY SERIES SPONSOR:

Tickets on sale now! Be part of the legacy this season at ScottsdalePerformingArts.org or scan the QR code.

CANAL CONVERGENCE

Canal Convergence, Scottsdale Arts’ biggest event, returns Nov. 7 – 16 as it celebrates the 2025 theme, “SHOWTIME.” This free, 10-night, light-based public art event is held every year along the Arizona Canal at the Scottsdale Waterfront. It features a variety of familyfriendly activities, including live music and dance performances, educational workshops, interactive artworks and more. The primary draw, however, is a variety of large-scale, light-based public artworks from international, national and Arizona-based artists, all surrounding (or, in some cases, floating over) the Arizona Canal. Many of the artworks also offer interactive elements in an accessible space for the whole family to enjoy. For those looking for a night out, a beer and wine garden is available at the music stage with nightly entertainment. This year’s Canal Convergence coincides with the 50th anniversary of Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts, also operated by the nonprofit Scottsdale Arts, lending significance to the performance emphasis of the event’s

“SHOWTIME” theme as both Canal Convergence and the Center celebrate the organization’s legacy of inspiring creativity and community engagement. Many of the artworks and activities incorporate ideas of performance in recognition of the theme, exploring “SHOWTIME” through the lens of public art. Those inspired by the works of the professional artists at Canal Convergence have an opportunity to create through a variety of workshops, led by artists and facilitated by Scottsdale Arts Learning & Innovation. And for those who want a bit of education, artwork tours led by Scottsdale Arts staff and canal history tours led by employees of the Salt River Project are available.

For more information, visit canalconvergence.com or call 480-499-8587.

MOLECULES, CANAL CONVERGENCE 2024 | PHOTO COURTESY THE URBAN CONGA

SOUTHWEST SHAKESPEARE SEASON Spans 500+ Years

Southwest Shakespeare Company (SSC) offers a varied and relevant 2025-26 season at Mesa Arts Center. The season explores themes of power, deception, fear and obsession — emotional drivers for some and tools of control for others.

SSC Artistic Director Keath David Hall explains, “Power is laid bare this season as we see the veil ripped away on titles such as King, Queen, Captain, Knight and Party Leader.”

In October, SSC presents the George Orwell dystopian classic 1984 , set in a futuristic totalitarian society. This version adapted by Nick Hern explores the manipulation of truth and fear in the pursuit of absolute power, and the way these conditions can change human relationships.

1984 is performed in repertory with Elizabeth I: In Her Own Words , a one-woman tour-de-force that paints a unique portrait of a remarkable and complex woman and monarch, using her own words (and many of Shakespeare’s too). Written by Carole Levin and performed by Tammy Meneghini, the show achieved outstanding critical acclaim at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

February brings humor with The Merry Wives of Windsor set in a trailer park. This Shakespeare farce combines seduction, love, jealousy and playful deception in Shakespeare’s most lighthearted and jovial play.

The Merry Wives of Windsor is performed in repertory with Shakespeare’s Henry V, in which we meet the young King Henry V and follow him into the climactic Battle of Agincourt. Whether framed as patriotic spectacle or anti-war critique, Henry V is a vital, dynamic piece for today’s world.

In March, SSC presents Moby Dick, based on the Herman Melville masterpiece, adapted by Mark Rosenwinkel. It tells the famous tale of whaling and revenge, but explores deeper messages of obsession, destiny and man’s relationship to nature.

For more information, visit swshakespeare.org

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PHOTO BY

DEVON C. ADAMS

chanche a thurday ne the hie sailes of my ioy and comfort and do trust one day that as troble some waues have repulsed me bakwarde, so a gentil winde wil bringe me forwarde to my hauen. Two chief occasions moued me muche and griued me gretly, the one for that I doubted your Maiesties helthe, the other bicause for al my longe tarijnge I wente without that I came for. Of the first I am releued in a parte, bothe that I vnderstode of your helthe, and also that your Maiesties loginge is far from my Lorde Marques chamber. Of my other grief I am not eased, but the best is that whatsoever oth er folkes wil suspect, I intende not to feare your graces goodwil, wiche as I know that I never disarued to faint, so I trust wil stil stike by me. For if your Graces aduis that I shul de retourne (whos wil is a commandemente)

fe of my way, the ende of my iourney. And CAROLE LEVIN OCTOBER 18-25

EVERYONE WILL BE Green With Envy This Season

Valley Youth Theatre kicks off a bold new era with its exciting 25/26 Season! Audiences can experience the magic through a lineup featuring beloved characters, witty new favorites and one very green ogre who’s sure to leave them smiling from ear to ear.

Since 1989, VYT has impacted over a million children and their families through highquality theatrical productions and engaging educational programs. VYT offers a safe, inclusive space where young people from all backgrounds can build confidence, express creativity and discover leadership through the performing arts.

VYT heads into the fall with the cult-classic Little Shop of Horrors — a hilarious tale of a boy, a girl and one very hungry plant. November also features VYT’s annual gala, VYTal Affair 2025: Feed the Arts, Fuel the Future, on Nov. 8 at the Herberger Theater Center.

In its 28th year as a Valley holiday tradition, A Winnie-the-Pooh Christmas Tail returns in December with heartwarming cheer for the whole family. The new year brings Puffs, the magical, mischievous off-Broadway hit that proves you don’t have to be a wizard to be a hero.

Spring introduces the highly anticipated musical Diary of a Wimpy Kid, based on the bestselling book series. And the season closes with a swamp-sized splash: Shrek the Musical,

a celebration of acceptance, individuality and friendship.

Each production invites audiences to share in every magical moment!

Little Shop of Horrors Nov. 1 – 16, 2025 Herberger Theater Center

A Winnie-the-Pooh Christmas Tail Dec. 5 – 23, 2025 Valley Youth Theatre

Puffs: A Play for Young Wizards Feb. 13 – March 1, 2026 Valley Youth Theatre

Diary of a Wimpy Kid April 10 – 26, 2026 Valley Youth Theatre

Shrek the Musical June 12 – 28, 2026 Herberger Theater Center

For tickets and more information, visit vyt.com or call 602.253.8188

SHREK

ARTS VISUAL MUSEUMS

OFFER A PREVIEW OF THEIR EXHIBITS + EVENTS

2025 - 2026 SEASON

THE DESERT IS ALIVE THIS FALL at Desert Botanical Garden

Teddy bear chollas slowly waltz upright, extending their barbed-wire arms. Delicate cactus flowers open and close like a living tapestry. A towering saguaro collapses in a remote corner of the desert, leaving behind a century-long legacy.

These vivid scenes are just a glimpse of FRAMERATE: Desert Pulse — a stunning multisensory exhibit premiering at Desert Botanical Garden (Oct. 11 – May 10).

Using groundbreaking 3D scanning technology, Desert Pulse takes guests on a mesmerizing

journey through a year in the life of the Sonoran Desert. Frame by frame, the exhibit captures the intricate rhythms of nature, desert flora and manmade impacts that shape this extraordinary ecosystem.

Created by London-based artists ScanLAB Projects, the exhibit offers a perspective no traditional camera nor human eye can replicate.

Visitors can explore five monumental video installations and one transformative piece inside The RAF Exhibit Gallery. Monthly Pulse Parties will further energize evenings and will

feature thematic programming. Desert Pulse and all exhibit programming is included with admission.

The fall also brings vibrant celebrations of nature and culture.

Majestic Mariposas (Sept. 27 – Nov. 16) returns with thousands of Southwestern butter flies, including monarchs, fluttering inside the butter fly pavilion. The exhibit is included with admission.

Families with children can enjoy nature play at the Cactus Clubhouse (October – May 2026), open Thursday through Sunday from 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Día de Muertos (Nov. 1 – 2) features a moving community altar with artwork of Oaxacan artisans, honoring lost loved ones in an impressive open-air display.

And don’t miss the Garden’s beloved holiday tradition — Las Noches de las Luminarias Tickets go on sale to the public Oct. 17.

For more information, visit dbg.org.

DÍA DE MUERTOS FESTIVAL

LAS NOCHES DE LAS LUMINARIAS

CACTUS CLUBHOUSE

KAY WALKINGSTICK (B. 1935) OUR LAND VARIATION II, 2008. OIL STICK ON PAPER. MILLER MEIGS COLLECTIONS | PHOTO BY JSP ART PHOTOGRAPHY © KAY WALKINGSTICK

DISCOVER GREAT ART at the Heard Museum

CHANGING EXHIBITIONS

JAN. 23 – MAY 25, 2026

Kay WalkingStick/Hudson River School

This fall, nature is reimagined. Kay WalkingStick/Hudson River School pairs the bold work of Cherokee artist Kay WalkingStick with 19th-century Hudson River School paintings, exploring land, legacy and Indigenous reclamation. Organized by the New-York Historical Society. Only at the Heard Museum.

JAN. 23 – AUG. 1, 2026

Paintings from the Heard Collection

Cherokee artist Kay WalkingStick returns to the Heard as curator of Paintings from the Heard Collection, highlighting over 30 rarely seen works by Native artists. This exhibition traces the strength and evolution of Native painting while deepening the dialogue inspired by WalkingStick’s own powerful legacy.

NOV. 14, 2025 – OCT. 26, 2026

October Art: The Collection of Delores Browne Albeson

Celebrate the legacy of Delores Browne Abelson — ballerina, educator and founder of

October Art gallery. Featuring works by close friend Harry Fonseca and others, this intimate exhibition honors a life spent championing contemporary Native artists and uplifting Indigenous art through friendship, vision and bold creative spirit.

APRIL 10 – DEC. 6, 2026

Note to Self

What would today’s leading Indigenous artists say to their younger selves? This new exhibition pairs their artwork with personal reflections, revealing powerful stories of growth, challenge and inspiration. Visitors shouldn’t miss the opening symposium, where several artists will speak in person at the Heard about their journeys and creative evolution.

FEB. 6 – MARCH 7, 2027

Blue Bird

Beloved across the Southwest, this iconic flour is more than an ingredient — it’s a cultural symbol. This new exhibition explores how Indigenous artists transform it into art, from painted sacks to fashion and masks, honoring a brand woven into daily life, memory and creativity.

CONTINUING EXHIBITIONS

Substance of Stars

Experience the Heard Museum’s collection reimagined through Indigenous knowledge, 360° Sky-Dome and immersive landscapes, guided by four Native communities and today’s leading Native artists.

Away From Home: American Indian Boarding School Stories

Discover the powerful, often untold history of Native boarding schools through firsthand stories, art and immersive experiences that reveal a past still shaping the present.

HOME: Native People in the Southwest Journey through the Southwest in this vibrant exhibition featuring nearly 2,000 works of Native art, told through Indigenous voices, traditions and connections to home.

FAMILY EVENTS & ACTIVITIES

The Heard invites families to explore, create and play together at the Heard Museum! From hands-on art activities and interactive exhibits to a kid-friendly café menu and a dedicated guide, Archie the Jackrabbit, every visit is an adventure. Perfect for curious kids and their grown-ups, come make memories, laugh and learn together!

SHOPPING AND DINING LIKE NOWHERE ELSE

Step into the newly renovated Heard Museum Shop, where tradition meets inspiration. Since 1958, the Shop has been the place to find authentic American Indian art. Now with a stunning new look, it offers an even richer experience. Discover handcrafted jewelry, pottery, textiles, baskets and more — each piece is a reflection of Indigenous heritage and creativity. Every purchase directly supports Native artists and helps preserve cultural traditions. Whether gift-hunting or collecting, visitors will find something truly meaningful.

Voted one of the Top 5 Museum Restaurants in the U.S. by USA Today, the Courtyard Café offers fresh, locally sourced food with a Southwest twist. Enjoy favorites like our Double Stack Bison Smashburger or the award-winning Posolé, featured in Bon Appétit. And guests shouldn’t skip dessert — the Fry Bread Sundae is a must. Whether grabbing lunch during a museum visit or just stopping by to dine, the Café delivers bold flavors and local flair in a relaxed, scenic setting. It’s a favorite for food lovers and art lovers alike.

For more information, visit heard.org.

THE MIM MUSIC THEATER’S FALL 2025 CONCERT SERIES PRESENTS

Extraordinary Experiences for Music Lovers

The MIM Music Theater’s Fall Concert Series is underway, and its lineup includes more than 70 concerts featuring virtuosic musicians from around the world. The series spans a variety of genres — including jazz, blues, rock, pop, bluegrass, folk, soul, classical and more — and showcases musical traditions from a diverse array of cultures.

Part of Phoenix’s Musical Instrument Museum (MIM), the MIM Music Theater was designed to provide extraordinary experiences for

performers and audiences. The theater is widely recognized for its phenomenal sound quality, and its spacious seats are staggered to ensure that every guest enjoys a good view of the stage.

“This is the very best concert venue in the Valley,” says a guest who attended a recent concert at the theater. “The stellar lineup of topnotch performers never ceases to amaze.”

Among the highlights of the Fall 2025 Concert Series are a bevy of A-list musicians and notable names. Beach Boys cofounder Al Jardine returns to the theater to perform a tribute to Brian Wilson, backed by Wilson’s former touring group, the Pet Sounds Band. Sixteen-time GRAMMYwinner Jerry Douglas performs with his eponymous bluegrass band, long-running British a cappella group the King’s Singers bring their world-renowned choral music to the theater and acclaimed actor Kevin Bacon returns with his folk-rock sibling duo the Bacon Brothers.

The Fall 2025 Concert Series also welcomes several notable musicians for their debut

BACON BROTHERS

performances at the MIM Music Theater, including Brazilian bandolim master Hamilton de Holanda, Scottish folk quintet Breabach, Canadian jazz singer Caity Gyorgy and American jazz harpist Brandee Younger. Theater firsttimers Patterson Hood and Craig Finn — cofounder of the Drive-By Truckers and frontman for the Hold Steady, respectively — share the stage for an evening of songs and stories. The Orleans Acoustic Quartet performs hit songs from the ’70s pop band’s extensive catalog in its inaugural visit to the theater and Micky Dolenz of the Monkees makes his first appearance in a special concert featuring songs and stories from his long career.

Returning favorites include GRAMMY-winning singer-songwriter Paula Cole, GRAMMY-winning bluegrass banjo virtuoso Alison Brown and acclaimed jazz pianist Emmet Cohen. Celebrated singer-songwriter Martin Sexton also returns to the MIM Music Theater, performing his reimagining of the iconic Beatles album Abbey Road

The Fall Concert Series also presents a selection of festive holiday concerts. Seasonal highlights include Suzy Bogguss’s A Swingin’ Little Christmas, David Benoit’s A Charlie Brown Christmas and A Peter White Christmas with Mindi Abair and Vincent Ingala.

“MIM is thrilled to welcome guests to another phenomenal season at the MIM Music Theater,” says Andrew Walesch, the theater’s artistic director. “We are proud to present an

outstanding lineup of artists that will deliver unforgettable experiences for our guests.”

MIM offers memberships that include exclusive benefits for concertgoers. Memberships starting at $250 include advance purchase opportunities for concert tickets and invitations to Exclusive First Look concert series preview events with MIM’s artistic director. Members who give $500 or more annually also enjoy 10% off concert tickets and invitations to Concert Series Premiere events.

Additional artists will be added throughout the season. For tickets and the complete concert series lineup contact the box office.

For more information, visit MIM.org.

PAULA COLE

HAMILTON DE HOLANDA

FROM FLORENCE TO PHOENIX Discover New Voices

+ Timeless Art

This 2025-26 season, discover bold ideas, diverse perspectives and world-class art — all in one place. From powerful contemporary works to rare historical treasures, this year’s exhibitions at Phoenix Art Museum will offer compelling storytelling from around the world.

Discover photographs and installations by Phoenix-based contemporary artists Safwat Saleem, Elizabeth Z. Pineda and Omar Soto, whose works delve into themes of identity, migration and displacement.

Florentine Baroque: The Haukohl Collection presents over 30 examples of painting and

sculpture from the most significant Florentine Baroque art collection outside of Italy. As the first exhibition of its kind in Arizona, it reveals the broader impact of Florentine art on European art history.

Radical Clay: Contemporary Women Artists from Japan showcases technical achievements and inventiveness of leading women ceramicists from Japan, highlighting their prowess at discovering new possibilities and positioning clay as a radical medium.

Eric Fischl: Stories Told presents 40 largescale paintings by one of America’s most celebrated contemporary figurative painters

with deep ties to Phoenix. Fischl explores the tensions of suburban life with emotional depth and cinematic detail.

Cara Romero: Panûpünüwügai (Living Light), celebrates the resilience, beauty and complexity of Native American and Indigenous communities. Discover never-before-seen photographs, sitespecific installations, large-scale photographs and iconic views across five thematic sections.

2024 Arizona Artist Awards (July 23, 2025 – Jan. 25, 2026)

Funny Business: Photography and Humor (June 14, 2025 – Jan. 4, 2026)

Florentine Baroque: The Haukohl Collection (Aug. 28, 2025 – July 26, 2026)

Radical Clay: Contemporary Women Artists (Sept. 24, 2025 – Aug. 9, 2026)

Eric Fischl: Stories Told (Nov. 7, 2025 – June 14, 2026)

Cara Romero: Panûpünüwügai (Living Light) (Feb. 28, 2026 – June 28, 2026)

Special-engagement exhibitions are free for Museum Members and included with general admission.

For exhibition sponsorship opportunities, contact the museum.

For more information, visit phxart.org.

ERIC FISCHL

CESARE DANDINI

HOSONO HITOMI

EXPLORE THE NATION’S #1 WESTERN MUSEUM AT WESTERN SPIRIT:

Scottsdale's Museum of the West!

Western Spirit, which celebrates its 10-year anniversary in 2025, has been selected to steward the Eddie Basha Collection , one of the largest, privately-owned collections of contemporary Western American and American Indian art in the world. This collection, plus other exhibitions, is featured in the museum’s new 12,000 square feet expansion building, the Louis Sands IV Center.

On Oct. 18, 2025, Western Spirit presents Mac Schweitzer: A Southwest Maverick Rediscovered. Six decades after the artist’s death, guest curator Ann Lane Hedlund rediscovers an artistic legacy full of intriguing stories and a fascinating, diverse body of artwork never before seen in public.

On view through Dec. 14, 2025 is A Fistful of Colors, which explores how Western artists have harnessed the rainbow to portray the majestic landscapes, bold personalities and thrilling stories that define the iconic American West.

Permanent exhibit favorites at Western Spirit include Canvas of Clay: Hopi Pottery Masterworks from the Allan and Judith Cooke Collection and the family-friendly Abe Hays Family Spirit of the West Collection.

Seasonal exhibition and program calendars are available on the museum’s website.

OPEN:

Tuesday-Saturday: 9:30 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Extended Thursday Hours: (November – April) 9:30 a.m. – 9 p.m.

Sunday: 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Mondays: Open mid-September – May

For more information, visit westernspirit.org

Thru 12/14/25

A Fistful of Colors

Western Spirit: Scottsdale's Museum of the West

Thru 7/26/26

Florentine Baroque: The Haukohl Collection Phoenix Art Museum

SEPTEMBER

& 13

Jimmy Webb

Instrument Museum

-

Youtheatre

Latinas Divinas II

Wind Ensemble and Wind Symphony

School of Music,

Reed: Great Songs from the Movies with Ann Hampton

Nicolas King and Maud Hixson

UB40 | CHANDLER CENTER FOR THE ARTS

John Scofield’s Combo 73 featuring Vicente

Archer, Gerald

Clayton and Bill Stewart

Musical Instrument Museum 20

Sippin' Series: Kokomo Rum

Scottsdale Arts

Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts

20

James Perkins Artist Talk

Scottsdale Arts

Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art

20 thru 2/15/26

James Perkins

Burying Painting

Scottsdale Arts

Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art

ASU Symphony Orchestra and Music Theatre and Opera: Magique: A Spellbinding Journey Through French Music

ASU School of Music, Dance and Theatre

Tempe Center for the Arts

22 - 24

Acoustic Hot Tuna Musical Instrument Museum

24 thru 8/9/26

Radical Clay: Comptemporary Women Artists from Japan

Graham Dechter, Alex Frank and Friends featuring Walter Smith III, Jacob Mann and Ryan Shaw Musical Instrument Museum 27 & 28 Zorro

Arizona Opera Symphony Hall

Gabby's Dollhouse Live! Mesa Arts Center

The Price is Right Live

Chandler Center for the Arts

Steena Murray Mainstage

Joan Osborne Sings the Songs of Bob Dylan

A Pivotal Point: Art in Scottsdale in the 1970s

Opening Reception

Scottsdale Arts

Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts Center Space Gallery

First Friday Phoenix Art Museum

3 – 5

Dvořák’s "New World" Symphony

The Phoenix Symphony Symphony Hall

3 – 5

Chandler Center for the Arts

Steena Murray Mainstage

OCTOBER

Ledisi "For Dinah" Chandler Center for the Arts

Steena Murray Mainstage

Twilight In Concert: The Film with Live Band Mesa Arts Center

Davina and the Vagabonds

ASU Music Theatre and Opera: Songs for a New World ASU School of Music, Dance and Theatre

ASU Evelyn Smith Music Theatre

3 thru 11/1/25 Newsies Arizona Broadway Theatre

24-Hour Play Festival

ASU School of Music, Dance and Theatre

Lyceum Theatre

Ambrosia

Musical Instrument Museum

CCA and C.A.L.L.E. de Arizona

present 26th Annual Mariachi and Folklórico Festival

Chandler Center for the Arts

Steena Murray Mainstage

4, 11, 18, 25

Dog Days

Desert Botanical Garden

4 thru 1/18/26

A Pivotal Point: Art in Scottsdale in the 1970s

Scottsdale Arts

Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts

Center Space Gallery

4 thru 1/2026

The Resurrection of BIlly the Kid

Western Spirit: Scottsdale's Museum of the West

5

The Scottsdale Chorus

Scottsdale Arts

Virginia G. Piper Theater

6 - 8

Micky Dolenz of the Monkees: Songs and Stories

Musical Instrument Museum

6 thru 12/31/25

Artists of Cattletrack

Tour

ASU Canticum Bassum, Sol Singers and Choral Union

ASU School of Music, Dance and Theatre

ASU Jazz Big Band Blastoff!

ASU School of Music, Dance and Theatre

ASU Katzin Concert Hall 8 Lenhardt Lecture Phoenix Art Museum

8 thru 10/26/25

People, Places, Predicaments: John Clymer’s West

Western Spirit: Scottsdale's Museum of the

Flachmann Seminar for 1984

Mesa Arts Center

The Princess Bride An Inconceivable Evening with Cary Elwes

Arts Center

Art Museum

Southwest Shakespeare Company

Arts Center 11 thru 2/22/26

Jeanne K. Simmons: Rooted Scottsdale Arts

Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art 11 thru 2/22/26

Casey Curran: Tidal Sky

Scottsdale Arts

Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art

3/8/26

Evan Roth: Pathfindin Scottsdale Arts

Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art

Danny Elfman's Music from the Films of Tim Burton The Phoenix Symphony

Scottsdale

Mavis Staples Chandler Center for the Arts

Steena Murray Mainstage

Emerging

ASU

Mozart

Beetlejuice Jr.

Greasepaint Youtheatre

Stagebrush Theatre

Musical

Julia Chacón Flamenco

Theatre Braided Roots

Scottsdale Arts

Stage 2

Exhibition Opening: Mac Schweitzer: A Southwest Maverick

Rediscovered

Western Spirit: Scottsdale's Museum of the West

18 & 19

Birds of a Feather

ProMusica Arizona Chorale & Orchestra

Various Locations

JULIA CHACÓN | SCOTTSDALE ARTS

ASU Wind Ensemble and

23 - 26

The Sleeping Beauty Ballet Arizona Symphony Hall

24 & 25

Strange Garden

Desert Botanical Garden 24 - 26

Sol Power Hip-Hop Festival

ASU School of Music, Dance and Theatre

Nelson Fine Arts Plaza 25 Still/Here ASU Gammage

25 & 26

Diá de los Muertos Festival

Mesa Arts Center

25 thru 11/9/25

Deceived

Arizona Theatre Company

Tempe Center for the Arts

Rachel & Vilray

Arizona Musicfest

Pinnacle Presbyterian Church

29 thru 12/14/25

Looking Over the President's Shoulder The Phoenix Theatre Company

Hardes Theatre

The Righteous Brothers: The Farewell Tour

Dorrance Dance featuring Elizabeth Burke and Like Hickey

Chandler Center for the Arts

Steena Murray Mainstage

Stardew Valley: Symphony of Seasons

Mesa Arts Center

Ikeda Theater

1 & 2

Celebrating Día de los Muertos starring Mauricio Martínez

The Phoenix Symphony Symphony Hall

1 & 2

Paula Cole

Musical Instrument Museum

1 - 3

Día de Muertos

Desert Botanical Garden

DÍA DE MUERTOS | DESERT BOTANICAL GARDEN

Bucky Miller, Lucy, 2024. Inkjet print. Courtesy of the artist © Bucky Miller

- 9 & 14 -

For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide/When the Rainbow is Enuf

Music Inside Out: Pablo Sainz-Villegas

Scottsdale

Scottsdale

Fab Four: Tribute to the Beatles' Help! and the Hits

School of Ballet

Steves' Europe

Kitchell Gallery

15

The Magical Music of Harry Potter

The Phoenix Symphony

Madison Center for the Arts

15 & 16

Menopause the Musical® 2: Cruising through 'The Change'

Chandler Center for the Arts

15 & 16

Plants & People of the Sonoran Desert Celebration

Desert Botanical Garden

18

Straight No Chaser

Holiday Road Tour

Mesa Arts Center

20 SOUNDCHECK

Phoenix Art Museum

20 & 21

Undergraduate Project Presentations

ASU School of Music, Dance and Theatre

Margaret Gisolo Dance Theatre

20 - 23

ASU Music Theatre and

Opera: Curtains

ASU School of Music, Dance and Theatre

ASU Evelyn Smith

Music Theatre

21

ASU Symphony Orchestra and Wind Ensemble

ASU School of Music, Dance and Theatre

ASU Katzin Concert Hall, Recital Hall, Organ Hall

21

Richard Thomas in

Mark Twain Tonight

Mesa Arts Center

21 & 22

Chris Botti

Musical Instrument Museum

21 - 23

Scheherazade and Sandoval

The Phoenix Symphony

Symphony Hall

22

The Texas Tenors: Let Freedom Ring

Arizona Musicfest

Highlands Church

22

The Voice of Whitney: A Symphonic Celebration

Mesa Arts Center

23

Scottsdale

Symphonic Orchestra

Legends and Legacy: Myth, Heroism, and the American Spirit

Scottsdale Arts

Scottsdale Civic Center

24 & 25

Orleans Acoustic Quartet

Opening Act: Livingston Taylor

Musical Instrument Museum

25

ASU Maroon & Gold Band and Philharmonia

ASU School of Music, Dance and Theatre

ASU Gammage

26 thru 12/28/25

A Christmas Carol

The Phoenix Theatre Company

Dr. Stacie J and Richard J

Stephenson Theatre

26 thru 4/2027

The Collection: American, Latin American, European Art

Phoenix Art Museum

28

Stayin' Alive

One Night of the Bee Gees

Mesa Arts Center

28 - 30

Home Alone™ in Concert

The Phoenix Symphony Symphony Hall

28 thru 12/7/25

The Nutcracker Ballet Etudes

Chandler Center for the Arts

28 thru 12/30/25

Las Noches de las Luminarias

Desert Botanical Garden

30

Matteo Bocelli

Falling in Love World Tour

Mesa Arts Center

DECEMBER

2

All ASU Choirs

ASU School of Music, Dance and Theatre

First United Methodist Church

2 - 7

Shucked

ASU Gammage

4

Storytime

Phoenix Art Museum

5

First Friday

Phoenix Art Museum

FALL 2025 CONCERT SERIES

The Bacon Brothers

October 10

The King’s Singers

October 18

Noam Pikelny and Friends

October 19

The Martin Sexton Abbey Road Show

October 21

Paula Cole

November 1 & 2

Joshua Radin

November 12 & 13

Chris Botti

November 21 & 22

Orleans Acoustic Quartet

November 24 & 25

Mike Stern

December 17

The Jerry Douglas Band

January 6

Hamilton de Holanda

January 22

Emmet Cohen

January 23

And many more!

Concert Series sponsored by

NUTCRACKER | BALLET ARIZONA

Scottsdale

Virginia

An Evening with

Virginia G. Piper Theater 20 & 21

Christmas Baroque The Phoenix Symphony Orpheum Theatre 20 & 21

Winter Wonderland

ProMusica Arizona Chorale & Orchestra Various Locations

Mariachi Sol de Mexico presents Jose Hernandez' Merry-Achi Christmas Scottsdale Arts

Virginia G. Piper Theater

JANUARY

-

- 11

Pictures at an Exhibition

9 - 25

3/31/26

Modern Messages: David Ahchipaptunhe Haff and Jacob A. Meders  Scottsdale Arts Civic Center Public Gallery

thru 1/3/27

Still in the Saddle: A New History of the Hollywood Western Western Spirit: Scottsdale's Museum of the West

Neil Berg: The '70s: Long Live Rock 'N' Roll

Musicfest

Church

- 25

of Anne Frank

KAY WALKINGSTICK / HUDSON RIVER

The Heard Museum’s new Grand Gallery Exhibition, Open Jan 23, 2026

Experience the beauty of the American landscape through two powerful perspectives. Kay WalkingStick / Hudson River School brings together breathtaking works by contemporary Cherokee artist Kay WalkingStick and iconic 19th-century paintings from the Hudson River School. Side by side, these works invite you to see the land through different lenses, exploring both deep reverence and the complex histories it holds. Organized by the New-York Historical Society, Kay WalkingStick / Hudson River School invites you to reflect on beauty, history, and the stories that landscapes hold.

Kay WalkingStick (b. 1935) Our Land Variation II, 2008. Oil stick on paper. Miller Meigs Collections.

Photo by JSP Art Photography © Kay WalkingStick

Nat Geo Live: Chasing

Hamilton de Holanda

Dee Dee Bridgewater with Bill Charlap

Scottsdale Arts

Virginia G. Piper Theater

Emmet Cohen: Miles and Coltrane at 100

Musical Instrument Museum 23 thru 5/25/26

Kay WalkingStick/

Hudson River School

Heard Museum Grand Gallery 23 thru 9/7/26

Paintings from the Heard Collection Heard Museum

Joshua Kane: Borders of the Mind Mesa Arts Center 24 & 25

Transcendence

Phoenix Chorale

Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts 24 thru 6/28/26

Muscle Memory

Phoenix Art Museum

The Simon & Garfunkel Story Mesa Arts Center

27 thru 2/1/26

The Neil Diamond Musical: A Beautiful Noise

ASU Gammage

MANIA: The ABBA Tribute Mesa Arts Center

28 thru 3/29/26

Come From Away

The Phoenix Theatre Company

Dr. Stacie J. and Richard J Stephenson Theatre

ASU Symphony Orchestra ASU School of Music, Dance and Theatre

Teaching Artists Opening Reception

Scottsdale Arts

Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts Center Space Gallery

30 thru 2/1/26

Summer Breeze:

Yacht Rock Classics

The Phoenix Symphony Orpheum Theatre

30 thru 2/1/26

TINA – The Tina Turner

Musical Mesa Arts Center 31

Pictures at an Exhibition: Music at the Museum

The Phoenix Symphony

Madison Center for the Arts 31

Spamilton:

An American Parody

Del E. Webb Center for the Performing Arts

FEBRUARY

Sibelius Violin Concerto and Enigma Variations

12 - 15

ALICE (In Wonderland)

Ballet

Counterpoint:

Conrad Tao & Caleb Teicher Arizona Musicfest

Pinnacle Presbyterian Church

Beyond

Steena Murray Mainstage

Gunhild Carling

Sweden's Queen of Swing with New Guard Big Band

Scottsdale Arts

Virginia G. Piper Theater

13 - 15 & 20 - 22

Peter and the Starcatcher

ASU School of Music, Dance and Theatre

Galvin Playhouse Theatre

13 thru 3/1/26 Puffs Valley Youth Theatre

Sons of Serendip

Chandler Center for the Arts

Steena Murray Mainstage

Valentine's Day Phoenix Art Museum

14 - 21

Henry V Southwest Shakespeare Company Mesa Arts Center

Ballet Arizona dancer Luis Corrales.

Photo by Ed Flores, photo composite by Angie Slade.

JS Bach Violin Concerto & Brandenburg No. 5

Arizona Bach Festival

All Saints' Episcopal Church 15

Scottsdale Symphonic Orchestra Voices of Courage: Struggle and Defiane

Scottsdale Arts

Virginia G. Piper Theater

16

Patti LuPone: Matters of the Heart

Arizona Musicfest

Highlands Church 17

ASU Canticum

Bassum, Sol Singers and Barrett Symphonic Choir

ASU School of Music, Dance and Theatre

Dayspring United Methodist Church

17

Hotel California

A Salute to the Eagles

Del E. Webb Center for the Performing Arts

17

Keyboard Conversations® with Jeffrey Siegel:

Poetic Tone Pictures

Scottsdale Arts

Virginia G. Piper Theater

17 - 22

Clue

ASU Gammage

18

Nat Geo Live: Life on the Move

Mesa Arts Center

The Ten Tenors

Arizona Musicfest

Highlands Church 19 SOUNDCHECK

Phoenix Art Museum 19

Savor the Symphony Luncheon

The Phoenix Symphony 19 - 20

Graduate Project Presentations

ASU School of Music, Dance and Theatre

Margaret Gisolo Dance Theatre 20

Vitamin String Quartet

Mesa Arts Center

20 - 22

Disco Divas

The Phoenix Symphony Symphony Hall

20 thru 3/1/26

Madagascar:

A Musical Adventure Jr. Greasepaint Youtheatre

Stagebrush Theatre

The Wild Woods: Before Peter Met the Wolf

The Phoenix Symphony

Madison Center for the Arts 21

The Canine Stars

Stunt Dog Show

Chandler Center for the Arts

Steena Murray Mainstage

21 thru 3/8/26

Ain't Misbehavin'

Arizona Theatre Company

Tempe Center for the Arts

Violin Sonatas of JS Bach

Arizona Bach Festival

Western Spirit: Scottsdale's Museum of the West

Festival Orchestra & Chorus: Mozart Symphony No. 35 and The Drop That Contained the Sea

Arizona Musicfest

La Casa de Cristo

Family Funday

Phoenix Art Museum

The Legendary Count Basie Orchestra

90th Anniversary Celebration with Nnenna Freelon

Del E. Webb Center for the Performing Arts

Festival Orchestra: Rachmaninoff & Brahms featuring Ben Beilman, Violin

Arizona Musicfest

La Casa de Cristo

The Legendary Count Basie Orchestra with Special Guest Nnenna Freelon

Mesa Arts Center

ASU Maroon & Gold Band and Philharmonia

ASU School of Music, Dance and Theatre

ASU Gammage 25

Chris Thile

Scottsdale Arts

Virginia G. Piper Theater

Classical Music Inside Out:

Zuill Bailey

Mesa Arts Center

27

Mariachi Herencia de México con Leonardo Aguilar: La Nueva Generación

Mesa Arts Center

27

Festival Orchestra: American Portraits

Arizona Musicfest

La Casa de Cristo

27 thru 3/1/26

ASU Music Theatre and Opera: Flight

ASU School of Music, Dance and Theatre

ASU Evelyn Smith Music Theatre

27 thru 3/1/26

Celebrating America at 250: Gershwin, Copland & More

The Phoenix Symphony Symphony Hall

27 thru 6/28/26

Cara Romero: Panûpünüwügai (Living Light)

Phoenix Art Museum 28

GALLIM Public Masterclass Scottsdale Arts

Festival Orchestra: The Planets & Tchaikovsky featuring George Harliono, Piano

Arizona Musicfest

La Casa de Cristo 1

Lidarti's Oratorio: Esther

Arizona Bach Festival

Valley of the Sun Jewish Community Center 1

The World Famous

Glenn Miller Orchestra

Chandler Center for the Arts

Steena Murray Mainstage

1, 8, 15, 22, 29

Sun & Sounds

Scottsdale Arts

Scottsdale Civic Center West Bowl 3

ASU Wind Ensemble and Wind Symphony

ASU School of Music, Dance and Theatre ASU Gammage 3

Jamie Barton in Recital

Arizona Opera

ASU Katzin Concert Hall 3

New York Gilbert & Sullivan

Players The Mikado

Mesa Arts Center

ASU Symphony Orchestra

ASU School of Music, Dance and Theatre

ASU Gammage

4 thru 5/3/26

Tenderly: The Rosemary Clooney Musical

The Phoenix Theatre Company

Judith Hardes Theatre 5

ASU Concert Choir, Gospel Choir and Choral Union

ASU School of Music, Dance and Theatre

ASU Katzin Concert Hall

5

The Classical Era: Mozart and More

The Phoenix Symphony Musical Instrument Museum 5 Storytime

Phoenix Art Museum 6

First Friday Phoenix Art Museum

6 & 7

Scottsdale Family ArtsFest

Scottsdale Arts

Scottsdale Civic Center

7

Ikeda Theater 4

Gabriel Rutledge: Don't Read The Comments

Mesa Arts Center 7

The United States

Army Field Band & Soldiers' Chorus

Chandler Center for the Arts

Steena Murray Mainstage

JAMIE BARTON | ARIZONA OPERA

Celebrate St. Patrick's Day with Lúnasa

Cirque

Cirque

19 - 22

Cacti & Other Works

Ballet Arizona

Orpheum Theatre 20

Sue Foley: One Guitar Woman

Chandler Center for the Arts

Hal Bogle Theatre

20 - 22

The Music of Elton John starring Michael Cavanaugh

The Phoenix Symphony Symphony Hall

20 - 22 & 27 - 29

Transitions Dance Projects

ASU School of Music, Dance and Theatre

Galvin Playhouse Theatre

20 thru 4/4/26

Moby Dick

Southwest Shakespeare Company Mesa Arts Center

20 thru 8/23/26

Tender Alchemy:

Beth Ames Swartz and Julianne Swartz

Scottsdale Arts

Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art

Paula Poundstone Mesa Arts Center

American Mosaic Classics Concert

Phoenix Boys Choir

Pinnacle Presbyterian Church

Flachmann Seminar for Moby Dick

Southwest Shakespeare Company Mesa Arts Center

Three American Troubadours:

Celebrating James Taylor, Carly Simon & Carole King

Arizona Musicfest Highlands Church

Celebrity Wine & Spirits Festival

Scottsdale Arts

Scottsdale Civic Center

21 & 22

Chant & Polyphony Phoenix Chorale with Floriani Trinity Episcopal Cathedral

Scottsdale Symphonic Orchestra

The Wayfarer’s Hope: A Nation’s Journey

Scottsdale Arts

Virginia G. Piper Theater

The Hot Sardines: Vive Le Jazz with the Musicfest Pops Ensemble Arizona Musicfest

Church

ASU Barrett Symphonic Choir Pops Concert

ASU School of Music, Dance and Theatre

ASU Katzin Concert Hall

Keyboard Conversations® with Jeffrey Siegel: Music of Joy and Peace

Scottsdale Arts

Virginia G. Piper Theater

Lenhardt Lecture Phoenix Art Museum

Electric Light Orchestra

Symphony

Concert The Phoenix Symphony Camelback Bible Church

Martini Del E. Webb Center for the Performing Arts

Martini Chandler Center for the Arts Steena Murray Mainstage

The Ravi Shankar Ensemble

An Intimate Evening with David Foster & Katharine McPhee

Musicfest

Dolly Parton's Threads: My Songs in Symphony

The Phoenix Symphony

Arizona Financial Theatre

ASU School of Music,

Fits (Vol. 2): Tiny

Hidden Treasures

18 & 19

Flying Away

ProMusica Arizona Chorale & Orchestra Various Locations

19

Cycle the Arts: 20th

Anniversary

Scottsdale Arts

19

Drew and Ellie Holcomb

Scottsdale Arts

Virginia G. Piper Theater 21

ASU Wind Symphony and Maroon & Gold Band

ASU School of Music, Dance and Theatre

ASU Gammage

21 thru 5/17/26

The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane The Musical Childsplay

Herberger Theater Center

23

ASU Wind Bands

ASU School of Music, Dance and Theatre

Nelson Fine Arts Plaza

24 - 26

ASU Music Theatre and Opera: Spring Awakening

ASU School of Music, Dance and Theatre

ASU Evelyn Smith Music Theatre

24 - 26

Ragtime The Musical Arizona Musicfest

Herberger Theater Center

24 - 26

Shostakovich Symphony No. 5

The Phoenix Symphony Symphony Hall

24 - 26

Spring Dance Fest

ASU School of Music, Dance and Theatre

Galvin Playhouse Theatre

HOMEGROWN | An Arizona

Choreographer Showcase

Scottsdale Arts

Virginia G. Piper Theater 28

All ASU Choirs

ASU School of Music, Dance and Theatre

First United Methodist Chuch

28 thru 5/3/26

Hell's Kitchen

ASU Gammage 29

Tommy Emmanuel, Certified Guitar Plyer

Mesa Arts Center MAY 1

Camila Fernandez

Chandler Center for the Arts

Steena Murray Mainstage 1

First Friday Phoenix Art Museum 1

Visions '26 Opening Reception

Scottsdale Arts

Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts Center Space Gallery

1 - 10

Hadestown: Teen Edition

Greasepaint Youtheatre

Stagebrush Theatre

1 - 31

Bonnie & Clyde Arizona Broadway Theatre

2 & 3

Triumph and Tragedy: The Greatest Opera Choruses The Phoenix Symphony Symphony Hall

6 thru 6/14/26

Ever After The Phoenix Theatre Company Dr. Stacie J. and Richard J Stephenson Theatre

First Friday

Art Museum 8 - 10

Riverdance 30 The New Generation Mesa Arts Center

8 - 10

Troupe Vertigo: Cirque Carmen The Phoenix Symphony Orpheum Theatre

8 thru 9/13/26

Visions '26

Scottsdale Arts

Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts Center Space Gallery

Northern Lights Adventure The Phoenix Symphony

Madison Center for the Arts

J. and Richard J Stephenson Theatre