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Todd LeDuc returns home for Monster Jam
BY CHRISTINA FUOCO-KARASINSKI Peoria Times Executive Editor
Monster Energy truck driver Todd LeDuc is probably the world’s coolest dad. The Peoria resident is a hit at his son’s career days at school.
“They love it,” LeDuc said. “I bring my truck and they all get a kick out of it.”
LeDuc is returning home for Monster Jam at State Farm Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 2.
Driving is in LeDuc’s blood as well, as he is the son of legendary off-road driver Curt LeDuc and the brother of fellow driver Kyle LeDuc.
“When I was a child, I was always competing with my brother,” he said. “I was riding bikes faster than everybody else in the neighborhood or jumping higher. It’s always been in me deep down.”
Driving the Monster Energy truck, LeDuc said even though fans’ adrenaline gets him charged, he especially enjoys the traveling.
“I’ve got a gypsy soul or something,” he said. “I like traveling or seeing the world, meeting new people and sharing what Monster Jam is with the world.
“Here in the United States, we’re so accustomed to big trucks and racing. In Brazil or Australia, they don’t have those kinds of things. To showcase what Monster Jam is with other countries and blowing people’s minds is cool.
Peoria resident Todd LeDuc returns to the Valley for Monster Jam on Saturday, Oct. 2 in State Farm Stadium riding for Monster Energy. Driving is in his blood as the son of legendary off-road driver Curt LeDuc and brother of
fellow driver Kyle LeDuc. (Photos courtesy of Todd LeDuc)
SEE MONSTER JAM PAGE 20
Ivan Harshman continues to deliver as solo artist
BY JORDAN HOUSTON Peoria Times Staff Writer
Music was always an escape for Scottsdale resident Ivan Harshman.
The full-time musician describes it as a therapeutic outlet throughout his childhood — and still stands by that statement.
Growing up in Toledo, Ohio, Harshman said he was “one of those kids forced to mature quickly.” Harshman recalls the first time he was given a handful of records, including tunes by Paul McCartney and the Animals, from his aunt at around 5 years old.
“Music for me at an early age was important,” explained Harshman, a former member of the Elliots. “No. 1, I liked it and it was really special to me in a certain way.
“I would hide in my room and listen to records and play army men. It was a big deal, because there was always a lot going on in the house. It was an escape for me.”
Now, the vocalist, writer and instrumentalist is making a name for himself throughout the North Valley as a mustsee — or hear — talent. Harshman has shared the stage with a multitude of renowned musicians and acts, including Derek Trucks, Keb Mo, Ian Moore, Gin Blossoms, David Crosby, Charlie Musselwhite, Carl Palmer, Cake, Sugar Ray, the Samples, Lisa Loeb, the Verve Pipe, Roger Clyne & the Peacemakers, Mark Mikel, Mudjaw’s Cantankerous Jubilee and the Zombies.
A self-described “blues rock dude,”
Theater Works to sell Wonderland-themed props
BY BRIDGETTE M. REDMAN Peoria Times Contributing Writer
When Theater Works closed its popular immersive show “Curiouser & Curiouser Too” on July 25, it was with a tease that it would be back in November with “A Curiouser Nutcracker.”
Instead, earlier this month, it announced that because COVID-19 infections were rising rapidly, they canceled the “Nutcracker” show.
“We were so looking forward to returning to live theater with this incredibly fun, entertaining and family-friendly immersive experience, particularly at the holidays, but our concern and focus for the health of anyone and everyone associated with Theater Works took precedence,” Theater Works Managing Director Cate Hinkle said.
“During this interlude, we are diving deep to evaluate every facet of the organization so that we can bring new programs that we believe are the future of
The prop sale will include large character cutouts, painted furniture, wire bunnies and lots of Wonderland-themed clocks, hearts and faux greenery. There will be teapots and large arches, chairs and desks. (Photo courtesy of Theater Works) theater for Theater Works.”
Unwilling to just go dark, the Peoria company is offering its audiences a Halloween shopping experience. From 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 9, within the Peoria Center for the Performing Arts, Theater Works will sell props and set pieces from the “Curiouser” productions.
“If you saw any of our ‘Curiouser’ productions, this is your chance to get a memento from the experience,” Hinkle said.
“If you didn’t get to experience this show, the sale gives you a small glimpse at the magnitude of the creativity that went into this massive production.”
“Curiouser & Curiouser” was developed in response to pandemic restrictions because the audience was naturally socially distant and limited to only 12 people at a time.
Immersive theater is a form of theater where the audience moves through the sets, interacts directly with actors, and
SEE THEATER PAGE 21
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MONSTER JAM FROM PAGE 18
“I’ve definitely been put on this Earth to drive monster trucks. To do this as a career and a job is incredible. I like talking to the fans and when they express their opinions, it’s the coolest thing.”
Fans get the opportunity to do so during the Monster Jam Pit Party, prior to the Saturday evening event. They can see the massive trucks up close, watch live pre-race interviews and participate in Q&As with the drivers, get pre-signed autograph cards, take pictures and enjoy other family-friendly fun. Pit Passes are $20 for this VIP experience.
“It’s going to be a lot of fun,” he said. “Come out to Glendale and we’ll have some fun.”
The last few years have been successful for LeDuc. He won three stadium tour championships. He drives “like a madman, like normal,” and tried to do a double backflip last year.
“I didn’t complete the world’s highest back flip,” he said with a laugh. “But I need adrenaline to keep me moving through the day. It’s a craving I have all the time to compete and race.”
The show this weekend features, according to LeDuc, “three to four big hitters, and at least 11 people who are capable of winning.”
During the conversation, LeDuc was on a road trip from Wisconsin to Phoenix, on his way home from an off-road race with his son.
“I love riding my mountain bikes all over,” LeDuc said. “I like riding dirt bikes with my kids. I love Char (Pizzeria Napoletana). It’s a create-your-own pizza place. I’m a pizza fanatic. They cook the pizzas right there. It’s a great place to chill and hang out. That’s my go-to spot.”
Monster Jam
WHEN: 2:30 to 5 p.m. (pit party); 7 p.m. (main event) WHERE: State Farm Stadium, 1 Cardinals Drive, Glendale COST: Tickets start at $23; pit party $20 INFO: statefarmstadium.com State Farm Stadium gets revamped into a monster truck paradise perferct for the Monster Jam competition. Fans get the opportunity to get up close and personal with the massive trucks, watch live pre-race interviews and participate in Q&As with the drivers during the Monster Jam Pit Party that preludes the
main event. (Photo courtesy of Monster Jam)
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Baseball, Basketball, Football Cards (1900-1979) Comic Books (1940-1979) Original Comic Art (1940-1990) Pokemon And Magic The Gathering Cards (1993-1999) Sealed Cases And Boxes Sports & Non-Sports
ACROSS
1 “Arrivederci --” 5 Jazzy style 8 Wild guess 12 Slender 13 Piercing tool 14 Brownish purple 15 In -- veritas 16 Corp. boss 17 Desertlike 18 Nowheresville 20 Saint Patrick’s Day event 22 Hide-hair insert 23 Nine-digit ID 24 Engrossed 27 Promptly 32 Wedding words 33 Expert 34 Granada gold 35 “Wonder Woman” actress 38 Remain 39 Beer barrel 40 Stolen 42 Alpine home 45 Casts out 49 Opera set in Egypt 50 Guffaw syllable 52 Lavish party 53 Espy 54 Reuben bread 55 Kismet 56 Sparkling Italian wine 57 German conjunction 58 Lean-to
DOWN
1 Answer an invite 2 Hodgepodge 3 Behave 4 Quantity 5 Scenic route, often 6 Have bills 7 Fall into a chair 8 Meager 9 Puccini opera 10 Battery fluid 11 Eliot’s “Adam --” 19 Rejection 21 Bat wood 24 Predetermine 25 Oklahoma city 26 Bikini pattern 28 Sgt., for one 29 Tied down 30 Mouths (Lat.) 31 Playpen item 36 Trattoria desserts 37 Candle count 38 Refuses to pay 41 Symbol of strength 42 Juanita’s home 43 Swinging joints? 44 Drive- -- window 46 Wife of Jacob 47 Diminutive suffix 48 Burpee buy 51 Novelist Rand
ANSWERS PAGE 26
THEATER FROM PAGE 19 can sometimes influence the action of the play or the outcome of the story.
The Theater Works production featured multimedia design, music, puppetry, dance, theater and visual art.
Theater Works repurposed its building for the “Curiouser & Curiouser” experience. It turned dressing rooms into performance spaces, offices into dressing rooms, and the rehearsal space became one of the realms.
“It was one of those things that just made sense as a response to COVID,” Hinkle said.
“We couldn’t do normal theater, but with this we could control the spaces and the group sizes, and it fit very well within our constraints.”
While eventually COVID-19 shut down even that first show, Theater Works opened a darker, more gothic “Curiouser & Curiouser Too” last summer, which ran successfully.
“We are incredibly proud of the popular immersive theater productions we have produced over the last year and extraordinarily thankful to our patrons for their willingness to engage with us in a different way,” Hinkle said.
What might you find at the “Curiouser” shop? There will be large character cutouts, painted furniture, wire bunnies and lots of Wonderland-themed clocks, hearts and faux greenery. There will be teapots and large arches, chairs and desks, too.
Theater Works does warn that not all props in the sprawling show will be sold. Shoppers should come early for the best selection.
They range in price from $1 to more than $100 and can be paid for with cash, credit card or check. Shoppers must take all items with them at the time of purchase. Also, all shoppers must wear a mask as is mandated by the city of Peoria in city buildings.
WHEN: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 9 WHERE: Peoria Center for the Performing Arts, 10580 N. 83rd Drive, Peoria COST: Free admission INFO: theaterworks.org
EVEN EXCHANGE
by Donna Pettman
Each numbered row contains two clues and two answers. The two answers differ from each other by only one letter, which has already been inserted. For example, if you exchange the A from MASTER for an I, you get MISTER. Do not change the order of the letters.
SATURDAY • OCTOBER 2 • 9AM-1PM
More info at: www.GlendaleAZ.com/Events
ARTIST FROM PAGE 18 Harshman can be found performing solo in Queen Creek, Cave Creek and Peoria. With his schedule listed on his website, he can satisfy a variety of requests, including classics like his Beatles medley, David Bowie, “Thirteen” and “Into the Mystic,” as well as perform his own original pieces, like “Avalon” and “The Dailies.”
“It doesn’t really matter what songs you play, as long as you play well,” Harshman said. “If you destroy someone’s favorite song, you’re not doing them or yourself any favors.”
Harshman, whose sound ranges from a blend of bluegrass to “pop-Beatles-esque songs,” said he prefers not to limit himself to any particular category. He considers his songs as “all over the map.”
“I’m an Anglophile. I love the Beatles and that whole scene,” he shared. “But, I’m a blues rock dude, and that’s the type of rock ’n’ roll that is still popular. People call it different things — blues rock. That’s, like, heavy metal like Black Sabbath. I’m a soulful, powerful singer.”
Harshman attributes his inspiration to first dabble in the music industry to his uncle, a singer and bass player.
At 14, he taught himself how to play the guitar. Harshman then began writing lyrical pieces shortly after, he explained.
“I started writing songs immediately,” Harshman recounted. “I had a lot going on inside of me. There’s two kinds of performers. There’s the ones that are using it as a catharsis and then there’s people that want attention.”
Harshman organized his first threepiece band about a year later, he said, in which he played the bass guitar with several of his classmates. The group covered the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Jimi Hendrix, among other artists, at gatherings for fraternities and sororities.
At 16, Harshman played for his uncle’s band at local bars while helping with stage management.
“I would run lights, and they would pay me to be a light man,” he said. “And then I would come up and would sing, at first, two or three songs, and then four or five.”
After graduating from high school, Harshman earned his own open stage night at a local bar called Shari’s Place Upstairs.
The stage was furnished with microphones and a drum set, Harshman explained.
“It was a musician’s bar. That’s who hung out there, musicians,” he said. “I would host the night and people would come up and want to play, and they could. All of a sudden, drums would kick in behind me. If you started playing a song somebody liked, they’d just walk up and start playing with you.
“It’s really how I learned. All of those guys were older, seasoned and ridiculously good musicians.”
Harshman arrived in Tempe around the late ’90s. The aspiring musician, who was in his early 20s at the time, initially planned to pursue music in Los Angeles, but his hopes were curtailed following the demise of the record label industry in the early 2000s.
He then joined what would become the Arizona-based “supergroup” the Elliots shortly after. The trio contained fellow singer-songwriters Blake Thompson on the vocals and guitar and Kate Russo on vocals, the electric violin and keyboards.
“We were three lead singer-songwriters. We called ourselves the unofficial supergroup,” Harshman recounted. “Everybody was a lead singer-songwriter from another band. Basically, we started writing and playing and had a great following.”
Harshman left the group around 2004 to pursue his next chapter as primarily a solo artist, he said.
In 2009, he joined the classic rock outfit The Rig with Valley musicians Ronnie Winter, a vocalist and guitarist, and Gary Bruzzese, a vocalist and drummer. To this day, the group performs once a month at local hangouts like Cave Creek’s The Hideaway Grill.
Performing is one of the few times that Harshman feels in the moment, he
SEE ARTIST PAGE 23
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ARTIST FROM PAGE 22 said.
“When I’m performing, it’s the only time where I’m really concentrating on one thing and I feel relaxed,” Harshman explained. “I feel like I’m where I’m supposed to be. I don’t feel anxious. I don’t feel nervous. I don’t feel like I’m missing something.”
Harshman added it is an important time to support live and local musicians. He encourages music lovers to continue to buy records or pay musicians in any capacity that they can.
“Live music is alive and well, as long as people keep showing up,” he shared. “People love live music. After COVID, people would come from different states and would come and cry. Grown men and women would cry. It’s very important to people.”
Ivan Harshman
WHEN: 6 to 10 p.m. Friday, Oct. 8 WHERE: Rosati’s Pizza, 3668 W. Anthem Way, Suite A128, Anthem COST: Free admission INFO: ivanharshman.com
WHEN: 2 to 10 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 9 WHERE: Peoria Country Fest at Pleasant Harbor at Lake Pleasant, 8708 W. Harbor Boulevard, Peoria COST: $25 adults; free for children 12 and younger; $7 parking per vehicle INFO: pleasantharbor.com
WHEN: 7 to 11 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 14 WHERE: The Hideaway Grill, 6746 E. Cave Creek Road, Cave Creek COST: Free admission INFO: hideaway-usa.com
Sat., Oct .23 • 5 - 9 p.m.Sat., Oct .23 • 5 - 9 p.m.
Peoria Sports Complex
For more information, call 623-773-7137 or visit peoriaaz.gov/specialevents.
PRESENTS
SEP 19 - OCT 30
