Editor’s Note: While we are delighted to see Tucsonans once again gathering for fun events, we are also aware that variants are in circulation. Please consider getting vaccinated against COVID if you haven’t yet.
The Piano Lesson. This August Wilson play received the 1990 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, and is the fourth play in Wilson’s Pittsburgh Cycle. This rendition is put on by Pima Theatre. When Boy Willie arrives in town, he asks his sister if they can finally sell the old family piano in her living room. She refuses, because it’s covered in carvings from their ancestors which tell a story of the family’s rise from slavery. Ultimately, it’s a show about the legacies you honor, and the legacy you choose to leave behind. March 25 to April 3. 7 p.m. Thursday through Saturday and 1 p.m. on Sunday. There’s also an opening celebration at 6 p.m. on Friday, March 25. ASL night is March 31. Pima West Campus Black Box Theatre, 2202 W. Anklam Road. $15 to $17.
Laser Queen. There may not be any gunpowder, gelatin or dynamite. But there will be plenty of laser beams, guaranteed to blow your mind. Flandrau’s current light show combines the operatic glam of this legendary rock band with an array of rippling lights on the dome of the planetarium. Honestly, sitting down in the dark and listening to “Under Pressure,” “Bohemian Rhapsody” and “Another One Bites the Dust” is already fun. But throw in a laser show!? I’m sold. If you’re really feeling it, stick around for the Pink Floyd show right after this one. 7 p.m. (Queen) and 8 p.m. (Pink Floyd) on Saturday, March 26. Flandrau Science Center and Planetarium, 1601 E. University Blvd. $9 GA, $8 seniors, $7 college students & kids 4 to 17, $3 with EBP or SNAP card.
From Mourning to Dancing. This weekend True Concord presents Bach’s B-Minor Mass, which, if you didn’t know, is a Very Big Deal. There many recordings of it, because many consider it one of the best pieces of classical music ever. (Wagner called it “the most stupendous miracle in all music!”) But nothing compares to being enveloped in its sound during a live performance. This show was originally scheduled for March 2020, so it’s been a long time coming and makes a perfect closer to True Concord’s season. 7 p.m. on Friday, March 25, at Valley Presbyterian Church, 2800 S. Camino del Sol, Green Valley. 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, March 26 and 3 p.m. on Sunday, March 27. at Catalina Foothills High School, 4300 E. Sunrise Drive. $27 GA, $42 premium. For subscribers, $22 GA and $37 premium.
HUB’s Dog Days of Spring Yappy Hour. If you like ice cream and dogs, we’ve got great news for you! The HUB is wrapping up its Dog Days of Spring special events for March, and you still have one more chance to make it to Yappy Hour. Just head over to the HUB Ice Cream Parlor between 5 and 9 p.m. on Wednesday, March 30 with your dog (or a borrowed dog) to receive $1 off a scoop of ice cream. Or you can bring in an item from Pima Animal Care Center’s donation list to get a free scoop. They’ll also be selling dog treats and donating 50% of the treat proceeds to PACC. HUB Ice Cream Parlor, 245 E. Congress St.
Friends of the Pima Library Community Book Sale. Happy Spring! We all know that the reason we clean out our houses every spring is to make more room for books. This book sale has got you covered with a huge array of books from all different genres. The special theme this month is “Banned Books,” with a section showcasing books that communities—including Tucson!—have pushed to censor or ban. Here’s the pricing breakdown: Friday is regular prices (still very affordable), Saturday is 25 percent off for 55+, Sunday is half price for everyone and Monday is $10 bag day. 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday, March 25 to Monday, March 28. 2203 N. Country Club Road.
Oro Valley Spring Festival of the Arts. Southern Arizona sure does love a good art festival. And this open-air artisan market is a good one! Come check out dozens of independently owned, small businesses and artists who make and sell home goods, fine art, fashion, food and more. There will be plenty of popup music performances and food trucks to keep you energized throughout all the browsing and shopping. This is also a really cool chance to hear directly from artists about the processes behind their work. Thank you, SAACA! 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, March 26, and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, March 27. Oro Valley Marketplace, 12155 N. Oracle Road.
Sylvia. Like most media about dogs, this show at Live Theatre Workshop is both cute and funny, but also packs quite the emotional punch. The modern comedy by A.R. Gurney follows Greg and Kate, who have just moved to Manhattan from the suburbs after becoming empty nesters. When Greg finds a Lab-poodle mix in the park named Sylvia, he’s delighted, Kate is a little annoyed and Sylvia is adorable. And they figure it out, because dogs are usually the answer to problems. The New York Daily News called it “one of the most involving, beautiful, funny, touching and profound plays I have ever seen.” March 24 to April 30. Shows at 7:30 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays and 3 p.m. on Sundays, with a Saturday matinee on April 30. Live Theatre Workshop, 3322 E. Fort Lowell Road. $23 GA, $21 military/senior/student, $15 Thursdays and previews.
TAFF Film Night at the Screening Room. Are you still missing First Fridays at the Loft? This event has a slightly different flavor (no gongs!), but is an equally wonderful opportunity to see short films and music videos created by local artists. Members of the local group Tucson Aspiring and Focused Filmmakers will be showing their stuff this evening, while you show your support, and maybe expand your cinema palette. There’s something especially exciting about going out for a Friday night and not knowing exactly what you’re going to see. 6:30 to 9 p.m. Friday, March 25. The Screening Room, 127 E. Congress St.
Tucson’s Got Talent. Boy, does it. The Colby Olsen Foundation presents the finals of this event his weekend. Semi-finals were earlier in this month, but this is your chance to see who is named the winner—in both the 13-17 youth category and the 18+ adult category. Adult winners get a cash prize, and youth winners receive a scholarship. Singers! Lip syncers! Dancers! Magicians! Come see ’em all. Ticket sales support the Colby Olsen Foundation, which aims to raise awareness for issues affecting LGBTQ+ youth and seniors in the community. 6 p.m. Friday, March 25. 14 S. Arizona Ave. $5.
