Local Steps
University of Arizona Jazz Dance Showcase: "Jazz in AZ" Faculty Concert
7:30 p.m., tonight, Thursday, Oct. 6
UA Stevie Eller Dance Theatre
1713 E. University Blvd.
621-1162
Jazz up your Thursday night!
"Jazz in AZ" is a dance performance by University of Arizona School of Dance faculty members, being held as part of the school's 20th anniversary Jazz Dance Showcase.
The showcase is drawing more than 1,000 dancers from around the world, and the show will give people outside of the dance world a sneak peek at what's going on, said Michael Williams, a UA dance professor and director.
Though the showcase runs through the weekend and includes master classes, workshops and several performances, the Thursday-night show is the public's last chance to get involved, Williams said.
People can "see a little bit about the department, see us in performance, and get a sense of the campus and community," Williams said.
With dancers coming as far as Italy, the showcase offers an opportunity for the school to recruit future dancers, Williams said.
"The festival itself is really a great thing for us," Williams said.
Thursday's performance will have something for everyone—even people who don't typically attend dance shows, Williams said.
"Even if someone's never really come to a dance concert before, it's a great introduction to experiencing dance in a concert venue," Williams said. "It's really easy to digest, and it leaves a good taste in your mouth."
Jazz dance is like the dancing you would see on Broadway, on music videos or on television shows like So You Think You Can Dance, Williams said—dancing you've probably seen before.
"This show is not hard to understand, and it has a lot of physicality, a lot of real vitality in the movement," Williams said. "It's a fun show."
Tickets are $16; $14 for university employees, military members and seniors; and $12 for students. —K.M.
24 Hours, Six New Plays
Old Pueblo Playwrights' Play in a Day Festival
Shows at 7:30 p.m., Friday and Saturday, Oct. 7 and 8
Temple of Music and Art Cabaret Theater 330 S. Scott Ave.
891-3400
Twenty-four hours. Twelve writers. Two nights of shows. Six new plays.
That's what's planned for the ninth annual Play in a Day Festival, held by the Old Pueblo Playwrights, a local nonprofit group.
On Friday night, members of Old Pueblo Playwrights will put on short plays they have written, said Dlyn Fairfax Parra, the OPP president.
Following the short plays, audience members will choose three props and write one line of dialogue that will need to be used in each of the six plays. Then 12 writers will be randomly paired up—and the six pairs will spend the night each writing a 10-to-15-minute play; those scripts will be passed out to six directors the next morning.
The directors have the day to rehearse the plays with their volunteer actors. Then, at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, those plays—not quite 24 hours old—will be performed. The show will be judged, and small cash prizes will be given.
This is a rare chance for people to enjoy collaborative writing, Fairfax Parra said.
"Writing is primarily a very solitary endeavor, but this is an opportunity to work with a team as a writer," Fairfax Parra said.
The spirit of collaboration is what keeps OPP member Vince Flynn involved. He's a co-chair of the festival this year.
"To see a play that you've written acted out, there's something really thrilling about it," said Flynn, a former English and drama teacher.
While the 24-hour cycle might sound tiring, fatigue is the last thing on people's minds, Flynn said.
"I've never heard anybody say they were tired. They seem to be exhilarated more than anything," Flynn said.
Tickets are $7 per show, or $12 for both nights. Call for reservations. —K.M.
Decent Exposure
7 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 8, and the second Saturday of every month
Rialto Block
Fifth Avenue, between Broadway Boulevard and Congress Street
331-2451
Local producers, writers, directors and promoters have teamed up to create a free event to help out local filmmakers.
The Short Film Showcase is a monthly event that takes place on each second Saturday. The event's purpose is to help Tucson residents get their films shown to the public—and therefore get exposure.
"We are tired of hearing the same thing from filmmakers in Tucson: 'We can't find funding for our films,'" quips the official website for the group.
One example of a local filmmaker seeking exposure is Yuri Machado, the founder of Authentic Productions and an organizer of the Short Film Showcase. His film S.O.L. is about the relationships between four male friends and the way they relate to the opposite sex. He considers it his most popular work; the film was first shown at the Screening Room in July.
"About a year ago, I wanted to do something like this for Tucson, because it's so expensive for Tucson filmmakers to rent out a venue or theater to show their low-budget films," Machado explained. "I came up with the idea to team up to make this event happen so they could show their films for free.
"Now they have a place to go to show their short films. That's a value. ... It's one less thing they have to spend their money on."
The event is free to the public, too. Filmmakers are urged to submit their films and trailers for upcoming showcases through an online entry form which leads with an encouraging statement: "The mission of the 'Showcase' is to create platforms for filmmakers to reach the best possible audience for their work." —D.H.
Rock On!
4 to 10 p.m., Thursday through Saturday, from Saturday, Oct. 8, through Saturday, Oct. 29
245 E. Congress St., No. 171
David Olsen is the curator of Tucson Shot Rock and Roll, an exhibit in a Congress Street pop-up gallery that is designed to be an off-shoot of Who Shot Rock 'n' Roll, a national gallery tour of photographs of renowned rock musicians that is setting up shop at the Tucson Museum of Art later this month.
Olsen decided he wanted to put together a locally themed exhibit—not only featuring the work of local photographers, but also featuring images of musicians from Tucson who are famous in their own rights.
"I basically convinced these guys to dig through their archives to get their photos printed. I've known a lot of these photographers for a long time and knew what kind of photographs they had in their collections," Olsen said.
The work of Tim Fuller, who was at Woodstock in 1969, is featured in the exhibit, as is the work of David Rose, who photographed Bruce Springsteen.
"We have everything covered; punk, pop, heavy rock, classic rock. We tried our best to cover it all," Olsen said.
The gallery is set up in an empty storefront on Congress Street, rented out for one month. "We cleaned it up and got it ready. It's right across from the Hub (Restaurant and Ice Creamery). We wanted to be right on the scene, especially for Second Saturday."
Olsen said he's happy to be showing off the amazing work of these Tucson photographers.
"I convinced these guys to get their work on display. Little did they know how historically significant their work would be," he said.
A reception on opening night, Saturday, Oct. 8, will feature rock tunes played by DJ Carl Hanni (a Tucson Weekly contributor). Admission is free. —D.H.
