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FIRST NIGHT SCHEDULE

December 01, 2009 (11:37 am) | Permanent Link

Ticketed venues

For access to the following venues, you must be wearing a FIRST NIGHT admission button. Seating is general admission and is filled on a first come, first seated basis. Should a show be filled to capacity, FIRST NIGHT volunteers will suggest another nearby venue for your enjoyment. Seats will not be reserved for any show.

ARMORY PARK CENTER (Teen Venue)

220 S. Fifth Ave.
Sponsored by Providence Corporation
Venue hours: 6-11 pm

6-6:45 pm: Wolfe Bowart: Wolfe Bowart is devoted to world class physical theater productions that know no cultural or age barriers. Bowart’s performance is funny, surprising and heart warming for everyone.

7-7:45 pm: Golden Boots: Golden Boots is an alt-alt country band whose warped and fractured mixture of psychedelic rock, folk and country has drawn comparisons to Alex Chilton, The International Submarine Band, Beck, and the Monkees.

8-8:45 pm: Athens Marathon: Dante Cuestas-Thompson, Dylan Barnes and Eric Zammpripa play in a style the band self describes as “Math-Rock/Folk/2-Step.”

9-9:45 pm: Lifers: Lifers is a fuzzed out power-pop band. They are influenced by early punk rock and anything with a melody.

10-11:30 pm: DJ Sid the Kid: Teen Dance Party: Ready to dance? Sid the Kid will energize the night with a mix of classic hip-hop, electronica and popular dance music.

Also at Amory Park Center: 7-10 pm VOICES – a community-based nonprofit organization founded to provide youth with a safe space, positive relationships, and the skills training to document real-life stories – will present material from its Radioactivism Project.

BEOWULF ALLEY THEATRE (100 seats)

11 S. Sixth Ave.
Sponsored by Community Partnership of Southern Arizona
Venue hours: 4-11:30 pm

4-4:45 pm: Interactive youth activities

5-5:45 pm: Old Time Radio Theatre: Baby Snooks and Daddy’s version of Pinocchio, first presented on Dec. 30, 1948, as part of Camel Screen Guild Players.

6-6:45 pm: Not Burnt Out, Just Unscrewed: Improvisational comedy in the style of Whose Line is it Anyway. Watch as they create scenes (with audience participation) right off the top of their heads!

7-7:45 pm: LNT@the Alley – 16 Hamlets & an Ophelia: A hilarious and madcap retelling of Hamlet in no fewer than 16 different ways, including Jack Kerouac Hamlet, Wizard of Oz Hamlet and Raiders of the Lost Hamlet.

8-8:45 pm: Old Time Radio Theatre: (live performance) Three Skeleton Key, first presented as an episode of Escape, Nov. 15, 1949.

9-9:45 pm:  LNT@the Alley - 3 am: In the Absence of Time and Memory: An uproariously acerbic trot across one man’s night of anger, angst and unemployment.

10-11:30 pm: Angel & the Blues Disciples: Angel Diamond and the dynamic Blues Disciples Band deliver soulful blues ranging from down-home and hard-hitting originals to contemporary and classic blues.

Also at Beowulf (in the lobby): 4-7 pm – Face painting, balloon art and a clown; 8-11:30 pm – palm and tarot card readings and aura readings.

FOX TUCSON THEATRE (1,100 seats)

17 E. Congress St.
Sponsored by Cox Communications
Venue hours: 6-11:30 pm

6-6:45 pm: Larry Redhouse Quartet: Jazz pianist Larry Redhouse is influenced by Tower of Power, Santana and Miles Davis. Joining Larry will be the trio of Mark Usvolk on bass, Gil Rodriguez on drums and Robert Moreno on congas and percussion weaving jazz, Latin, funk and fusion throughout its performance.

7-7:45 pm: Spirit Familia: Spirit Familia is a high-energy dance band playing a combination of Latin, Funk and Reggae. Think Ozomatli meets Tower of Power backed by some James Brown funk in a roots and culture style.

8-8:45 pm: Ryanhood: Ryan Green and Cameron Hood first started the foot-stomping, story-telling, and flashy guitar playing while busking with their acoustic guitars. Green and Hood now tour the country opening up for artists such as Jason Mraz, Kelly Clarkson, Lifehouse, Matt Nathanson, and the Plain White T’s.

9-9:45 pm: R. Carlos Nakai, Will Clipman and William Eaton: The trio of R. Carlos Nakai, William Eaton and Will Clipman is a summit meeting of master musicians. The trio is committed the fine art of crafting music directly from the heart.

10-11:30 pm: Howe Gelb: Howe Gelb has remained the sole epicenter and creative force behind the ever-fluid configurations of Giant Sand for more than a quarter century. He can easily claim some 40 albums as both a band leader and a solo performer, each of which maintains its own genre-defying singularity while also drawing on threads of country, Southwestern roots, lo-fi, jazz, and punk.

TCC LEO RICH THEATRE (500 seats)

260 S. Church Ave.
Sponsored by Cox Communications
Venue hours: 6-11:30 pm

6-6:45 pm: Stories that Soar!: Stories That Soar is a literacy and performing arts program which merges the talents of professional performers and children’s original stories to create innovative and insightful theatre.

7-7:45 pm: Arizona Youth Chamber Ensemble: Young singers perform music that reflects their own personal tastes including both contemporary and classical works from the standard repertoire.

8-8:45 pm: Stories that Soar!: Stories That Soar is a literacy and performing arts program which merges the talents of professional performers and children’s original stories to create innovative and insightful theatre.

9-9:45 pm: Not Burnt Out, Just Unscrewed: Improvisational comedy in the style of Whose Line is it Anyway. Watch as they create scenes (with audience participation) right off the top of their heads!

10-11:30 pm: Lisa Otey and Diane Van Deurzen: Award-winning Lisa Otey and her partner Diane Van Deurzen share sophisticated, sensual and sultry sounds of blues, jazz and standards mixed with some driving barrelhouse and jazz piano.

SCOTTISH RITE CATHEDRAL (300 seats)

160 S. Scott Ave.
Sponsored by CODAC
Venue hours: 6-11:30 pm

6-6:45 pm: Nowhere Man and a Whiskey Girl: Derrick and Amy Ross bring a simple musical proposition – her piano and voice, his acoustic guitar, a love of life’s little details, and a sense of humor.

7-7:45 pm: Leila Lopez: Leila Lopez has been compared to the likes of Ani Difranco and Fiona Apple. Leila began to play guitar when she was eight years old, and eventually moved on to win awards playing the bass guitar, piano, cello, drums, banjo and mandolin.

8-8:45 pm: Santa Cruz River Band: In 2004, the group’s founder Teodoro “Ted” Ramirez teamed up with Michael J. Ronstadt to form the duo “Ronstadt Ramirez” - they immediately began touring internationally. The Santa Cruz River Band performs songs in many languages including: English, Spanish, Welsh and American Indian languages.

9-9:45 pm: DeGrazia Spanish Guitar Band: Domingo DeGrazia – the youngest son of artist Ted DeGrazia – is frontman and bandleader while Grammy-nominated artist Jim Pavett shines on percussion. Lead guitarist Dustin Jones rounds out the core of the band with Spanish guitar.

10-11:30 pm: Last Call Girls: The Last Call Girls are a high energy, honky-tonkin’ country band, playing a mix of rock-a-billy, traditional country, and bluegrass. Their music touches on the roots of country with favorites by Patsy Cline, Hank Williams and Johnny Cash.

THE SCREENING ROOM (100 seats)

127 E. Congress St.
Sponsored by Clear Channel Radio
Venue hours: 4-11:30 pm

The Screening Room’s Short Film Countdown will feature a collection of short films representing the best screened at The Screening Room in 2009. Audiences will be able to vote for their favorites in each category and the winners will be featured in “The Best of …” program.

4-4:45pm: IndieYouth: Films by Kids: Youth made films from Tucson will be the order of this program. These shorts will give you new perspectives of our community.

5-5:45pm: IndieYouth: Films for Kids: Funny, inspiring and thoughtful indie shorts made for and about kids.

6-6:45pm: Internationally Speaking: For all those who read languages better than they speak them, this program is a bonanza of foreign words and sounds.

7-7:45pm: The Comedy Hour: It is time for some laughs, so sit down for a program of cinematic comedy.

8-8:45pm: Cine Latino: See the work of emerging filmmakers contributing to the growth of Latino cinema.

9-9:45pm: The Dramatic Hour: Films that will make you pause and think about the drama of life.

10-10:30pm: Animated Worlds: Explore new worlds only seen through animated eyes.

10:45-11:30pm: The Best of 2009:< And the winners are….

TUCSON MUSEUM OF ART

140 N. Main Ave.
Sponsored by KOLD
Venue hours: 4-9 pm

4-4:45 pm: Guided gallery tour - Ansel Adams: A Legacy: A survey of more than 100 photographs by famed photographer Ansel Adams (1902-1984), this exhibition is a tribute to one of the 20th century’s most admired artists.

4-9 pm: Enjoy the galleries of Tucson Museum of Art to see multiple exhibitions:

• Ansel Adams: A Legacy
• Han and Beyond – The Renaissance of China: The James Conley Collection
• Telling Stories: Narrative Art from the Permanent Collection
• Art of the American West
• Art of Latin America


FREE venues

No admission button is needed to enjoy the entertainment at the following venues:

EL CENTRO CULTURAL DE LAS AMERICAS (100 seats)

40 W. Broadway
Venue hours: 4-8 pm

4-6 pm: Gabriel Romo: Classical guitarist Gabriel Romo plays popular Mexican and American music.

6-8 pm: Grupo Latido: Grupo Latido will energize audiences with Latin rhythm and popular American tunes.

Also at El Centro: Traditional holiday food such as chili burros, hot chocolate and Mexican pastries will be for sale.

LA PLACITA VILLAGE

110 S. Church Ave.
Sponsored by Caliente
Venue hours: 4-11:30 pm

4-4:45 pm: Greg Morton Trio: This band of hot pickers includes Greg Morton on guitar, Mark Robertson-Tessi on mandolin and Jim Stanley on upright bass and vocals. They feature progressive bluegrass, hot swing, and “new acoustic” music with a Southwestern flair.

5-5:45 pm: Larry Armstrong & CopperMoon: The son of local western music legend Dean Armstrong, Larry plays guitar, handles most of the lead vocals and writes much of the group’s material. Wife Kathy’s vocal harmonies give shape to the song and Sam Sawyer’s inventive bass supplies the rhythmic and harmonic

6-6:45 pm: Bayou Seco: Bayou Seco celebrates the music of the bayous and prairies of Louisiana and westward, through the craggy Sangre de Cristo Mountains of New Mexico, and on into the Sonoran Desert. Cajun, Zydeco, Norteño, early Chicken Scratch and cowboy songs form a historical repertoire which is played with great energy.

7-7:45 pm: Carnivaleros: Gary Mackender formed The Carnivaleros in 2001 after dragging his accordion across the U.S., Canada, New Zealand and Australia. The Carnivaleros play the music he’s been writing since those years on the road: Zydeco rhythms mixed with Tex-Mex polkas, moody Eastern European themes and a bit of blues and swing.

8-8:45 pm: Wayback Machine: For more than 10 years the Wayback Machine has been providing a soundtrack of blues, reggae and all sorts of rock and roll for audiences of all ages. Tom Woolley, Beverly Seckinger and Jim Lipson anchor the group.

9-9:45 pm: Sticks & Fingers: Sticks & Fingers is a dynamic, percussion group that produces a joyful Afro-Caribbean sound. The group integrates percussion instruments into these diverse compositions together with vocals to transport the audience to a festive experience in the tropics.

10-11:30 pm: El Camino Royales: The El Camino Royales are a rockabilly-surf-American roots band. The trio is comprised of Andrew L. See on the upright bass, lead and backing vocals, Mighty Joel Ford on the stand up snare drum, and backing vocals and Michael P. on guitar, lead and backing vocals. The El Camino Royales have an extensive repertoire of favorites from all eras of American music.

TCC PLAZA (Tucson Convention Center)

260 S. Church Ave.
Venue hours: 4-12:30 am

4:30-5:15 pm: Barbara Y Las Flamencistas: Barbara “La Flamencista” Schuessler has studied Flamenco dance for decades, including working with many of the masters of the art.

5:30-6:15 pm: Loveland: The singing and writing of David Bryan is backed by an all-star cast of Tucson musicians. This alt country group plays with raw feelings in every song.

6:30-7:15 pm: Orquesta La Unica: This energetic orchestra is a 10-piece salsa band that was started with the idea of experimenting with the traditional and contemporary rhythms of the Caribbean and Latin America. The band is appealing to dancers as well as listeners.

7:30-8:15 pm: Batucaxé: Batucaxé is a nonprofit drum and dance ensemble and school. Inspired by the music of Brazil, Batucaxé features the music of many traditions, from Brazil and all over the world.

8:30-9:15 pm: Kings of Pleasure with Dance Revue: The Kings of Pleasure is a retro-swing band that was formed in 1996 by bandleader/guitarist Mike Hebert. Their appearance will feature a dance revue with cabaret, Latin, and swing style dancers.

9:30-10:15 pm: The Wyatts: The Wyatts are on the verge of redefining adult alternative while bringing the sounds of the Americana artist to the road map. A little twang here, some pop harmony there, and a whole lotta heart is what you can expect to hear.

10:30-11:15 pm: Bad News Blues Band: The Bad News Blues Band has been gaining a reputation for house burning live performances. The band has a smoking hot rhythm section, sweet smoldering horns, blistering guitar, and an impressive frontline of dynamic vocals.

11:30 pm-12:30 am: Hollywood Knights: Hollywood Knights formed in 2003 as a Tex-Mex and old school funk band. The group plays cumbia, merengue and salsa music and is made up of musicians who love what they do and appreciate all styles of music.

Midnight: Fireworks!: Thank you to the Tucson Toros for sponsoring the FIRST NIGHT fireworks 2010 will be ushered in with an exciting fireworks show, launched right from the TCC Plaza! Join us in the plaza for the best view and to celebrate the New Year with your family and friends.

Also in TCC Plaza:

Thank you to Raytheon for sponsoring the following scientific explorations.

4-6 pm: Reid Park Zoo: Zookeepers and educators will introduce youngsters and those young at heart to a few friendly creatures who live at the zoo.

4-7 pm: Physics Factory: Learn from scientists and educators about the fascinating world of physics. Partake in some scientific experiments that will spark your curiosity.

4 pm-midnight: Mat Bevel’s kinetic sculptures: Delight in the wacky and wonderful world of Mat Bevel. See several outrageous kinetic inventions that will illuminate both the night and your sense of humor.

TUCSON CHILDREN’S MUSEUM

200 S. Sixth Ave.
Sponsored by Raytheon
Venue hours: 4-8 pm

4-4:45pm: Matt Cotten of Tucson Puppet Works: Matt Cotten is well known for his work in organizing Tucson’s annual All Souls Procession. As artistic director of Tucson Puppet Works, Cotten has ushered in an emergence of puppetry theater to the Tucson area.

5-5:45 pm: Mad Science: Youngsters can enjoy hands-on exploration of all areas of scientific inquiry.

6-6:45 pm: Odaiko Sonora: Odaiko Sonora performs Taiko - the artistic, powerful, and physically demanding discipline of Japanese ensemble drumming.

7-7:45 pm: Jovert: Steel band from Tucson High Magnet School. Movement, theatrics, and choreography are part of each Jovert performance.

Also at Tucson Children’s Museum: 4-8 pm: Flandrau’s “Star Party”: Astronomers from the Flandrau Science Center & Planetarium will set up telescopes at Tucson Children’s Museum to point out constellations, stars, star clusters, visible planets, galaxies, and other bright objects of interest.

TUCSON MUSEUM OF ART

140 N. Main Ave.
Sponsored by KOLD
Venue hours: 4-9 pm

5-5:45 pm: New Year’s Resolution Community Drawing and Painting: Visually express your dreams and hopes for 2010 and participate in a community inspired work of art about New Year’s Resolutions!

6-6:45 pm: Ceramics Studio Open House and Raku Firing: Play with clay and witness the unique and sometimes unpredictable and volatile 350-year-old firing process that is Raku! Under the guidance of professional ceramics artists learn how this beautiful, crackled appearance is made.

7-7:45 pm: Sonoran Glass Art Academy: Watch SGAA glass artist Karl Taylor demonstrate the art of torch-working. Karl specializes in creating hollow forms and vessels.

8-8:45 pm: Elemental Artistry: Tucson’s fire performance troupe, Elemental Artistry, will present “Cirque D’illumine”, the circus of illumination. Ignite your imagination and enjoy an enchanted evening with aerial artists, jugglers and fire dancers.