91. Invisible Theatre
City: Tucson, AZ
Category: Tours & Attractions
Telephone: (520) 882-9721
Address: 1400 N. 1st Ave.
Description: A very visible force in Tucson’s cultural community, Invisible Theatre is the city’s original experimental theater (affectionately known as “The I.T.”). Susan Claassen established the I.T. in 1971, and for the first few years of productions, it offered works from local writers. Since the late 1970s it has become better known as a “director’s theater,” presenting adaptations of classics, off-Broadway plays, musicals, comedies, and original scripts. The I.T. also supports Project Pastime, an educational program for developmentally delayed students. The 80-seat theater’s season runs September through June.
92. Live Theater Workshop
City: Tucson, AZ
Category: Tours & Attractions
Telephone: (520) 327-4242
Address: 5317 E. Speedway Blvd.
Description: This production company offers a full schedule at its theater on Speedway, as well as an educational program for aspiring artists and special acting classes for kids 6 to 18. Since its founding in 1994, LTW has become an important element of Tucson’s community theater groups. Its 90-seat air-conditioned theater offers intimacy and comfort. LTW offers drama classes as well. Audiences appreciate the reasonably priced tickets.
93. Studio Connections
City: Tucson, AZ
Category: Tours & Attractions
Telephone: (520) 731-1559
Address: 4625 E. River Rd.
Description: Founded in 2002, this theater group and acting school is directed by professional equity actor and theater teacher Robert Encila. The small and versatile troupe of professional and nonprofessional actors, the DaVinci Players, performs everything from musicals and classics to cutting-edge plays just out of New York with great precision and skill. Performances are held at the St. Francis in the Foothills church in a small and intimate setting. Studio Connections also has youth theater groups, DaVinci Kids and DaVinci Prep (see the Kidsstuff chapter).
94. Third Street Kids
City: Tucson, AZ
Category: Tours & Attractions
Telephone: (520) 622-4100
Address: 2520 N. Oracle Rd.
Description: Arts for All Inc., a nonprofit organization, runs this program that began in 1985 as an after-school theater program for children with disabilities. Students ages 3 to 21 come from throughout greater Tucson and meet 5 times a week at the above address. There are also weekend workshops and art camps. The students have represented Arizona at several national and international events. (See the Kidstuff chapter.) Founder and executive director Marcia Berger has won numerous awards for her work leading this group. A day program for adults with developmental disabilities is another major part of Third Street’s programs.
95. Ballet Folklorico Tapatio
City: Tucson, AZ
Category: Tours & Attractions
Telephone: (520) 622-0231
Address: 2100 S. 4th Ave.
Description: Swirls of colorful costumes, enthusiastic dancers, and toe-tapping Mexican folk music make this dance troupe a visual and musical delight.A professional dance group, dancers perform all the traditional Mexican folk dances. (Each state in Mexico has a particular dance to call its own; costumes are specific to each region as well.) The dancers also perform traditional dances of the Southwest during their many shows around town.
96. Ballet Tucson
City: Tucson, AZ
Category: Tours & Attractions
Telephone: (520) 903-1445
Address: 200 S. Tucson Blvd.
Description: Ballet Tucson is an energetic company of professional dancers and apprentices ranging in age from 16 to 35. Many of its members have danced professionally with companies of national stature such as New York City Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, San Francisco Ballet, Ballet West, Alvin Ailey, Boston Ballet, and Dance Theatre of Harlem. The company presents classics as well as innovative contemporary works. In addition, an exceptional children’s company of more than 100 performs alongside Ballet Tucson’s professionals in family-oriented productions such as The Nutcracker, Cinderella, and A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
97. Barbea Williams Performing Company
City: Tucson, AZ
Category: Tours & Attractions
Telephone: (520) 628-7785
Address: 325 W. 2nd St.
Description: This multidisciplinary community performance company promotes African-American and Latino culture. The range of the group’s work spans traditional and contemporary theater, dance, music, and even poetry. Performances are held at community centers, schools, and other venues throughout the city. You can also catch this troupe at various festivals throughout the year, usually for just the price of admission to the festival. The company also promotes Afrocentric art in its gift shop, which offers hair design, gourds, and unique decorative items for the home.
City: Tucson, AZ
Category: Tours & Attractions
Address: 738 N. 5th Ave.
99. Redhouse Dancers
City: Tucson, AZ
Category: Tours & Attractions
Telephone: (520) 419-3641
Address: 6932 E. 4th St.
Description: This Native American cultural performing arts group was formed in the Monterey Peninsula area in 1965. The family group moved to Tucson in 1973. The group performs spectacular and colorful dances that incorporate intertribal social dances and songs at a number of festivals, fiestas, schools, and conventions throughout the area, and can be booked for special events.
100. University Of Arizona Dance Division
City: Tucson, AZ
Category: Tours & Attractions
Telephone: (520) 621-4698
Description: The dance program at the University of Arizona offers the study of dance as an art form and as a performing art. The philosophy of the program is that dance leads to an understanding of human movement. Jazz, ballet, and modern dance are offered with equal emphasis so students can experience and appreciate the diversity. As a performance group, UA dancers have been recognized for their professional productions and performances at the Ina Gittings Dance Studio Theater.
101. Old Pueblo Playwrights
City: Tucson, AZ
Category: Tours & Attractions
Telephone: (520) 318-0559
Description: Founded in 1989, Old Pueblo Playwrights is dedicated to the nurturing of fledgling playwrights and screenwriters. Members bring their first-draft scripts to weekly Monday-evening meetings at the Temple of Music and Art for feedback from other members. Many members have sold screenplays and gone on to win national theater awards or have had their works produced by one of Tucson’s many theater companies. Each year the group presents a Festival of New Plays to showcase members’ works.
102. Society Of Southwestern Authors
City: Tucson, AZ
Category: Tours & Attractions
Telephone: (520) 546-9382
Description: A nonprofit organization with more than 600 members, the society is open to poets, novelists, nonfiction writers, essayists, playwrights, and screenwriters who are published or aspire to be. The group has monthly meetings where general topics are discussed, and an occasional mixer offers a chance to network. Once a year it sponsors a large writers conference where attendees meet and talk with nationally known authors, publishers, agents, and other regional writers. Keynote speakers at past conferences have included Ray Bradbury and Tony Hillerman. There are membership fees.
103. University Of Arizona Poetry Center
City: Tucson, AZ
Category: Tours & Attractions
Telephone: (520) 626-3765
Address: 1508 E. Helen St.
Description: Established in 1960, this is a nationally acclaimed resource of over 50,000 books, periodicals, and audio/video recordings. The gorgeous and restful 17,500-square-foot facility at the corner of Helen and Vine Streets provides a library, a rare-book room, quiet areas for reading, audiovisual listening and viewing spaces, a gallery, a studio apartment for visiting writers, and a welcoming outdoor amphitheater for presentations and receptions. The center’s mission is to provide a welcome environment that will “maintain and cherish the spirit of poetry” for students and the community. The library and most reading and special events are free and open to the public.
104. Arizona Repertory Singers
City: Tucson, AZ
Category: Tours & Attractions
Telephone: (520) 792-8141
Description: This 40-plus-voice mixed ensemble brings a wide variety of choral music to venues throughout southern Arizona. Founded in 1984, the chorus specializes in a cappella choral music from numerous eras and countries. Concerts number about 20 per year. The group is known for its musicianship and beautiful, professional performances. All the concerts take place at a variety of locations.
105. Arizona Symphonic Winds
City: Tucson, AZ
Category: Tours & Attractions
Address: 5201 N. Rocky Ridge Place
Description: A community ensemble of some 60 musicians, the group has been performing at a variety of venues throughout Tucson since 1986. Most winter concerts are held at the auditorium of Rincon University High School. Arizona Symphonic Winds regularly presents outdoor concerts at Udall Park. This group allows emerging artists a chance to develop their talents through performance and education.