Jazz artist Kat Edmonson performs at Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts on Saturday, Feb. 15, 8 p.m.
SCOTTSDALE — Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts is springing into action with even more exciting shows added to its 2019–20 season that everyone can enjoy. Performances include must-see local talent, classical tunes, hysterical comedy and evengings of jazz and American Songbook greats. Below are just-announced shows and the remaining 2019–20 season to spring you forward and into summer.
Just-announced performances:
Sex N’ the City: A Super Unauthorized Musical Parody
Sunday, Jan. 26, 2 p.m.
“Sex N’ the City: A Super Unauthorized Musical Parody” follows Carrie, Miranda, Charlotte and Samantha on a hilarious trip to find love through New York City in the ’90s.
Live & Local series continues to provide more opportunities for local artists to perform in all spaces of the Scottsdale Arts campus.
Smokestack Lightning
With Special Guest Eric Ramsey
Friday, Feb. 7, 8 p.m.
Stage 2
Smokestack Lightning is all Gila River Indian Community members and has been together since 2009. They were nominated for a Native American Music Award (NAMMY) in 2011 for Best Blues Recording for their album “Soul Left Blind.” In 2014, they came in second place in the Arizona Blues Showdown and took home a first-place win in 2015.
Las Chollas Peligrosas
Saturday, April 11, 8 p.m.
Virginia G. Piper Theater
All-female, Phoenix sextet Las Chollas Peligrosas draws upon multiple subgenres of traditional Latin music, from rancheras to mariachi to Cumbia and everything in between — even hints of Old-World folk.
Alassane
Saturday, April 11, 8:30 p.m.
Stage 2
Alassane consists of keyboardist and pop songwriter Greg Diarra, drummer Caleb Michel of the Afro-Cuban All Stars and bassist Bailey Zick of Jerusafunk. The trio will take audiences on a musical journey of “contemporary art-rock, influenced by prog-jazz.”
Courtney Cotter King
Friday, May 15, 8:30 p.m.
Stage 2
Courtney Cotter King’s artistry at the piano drives her blue-eyed soul/alternative singer-songwriter genre. A raw talent, with smooth vocals and lyrics beyond her years, King commands a room with merit for listening.
The SunPunchers
Friday, May 15, 8 p.m.
Virginia G. Piper Theater
The SunPunchers deliver a signature desert roots sound that is grounded in Americana but not afraid of a little genre-bending.
AJ Odneal
Friday, June 12, 8:30 p.m.
Stage 2
AJ Odneal is an indie folk singer/songwriter whose sound is heavily influenced by pop and jazz. She uses both the guitar and ukulele to accompany her smooth vocals and engaging lyrics.
Las Calakas
Friday, June 12, 8 p.m.
Virginia G. Piper Theater
Las Calakas are an energetic Cumbia fusion band who love to party and to make people dance! The group is also the founders of the Phoenix Cumbia pachangas known as “CUMBIA TILL YOU DROP.” In 2018, Las Calakas released a self-titled EP.
Rusty Ferracane: High Standards
A Celebration of Classic Standards from the American Songbook and the Broadway Stage Sunday, Feb. 9, 2:30 p.m.
Rusty Ferracane performs classic standards from the American Songbook and the Broadway stage. Featuring new interpretations of beloved songs made famous by some of the greatest vocalists of our time, Valley favorite Ferracane brings his legendary stage presence and a four-piece ensemble to Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts in the intimate cabaret space of Stage 2.
Kat Edmonson
Saturday, Feb. 15, 8 p.m.
Kat Edmonson is a rare artist who embodies the spirit of the past and has emerged as one of the most distinctive performers in contemporary American music.
Assisted Living: The Musical®
Wednesday, Feb. 25 – Sunday, March 1, multiple showtimes
Imagine: no work, no pregnancy and a full array of Medicare-subsidized pharmaceuticals! They are partying at Pelican Roost, the full-service retirement community that is home to the 18 different characters played by the show’s two performers.
Jazz Lounge Series features favorite Valley jazz musicians with special projects in an intimate jazz cabaret space Stage 2.
Blues Detour
Friday, Feb. 21, 7:30 p.m.
Sophisticated jazz and rhythmic Brazilian and Latin-jazz pianist Beth Lederman and saxophonist Juli Woods play a mix of blues, jazz, and gospel, while accompanied by Steve Powell’s solid, swinging, lyrical, and entertaining vocals.
Jazz Lounge: Celebrating Billie Holiday
Friday, March 6, 7:30 p.m.
Sherry Roberson pays tribute to Lady Day with Beth Lederman on piano. Roberson’s style reflects the blues qualities of Billie Holiday, combined with a hard-swinging, freight-train-like drive, which gives her spontaneous interpretations of The Great American Songbook special interest and character.
Jazz Lounge: With a Song in My Heart, a Tribute to Doris Day
Friday, March 20, 7:30 p.m.
Hear the exciting story of Doris Day’s life and career, her hit songs, great music and more. Featuring Jan Sandwich (vocals), Richard Palalay (piano), Felix Sainz (bass) and Adam Clark (drums).
Jazz Lounge: Bossa Nova 77—A Tribute to Antonio Carlos Jobim
Friday, March 27, 7:30 p.m.
Brazilian music profoundly influenced jazz repertoire, and Bossa Nova 77 pays tribute to two of its most influential composers. Featuring Beth Lederman (piano), Al Alabado (vocals), Artie Grijalva (guitar), Adrian Goldenthal (bass) and Emerson Laffey (percussion).
Jazz Lounge: Charles Lewis Quartet featuring Alice Tatum
Sunday, March 29, 2 p.m.
It’s a Phoenix jazz reunion when Charles Lewis (piano) and Alice Tatum (vocals) team up with Frank Smith (flute/sax) for an afternoon of old and new favorites.
Jazz Lounge: Jazz Con Alma
Sunday, May 3, 2 p.m.
Translated as Jazz with Soul or Jazz with Spirit, Jazz Con Alma provides just that, mixing the creativity and integrity at the heart of jazz with Latin rhythms and solid grooves with Beth Lederman (keyboards), Felix Sainz (bass, vocals), Emerson Laffey (drums) and Joe Garcia (percussion).
Gershwin Piano Quartet
A special benefit concert with Western Spirit: Scottsdale’s Museum of the West
Saturday, March 7, 8 p.m.
The Gershwin Piano Quartet sheds new light on the music of George Gershwin by performing, arranging, and improvising on some of his most popular songs and orchestral works, such as “Rhapsody in Blue,” “An American in Paris,” and more.
MusicaNova Orchestra | Music with a Voice: Heroic Figures and Everyday People
Sunday, March 29, 2 p.m.
MusicaNova Orchestra returns to the Center for a bold concert featuring new, neglected, and traditional works that portray the struggles of heroic figures and everyday people.
Tickets are also available for the following performances:
Cirque Éloize – HOTEL
Saturday, Feb. 8, 8 p.m.
Sunday, Feb. 9, 2 p.m.
A driving force of Quebec culture and a leader in the contemporary circus world, Cirque Éloize, presents “HOTEL”—a glamourous art deco world where circus arts, dance, live music and song come together to tell vivid stories of impromptu encounters and life’s adventures.
Arizona Storytellers Project returns for three events from February to June, featuring community members sharing true, first-person stories.
Love, Like and It’s Complicated
Tuesday, Feb. 11, 7 p.m.
Dating in the digital age can be exhausting, exhilarating, and downright crazy. Join The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com to explore stories about dating apps, true love and everything in between.
Home
Tuesday, April 7, 7 p.m.
Home can be a place, a feeling or a person. Join The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com for stories about how we make and create a place of belonging for ourselves and the people we love.
I Made This
Wednesday, June 10, 7 p.m.
Art, in all its forms, adds meaning to life. Join The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com for stories about creation and putting things out into the universe.
Malpaso Dance Company
Friday, Feb. 14, 8 p.m.
In only seven years, Malpaso has become the most sought-after Cuban dance company. Emphasizing a collaborative creative process, Malpaso is committed to working with top international choreographers, while also nurturing new and contemporary voices in Cuban choreography.
Sunday A’Fair
A Family A’Fair (La Familia A’Fair)
Featuring The Lucky Band
Sunday, Feb. 16, Noon – 4 p.m.
Latin Grammy® Award winner The Lucky Band bring its crafty lyrics with irresistibly fresh pop beats to headline this special Sunday A’Fair. A Family A’Fair celebrates kids of all ages with dancing music for the young and young at heart as well as art activities for everyone.
Keyboard Conversations® With Jeffrey Siegel returns for his 41st season through March 2020.
Mistresses and Masterpieces
Tuesday, Feb. 18, 7:30 p.m.
Siegel examines the music inspired by the loves in the lives of Chopin, Schumann, Liszt, Mendelssohn and Bartók.
Fascinatin’ Rhythms!
Tuesday, March 10, 7:30 p.m.
Siegel performs the syncopated music of Gershwin and Scott Joplin, zesty polkas of Stravinsky and Shostakovich and stirring marches of Prokofiev and John Philip Sousa.
One of These Nights
Wednesday, Feb. 20, 7:30 p.m.
One of These Nights takes the audience on a journey through all the Eagles’ sounds, from tasteful country rock — complete with full harmonies — to hard rocking tunes that highlight their extraordinary catalogue.
Stefon Harris and Blackout
Saturday, Feb. 22, 8 p.m.
Four-time Grammy® nominee Stefon Harris and his band Blackout, named for their rejection of traditional jazz definitions, embrace sleek, slinky soul, funk and hip-hop — like Stevie Wonder rubbing elbows with George Gershwin and bop icons.
The Spouse Whisperer
Feb. 22–23, 3 p.m. and 7 p.m.
Whether you’re searching or already with that hunk-of-burning-love, you can’t miss “The Spouse Whisperer.” Come spend an evening with hilarious comedian Mark Cordes as you examine the ups and downs of dating, relationships, marriage, divorce and all other aspects of this crazy thing we call life.
The Chieftains
The Irish Goodbye
Sunday, Feb. 23, 7:30 p.m.
Experience this concert under the stars with The Chieftains. The six-time Grammy Award® winners remain as fresh and relevant as when they first began. The band has been recognized for reinventing traditional Irish music on a contemporary and international scale.
Ballet Hispánico
Friday, Feb. 28, 8 p.m.
America’s leading Latino dance company, Ballet Hispánico, has brought people together to celebrate and explore Latino cultures through dance for nearly 50 years. Don’t miss this performance featuring works by all female choreographers.
ASU Concerts @ The Center: Symphony Orchestra
Sunday, March 1, 4 p.m.
Jeffery Meyer conducts the ASU Symphony Orchestra in a diverse program of classical works, featuring Dvořák and new works by American composers Missy Mazzoli and Carter Pann.
Native Trails
Thursday, March 5, 11 a.m.
Saturday, March 7, Noon
Native Trails takes audiences on a cultural journey to the First Nations of Arizona and North America through Native music, dance, and art. These performances highlight traditional instruments, colorful dances and customary attire to share the stories of Southwestern tribes, including the Hopi, Diné (Navajo), Hualapai and San Carlos Apache.
The Seth Rudetsky Concert Series
Norm Lewis with Seth Rudetsky
Friday, March 6, 8 p.m.
Norm Lewis is an American actor and baritone singer, who is best known for his Broadway performances in “Porgy and Bess” and “The Phantom of the Opera.” Lewis received a Tony® Award nomination for his portrayal of Porgy and made musical theater history as the first African-American actor to perform in the title role in Broadway’s long-running production of “The Phantom of the Opera.”
Glenn Miller Orchestra
Sunday, March 8, 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
From “Moonlight Serenade” to “Chattanooga Choo Choo,” relive some of the most popular music of the 1940s as the legendary Glenn Miller Orchestra returns to Scottsdale!
Virginia G. Piper Concert Series
Anderson & Roe Piano Duo
Friday, March 13, 8 p.m.
Their critically acclaimed albums on the Steinway label top the Billboard charts, and their music videos have been nominated for Emmy® Awards, so it’s no surprise that Anderson & Roe Piano Duo is here to make classical music a relevant and powerful force in modern society.
Spanish Brass with Chano Domínguez
Friday, March 20, 8 p.m.
Spanish Brass, dynamic and admired brass group, and Chano Domínguez, celebrated jazz pianist and composer, share their talents on stage during a performance featuring works composed and arranged for brass.
Paris the Show!
Saturday, March 21, 8 p.m.
“Paris the Show!” is a vibrant tribute to the greatest French singers, from Edith Piaf to Charles Trenet, and it exports the charm and the essence of the City of Light for the whole world to enjoy.
International Jazz Day
Saturday, April 4, Noon – 6 p.m.
Celebrate Jazz Appreciation Month with performances by Donald Harrison, Nayo Jones, Carlos Rivas and New Orleans jazz trumpeter Mario Abney.
Sponsored by City of Scottsdale
ASU Concerts @ The Center: ASU Gospel Choir and Chamber Winds
Monday, April 6, 7:30 p.m.
Jason Caslor and Jason Thompson conduct an uplifting evening of music and song with ASU’s inspirational and dynamic gospel choir and chamber winds.
Marc Cohn
Wednesday, April 15, 7:30 p.m.
Grammy® winner Marc Cohn solidified his place as one of this generation’s most compelling singer-songwriters with songs like “Walking in Memphis.”
The Soul Of Mexico
With Villalobos Brothers and Mariachi Reynas
Saturday, May 2, 8 p.m.
The Soul of Mexico brings together Villalobos Brothers and Mariachi Reynas de Los Angeles® for an unforgettable performance. The acclaimed contemporary Mexican ensemble Villalobos Brothers takes the stage with leading female mariachi musicians from the Grammy® nominated Mariachi Reyna de Los Angeles®.
Feels Like Home: An Evening with the Scottsdale Chorus
Sunday, May 3, 3 p.m.
The six-time-world-champion Scottsdale Chorus sings music from the swing era through to modern a cappella, providing joyful entertainment sure to please any audience.
SCOTTSDALE ARTS
Through its partnership with the City of Scottsdale, the nonprofit Scottsdale Arts (formerly known as Scottsdale Cultural Council) creates diverse, inspired arts experiences and educational opportunities that foster active, lifelong community engagement with the arts. Since its founding in 1987, Scottsdale Arts has grown into a regionally and nationally significant, multi-disciplinary arts organization offering an exceptional variety of programs through four acclaimed branches — Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts, Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art (SMoCA), Scottsdale Public Art and Scottsdale Arts Learning & Innovation — serving more than 600,000 participants annually. In conjunction with the City of Scottsdale, we also host more than 200,000 people annually on our campus through a robust rentals program.
SCOTTSDALE CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS
Since 1975, Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts has provided a stage for a wide range of artists and genres, creating shared, inspiring experiences for the community that celebrate artistic excellence and cultural awareness. Today one of the premier performing arts halls in the western United States, the Center presents a diverse season of music, dance, theater, comedy and film from around the world.
LOCATION AND PARKING
Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts is located at 7380 E. 2nd St. in downtown Scottsdale. Free parking is available in the public parking garage located to the west of Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts on Wells Fargo Avenue. Additional free parking is available at the Old Town Parking Corral at East Second Street and Brown Avenue and at the Civic Center Library parking garage located on Drinkwater Boulevard at East Second Street.
ACCESSIBILITY
Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts offers performance accommodations to enhance audience members’ experience, including: American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation or live audio description with two weeks advance notice. Assistive-listening devices and wheelchair seating are also available. Visit www.ScottsdalePerformingArts.org/visit/accessibility/ or contact the Member and Patron Services Box Office at 480-499-TKTS (8587) [TDD: 480-874-4694] for further details. Please inquire about services when ordering tickets.
TICKET DISCOUNTS
Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts offers a variety of ticket discounts for Scottsdale Arts members at the Friends level and above, groups of 10 or more and those purchasing packages to four or more events in one order. The Center provides free tickets to selected events for eligible students, teachers and active-duty military and veterans. Visit www.ScottsdalePerformingArts.org/visit/tickets-discounts/ or call 480-499-TKTS (8587) for more information.
THE STORE
The award-winning Store at Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts supports the mission and diverse programs of the nonprofit Scottsdale Arts. The Store’s unique selection of merchandise includes artist-made jewelry, stylish furnishings for home and office, unique creations by Arizona artists, fair-trade and upcycled/recycled global crafts, music, books, greeting cards and imaginative toys. Purchases are tax free, and members receive a 15 percent discount. Gift wrapping and shipping are also available. The Store is open seven days a week: Monday – Saturday, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.; Sunday, noon – 5 p.m.; and throughout most evening events. Phone: 480-874-4644.
