MESA ARTS CENTER ANNOUNCES

SPRING 2010 Performing Live Season

For Immediate Release (Mesa, AZ) – Mesa Arts Center announces its Spring 2010 Performing Live Season with diverse acts that will excite patrons of all ages. For country fans, music legend Merle Haggard will perform his #1 chart topping songs. For classical music lovers, reigning virtuoso of the violin Itzhak Perlman is returning for an unforgettable performance. Also featured later this season are Rolling Stone Magazine’s Artists to Watch the Avett Brothers, who are a “rootsy amalgam of folk, country, bluegrass, rock and pop – even a jab of punk-style.” The popular National Geographic Live! Speaker Series continues and theater performances such as Unforgettable: The Nat King Cole Story will take the stage to entertain and inspire audiences.

“We are thrilled with the release of the second half of this season. We were able to program artists that previously by-passed our venue due to lake of available dates. This year we held in reserve a sufficient number of theater dates to ensure that we could bring some of the greatest talent possible into the market. I feel we have succeeded.” said Randy Vogel, Director of Theaters and Operations.

MESA ARTS CENTER SPRING 2010
PERFORMING LIVE SEASON

Unforgettable: Nat King Cole
January 19 - January 31, 2 p.m & 7 p.m.
Nesbitt-Elliot Playhouse Theater: $29/$37

NAT “KING” COLE ... THE MAN, THE MYTH, THE MUSIC ... is brought to blazing life in UNFORGETTABLE. Written by Clarke Peters (the creator of Five Guys Named Moe), this rousing new musical was a smash hit on the London stage and in major engagements throughout the United Kingdom, Japan, and the Far East. Enthusiastic response to last year’s North American tour necessitated a second season for UNFORGETTABLE: The Nat King Cole Story in the United States.

Itzhak Perlman
Wednesday, January 20, 7:30 p.m.
Ikeda Theater: $90/$70/$50

Undeniably the reigning virtuoso of the violin, Itzhak Perlman enjoys superstar status rarely afforded a classical musician. He marks an important milestone during the 2009-2010 season. Celebrating the 50^th anniversary of his American debut. Beloved for his charm and humanity as well as his talent, he is treasured by audiences throughout the world who respond not only to his remarkable artistry, but also the way he communicates his irrepressible joy for making music.

George Winston
Friday, February 5, 7:30 p.m.
Ikeda Theater: $35

Inspired by the seasons, solo pianist George Winston plays over 100 solo piano concerts a year in America and beyond. His concerts feature a variety of styles, including his melodic folk piano, stride piano, New Orleans R&B piano, Vince Guaraldi’s Peanuts pieces, and more. His Latest CD is entitled GULF COAST BLUES AND IMPRESSIONS A HURRICANE RELIEF BENEFIT. In concert, George will be performing songs from his latest CD; selections from his seasonal favorites AUTUMN, DECEMBER, WINTER INTO SPRING and SUMMER; his themed albums FOREST, PLAINS, and MONTANA - A LOVE STORY; his albums dedicated to composers: LINUS & LUCY - THE MUSIC OF VINCE GUARALDI; and NIGHT DIVIDES THE DAY - THE MUSIC OF THE DOORS.

Hal Holbrook In
Mark Twain Tonight
Saturday, February 6, 7:30 p.m.
Ikeda Theater: $60/$50/$40/$30

The year 2010 marks the 175th anniversary of Mark Twain’s birth and the 100th anniversary of his death. To celebrate the Year of Mark Twain, The Mesa Arts Center welcomes back Hollywood veteran and acclaimed actor Hal Holbrook in his Tony Award winning "Mark Twain Tonight!" This one man show is always fresh with material gleaned from Mark Twain's writings and reveals Hal Holbrook's rare ability to portray both the wit and witticism of this country's finest author. Hal Holbrook has appeared in nearly 40 films - his most recent won him an Academy Award nomination for his role in “Into the Wild". Don't miss this opportunity to see Hal Holbrook as "Mark Twain Tonight"

Les Ballets Trockaderos De Monte Carlo
Thursday, February 11, 7:30PM
Ikeda Theater: $47/$37/$27

Dancing the fine line between high art and high camp, Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo delights audiences around the world with its parodies of classical works from Swan Lake and Giselle to Graham. Known affectionately as the Trocks, this is a company of professional male dancers who combine a loving knowledge of classical ballet with a wicked sense of fun, displaying a startling mastery of technique that will appeal to dance aficionados and complete novices alike.

Acoustic Brotherhood
Carrie Rodriguez, Alejandro Escovido, Los Lonely Boys
Friday, February 12, 7:30 p.m.
Ikeda Theater · $32

Los Lonely Boys (guitarist Henry Garza and his siblings, bassist Jojo and drummer Ringo, Jr.) hit the ground running in 2003 with their triple-platinum self-titled debut release, winning a Grammy for its No. 1 global hit Heaven. Their influences are legion, ranging from Buddy Guy and Stevie Ray Vaughan to mentors Santana and Willie Nelson, but in the end, it’s about brotherhood—all three members of this Texican trio give the group musical dynamics and vocal harmonies that can only come with genetic bonds. They are joined by Alejandro Escovedo who has journeyed through several musical incarnations in his 20-plus-year career from punk rock, and Carrie Rodriguez, the feisty fiddle-playing, mandoguitar-slinging singer/songwriter from Brooklyn who adds some “chica” to the Brotherhood.

TAO
Friday, February 19, 7:30 p.m.
Ikeda Theater: $18/$28/$38

Athletic bodies and contemporary costumes meet explosive Taiko drumming and innovative choreography in this show that has critics waxing lyrical about TAO’s extraordinary precision, energy, and stamina. With hundreds of sold-out shows and more than a million spectators, TAO has proven that modern entertainment based on the traditional art of Japanese drumming, has massive international appeal.

Kathleen Madigan
Saturday, February 20, 7:30 p.m.
Piper Repertory Theater: $35

With raves for her comedy specials on HBO and Comedy Central, Kathleen Madigan brings her hilarious outlook on life for this special night of standup. A regular guest on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and The Late Show with David Letterman, Kathleen has an accessible and unpretentious style that has earned her a devoted following. So kick back, relax and get ready to laugh until your sides split!

“Contains adult content”

Experience Hendrix
Sunday, March 7, 7:30 p.m.
Ikeda Theatre: $82/$62/$52

Inspired by Jimi Hendrix's unparalleled creative and musical influence, Experience Hendrix, L.L.C.--the company formed by the late guitarist's father, James "Al" Hendrix to oversee his legendary son's legacy--has continued that innovative spirit with its ongoing series of all-star tribute concerts held in honor of the late great musician.

Featuring: BILLY COX,Band of Gypsys & The Jimi Hendrix Experience, JOE SATRIANI, JONNY LANG, ERIC JOHNSON, KENNY WAYNE SHEPARD, ERNIE ISLEY, DAVIS HIDALGO, CESAR ROSA From Los Lobos, BRAD WHITFORD from Aerosmith, DOYLE BRAMHALL II, LIVING COLOUR,CHRIS LAYTON, and other special guests to be announced.

Moscow State Radio Symphony 
Tuesday, March 9, 7:30 p.m.
Ikeda Theater: $18/$28/$38

“From the first notes played by the violas, one could predict that a special music event was about to start.” -The Palm Beach Daily News Created out of a need for symphonic repertoire to be broadcast for the benefit of Russian citizens, the Moscow State Radio Symphony has become an internationally recognized orchestra. Under the direction of Alexei Kornjenko, this all Russian program will include guest pianist, Alexander Sinchuk. In addition to being named First Prize Winner of the 2009 Rachmaninoff International Piano Competition in Moscow, Mr. Sinchuk made his Carnegie Hall Solo Recital debut in Weill Recital Hall performing works of Scriabin, Tchaikovsky, Prokofiev, and Rachmaninoff. The program includes: Rachmaninoff: Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, Op. 43; Rimsky-Korsakov: Scheherazade Symphonic Suite for Orchestra, Op. 35; and Tsar Saltan Suite, Op. 5.

Steve Tyrell
Thursday, March 11, 7:30 p.m.
Piper Repertory Theater: $42

"Listening to Steve is like opening a window and getting a breath of fresh air." Burt Bacharach With his breakthrough performance in "Father of the Bride" Steve Tyrell reinvented and re-popularized classic pop standards for a modern-day audience. With the grit and soul of a lifetime, Steve has sold hundreds of thousands of albums and gained a passionate following all over the world. His hits "The Way You Look Tonight," "A Kiss To Build A Dream On," and "The Sunny Side of The Street," have launched thousands of weddings and millions of romances. He comes to the Mesa Arts Center with his smooth voice, a charisma that lights up the room, and his deeply personal collection of Burt Bacharach songs. From “The Look of Love,” and “Walk on By,” to “Close to You,” this special concert will be a night of emotion and memories, and a night you’ll never forget.

Three Irish Sopranos
Sunday, March 14, 7:30 p.m.
Ikeda Theater: $31

The blend of these three soaring treble voices would melt even the hardest heart" - Irish Independent With their sensational voices and stunning good looks, The Irish Sopranos wow audiences wherever they go. Wendy Dwyer, Kay Lynch and Deirdre Masterson are the créme de la créme of Irish classical vocal talent. With their extensive classical training, their gorgeous lyrical voices produce a wonderful harmonic sound, which lends itself perfectly to the ravishing harmonies for which The Irish Sopranos are known. Wendy, Kay and Deirdre have vast experience on a wide variety of entertainment platforms from lead-singer with Riverdance to soloists on the International Operatic Stage. With a repertoire including music from the classical, operatic, music-theatre, Irish, and popular genres, The Irish Sopranos are beloved by audiences around the world. Don't miss their breath-taking live performance, sure to be remembered long after the final notes are sung.

Around the World in a Bad Mood
March 23- April 3
Nesbitt-Elliot Playhouse Theater: $34/$37

"A first-class ticket to laughs about the wacky world of airline travel"
– Tom Brokaw, NBC News

Around the World in A Bad Mood is delighted to be landing at Mesa Arts Center this spring in an updated version of the show. This production will feature returning real life flight attendant Rene Foss along with New York actors Hector Coris and Lexi Windsor. Each performance will showcase a local resident in a cameo role as part of the show. There will be new material as well as some old favorites. Get ready for singing flight attendants, perturbed passengers, and crazy characters not seen before. There will be a meet and greet of cast members in the lobby as well as book signing after the show.

Big Band Broadcast
Friday, April 9, 7:30 p.m.
Ikeda Theater: $31

The Big Band Broadcast starring Holly Larocque and the Mark Ferguson Orchestra is a joyful and high-powered return to the golden age of radio broadcasts from starlit ballrooms. The show follows the design of those long ago evenings when glamour was
king and big bands ruled the airwaves. The audience is invited into a time warp with the first strains of the 13-piece Mark Ferguson Orchestra and their opening number "Singin' With the Big Bands", and guided on their sentimental journey by the forties style patter of the engaging Radio Announcer. The tunes comprise classics of the Big Band era ... "Don't Sit Under the Apple Tree", "Stardust", "In the Mood", "And the Angels Sing" ... along with a few surprises and novelties along the way. True to the period, the show is interrupted at appropriate intervals for those vital words from "vintage" sponsors and each venue is acknowledged with complimentary station call letters.

Arlo Guthrie – Guthrie Family Rides Again:
Featuring: Abe, Cathy, Annie, Sarah Lee and Johnny
Saturday, April 10, 7:30 p.m.
Ikeda Theater: $32/$50

"The Guthries are the first family of American folk. They practice what woody preached" - Vanity Fair "Woody Guthrie music is alive and well and the legacy is in good hands" - New Jersey Herald Folk music icon Arlo Guthrie brings his timeless stories and unforgettable classic tunes with three generations of Guthries for a massive concert tour in 2010. The family makes a stop at the Mesa Arts Center performing Arlo's standards as well as a selection of unpublished Woody Guthrie lyrics. "Guthrie Family Rides Again" includes Arlo's son Abe, and daughters Cathy, Annie and Sarah Lee Guthrie as the first family of American folk gather to revive the musical spirit Woody in this unforgettable acoustic concert.

My Mother’s Italian, My Father’s Jewish and I am in Therapy
April 15 – April 18, 2 p.m & 7:30 p.m.
Piper Repertory Theater: $40

“Perfect Comic Timing” -New York Post "The Comedy of the Year…I Laughed My Head Off!"-KGO Radio San Francisco Steve Solomon's hilarious, multi-award winning, long running Off Broadway hit is now on tour. You’ll meet Mom, Dad, his sister the smoker, the kids cousin Carmine, Uncle Paulie, demented Kenny as well as dozen of characters from all walks of life; Thirty plus, whose sole purpose was to drive Steve into therapy----and they succeeded. Steve masterfully recreates these characters using dialects, sound effects and incredible wacky voices. Oh, you’ll recognize them. From the security guards at airports to the people you’ve met on the street; each one comes to life on stage in hysterical situations that will have your audiences begging for more. This is a “don’t miss” evening of fun. Critics and buyers from over fifty cities agree. This is an evening of comedy at its very best!

Avett Brothers
Saturday, April 24, 7:30 p.m.
Ikeda Theater:· $31

Rolling Stone Magazine's Artists to Watch 2008 & 2009

"The Avett Brothers exploded onstage from their first note to their final chord with a multitude of acoustic-driven banjo-laden songs. They are one of the most impressive live bands around." - Creative Loafing There is no harmony like brotherly harmony and you can clearly hear fraternal magic at work in the songs of Scott and Seth Avett, better known as the Avett Brothers. Their riveting music has roots in traditional folk and bluegrass, but also captures the high spirits and no-boundaries attitude of rock & roll. They come to Mesa Arts Center with their energetic concert of lively vocals and instrumentals, performing their unique and charming blend of folk-country and rock for this memorable night.

Merle Haggard
Thursday, May 9, 7:30 p.m.
Ikeda Theater: $60

The man behind country music's working man's anthems, MERLE HAGGARD has hung his soul on the line with dozens of songs that bring a lyrical depth to tales of hard living. Ever the lonesome fugitive, outlaw, and flesh-and-bones performer, Haggard weaves his one-of-a-kind vocal textures, lead guitar, and fiddle to reveal the heart and soul of a musician who may be the most well-rounded country talent ever to take the stage.

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC LIVE! SPEAKER SERIES

Hunting Dinosaurs
Paul Sereno, Paleontologist
Wednesday, January 27, 2010 7:30 p.m.
Ikeda Theater: $26/$30/$34/$38

Having discovered more than two dozen new species of Dinosaurs on five continents, Paul Sereno has been called a modern-day Indiana Jones. Also a professor at the University of Chicago, Sereno received the Chicago Tribune’s Teacher of the Year award (1996). Together with his wife, Sereno founded Project Exploration, a nonprofit organization dedicated to making the wonders of science accessible to the public and urban youth. Journey with Sereno as he shares the thrilling life of a dinosaur hunter.

Army Ants and Flying Frogs
Mark Moffett, Ecologist & Photographer
Wednesday, March 17, 7:30 p.m.
Ikeda Theater: $26/$30/$34/$38

Mark Moffett’s mission is to find stories that make people fall in love with the unexpected: insects, frogs, and other of nature’s small wonders. One of only a handful of people to earn a Harvard Ph.D. under the world’s most respected ecologist, E. O. Wilson, Moffett has written or photographed more than two dozen articles for National Geographic. This brilliant and intrepid ecologist, whose humor has made him a favorite on late-night talk shows, shares the beauty and marvels of life in the treetops.

Stageworks
Presenting Award-Winning Family Theater for Over 25 Years

Captain Louie
Based on “The Trip” by Ezra Jack Keats
Book by Anthony Stein
Music & Lyrics by Stephen Schwartz
Produced in New York at The Little Shubert Theatre
by Meridee Stein, Kurt Peterson & Bob Reich
Directed by Meridee Stein
Original New York production at the York Theatre Company
(James Morgan, Producing Artistic Director)
in association with Meridee Stein, Pam Koslow & Kurt Peterson
January 29 – February 7, 2010
Friday, 7:30 p.m. • Saturday, 2 p.m. & 4:30 p.m. • Sunday, 2 p.m.
Piper Theater • Single Tickets: $15 Adults/$14 Youth

After moving to his new neighborhood, Young Louie feels lonesome and is without any friends. Looking for something to cheer himself up on Halloween night, Louie returns to his old neighborhood friends in an imaginary journey on the wings of his favorite toy, his little red plane. The story is full of tricks and treats through the whimsical music and lyrics of Stephen Schwartz. Most of all, Captain Louie is all about the true meaning of friendship, whether it is making new friends or the importance of maintaining old ones.

CAPTAIN LOUIE is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI). All authorized performance materials are also supplied by MTI, 421 West 54th Street, New York, NY 10019, Phone: (212) 541-4684 Fax: (212) 397-4684 www.MTIShows.com