SCOTTSDALE, Arizona — Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts is excited to welcome fresh faces and veteran Broadway talents during its 2021–22 season. Scottsdale Arts ONE Members have a chance to grab their favorite seats before tickets go on sale to the public on Friday, April 2, 2021.

As the Great Bright Way in Manhattan’s lights were dim most of last year, the Center was able to present two Broadway concerts featuring performers on hiatus from national and international stages. Musical lovers in Scottsdale and throughout the Valley can rejoice as Broadway takes the stage in their own backyard in an intimate venue.

Below is the schedule of six upcoming Broadway performances at Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts (subject to change):

Seth Rudetsky Concert Series
Eva Noblezada with Seth Rudetsky
Friday, Jan. 21, 2022, 8 p.m.
Eva Noblezada originated the lead role of Eurydice in “Hadestown” on Broadway, receiving a Tony® nomination for Best Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical. Additionally, “Hadestown” won the 2020 Grammy® Award for Best Musical Theater Album. Noblezada starred in the revival of “Miss Saigon,” receiving a Tony® nomination and played Eponine in the West End revival of “Les Misérables.” Seth Rudetsky is the afternoon host on Sirius/XM Satellite Radio’s “On Broadway” and the host of “Seth Speaks” on Sirius/XM Stars. Rudetsky has also worked as musical director/pianist for many theatre productions.

Hitting New Heights
Mandy Gonzalez and Javier Muñoz
Saturday, Feb. 12, 2022, 8 p.m.
The Broadway stars of “Hamilton” and “In the Heights” join voices to celebrate Broadway’s hottest composers, from Stephen Schwartz to Lin-Manuel Miranda. Mandy Gonzalez turned author with her debut novel, “Fearless.” Javier Muñoz recently joined the cast of “Eureka!,” an upcoming Disney Junior animated series. Additionally, he was recently heard on “Romeo y Julieta” — a new bilingual podcast — as Paris.

Seth Rudetsky Concert Series
Jeremy Jordan with Seth Rudetsky
Saturday, Feb. 19, 2022, 8 p.m.
Jeremy Jordan, a film, television, cabaret, and Broadway star has earned the Theater World Award for “Bonnie and Clyde.” Jordan received a Tony® nomination for his role in “Newsies” and Grammy® nomination for the “Newsies” cast album. He is widely known for his role on the CW drama “Supergirl.” Seth Rudetsky is the afternoon host on Sirius/XM Satellite Radio’s “On Broadway” and the host of “Seth Speaks” on Sirius/XM Stars. Rudetsky has also worked as musical director/pianist for many theatre productions.

Broadway Perspectives 2022: Women of Broadway
Saturday, March 12, 2022, 8 p.m.
Join us for “Broadway Perspectives 2022: Women of Broadway,” where four of Broadway’s finest female vocalists celebrate the roles and musical selections that underscore the leading lady’s influence on The Great Bright Way. Produced and hosted by New York casting director Stephen DeAngelis.

Shoshana Bean
Saturday, April 9, 2022, 8 p.m.
Independent Music award-winner and veteran of the Broadway stage, Shoshana Bean recently starred as Jenna in “Waitress.” Her latest release, “SPECTRUM,” debuted at #1 on the Billboard Jazz charts.

Lea Salonga
Thursday, May 5, 2022, 7:30 p.m.
A “Disney Legend” with a powerful voice and perfect pitch, Lea Salonga is a performer best known for her Tony®-winning role in “Miss Saigon.” Recently seen on the annual “Broadway Backwards” concert on March 30 and available on demand through April 3.

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 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 Wed. – Sat., 11 a.m. – 6 p.m. and Sun., noon 5 p.m., and throughout most evening events. Phone: 480-874-4644.

HOW TO REACH US

Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts
7380 E. 2nd St.
Scottsdale, AZ 85251
www.ScottsdalePerformingArts.org
480-499-TKTS (8587)

Chandler Public Library – Downtown
22 S Delaware, Downtown Chandler

Grab & Go: Trans Day of Visibility
March 31, 2021
9 am – 7 pm
March 31 is International Day of Trans Visibility. It aims to bring attention to the accomplishments of trans
people around the globe. To recognize the contributions and lived experiences of trans and non-binary
people, check out the Downtown Branch’s display of library materials. There will also be fun items to take
while supplies last.

Grab & Go: Show Your Pride
June 28, 2021
9 am – 7 pm
June 28, 1969 was the beginning of an event known as the Stonewall Uprising, a series of spontaneous
demonstrations by members of the LGBTQ+ community in New York City. In the decades following
Stonewall, June has become a month of events and parades commemorating Stonewall and
acknowledging the LGBTQ+ community’s accomplishments. This Grab & Go has the materials to make a
rainbow pennant banner based on the Philadelphia 2017 8 stripe flag. It will also contain an enamel pin.
Limited quantities, available while supplies last. This project was made possible in part by the Institute of
Museum and Library Services.

Chandler Public Library – Online

Read the Rainbow – Teen Books
March 24
5:30 pm – 6:30 pm
Online – Register at chandlerlibrary.org
Join Chandler Public Library’s new book club focused on books by, for, and about the LGBTQ+
community. Each month will feature a librarian curated selection of titles based on a theme, genre, or
collection. Pick a title from the monthly list and arrive ready to rate your title on a scale from 1 to 5 stars
and discuss what you liked and didn’t like about it.
This month we will be reading: TEEN / YOUNG ADULT
Pick ONE title from the list below. All titles are available from Chandler Public Library.
● Felix Ever After by Kacen Callender
● The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzie Lee
● Girls of Paper and Fire by Natasha Ngan
● I Wish You the Best by Mason Deaver
● Leah on the Offbeat by Becky Albertalli
● Odd One Out by Nic Stone
● Pet by Akwaeke Emezi

Read the Rainbow – Picture Books
April 28
5:30 pm – 6:30 pm
Online – Register at chandlerlibrary.org
Join Chandler Public Library’s new book club focused on books by, for, and about the LGBTQ+
community. Each month will feature a librarian curated selection of titles based on a theme, genre, or
collection. Pick a title from the monthly list and arrive ready to rate your title on a scale from 1 to 5 stars
and discuss what you liked and didn’t like about it.
This month we will be reading: PICTURE BOOKS
Pick ONE title from the list below. All titles are available from Chandler Public Library..
● A Plan for Pops by Heather Smith
● Boy and the Bindi by Vivek Shraya
● It Feels Good to Be Yourself: a book about gender identity by Theresa Thorn
● Julian is a Mermaid by Jessica Love
● Maid and Maiden by Daniel Haack
● Pride: the story of Harvey Milk and the Rainbow Flag by Rob Sanders
● Red: a crayon story by Michael Hall
● When Aidan became a brother by Kyle Lukoff

Read the Rainbow – In the Shadow of the Expressway
May 26, 2021
5:30 pm – 6:30 pm
Onlline – Register at chandlerlibrary.org
Join Chandler Public Library’s book club focused on books by, for, and about the LGBTQ+ community.
This month we will all be reading Lydia R. Otero’s In The Shadows of the Freeway: Growing up Brown
and Queer.
Born in 1955, Lydia R. Otero knew they were queer the moment their consciousness had evolved enough
to formulate thoughts. Nicknamed La Butch by their family, Otero shares a unique perspective: displaced
by their queerness, but rooted in place through their relationship with Tucson, Arizona. In this book, which
combines personal memoir and the historical archive, Otero takes readers to a world that existed on the
physical and social margins and describes how a new freeway created a barrier that greatly influenced
formative aspects of Otero’s childhood. The author examines the multiple effects of environmental racism,
while the lack of services and low expectations of the schools Otero attended are further examples of the
discrimination directed at brown people. This book offers more self-disclosure than Otero’s previous
works, as the author’s memories and experiences of childhood take center stage. Otero reveals the
day-to-day survival mechanisms they depended upon, the exhilaration of first love, and the support they
received from key family members.
We welcome James Burns, Executive Director of the Arizona Historical Society, who will lead the
book discussion.

Graphic Novel Book Club – Fun Home
June 16, 2021
5:30 pm – 6:30 pm
Online – Register at chandlerlibrary.org
Do you love comics, graphic novels, and sequential art? Join us for our new Graphic Novel Book Club!
This month we will be reading and discussing Alison Bechdel’s Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic. In this
Eisner and Stonewall Award winning work (which was adapted into an award-winning Broadway Musical),
In this graphic memoir, Alison Bechdel charts her fraught relationship with her late father. Distant and
exacting, Bruce Bechdel was an English teacher and director of the town funeral home, which Alison and
her family referred to as the Fun Home. It was not until college that Alison, who had recently come out as
a lesbian, discovered that her father was also gay. A few weeks after this revelation, he was dead, leaving
a legacy of mystery for his daughter to resolve.

Read the Rainbow – Biographies and Memoirs
June 23, 2021
5:30 pm – 6:30 pm
Online – Register at chandlerlibrary.org
Join Chandler Public Library’s new book club focused on books by, for, and about the LGBTQ+
community. Each month will feature a librarian curated selection of titles based on a theme, genre, or
collection. Pick a title from the monthly list and arrive ready to rate your title on a scale from 1 to 5 stars
and discuss what you liked and didn’t like about it.
This month we will be reading: BIOGRAPHIES AND MEMOIRS. All titles are available at Chandler Public
Library
Pick ONE title from the list below.
● Confess: the autobiography by Rob Halford
● Officer Clemmons: a memoir by Francois Clemmons
● One Life by Megan Rapinoe
● Over the Top: a raw journey to self-love by Jonathan Van Ness
● Shortest way home: one mayor’s challenge and a model for America’s future by Pete Buttigieg
● The Velvet Mafia: the gay men who ran the swinging sixties by Darryl W Bullock

Focus on early diagnosis of HIV infection to improve treatment and prevention

PHOENIX (March 9, 2021) – It may surprise many that more than 11,000 residents of Maricopa County live with HIV and many more who are unaware of their status. For Valleywise Health, the numbers are a daily reality and in a continued effort to prevent the spread of HIV throughout our county, the public health safety net system recently completed expansion of opt-out HIV screenings at all 11 federally qualified health centers and emergency rooms at their main Roosevelt campus and Maryvale location.

In addition to the opt-out screenings, Valleywise Community Health Center – McDowell, the states’ leading provider of primary health care and HIV specialty treatment, also launched the availability of free home test kits shipped directly to your residence. These kits are available to any Maricopa County resident over the age of 18 and can be requested at valleywisehealth.org/HIVhometest. The test will be mailed in discreet packaging and includes detailed instructions of how to complete the test.

Patients who test negative either at a facility or through the home test, but may be considered high-risk can request consultation from Valleywise Health with prescription of the preventative medication, PrEP (Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis), available at all locations. PrEP is a once daily medication that can be used in combination with other methods, such as condoms, to reduce risk of HIV infection by up to 99%. For those who test positive, a confirmatory test will be conducted and further assessment and treatment plans will be determined between patient and physician.

“Our goal is to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to learn if they are infected with HIV,” said Dr. Ann Khalsa, Medical Director of Valleywise Community Health Center – McDowell. “When individuals know their HIV status and either take Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) or quickly start HIV treatment, we can help stop transmission and support the goal of getting to no new infections by 2030.”

The testing expansion is possible in part thanks to a $582,000 grant from the Arizona Department of Health Services. In 2011 Valleywise Health Medical Center became the first hospital in Arizona to provide routine HIV screening in its emergency department, and since then has administered nearly 100,000 tests.

“Unfortunately, HIV still has a stigma attached to it that it somehow only effects certain populations, but like all viruses knows no boundaries,” says Dr. Khalsa. “The way in which these voluntary tests and at home tests can be conducted can be done easily, quickly and bring peace of mind to anyone who feels they are at-risk or potentially infected and I applaud those who take initiative to know their status.”

For more information on Valleywise Health and their HIV services, please visit valleywisehealth.org/services or to order your free home test kit, visit at valleywisehealth.org/HIVhometest.

About Valleywise Health

Located in Phoenix, Arizona and named one of the 100 Top Hospitals in the nation by IBM Watson Health in 2020, Valleywise Health (formerly Maricopa Integrated Health System) has a proud tradition of being the community safety net health care system with a mission and commitment to serving the underserved. Valleywise Health consists of Valleywise Health Medical Center, Arizona’s only public teaching hospital, the only trauma center in Maricopa County verified by the American College of Surgeons to treat adults and children and Arizona’s only nationally verified Burn Center serving the entire Southwestern United States. Other services include the McDowell Healthcare Center, the largest provider of HIV primary care in Arizona, the Refugee Women’s Health Clinic, three behavioral health centers and 11 federally qualified community health centers. To learn more, please visit www.ValleywiseHealth.org.

*** RESCHEDULED DATES ANNOUNCEMENT ***

In Partnership with The Irish Cultural Center and McClelland Library, The Long-Standing Tradition in Phoenix Won’t Be Stopped by the COVID-19 Pandemic with Goal of Raising $50,000!

PHOENIX (February 10, 2021) – Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, the Phoenix community will still have the opportunity to support the annual Phoenix St. Patrick’s Day Parade & Faire with a virtual event on March 13. This telethon-type party is being made possible by partnering with the Irish Cultural Center and McClelland Library in Downtown Phoenix.

On March 13 from noon to 8 p.m. folks can login to the event at the virtual event website and enjoy live performances from some of your favorite Irish bands, interviews with local celebrities and more. Hosted by this year’s Arizona Colleen and other Irish community members, it’s a party you won’t want to miss. And, you can enjoy things right from the comfort of your own home! You can even record your own video to be aired during the festivities.

“The Parade and Irish Faire is a staple here in the Valley, and it’s also an important fundraiser for our community,” said Jeffrey Aspland, President, St. Patrick’s Day Parade & Irish Faire Committee. “We are grateful for the partnership with the Irish Cultural Center and are excited to make this year’s event something fun for everyone, until we can get back to our normal celebrations in the years to come.”

The event is free to join, just log in and enjoy. Once you “enter” the event, you will have the opportunity to donate if you would like. The event fundraising goal is $50,000 and, while people can watch for free, any donation amount will help to secure the future of the St. Patrick’s Day Parade & Faire and Irish Cultural Center and McClelland Library as well as other initiatives to support the #AZIrish Community in the Phoenix area.

“We are thrilled to partner with the Phoenix St. Patrick’s Day Parade and Faire Committee,” said Ciara Archer, Operations Director for the Irish Cultural Center and McClelland Library. “We know this is not how we thought we would be celebrating our favorite holiday of the year – BUT, if we have learned anything in the last year it is to pivot and make due with what you can! We thank the various Celtic groups in the community for their support and partnership and look forward to celebrating with the global Irish diaspora (born or adopted for the day) on this St. Patrick’s Day! We encourage everyone to donate if they can to ensure our organizations’ futures, and hope you will sit back, relax and enjoy the show!”

Those interested in recording their own video to be played during the event can do so for $25 by visiting https://stpatricksdayphoenix.org/sponsor/p/friend-parade-sponsor.

Likewise, additional sponsorship opportunities are available at https://stpatricksdayphoenix.org/sponsor.
For additional information call 623.377.4026, email phxstpatricksday@azirish.org or go to phxvirtualstpatricksday.org.

About The Irish Cultural Center and McClelland Library;
The Irish Cultural Center and McClelland Library, the heart of the Celtic Community, are divisions of the Irish Cultural and Learning Foundation a 501 (C) (3) nonprofit corporation and are owned and maintained by the City of Phoenix Parks and Recreation Department.

About the St. Patrick’s Day Parade and Faire;
The St. Patrick’s Day Parade and Faire Committee is composed of a group of hard-working, volunteer, elected individuals that make the Phoenix St. Patrick’s Day Parade and Faire a reality. For nearly 40 years they have spent hours meeting and planning the events to make sure each year is better than the last.

GLENDALE, Ariz. – It is all about the love between friends as Historic Downtown Glendale presents Galentine’s Day on Saturday, Feb. 13, 2021 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. with a fun day of activities to gather your best girlfriends together to celebrate the value of friendships.

The locally owned businesses in the Catlin Court and Old Towne shopping districts have created this fun-filled day to celebrate the treasured love between women and have planned a perfect day for you and your best friends. There will be fun things to do along the way including make and take activities, fun photo ops, lovely gift ideas at the unique boutiques and specialty shops and sweet treats to satisfy your sweet tooth at the iconic eateries. You can also follow the Historic Downtown Glendale Charm Trail to fill a bracelet with beautiful charms. New this year, follow the “Joy Journey” to pick up joyful message cards. After visiting all the participating businesses, the ladies will have a bag filled with happy and heartfelt messages. The Joy Journey will be available for the first 100 gals.

Start your Galentine’s Day journey at the Arizona Information Center located at Memory Lane Trinkets and Treasures (5836 W. Palmaire Ave.) to pick up the activity list and walking map. Galentine’s Day is presented by the Historic Downtown Glendale Merchants Association, a merchant driven organization which stimulates, enhances, and sustains the economic vitality and customer experience of the Historic Downtown Glendale Shopping and Dining District. For more information, check out www.VisitDowntownGlendale.com or follow at www.Facebook.com/HistoricGlendale.

PHOENIX — Phoenix Pride issued the following statement today in response to President Joe Biden’s executive order reversing the previous administration’s ban on transgender Americans serving in the U.S. Armed Forces:

“Today marks a critical return to decency, respect and honor in America, as President Biden lifts the previous administration’s ban on service in the U.S. Armed Forces by brave transgender Americans who step forward and volunteer to undertake the bold and dangerous missions that define the American military.

“In his inauguration address last week, President Biden reasserted his commitment that America ‘will lead not merely by the example of our power, but by the power of our example.’ The executive order he issued today, allowing transgender men and women to once again openly don the uniforms of our armed services, is in itself a powerful example of the values of inclusion and commitment to those who serve, that have now returned to American leadership.

“Since the 45th President first floated the idea of denying the right to serve to transgender Americans, Phoenix Pride has stood in solid opposition to that toxic, unwarranted and spiteful policy. Today, we join our trans family and friends, neighbors and co-workers in celebrating this national return to decency and renewal of our nation’s commitment to honor, respect and care for all who choose to undertake the ultimate show of commitment to defending our nation and the ideals for which it stands.

“Since mere hours after his inauguration, President Biden began to make good on his commitment to restore the rights and freedoms that are the blessings of all Americans, including those in our LGBTQ community. This president’s first day reversal of his predecessor’s policies to discriminate against LGBTQ, and particularly transgender, individuals in federal employment and elsewhere set a hopeful tone for policies to come, and today’s executive order further bolsters that hope.

“Phoenix Pride will continue to support policies that promote inclusion and equity for all Americans. We welcome today’s announcement by the White House and applaud President Biden for this meaningful, and critical, action.”

ABOUT PHOENIX PRIDE

Phoenix Pride is the producer of the two largest annual public LGBTQ community events in Arizona: the Phoenix Pride Festival and Parade held each spring in April, and the Rainbows Festival, held every fall in October. Founded in 1981, the organization engages year-round in its mission to unite, educate and engage people to support and empower the LGBTQ community and its allies. Additional information regarding Phoenix Pride is available online at the agency’s website, http://www.PhoenixPride.org.