Images Arizona: Anthem May 2017 Issue

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RANDY O'BRIEN CERAMICS

ANTHEM REMEMBERS

NO SHORTAGE OF FUN

By Grace Hill

By Lara Piu

By Greg Granillo

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COMMUNITY EVENTS

HE IS MARSHALL

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By Grace Hill

By Tom Scanlon

ARIZONA THEATRE CO. DAVID GOLDSTEIN

Cover photo courtesy Li'l Wick

By Kenneth LaFave

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PUBLISHER Shelly Spence

EDITOR/CONTRIBUTING WRITER Jenn Korducki Krenn Amanda Christmann

ART DIRECTOR/PUBLISHER’S ASSISTANT Jennifer Satterlee

GRAPHIC DESIGNER Ana Petrovic

STAFF WRITER

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When we began printing Images Arizona 18 years ago, the Internet was new.

Most people didn’t have computers, and most people relied on newspapers and nightly news to find out what was happening in the world around them. Today, that has all changed.

Grace Hill

We are proud to say that our dedication to bringing heartening stories that

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

professional writers and photographers have explored the human experience

Tom Scanlon Beth Duckett Monica Longenbaker Kenneth LaFave Gregory Granillo Shannon Severson Katherine Braden Lara Piu

and cultural events like no other publication in the area. They have taken great

PHOTOGRAPHERS

anecdotes, events and adventures of our thriving community. We are happy to

Bryan Black Loralei Lazurek Brandon Tigrett Michele Celentano Monica Longenbaker

cannot be found anywhere else has paid off. For nearly two decades, our local

pride in telling stories that introduce neighbors, share pride and sorrows, and inspire us all to connect so that our community can grow stronger roots.

At a time when proper vetting, skillful writing and original photography seem to be lost arts, there is a growing demand for quality, distinct articles and images. Through the years, we have gotten requests for subscriptions from winter residents, visitors, and many others who didn’t want to miss out on the share that we now offer subscriptions, and that, through them, hundreds of readers only need go as far as their mailboxes each month to be tuned in to the heartbeat of our community.

As we continue to grow and change, we are excited to be able to keep you in the loop through subscriptions to Images Arizona. For just $24 a year — $2 a

ADVERTISING SALES

month — you can keep in touch with what’s happening in your own back yard

Loren Sheck

and learn about stories that, despite technology, can’t be found anywhere else.

Images Arizona P.O. Box 1416 Carefree, AZ. 85377 623-341-8221 imagesarizona.com

Simply visit us online at imagesarizona.com and click “Subscribe.”

Even as we change and grow, we will continue our promise of quality and integrity, and to continue to be a proud community partner. On behalf of all of our writers, photographers and editors, thank you for making us a continuing part of your lives, and for supporting us through the years!

Submission of news for community section should be in to shelly@imagesaz.com by the 5th of the month prior to publication.

Images Arizona is published by ImagesAZ Inc.

Cheers!

Copyright © 2017 by ImagesAZ, Inc. All rights reserved.

Reproduction, in whole or part, without permission is prohibited.

The publisher is not responsible for the return of unsolicited material.

Shelly Spence Publisher, Images Arizona magazine shelly@imagesaz.com 623-341-8221

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RANDY O'BRIEN CERAMICS Writer Beth Duckett Photographer Wilson Graham

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Randy O’Brien’s journey from fledgling art student to acclaimed potter has led him to some very interesting places — and people.

Before settling at his current home in the foothills of southern Arizona, O’Brien lived in California, where he studied under well-known ceramics artist Al Johnsen. He also launched a pottery studio in Alaska before experimenting with pottery glazes at a New York university, a process that led to the striking, one-of-a-kind glazed surfaces he is known for today.

O’Brien says of his style, which resembles the mineral formations and lichens found in southern Arizona: “If anyone sees it, they know that’s my work.”

With such a repertoire of places traveled, you might think O’Brien has taken the opportunity to also journey to art shows across the country. But the potter primarily sold through galleries for much of his career. It wasn’t until the recession that O’Brien began to explore the art world beyond his comfort zone.

“For a large part of my life, I wanted to hole up in my studio and make pots,” the artist recalls. “I had about 24 galleries before the recession. It got down to six. I had to try and reinvent how I made a living.”

Now, O’Brien shows at about a dozen fairs annually, gaining crucial feedback from collectors that he didn’t get previously.

“It has been great for my growth,” he says. “It has been great to interact with people.”

Additionally, O’Brien works with about a dozen galleries across the country, from California to Illinois. June Dale, owner of the Austin Presence gift shop in West Lake Hills, Texas owns several of O’Brien’s pieces, noting that they have a “mystery about them, because they look like they could come from outer space, under the sea or from a volcano.”

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There is not a day that goes by that someone doesn’t walk into the gallery and ask me, ‘How does he do that?'

colors combined with the deep texture always stirs the curiosity of collectors as they come through our door,” she says.

O’Brien’s work “combines brilliant color and amazing texture to create a piece that is both organic and otherworldly,” says Mesia Hachadorian of Tubac, Arizona-based Cobalt Fine Arts Gallery.

“It is hard to have a Randy O’Brien piece in a room and not have it draw your eye,” Hachadorian notes. “There is not a day that goes by that someone doesn’t walk into the gallery and ask me, ‘How does he do that?’”

Similarly, New Mexico artist Barbara Meikle, who represents O’Brien at her namesake fine art gallery in Santa Fe, says his pieces “add a delightful element” to any room. “His unique process has an organic quality that is hard to resist; the unusually bright

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O’Brien began his career as a young student at the University of California, Berkeley, enrolling there in the early 1980s after spending a year as a foreign exchange student in Malaysia.

Of his travels abroad, O’Brien remarks: “I went into some pottery studios there. When I got back to the states, I went to school. At that point, I didn’t really consider making a living making pots. I just spent all the time I possibly could in the studio.”

O’Brien left Berkeley and later attended the University of California, Santa Cruz, where he had access to a pottery studio 24 hours a day. Santa Cruz is also where he met late accomplished painter and potter from Gig Harbor, Washington, Al Johnsen, who hosted workshops there throughout the summer. After about three years, Johnsen hired O’Brien to work in his studio. “I made

some of his pots while he painted,” O’Brien says. “I did that for about a year.”

With several years of schooling under his belt, O’Brien was experienced enough to take his career to the next step.

He moved to Homer, a quaint tourist-friendly city in south-central Alaska, and pursued his dream of owning an art studio.

“It took me six months,” the potter remarks. “I rented a studio I found it had been abandoned. It had all the equipment. I ended up in a number of different locations.”

Nicknamed “the cosmic hamlet by the sea,” Homer is on the west side of the Kenai Peninsula on the shore of Kachemak Bay, which is home to a sprawling wilderness park.

Naturally, O’Brien found inspiration for his work in the innate splendor of the area. He recalls the winters in Homer,

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which often lasted nine months or longer; icicles would form on the sides of cabins and expand until the temperature finally warmed up in the summer.

Inspired by the aesthetics of his surroundings, O’Brien tried placing bits of glaze as an accent flowing down the sides of one of his pots. “I put on just enough so it wouldn’t hit the bottom,” he remarks. “It was a period of glaze experimentation for me, learning about glazes and coming up with a distinct body of work.” His experiments created a feedback loop and “in the end, what I came up with looked a lot like the landscape from Kachemak Bay,” he says.

Later, O’Brien continued this experimentation as a student at Alfred University in New York, where he earned his bachelor of fine arts degree in 1996. There, he focused on specialeffect and low-fire glazes. Since he had earned a living as a potter, O’Brien was advanced compared to many of his classmates; the experience allowed him to focus solely on glaze experimentation and three-dimensional glaze surfaces, he says.

“There were a lot of resources there,” O’Brien remembers. “I had MFA graduate students available to me. While I was there, I was able to take glaze chemistry classes in the ceramic engineering department. I would not have been able to do what I do now if I hadn’t gone to Alfred.”

It would take the artist another five years to fully develop the body of work and style he is known for today. By 2001, his pieces were recognizable, though more earth-toned than his current style. “They remained earth toned for about 10 years,” he says. “I gradually started making them brighter, now I can make them as bright as I possibly can.” randyobrien.net

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COMMUNITY arts // announcements // culture Writer Grace Hill

MAY 4 ANTHEM’S NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER EVENT The public is invited to participate in the 2017 National Day of Prayer in Anthem. Bring lawn chairs, water and a light jacket.

6:30-8:30 p.m. Anthem Community Park, 41703 N. Gavilan Peak Pkwy., azndp.org.

MAY 5, 12, 19, 26 MUSIC IN MAY CONCERT SERIES Georgia Chrome, Bounce, SuperHero and NineBall are among the bands in this annual Anthem series. First concert includes a food truck. Remaining concerts include an ice cream truck. Free. 7-9 p.m. Anthem Community Park Amphitheater, 41703 N. Gavilan Peak Pkwy, 623742-6050, onlineatanthem.com/ music-may.

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MAY 11-14 MUSICAL THEATRE OF ANTHEM’S SEUSSICAL JR. Horton the Elephant, the Cat in the Hat and more come to MTA’s stage! See website for show times.

Adults $19; students, seniors and children 12 and under $16.

Musical Theatre of Anthem, 42323 N. Vision Way, 623-336-6001, musicaltheatreofanthem.org.

MAY 13 NEW RIVER KIWANIS LOBSTERFEST Enjoy a 1-½ lb. lobster meal or steak dinner at Kiwanis’ 21st Annual Lobsterfest. Proceeds support Kiwanis Park of New River. $30 advance; $35 at door; $5 burger meal for kids 12 and younger. 5-8 p.m. New River Kiwanis Community Park, 48606 N. 17th Ave., 623-465-0229, newriverkiwanis.org.

MAY 6 SMOCA’S ANNUAL FUNDRAISING EVENT Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art presents SMoCA Mix: TECH Sublime. VIP champagne reception honors SMoCA Emeritus advisory board member Dorothy Lincoln-Smith.

Proceeds benefit SMoCA. VIP Reception: 6-7 p.m. General: 7-10 p.m. VIP: $250. General: $175. Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art, 7374 E. Second St., 480-499-8587, smoca.org.

Photo courtesy Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art may 2017

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MAY 19-20

BCHS CHOIR FINAL CONCERT

GISELLE BALLET PERFORMANCE

The Boulder Creek High School Jaguar Choir performs their final concert of the school year, featuring music and lessons they learned while in New York for their Carnegie Hall performance. Tickets available on website starting May 3. 7 p.m. Boulder Creek High School Performing Arts

Phoenix Youth Ballet Theatre and Arizona Dance Artistry present “Giselle,” a romantic ballet first performed in 1841. See website for ticket prices and show times.

Cactus High School Auditorium, 6330 W. Greenway Rd., 602-3148033, tickets.shovation.com.

Center, 40404 N. Gavilan Peak Pkwy., bcjagchoir.com.

MAY 23JUNE 10 AN EVENING AT DESERT BOTANICAL GARDEN Ballet Arizona’s artistic director Ib Andersen presents “Topia,” a performance of movement, sound and multimedia surrounded by the beauty of the botanical garden. A preshow dinner begins at 6:30 p.m.

Tickets starting at $36. 8 p.m.

Desert Botanical Garden, 1201 N. Galvin Pkwy., 602-381-0188, balletaz.org.

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Events

Photo courtesy Ballet Arizona

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MAY 21 SCOTTSDALE PHILHARMONIC CONCERT Arizona’s premiere philharmonic presents music by composers Bach, Offenbach, Mendelssohn, Rossini, Suppé and Bruch.

General admission: Free; VIP preferred seating: $15 donation. 4-6 p.m. Scottsdale Bible Church, 7601 E. Shea Blvd., 480-951-6077, scottsdalephilharmonic.com.

MAY 20 NVSO BACK TO THE MOVIES CONCERT In the final concert of the season, North Valley Symphony Orchestra performs music of popular movies. Event includes raffle and silent auction.

Audience members encouraged to dress as film characters. $5 per ticket. 7 p.m. North Canyon High School Auditorium, 1700 E. Union Hills Dr., 623-9804628, northvalleysymphony.org.

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MAY 21 NVSO YOUTH ORCHESTRA AUDITIONS Advanced string players interested in joining NVSO Youth Orchestra can now schedule an audition with music director Josh Lynch. Appointments will fill up quickly. For audition instructions and excerpts, visit northvalleysymphony.org/youthorchestra.

MAY 29 ANTHEM MEMORIAL DAY CEREMONY The annual “A Day of Remembrance” ceremony, honoring the service and sacrifice of fallen soldiers, will be held at the Anthem Veterans Memorial. Ceremony features Lt. Col. David Clukey, United States Army Special Forces;

Fine Art Photo courtesy Mike Benedetto

Lt. Col. John Simmons, United States Air Force (Retired); and ceremony music by ProMusica Arizona. Seating and parking limited. Bring lawn chairs. 9 a.m. Anthem Community Park, 41703 N. Gavilan Peak Pkwy., onlineatanthem.com.

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MTA 2017/2018 SEASON The 10th Anniversary Season of Musical Theatre of Anthem begins July 20. The production line-up includes “School of Rock”; “Madagascar: A Musical Adventure Jr.”; “The Jungle Book Kids”; “The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane”; “Elf Jr.”; “Once on this Island Jr.”; “Decided”; “Beauty and the Beast”; “Annie Jr.” and more. Actors ages 6 to adult can audition for roles. musicaltheatreofanthem.org.

Experience

BUTTERFLY WONDERLAND’S RAINFOREST REPTILE EXHIBIT Rainforest Reptiles, the newest exhibit at Butterfly Wonderland, opens Memorial Day Weekend.

Guests will experience 12 large exhibits depicting the natural environment of reptiles and amphibians and hear natural rainforest sounds.

Exhibit includes “Animal Talk” presentations; animal feedings; trading cards; and more!

Butterfly Wonderland, 9500 E.

Photo courtesy Butterfly Wonderland

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Via de Ventura, 480-800-3000, butterflywonderland.com.

ACC TEEN SUMMER SERIES Anthem Community Council’s (ACC) Teen Summer Series for youth 12 and older features movies, arts-and-crafts, game days, fitness classes and more. A $30 pass (nonresident rates apply) can be purchased at the Civic Building and Community Center and provides access to all activities from June-Aug. onlineatanthem. com/teen-series.

BCHS CHOIR CARNEGIE HALL PERFORMANCE The Boulder Creek High School Jaguar Choir, 220 students in all, were personally selected for the 2017 Choirs of America Nationals for Top Choirs. Because of their hard work as choral students and by raising over $20,000, they took a once-in-a-lifetime trip to perform at Carnegie Hall in New York City. There they rehearsed with collegiate choral educators, schools from around the world, leading Broadway performers and a nation's top conductor, Z. Randall Stroope. Kirk Douglas, BCHS choir director, was a part of the concert’s “Featured Artists” performance.

Congratulations to BCHS Jaguar Choir! bcjagchoir.com

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Writer Lara Piu

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When my daughter was a wee one, my father would ritually take her outside, hold her high in his arms, and together they would point and yell, “Balloooooon!” as hot air balloons flew above my house. But you don’t have to be a child to appreciate hot air balloons. They tend to stir up the light side in anyone. Big, colorful and bright, hot air balloons rise above the fray and elevate us to a higher perspective.

During Memorial Day weekend, you can get up close and personal with these monstrous marvels at the Cave Creek Balloon Festival. Presented

by Tonto Bar and Grill and Aerial Solutions, the eighth annual event will be held at Rancho Mañana Golf Course’s driving range from 5:30 to 10 p.m.

Saturday, May 27.

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At around 7:30 p.m., eight massive glowing balloons, some with one-of-a-kind shapes, will light up the Sonoran Desert sky in Cave Creek’s largest one-day event. It will also feature food trucks, live bands, and a fan-favorite fireworks show that will fill the sky with red, white and blue.

Arrive early to settle in with your low-profile lawn chair in at the main stage lawn area for the Civil Air Patrol color guard presentation and a flyover by Deer Valley Composite Squadron 302. Madison Holmes, a local up-and-coming singer/songwriter will perform at 5:30 p.m., and later she’ll kick the evening off with her rendition of the national anthem.

The Anglim Sisters and native Arizonan Harry Luge and his country band will perform on the main stage. A cross between the gritty nature of Travis

EVENT TIMELINE 5:30 p.m.

Gates open Live music by Madison Holmes.

6:30 p.m.

Arizona Wing Civil Air Patrol color guard presentation Flyover by Deer Valley Composite Squadron 302 National anthem performed by Madison Holmes.

6:45 p.m.

Live music from the Anglim Sisters.

7:30 p.m.

Balloons start to inflate, come to life and glow. Glow lasts for about 90 minutes.

8 p.m.

Harry Luge performs.

9 p.m.

Fireworks

Tritt with the soul of Waylon Jennings and powerhouse vocals of Pat Green, Harry has opened for well-known artists including Merle Haggard, Brad Paisley, Eric Church, Chris LeDoux, Neal McCoy, Martina McBride, and Montgomery Gentry.

A kids’ zone will feature free face painting and balloon twisting, and pay-to-play bouncy house inflatables.

Food from local food trucks like Grilled Addiction, Wandering Donkey, Fry Bread Inc., Doughlicious Pizza, Cheese Love and Happiness, The Buffalo Chip, Firehouse Kettle Corn and Cotton Candy, Firehouse Shaved Ice, Affogato Coffee, and Frosted Frenzy Cupcakes will also be on hand. Beverages will include cocktails, wine and Four Peaks Brewery craft beer. cavecreekfestivals.com

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Girls having fun at Creative Castle Preschool and Kindergarten's summer program.

Summer Camps Writer Grace Hill

Summertime. It’s the time of year when the sun proudly displays its glorious, but searing rays. Yet, the season brings more than just a change in the temperature. It ushers in a spirit of merriment and freedom among children. It is a time when they no longer feel the pressures associated with school.

However, as children rejoice at the sound of the last bell of the school year, parents often deal with a different type of emotion, dread — not necessarily because their children will spend more time at home, but because a certain phrase by children gets stuck on repeat: “I’m bored.” For parents, finding a way to respond positively after the 100th time of

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hearing those words can seem like a challenge.

Images Arizona understands that struggle. That’s why we’ve created a list of summer camps located in Anthem and its surrounding area. These camps provide learning and social interactions that children need throughout the summer. And of course, they provide countless hours of fun — the element that children care most about.

Summertime. It can be a time when parents no longer need to dread the coming months, and when “I’m bored” is now a phrase of the past.

Full Service Print Shop

Anthem Community Council Community Center Offers themed activities that inspire children to have fun while learning.

This safe and caring environment provides arts and crafts, games, rock wall climbing, computers, movies, the Adventure Playground, swimming, field trips and much more.

Summer Camp 2017 Children 5–12 years May 30–Aug. 4, Monday through Friday 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Banners Signs BluePrints Cards Magnets Stickers Labels Invoices Notary

Scanning Faxing Email Binding Laminating Folding Cutting Graphic Design Shipping

Mon - Fri 8:00am - 6:00pm Sat 9:00am - 3:00pm 3655 W Anthem Way, Ste A109 Anthem, AZ 85086-2599 www.postnet.com/az115 az115@postnet.com 623-551-1305

41130 N. Freedom Way, Anthem 623-879-3011 onlineatanthem.com/camps

Creative Castle Preschool and Kindergarten Brings fun summer learning through individualized instruction and a developmental approach. Creative Castle offers a summer program that includes sessions Dinosaur Discover, Camping Adventures, Bug Hunt and more; and Kindergarten Readiness, an intensive program focusing on reading readiness and math skills.

Summer Program Children 2 ½–6 years, potty-trained June 5–July 28, Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to noon (Lunch Bunch & extended hours available) Kindergarten Readiness Children entering kindergarten through first Grade June 6–July 27, Tuesday through Thursday 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. (extended care available) 4130 W. Opportunity Way, Anthem 602-740-9561 creativecastlepreschool.com/summer-program

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Diamond Dance Works Allows dancers of all ages and levels to learn techniques and develop skills of ballet, tap, acrobatics, hip hop, contemporary, musical theater and more. Dance training in the summer camps and intensives provided by knowledgeable instructors in a positive atmosphere.

Summer Dance Camps and Intensives Children 3 years and older June 5–July 21, Monday through Friday various times

Desert Foothills Theater

34406 N. 27th Dr., Ste. 190, Phoenix 623-582-9858 diamonddanceworks.com

Provides children with an opportunity to perform and learn theater skills. The one- and two-week camps include productions of “The Amazing Adventures of Super Stan,” “Annie,” “Wicked” and “High School Musical.” Camp concludes with a performance for family and friends.

Creative Kids Summer Camp Children 5–7 years June 5–16, Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to noon Full-Day Musical Theatre Camp Children 8–14 years June 19–30, Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Musical Revue Camps Children 8–14 years July 10–28, Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Various Locations 480-488-1981 dftheater.org/summercamp

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Future Stars International Enterprises Provides youth a safe and rewarding environment where they experience high-level basketball and volleyball training.

Basketball camp features fundamental skills, shooting work and defensive/offensive breakdowns. Volleyball camp features fundamental skills, transition play, defense and footwork.

Summer Co-Ed Basketball Camp (Anthem Location) Children 5–16 years June 12–30, Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to noon

Summer Co-Ed Volleyball Camp (Anthem Location) Children 8–16 years July 10–14, Monday through Friday 1 to 4 p.m.

Anthem Prep 39808 N. Gavilan Peak Pkwy., Anthem 623-326-4267 futurestarsusa.com

Musical Theatre of Anthem Offers youth summer productions and workshops taught by award-winning directors, vocal directors and choreographers.

The summer session features three productions, “Dear Edwina Jr.,” “Madagascar Jr.” and “School of Rock,” and teaches performing skills like vocal technique, dance and showmanship.

Summer Productions Children 8–18 years (varies per show) June 5–Aug. 5, Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Summer Performing Arts Institute Children 6–18 years June 26–30, Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

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MTA Minis Summer Session Children 3–5 years July 24–28, Monday through Friday 2-3:30 p.m.

42323 N. Vision Way, Bldg. #2, Anthem 602-743-9892 musicaltheatreofanthem.org

filled week include song and dance, arts and crafts and food.

The week closes with mass and a pizza party.

Vacation Bible School Children entering kindergarten through fifth Grade June 12–16 9 a.m. to noon Caurus Academy 41900 N. 42nd Ave., Anthem 623-465-9740 stroseparishaz.org

North Valley Christian Academy Gives preschoolers an opportunity to participate in a summer learning adventure guided by nurturing and experienced staff members. Children will learn Bible stories that complement themes like the jungle, space, reptiles, bugs, the sun, camping, the beach and more.

Summer Preschool Children 2–6 years May 30–July 28, Monday through Friday various times 42101 N. 41st Dr., Ste 101, Phoenix 623-551-3454 northvalleyca.org

Starlight Community Theater Starlight Community Theater invites young actors from across the Valley to participate in their 2017 Camp Rising Star. Two musicals and one dramatic play make up this summer session, with the play teaching safe stage fighting.

Each session concludes with two performing shows.

Disney’s Peter Pan Jr. Children 7–17 years June 5–17, Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to noon

St. Rose Philippine Duchesne St. Rose Philippine Duchesne presents their 2017 vacation Bible school, “Cool Kingdom Party.” Highlights of this fun-

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Cry Havoc! AKA Shakespearean Swordplay Children 13–17 years June 19–24 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Disney’s The Jungle Book KIDS Children 7–17 years July 17–29, Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to noon 1611 W. Whispering Wind Dr., Phoenix 623-252-6815 starlightcommunitytheater.com

Summit Church Gives elementary students a creative opportunity in science and theater. Lego Robotics Camp teaches the principles of math, science and engineering and shows how science supports faith. Theater Camp provides acting, music and choreography training in a fun, interactive format.

Lego Robotics & Theater Camps Children entering third to sixth grade July 24–28 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Anthem Elementary School 41020 N. Freedom Way, Anthem 623-522-8582 summitchurchaz.com/summercamps

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ANTHEM

Remembers Writer Lara Piu

H

Hot dogs, hot days and friends and family time often fill the long Memorial Day weekend. But each year, Anthem Community Council reminds the community what the holiday is all about.

Since 2013, the council has invited the public to attend its annual Memorial Day ceremony, "A Day of Remembrance." This year, the ceremony will be held Monday, May 29 at 9 a.m. at the Anthem Veterans Memorial in Community Park, located at 41703 N. Gavilan Peak Parkway. The 45-minute ceremony will honor the service and sacrifice of veterans who have fallen while serving our nation.

“Memorial Day allows our community the opportunity to honor and remember our fallen heroes,” says Kristi Northcutt, director of public affairs for Anthem Community Council. “The Anthem Veterans Memorial is a place where we can individually reflect and remember every day of the year those who served and sacrificed, but Memorial Day is the perfect time and the AVM a perfect place to come together as one unit to pay our respects.”

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Highlights of the ceremony will include a keynote address by Lt. Col. David Clukey, United States Army Special Forces. Lt. Col. Clukey conducted 11 overseas deployments including seven combat tours, six to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

His previous assignment was as a deputy chief of current operations at Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC). He currently serves as the commander of the Phoenix Army Recruiting Battalion in Anthem, which opened in December.

“Every gathering at the memorial is an opportunity for our community to thank the veterans and their families for what they have given to our country in the name of freedom,” Northcutt adds. “It is always our hope that those who attend will walk away having been touched by some element from the morning – whether it be the speakers, music, stories of veterans or roses laid in place to honor those killed in action or the POW/MIA table.”

Serving as master of ceremonies will be Lt. Col. John Simmons, United States Air Force (Retired). As the Sandra Day O’Connor Jr. Air Force ROTC commander, his cadets also will participate in the ceremony. Lt. Col. Simmons was a F-15E instructor weapons systems officer, and commanded the 12th Combat Training Squadron in Ft. Irwin, CA. He also served as the Pentagon’s chief fighter assignments for the Air Force Colonel’s Office for three years.

Under the direction of assistant chorale conductor Patti Graetz, ProMusica Arizona will perform music, including “Taps,” which will close the ceremony with a moment of silence. onlineatanthem.com/avm

Remember

Anthem Veterans Memorial Anthem Community Park 41703 N. Gavilan Peak Pkwy., Anthem Monday, May 29 9 a.m.

Free onlineatanthem.com/avm

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Boulder Creek women’s varsity softball has all the right moves this season. Currently the team stands 15 wins with 10 losses.

“We play in the toughest region in Division 1, so our schedule is very difficult,” Boulder Creek High School head coach Jeremy Lord says. “There are no easy games and my girls have to play their best every game.”

And they have. So far, seven of the girls have contributed home runs and the team has among the highest batting averages in the state. They won the Skyline Coyote Classic Tournament and hit four home runs in the championship game.

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Writer Lara Piu

As a result, several girls have caught the attention of college recruiters. Sophomore Kennedy Wyllie has verbally committed to play at Michigan State University. The starting catcher has the second highest batting average on the team and has the most home runs and RBIs. “She is most likely going to be the best player ever at Boulder Creek. She is a very hard worker, an unbelievable hitter,” Jeremy adds. “She is even a better person than she is a player, which is saying a lot. We are lucky to have her for the next three years.”

Next season, starting pitcher and team leader Lauren

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Clockwise from top left: senior Lauren Calabrese. signed with Bentley University in Massachusetts; Isabel Gallo; sophomore Kennedy Wyllie. verbally committed to play at Michigan State.

Calabrese will play for Bentley University in Massachusetts.

The senior has contributed two home runs to date this year. The athlete is also a school badminton team star.

“She has always been a winner. She is one of the most fun kids I have ever coached,” Jeremy says. “Nothing seems to bother her. When the game is close and on the line, she is the one who keeps things light. We can count on her to make a bit winning play. She will be missed next year for sure.”

Junior Isabel Gallo is also one to watch. The starting third baseman and backup catcher made the varsity team as a freshman.

“Izzy is one of our best defensive players,” Jeremy explains. “Nothing gets by her on the hot corner, third base. She makes every play. She is also a very good hitter and always seems to find a way to get on base. Izzy is one of the hardest workers on the team. This fall she ran cross

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country, played club softball and also came to softball camp every day.”

Jeremy sees the team’s potential. “Our goal is to finish the season in the top eight in rankings so we can host a couple of playoff games,” he says.

Then, anything can happen Jeremy adds. He is confident that this team has what it takes to win the state championship.

“This is the most fun group I have ever coached,” Jeremy adds. “The girls all get along very well and they love to have fun. I am proud of how hard the girls work for each other and they are excellent representatives of Boulder Creek. They love being Jaguars!” bcjaguarsathletics.com/softball

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Writer Grace Hill

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The Anthem Area Chamber of Commerce invites the community to their first annual Daisy Mountain Luau.

Located on the softball field at Anthem Community Park, this event allows guests to experience the beauty of Hawaii without traveling too far from home.

Chamber vice president Carrie Clark-Keller explains what the community can expect once they arrive. She says, "It is going to be a great time for the entire Daisy Mountain area. From 5 to 7 p.m., we are going to have a carnivalstyle atmosphere. Then at 7 p.m., a live Polynesian show will kick off the rest of the evening. From 8 to 10 p.m., the DJ will be turning the entire softball field into a family dance floor! So much fun for all ages!"

Scheduled for May 13, the Daisy Mountain Luau begins at 5 p.m. As guests enter, a traditional Hawaiian welcome awaits them with the gift of a floral lei. As the night progresses, exciting forms of entertainment ensue.

Featured entertainment includes street-carnival themed games, an authentic Polynesian performance by Paradise

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Island Dancers, and DJ Hybrid Thirty-3 will provide dancing music.

Of course, a luau isn’t a luau without the presence of a mouth-watering feast. Anthem Area Chamber of Commerce has partnered with Mama’s Hawaiian BarB-Cue to provide guests with authentic island fare. The event will include drinks, adult beverages, snacks and candy for purchase.

A fun and unique event like this creates a memorable time for all involved. Not only will guests enjoy food and entertainment, but they will also enjoy the time spent with neighbors and friends.

“The Luau is our first event for the community and really, our business members are the true hosts,” says Heather Maxwell, Anthem Area Chamber of Commerce executive director. “The team at Mama's Hawaiian Bar-B-Cue wanted to help create a fun community event. By partnering with our business

Experience

Daisy Mountain Luau Anthem Community Park Saturday, May 13 5–10 p.m.

41703 N. Gavilan Peak Pkwy., Anthem Advance admission: $10 per person $40 for a family five-pack Admission at the gate: $15 per person.

Infants under one year free anthemareachamber.org

members through sponsorship, we are able to keep ticket prices very low, allowing us to create a great event affordable for everyone.”

With advance admission at $10 per person or $40 for a family five-pack, this event is affordable for anyone wanting to attend. However, admission at the gate will cost $15 per person, so purchasing tickets in advance is recommended. Infants under the age of one year will enter the event at no charge.

Tickets can be purchased online at anthemareachamber. org and will include an online processing fee. To avoid that fee, tickets can also be purchased in person at the Anthem Area Chamber of Commerce office or at the following businesses: Boates Law Firm, DL Jones & Associates, Mama's Hawaiian Bar-B-Cue, Rayne of the North Valley, Desert Lotus Boutique, Justin Simons State Farm, Nanette Miller State Farm, Merrill Gardens, Hair-N-Dipity Salon and Spa by Sawana, and Simply in Demand Chiropractic. Event t-shirts are also available for purchase.

Anthem Area Chamber of Commerce’s desire for the Daisy Mountain Luau is to place businesses like these in the spotlight.

Maxwell says, “The chamber is committed to supporting and growing our local business community. Most of our events are for our local businesses and members, specifically. We focus a lot of our marketing efforts on creating awareness about the importance of shopping, dining and supporting local business. That's what our #KeepLocal campaign is all about.” anthemareachamber.org 623-322-9127

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Writer Tom Scanlon Photographer Bryan Black

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The idea of a football game — and just about any honest coach will confide this — is to dominate the opponent.

You want to impose your will, showing your opponent a speedy route to the cold, hard turf. You want your rivals to limp back to the sideline as you dance in the end zone.

Win big, if you can, but even if it takes a Clemson-in-the-college-playoffs or Patriotsin-the-Super-Bowl thrilling score in the final seconds, make sure you come out ahead in the end so that, when the clock ticks down to 0:0, you get to enjoy the chest bumps and man-hugs and Gatorade showers while your whipped opponents hang their heads on that long, shamed trudge back to the losers’ locker room.

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Oh, yes, football is all about winning at all costs.

Except during one magical season when the scoreboard didn’t matter for little Marshall University in West Virginia.

This was 1971, the season after a plane crash that killed nearly the entire team, plus the coaches, boosters and others connected with the program. In the 2006 production “We Are Marshall,” a rising star named Matthew McConaughey played Jack Lengyel, who was hired not only to coach the team, but also to resurrect the program.

In the movie, McConaughey-as-Lengyel philosophizes about the thousands of times he has heard, and preached, “Winning is everything,” the phrase that fuels football.

“And then I came here. For the first time in my life, maybe

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for the first time in the history of sports, suddenly, it’s just not true anymore. At least not here, not now. It doesn’t matter if we win or if we lose. It’s not even about how we play the game. What matters is that we play the game.

That we take the field, that we suit up on Saturdays, and we keep this program alive.”

The real Jack Lengyel says that wasn’t some Hollywood fancy speech; he really said that, or at least something very close.

“It really wasn’t about winning,” he said, looking back at that challenging season, 46 years distant. “It was about getting a team together to begin the process of rebuilding.

We realized we were going to have to do things differently.

We were going to have to change the way we coach.”

With an inexperienced squad of freshmen, transfers, volunteers from other sports, and a few surviving members who were not on the plane, Lengyel’s team somehow won Marshall’s first home game after the crash — and the homecoming game. But the 1971 team lost the other eight of its 10 games, with five shutouts and a string of lopsided losses.

the art of organization

And yet, it was a resoundingly victorious season. In a Sept. 7, 1971 letter to Coach Lengyel, his staff and the team, then-President Richard Nixon summed up the feelings of many: “The 1970 varsity players could have little greater tribute paid to their memory than the determination to field a team this year. Friends across the land will be rooting for you, but whatever the season brings, you have already won your greatest victory by putting the 1971 varsity squad on the field.”

Lengyel had been a coach at the College of Wooster, 230 miles north of Marshall University, when he learned of the tragic plane crash. Wooster had just finished one of its most successful seasons.

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“I was home with my family,” Lengyel recalled, “watching a television show, and a crawl came across ‘Marshall University football team perished in a crash.’”

He didn’t think of contacting the school right away, until a few months passed, and he heard Marshall was having trouble filling the position.

“They offered the job to a coach at Penn State but he turned it down. Another coach took the job and resigned. I got to thinking, ‘Maybe I can help.’ I called down there, and they invited me down.”

Over the years, he’s been asked many times why he took the toughest job imaginable. Why leave a successful run

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as a young coach at Wooster, where he had an impressive 24-12 record in four years, to tackle the unknown?

“There’s an old Chinese proverb,” Lengyel will tell you, with a twinkle in his eye. “If you’re ever given something of value, you have a moral obligation to pass it on to others.”

So it was that Lengyel passed on to the young players all the football knowledge and worldview he had gathered.

Though his record was an unspectacular 9-33, in his four years at Marshall he helped save a program that would become a powerhouse in the 1990s.

A few years later, in the spirit of his “Charlie’s Angels,” director McG (Joseph McGinty Nichol) directed a script based on what could be called “Jack’s Angels.”

“We Are Marshall” opened Christmas week, 2006. Reviews were mixed, ranging from “thrilling and wrenching” to “misbegotten tribute”; it turned a slim profit, grossing $43 million at the box office.

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Though there were a few Hollywood touches in the script, Lengyel said the producers “did a good job” telling the story, and he still watches his copy, once or twice a year.

central to the movie. Though the facts are in place, Lengyel has a hard time seeing himself in the movie. A chat he had with the star during the production helped explain the curious circumstance of watching someone play him — or perhaps an alternate-universe version of him.

The energetic performance by McConaughey, who had just been named People magazine’s “Sexiest Man Alive,” is

“People say to me, ‘He doesn’t have your mannerisms, at all,’” Lengyel said, with a chuckle. “Well, I remember

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walking back off the field one night during the filming with Matthew.

He put his arm around me and said, ‘My dad was a football coach...’ So he had some feel for coaches. He did his research and read about me, but he said, ‘I didn’t try to mimic you. I took the material and put it inside myself.’

“I said, ‘I’m glad you told me that, because I was never that frickin’ animated on the sidelines!’”

Sitting at the dining room table of his Sun City Grand home, Lengyel breaks into a wide grin when an F-35 military plane roars overhead.

“The sound of freedom,” said Lengyel. He is quite familiar with the roar of military planes, as he was athletic director at the United States Naval Academy from 1988 to 2001.

In the big picture, Lengyel’s fouryear stint at Marshall was just a slice of a long career as a football coach and athletic director. His home is filled with photos and mementoes documenting his two legacies, professional and personal.

After moving 24 times in his coastto-coast career, he and Sandy, his wife of 60 years, settled in Arizona a dozen years ago to help her arthritis.

They enjoy visits with their three children, sons David and Peter, daughter Julie Logan, grandchildren and now great-grandchildren.

Retired as a coach/administrator, the 82-year-old Jack Lengyel serves on several football boards, chairing the Divisional Hall of Fame Board at the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame. In general, he remains enthusiastically active in the sport that has had him captivated for decades.

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As the movie coach stated and the real Lengyel confirmed, coaching at a school rising out of deep sorrow taught him that winning at Marshall wasn’t the most important issue.

Well, let’s take it a step further. Why, Jack Lengyel, does football matter at all? Why should thousands of college kids who have no hope of playing professionally waste their time running around, slamming into each other when they could be studying?

Jack Lengyel has thought about this, and he is convinced that his favorite sport is a worthy endeavor — and then some.

“Football’s a game that enhances so many of the characteristics you need to be successful in life,” Lengyel said with the patience of a coach explaining a play to a freshman quarterback.

“You develop character, perseverance, respect and teamwork. You learn lessons, even from losing. “… Football provides one of the best lessons in athletics and life: to face adversity, get back up off the ground and go on to success.”

One thing the ol’ coach treasures is hearing from former players, especially when they say, “You know, now that I have kids of my own, I get what you used to tell me!” Just an example, Jack Lengyel says, of the life lessons hiding inside the country’s most popular sport.

“It’s a game that teaches you to be selfless,” said this leathery football man. “There are things you can’t learn in the classroom, born out of camaraderie, and those are friends who become lifetime friends.

“These are lessons that are valuable in the business, in the community and in life.”

There are only three words to add to that: We Are Marshall.

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The backyard of this beautiful Anthem residence makes for the perfect outdoor retreat. With a heated pebble-sheen pool and spa, rock water feature, water slide and outdoor shower, swimming becomes luxurious and family-friendly at the same time. To complete the space, the backyard features a gas BBQ island, elevated gas fire pit, turf grass with putting green and a covered patio.

The inside of this 2,981 sq. ft. home is just as attractive. The home features 12 ft. ceilings, creating an airy, open feeling throughout. With three bedrooms, a den/office space, great room, family room and dining room, the homeowner will find enough space suitable for a large family, visitors, game/media room and anything else needed.

Additionally, the open kitchen showcases many sought-after features, including slab granite countertops; raised panel cabinets; GE Monogram professional chef series stainless appliances with gas cooktop; and an Advantium convection microwave and warming drawer.

The desirability of the home continues in other details as well. A security system, a three-vehicle extended garage, RV gate, a family room fireplace, dual pane windows, travertine stone, wood and textured carpet flooring are just some of the many features that make this home remarkable.

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Writer Greg Granillo

The 75-yard #7 “Jutty” at The Short Course at Mountain Shadows offers the course’s best views of Mummy Mountain.

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Fueled by great weather and with a reputation as one of the best networking events on turf, last February’s Waste Management Phoenix Open set a record of 655,434 fans, besting the previous mark of 618,365 set in 2016.

While attendance is breaking records year after year at TPC Scottsdale’s signature event, the total number of golf rounds played nationwide is down. This decline has experts scrambling to come up with anything to get people to play more golf, from shortening the course to just 12 holes to offering foot golf, played with a soccer ball and oversized holes.

But for a lot of traditional golfers, a round of golf isn’t a round unless you play 18 holes. The problem is, most people just don’t have the time for a five- or six-hour round anymore.

A new twosome of high-end, par-3 courses hopes to shake up the Valley golf scene.

“The knock on golf has always been that it takes too long, it’s too expensive and it’s too difficult,” says renowned golf course architect Forrest Richardson.

Richardson’s latest project, The Short Course at Mountain Shadows, aims to address all of the above. The course is scheduled to open in early March in conjunction with the highly anticipated Mountain Shadows resort.

Redefining the Short Course The Short Course at Mountain Shadows is among a handful of high-end, 18-hole par-3 golf courses that have begun popping up across the country, along with Li’l Wick at Wickenburg Ranch, just north of the Valley.

For Richardson, who has designed several resort courses throughout the Valley, including Phantom Horse Golf Club at Arizona Grand, Lookout Mountain, Wigwam and The Phoenician, the latest endeavor was more than simply revitalizing an existing executive course. He wanted to set a new standard for the par-3 golf experience.

“Most short courses are not at the level of traditional 18-hole courses,” he says. “The greens are usually not high quality, and often the holes have to be dumbed down. This course is going to be in top condition — intimidating, but not too difficult. Every green is different; every hole is different.”

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#1, The Short Course at Mountain Shadows

Situated on the north side of Camelback Mountain in Paradise Valley, and formerly known as Mountain Shadows Golf Club, the course was originally designed in 1961 by well-known golf architect Arthur Jack Snyder, under whom Richardson studied. In addition to the exceptional greens and distinct holes playing from 60 to 200 yards, each offers striking views of Camelback and Mummy Mountains, along with the scenic desert surroundings.

Richardson. “Today, we’re using less water and land, which is the right thing to do.”

“Our goal was to find the same beauty, harmony, function and innovation as Jack Snyder created more than 50 years ago,” says Richardson. “But we have done so in a way that fits the new Mountain Shadows resort. It’s been fun to watch the excitement build.”

McCahan was intrigued by working closely with Westroc, the developers of Mountain Shadows and the management company for Hotel Valley Ho and Sanctuary Camelback Mountain Resort.

But that wasn’t all.

Part of the new Mountain Shadows includes a new respect for the land. The original course measured 33 acres, while the new iteration occupies just under 14 acres and uses 70 percent less water.

“The trend of the past 35 years was to create wider, longer, bigger golf courses that were 7,000 yards, but that goes against land conservation and responsible water use in the desert,” says

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Tom McCahan, director of golf and club operations at Mountain Shadows, is no stranger to the bigger, longer courses. He spent 25 years at the 36-hole Boulders Resort in Carefree before deciding it was time for a change.

“There are no high-end short courses in the middle of the city with Camelback and Mummy Mountain right there,” says McCahan.

“It’s the closest golf course to the most interesting side of Camelback, right underneath the Praying Monk. It’s also just 15 minutes from Sky Harbor and in the heart of Scottsdale’s restaurants and nightlife.

The location is second to none.”

Another appealing factor for McCahan was the ability for golfers

of all skill levels to complete 18 holes in just a few hours. The abbreviated playing time gives Arizona golfers a respite in the summer heat and allows guests to get a round in before a day of resort relaxation or desert exploration.

“When guests can play a two-anda-half-hour round of golf instead of spending five hours, they can fit in a spring training game, a hike, enjoy Old Town Scottsdale and whatever else they want to do,” says McCahan.

Measuring 2,310 yards from the back tees, the par-54 course is available for daily play for both locals and resort guests.

A Li’l Fun for Everyone Mountain Shadows isn’t the only Arizona player getting involved in the short game.

The popular Wickenburg Ranch Golf Course, located an hour and 15 minutes northwest of downtown Phoenix, recently opened Li’l Wick.

Dubbed "a short-game park," the innovative and engaging nine-hole, par-3 course features the same stellar bentgrass greens and exceptional playing conditions that have propelled Wickenburg Ranch’s Big Wick course to success. The course winds through a picturesque canyon along the eastern flank of the Wickenburg Ranch development, giving it tons of natural beauty and character.

Daily-fee guests can play Li’l Wick for just $25 per player. Or, they may include a visit to Li’l Wick before or after their rounds on Big Wick (27 holes of golf for $115). To play, it's first come, first served, with no tee times. Four of the nine holes are lit, allowing the fun to last well into the evening.

Both Li’l Wick and The Short Course at Mountain Shadows boast a fun, relaxed atmosphere for families and those learning the game. It can be as friendly or as challenging as guests choose to make it.

#7, The Short Course at Mountain Shadows

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The 9-hole Li’l Wick at Wickenburg Ranch features four lighted holes for play well into the evening.

“This is a fun place where our members and guests can truly enjoy hanging out,” says Justin Henderson, head golf professional at Wickenburg Ranch Golf and Social Club. “We want to give them plenty of reasons to smile, laugh and build lasting friendships. We have everything from families and neighbors enjoying competitions to guys grinding over putts to settle bets.”

Richardson’s design philosophy has always been grounded in his belief that golf should be fun, and that the holes should be unique and interesting.

“At the Short Course, every time you get up to the tee you have the chance to get a hole in one, which makes for a fun outing," he says.

“But you don’t want it to be a dead giveaway. That’s part of the fun — hitting over water, dealing with two-level greens, a hole that runs along a stream. It’s not your average par-3 course.”

Richardson has a message for serious golfers and traditionalists

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who love to hit their drivers off the tee: "Don’t underestimate the challenge of these short courses."

“In reality, on a regulation course you are only hitting your driver 12 to 13 times per round,” he says. “The rest of your shots are iron or short game shots — it’s about shot making. That’s the value of playing these types of courses.”

Plus, when the game is played in venues like this, it evens the playing field for couples, children and grandchildren.

“The shorter the hole, the more the game is equalized,” says Richardson. “Around the greens, an 8- or 9-year-old kid can have the same advantage as a scratch player. It’s a lot more fun for golfers of all skill levels.” mountainshadows.com wickenburgranch.com

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Writer Kenneth LaFave Photographer Tim Fuller

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It’s been David Ira Goldstein’s “Long Goodbye.”

Four years ago, Goldstein announced his retirement from the position he’d taken up in 1992: Artistic director of Arizona Theatre Company, the state’s only fully professional theater organization.

But circumstances, including some dicey financial moments, meant that hiring a new artistic director was out of the question. So Goldstein stayed on – one short stretch after another.

“The board would come to me and say, ‘Will you stay another six months?’ ‘Can you plan another season?’” he recalls.

And so he stayed another six months and planned another season, repeating at length until at last, this month, the 64-year-old director will actually step down from the job he has held now for exactly half the 50 years of ATC’s existence.

He will leave in typical Goldstein style: With a stylish world premiere.

“The thing I’m proudest of in my years with ATC is that, in the 25 years before I came, they’d done only one world premiere. Since then, we’ve done one almost every season.”

The playwrights have been many, but Goldstein cultivated a special relationship with two of them: Steven Dietz (“Inventing Van Gogh”) and Jeffrey Hatcher (“Jekyll and Hyde”). For Goldstein’s swan song as ATC artistic director, Hatcher, who has frequently explored the character of Sherlock Holmes both in plays (“Sherlock Holmes” and “The Suicide Club,” premiered by ATC) and on film (“Mr. Holmes,” starring Ian McKellen), wrote a new Holmes mystery-with-atwist, “Holmes and Watson.”

“Having a long-term relationship with a playwright over the years is one of the richest things that can happen to a director and a theater company. It’s like a conductor having a special relationship with a composer. You feel you’re closest to the artistic start, the initial artistic impulse, when you work with the playwright,” Goldstein says.

The idea behind Holmes and Watson swaps the usual roles of the world’s first consulting detective and his amanuensis. Holmes, reported dead in the fabled confrontation with Moriarty at Reichenbach Falls, reappears three years

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Experience Holmes and Watson

Herberger Theater Center 222 E. Monroe St., Phoenix May 11–28 Tickets $25-$50 arizonatheatre.org

Having a long-term relationship with a playwright over the years is one of the richest things that can happen to a director and a theater company.

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afterward — in triplicate. Three people claiming to be Holmes confront Watson, who must himself apply keen observation and logic to determine which one is the real genius of Baker Street. The show plays ATC’s main venue, the Herberger Theatre Center, May 11 – May 28. For ticket info, go to arizonatheatre.org.

job is the constant commute between Phoenix and Tucson. ATC serves both cities, and the drive back and forth is draining. By the director’s estimate, his miles between the two cities in the quartercentury he’s been making the commute are “the equivalent of having driven 19 times around the world.”

Though he is leaving the post of artistic director and all the headaches of financial juggling that go with it, Goldstein will not be leaving the Valley. He and his wife, KJZZ-FM broadcaster Michele Robins, plan to remain in their home in Phoenix’s Windsor Square neighborhood, “except for summers,” Goldstein adds eagerly, when they will reside in a recently purchased getaway on the Oregon coast.

What was the best thing about the job?

Goldstein even wrote himself into the ATC 2017-18 season as a guest director, staging a new version of “The Diary of Anne Frank.”

Look for more “guest appearances” over the coming years. He will also be guest-directing for regional theaters around the country.

One thing Goldstein says he will definitely not miss about the

“You will know by the time this story is published,” he says.

“Because ATC presents a variety of theater, I could go from staging a serious drama to a musical to a mystery or comedy. I never got boxed in.”

Who could possibly replace him?

“And I am very, very happy with the choice.” arizonatheatre.org may 2017

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Writer Lara Piu Photographer Jesse Kitt

Enjoy

Lizz Wright Musical Instrument Museum 4725 E. Mayo Blvd., Phoenix Monday, May 1 7 p.m. $48.50 - $63.50 mimmusictheater.themim.org

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“I see myself much like a painter,” jazz artist Lizz Wright says about her work in a recent documentary.

Her premiere composition and first album, “Salt,” soared to the number two spot on Billboard’s Top Contemporary Jazz list. Tommy LiPuma, the man behind the award-winning work of artists like George Benson, Diana Krall, and Natalie Cole, produced the album. Since then, Lizz released another four acclaimed albums: “Dreaming Wide Awake,” “The Orchard,” “Fellowship,” and “Freedom and Surrender.” They’re the stories of her life, she explains.

“If you look at the records I’ve made and really take them apart as elements, you start to think about the things that must have come together to create these things,” she explains. “I’ve arrived at a certain kind of eclecticism, which is actually just an honest picture of what my life is like and what my imagination is like.”

The artist now performs on the other side of several challenges: divorce, creative struggles, and feeling off-track.

Then she nearly died in a car accident on an ice-coated mountain road.

“The heavy car floated silently toward a 75-foot ravine that ended with a wide band of a frozen creek,” Lizz recalls in a recent artist statement. “‘Ok,’ was the only thing I could get out in a sigh. I was stopped by a young bellwood tree that grew out of the bank like a hook. I slowed my breathing and meditated in suspension. About 20 minutes later, a young neighbor pulled the door open, reaching in with a strong arm to guide my climb out. Now when I sing the chorus, I see the gracious hole and the sweet sapling that grows over it. It threw me back, a fish returned to the river with a cut lip.”

The delicate pink flowers of the tree that saved her remind her of that day.

“They were strong enough to save me. In surrender I experience freedom,” she explains. “The gift of an end is a beginning. I greet the sun with the only reason I've ever needed: ‘Why not?’”

Her experiences inspired the songs she will sing in May, many coming from her latest album, “Freedom & Surrender,” often considered her sexiest, most sensual album yet. She wrote 10 of its 15 songs, six with Grammy Award-winning producer, bassist and songwriter Larry Klein and his longtime songwriting partner David Batteau.

The trio wrote songs like the rocky, country-bluesy “The New Game,” “Here and Now,” inspired in part by the passing of Maya Angelou, and a tender ballad called “Blessed the Brave.”

MAY GEORGIA CHROME

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An energy-packed set list featuring Taylor Swift to Dierks Bentley, this group’s country catalog includes hits for all ages.

MAY BOUNCE

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This high-octane group features pop and R&B tunes from James Brown to Beyonce.

Bring your dancing shoes!

MAY SUPERHERO

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Not all heroes wear capes – some shred on the guitar. Enjoy rock, pop and R&B hits spanning the 70s all the way to today’s hits.

MAY NINEBALL

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NineBall will close out Music in May with a flurry of hits from artists ranging from Justin Timberlake to Tom Petty.

Lizz will perform at MIM Monday, May 1 at 7 p.m. Tickets range from $48.50 - $63.50 and can be purchased on the MIM website. The music theater will host an additional four jazz artists in May: Anat Cohen & Trio Brasileiro on May 7, the John Pizzarelli Trio on May 12, René Marie on May 17, and Lisa Fischer on May 25. mimmusictheater.themim.org may 2017

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Writer Lara Piu

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In 2012, the Scottsdale Philharmonic was created to give the community free access to professional symphony performances. This month, it will once again do just that. On May 21 at 4 p.m., the symphony will perform Offenbach’s “Barcarolle, Tales of Hoffman,” Mendelssohn’s “Fingals Cave,” Rossini’s “La Gaza Ladra Overture,” Suppe’s “Poet and Peasant Overture,” Bach’s “Brandenburg Concerto 5,” and Bruch’s “Romanze” at Scottsdale Bible Church.

“All of our concerts are special,” Scottsdale Philharmonic board president and CEO Joy Partridge says. “Our concerts appeal to not only the patrons who attend classical music but to people that are new to the classical music scene.”

The evening will be led by Scottsdale Philharmonic conductor Robert R. Nichols. A music educator, Nichols earned the Arizona Music Education Association’s Music Educator of the Year Award in 2015. He has also served in leadership positions for the Arizona Band and Orchestra Directors Association and the Arizona Music Educators Association. Robert will lead the third in the symphony’s 2017 concert series of traditional classical music concerts, each of which is free.

“One of our main goals is to encourage knowledge and enjoyment of classical music for everyone and to expand our audience to people of all ages, especially the young,” Joy adds.

Scottsdale Philharmonic’s activities are supported by community donors.

“The philharmonic is a non-profit organization mainly funded by donations from our generous patrons and audience,” Joy explains.

“All donations are used to bring a full season of concerts to our community.”

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Experience

Scottsdale Philharmonic Scottsdale Bible Church 7601 E. Shea Blvd., Scottsdale Sunday, May 21 4-6 p.m.

General admission: Free V.I.P. seating: $15 480-951-6077 scottsdalephilharmonic.com

In addition, Scottsdale Philharmonic will offer two free performances later this year. Its October 8 concert will feature its internationally acclaimed artist-in-residence, pianist Qingqing Ye. Qingqing is a faculty associate in the piano department at Arizona State University, and teaches and performs nationally and internationally.

November 19, the philharmonic will end the season with a performance Beethoven’s final symphony and masterpiece, “Symphony No. 9” which will be supported by a full choir.

All of the symphony’s concerts are held at Scottsdale Bible Church located at 7601 E. Shea Boulevard in Scottsdale.

Admission is free and V.I.P. seats are available with a donation of $15 by calling 480-951-6077. The next concert will be held Sunday, May 21 at Scottsdale Bible Church. Doors open at 3 p.m. and the concert is scheduled to begin at 4 p.m. scottsdalephilharmonic.com

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With a sweet surprise hidden inside, these colorful flower piĂąata cookies make a thoughtful gift that is sure to delight both adults and children alike. The hollowed-out center can be filled with sprinkles or your favorite miniature candies, which spill out once bitten into, much like a piĂąata.

Use a variety of cookie cutters to customize these cookies for any special occasion.

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Writer and photographer Monica Longenbaker

Flower Piñata Cookies Yield: 6 Piñata Cookies Ingredients: 3 cups all-purpose flour (plus extra for rolling) 1 teaspoon baking powder ½ teaspoon kosher salt ¾ cup butter, softened 2 cups granulated sugar 2 eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla extract Optional: ½ teaspoon almond extract miniature candy for filling (sprinkles, mini M&Ms, etc.) sprinkles for topping royal icing, store-bought or recipe below flower-shaped cookie cutter small round cookie cutter (about 1” diameter) Directions: Whisk flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.

Using a stand or hand mixer, cream together butter and sugar on medium speed until fluffy, about two minutes. Add eggs, vanilla extract and almond extract and mix for an additional one to two minutes. Gradually fold in the dry ingredients until just combined. Do not overmix.

Divide the dough in half and shape into two discs.

Cover each disc with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour or overnight.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare two parchmentlined baking sheets. Unwrap the first disc and place onto a well-floured surface. Roll the dough to ¼”- ½” thick.

Cut as many flower-shaped cookies as you can, then transfer them to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Tip: Roll the dough onto the parchment paper. Cut the cookies 2” apart, then remove the excess dough and transfer directly to a baking

sheet. (Note: Excess trim will need to be reformed and rolled again, but may need to firm up again in the refrigerator before using.) Repeat with the second disc of dough.

Bake the cookies for seven to nine minutes or until golden brown on the bottom edges. Once baked, select 1/3 of the cookies and cut a 1” hole (or as big as your cookie shape will allow) into the center of each. These holes will hold the candies later on.

Transfer the cookies to a cooling rack and allow to cool completely. To assemble piñata cookies: Place royal icing into a piping bag with a small tip. Place a cookie with a hole in its center on top of a whole cookie. Dab some royal icing on each petal of the bottom cookie to glue the cookies together.

Place miniature candies into the hole of the cookie, then place a third cookie on top using royal icing to glue. Frost the top cookie with the royal icing, then decorate as desired with sprinkles. Allow the icing to set for about an hour. Store the cookies in an airtight container until serving.

Royal Icing Ingredients: 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted 1½ tablespoons meringue powder 3 tablespoons water (plus more for thinning) Optional: 1-2 drops food coloring Directions: Using a stand mixer or hand mixer, beat powdered sugar, meringue powder and water on low speed until combined. Raise the speed to medium and continue to beat for seven to 10 minutes until icing forms peaks. Optional: Beat in food coloring until desired color is reached. If necessary, thin the icing by adding water ½ teaspoon at a time until desired consistency is reached.

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Italian Antipasto Skewers Yield: 24 Skewers Ingredients: 48 pieces (about ½ pound) tortellini 1 teaspoon olive oil 6 ounces salami, cut into 48 pieces, ½” squares 24 grape or cherry tomatoes 24 artichoke hearts, drained 24 miniature mozzarella balls 24 black or green olives pesto, store-bought or recipe below 24 – 6” wooden skewers

Directions: Cook the tortellini according to the package directions. Drain and rinse, then coat in olive oil to prevent the tortellini from sticking.

Carefully thread each ingredient onto the wooden skewers in the following order: Tortellini, salami, cherry tomato, artichoke heart, mozzarella ball, salami, tortellini, olive. Right before serving, brush each skewer with pesto. Serve at room temperature.

Pesto Directions: 2 cups fresh basil leaves, packed 1 small clove garlic 2 tablespoons pinenuts, toasted 2 tablespoons parmesan cheese, grated 2 teaspoon lemon juice ½ cups extra virgin olive oil salt and pepper to taste

Directions: Place the basil leave, garlic clove, pine nuts, parmesan cheese and lemon juice into the bowl of a food processor or blender. Pulse until roughly chopped. While the machine is on, slowly drizzle in the extra virgin olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.

Writer and photographer Monica Longenbaker

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Looking for a quick, last minute appetizer? These no-fuss Italian antipasto skewers are a fresh way to jazz up storebought ingredients.

A variety of pickled and fresh vegetables, salami, mozzarella cheese and tortellini are threaded together on a wooden skewer and coated with pesto. The handheld skewers pack up easily for picnics, but are perfect for formal get-togethers as well.

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