THE CHANDLER ARIZONAN | WWW.CHANDLERNEWS.COM | MARCH 6, 2022
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Ostrich Fest brings family fun, Grammy winners BY CHRISTINA FUOCO-KARASINSKI Staff Writer
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he Four Tops’ Duke Fakir is up for any musical adventure and, this March, that includes the Chandler Chamber Ostrich Festival. “We usually play Phoenix, but anywhere else in Arizona is a good, new adventure,” Fakir said with a laugh. “We should enjoy the festival. Anything that’s different than the normal scenery or even makes it a little more exciting for us.” The Four Tops are among the musical acts at this year’s Chandler Chamber Ostrich Festival, which features national and regional musicians, attractions, more than 50 carnival rides, food vendors. Ostriches will roam freely in a des-
The Chandler Ostrich Festival returns after a two-year pandemic hiatus and it’s so much bigger that it will be held on two weekends. Chandler residents can attend on March 17 for free. (Chandler Chamber)
ignated area at the festival. For the first time in 32 years, the festival will take place on two weekends: Friday, March 11, to Sunday, March 13, and Friday, March 17, to Sunday, March 20. “We are thrilled to bring two weekends of Ostrich Festival family fun to our community so guests will have the opportunity for double the fun,” said Terri Kimble, the Chandler Chamber of Commerce’s chief executive officer and president. “We have been working diligently with the city of Chandler and SLE to plan the safest event possible for what is expected to be the best Ostrich Festival ever with our most diverse musical talent lineup to date.”
see OSTRICH page 32
Puppets put a new spin on TV show ‘Golden Girls’ BY CHRISTINA FUOCO-KARASINSKI Staff Writer
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etty White was beloved by many, but Samantha Lee Mason gets to share that adoration nightly. She plays White’s character, Rose, in “That Golden Girls Show!” a new “theater experience” that parodies classic “Golden Girls” moments – with puppets. Mason lists the reasons to see the show: cheesecake, laughter, Jazzercise, shoulder pads, sex and schemes. “It’s super fun,” Mason said. “The character of Rose is known for being very sweet and, playfully, somewhat dim. She’s very earnest and naïve. “I love getting to bring her to life every day on the stage. Playing Betty White’s character – especially since her death – does bring a lot of weight to the world. It wasn’t there to begin with since I started. I now have the great pleasure to carry on
Samantha Lee Mason gives a hilarious yet reverent spin to the one-time hit TV show "Golden Girls" with her puppet extravaganza coming to Chandler Center for the Arts. (Special to GetOut)
Betty’s legacy the best way I can.” The 75-minute “That Golden Girls Show!” hits the Chandler Center for the Arts stage on Thursday, March 17, to Sunday, March 20. “Our story is told through three episodes of the ‘Golden Girls,’” she said. “They’re not episodes that were directly pulled from the actual show. It’s an amalgamation of different lines in the series with a new storyline within the world of the show. It’s very short, very sweet and you’ll laugh the whole time.” She confesses that even she has a hard time keeping cool during the performance. “I tend to be pretty good in terms of staying with it in the show,” she said. “But there have been a few moments when something crazy happens and you have to really focus. That’s the beauty of
see GOLDEN page 33
