The Performing Arts

To a certain extent, Tucson is a clone of Phoenix when it comes to the performing arts. Three of Tucson's major companies -- the Arizona Opera Company, Ballet Arizona, and the Arizona Theatre Company -- spend half their time in Phoenix. This means that whatever gets staged in Phoenix also gets staged in Tucson. This city does, however, have its own symphony and manages to sustain a diversified theater scene as well.

Usually, the best way to purchase tickets is directly from the company's box office. Tickets to Tucson Convention Center events (but not the symphony or the opera) and other venues around town may be available by calling Ticketmaster (tel. 520/321-1000; www.ticketmaster.com) or by stopping by the TCC box office, 250 S. Church Ave. (tel. 520/791-4101; www.cityoftucson.org/tcc).

Performing-Arts Centers & Concert Halls

Tucson's largest performance venue is the Tucson Convention Center (TCC) Music Hall, 260 S. Church Ave. (tel. 520/791-4101; www.cityoftucson.org/tcc). It's the home of the Tucson Symphony Orchestra and where the Arizona Opera Company usually performs when it's in town. This hall hosts many touring companies. The box office is open Monday through Friday from 10am to 6pm, Saturday from 10am to 4pm, and Sunday from noon to 4pm.

The centerpiece of the Tucson theater scene is the Temple of Music and Art, 330 S. Scott Ave. (tel. 520/622-2823), a restored historic theater dating from 1927. The 605-seat Alice Holsclaw Theatre is the Temple's main stage, but there's also the 90-seat Cabaret Theatre. You'll also find an art gallery and gift shop here. The box office is normally open Monday through Friday from 10am to 6pm (or until curtain time if there is a show scheduled), Saturday and Sunday from noon to 6pm (or curtain).

University of Arizona Centennial Hall, 1020 E. University Blvd. at Park Avenue (tel. 520/621-3341; www.uapresents.org), on the UA campus, is Tucson's other main performance hall. It stages performances by touring national musical acts, international companies, and Broadway shows. A big stage and excellent sound system permit large-scale productions. The box office is open Monday through Friday from 10am to 6pm and Saturday from noon to 5pm (closed Sat in summer).

Originally opened in 1930, downtown Tucson's Fox Theatre, 17 W. Congress St. (tel. 520/624-1515; www.foxtucsontheatre.org), is a restored 1930s movie palace that is now the city's most beautiful place to catch live music, a play, or even a classic or independent film. The box office is open Monday through Friday from 10am to 6pm and Saturday from 10am to 2pm.

The Center for the Arts Proscenium Theatre, Pima Community College (West Campus), 2202 W. Anklam Rd. (tel. 520/206-6986), is another good place to check for classical music performances. It offers a wide variety of shows.

Outdoor Venues & Series

Weather permitting, Tucsonans head to Reid Park's DeMeester Outdoor Performance Center, at Country Club Road and East 22nd Street (tel. 520/791-4873), for performances under the stars. This amphitheater stages live theater performances, as well as frequent concerts.

The Tucson Jazz Society (tel. 520/903-1265; www.tucsonjazz.org), which manages to book a few well-known jazz musicians each year, sponsors different series at various locations around the city. Tickets are usually between $15 and $30.

Classical Music, Opera & Dance

Both the Tucson Symphony Orchestra (tel. 520/882-8585 or 520/792-9155; www.tucsonsymphony.org), which is the oldest continuously performing symphony in the Southwest, and the Arizona Opera Company (tel. 520/293-4336 or 520/321-1000; www.azopera.com), the state's premier opera company, perform at the Tucson Convention Center Music Hall. Symphony tickets run $18 to $47; opera tickets are $35 to $140.

If you want to catch some economical classical music, check out the schedule at the University of Arizona College of Fine Arts School of Music and Dance (tel. 520/621-1162; www.music.arizona.edu). Performances are held between September and April, and include classical music and opera performances held in the Music Building's Crowder and Holsclaw halls, both of which are near the intersection of Speedway Boulevard and Park Avenue on the UA campus. Equally worthwhile are the performances by the UA Dance Ensemble, which are staged in the Stevie Eller Dance Theatre, a little jewel box of a building. The bold contemporary architecture of this building makes seeing a performance here a double treat. Call the above number for information on performances.

Theater

Tucson doesn't have a lot of theater companies, but what few it does have stage a surprisingly diverse sampling of both classic and contemporary plays.

Arizona Theatre Company (ATC; tel. 520/622-2823; www.aztheatreco.org), which performs at the Temple of Music and Art, splits its time between Tucson, Phoenix, and Mesa, and is the state's top professional theater company. Each season sees a mix of comedy, drama, and Broadway-style musical shows; tickets cost $27 to $48.

The Invisible Theatre, 1400 N. First Ave. (tel. 520/882-9721; www.invisibletheatre.com), a tiny theater in a converted laundry building, has been home to Tucson's most experimental theater for more than 35 years (it does off-Broadway shows and musicals). Tickets go for about $22 to $25.

The West just wouldn't be the West without good old-fashioned melodramas, and the Gaslight Theatre, 7010 E. Broadway Blvd. (tel. 520/886-9428; www.grandmatonyspizza.com), is where evil villains, stalwart heroes, and defenseless heroines pound the boards. You can boo and hiss, cheer and sigh as the predictable stories unfold on stage. It's all great fun for kids and adults, with plenty of pop-culture references thrown into the mix. Tickets are $16 for adults, $14 for students and seniors, and $7 for children 12 and under. Performances are held Tuesday through Sunday, with two shows nightly Tuesday through Saturday, plus a Sunday matinee. Tickets sell out a month in advance, so get them as soon as possible. On Monday nights, you can catch interesting live music performances.