Cheap Thrills

A ROAR ABROAD. The prize is no less than the throne of England in this brilliant battle of wit and will.

Eleanor of Aquitaine and King Henry II are at the heart of the battle in The Lion in Winter, a historical epoch by James Goldman.

Henry calls together his heirs and pretenders, and a few other nobles with aspirations to the throne, in an effort to consolidate his hold on the crown. In a match of intellect with his estranged and exiled wife, Henry proves no match, and her influence and place in history are assured.

Enjoy this classic for free at 7:30 Thursday as Tucson Community Theatre rolls out the show at the Randolph Arts Center Auditorium, 200 S. Alvernon Way. Shows also are scheduled for 7:30 p.m. on October 12, 13, 18, 19 and 20. Matinees start at 2 p.m. on October 13, 14, 20 and 21. For more information, call 791-4663.

A BIT OF STRANGE LOVE. Stanley Kubrick never was a director to shy away from controversial subjects.

Lolita is Thursday's outdoor show at La Placita Village. The movie, starring James Mason and Shelley Winters, is a story about a man who rents a room from a woman who begins to fall in love with him. Things get ugly when the man--a middle-aged English professor--falls not for his landlady but her 12-year-old daughter, Lolita.

The movie starts at 7:30 p.m. at 110 S. Church Ave. The weekly screenings are free, but a $3 donation to help restore the historic Fox Theatre is encouraged. Several La Placita Village restaurants will be open for dinner. For more information, call 325-2202.

MEET A REAL DOLL. Think it's easy to create a doll that doesn't look like a monster?

It isn't. Just ask some of the dedicated dollmakers of Tucson Threadheads, a group showing off their work this weekend in an exhibition called A Magical Expression: The Art of the Doll.

The juried showing will explore the art doll form using both human and animal images. All of the dolls were made right here in Tucson.

The show, which starts Friday and runs through October 31, takes place in the gallery of Details & Green Shoelaces in Plaza Palomino. An artists reception is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. October 18. The exhibition, open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays, is free.

ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR GOURD? Hey, you know what time of year it is.

OK, so maybe you don't. This is just the second annual Fiesta de las Calabazas, after all.

That's right, we're talking Pumpkin Festival, guys. But there's more to this thing than just pumpkins. Local arts and crafts and great food also are included in the daylong event.

Nestled in the foothills of the Santa Catalina mountains near Tucson, the fiesta takes place from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday at Rancho de los Robles in Oracle. For more information, call 520-896-3681 or visit www.calabazas.org.

CHOW DOWN FOR CHARITY. Help yourself to all the pancakes you can wolf down and help the Salvation Army at the same time.

The Salvation Army hosts a monthly pancake breakfast the second Saturday of each month. Proceeds from the breakfast benefit local youth programs. Your donation and support is much appreciated.

It's not like it's a bad deal either--all-you-can-eat pancakes, served with one egg, two bacon strips or sausage links and beverages, costs just $3 for adults and $1.75 for children 12 and under.

The event is from 8 to 10 a.m. Saturday at the Salvation Army Temple Corps Community Center and Church, located at 1001 N. Richey Blvd. For more information, call 795-4504.