City Week

The Truth Is Out There

If you're one of the countless people who have been trying--vainly--all these years to support your claim in the existence of magical faeries, then fear no more. Apparently--according to their rather nonmagical press release--the faeries have finally decided to back your previously ludicrous claims by announcing their existence. Perhaps more shockingly, the family of faeries responsible for this unveiling have decided to share their secrets via a live television broadcast from (you guessed it) none other than good ol' Tucson.

However, to see if Gladiola (Bebe Fischer) and her two daughters, Poppy (Desirae Linz) and Bob (Savannah Linz)--easily the strangest name for a "daughter" I've ever heard--can outsmart television manager Hyde (Chadwick Collins), you'll have to head down to the Live Theatre Workshop this Sunday (or any of the following Sundays for roughly two months) to check out The Existence of Faeries.

The Existence of Faeries is another in a long line of kid-focused musical plays put on by the Live Theatre Workshop. If past performances are any proof, it should be a spectacle to see and hear. Also, the faeries invite the audience to dress up as their favorite faerie (decisions, decisions) and join the cast in a song and dance as they--according to their press release--"try to share their magic with us all."

To see what faerie outfit your favorite Weekly writer has decided upon, check out the Live Theatre Workshop's presentation of The Existence of Faeries during one of its Sunday performances through Nov. 27. Tickets are $7 for adults and $5 for folks 18 and below. --M.P.

Myth Busters

Vincent LaZara, a bona fide mythologist who recently published Live the Myth: Personal Transformation Through Ancient Myths, will be running a workshop this Saturday on--you guessed it--myths. LaZara explains that his workshop looks at the belief that myths are metaphors for real-life situations.

"This workshop goes a step further by conveying the essence of specific myths as they relate to various life situations, helping participants to see how they can apply each myth to make positive changes in their own lives," LaZara says.

LaZara--as he stresses in his book--feels that ancient myths are not just fascinating, old stories. Instead, he feels that myths contain relevant lessons for modern generations. "Myths reveal universal truths about human nature and the human condition that help us to find meaning in everyday life experiences that might otherwise seem futile, confusing or unbearable," LaZara says.

Although some may feel that myths can be preachy, LaZara feels that in every myth, there is something to be gained. "I believe virtually all ancient myths are worth reading and studying," LaZara says. "We can learn important life lessons even from those telling of horrific events, like the importance of not letting anger take control of our lives--as in the myth of Medea, who kills her own children to wreak vengeance upon her unfaithful husband."

LaZara hopes that the participants of his workshop will gain meaningful insight into their own lives. "Through insightful interpretations of various mythological stories, you can gain deeper insights into your self and the world in which you live, which will enable you to transform your life in unexpected ways," LaZara says.

To hear LaZara in action, head over to the University of Phoenix this Saturday at 9 a.m. The workshop is $40 and includes a copy of his book. --M.P.

Babes in Paradise

Babies are unable to take care of themselves. This should go without saying, but instead, September was deemed Baby Safety Month, for which babies everywhere are (assumedly) thankful. In celebration of the month that babies rule the Earth (warning: not factual), Babies "R" Us is having a Baby Safety Day this Saturday. The event/seminar/tutorial is important for parents, guardians and others concerned for the well-being of our little friends.

The in-store event will provide the necessary information for baby-watchers (the unofficial term for the group that encompasses parents, guardians, caretakers and so on) interested in protecting their tiny treasures. There will be a special seminar on how to baby-proof your homes, and product demonstrations to help baby-watchers choose the proper car seat for their bundle o' joy (again, not a technical term).

There will also be community-safety specialists like Suzanne from Do-Re-Me & You and Miss Laura from Once Upon a Party around to dispense advice to curious baby-watchers. This event is one of the biggest in what has been a month filled with baby safety tips from Babies "R" Us. The month concludes with a SIDS Awareness Seminar (Sept. 27) and a tutorial on how to set up a safe nursery (Sept. 29).

Baby Safety Month events like this are being held at all of the 220 Babies "R" Us locations throughout the country. The events are a free community service and will not likely be peppered with unnecessary and cutesy synonyms for babies. --M.P.

Mmmm. Beer!

Has it really been 19 years? Seriously. We can't really recall the past festivals very well. Nevertheless, we'll try again this year, as the Great Tucson Beer Festival celebrates its 19th year with an evening full of fun, food and, obviously, beer.

The festival is a fundraiser for Sun Sounds of Arizona--a nonprofit, closed-broadcast radio station for the print-impaired. Station manager Mitzi Tharin notes that the fun and exuberant festival is put on year after year for the noble cause of raising money for the station.

Tharin explains how the festival works: "A ticket gets a person, who must be 21 years of age or older, into the event," Tharin says. "They receive one small tasting mug and 24 beverage-tasting tickets, and access to almost that all is inside the stadium walls at Hi Corbett Field in Reid Park." All that's inside includes everything from appetizers to activities with things like cigars and a steer-roping game (costing extra money).

Beer, however, is the reason for the season (so to speak), and Tharin notes there is no short supply. "Some distributors bring beers and ales that are distributed nationally," Tharin says. "Some brewers are from Tucson; others are some regional. It is a very nice mixture."

Tharin is careful to note that organizers have gone out of their way to make sure the event's participants do not overindulge. "It's not a drink-a-thon," Tharin says. "We try to be very careful of that. Each ticket holder gets a small, three-to-four-ounce mug and those 24 tasting tickets, and the lines result in the spacing out of those samples."

Just to be safe, the event also comes equipped with on-site TPD officers and plenty of free alcohol-absorbing food. The event costs from $20-$65, and tickets can be purchased online at

www.azbeer.com ; at Sun Sounds of Arizona studio, 7290 E. Broadway Blvd.; or at the door the day of the event. --M.P.