November 2019

noel-franklin-700

YabYum Seven: Noel Franklin

I am Noel Franklin. Glad you asked! I am a cartoonist, illustrator, poet and grant writer. I primarily create short pieces of comic journalism and autobiographical stories. Nonfiction is mostly my thing, though I do enjoy an excursion into dark folk tales every now and then. I’m from Seattle, and I used to draw for the local entertainment newspapers there…

Continue reading...
sound-of-music-700

Celebrate the Season with ‘The Sound of Music’ at The Phoenix Theatre Company

The Sound of Music is one of the most iconic shows of Broadway’s Golden Age. Known to nearly all, in some form or fashion, and sacred to many. However, popularity can be a double-edged sword. While it equates to a most-assured larger potential audience, there are also expectations that everyone has going into the performance. We all know what the songs should sound like, in the best case scenario. And those preconceived notions are inherently baked in, so the cast always has an uphill battle to fight from the outset…

Continue reading...
nocturne-radio-phoenix

Radio Phoenix Broadcast of The YabYum Hour: Confessions from the Nocturne Nebula

On this special edition of The YabYum Hour, hosts Anna and Bonnie along with Young Garrett talk with some of the cast + crew of Confessions from the Nocturne Nebula. Austin Campbell, Carly Schorman, Dale Rasmussen, and Mark Anderson talk with the team all about this new science-fiction podcast and also play some rad jams they’ve been into lately…

Continue reading...
blue-man-group-700

Blue Man Group Leaves Audience ‘Speechless’ at ASU Gammage

My introductory encounter with the Blue Men occurred on my first trip to New York City when I was in high school. The show was unlike anything I had ever encountered. Pervasive, insightful and rather mind-blowing. When I experienced it again, over a decade later, it felt like I was essentially seeing the same show. Everything my memory retained was showcased gloriously, and I delighted in the nostalgia of it. But it didn’t feel like it had evolved. That has changed with the Speechless tour…

Continue reading...
la gattara 700

An Inside Look at La Gattarra Cat Lounge & Boutique

When looking for a drag show in the Phoenix metro-area, you won’t be hard-pressed to find at least one event taking place between Tuesday to Saturday in the later evening hours, with most taking place in Melrose District queer bars with distinct pinache. But what of the folks who can’t stay out late or prefer not to frequent bars? In a valley where even some of the “drag brunches” take place at drinking establishments, a peculiar event recurs monthly on the crossroads of Dorsey and University at La Gattarra Cat Lounge & Boutique, simply titled: Drag Bingo + Cats. La Gattarra translates into English from Italian and loosely means: “the crazy cat lady”…

Continue reading...