Stage Mom Lynn Trimble has a full plate this weekend -- but she's been invited to try a Bollywood dance class with Kriti Dance at Dance Connection 2 in Chandler. Will this be the weekend she crosses Bollywood off her "bucket list?" Find out -- and learn more about weekend options from opera at the movie theater to a play about workers' rights advocate Cesar Chavez.

If your child loves animals, you'll enjoy learning about the many places you can see animals in visual and performance art. Think puppet theaters, animal habitats, movie theaters, museums, art galleries and more -- all featured in today's post on art and animals.

There's no International Electronic Gizmo Day. No International Fatty Foods Day. No International Remote Control Day. But International Literacy Day is upon us -- and writer/reader Lynn Trimble has thoughts to share on why we need books, and why they need us.

Remember the good old days? Musical theater con men like Harold Hill peddled trombones instead of tea bags. Young men cheated at the pool hall rather than baseball. Librarians were afraid of real mice, not the hand-held electonic device. Enjoy a trip down memory lane this weekend as the Phoenix Symphony and Phoenix Theatre present "The Music Man."

A boy's search for meaning. Ethnic identity. Prenatal testing. Crime and punishment. Mother/daughter baggage. Arranged marriages. Career versus family. I found it all in Sunday's edition of "The New York Times" -- thanks to a lovely insert from the ASU Herberger Institute's School of Theatre and Film.

Roland Sarlot is a self-taught magician who "loved magic as a kid" and learned his craft via "the road of hard knocks." He performs an intimate magic show titled "Carnival of Illusion" with partner Susan Eyed. Learn more about his inspirations and where you can enjoy the duo's family-friendly fare.

Travel the world with friends and family without ever leaving Arizona -- thanks to festivals, museums and performing arts venues that offer the art, music and dance of diverse peoples and places, including India, China, Italy, Australia, Mexico, Ireland and more. And learn how you can enjoy a free "tour" of Japan today in Mesa!

Wenches outnumber knaves. MTV wants to broadcast your video in Times Square. Scottsdale is on the hunt for art from furniture to sculpture. Who knew there were so many ways to get involved in arts and culture? Check out these calls for performers/artists -- then spread the word to teachers, artists and friends who have a heart for art.

I am now going to officially eat crow, or my hat, or whatever it is that people eat in the name of contrition

What's your weekend style? Festivals? Art exhibits? Multicultural music and dance? There's plenty to choose from throughout Arizona and the Valley -- from a costumed celebration of "Curious George" to an art exhibit featuring newspaper sculpture and costumes -- and much of it is free!

Think arts and culture for alone time, date night, get togethers with friends, and family adventures. And think Arizona Humanities Council when you're ready to make plans. Their online calendar, organized by five Arizona regions, features plenty of unique opportunities to enjoy the arts while upping your smarts.

Since my children were little they have loved to paint. When Mylan was small,  Evan worked at a place that used giant computer paper...

Sardines. Boxer shorts. Rotary-dial phones. It all sounds rather sad -- until you put it all together with the cast and creative team of Phoenix Theatre's "Noises Off" -- the side-splitting opening to their 90th season, which elevates farce to fine art in a hilarious production directed by Matthew Wiener.

I was stunned and horrified. Could this be true? Was I living in some kind of Tipper Gore world of censorship without even knowing it. I wanted to race out and watch “Seven Pounds,” or “The boy in Striped Pajamas.”

What would happen if Luke Skywalker met Harry Potter?

Gilbert mom Jen Wilson's business, All Sewn Up was born from her love of sewing. Her goal: to offer moms affordably priced specialty items...