Join Arizona Arts Live and the Century Room for a one-of-a-kind experience as projections of animated films dazzle while the Queen’s Cartoonists recreate original soundtracks note-for-note. Watch as new life is breathed into two uniquely American forms of art: jazz and animation. Pulling from over 100 years of animation, the Queen’s Cartoonists perfectly synchronize music to films projected on stage. The band matches the energy of the cartoons, leading audiences through a world of virtuosic musicianship, multi-instrumental mayhem, and comedy. Tying everything together is the TQC brand of comedy – anecdotes about the cartoons and their composers, stream-of-consciousness humor, and elements of a musical circus. Watch your favorite classic cartoon characters interact with the musicians on stage, and expect the unexpected from the Golden Age of Animation, cult cartoon classics, and modern animated films. Inspired by the crossroads of jazz, classical music, and cartoons, TQC features Jazz Age composers like Carl Stalling, Raymond Scott, and Duke Ellington, alongside classical giants Mozart, Rossini, and R. Strauss (to name just a few).

The Black Violin Experience showcases two-time Grammy-nominated duo Black Violin in a mystifying musical fusion of exquisite classical sounds and exhilarating hip-hop beats. Join Arizona Arts Live and the Rialto Theatre for a performance that boldly merges centuries of music with a message of hope and possibility. Black Violin is composed of classically trained violist and violinist Wil Baptiste and Kev Marcus who combine their classical training and hip-hop influences to create a distinctive multi-genre sound often described as a “classical boom”. The band released their major label debut Stereotypes (featuring Black Thought of The Roots and MC Pharoahe Monch) on Universal Music which debuted at #1 on the Billboard Classical Crossover Chart and #4 on the Billboard R&B Chart. NPR took note and declared “their music will keep classical music alive for the next generation”. On stage, Kev Marcus gives an electrifying violin performance along with Wil Baptiste’s magnetizing viola and vocal performance. Joining them are Nat Stokes on drums, DJ SPS on the turntable, and Liston Gregory on keys. Together they are reconceptualizing what a violin concert looks and sounds like, building bridges to a place where Mozart, Marvin Gaye, and Kendrick Lamar harmoniously coexist. Black Violin invites you to think outside of the box. Spotify Facebook Instagram Twitter Artist's Site

Unorthodox and intellectual with a wry sense of humor, voracious reader Fran Lebowitz brings New York to The Rialto Theatre. Don’t miss an evening of humor and unapologetic cultural satire by this style icon. In a cultural landscape filled with endless pundits and talking heads, Fran Lebowitz stands out as one of our most insightful social commentators. Her essays and interviews offer her sharp views on current events and the media – as well as pet peeves including tourists, baggage-claim areas, after-shave lotion, adults who roller skate, children who speak French, or anyone who is unduly tan. A close friend to Martin Scorcese, Fran Lebowitz is featured in multiple documentaries, television dramas, and films, including Law & Order, The Wolf of Wall Street, Public Speaking, and the Emmy-nominated Netflix series Pretend It’s a City. She has long been a regular on various talk shows including those hosted by Jimmy Fallon, Conan O’Brien, and Bill Maher. Lebowitz is the 2021 Foreign Press Honorary Awardee – an award given by the Foreign Press Correspondents Association & Club USA. Martin Scorsese Presents | Pretend It’s A City | Official Trailer | Netflix Artist's Site Facebook