Maskmaker Zarco Guerrero, euphonium virtuoso Benjamin Pierce, four treadmill-running performers and a student cast about to do the Time Warp will bring the University of Arizona’s arts campus to life the weekend of Oct. 10-11.
The lineup includes performances, screenings, talks and free family programs at the University of Arizona Museum of Art (UAMA), Center for Creative Photography (CCP), Arizona Arts Live, School of Music and the School of Theatre, Film & Television.
On Saturday, Oct. 10, programs run from morning to night. Families can spend the day at the Center for Creative Photography’s free Community Day and UAMA’s opening of “Staged: The Art of Performance.” Guerrero performs at the museum in the afternoon, author Pryor Dodge speaks across Olive Road and Pierce plays a free recital at Holsclaw Hall. Two evening events follow: a free screening of the documentary “Strange Journey: The Story of Rocky Horror” and the final performance of the comedy “Burnout Paradise.”
On Sunday, Oct. 11, the School of Theatre, Film & Television opens “The Rocky Horror Show” with its first preview performance. The production arrives weeks after the death of Tim Curry, who played Dr. Frank-N-Furter in the 1975 film adaptation and whose performance helped make the story a cult classic.
Saturday, Oct. 10, at a glance
- All day … Staged: The Art of Performance opens, UAMA (10a – 4:30p)
- All day … Animality Community Day, CCP (10a – 4:30p)
- 1-2p … Masked Storytelling with Zarco Guerrero, UAMA
- 2-3p … Stories of Ylla: Remembering a Pioneer of Animal Photography, CCP Auditorium
- 3-4:30p … Guest artist Benjamin Pierce, euphonium recital, Holsclaw Hall
- 7p … Strange Journey: The Story of Rocky Horror screening, Marroney Theatre
- 7:30p … Burnout Paradise, final performance, Centennial Hall
Sunday, Oct. 11, at a glance
- 1:30p … The Rocky Horror Show, first preview, Marroney Theatre
Event-by-event
Staged: The Art of Performance
Opening Oct. 10, this exhibition features the beauty and spectacle of stagecraft. “Staged” includes artworks from the UAMA collection and loans from local private collections, including “Marilyn Monroe (Marilyn)” by Andy Warhol and “Avalon Ballroom” by Warrington W. Colescott. Visitors can drop in for an all-day art-making station on opening day. Museum admission is free.
- Who: University of Arizona Museum of Art
- When: Saturday, Oct. 10, 10a-4:30p
- Where: University of Arizona Museum of Art, 1031 N. Olive Road
- More Info: artmuseum.arizona.edu
CCP Community Day
Visitors can explore “Animality: 100 Years of Photographs,” make art and join programs designed for all ages. The day looks at how photography shapes the way people understand and connect with the animal world. Admission is free.
- Who: Center for Creative Photography
- When: Saturday, Oct. 10, 10a-4:30p
- Where: Center for Creative Photography, 1030 N. Olive Road
- More Info: ccp.arizona.edu/events/community-day
Masked Storytelling with Zarco Guerrero
Zarco Guerrero, a maskmaker, performer and prolific playwright, brings a miniature Día de los Muertos celebration to the museum galleries. Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, is a holiday celebrated across Mexico, Latin America and the Southwest. Families honor loved ones who have died with prayers, offerings of food and altars. Guerrero’s masked characters express the humor and sadness of everyday life. They include the poetry-spouting “El Vato Poeta,” the flirtatious “La Comadre” and the wise “El Abuelito.” Carmen de Novais provides the music.
- Who: University of Arizona Museum of Art, in partnership with the Arizona State Museum
- When: Saturday, Oct. 10, 1p
- Where: University of Arizona Museum of Art galleries, 1031 N. Olive Road
- More Info: artmuseum.arizona.edu
Stories of Ylla: Remembering a Pioneer of Animal Photography
Pryor Dodge, author of the newly published “Ylla: The Birth of Modern Animal Photography,” joins CCP Chief Curator Becky Senf to explore the life and legacy of Camilla “Ylla” Koffler. Through photographs, personal reflections and historical context, they will discuss her groundbreaking career, her fascination with animals and her influence on generations of photographers and artists. The talk is part of Community Day and is free.
- Who: Center for Creative Photography
- When: Saturday, Oct. 10, 2-3p
- Where: CCP Auditorium, 1030 N. Olive Road
- More Info: ccp.arizona.edu
Guest artist Benjamin Pierce, euphonium recital
Benjamin Pierce, a professor of tuba and euphonium at the University of Arkansas, brings a recital showcasing the euphonium’s warm, resonant sound and the technical brilliance he’s known for. He has won a dozen international solo competitions and was the first euphonium player to reach the finals of the Concert Artists Guild International Competition. He has performed concertos with orchestras in Japan, Finland and Italy. Admission is free.
- Who: School of Music
- When: Saturday, Oct. 10, 3-4:30p
- Where: Holsclaw Hall, 1017 N. Olive Road
- More Info: music.arizona.edu
Strange Journey: The Story of Rocky Horror
The free screening looks back at the origins of “The Rocky Horror Picture Show,” the biggest cult film of all time, playing in cinemas weekly for over 50 years. The documentary follows the story from a London theater play to a cultural phenomenon, with iconic songs and performances that celebrate individuality. Linus O’Brien, son of “Rocky Horror” creator Richard O’Brien, produced and directed it. It premiered at the 2025 South by Southwest Film & TV Festival.
- Who: School of Theatre, Film & Television
- When: Saturday, Oct. 10, 7 p.m.
- Where: Marroney Theatre
- More Info: arts.arizona.edu
Burnout Paradise
Four performers race against the clock on treadmills, tackling an absurd and escalating to-do list that includes cooking a three-course meal and filling out a grant application. All of it happens while running. Created by the Australian collective Pony Cam, the Off-Broadway hit is part comedy, part endurance feat and part mirror held up to the relentless pace of modern life. If the performers don’t finish the list in time, audiences get their money back. The show is recommended for ages 12 and up. Saturday’s performance is the last of the run. Student tickets cost $10.
- Who: Arizona Arts Live
- When: Saturday, Oct. 10, 7:30 p.m.
- Where: Centennial Hall Stage
- Tickets: arizonaartslive.com
The Rocky Horror Show
Students in the School of Theatre, Film & Television open the cult-classic rock musical, in which innocence collides with a glitter-soaked world and nothing is ever the same. The stage musical debuted in 1973 and inspired the 1975 film. Sunday’s first preview kicks off a run through Oct. 25. Student tickets cost $5 at the Marroney or Centennial Hall box offices with a valid student ID. The show runs through Oct. 25.
- Who: School of Theatre, Film & Television
- When: Sunday, Oct. 11, 1:30 p.m.
- Where: Marroney Theatre
- Tickets: tftv.arizona.edu