32 March 7-March 13th, 2024 phoenixnewtimes.com PHOENIX NEW TIMES | NEWS | FEATURE | FOOD & DRINK | ARTS & CULTURE | MUSIC | CONCERTS | CANNABIS | THURS 3/7 FRI 3/8 WED 3/13 SAT 3/9 SUN 3/10 HURRICANE RUTH SHOWTIME @ 8PM LUIGI LEONE RILEY DUGGAN, HE, THEN, NATALIA EVELYN SHOWTIME @ 8PM LISA MITTS BAND SHOWTIME @ 8PM JIMI PRIMETIME SMITH BOB CORRITORE BLUES BAND WITH BRIAN FAHEY, YAHNI RILEY, JOHNNY RA SHOWTIME @ 4PM SOL POWER BAND SHOWTIME @ 8PM Geek Out 9 nerdy things to do this month in Phoenix. BY BENJAMIN LEATHERMAN G eeks of the Valley, it’s a great time to get out and do some- thing. With nice weather on the horizon, a plethora of nerdy events and activities await around Phoenix in March that cater to multiple fandoms. Joystick jocks can indulge in pinball and old-school arcade action at ZapCon or seek esports glory at the revamped Game On Expo. Fans of sequential art can discover their bliss at the Arizona Comic Book Arts Festival. You can also celebrate the Arizona Science Center’s 40th anniversary, enjoy the All Puppet Players’ parody of “The Princess Bride” or witness prominent local street artists in action at the Oak Street Alley Mural Festival. So march forth, nerds, there’s no excuse to stay stuck at home. ‘The Parody Puppet Princess Bride’ March 8 Playhouse on the Park, 1850 N. Central Ave. After riffing on such cinematic classics as “Alien,” “Die Hard” and “Jurassic Park,” the All Puppet Players’ are going medieval with their latest adults-only production. In early March, APP will debut their loving parody of 1987’s “The Princess Bride” which will likely include clever dialogue, ’80s refer- ences and “pure puppet anarchy.” Given the troupe’s penchant for gratuitous profanity, we’re also expecting it will be laced with a lot of naughty words between jokes about Andre the Giant’s legendary drinking habits and Fred Savage’s career. Performances are at 7:30 p.m. every Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday through April 14. Tickets start at $66. Attendance is limited to those 17 and older. Science With a Twist: Back to the ’80s March 8 Arizona Science Center, 600 E. Washington St. The Arizona Science Center will fire up its flux capacitors and rewind the clock back to 1984 with the latest Science With A Twist event. The 21-and-over affair will celebrate the ASC’s 40th anniversary by exploring science developments from the ‘80s, such as spectroscopy and DNA finger- printing. There will also be a screening of “Back to the Future,” a glow stick dance party, an ’80s trivia contest and other “bodacious demonstrations.” Beer, wine and “totally tubular” cocktails will also be available for purchase. The trip through time starts at 8 p.m. Admission is $30 for the general public. Arizona Comic Book Arts Festival March 9 Phoenix Shrine Auditorium, 552 N. 40th St. Think comic book conventions should focus on, well, comic books instead of pop culture and celebrities? You’d fit right in at the Arizona Comic Book Arts Festival. The daylong event will celebrate the sequential art form and the creatives who work in the medium. More than 70 writers and artists are set to appear, including such names as Stephanie Phillips (“Grim”), Brian Azzarello (“100 Bullets”), Tim Seeley (“Grayson”), Tony Fleecs (“Stray Dogs”) and Alex Sinclair (“Batman”). Retailers from around the Valley will have tables and booths at the festival, including Ghost Cactus Comics and Samurai Comics. Hours are from 11:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. General admission is $16 in advance, $21 at the door and $30 with a souvenir art print by artist Ryan Cody. Brides of March March 9 Charlie’s Phoenix, 727 W. Camelback Road Equal parts bar crawl and costumed urban prank, the annual Brides of March involves hundreds of local men and women donning wedding dresses and hitting up uptown Phoenix’s various drinkeries for an afternoon of fun. The nuptial-themed event inspired by the Ides of March is organized by the Arizona Cacophony Society and also features a high-heel footrace and other antics. It’s free to participate, but you’ll have to spring for the cost of your dress and whatever drinks you want to imbibe. (Organizers are also requesting participants bring a bag of canned or non-perishable food items to donate to St. Mary’s Food Bank.) Brides will gather at Charlie’s starting at noon before heading out to nearby bars. More details are available on the society’s website. ZapCon 9 March 9 and 10 Mesa Convention Center, 263 N. Center St., Mesa Gamers of the Valley, start limbering up your wrists. ZapCon, the retro arcade game and pinball convention, is returning after taking last year off and promises two days of joystick-jostling action and button- mashing fun. The main hall at the Mesa Convention Center will Top: Maggie Keane’s mural, inspired by the music video for A-ha’s “Take On Me,” adorns the Oak Street Alley. Right: There will be more room for gaming-inspired cosplay at the bigger and better Game On Expo. (Photos by Lynn Trimble and Benjamin Leatherman) ▼ Arts & Culture >> p 34