Arizona Spotlight
Episodes
"Listening is an act of love."
Contributed by Lukas
A Story Corps mobile recording booth recently visited Tucson, here is just a small sample of what they heard from us.
Tucson Roller Derby might not be the safest sport, but it is a safe space
Contributed by Lukas
Also on Arizona Spotlight: The Rogue Theatre defies expectations with "Cloud Nine"; and remembering Tucson artist and Holocaust survivor Chris Tanz.
"It's the New Zoo Revue, comin' right at you!": A conversation with the hosts of the beloved 1970s kids' show
Contributed by Lukas
Also on Arizona Spotlight: Mike Stark shares the natural history "Starlings: The Curious Odyssey of a Most Hated Bird"; and "Stories that Soar!" asks ...
A conversation with NPR's best known voice: Terry Gross.
11 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Also on Arizona Spotlight: Live Theatre Workshop invites you to spend "A Year with Frog and Toad"; and Saguaro City Music Theatre brings optimism pers...
Frida's Garden at The Tucson Botanical Gardens is a place for inspiration to grow.
04 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Also on Arizona Spotlight:A church in Douglas, rises from the ashes of an arson; visit a place in Tucson honoring Frida Kahlo; hear an essay that high...
The best of the greatest hits of the Wobo Show: physical theater meets child's play.
20 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Also on Arizona Spotlight: A new book commemorates the 50th anniversary of the wreck of the SS Edmund Fitzgerald; storyteller Curt Beall shares about ...
What role did the Southwest region play in The American Revolution?
13 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Also on Arizona Spotlight: "We Walk in Beauty: Native American Photographs and Words"; Chris Dashiell on the Mexican film "No Nos Moveran"; and musici...
"Stop putting us through this": The Tucson community copes with the food insecurity crisis.
06 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Also on Arizona Spotlight: A hit-and-run acident takes the lives of three UA students;William Shatner brings "The Wrath of Khan" to Tucson; and rememb...
"Si Pudiera Quedarme" (If I Can Stay) tells the story of two women seeking asylum from deportation
24 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Also on Arizona Spotlight: "Golden Girls: The Laughs Continue" brings a new spin to beloved characters; understanding the needs of native plants durin...
The Steinfeld Gallery and Studios presents "A Gorgeous Excitement"
16 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Also on Arizona Spotlight: Poet and author Tracy K. Smith to visit the Tucson Humanities Festival; Owl and Panther celebrates 30 years of hope; and on...
The myths and monsters of Ray Harryhausen arrive in Tucson
09 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Visit a traveling exhibition at the Mini-Time Machine Museum of Miniatures that celebrates the groundbreaking special effects created by a filmmaking ...
Arizona Theatre Company's "Deceived" takes gaslighting to a whole new level
02 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Also on Arizona Spotlight: For 60 years, The Hermitage No-Kill Cat Shelter has offered hope to felines and humans in need; and a gold medal Olympian C...
Hidden Voices
25 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Also on Arizona Spotlight: Building bridges through interfaith connections; the documentary "Stripped for Parts" looks at the current state of the new...
How the trauma of living through the Holocaust is felt across generations.
18 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Also on Arizona Spotlight: Meet the host of a new podcast dedicated to building a stronger Arizona community; and the story of a beloved dog named Bet...
Go below decks with "Ship" at Live Theater Workshop, a quirky new play about a young woman charting a course to adulthood.
22 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Also on Arizona Spotlight: "Weekend Edition Sunday" host Ayesha Rascoe on the current reality facing NPR; and storyteller Sharon Wysocki tells how her...
"Music is a healing force." Meet the host of Papa Ray's Vintage Vinyl Roadshow.
14 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Also on Arizona Spotlight: How "Say One Thing" is helping to heal the Tucson community; an essay by nature writer, Rebekah Doyle; and behind the scene...
80 years since atomic bombs were dropped on Japan, commemorating the victims and survivors.
07 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Also on Arizona Spotlight: Poet Joshua Lillie previews his new collection, "Small Talk Symphony".
Is television watching us? "TV's American Dream: U.S. Television after the Great Recession".
31 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Also on Arizona Spotlight: The Vera C. Rubin Observatory begins to peer through space and time; and memories of growing up unsupervised in the 1950s.
"Poets Square: A Memoir in Thirty Cats"--Why Courtney Gustafson's book is resonating with more than just cat lovers.
24 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Also on Arizona Spotlight: Set sail for NPR's podcast, "Sea Camp"; and a new book makes native plant gardening in the Southwest accessible to all.
Exploring "Observational Ecology" with Alan Ruiz Berman
17 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Also on Arizona Spotlight: Local grassroots theater group debuts a new comedy/mystery; and how a local middle school teacher reclaimed her life after ...
"Hidden Voices" reveals empathy and compassion on the streets of Tucson
10 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Also on Arizona Spotlight: Building bridges through interfaith connections; and the spiritual creations of artist, Quinton Antone.
The documentary "Final Vows" looks at a way of life that is disappearing
03 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Also on Arizona Spotlight: Retired Tucson architect Paula Holmes celebrates 100 years; and "Stories that Soar!" shares an amphibious love story.
The A.R.F.F. Program: How shelter dogs are helping people living with aphasia
26 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Also on Arizona Spotlight: Sharing memories of "The Twilight Zone" with Joseph Dougherty, author of "Rod Serling at 100".
The art of "Kindred Spirits: Honoring Animals in Death"
19 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Also on Arizona Spotlight: Katrina Kerstetter shares how she brought back things she learned in South Korea to help make Southern Arizona a better pla...
"Everything You've Got": Sometimes it takes seven billion years to find yourself
12 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Also on Arizona Spotlight: The connection between Alcatraz prison and the Hopi tribe of Arizona; The Tucson Pink Pistols make a comeback; and the form...
Ending the silence about mental health in Southern Arizona
29 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Also on Arizona Spotlight: Tucson youth explores emotion and expectations in his book "The Weight of Tomorrow"; and how Ability Dogs of Arizona pairs ...
Meet Ms. Holmes and Ms. Watson
22 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Get a behind the scenes view at what it is like to win on Jeopardy, and a new 10 minute drama that explores what stepping on a crack in the pavement c...
Stories of Hope and Renewal
15 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Poet and author Liza Porter, storyteller Carmelene Siani and artist Tim H. Murphy share how they're able to look to the future without despair.
How the The Master - Apprentice Program is helping preserve women in mariachi
08 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Explore how the Master-Apprentice program offered by the Southwest Folklife Alliance is preserving not just mariachi music, but the involvement of wom...
Student filmmakers confess "I Dream in Widescreen"
01 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Also on Arizona Spotlight: Film essayist Chris Dashiell; remembering James Mercer, a Pima County Ranger killed in action in 1914; and "Stories That So...
Journeys in space and mind
24 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
On Arizona Spotlight: Join Pati Jinich as she explores "Panamericana"; and Tibetan Buddhist Lama Lodu Rinpoche visits Tucson to share ancient wisdom a...
Crystal Gayle sings songs of the heart
17 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Also on Arizona Spotlight: This month's storyteller shares about the one thing in life he cannot resist; and a new segment of "A Book I Love."
Going the Distance!
10 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Meet Bruce Gungle an ultamarathon runner; learn about the University of Arizona women's triathlon team from triathlete Laura Holanszky; and hear about...
April events that bring the Tucson community closer together
03 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Learn about the All In for Autism Dino Day and Walk; Pima Community College's Climate Community Day; John Coinman returns to the 40th Annual Tucson Fo...
"It's the New Zoo Revue, comin' right at you!": A conversation with the hosts of the beloved 1970s kids' show
27 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Also on Arizona Spotlight: "A SandHill Day" by nature writer Rebekah Doyle; and the final essay from "The Class of 2024" about how teens help each oth...
The new film "Corina" offers a compassionate look at living with anxiety
20 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Also on Arizona Spotlight: "A Book I Love" from the 2025 Tucson Festival of Books; "The Class of 2024" continues; and Mary Jo Pollack shares the story...
"Back to the Heart" - Gabrielle Pietrangelo celebrates the end of a 4-year journey with a new album
13 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Also on Arizona Spotlight: Tucson architect Paula Holmes at 100, a woman always ahead of her time; and Lilliona from "The Class of 2024" shares an ess...
Two new books that bring important histories to light
06 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Kirsten Miller talks about her novel "Lula Dean's Little Library of Banned Books"; and Mike Stark shares the natural history "Starlings The Curious Od...
The Class of 2024: Student essays about graduating in a time of uncertainty
27 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Also on Arizona Spotlight: TIHAN provides kindness and support to those living with HIV or AIDS; and a new Ten-Minute Drama "Haricot Verts."
Rogue Theatre's "Marjorie Prime" creates a conversation about what it means to be human in the age of AI.
20 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Also on Arizona Spotlight: Understanding canyons on the moon; and more voices from The Class of 2024.
Bill Medley of The Righteous Brothers brings songs of love to Tucson
13 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Listen to stories from a 60-year career largely spent helping people in love build everlasting memories. Bill Medley has one of the most distinctive v...
"Photographing with respect": How Tim H. Murphy creates unforgettable portraits of Indigenous dancers
06 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
"Stories that Soar!" asks that we look for beauty beyond the screen; and an essay series "The Class of 2024" begins.
"Clickety-clack's, a-echoin back, The Blues in the Night" at Arizona Theatre Company
30 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Old Pueblo Playwrights take stories to the stage in their New Play Festival; and the Southern Arizona Regional Science and Engineering Fair celebrates...
Micky Dolenz on what being a Monkee means to him
23 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Hear how Micky Dolenz of The Monkees recent recordings are exploring new ground, and how he celebrates being part of one of the most popular bands of ...
Delfeayo Marsalis brings New Orleans jazz to Tucson
16 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Trombonist Delfeayo Marsalis has always been an ambassador of the purest form of New Orleans jazz. Delfeayo will be performing in the Tucson Jazz Fest...
Stars who are coming to Tucson
09 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Jazz singer Dominique Eade, rocker Dweezil Zappa, and comedy legend Vicki Lawrence all bring their talents to The Old Pueblo.
"Growing Tradition": A story about a dazzling display of lights and community
19 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
We'll take you behind the scenes of the annual “LightsUp!” festival of illumination at Tucson Botanical Gardens. The documentary "Growing Traditio...
Artists from ArtWorks bring their ideas of home to "Won't You Be My Neighbor?"
12 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
ArtWorks is an all-day program for adults with developmental disabilities. Their art is being displayed at the Joseph Gross Gallery in an exhibit call...
BICAS bridges bicycles, art and community at their annual auction
05 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Learn about an annual art auction event held by BICAS in Tucson - where food and music are also a part of the mix. BICAS is a non-profit bicycle recyc...
Spotlight Community Theater's production of "Cinderella"
28 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Meet the father and son founders of Spotlight Community Theater. It's a place where curious student-age children can learn about all aspects of the pe...
Remembering Paula Bronstein, a survivor of the Holocaust
21 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
“Children of the Holocaust” is a living-history project launched by AZPM. Project producer Laura Markowitz interviewed 20 survivors who were child...
Autumn among the aspens
15 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Also on Arizona Spotlight: Lyse Doucet, chief international correspondent for the BBC, receives the 2024 Zenger Award for Press Freedom from the UA Sc...
DUSK Music Festival returns to Tucson
08 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Also on Arizona Spotlight: Voices from the Tucson Pride Festival; emerging UA filmmakers take the stage at San Diego Comic-Con; and historian David Le...
The 16th Annual Haunted Halloween Arizona Spotlight
01 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Featuring: The stars of Live Theatre Workshop's "Misery"; Broadway designer David Korins' creations from "Beetlejuice"; a ghost story from "Stories Th...
"Gaudy Sorrow" is author Barbara Seyda's memoir of love and loss
24 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Also on Arizona Spotlight: Find out how the Assistance League of Tucson has been helping people in need for 65 years; and cold blooded critters (and t...
The unspoken beauty of aging in "The Crone Body"
17 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Jade Beall is a Tucson-based photographer with an eye for finding beauty all around her. Beall talks about her collection called “The Crone Body”,...
Political satire that has aged like wine: Mols and Suz - Together Again One Night Only!
10 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Long-time friends Molly McKasson and Susan Claassen have each created lasting legacies in Tucson, and next week they are reviving their sketch comedy ...
"The Million Dollar Quartet": Meet four performers filling some very big blue suede shoes
03 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
One legendary day in 1956, four of America's leading music stars met and recorded a session together for the only time in history. Now the musical sta...
For thrills and suspense, Arizona Theatre Company invites you to "Dial M for Murder"
26 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Meet Awesta Zarif and Lucy Lavely, the stars from Arizona Theatre Company's new production of "Dial M for Murder". Also: How Bisbee Bikeways want to m...
Late Night Radio Hour offers a unique theatrical experience
12 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The Scoundrel and Scamp Theatre recreates the experience of old-time radio for a special event. Also: Monument Valley's important role in the classic ...
A documentary on aging, caring and faith called "Final Vows"
05 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
A new documentary called "Final Vows" tells the story of a small order of cloistered nuns who live at Santa Rita Abbey, an isolated monastery in the h...
Is "Monsoon Magic" on the horizon?
22 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Nature writer and outdoors adventurer Rebekah Doyle shares an essay about her perspective on "Monsoon Magic". Also: Reactions to the first load of ura...
Discovering dynamic history in "Coronado: The New Evidence"
15 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Learn about some fascinating discoveries made in the Sonoran desert by Dr. Deni Seymour that shed new light on the history of first European settlemen...
A tale of true love that began in Tucson in 1943 continues today...
08 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Also on Arizona Spotlight: Visit Valley of the Moon; Marquez Price on "digital detoxing"; and 65 years of local television history in the AZPM Video A...
The Holocaust and Beyond: From the Boy Who Escaped the Nazis
01 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Also on Arizona Spotlight: The story of Nick C. Hall, the Mayor of Old Tucson, and a song about spreading love, joy, and hope.
"A medium guy in general, across the board." Joe Pera talks to Tucson.
25 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Also on Arizona Spotlight: Checking in with the Tucson Audubon Society; and a Tucson knitter who is making socks the REAL old-fashioned way.
Women Storytellers: Sharing lived experience plus keen observations
18 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this Arizona Spotlight, hear three women who are telling vibrant stories across different mediums: Tucson-based author Lydia Millet; Author, educat...
Taking the camel to the drive-in: David Leighton's history of the Reid Park Zoo
11 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Also on Arizona Spotlight: Visit the Word of Mouth Print Space; celebrate imagination at the Library's Megamania!! Festival; and meet the founder of t...
Why "Breaking Bread" is a different approach to political discussion
04 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Also: How art can help with in-hospital healing; Luis Alberto Urrea on how his literature career began; and "Stories That Soar!" considers the meaning...
Understanding men's mental health, and overcoming depression
27 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Also on Arizona Spotlight: The Pascua Yaqui Tribe welcome new leadership; and the legacy of screen actor Donald Sutherland.
Monument Valley's important role in the classic westerns of John Ford and John Wayne
20 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Also on Arizona Spotlight: A local librarian is recognized for his dedication to youth mental health; and a personal story about what the U.S. flag ca...
Ten-Minute Dramas presents "Chemistry"
13 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Also on Arizona Spotlight: A program called "Red, White and Blue" wants veterans,first responders and their loved ones to get the mental and emotional...
The 54th annual Tucson Juneteenth Festival: "It's a movement, not a moment."
06 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Also on Arizona Spotlight: Richard Davis remembes growing up in Tucson's Black community; learn about Aphasia, and a place in Tucson offering friendsh...
Celebrating one of the Sonoran Desert's most popular visitors: the elegant trogon
30 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Also on Arizona Spotlight: The secrets of the Vegan Night Market; how the Noyce Teaching Scholarship is helping to find and retain good STEM teachers ...
Remembering Movie Legend Roger Corman
23 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Also on Arizona Spotlight: Macro photographer Jillian Cowles peers into the private life of spiders; and Chris Dashiell visits "The Tomb of Ligeia".
Efforts to expand Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuge, and create the Santa Cruz River Urban National Wildlife Refuge
16 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Also on Arizona Spotlight: Tucson Tellers of Tales, a story from Nooshie Motaref, and a story from Penelope Starr
Craig T. Nelson delivers commencement address to the UA graduating class of 2024
09 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Also on Arizona Spotlight: The documentary "Fair Play" gives visibility to the unending work of new mothers; and explore the Brazilian martial art of ...
The documentary "The Happiest Country in the World: Finland" explores the reasons why.
02 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Also on Arizona Spotlight: What "Bad Art Night" at the Arizona Science Center offers the creatively curious; "I Dream in Widescreen 2024" showcases a ...
"It's either too late, or too early." Arizona Theatre Company presents Sam Shepard's "True West".
25 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Also on Arizona Spotlight: A preview of the upcoming Tucson International Mariachi Conference; the peace and sisterhood of the Hamrah Arts Club; and t...
See - and hear - Chaplin's "City Lights", presented by The Fox Tucson Theatre and the Tucson Symphony Orchestra.
18 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Also on Arizona Spotlight: NPR's Sarah McCammon on her autobiographical memoir "Ex-vangelicals"; and a story about lessons in Little league and life f...
There is hope for the homeless at Sister Jose Women's Center
11 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Also on Arizona Spotlight: The holistic housing approach of "I Am You 360"; and 10-Minute Dramas returns with "It's Saturday".
Post renovation, The Marroney Theatre offers more than ever
04 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Also on Arizona Spotlight: "All In for Autism 2024" is about sharing resources and building community; Chris Dashiell reviews the documentary "Body Pa...
NAMIWALKS invites the community to show support for mental wellness
28 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Also on Arizona Spotlight: The sounds of a world gone by are being celebrated by a band called Piffaro; and a celebrating of creative writing returns ...
"Víctimas del Pecado" makes a powerful return to the silver screen.
21 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Also on Arizona Spotlight: How Stories Change Lives - Social Venture Partners "Fast Pitch" offers opportunities for local non-profits; and Mel Blument...
Ten-Minute Dramas returns with "Daughter Putting On Airs".
14 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Also on Arizona Spotlight: UA receives a historic donation of WWII memorabilia; visitors to the 2024 Tucson Festival of Books share "A Book I Love"; a...
The life and loves of virtuoso Maria Callas explored in the play "Master Class".
07 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Also on Arizona Spotlight: The International Uranium Film Festival returns to Tucson; the comedy of Elliot Glicksman; and "Stories That Soar!" looks a...
"40 years of Missing You": rock singer John Waite celebrates his hit-making career
29 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Also on Arizona Spotlight: "A Conversation with Edith Head" returns to Invisible Theatre; the founder of Odyssey Storytelling on building community fo...
Mandy Patinkin shares stories and laughter
15 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Also on Arizona Spotlight: Being last in line to get water from the Colorado River; and four short films debut at the Tucson Chinese Cultural Center.
Bestselling authors unite to support "Freedom of Lit."
08 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Also on Arizona Spotlight: Water us in Utah is draining Laker Powell; How Ehrenberg, Arizona got its name; and seeing color for the first time.
A Show about Healing
01 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Spiritually, Physically, Mentally, and Emotionally.
Celebrating Sonoran beauty through both science and art
25 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Also on Arizona Spotlight: Arizona Theatre Company reveals "Intimate Apparel", starring Tracey N. Bonner, directed by Oz Scott.
What it is to see, and be seen... ArtWorks explores the portrait in "Face 2 Face"
18 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Also on Arizona Spotlight: The inspiring story of Shirley Chisholm on stage; and an ambitious new musical called "Alice by Heart".
Atascosa Borderlands: Connecting the land, the wildlife, and the people
11 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Also on Arizona Spotlight: Dr. Jasleen Chhatwal on helping loved ones survive dark times; and, how do YOU pronounce "Sahuarita"?
Explore the Secret History of Sleepovers
04 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Also on Arizona Spotlight: The Pima County Public Library brings MegaMania! back to Tucson; and Arizona Illustrated's new series of poetic short films...