Arizona Spotlight - podcast cover

Arizona Spotlight

Interviews with artists, authors, celebrities, musicians, and the people behind the headlines in Southern Arizona.
Last refreshed:
Follow this podcast in the Metacast mobile app to refresh it and see new episodes.
Download Metacast podcast app
Podcasts are better in Metacast mobile app
Don't just listen to podcasts. Learn from them with transcripts, summaries, and chapters for every episode. Skim, search, and bookmark insights. Learn more

Episodes

Bill Medley of The Righteous Brothers brings songs of love to Tucson

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 voices in music history, and now at age 84 is still singing the songs the people love, continuing the legacy of The Righteous Brothers. Also: Marquez Price's new book "The Backcourt"; and "The Class of 2024" continues.

Feb 13, 202524 minSeason 10Ep. 471

Micky Dolenz on what being a Monkee means to him

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 the 1960s. Also: Invisible Theatre's production of "What the Constitution Means to Me"; and how Adiba Nelson's new children's book is a love letter to those seeking representation and a connection to spirituality.

Jan 23, 202526 minEp. 468

Delfeayo Marsalis brings New Orleans jazz to Tucson

Trombonist Delfeayo Marsalis has always been an ambassador of the purest form of New Orleans jazz. Delfeayo will be performing in the Tucson Jazz Festival at the Rialto Theatre. Also: Three emerging local jazz musicians; and storyteller Jess Losoya shares a story about freedom.

Jan 16, 202526 minEp. 467

Stars who are coming to Tucson

Jazz singer Dominique Eade, rocker Dweezil Zappa, and comedy legend Vicki Lawrence all bring their talents to The Old Pueblo.

Jan 09, 202528 minEp. 466

"Growing Tradition": A story about a dazzling display of lights and community

We'll take you behind the scenes of the annual “LightsUp!” festival of illumination at Tucson Botanical Gardens. The documentary "Growing Tradition" provides details about this dazzling display that requires more than a million sparkling lights and other decorations. Also: Meet Glenda Bonin a storyteller, magician and puppeteer who shares her "Sleigh Bells" story.

Dec 19, 202427 minEp. 465

Artists from ArtWorks bring their ideas of home to "Won't You Be My Neighbor?"

ArtWorks is an all-day program for adults with developmental disabilities. Their art is being displayed at the Joseph Gross Gallery in an exhibit called “Won't You Be My Neighbor”, featuring a series of original house designs that combine imagination with the most important aspects of what makes a house a home. Also: How the Tucson Bird Alliance will be making a difference in 2025; and actor and history buff Fred Pitts brings his one-man show "Aren't You..?" to Tucson.

Dec 12, 202427 minEp. 464

BICAS bridges bicycles, art and community at their annual auction

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 recycling center that helps improve accessibility and independence in our community by making affordable two-wheeled transportation available to everyone. Also: How Ittai Sopher, a former Arizona Spotlight producer, became a "Jeopardy" champion; Marquez Price on the value of doing a digital detox; and "Stories that Soar!

Dec 05, 202426 minEp. 463

Spotlight Community Theater's production of "Cinderella"

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 performing arts, with no experience required. Spotlight Community Theater is holding performances of “Cinderella” in December to raise money for charity. Also: A tale of true love that started in Tucson in 1943 that continues today; and historian David Leighton shares the history of the Reid Park Zoo.

Nov 28, 202428 minEp. 462

Remembering Paula Bronstein, a survivor of the Holocaust

“Children of the Holocaust” is a living-history project launched by AZPM. Project producer Laura Markowitz interviewed 20 survivors who were children during the Holocaust, and later settled in Southern Arizona. This week, hear the story of Paula Bronstein, a survivor who escaped the Nazis by hiding in Holland. It saved her life, but cost her her childhood. Bronstein passed away earlier this month, at age 87. Also: Beth Colburn Orozco shares the story of her search for the daughter she never knew...

Nov 21, 202429 minEp. 461

Autumn among the aspens

Also on Arizona Spotlight: Lyse Doucet, chief international correspondent for the BBC, receives the 2024 Zenger Award for Press Freedom from the UA School of Journalism; and Richard Cachor Taylor's talks about his book "Birds of Arizona".

Nov 15, 202428 minEp. 460

DUSK Music Festival returns to Tucson

Also on Arizona Spotlight: Voices from the Tucson Pride Festival; emerging UA filmmakers take the stage at San Diego Comic-Con; and historian David Leighton shares the star-studded story of Nick C. Hall.

Nov 08, 202433 minEp. 459

The 16th Annual Haunted Halloween Arizona Spotlight

Featuring: The stars of Live Theatre Workshop's "Misery"; Broadway designer David Korins' creations from "Beetlejuice"; a ghost story from "Stories That Soar!"; and the supernatural invades suburbia in the Ten-Minute Drama "The Jack-O-Lantern".

Nov 01, 202427 minEp. 458

"Gaudy Sorrow" is author Barbara Seyda's memoir of love and loss

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 those who love them) gather for the 22nd Tucson Reptile and Amphibian Show..

Oct 24, 202426 minEp. 457

The unspoken beauty of aging in "The Crone Body"

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”, which contains intimate portraits that celebrate the changing wisdom and power of women as they age. Also: "Bad Art Night" at the Arizona Science Center offers people a chance to explore their curious side; and an asylum seeker shares his welcome to Tucson.

Oct 17, 202427 minEp. 456

Political satire that has aged like wine: Mols and Suz - Together Again One Night Only!

Long-time friends Molly McKasson and Susan Claassen have each created lasting legacies in Tucson, and next week they are reviving their sketch comedy act "Mols and Suz" for one night only at the Invisible Theatre. Also: The 3rd Annual Chinese Chorizo Festival celebrates culture, community and food; and Tucson native Jeff Biggers on co-writing "Disturbing the Bones".

Oct 10, 202430 minEp. 455

"The Million Dollar Quartet": Meet four performers filling some very big blue suede shoes

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 stage play "The Million Dollar Quartet" dramatizes the chemistry between Elvis Presley, Carl Perkins, Jerry Lee Lewis and Johnny Cash, and it is being presented in Tucson by the Saguaro City Music Theatre. Also: Film Fest Tucson returns with independent and international cinematic gems; and "Stories that Soar!" explores the meaning and versatility of ...

Oct 03, 202427 minEp. 454

Late Night Radio Hour offers a unique theatrical experience

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 westerns of John Ford and John Wayne; and a local librarian is recognized for his dedication to improving youth mental health.

Sep 12, 202426 minEp. 452

A documentary on aging, caring and faith called "Final Vows"

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 high desert of Arizona. Dwindling numbers and old age threaten the order's long-term survival, and the monastery stands in the path of new mining projects being dug south of the Grand Canyon. Also: The Rogue Theatre celebrates its 20th anniversary season; and "Stories That Soar!" presents a boy's remembrance of his father.

Sep 05, 202427 minEp. 451

Is "Monsoon Magic" on the horizon?

Nature writer and outdoors adventurer Rebekah Doyle shares an essay about her perspective on "Monsoon Magic". Also: Reactions to the first load of uranium ore to come from the Pinyon Mine near The Grand Canyon; and "Concussion: The Play", a new Ten-Minute Drama.

Aug 22, 202427 minEp. 450

Discovering dynamic history in "Coronado: The New Evidence"

Learn about some fascinating discoveries made in the Sonoran desert by Dr. Deni Seymour that shed new light on the history of first European settlement in North America. Also: Simon Donovan shares a story about a beloved dog named Betty.

Aug 15, 202427 minEp. 449
For the best experience, listen in Metacast app for iOS or Android