Experience Disney’s best characters and stories in this all new ice skating adventure featuring everyone from Rapunzel and Flynn to Peter Pan and Tinker Bell.

We have our fair share of Disney animated favorites, but from time to time it’s fun to treat the family to a live theater production of a classic fairy tale. Valley Youth Theatre’s “Rapunzel,” playing Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays through March 10, is a great option.

Disney on Ice: Dare to Dream: Watch Disney princesses including Rapunzel, Tiana and Cinderella dance the night away in this glittering extravaganza on ice. The 4:30 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 13 performance will be entirely in Spanish.

Performing Arts 2012-13 theater season preview

When Pixar was given the opportunity to make a feature-length animation in the early ’90s, they strived to distinguish themselves from Disney by not telling a fairytale. The studio has maintained this custom for almost two decades with unique stories about monsters, toys, superheroes, and so on. Among all the Pixar films, “Brave” is certainly the most loyal to the Disney fairytale formula. The movie comes equipped with several familiar themes, such as a princess who wants more, a disapproving parent, and witchcraft. It’s interesting to see Pixar tackle a more Disney-like story and for the most part “Brave” is executed quite nicely.

When Pixar was given the opportunity to make a feature-length animation in the early '90s, they strived to distinguish themselves from Disney by not telling a fairytale. The studio has maintained this custom for almost two decades with unique stories about monsters, toys, superheroes, and so on.

When Pixar was given the opportunity to make a feature-length animation in the early '90s, they strived to distinguish themselves from Disney by not telling a fairytale. The studio has maintained this custom for almost two decades with unique stories about monsters, toys, superheroes, and so on.

Actors Theatre

Actors Theatre

Actors Theatre

Another year has come and gone. For my money, 2010 was one of the best years for movies that we've had in some time. I've already given you my list of the worst movies of 2010 last month, so today I'm going to count down what I thought were the 10 best movies of 2010.

Another year has come and gone. For my money, 2010 was one of the best years for movies that we've had in some time. I've already given you my list of the worst movies of 2010 last month, so today I'm going to count down what I thought were the 10 best movies of 2010.

Walt Disney's modernizing of the Grimm fairy tale is thorough enough that even the original title, "Rapunzel," has been swapped for "Tangled." One can't help but wonder if in today's Hollywood, we might look forward to other contempo fairy tales like "Heeled" ("Cinderella"), "Ambiened" ("Sleeping Beauty") and "Twilight 5" ("Little Red Riding Hood").

Last year, Walter Disney Pictures introduced its first black princess in The Princess and the Frog. This year marks another milestone in Disney royalty with its first digitally-animated princess in Tangled. Disney has experimented with digital animation before in an attempt to copy the success of Pixar and challenge competing animation studios such as DreamWorks. But a majority of their digitally animated outings have lacked the trademark magic the company is celebrated for. Like The Princess and the Frog, and to another extent Enchanted, Tangled recaptures the magic of some of the best Disney classics. While it's not quite as magnificent as the other two films I just mentioned, Tangled is still a wonderful film from directors Byron Howard and Nathan Greno that further proves that Disney is back on track.

Last year, Walter Disney Pictures introduced its first black princess in The Princess and the Frog. This year marks another milestone in Disney royalty with its first digitally-animated princess in Tangled. Disney has experimented with digital animation before in an attempt to copy the success of Pixar and challenge competing animation studios such as DreamWorks. But a majority of their digitally animated outings have lacked the trademark magic the company is celebrated for. Like The Princess and the Frog, and to another extent Enchanted, Tangled recaptures the magic of some of the best Disney classics. While it's not quite as magnificent as the other two films I just mentioned, Tangled is still a wonderful film from directors Byron Howard and Nathan Greno that further proves that Disney is back on track.

It’s going to be series business this holiday season at the movies. One of Hollywood’s biggest franchises is nearing an end. Others are returning after long absences.

  With showers in the forecast over the next two days, you may need to seek shelter for good times this weekend. Luckily, a deluge of theatre productions is flooding East Valley stages, making it the perfect time to come in out of the rain. Here’s our list of new shows at nearby venues:

Garden show

Many African American females have accepted that their bodies are different from the mainstream white, pencil-thin models and paparazzi-chased celebrities propped against the inner spines of glossy magazines and dancing listlessly across television and theater screens.

ANAHEIM, Calif. — The Walt Disney Co.'s four-day fan festival, D23 Expo, promises sneak peeks at Disney properties and inside scoops on what's happening at the mouse house. A look at highlights from the inaugural Expo: