Rita Rudner Brings Her Special Brand of Humor to Scottsdale

Comedian Rita Rudner, who has charmed her way into the hearts of millions with her witty stand-up routines, sold-out tours, best-selling books and appearances on HBO and late-night television, brings her unique brand of soft-spoken humor to the Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts on Saturday, Nov. 11, at 8 p.m.

An Evening With Rita Rudner will showcase the comedian's trademark epigrammatic style, honed while working as a dancer on Broadway - she moved to New York at age 15 - where she appeared in six musicals, including "Annie." It was during that show that she started to explore Manhattan's Comedy Clubs to learn the craft, studying recordings by such comedic legends as Jack Benny and Woody Allen, and analyzing their work.

From there, according to her bio, she "took a full-time leap from chorus lines to punch lines" in the early 1980s. She was a frequent guest on late-night TV during this time, appearing on "Late Night With David Letterman" and "The Tonight Show," and regularly on HBO, for which she made three specials, "Rita Rudner's One Night Stand," "Born to Be Mild" and "Married Without Children." She has performed throughout the country, including at Carnegie Hall in New York, and traveled abroad for sell-out tours in Australia and England. She also has been a guest on TV shows hosted by Bill Maher, Bob Hope, George Burns, Conan O'Brien, Oprah Winfrey and Regis Philbin.

A popular, regular performer in Las Vegas, Rudner holds the record for the longest-running, solo comedy show in the city's history.

She notes that she is the only child of witty parents and that "much to their dismay" she showed no knack for wit until she was 25, "whereupon she refused to say anything unless it was laced with wit."

She is known for her true-to-life one-liners ("I was going to have cosmetic surgery until I noticed that the doctor's office was full of portraits by Picasso," "I read recipes the same way I read science fiction. I get to the end and say to myself 'Well, that's not going to happen.' "), and her commentary on the differences between men and women ("When four or more men get together, they talk about sports; when four or more women get together, they talk about men," "Men are brave enough to go to war, but they are not brave enough to get a bikini wax.")

Stand-up comedy is not her only forte. Rudner has written five books - two of them fiction novels - and collaborated on a number films with her husband, Martin Bergman, including "Peter's Friends," in 1992, which starred Emma Thompson, Kenneth Branagh and Hugh Laurie.

Rudner's Scottsdale performance is part of a national tour that includes stops in Austin, Philadelphia, Long Island, Las Vegas, Malibu and Washington, D.C.

Tickets:
$79 (Members $71) / $59 / $49

Supporting Sponsor: The Saguaro Scottsdale

SCOTTSDALE ARTS
Through its partnership with the City of Scottsdale, the nonprofit Scottsdale Arts (formerly known as Scottsdale Cultural Council) creates diverse, inspired arts experiences and educational opportunities that foster active, lifelong community engagement with the arts. Since its founding in 1987, Scottsdale Arts has grown into a regionally and nationally significant, multi-disciplinary arts organization offering an exceptional variety of programs through three acclaimed divisions - Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts, Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art (SMoCA) and Scottsdale Public Art - serving more than 400,000 participants annually.

SCOTTSDALE CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS
Since 1975, Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts has provided a stage for a wide range of artists and genres, creating shared, inspiring experiences for the community that celebrate artistic excellence and cultural awareness. Today one of the premier performing-arts halls in the western United States, the Center presents a diverse season of music, dance, theater, comedy and film from around the world.

LOCATION AND PARKING
Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts is located at 7380 E. Second St. in downtown Scottsdale. Free parking is available in the public parking garage located to the west of Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts on Wells Fargo Avenue. Additional free parking is available at the Old Town Parking Corral at East Second Street and Brown Avenue and at the Civic Center Library parking garage located on Drinkwater Boulevard at East Second Street.

ACCESSIBILITY
Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts offers performance accommodations to enhance audience members' experience, including: American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation or live audio description with two weeks advance notice. Assistive-listening devices and wheelchair seating are also available. Visit www.ScottsdalePerformingArts.org/visit/accessibility/ or contact the Member and Patron Services Box Office at 480-499-TKTS (8587) [TDD: 480-874-4694] for further details. Please inquire about services when ordering tickets.

TICKET DISCOUNTS
Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts offers a variety of ticket discounts for Scottsdale Arts members at the Friends level and above, groups of 10 or more and those purchasing packages to four or more events in one order. The Center provides free tickets to selected events for eligible students, teachers and active-duty military and veterans, and 50-percent off tickets to selected events for patrons 29 and under. Visit www.ScottsdalePerformingArts.org/visit/tickets-discounts/ or call 480-499-TKTS (8587) for more information.

THE STORE
The award-winning Store at Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts supports the mission and diverse programs of the nonprofit Scottsdale Arts. The Store's unique selection of merchandise includes artist-made jewelry, stylish furnishings for home and office, unique creations by Arizona artists, fair-trade and upcycled/recycled global crafts, music, books, greeting cards and imaginative toys. Purchases are tax free, and members receive a 10 percent discount. Gift wrapping and shipping are also available. The Store is open seven days a week: Monday - Saturday, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.; Sunday, noon - 5 p.m.; and throughout most evening events. Phone: 480-874-4644.

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