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With the arrival of fall comes the revival of the city—it seems that after a long and hot, lazy summer, Tucson is once again booming with parties and events, back-to-school college kids, and plenty of tourists not yet ready to brave the already-chilly weather in their home town. One of the more entertaining ways to spend an autumn evening is at the theater, and back in full swing is the Arizona Theatre Company’s fall schedule, with The Kite Runner making its debut as the company’s first fall show.

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If you never had the chance to dive into the best-selling novel, or if you loved it so much that you simply must see how it is portrayed on stage, The Kite Runner—originally written by Khaled Hosseini, adapted into a play by Matthew Spangler, and directed by David Ira Goldstein—is now playing at the Temple of Music and Art in Tucson through Oct. 3. While the play has been showing for a week now as a preview, tonight is officially opening night. (If you miss the Tucson dates, be sure to check out The Kite Runner’s stint in Phoenix from Oct. 8 through Oct. 25 at the Herberger Theater Center.)

The Kite Runner tells the story of two young boys growing up in the same household, but from different worlds altogether. While Amir is the son of a wealthy and prestigious man, Hassan is the son of Amir’s father’s servant and a member of the ethnic minority, Hazara. As Amir and his father flee Afghanistan for safety in California, the tale bounces back between the Middle East and America, intertwining both love and loyalty with betrayal and tragedy.

If you plan on taking in the Saturday, Oct. 3 afternoon showing of The Kite Runner, stay put and make a night of it by attending the Gala 2009, also at Downtown Tucson’s Temple of Music and Art. The 5:00 gala will include dinner, dancing and a live concert with Susan Egan (“The Belle of Broadway”) and Christopher McGovern (musical director of Arizona Theatre Co.’s Hair and The Pajama Game.) Proceeds from the gala will benefit Arizona Theatre Co.’s education and community-engagement programs.

In addition to the powerful tale of The Kite Runner, the Arizona Theatre Co. has some much-anticipated projects and shows in the works for the months ahead. From Oct. 17 through Nov. 7, plan to see George is Dead (playing in Phoenix from Nov. 12 through Dec. 6), the comedic performance written and directed by comedy legend and Academy Award nominee Elaine May. Also, Nov. 28 through Dec. 19 will feature Ain’t Misbehavin’ (playing in Phoenix from Dec. 30 through Jan. 17), a Tony award-winning musical that takes viewers back in time to Harlem in the 1930’s.

Helping to make the show a success, The Kite Runner is sponsored by Bill and Shirley Estes, Wells Fargo, Blue Cross Clue Shield of Arizona and contributors to the “Jessica L. Andrews Tribute Fund.” For more information on the showing of The Kite Runner or on the Arizona Theatre Co., or to purchase tickets, visit www.aztheatreco.org.