N.C. Museum of History offers March programs

Musicians Patrick and Cathy Sky will get you in the mood for Saint Patrick’s Day with Irish reels, jigs and hornpipes. This lively performance and more will take place in March at the N.C. Museum of History in Raleigh. During a special presentation, watch a new Readers’ Theater work about the family life of Sojourner Truth, a 19th-century abolitionist and women’s rights activist. A cast of four professional actors will present this play that suits all ages. Don’t miss Cotton Mill Colic, a music performance with an intriguing, historical twist: songs from Piedmont cotton mills in the early 20th century. Seasoned musicians Gregg Kimball, Sheryl Warner and Jackie Frost will draw on commercial recordings by mill workers and on accounts of union strike songs.
Enjoy all this and more in March at the museum. Admission is free unless otherwise noted. Parking is free on weekends.

First Friday Performance: Sojourner Truth and Her Children
When: Friday, March 2, from 7 to 9 p.m.
Cost: $5 per person; ages 12 and younger free. You can purchase tickets in advance at ncmuseumofhistory.org or the night of the event in the Museum Shop.
The local performance group Voices in Concert will dramatize the family life of 19th-century abolitionist and women’s rights activist Sojourner Truth. This new Readers’ Theater work centers on Truth’s efforts to reunite her family as three of her enslaved children approach their freedom. She is challenged to inspire her children to dream of more for themselves as they await freedom. The play was written by Rudy Wallace, artistic director of Voices in Concert.

Cotton Mill Colic: Songs of Labor from the North Carolina Piedmont
When: Sunday, March 4, from 2 to 3 p.m.
Musician Gregg Kimball and singers Jackie Frost and Sheryl Warner will perform songs from Piedmont cotton mills. The trio will draw on commercial recordings by mill workers and on accounts of union strike songs. In the early 20th century, Piedmont mill towns were incubators for innovative string bands and musical performers in an emerging genre known as country music. With Kimball on guitar, banjo and fiddle, Frost and Warner will add their own distinctive vocal styles.

Time for Tots: Saint Patrick’s Day
When: Tuesday, March 6, and Tuesday, March 13, from 10 to 10:45 a.m.
Who: Ages 3 to 5 with an adult
Cost: $1 per person. To register, call (919) 807-7992.
Discover the history, foodways and traditions of Saint Patrick’s Day, a holiday observed by the Irish for 1,000 years. Then make a take-home craft to give you the luck of the Irish.

History Hunters: Greetings from North Carolina!
When: Wednesday, March 7, from 10 to 11 a.m.
Who: Ages 10 to 13
Cost: $1 per person. To register, call (919) 807-7992.
Before Facebook and Skype, how did you say, “Wish you were here!” when you vacationed? Learn about North Carolina holiday spots, get a bit of postcard history and make your own postcard.

Make It, Take It: Blimps
When: Saturday, March 10, from 1 to 3 p.m. (drop-in program)
Discover how blimps protected ships off the North Carolina coast during World War II and make a paper model to take home.

Music of the Carolinas: Patrick and Cathy Sky
When: Sunday, March 11, from 3 to 4 p.m.
Get ready for Saint Patrick’s Day with a program of Irish reels, jigs and hornpipes. The performance is presented with PineCone, with support from the N.C. Museum of History Associates, Williams Mullen, and WLHC-FM/WLQC.FM.

History à la Carte: Variety Vacationland
When: Wednesday, March 14, from 12:10 to 1 p.m.
Extras: Bring your lunch; beverages provided.
Presented by Sandy Webbere, associate curator.
What was a typical family vacation in North Carolina in decades past? Using historic postcards, maps and film, Webbere will identify early tourist destinations from the coast to the mountains and discuss how they have evolved.

Curator’s Choice Tour: The Story Behind The Story of North Carolina
When: Sunday, March 25, from 2 to 2:30 p.m.
How do you cover 14,000 years of history in one exhibit? Join curator RaeLana Poteat for this special tour and hear how staff worked to tell the state’s story through artifacts, multimedia presentations and hands-on interactives.

2012 Women’s History Month Celebration
When: Tuesday, March 27, at 6:30 p.m.
To register, call (919) 807-7992 by Friday, March 23.
Presented by Anita Brown-Graham, executive director of the Institute for Emerging Issues at N.C. State University.
Women compose more than half of the U.S. electorate and have influenced electoral outcomes for more than 40 years. Learn about their importance to the 2012 campaigns. The event is sponsored by the N.C. Council for Women.

About the N.C. Museum of History
The museum is located at 5 E. Edenton St. in Raleigh, across from the State Capitol. Parking is available in the lot across Wilmington Street. Hours are Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. The Museum of History, within the Division of State History Museums, is part of the N.C. Department of Cultural Resources.

N.C. Museum of History presents a new Readers' Theater work about Sojourner Truth

A new Readers’ Theater work about the family life of Sojourner Truth, a 19th-century abolitionist and women’s rights activist, will be presented at the N.C. Museum of History in Raleigh on Friday, March 2, at 7 p.m. Four professional actors in the performance group Voices in Concert will present a play that suits all ages. Begin your weekend with a First Friday performance of Sojourner Truth and Her Children. Tickets cost $5 per person; ages 12 and younger are free. Purchase tickets in advance at ncmuseumofhistory.org or the night of the event in the Museum Shop.
Written by playwright Rudy Wallace, artistic director of Voices in Concert, the drama begins when Truth and her son, Peter—both of whom are free—visit a farm in upstate New York, where three of her children are enslaved. They will be freed in six months, and Truth is making every effort to reunite her family when they receive their freedom. However, the children have other plans, which are not worthy ones. Truth is challenged to inspire them to dream of more for themselves as they await their freedom.
What is Readers’ Theater?
Like storytelling, Readers’ Theater is a format that stimulates the imagination and often leads to a powerful experience for the audience. Minimal stage props free the performers and the audience from the physical limitations of conventional theater, and narration serves as the framework of the dramatic presentation.
Come learn more about the inspirational life of Sojourner Truth at the Museum of History on March 2.

The museum is located at 5 E. Edenton St. in Raleigh, across from the State Capitol. Parking is available in the lot across Wilmington Street. Hours are Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. The Museum of History, within the Division of State History Museums, is part of the N.C. Department of Cultural Resources.

Burning Coal Theatre Company presents 'Two Buildings/One Heart'

Burning Coal Theatre Company teams up with the First Baptist Churches of Salisbury and Wilmington Streets in downtown Raleigh to present a play, “Two Buildings/One Heart: 200 Years of the First Baptists Churches of Raleigh” from Friday through Sunday, March 2 through 4. Performances will begin at 7 p.m. on Friday, March 2, and Saturday, March 3, and at 2 p.m. on Saturday, March 3, and Sunday, March 4. The first two performances will begin at the First Baptist Church located at 99 North Salisbury St. and the final two performances will begin at the First Baptist Church located at 109 S. Wilmington St. All performances are $10, and tickets may be purchased by calling (919) 834-4001. For more information, visit the website at www.burningcoal.org.

About the show
Raleigh was only 20 years old when First Baptist Church was established in 1812 with 23 members: 14 African-American and nine white. Burning Coal Theatre will explore the history of the church and the two congregations it became after the Civil War in a play to be performed Friday through Sunday, March 2 through 4, in the sanctuaries of the two churches, both of which face Capitol Square.
“Two Buildings/One Heart: 200 Years of the First Baptist Churches of Raleigh,” written by Burning Coal Education Director Ian Finley—along with Jerome Davis and Rebecca Wyrick—will bring together Burning Coal actors and a choir of singers from both congregations to tell the story of the churches’ origin and key moments from their histories.
Jerome Davis, artistic director of Burning Coal Theatre Company, said “When the two churches approached us about this, my eyes lit up! I couldn’t think of a more inherently dramatic or worthwhile story to tell. Working with these two congregations has been terrific, and getting to know more about their past histories has been a truly rewarding experience for me.”
Playwright Ian Finley (2012 Piedmont Laureate) was similarly thrilled with the prospect: “The storied history of the churches, spanning 200 years, was a natural fit for dramatization, especially when framed in the actual church buildings themselves.”
Four performances are scheduled. On Friday evening at 7 p.m. and Saturday at 2 p.m., the play will start in the sanctuary at 99 North Salisbury St. The 7 p.m. Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday performances will begin in the sanctuary at 109 S. Wilmington St. At each performance, the audience will move to the other church at intermission.
Tickets are $10 and can be reserved by calling Burning Coal at (919) 834-4001.

Burning Coal Theatre Company is Raleigh's small, professional theater. Burning Coal is an incorporated, non-profit [501 (c) (3)] organization. Burning Coal's mission is to produce literate, visceral, affecting theater that is experienced, not simply seen. Burning Coal produces explosive reexaminations of overlooked classic and modern plays, as well as new plays, whose themes and issues are of immediate concern to our audience, using the best local, national and international artists available. We work toward a theater of high-energy performances and minimalist production values. The emphasis is on literate works that are felt and experienced viscerally, unlike more traditional linear plays, at which audiences are most often asked to observe without participating. Race and gender non-specific casting is an integral component of our perspective, as well as an international viewpoint.

Deep Dish Theater presents 'The Baltimore Waltz'

Deep Dish Theater Company will present a 20th Anniversary production of Paula Vogel’s acclaimed comedy, The Baltimore Waltz, Feb. 24 through March 17. Directed by Chip Rodgers, the play continues the company’s eleventh season at University Mall.
“We’re very excited to be presenting this ground-breaking play,” said Artistic Director Paul Frellick. “It works on so many different levels, with an effervescent theatrical energy and a raw emotional power. Paula Vogel has had such an influence on American theater, and this piece certainly demonstrates why.”
A sensation when it opened in 1991, The Baltimore Waltz follows a brother and sister (Jesse R. Gephart and Mary Forester) who flee a frightening medical diagnosis by embarking on a fantastical trip across Europe. A third actor (Kit FitzSimons) plays the quirky characters they encounter, including the Little Dutch Boy (at age 50) and Harry Lime, from the classic movie The Third Man. Vogel is the Obie Award-winning writer of such celebrated works as Desdemona, A Play about a Handkerchief and How I Learned to Drive, for which she was awarded the Pulitzer Prize.
Director Chip Rodgers is a Raleigh native currently living in New York City, where he has worked with such theaters as The Wooster Group, St Ann’s Warehouse and The Royal Shakespeare Company. In 2011, his work was featured in Time Out New York for the sound design of the Blueprint Theater Project’s Largo, a dance-theater piece performed in a nightclub. A founding member of United Broadcasting Theater Company, where he devised Arcane Game at Incubator Arts Project, he is currently developing the sci-fi opera The Life and Times of Bruno Tallywacker, premiering in 2013 at The Performing Garage. Later this spring in the Triangle, he will direct Hungry at Stillwater Theater and assistant direct Penelope at PlayMakers Repertory Company.
The production staff for The Baltimore Waltz includes Chris Bernier (set design), David Serxner (costume design), Scott Marlow (lighting design), Brittany Bugge (properties) and Marc Maximov (sound design). Jenny Wales is the vocal coach, Jen Bauer the stage manager and Lisa Keaton the dramaturg.
Performances begin Wednesday and Thursday at 7:30 p.m., Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m., and Sunday at 2 p.m. Deep Dish is located in Chapel Hill's University Mall, on Estes Drive and U.S. 15-501. There will be a pre-show "Meet the Play" talk with the dramaturg on Friday, March 2, at 7 p.m., and post-show discussions on Sunday, March 4, and Thursday, March 8. The Deep Dish Book Selection, A Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan, will be discussed on Monday, March 12, at 7 p.m. at Flyleaf Books.
Tickets are $21 for adults and $19 for seniors regularly, with a $2 discount for Wednesday and Thursday shows. Student tickets for all performances are $14. Wednesday, Feb. 29, is "Leap Cheap Dish Night"—all tickets are $10 (no reservations accepted). Call (919) 968-1515 for reservations and visit www.deepdishtheater.org for information.
The Baltimore Waltz replaces the previously announced Terra Nova.
The Deep Dish Theater Company is committed to presenting compelling, human-centered dramatic work that contributes to the cultural richness of the Triangle area and challenge audiences to explore concerns of the community and the world-at-large.

15 area artists to receive Ella Fountain Pratt Emerging Artists grants

Recipients to be honored at the annual awards ceremony Feb. 23

Durham Arts Council announced the 15 local area artists selected to receive Ella Fountain Pratt Emerging Artists Grants in 2012. The artists will be honored at the annual Emerging Artists Awards Ceremony and reception on Thursday, Feb. 23, at 6 p.m. in the Durham Arts Council PSI Theatre and Semans Gallery. Tickets for the evening are available.
The awards event will feature music and remarks by jazz vocalist and songwriter Lois Deloatch (Emerging Artist 1995) and dancer and choreographer Gaspard Louis (Emerging Artist 2010). The awards ceremony will be dedicated to the late Mary D.B.T. Semans, who inspired and supported the creation of the Emerging Artists Program, with her husband Dr. James H. Semans. For more information, contact Margaret DeMott at (919) 560-2720. For tickets, visit www.durhamarts.org.
The Emerging Artists Grant Program, administered by Durham Arts Council, is designed to enable individual artists who have mastered the basic techniques of their art form to complete projects that will establish or enhance their professional careers. The Emerging Artists Program is cited repeatedly by local artists as providing important financial support and significant public recognition of their professional achievements. A 2009 survey of individual artists conducted by Seattle-based Artist Trust revealed that small grants are one of the most useful resources for artists in the current economy.
Criteria for making the awards include the accomplishment and commitment of the artist, the feasibility of the proposed project and the impact the project will have on the applicant’s career.This year, a total of $23,000 was awarded. Ninety-seven applications were submitted to the program this year.
The Durham Arts Council coordinates this program in partnership with the arts agencies of adjacent Chatham, Orange, Granville and Person counties.This joint effort provides an efficient, non-duplicative administration that allows artists in all five counties to participate in the Emerging Artists Program. Significant contributions, in addition to annual grant support, are necessary to maintain the program.
The award was renamed the Ella Fountain Pratt Emerging Artists Grant in 2009 to honor Ella Fountain Pratt, who founded the program in 1984 as a joint endeavor of the Durham Arts Council, the North Carolina Arts Council and The Mary Duke Biddle Foundation. Ella Fountain's contribution to the arts—locally and nationally—are honored in the Ella Fountain Pratt Legacy Gallery in the Durham Arts Council building, which also includes an area to highlight the work of artists who have received the Emerging Artists Grant.
Counting the current recipients, 435 grants have been made to area artists during the program’s 28-year history. Past recipients include six-time Grammy-nominated, jazz vocalist, Nnenna Freelon; painter and Guggenheim Fellow, Beverly McIver; and violinist and Presidential Scholar in the Arts, Nicholas Kitchen. Novelist Marjorie Hudson won a North Carolina Arts Council Fellowship this year. Poet Jaki Shelton Green, has published six books of poetry and a play, received the 2007 Sam Ragan Award and served as the first Piedmont Laureate in 2009. Film maker Ryan Koo won a Webby Award for Best Drama Series and is preparing to make his first feature film set in North Carolina.

Orange County residents who received a grant were the grant were:
• Sasha Bakaric, craft, www.sashaceramics.com
• Nuno Gomes, mixed media, www.nunogomes.org
• Gracelee Lawrence, sculpture, www.graceleelawrence.com
• Chance Murray, mixed media
• Will Ridenour, music, www.myspace.com/zymana
• Anita Woodley, drama, www.mamajuggs.com

ChathamArts' Sustainable Cinema Series honors Black History Month

In February, ChathamArts' Sustainable Cinema Series will celebrate Black History Month by screening two powerful films:

THE LOVING STORY
Who: Director & Producer Nancy Buirski; Producer & Editor Elisabeth Haviland James
What: On Oscar 2012 Shortlist for Best Documentary. Official Selection of SilverDocs, Tribeca, Full Frame and Hamptons International Film Festivals
When and where: Shown Sunday, Feb. 26, at 2 p.m. in Fearrington Village Barn, located on U.S. 15-501 midway between Chapel Hill and Pittsboro.
How much: Purchase advance tickets $8 online. Print the receipt for ticket. Admission will be $10 at door the day of the screening.

THE LOVING STORY (documentary feature) is director Nancy Buirski’s film about Loving v. Virginia, a watershed civil rights case in which the United States Supreme Court declared Virginia's anti-miscegenation statute unconstitutional in 1967.
A racially charged criminal trial and a heartrending love story converge in this documentary about the Lovings, an interracial couple who fell in love and married at a tumultuous social and political time in American history yet nevertheless brought about change where previously no one else could. Through stunning archival footage of the Lovings, the film revisits this public battle through the eyes of a private couple who simply wanted to have the right to get married and live in the place they called home.
The Loving Story is produced by Nancy Buirski’s production company Augusta Films, LLC, in association with HBO Documentaries. The film was made possible in part by a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities. Buirski is the founder and was the director of the Full Frame Documentary Film Festival. Producer/Editor Elisabeth Haviland James is based in Durham, where her company, Thornapple Films, is headquartered. Additional local crew members include: Cinematographers Rex Miller and Steve Milligan; Sound: Mark Barroso. Co-producers Nancy Buirski and Elizabeth Haviland James will be in attendance for Q&A if possible.
The Loving Story screening is sponsored by The Southern Documentary Fund, an organization that encourages documentary media projects made within or about the American South. Through services like fiscal sponsorship, SDF aims to connect people, ideas and resources—furthering their goal of growing a community of documentary artists.

WOLF CALL
Raleigh Director Rob Underhill's 12-minute narrative transports us back to 1956. The previous year, 14-year old Emmett Till from Chicago had gone missing in Money, Miss. Later, the boy's mutilated body was found in a river. William Bradford Huie of Look magazine sits down with the two men acquitted for the boy's murder, Roy Bryant Jr. and J.W. Milam, to discuss the trial. This historic drama became a lightning rod for moral outrage and pivotal in inspiring a whole generation of young people to commit to social change in the 1950s.
WOLF CALL is the winner of seven festival awards, four nominations, dozens of official selections and recently nominated for Outstanding Independent Short Film by the Black Reel Awards. Director Rob Underhill, actor Mike Wiley and cinematographer Aravind Ragupathi in attendance for Q&A.
Director Rob Underhill has written, directed, and produced dozens of short films, numerous music videos and several feature films. WOLF CALL stars Mike Wiley (a Chatham County resident) in multiple roles. Wiley is the winner of best actor awards in 2009 and 2010 for his performance in 'Empty Space,' including best actor at the 25th Black International Cinema Berlin. He is the 2010 Lehman Brady Visiting Joint Chair Professor in Documentary Studies and American Studies at Duke University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. In addition to his numerous school and community performances, he has also appeared on Discovery Channel, The Learning Channel and National Geographic Channel.

PlayMakers mounts royal Shakespearean epic in rotating repertory

PlayMakers Repertory Company will stage a royal coming-of-age epic, combining William Shakespeare's "Henry IV, Part 1 and Part 2" and "Henry V" as "The Making of a King," to be performed Jan. 28 through March 4.
The professional theater-in-residence in the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill will present the "Henry" plays in rotating repertory as well as several special educational events associated with the production.
The plays follow young Prince Hal from his unpromising start in bawdy houses and taverns under the tutelage of the larger-than-life Sir John Falstaff to his rise as one of England's greatest monarchs, King Henry V. The action takes place in palaces and battlefields, from civil war in Britain to battles in the fields of France.
PlayMakers producing artistic director Joseph Haj will co-direct with Mike Donahue, who helmed this season's PRC2 second-stage hit "A Number" and worked with Haj on PlayMakers' "The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby." Actor Michael Winters of TV's "Gilmore Girls," last seen at PlayMakers in 2004 as King Lear, will play Falstaff. UNC-TV is co-producing sponsor for the production.
"These plays, with their exploration of war and its costs, remain as current today as when Shakespeare wrote them over 400 years ago," Haj said.
Show times will be 7:30 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays and 2 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. The special performance options are:
• Feb. 25 and March 3: back-to-back performances, "Henry IV" at 2 p.m. and "Henry V" at 7:30 p.m. with a dinner break between. Boxed dinners from Whole Foods Market will be available for purchase. Pre-ordering dinner with tickets is recommended.
• Feb. 18 ("Henry V"), 2 p.m.: open captioned performances;
• Feb. 19 ("Henry IV"), Feb. 26 and March 1 ("Henry V"): free post-show discussions with the creative team;
• Feb. 21 ("Henry IV") and 28 ("Henry V"): all-access performances for attendees with special needs, with sign language interpretation and audio description; and,
• March 3 and 4: free post-show "Mindplay" discussions sponsored by the North Carolina Psychoanalytic Society—"Thrice More into the Breach: The Making and Unmaking of Men in Peace and War" with Harold Kudler from the department of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Duke University.
All performances will be in the Paul Green Theatre in the Center for Dramatic Art on Country Club Road. Tickets are still available as part of the theater's 2011-2012 season subscription packages. Individual tickets are $10 to $45. With the purchase of a ticket to either play, a ticket to the other "Henry" may also be purchased at 25 percent off. This offer cannot be combined with other discounts or offers and is not available for Tuesday Community Night performances. A 10 percent discount off single tickets is available for active military personnel. For more information and to purchase tickets, call (919) 962-7529 or visit www.playmakersrep.org.
The National Endowment for the Arts recognized PlayMakers with a $100,000 "Access to Artistic Excellence Grant" to support "The Making of a King" and "Breaking History: Power, Politics and the Legacy of War," a series of events that will investigate America's legacy of engagements in military conflict.
• Monday, Feb. 20, 6:30 p.m., Paul Green Theatre: "Peace and War in America." In partnership with UNC's curriculum in peace, war and defense, chair Wayne Lee and Haj will lead a panel conversation inspired by "The Making of a King."
• Thursday, Feb. 23, 6:30 p.m., The Varsity on Franklin: a screening of Sundance Grand Jury Prize-winner "Hell and Back Again," as part of the Ackland Film Forum. From his embedded time with U.S. Marine Echo Company in Afghanistan, photojournalist/filmmaker Danfung Dennis reveals the devastating impact a Taliban machine-gun bullet has on the life of 25- year-old Sergeant Nathan Harris. Note: Screening rights are pending. Information will be posted at www.playmakersrep.org if the film is changed.
• To be announced, Fayetteville. PlayMakers will host a conversation in partnership with The Army's Army (a volunteer organization that supports military personnel and their families) and Cape Fear Regional Theatre, presenting scenes from the plays and discussing the impact of America's current military engagements on soldiers and their families.
A $25,000 grant from the NEA and Arts Midwest's "Shakespeare for a New Generation" program funded additional educational outreach, including sending teaching artists into area schools and matinees of the play for middle and high school students.
PlayMakers' main-stage season finale will be the British comedy "Noises Off" by Michael Frayn (April 4 through 22). The PRC2 second-stage closes with the world premiere of "Penelope," written and performed by Ellen McLaughlin, with live music composed by Sarah Kirkland Snider (April 25-29).
For more information, visit the website.

NCShakes and Festival Stage of Winston-Salem to hold local auditions

The North Carolina Shakespeare Festival (NCShakes) and its affiliate theater Festival Stage of Winston-Salem will be holding Equity Principal Auditions for their upcoming seasons Thursday and Friday, Feb. 23 and 24, at the offices located at 807 W. Ward Ave. in High Point.
NCShakes will be auditioning for its MainStage production of Romeo & Juliet. Festival Stage will be auditioning for its productions of Hatchetman, The Last Night of Ballyhoo, 33 Variations and Proof. Each company operates as an independent theater under a LORT ‘D’ contract with Actors’ Equity Association.
Equity actors have the option of auditioning for both companies if they so choose by stating this intent at the time of registering to audition. Auditionees for NCShakes must prepare a two-minute classical monologue. Festival Stage auditionees must prepare a two-minute contemporary monologue. Actors must bring a resume and 8 x 10 headshot. Call-back dates will be announced at the time of audition. NCShakes and Festival invite actors of all races, religions, ethnic backgrounds and disabilities to audition.
Auditions will be scheduled between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. There will be a one-hour lunch break from 1 to 2 p.m. Equity actors without appointments will be seen as time permits.
To schedule an audition, call the NCShakes/Festival Stage offices during regular business hours at (336) 841-2273. Additional audition information is available on the NCShakes website; click on ‘About NCShakes’, then ‘News’ and look for the audition listing. Additional information about Festival Stage is available on the website in the News section.
For further information about the North Carolina Shakespeare Festival, call (336) 841-2273 or visit www.NCShakes.org. For further information about affiliate company Festival Stage of Winston-Salem, call (336) 841-2273 or visit www.FestivalStage.org.

Burning Coal Theatre Company holds 'Embodied Shakespeare Intensive' class

Burning Coal Theatre Company will present OBIE award-winning actor/director Randolph Curtis Rand’s Embodied Shakespeare Intensive on Saturday, Feb. 18, from noon to 4 pm at Burning Coal’s rehearsal warehouse, 3056 Barrow Drive in Raleigh. The class is $75. To register, call (919) 834-4001.

About the class
Embodied Shakespeare is an exciting, bold and simple approach to Shakespeare. The aim of the class is to provide students with a personal, direct and visceral response to the texts. This class will give simple, powerful exercises that will make the text breath, live and move.
Using text from (primarily) Hamlet, this class combines the training Rand had with masters such as Cicely Barry, Kristen Linklater, Tina Packer, Patrick Tucker and Louis Scheeder as well as studies of the work of John Barton, Bertram Joseph, Harley Granville-Barker and Helge Kökeritz—all filtered through his own approach to physical performance.

About Randolph Curtis Rand
Randy is currently appearing as Don Quixote in Burning Coal Theatre Company’s Man of La Mancha. He is an Obie (Off-Broadway) Award-winning theater artist from New York City. His work encompasses choreography, design, directing, dramaturgy, performing, teaching and writing.
In New York, he was a founding member of two influential theater companies; Arden Party and The Drama Dept., which he began with artists like Douglas Carter Beane, Cynthia Nixon and John Cameron Mitchell. He has worked in New York and throughout the country with Joseph Chaikin, Douglas Dunn, Elevator Repair Service, Richard Foreman, Meredith Monk, Pig Iron Theatre, Darko Tresnjak, Rude Mechs and the Wooster Group and at institutions like Actors Theatre of Louisville, Jacob’s Pillow, The Kennedy Center, La Mama ETC, On the Boards, The Orlando Shakespeare Theater, The Public Theater, Shakespeare Santa Monica and The Walker Arts Center. Internationally, he has appeared at festivals such as The Adelaide Festival (Australia), Art Carnuntum (Vienna), The Meltdown Festival (London), as well as in Amsterdam, Glasgow, Lisbon, Rome and others. He is a founding member of Attic Salt Performance Society in Vancouver BC.
He has taught/directed at institutions like NYU/Tisch School of the Arts, NYU Graduate Acting Program, Actors Theatre of Louisville, The New School, Epic Theatre Ensemble, The Hanger Theatre, Naropa University, Shakespeare Santa Monica, Swarthmore College, Theatre for a New Audience, The University of the Arts, The University of Kentucky and The University of Tennessee. From 2004 to 2007, he was lead theatre teacher at The North Carolina Governor’s School.

Burning Coal Theatre Company is Raleigh's small, professional theatre. Burning Coal is an incorporated, non-profit [501 (c) (3)] organization with a mission to produce literate, visceral, affecting theatre that is experienced, not simply seen.

'The Baltimore Waltz' plays at Deep Dish Theater Company

Deep Dish Theater Company will present Paula Vogel’s acclaimed comedy "The Baltimore Waltz" Feb. 24 through March 17. Directed by Chip Rodgers, the play replaces the previously announced Terra Nova and continues the company’s 11th season at University Mall.
"The Baltimore Waltz," a sensation when it debuted 20 years ago, follows a brother and sister who flee a frightening medical diagnosis by embarking on a fantastical trip across Europe. A third actor plays the quirky characters they encounter, including the Little Dutch Boy (at age 50) and Harry Lime, from the classic movie "The Third Man." Ms. Vogel is the Obie Award-winning writer of such celebrated works as "Desdemona," "A Play about a Handkerchief" and "How I Learned to Drive."
Performances begin Wednesday and Thursday at 7:30 p.m., Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m., and Sunday at 2 p.m. Deep Dish is located in Chapel Hill's University Mall, on Estes Drive and US 15-501.
Tickets are $21 for adults and $19 for seniors regularly, with a $2 discount for Wednesday and Thursday shows. Student tickets for all performances are $14. Wednesday, Feb. 29, is Cheap Dish Night—all tickets are $10 (no reservations accepted). Call (919) 968-1515 for reservations and visit www.deepdishtheater.org for information.
The Deep Dish Theater Company is committed to presenting compelling, human-centered dramatic work that contributes to the cultural richness of the Triangle area and challenges audiences to explore concerns of the community and the world-at-large.

Actor's Theatre in Charlotte presents the regional premiere of 'Cuttin' Up'

Actor's Theatre of Charlotte continues its 23rd season with the production of CUTTIN' UP, adapted by Charles Randolph-Wright based on the book by Craig Marberry. Performances will be held Feb. 15 through March 3 with a preview performance on Friday, Feb. 10. Tickets can be purchased through the Box Office at (704) 342-2251, ext. 21, and online at www.actorstheatrecharlotte.org.

About the play
Barbershops across the country are hubs of information. Inside the barbershop of Howard, anecdotes and life lessons are passed down from generation to generation. Listen to true stories from barbers, including Oprah Winfrey's father, Vernon, and Charlotte's very own Jermaine and Damian Johnson, co-founders of No Grease.
CUTTIN' UP is recommended for those aged 10 and older.

Quick facts:

Production:
CUTTIN' UP
Adapted by Charles Randolph-Wright
Based on the book by Craig Marberry

Director: Chip Decker

Design team: Stan Peal (set design)
Jamey Varnadore (costume design)
Hallie Gray (lighting design)

Dates: Feb. 10 through March 3
Preview date, Feb. 10 at 8 p.m.
Opening night, Wednesday, Feb. 15, at 7:30 p.m.
Pay-what-you-can Wednesday, Feb. 22, at 7:30 p.m.
Talkbacks every Thursday night following the performance.

Performance times: Wednesdays and Thursdays at 7:30 p.m.
Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m.
Saturday, Feb. 25, at 2:30 p.m.
Sunday, Feb. 26, at 2:30 p.m.

Tickets: (704) 342-2251 ext.21 or actorstheatrecharlotte.org

Price: Preview performance—$15
Regular run—$24 to $31
Student and senior rates available.
Group rates start at 10 people.

Theatre location: 650 E. Stonewall St. in Charlotte

Lyle Lovett and John Hiatt come to DPAC

In an intimate evening with Lyle Lovett and John Hiatt, two American singer/songwriters join forces for an unplugged performance at Durham Performing Arts Center on March 15.
Tickets are sold:
• Online
• at DPAC TicketCenter via phone at (919) 680-2787 or in person at 123 Vivian St. in Durham
• at Ticketmaster.com or Ticketmaster Charge by phone at 800-745-3000
• Ticketmaster outlets, including Crabtree Valley Mall
"This will be such a special show. Lovett and Hiatt will be playing acoustic, swapping songs and stories with no bands, no side musicians at all," said Bob Klaus, general manager of DPAC.
Lovett and Hiatt have been touring together periodically since 1989, delivering one of the most compelling and spontaneous concerts on the road.
Lyle Lovett has four GRAMMY® Awards to his credit, which include Best Male Country Vocal Performance in 1989 and Best Country Album for “The Road to Ensenada” in 1996. When not performing musically, Lovett has a steady acting career and has appeared in feature films such as The Player, Short Cuts, Cookie’s Fortune, and TV shows such as Mad About You and, most recently, Castle. Lovett’s newest album, Natural Forces, was released in 2009.
John Hiatt, a prolific songwriter and talented singer/guitarist, has 11 GRAMMY® nominations, and his numerous awards include induction into the Nashville Songwriter’s Hall of Fame and the 2008 Lifetime Achievement Award in Songwriting from the American Music Association. Hiatt has released 19 studio albums. His latest album, Dirty Jeans & Mudslide Hymns, was released in 2011.
What’s up next? Visit www.dpacnc.com for more information about upcoming events.

Red Clay Ramblers to be honored at PlayMakers Ball

Tony Award-winning, North Carolina music legends The Red Clay Ramblers will receive the PlayMakers Distinguished Achievement Award on Feb. 11 at the 24th annual PlayMakers Ball at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
The ball, held at the historic Carolina Inn, is the annual fundraising celebration for PlayMakers Repertory Company, the professional theater in residence in UNC's College of Arts and Sciences. Proceeds from the event support PlayMakers' artistic and educational programming.
The ball, with the theme "Diamond and Denim Hoedown," will feature an award ceremony followed by dining and dancing to the music of the Bill Bolen Orchestra.
Now in their 40th year, The Red Clay Ramblers are a string band whose repertoire reflects their roots in old-time mountain music as well as country, rock, New Orleans, bluegrass, gospel and the American musical. The band members are Clay Buckner, Chris Frank, Rob Ladd and 1970 UNC alumni Bland Simpson and Jack Herrick. Simpson is Kenan Distinguished Professor of English and Creative Writing at UNC.
The group has toured extensively in North America and Europe, as well as Eastern Europe, sub-Saharan Africa, North Africa and the Middle East. The Ramblers have been guests on Garrison Keillor's "A Prairie Home Companion," appeared with Jay Leno on "The Tonight Show" and with Harry Smith on "CBS This Morning." They appeared as the onstage band during PlayMakers' April 2010 production of "Big River." Herrick also created music for two productions helmed by PlayMakers producing artistic director Joe Haj: PlayMakers' 2008 season-opener "Pericles" and "Hamlet" (2010) at the Folger Theatre in Washington, D.C.
The Ramblers' long association with music and theater includes the original New York productions of "Diamond Studs" (1975) and Sam Shepard's "A Lie of the Mind" (1985). In 1988, they scored Shepard's film "Far North," and they performed and appeared in his second feature, "Silent Tongue" (1994). In 1993, Broadway hit "Fool Moon" earned The Ramblers their second Drama Desk nomination for Outstanding Music in a Play. They returned to Broadway twice more (1995, 1998) and received a special Tony Award in 1999. The Ramblers also created the shows "Kudzu: A Southern Musical" and "Lone Star Love: the Merry Wives of Windsor, Texas," as well as ballets "Ramblin' Suite" (Atlanta Ballet, Milwaukee Ballet) and "Carolina Jamboree" (Carolina Ballet).
Old North State," their newest CD, was released in October 2009.
Past PlayMakers award honorees include actors David Hyde Pierce, Eva Marie Saint, Faye Dunaway, Louise Fletcher and Billy Crudup, as well as New York Times critic Frank Rich, costume designer William Ivey Long, director Gene Saks and Broadway composer/lyricist Richard Adler.
Ball guests will enjoy a gourmet menu created by Carolina Inn Executive Chef Jim Reale in rooms decorated by McKay Coble, a resident scenic and costume designer with PlayMakers.
For tickets to the ball, contact Lenore Field at (919) 452-8417 or lfield@email.unc.edu. Organizations interested in contributing to the ball should contact Stacy Payne at (919) 962-4846 or shpayne@email.unc.edu. Tables are available for $5,000; each table seats 10 people. Single tickets are $500.

‘Heroes of the Underground Railroad’ at library

On Thursday, Feb. 16, at 6 p.m., the Bright Star Touring Theatre will present “Heroes of the Underground Railroad” at the Orange County Main Library. This presentation honors Black History Month with an empowering look at some of the figures behind America’s Underground Railroad.
The play includes secret signs along the routes and features figures like Harriet Tubman, Levi Coffin, and John Parker.
This Bright Star Touring Theatre performance offers valuable lessons for young audiences, with curriculum- and character-education-based performances. Their productions are always kid-friendly, well acted and imaginatively produced.
“Heroes of the Underground Railroad” will be presented free to the public in the library meeting room. This is a family event for all ages that works best for students in grades 3 and up.
For more information, visit the library website at www.co.orange.nc.us/library, stop by the library Children’s Services Desk or call (919) 245-2532.

Common Ground Theatre February events

Common Ground Theatre is a performance and teaching space located in west Durham offering performing arts and educational groups a flexible, well-equipped alternative space. The theater provides a convenient venue for Triangle audiences to experience the diversity of our area’s arts and educational offerings. All events listed will be held at Common Ground Theatre. The theater is hosting the following events in February:

Black Poetry Theatre Presents: The Game- A Poetic Theatrical Exploration of Good vs. Evil in the Game of Life
Every year, George and Hank meet to play chess. It is a friendly game between two old friends. They pick a quaint spot and play a game that has been played for centuries. Only this chess match has special significance. These two players are God and the Devil, and they are playing for dominion. The pieces are human lives, the board is a city on earth, and strategy is simple—don’t lose. This year, George has chosen Durham the place to play the game. Hank has chosen James as the key piece. Faith will be tested, good and evil will battle, and lives will never be the same.
The Game is the second production this season for Black Poetry Theatre. Poet, playwright, songwriter, emcee, performance artist, writer and educator Dasan Ahanu is the writer and co-director for the production. It is co-directed by Joseph "Church da Poet" Churchwell. It features some of the area's most notable artists.
When: Friday, Feb. 10, and Saturday, Feb. 11, at 8 p.m.
How much: Advance tickets are $10 for general admission and $8 for student and seniors. Night-of tickets are $15 for general admission and $10 for student and seniors.
For more information, contact Joseph “Church Da’Poet” Churchwell at (919) 627-1076 or visit the website.

Bare Theatre Presents: One Night of Absolute Dismay
Twenty-four dysfunctional relationships; 13 characters; 4 plays. One night of absolute dismay. Bare Theatre presents its third annual collection of contemporary short works. Dare to be dismayed.
When: Feb. 16, 17, 18, 23, 24 and 25 at 8 p.m. and Feb. 19 and 26 at 2 p.m.
Tickets: $17 for general admission and $10 for students, seniors and military.
Reservations: Call (919) 386-9571
For more information, visit the website.

Chapel Hill Transit employees to perform the Rosa Parks story

The Rosa Parks story comes to life in the one-act play "Why Should I Move?" scheduled to be performed by Chapel Hill Transit employees at 3 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 4, on a central corridor stage at the University Mall.
The free and public performance is being held in conjunction with Black History Month, an annual celebration of achievements by black Americans and a time for recognizing the central role of African Americans in U.S. history. Rosa Parks was a central figure in Black History, as her courageous act of refusing to give up her seat on a Montgomery Alabama bus helped spark the Civil Rights movement.
The play is a reenactment of the day Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on a Montgomery, Ala., bus. The play is narrated by "old Rosa" talking to the audience 56 years after the event. Chapel Hill Transit bus operator Michele Sykes plays "old Rosa," and Sheila Neville plays "young Rosa." Other Chapel Hill Transit employees reenact the event as Old Rosa tells the story. Key performers include the bus driver, the white passenger who demanded that Rosa move, and the police officer who arrested her.
In addition to the play, an acapella vocal group of Chapel Hill Transit employees will use song to interpret the mood of the events.
The play was performed initially to celebrate the ideals of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and their connection to the town's values of respect at an employee celebration held at Hargraves Community Center. The University Mall performance was planned jointly by Chapel Hill Transit and the Chapel Hill Public Library. Special thanks is paid to Kathy Williams of UNC-Chapel Hill Playmakers Theater, who assisted town employees in preparing their roles, and to the theater for providing the costumes.

Transactors Improv Co. performs 'For Families' and 'The Love Show'

WHAT: “Transactors Improv: For Families!”
WHEN: Saturday, Feb. 4, at 6 p.m.
and
WHAT: “Transactors Improv: The Love Show”
WHEN: Saturday, Feb. 11, at 8 p.m.

WHERE: The ArtsCenter, 300-G E. Main St. in Carrboro
TICKETS, INFORMATION, DIRECTIONS: (919) 929-2787 or www.artscenterlive.org


Transactors Improv Company and The ArtsCenter in Carrboro proudly announce a pair of shows that are sure to please audiences of all ages. For those with children, “Transactors Improv: For Families” is on Saturday, Feb. 4, at 6 p.m. One week later, adults looking to celebrate a kid-free evening can enjoy Transactors Improv’s “The Love Show” on Saturday, Feb. 11, at 8 p.m.
“We’re so pleased to be back at The ArtsCenter with both of these shows,” said Nancy Pekar, the company’s co-director. “ ‘The Love Show’ is a yearly tradition for us. And our family show back in November was such a success and so much fun, we just had to add another performance to our season.”
The “Transactors Improv: For Families” show is a 45-minute performance featuring short-form improv, with individual scenes running 5 to 10 minutes and based on audience suggestions. As with all Transactors shows, everything is made up on the spot. The content is appropriate for children and adults—and adults who act like children.
Then, as Valentine’s Day approaches, Transactors Improv will delve into more grown-up content with “The Love Show,” a two-act performance. The first act will consist of short-form improv while the second features ‘Dating on Earth.’ This long-form piece explores the highs and lows, ups and downs, and all the awkward, juicy moments in between of dating in the 21st century.
“I’m moderately obsessed with TV shows like ‘The Bachelor’ and ‘Millionaire Matchmaker,’ ” said company member Anoo Brod, who directs the "Dating on Earth" form. “I find it endlessly fascinating to observe people in the realm of love and dating.”
Set at a speed-dating event, "Dating on Earth" focuses on six characters that the actors will create at the start of the show based on audience suggestions. It then follows these characters over time—and sometimes back in time—as their relationships progress.
“I'm hoping the audience can enjoy the ride, laugh at themselves if they see something they can relate to, and get caught up in the sparkly fun of love, chemistry and dating for an hour,” said Brod. “And of course, they get to do this all from the safety and comfort of their own seat, never having to deal with an awkward goodnight kiss or a horribly boring dinner conversation themselves!”
Audiences attending “Transactors Improv: For Families” show will receive a coupon for $10 off a pair of tickets to “The Love Show” one week later.
The cast for “Transactors Improv: For Families” includes Brod, Pekar and Dan Sipp. The cast for “The Love Show” includes Brod, Pekar and Sipp as well as Greg Hohn, Steven Warnock and Annie Zipper. Mike Beard improvises lighting and sound effects at both shows. The company is joined for “The Love Show” by keyboardist, guitarist and songwriter Chris “Crispy” Bess.
Show time for “Transactors Improv: For Families” is 6 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 4. Tickets are $8 in advance or $10 day-of ($7 for ArtsClub Members); students and seniors are $5 in advance or $8 day-of.
Show time for “The Love Show” is 8 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 11. Tickets are $14 in advance or $16 day-of ($12 for ArtsClub Members); students and seniors are $7 in advance or $9 day-of.
The ArtsCenter is located at 300-G E. Main St. in Carrboro. Call (919) 929-2787 or visit www.artscenterlive.org for tickets and directions.
For more information on the company, visit http://transactors.org or call (919) 641-3575.

Burning Coal Theatre Company presents Exploring Shakespeare

Burning Coal Theatre Company in Raleigh presents an eight-session class on acting and enjoying Shakespeare, taught by Burning Coal Education Director Ian Finley. Get up on your feet and explore the Bard’s language.
The class is suitable for anyone interested in Shakespeare, and no previous acting experience is necessary.
The class runs Monday nights Feb. 6 through March 26 from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m.
Cost is $155, including all texts.
For more information or to reserve a space, call (919) 834-4001 or visit the website.

‘Solo Takes On 3’ features one-person performances

“Solo Takes On 3: Story, Identity & Desire,” a festival of one-person performances, will be presented Feb. 3 through 14 at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
The performances in rotating repertory are sponsored by the communication studies department in the College of Arts and Sciences. Single tickets are $5 for students and seniors, $10 for the public. A solo pass, with admission to all performances, is $10 for students and seniors, $20 for the public. To purchase tickets, call (919) 962-1449.
All performances are in Swain Hall, Studio 6, with the exception of “No One Hurts You More than S/Mother,” which is in Hill Hall, Room 107.

Performances include the following:
• “I Was the Voice of Democracy,” by visiting artist and University of New Mexico professor Brian Herrera, is the humorous autobiographical tale of a young, gay New Mexican man facing the consequences of winning the national Voice of Democracy contest. Performances are 8 p.m. Feb. 3, 7 p.m. Feb. 4 and 2 p.m. Feb. 5.
• “Sketches of a Man” is an adaptation by graduate student Kashif Powell of the iconic work “Invisible Man” by Ralph Ellison. Performances are 5:30 p.m. Feb. 9, 8:30 p.m. Feb. 11, 2 p.m. Feb. 12 and 5:30 p.m. Feb. 13.
• “F to M To Octopus,” by honors undergraduate student Sam Peterson, is an unexpected and surprising look at the process of changing gender. Performances are 9 p.m. Feb. 4, 8 p.m. Feb. 10 and 5 p.m. Feb. 12.
• “No One Hurts You More Than S/Mother,” by graduate student Shannon Wong Lerner, is a one-woman opera about our first love, our mother. Performances are 7 p.m. Feb. 11 and 5:30 p.m. Feb. 14.
• “Stories are Lies (That We Tell to Get Other People to Like Us and Make Us Feel Better About Ourselves)” is a series of adaptations of 60 short stories in 70 minutes, presented by the Performance Collective, a group of local artists and UNC faculty, students and staff. Performances are 8 p.m. Feb. 9. and 10 p.m. Feb. 11.
Additional support for the festival is provided by Teatro Latino/a, the Carolina Latina/o Collaborative, the Latina/o Cultures Speakers Series, the Office of Diversity and Multicultural Affairs, assistant professor of dramatic art Ashley Lucas and the Honors Undergraduate Research Fund.

Transactors Improv holds shows, classes

Transactors Improv has shows for adults and for families as well as classes in improvisation coming up.

Theater performances
“Transactors for Families" will run Saturday, Feb. 4, at 6 p.m. at The ArtsCenter in Carrboro. Cost for ArtsClub members is $7; general admission is $8 in advance or $10 day-of. Student or senior tickets cost $5 in advance and $8 day-of. For more information, call (919) 929-2787 or visit http://artscenterlive.org/.

“The Love Show" will run Saturday, Feb. 11, at 8 p.m. at The ArtsCenter in Carrboro. Cost for ArtsClub members is $12; general admission is $14 in advance or $16 day-of. Student or senior tickets cost $7 in advance and $9 day-of. For more information, call (919) 929-2787 or visit http://artscenterlive.org/.

“The Professor: Episode 4" will run Friday, March 2, at 8 p.m. at Common Ground Theatre in Durham. General admission is $14. Student or senior tickets are $10. For more information, call (919) 698-3870 or visit http://cgtheatre.com/.

“Taffy: Transactors for Families" will run Saturday, March 10, at 11 a.m. at Common Ground Theatre in Durham. Cost for adults is $7. Student or senior tickets are $5. Children younger than 2 are free. For more information, call (919) 698-3870 or visit http://cgtheatre.com/.

“Spring Fling" will run Friday, March 23, at 8 p.m. at The ArtsCenter in Carrboro. Cost for ArtsClub members is $12; general admission is $14 in advance or $16 day-of. Student or senior tickets cost $7 in advance and $9 day-of. For more information, call (919) 929-2787 or visit http://artscenterlive.org/.

“The Professor: Episode 5" will run Friday, April 13, at 8 p.m. at Common Ground Theatre in Durham. General admission is $14. Student or senior tickets are $10. For more information, call (919) 698-3870 or visit http://cgtheatre.com/.

“Taffy: Transactors for Families" will run Saturday, May 12, at 11 a.m. at Common Ground Theatre in Durham. Cost for adults is $7. Student or senior tickets are $5. Children younger than 2 are free. For more information, call (919) 698-3870 or visit http://cgtheatre.com/.

Acting classes
Intermediate improv course taught by Transactors Improv’s Anoo Brod will run Mondays, March 5, 12, 19 and 26 and April 2 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at The ArtsCenter in Carrboro. Cost is $101 or $91. For more information call (919) 929-2787 or visit http://artscenterlive.org/event/education/902.

Advanced improv and performance course taught by Transactors Improv’s Anoo Brod will run Mondays, April 16, 23 and 30 and May 7 and 14 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at The ArtsCenter in Carrboro. Cost is $101 or $91. For more information, call (919) 929-2787 or visit http://artscenterlive.org/event/education/903.