SOUTHEASTERN N.C. — Li’l Friday features dozens of ways for people to enjoy the weekend via theater, music, art, culinary happenings and more.
All events featured were scheduled as of Thursday; however, it’s wise to check in ahead of attending any one. Inclement weather, changes in schedules and unforeseen circumstances may shift for organizers at the last minute.
Thursday, June 4
Hubblo: Immersive Dome Theater Experience
Thalian Hall, 310 Chestnut St. • Tickets:
During the month of June, locals can partake in an immersive theatre experience in Thalian Hall in the Hubblo Dome.
The dome is 30 feet and has a 360-degree spatial surround sound and will feature four shows daily, including Pink Floyd’s “Dark Side of the Moon” in a 50-year anniversary celebration with music and visuals, an infant-friendly performance called “Bébé Symphonique” and two double-features, “Aurorae / One Day on Mars” and “Close Encounters / Total Eclipse.” The double-features are not traditional movies but rather visual “experiences.”
“This installation will serve as a preview to the types of programming that will be available in the Hippodrome on the other side of the Thalian Hall Transformation project,” a release from Thalian Hall noted.
The historic theater is undergoing a $25-million renovation project, bringing new plans from its basement to the upper floors. It will include workshop spaces, upgrades to the current theaters, plus new theater spaces. The Wilde Cat Club, for instance, will have a rotating stage and welcome artists and musicians to its venue, while the ballroom once known as city council chambers will become the hippodrome.
Tickets to programming in Hubblo Immersive Dome can be purchased here.
OTHER THURSDAY EVENTS
Boardwalk Blast — Enjoy live music and fireworks on the Carolina Beach’s Boardwalk. On Thursday, June 4, Dubtown Cosmonauts, a psychedelic jam band, will take the stage, located at Cape Fear Boulevard and Carolina Beach Avenue North. Music starts at 6 p.m. and the fireworks blast over the beach at 9 p.m. And it’s free!
‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ — Caylan McKay is directing a classic as part of Cape Fear Shakespeare on the Green with “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.” The comedy is set in Athens and takes on multiple plots revolving around the marriage of Theseus and Hippolyta. The play is famous for its magical elements, including the mischievous fairy Puck, who uses a love potion to prompt chaos among lovers. The show starts at 8 p.m., is free, and takes place June 5-7, 12 and 14, 19-21 and 26-28, with gates opening to Greenfield Lake Amphitheater at 6:30 p.m. Picnics welcome.
Friday, June 5
Bryson Banks
Dead Crow Comedy Room, • Tickets: $24 and up
The L.A.-based comedian and Marine veteran has grown his social media following and has become well-known for crowd work — particularly when performing for military crowds.
Bryson Banks is coming to Dead Crow on Friday and Saturday, performing two shows each night at 7 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. Though he hasn’t released a standup special or recorded an album, his online clips have gone viral.
“I did used to be in the Marines a long time ago,” one bit starts, with someone in the crowd yelling back “Oorah,” but tells Banks he isn’t a Marine upon being asked. “And the way he said it was, like, he’s being saying it a little too much, with a little too much spice. That’s our N-word, bro!”
Tickets to his show start at $24 here.
OTHER FRIDAY EVENTS
‘Guys and Dolls Sr.!’ — The Thalian Association Community Theater for Youth is putting on a classic musical comedy, “Guys and Dolls Sr.!” The original production opened on Broadway in 1950 and follows gangster gamblers in the NYC underworld. Its plot follows two stories: a broke gambler betting he can marry a straight-laced missionary and a showgirl and her fiance. The production is staged at the USO/Community Arts Center at 120 S. Second St. June 5 – 7, with $18 tickets here.
Saturday, June 6
Carolina Beach Music Festival
Carolina Beach Boardwalk Beach Strand • Tickets: $35 and up
Annually, the Carolina Beach Music Festival features multiple bands from the Southern beach music scene as crowds shag on the sand. Concerts take place on the shoreline in front of the Carolina Beach Boardwalk.
Presented by the Pleasure Island Chamber of Commerce, Saturday’s lineup includes The Tams, Band of Oz and Jim Quick & The Coastline and takes place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Tickets start at $35 in advance or $40 at the door, and children 10 and under are admitted for free. The main gate is located on the north side of the Boardwalk near the Hampton Inn; chairs and blankets are welcome.
OTHER SATURDAY EVENTS
Pride Kickoff Drag Show — Pride month is officially here. The Blind Elephant is getting into the spirit by hosting a drag show at 21 N. Front St. Five queens are prepared to entertain throughout the evening at this aged 21-and-over show. Tickets are $16 here.
America 250 Stars and Stripes — The Wilmington Conservatory of Fine Arts is putting on “America 250: Stars and Stripes,” celebrating the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence through dance and music. The show will encompass storytelling traditions and highlight trailblazers who shaped our nation’s artistic heritage as it moves through the eras, from the American frontier to the Jazz Era and more. “Rodeo” is inspired by the dance pioneer Agnes de Millie, while a tribute honoring the military will also take place to Gershwin’s “Rhapsody in Blue.” Plus there will be works honoring the civil rights movement, Native American tribes of the southeastern U.S. and more. There are two shows at the Wilson Center at 1 p.m. and 6 p.m., on June 6, with tickets starting at $25 here.
Brunswick Big Band Swing Dance — Put on your dancing shoes. The Town of Leland Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Resources welcomes all to enjoy an evening of swing dancing with live jazz music from the Brunswick Big Band. A beginner lesson will start at 7 p.m., followed by open dancing. Limited tickets for this event are $12 here or in-person at the Leland Cultural Arts Center, 1212 Magnolia Village Way.
16th Annual Flytrap Frolic — A free community environmental and educational event will take place in honor of southeastern North Carolina’s indigenous carnivorous plants at the Stanley Rehder Carnivorous Plant Garden, 3800 Canterbury Road. Attendees to the Flytrap Frolic will learn why they grow here and how they trap prey. There will be a garden guide who to lead visitors to the plants, along with activities and games, arts and crafts and painters. Vendors will be set up from Halyburton Park, Sarracenia Conservancy, Carolina Beach State Park and The Nature Conservancy. There also will be ethically sourced flytraps for sale, with proceeds benefiting the Coastal Land Trust. They will be sold on a first-come, first-serve basis as supplies last. The event is free and takes place from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.
‘Mahalia’ — From Techmoja Dance Company “Mahalia: A Gospel Musical” is being staged at Thalian Hall from June 5-7, 7:30 p.m. except for Sunday matinees at 3 p.m. The spirit-lifting musical by Tom Stolz brings to life the story of Mahalia Jackson — legendary “Queen of Gospel” whose voice became the soundtrack of hope during the American Civil Rights Movement. Having broken racial and cultural barriers, Jackson’s story covers ground from New Orleans to Carnegie Hall, as she overcame adversity and made close friendships, such as to Martin Luther King Jr., on her rise to international fame. Tickets are $48 here.
Sunday, June 7
Cheap Trick
Wilson Center, 703 N. Third St. • Tickets: $60
Established almost half a century ago by Robin Zander (vocals, rhythm guitar), Rick Nielsen (lead guitar), Tom Petersson (bass guitar), and Bun E. Carlos (drums), Cheap Trick has more than 40 international Gold and Platinum certifications, myriad awards and industry honors. They also have been featured on more than 20 movie soundtracks and have total record sales in excess of 20 million.
Five decades in, Cheap Trick remains the same at its core as ever — four guys, three chords, and an unparalleled canon of tunes that will last an eternity, including “California Man,” “Dream Police,” “Surrender,” “I Want You to Want Me,” and the worldwide #1 hit single “The Flame.”
They’re playing Wilson Center, in support of their 21st studio album, “All Washed Up” and to celebrate their 50th anniversary.
OTHER SUNDAY EVENTS
B.A.D. Halfway to Thanksgiving Donation Drive — Businesses in the Brooklyn Arts District are coming together for a food drive for Mother Hubbard’s Cupboard. The community hub has become a resource for food-insecure families and individuals in the region, and while donations thrive during the holidays, the rest of the year often slows. This fundraiser attempts to bridge the gap with canned chicken, spaghetti sauce and noodles, canned vegetables and more nonperishable items accepted at Brooklyn Cafe, Avenue B, Commodore, Don Lucas, Flytrap and Kitchen Sink through June 6.
HiWire Brewing Pridefest — Wilmington PrideFest returns to HiWire, June 7, 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. There will be a community drag show at 2:30 p.m., hosted by Coop De Ville Heaux, live music at 4 p.m. and a main drag show at 6 p.m. hosted by Brenda the Drag Queen. Live DJs will spin tunes all day and event proceeds will go to the LGBTQ Center of the Cape Fear. HiWire is located at 1020 Princess St.
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