Thursday, Apr. 7
The Moors
UNCW Cultural Arts Building, Mainstage Theater, 601 S. College Rd. • Tickets: $6-$15
The final show of UNCW’s Department of Theater season takes on the thriller eccentricity of Jen Silverman’s “The Moors” — a play that challenges the dynamic of control and relationships, set in the mid-19th century English moors.
Directed by Paul Castagno, the quirky performances and astounding set will have audience members questioning their places in life. It follows two sisters, Huldey and Agatha, who live in a manse in the dreary moors, wherein they daydream of love and fame. They are accompanied by their scullery and parlor maids, Mallory and Marjory, and a talking Mastiff who happens to be in love with a chatty moor hen. (Yes, one of the most unusual and engaging parts: The animals talk in the play, requiring the audience to suspend disbelief.)
Read more about the show here. Showtimes are 8 p.m. Thursday through Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday; virtual performances can also be accessed here.
OTHER THURSDAY HAPPENINGS
Brantley Gilbert — The country star will perform his blend of country twang, rap and guitar-shredding at downtown’s Live Oak Bank Pavilion at 7 p.m. Gilbert received a nomination for CMA Awards Song of the Year for “Dirt Road Anthem,” and is known for tracks like “Bottoms Up,” “Country Must be Country Wide,” and “My Kinda Party.” Tickets are $48-$68.
Jazz at CAM — If jazz is more your style instead of country, the Cape Fear Jazz Society will entertain at CAM Café in the Cameron Art Museum. The El Jaye Johnson Band will perform from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. Johnson has been known as a one-man band in Wilmington for years. He moves from guitar, to keyboard, to trumpet, singing and dancing in between. Tickets are $15-$30.
Country 2 Step — Looking to put some pep in your step? Babs McDance can help with a Country 2 Step class, hosted Thursday night. Group classes are available for beginner, intermediate, and advanced dancers at Babs McDance Social Dance Club and Ballroom, 6782 Market St. The class takes place from 8 p.m. – 9 p.m. and cost is $15.
Clothing Swap and Shop — Thrift Thrive Threads will be set up at Catawba Brewing on Thursday, 6 p.m. – 8 p.m., to host a clothing swap. Gently-used clothing can be swapped, sold, or purchased. Cold beer, wine, hard seltzer, cocktails and fresh pub food will be sold from the brewery as well.
READ MORE: 9 ways to enjoy Azalea Festival 75
Friday, Apr. 8
With Love, Marilyn
Thalian Hall, 310 Chesnut St. • Tickets: $32
Opening last weekend to sell-out performances, “With Love, Marilyn” features two local actresses bringing to life the iconic blonde bombshell of the ‘60s. It’s Marilyn’s final dress rehearsal for a show the audience never gets to see at the Sands Casino in Las Vegas before the superstar’s untimely death.
Erin Sullivan and Sydney Smith Martin bring to life the cabaret in a 90-minute performance that includes “Diamonds are a Girl’s Best Friend,” “My Heart Belongs to Daddy,” and “A Fine Romance.” Some songs have been rearranged as well. A live band will be part of the production, led by musical director Brian Whitted, who also acts as Henry, Monroe’s pianist. On drums is Benjamin Baldwin, and Nick Loeber will play bass.
Tickets to “With Love, Marilyn” are $32; the shows begin at 7:30 p.m. except on Sunday, which has a 2 p.m. matinee at Thalian Hall’s Ruth and Bucky Stein Theater.
Read PCD’s interview with the actresses from last week here.
OTHER FRIDAY HAPPENINGS
Death of Cochise — A production at the Wilson Center will tackle the issues of identity, culture, struggle, and accountability in “Death of Cochise,” performed by multi-media artists Dasan Ahanu and Bluz. Ahanu and director Quentin Talley created the piece to cover the depth and breadth of the Black creative experience. The hip-hop and spoken-word production will be followed by a “Talk Back” featuring poet and activist Tim Joyner. Tickets are $25.
Eagle’s Dare Azalea Fest Party — The upcoming bar and beer garden at the corner of 3rd and Red Cross streets will open for the weekend only to host an Azalea Fest party, in support of the Marine Raider Foundation. Catch the Food Truck and Webo’s will be on site. The party takes place Friday from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Mint Julep Jazz Band — A vintage sound is coming to Wilmington’s latest tiki noir-adventurer’s club, The Sorrow Drowner. The Durham-based big band includes four horns, a rhythm section, and a vocalist, as it performs through the swinging 1920s, 1930s, and early 1940s. Tickets are $25-$85 and can be purchased here. Show starts at 8 p.m.
Brooklyn Arts Azalea Art Party — At 4th and Brunswick streets, Bottega will host art vendors from noon to 7 p.m. all weekend long. Live music and karaoke also will be set up. Free admission.
REO Speedwagon — As part of the Azalea Festival’s official lineup, REO Speedwagon will take the Live Oak Bank Pavilion stage on Friday at 7 p.m. The American rock band formed in 1967 and hit the charts in the ‘80s with tracks like “Keep on Loving You” and “Can’t Fight this Feeling.” Tickets are $39-$79.
Hobby Greenhouse Club Spring Plant Sale — The Hobby Greenhouse Club (2318 Metts Ave.) is returning with its plant sale after a two-year hiatusdue to Covid-19. It takes place from 9 a.m. – 6 p.m., Apr. 8 and9, and noon to 5 p.m., Apr. 10. Partial proceeds will go to scholarships for horticulture students at Cape Fear Community College and Brunswick County Community College.
Saturday, Apr. 9
Las Cafeteras
UNCW Kenan Auditorium, 515 Wagoner Dr. • Tickets: $35-$50
This six-piece Chicano band from Los Angeles remixes sounds of roots, rock, hip-hop and rancheras to connect with communities and bridge the gap among different cultures. The group performs in the Son Jarocho folk style, utilizing instruments like jarana, requinto, quijada (donkey jawbone), and tarima (a wooden platform).
Las Cafeteras — which translates to “coffee pots” — has been embarking on a spring tour across various universities. They intertwine storytelling in their performance, speaking and singing in both English and Spanish.
UNCW Office of the Arts is bringing the group to the stage in collaboration with NEA Big Read, a program of the National Endowment for the Arts in partnership with Arts Midwest.
Tickets are $25-$50.
OTHER SATURDAY HAPPENINGS
Cypress Hill — Hip-hop was infused with Latin-American culture in the ‘90s when B Real, Sen Dog, and DJ Muggs formed Cypress Hill in Los Angeles. Singles like “How I Could Just Kill a Man” and “The Phuncky Feel One” became underground hits, but in 1994, the band hit the Billboard No. 1 and earned a Grammy Award nomination for “Insane in the Membrane.” They will hit Live Oak Bank Pavilion as part of Azalea Festival 75 Saturday night. Tickets start at $42.
Azalea Festival Afterparty — Downtown at 111 Grace St., Whiskey Tango Foxtrot will have live music by the Dubtown Cosmonauts. A collaboration among local musicians, the band’s high energy fuses sounds of jazz, jam, electronic and funk. Doors open at 8 p.m. and admission is free.
Spring Has Sprung Art Market — In Leland at Shuckin’ Shack Oyster Bar (1175 Turlington Ave.), an arts market will get underway featuring pottery, paintings, photography, plants, candles, resin art, furniture, and more. Food and beverages will be for sale and a dessert vendor will be on site. Plus, live music by Mystic River will include rock, beach, boogie, and dance. The free event takes place from 4 p.m. – 8 p.m.
Burnt Mill Creek Bird Outing — Early birds get the worm! This hike will begin at 8 a.m. at Burnt Mill Creek (2101 Market St.). Interested parties will meet in the parking lot of Port City Java at 21st and Market streets beside the National Cemetery. Bring comfortable shoes, binoculars and water.
Easter Egg Hunt — The MLK Center (401 S. 8th St.) will host an Easter egg hunt and party from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. There will be crafts, face-painting, pictures and more. Interested families must register here.
Curated on Castle Vintage Market — Each second Saturday of the month, the shops along Castle Street host a market in the lot at 6th and Castle streets. Second Skin Vintage, Gravity Records, Jess James + Co., among 20 local independent vintage collectors, sell clothing, records, home decor and more. Free to attend.
Sunday, Apr. 10
Historic Wilmington Foundation Azalea Home Tour
Various locations, downtown Wilmington and Carolina Place • Tickets: $40
As part of the 75th annual Azalea Festival, the Historic Wilmington Foundation’s annual home tour will showcase a dozen homes. According to executive director Travis Gilbert, it will showcase a variety of design aesthetics and architectural styles that really show off Wilmington’s historic districts.
Homes in Carolina Heights are featured this year and show the early development of downtown Wilmington suburbs. Homes in the area include The Thomas Hammer House (1709 Princess St.), which was designed by the suburb’s first engineer and builder, architect Burrett Stephen.
“This suburb was developed in the early 20th century by Mary Bridgers east of downtown along the streetcar line,” Gilbert said.
The Bridgers-Fulenwider House at 1801 Grace St. was built for Bridgers’ nephew. “After her untimely death in 1910, Burke Haywood Bridgers became the developer of Carolina Heights. ‘Lolita’ was filmed at this house in 1997,” Gilbert said.
Downtown homes are also on the tour, including The Henderson House at 17 S. 6th St. — “one of the few remaining kit houses downtown,” Gilbert said.
“Throughout the early 20th-century, Sears sold kit houses via mail-order catalog,” he added.
An all-volunteer committee chooses the homes annually for the tour from the eight historic districts on the National Register of Deeds. It’s one of HWF’s biggest fundraisers of the year.
On Saturday, noon – 6 p.m., at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, there also will be an ice-cream social after the ribbon cutting. Boombalattis will serve free scoops to ticket-holders while supplies last.
More information can be found here.
OTHER SUNDAY HAPPENINGS
Wilmington Symphonic Winds — The local orchestra will perform at 4:30 p.m. at UNCW’s Kenan Auditorium and will welcome Grammy-nominated pianist Petronel Malan. Performances include Finding Rothko by Emmy-winning and Grammy-nominated composer Adam Schoenberg, as well as works by American composers over the last century. It culminates in a performance of George Gershwin’s monumental Concerto in F. The concert is free.
Drag Brunch — Taking place at Hi-Wire Brewing (1020 Princess St.), a Sunday drag brunch will be hosted by Brenda the drag queen, with food served by Point Break. Also joining the show will be Chloe Cassidy, Ebony Addams and Shelita Bonet Hoyle. Doors openare at noon, show is at 1 p.m. Tickets are $10-$21.
Palm Sunday Funday — In celebration of the upcoming Easter holiday, Second Mile Church is hosting a celebration at The Pointe 14 – Stone Theatre (2223 Blockbuster Rd.) from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. There will be an Easter egg hunt, inflatables, BBQ lunch,. Easter bunny and a balloon artist. It’s free to attend.
Macrame and Sip — Axes and Allies (1122 S. 3rd St.) — Wilmington’s axe-throwing bar — will turn its attention to macrame on Sunday. A class will be hosted from 5 p.m. – 7 p.m. with all materials provided, including cords and base materials. A potted plant holder will be the finished product; cost is $50. Cash bar open.
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