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 12
‘Find Love’
Jengo’s Playhouse, 815 Princess St. • Tickets: $12
A summer cinema series is underway and on Friday the art house will screen local director Erica Dunton’s “Find Love,” which screened at Slamdance Film Festival originally in 2006. Dunton has created five feature films, as well as directed episodes for shows including “Ted Lasso” and “Outer Banks.”
“Find Love” follows a woman and man awaiting a flight — the former escaping an unhappy marriage, the latter shocked by his girlfriend’s unplanned pregnancy — both stumbling toward a turning point in their lives. With Icelandic band Mum scoring the scenes, lead actors Christian Camargo and Alexie Gilmore bring to life spark-attracting chemistry between two strangers.
Tickets to the screening are $12 here.
OTHER THURSDAY EVENTS
‘Taming of the Shrew’ — Cape Fear Shakespeare on the Green youth company opened its 20th season with a production of the Bard’s “Taming of the Shrew,” featuring the Mermaid Tavern Players. The show explores themes of feminism and perseverance, but has been challenged as well by critics for its misogynistic tone. The story follows a headstrong Katherina, being courted by Petruchio, who engages in psychological and physical torments in an attempt to make her obedient. It’s free to catch the show, which continues June 9-12, 16-17, and 23-25 at 8 p.m. Gates open at 6:30 p.m. and audiences are welcome to bring a picnic to catch the show, which continues by CF Shakespeare adult company. Admission is free.
Friday, June 13
Ian Fidance
Dead Crow Comedy Room, 511 N. Third St. • Tickets: $25-$35
Known for his offbeat humor, New York comedian Ian Fidance is described as a “power act” by American standup comedian and actor Dave Attell.
Originally from the other Wilmington — in Delaware — Fidance has a podcast, “Bein’ Ian with Jordan,” co-hosted with Jordan Jensen. Fidance has performed at numerous comedy festivals, as well as been involved with sketch shows including “”The Last OG” with Tracy Morgan. He also has been a contributing writer for Comedy Central’s “Crank Yankers.”
He dropped his debut special, “Wild, Happy and Free,” on YouTube last year where he poked fun at his own appearance. It opens with him taking on various responses to his facial hair.
“People comment on my mustache all the time and it’s always from people I don’t want to talk to,” he said. “I was touring Europe a year ago and a bunch of guys were coming up to me, going: ‘Hey, just so you know the age of consent is 14.’ Like shut the f**k up, what are you talking about dude? It’s a mustache, not a lifestyle.”
He performs four shows this weekend, Friday and Saturday, at 7 p.m. and 9:30 p.m.
OTHER FRIDAY EVENTS
Riley Green — Riley Green’s tour is celebrating his third studio album, “Don’t Mind If I Do,” released last year, pulling inspiration from his rural Alabama life to deliver an honest and at times humorous catalog of music. The new music includes “Jesus Saves,” “Worst Way” and the title track, the latter reuniting Green with Ella Langley. The two are featured on the duet “you look like you love me,” which has had 162 million global streams and is continually climbing toward the top of several viral charts. Green’s show at Live Oak Bank Pavilion is sold out but verified resales are listed through Ticketmaster here.
Petty Thieves — If you miss the performances of American rocker Tom Petty, who passed away in 2017, let the next best thing entertain you with his music this weekend. Petty Thieves is performing at Eagle’s Dare (420 N. Third St.) on Friday, with local band ReSoul opening the 6:30 p.m. show. Petty Thieves, who play popular tracks like “American Girl,” “Don’t Do Me Like That,” and “You Wreck Me,” take over at 8 p.m., as performed by Matt Daniels, Will Boone, Charles Cleaver, Gary Owen, Beasley Nelson and John Adams. The show is free and open to all ages. Cheesesteak ETC food truck also will be parked on site.
Oc3ans — Downtown on the water at 18 Harnett Street, the Sunset Live Music Series is underway at Marina Grill’s The Boatyard. Local band Oc3ans, featuring Jared Sales, Josh Byrd, Joey Lamb and Brooke Renshaw will take the stage. Renshaw is coming off a stint on “American Idol” season 22 and her band blends pop, rock and hip-hop, in both originals and covers. The show is free and lawn chairs and leashed, friendly dogs are welcome.
‘Macbeth’ — Cape Fear Shakespeare on the Green opened its 32nd season last weekend with the Bard’s most famous tragedy, “Macbeth.” Directed by Caylan McKay, “Macbeth” follows a Scottish general who, from a prophecy told by three witches, learns he will become king one day. But what it takes to get there is a psychological twister and, with his wife by his side along the way, violence and eventual tyrannical ruling erupts over political power. “Macbeth” continues at Greenfield Lake Amphitheater on June 13-15, 21-22, and 26-27, with shows at 8 p.m. Gates open at 6:30 p.m. and audiences are welcome to bring a picnic to catch the show, which continues by CF Shakespeare adult company. Admission is free.
Saturday, June 14
DocuTime
Jengo’s Playhouse, 815 Princess St. • Tickets: $15-$35
Founded by Paula Haller, who retired from overseeing the festival in 2022, DocuTime has been taken over and is programmed now by WHQR and Cucalorus Film Festival.
The festival features documentaries — shorts and features, Oscar nominees, foreign and animated films alike. This year’s slate includes four films, including three features. “The Librarians” deals with recent surges in book-banning, while “Thank You Very Much” delves into comedian Andy Kauffman. “Andre is an Idiot” is about a dying man who didn’t get a colonoscopy but tackles life with curiosity and a sense of humor.
A short doc about WHQR’s newsroom will screen as will “What in the World?!” — about a trucker from Texas and a young hippie on the hunt for hidden gold. Screenings take place between 10:30 a.m. and 7:30 p.m.; the full schedule and tickets are available here.
OTHER SATURDAY EVENTS
Adult Pride Prom — To celebrate love, light, and liberation, Pride month features an Adult Prom at The Eagle’s Dare (419 N. Third St.). There will be lots of colorful decor, queer anthems and acceptance of all attendees. Also, the prom is 1980’s themed — so stack those bangles, put on those thin ties and spike or tease your hair to take on the era. Tickets are $25 and light refreshments are served; it’s a cash bar.
Bluegrass in the Grove — Poplar Grove Plantation is hosting a concert featuring Americana performers including Dear Maribella and the Pigkickers, Asheville Mountain Boys, Travis Watts & Mountain Blessings, Shannon Baker and Sometime Soon, Folkstone Stringband, and Sail Away Ladies. Food trucks, a full bar and concessions will be onsite; tickets are $15 and will be available online at www.poplargrove.org. Kids are free!
Sunflower Festival — Trask Family Farms at 3540 Blue Clay Road is celebrating summer with a Sunflower Festival. It takes place from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and features a 9-acre sunflower maze, a petting zoo, local food trucks, and family-friendly activities, including live music and hayrides. There will be local vendors as well and fresh produce for sale. The maze will remain open for another two to three weeks and admission is $10 with ages 3 and under free; sunflowers can be picked in the maze for $2 each.
Geeks and Freaks Pride Market — Continuing the Pride celebrations is a Geeks and Freaks Market to be set up at Crofton Pretzels (1620 Market St.) on Saturday from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. LGBTQ+ vendors and geeky creators will be on site; cosplay is also encouraged. It’s free to attend but wares, pretzels and drinks are individually priced.
Slightly Stoopid and Iration — Returning to the Live Oak Bank Pavilion stage on Saturday is California-based band Slightly Stoopid performing an amalgamation of rock, folk, reggae, and blues with hip-hop, funk, metal and punk. The band has released more than a dozen albums and was originally signed by Sublime’s Bradley Nowell in the early ’90s. Joining their tour this time around is reggae band Iration and Little Stranger. A portion of sales from the Step Into the Sun Tour will benefit Life Rolls On, which helps adapt athletes with disabilities to skate and surf. Tickets start at $50.
Sunday, June 15
Glass Animals
Live Oak Bank Pavilion, 10 Cowan St. • Tickets: $30 and up
British indie rock band Glass Animals is touring through Wilmington Sunday.
Formed in Oxford in 2010, the band has released four albums to date, though they’re best known for their biggest hit single “Heat Waves,” which went viral on TikTok. The song surpassed 2 billion streams on Spotify by September 2022, and eventually reached number one on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and number five on the UK Singles Chart.
Glass Animals has been nominated for two Brit Awards and one GRAMMY — Best New Artist at the 2022 GRAMMY Awards. The band will be joined on their tour by special guest Sofia Isella, an American alternative singer, songwriter, producer, and violinist at Sunday’s show.
Tickets are $30 and up.
OTHER SUNDAY EVENTS
‘Beetlejuice Jr.’ — Love the ghost with the most? Want to see his hijinks on the living in a live theater setting? Let a group of youth thespians entertain you with Thalian Association Community Theater’s “Beetlejuice Jr.” It’s based on the Broadway musical with music and lyrics by Eddie Perfect, book by Scott Brown and Anthony King, and based on the Geffen Company Picture from the 1980s. The show follows Lydia Deetz who has a natural proclivity for seeing the afterlife and finds herself caught up in a spectacle to keep her newfound friends Adam and Barbara Maitland. Tickets to the show, held at the USO/Hannah Block Community Theater, are $30 and can be secured here. Shows take place at 7:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and 3 p.m. on Sunday and runs June 13-15.
Wynonna Judd — Wynonna Judd’s career began with her mother, Naomi, as one-half of The Judds is performing at Wilson Center, 7:30 p.m. Judd is embarking on her “Greatest Hits Tour,” featuring many Grammy-winning selections and number one hits. She’s been dubbed “the greatest female country singer since Patsy Cline” and in the decade Wynonna and her mother toured together, from the ’80s through the ’90s, they released six studio albums, won five GRAMMYs, nine Country Music Awards and had 20 singles top Billboard Country charts. Wynonna went on to have a successful solo career as well and was supposed to reunite with her mother for a tour in 2022, before Naomi committed suicide. Tickets to her Wilmington show start at $58.
Juneteenth Gospel Festival — The Juneteenth holiday is officially June 19, but on Sunday events kick off in its celebration — a week of events planned by the Juneteenth Committee of Wilmington. A gospel festival will take place for free at Martin Luther King Jr. Center from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. It features local soloists, group performances and praise teams. The upcoming week features other events including a tribute to the United States Colored Troops at Wilmington National Cemetery on June 17, an urban hike and luncheon on June 18, the official Juneteenth breakfast on June 19, community line dance and step show on June 20, the Juneteenth Music Festival and Black History Expo on June 21, Soulful Liberation art exhibit at CAM on June 28 and a Miss Juneteenth Pageant on June 29. Learn more here.
Boogie in the Park — Kure Beach hosts its free live music May through October, sans concerts held July 4th or Labor Day weekends. Beach chair and blankets are welcome to enjoy the free music series by the sea on the first and third Sunday of the month, 5 p.m. – 7 p.m., at Ocean Front Park, 105 Atlantic. Ave. This Sunday welcomes The Rhythm Bones, who play Americana, blues, funk and soul.
Tips or comments? Email info@portcitydaily.com.
Want to read more from PCD? Subscribe now and then sign up for our newsletter, Wilmington Wire, and get the headlines delivered to your inbox every morning.
