SOUTHEASTERN N.C. — Li’l Friday is a weekly roundup of events in art, music, theater, comedy, pop-up markets 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, March 30
Women Playing Hamlet
Thalian Hall Ruth and Bucky Stein Theater, 310 Chestnut St. • Tickets: $34
Another Big Dawg Production premiere opens Thursday as part of the 2023 season, featuring William Missouri Downs’ “Women Playing Hamlet.”
“It is about an actress who is offered the role of Hamlet, and her crises of confidence over whether she is ‘good enough’ to pull it off,” Big Dawg artistic director told Port City Daily earlier this year.
Jessica is the protagonist, a Starbucks barista with a masters in fine art, who works with an abusive acting coach that tells her she’s too young for the role. It leads her into an existential crisis.
“I spoke with so many people during the pandemic who were struggling to re-discover their passions,” Vernon said about choosing the show for the season. “So many of us began to doubt our worth and sense of place. Did we still belong in the worlds that we previously traveled in?”
The play, tagged “a modern comedy about an old tragedy,” will bring laughter and joy to both “Shakespeare fans and haters alike,” according to Vernon. It runs March 30 through April 2, with showtimes at 7:30 p.m., except for Sunday matinees at 3 p.m. Tickets are $34 and can be purchased here.
OTHER THURSDAY HAPPENINGS
“Lessons from the Piano” — Recently off a win for Best Original Production from the Wilmington Theater Awards, local director and writer Ray Kennedy is debuting his second original play, “Lessons From the Piano.” Produced by Opera House, Wilson Center and Rachael Murray, the read-through will be presented by local veteran actors New York actress Gabrielle Lee, Cullen Moss (“Outer Banks,” “Righteous Gemstones”), Jon Stafford, and locals like Suellen Yates, Rhonda Bellamy and Fracaswell Hyman. Directed by Justin Smith, with costumes by Jayme Bednarczyk, and music from Luís Barragán-Higuera. Kennedy’s premiere is for mature audiences only. They will be seated on the stage to be immersed in the show, which is described simply as: “#MeToo, a man and his Music.” Tickets are $25 and the show runs March 30 through April 7, with Thursday through Saturday shows at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday’s matinee at 2 p.m. at the Wilson Center, 703 Third St.
Friday, March 31
Wilmington Dance Festival
Kenan Auditorium, 515 Wagoner Drive • Tickets: $25
The festival is co-presented by Dance Cooperative and features a celebration of local artists. There will be 74 dancers and 15 choreographers who have been preparing original works for months.
Debuted will be “The Endless Story of the Sun and the Moon” by Addison Browne, “Finding the Way” by Sue Meier and “Catharsis” by Madeleine Pautier. “Je me souviens (I Remember)” by Nancy Carson and Moore Marlowe “opens as an older woman sits alone on a park bench in Paris,” but when the music unfolds, a store of her greatest love illuminates.
The festival will take place at Kenan Auditorium on UNCW’s campus at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $25.
OTHER FRIDAY HAPPENINGS
“Little Women the Musical” — Ashley High School’s theater department is putting on Louisa May Alcott’s American classic, which follows the March sisters growing up in Civil War America. One is vying to become a well-known writer and the story is told primarily through her perspective. The musical will be staged Friday, March 31, and Saturday, April 1, 7 p.m., and Sunday, April 2, 3 p.m. All tickets are $12 and available here or at the door of Minnie Evans Arts Center, 605 Halyburton Memorial Parkway.
Peanut Butter and Jelly Time — Catawba Brewing is celebrating the debut of a new flavor of one of its most popular beers: Peanut Butter and Jelly Time. A light brown ale, the brew is aged with real fruit and peanuts and Catawba switches up the flavor profile of the “jelly” annually. It has done peach, grape and raspberry. Four PBJ Time beers will be on tap this year, including strawberry rhubarb, Carolina jam, blackberry and raspberry. Live music will be performed by Delia Stanley. Catawba Brewing is located at 4712 New Centre Drive.
Flashlight Easter Egg Hunt — Easter is April 9, but Wesleyan Chapel in Scott’s Hill is celebrating early with a night hunt. Families are encouraged to bring a flashlight and Easter basket. There will be hot dogs and other concessions. It’s free.
Saturday, April 1
Cruise-in, Truck Show and Spring Show
The Barn at Rock Creek, 5900 Rock Creek Road. • Admission: $5
Live music, old cars and trucks, plus artisan vendors.
Leland’s The Barn at Rock Creek hosts an annual event showcasing some of the East Coast’s finest cars and trucks and it takes place from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Registration is $30, with car and truck sign-on from 8 a.m. to noon. Trophies are given to top 50 with cashes given to top 10 for Best Original, Best of Show, Best Interior Original, Best Interior Custom, Best Street Rod, Best Car Pre-1975, Best Car 1975 and Up, Best Truck Pre-1975, Best Truck 1975 and Up, and Judges Choice.
Awards will be announced on stage at 4 p.m. There will be local vendors, artisans and food trucks. Live music will be performed by Down South Thunder, Chasing SaraTonin and Parlay, and DJ Dirk Mercer.
OTHER SATURDAY HAPPENINGS
Wilmington Geek Expo — Taking place at the Wilmington Convention Center downtown, Wilmington Geek Expo brings out the cosplay fans and comic book junkies, as well as gaming fiends to enjoy a vendor market, meet celebrities, authors, crafters, enter a cosplay contest, participate in gaming tournaments and panels. It takes place April 1 and this year is welcoming an actor best known locally as Dawson’s dad, Mitch Leery, from “Dawson’s Creek.” John Wesley Shipp, who has also gone on to star in shows like “The Flash” and “Teen Wolf,” will be signing autographs, as will puppeteer and actor Paul Rugg (“Earth to Ned”), Gerard Christopher (“Superboy”) and comic-book artist Tom Fleming. Tickets are $14 to $20, available here; children under 10 enter free with a guardian. VIP entry is at 10 a.m., otherwise doors open at 10:30 a.m. Convention ends at 4:30 p.m., 10 Convention Center Drive.
Marina Grill Block Party — The Marina Grill at the downtown Pier 33 and Port City Marina (18 Harnett St.) will be hosting a block party from noon until 5 p.m. There will be games, such as Jenga, dancing, music and food. There also will be a vendor market featuring Wilmington businesses — Dadbodz Athletics, Avocado Beard, The Wrapped Piedra, Persephones Farm, Bones Pet Boutique, Earth & Empathy Ceramics and food truck Ricos Mexi Tacos on site.
Flytrap Family Fun Day — Carolina Beach State Park welcomes the community to celebrate the indigenous Venus flytrap from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Kids games and activities are planned, including wack-a-duck, fire demonstration? to show prescribed burns are good for carnivorous plants, a flytrap table with live plants, Compass game and more. There will be face painting and a crafts table. Storytime takes place at 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. Picnic area is the meeting place. Free to attend.
Belville Riverwalk Family Day — The Laney Middle School Athletic Booster Club is holding its Family Fun Day fundraiser, with food trucks, vendors, musicians, and an obstacle course. Plus, Disney’s Cinderella and Belle will make an appearance and there will be face-painting and a 50/50 raffle. It takes place noon to 5 p.m. at Riverwalk Park, 580 River Road. In the event of rain, the festivities will move to Leland Middle School, 927 Old Fayetteville Road.
Easter Egg Hunt — Before heading to the family-fun day, the Town of Belville is turning Riverfront Park into an Easter egg hunt for kids 2 to 12 years old. It’s free and will feature photos with the Easter bunny. Three age groups will be welcomed; 2 to 4 years olds, 5 to 7 years olds, and 8 to 12 year olds. Participants must pre-register with Brenda Hewlett at financeclerk@townofbelville.com. Event takes place 9 a.m. to noon.
Bellamy Mansion Neighborhood Yard Sale — Annually, downtown’s Bellamy Mansion Museum hosts a community yard sale. People are invited to bring the stuff they want to get rid of to the museum to sell. The event takes place from 7 a.m. to noon and it’s $15 to reserve a space and an extra $5 for a table. Proceeds from rentals and sales go to Bellamy. The community will find home goods, lawn and garden items, electronics and more. The rain date is Saturday, April 8. Space is limited: 910-251-3700, ext. 304.
Azalea Fest Fashion Show — The official five-day festival is two weeks away but it has one new event taking place this weekend for fashionistas. The first North Carolina Azalea Festival Spring Fashion Show, presented by Lumina Gem, will take place at Bluewater Waterfront Grill. There will be styles from Monkee’s, the Gentleman’s Corner, Meadowlark, Cabi and more featured. Clothes will be sold from the vendor racks after the show, perfect for festival week events, including the garden party, patron’s gala and many concerts. Tickets can be found here and include brunch buffet and two glasses of wine or champagne. Cash bar open.
Music on Market Brierwood Ensemble — Performing as both a duo and a trio, Brierwood Ensemble, featuring Linda Estep (violin), Clark Spencer (viola), and Christina Brier (harp), will host a free concert at 7:30 p.m. at St. Andrews-Covenant Presbyterian Church, 1416 Market St. There will be three works, including Saint-Saëns Fantaisie for violin and harp and Martinu’s Three Madrigals for violin and viola, plus Glinka’s Three Russian Songs. Brierwood was founded seven years ago as a group that would share in storytelling, history and music. The performers at Brierwood shows engage the audience with historical and cultural context of the musical selections, often exploring the familiar but also lesser-known classical works. It’s also a community partner and has performed a multimedia program based on the beloved children’s story The Secret Garden as part of the Seahawk FAM (Family Arts Matinee) series at UNCW. Saturday’s show begins at 7:30 p.m.
Cape Fear Craft and Cuisine — Craft beer week concludes with a premier food-and-beer pairing. Cape Fear Craft and Cuisine puts 18 local chefs with 18 local and regional North Carolina brewers to provide a balanced bite and sip. The event takes place at the North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher on Saturday, April 1, 7 p.m., with tickets costing $100 here. New this year is JohnnyLukes, Soulful Twist and PinPoint, as well as local breweries DrumTrout and Outer Dunes. Read more about it from PCD coverage here.
CFCC Riverfront Boat Show — Students in the boat-building program at Cape Fear Community College will be showing off their talents this weekend. There will be multiple wooden and fiberglass boats displayed along the riverfront, with proceeds from the show going toward scholarships for CFCC’s boat building students. There also will be a knot-tying challenge. Those who wish to enter their boat will pay a $35 entrance fee for amateurs and $100 for commercially manufactured vessels. There will be 10 judged classes including special Simmons Sea Skiff awards. An awards ceremony and dinner takes place that night; contact John Olsen at jolsen@cfcc.edu or call 910-362-7361 for more information. Spectators are welcome for free from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. on the riverfront on Water Street (between the Hilton and Coastline Convention Center). Free parking is available in the CFCC parking deck on Nutt Street.
Sunday, April 2
Cape Fear Chorale
Kenan Auditorium, 515 Wagoner Drive • Tickets: Free
For more than two decades, the Cape Fear Chorale has performed in the greater Wilmington area at least two concerts a year, showcasing the works of classical artists and performing with other arts groups like Wilmignton Symphony Orchestra.
In celebration of its quarter-century impact, the ensemble, made up of upward of 70 members, is performing at Kenan Auditorium on UNCW’s campus at 7:30 p.m. Cape Fear Chorale is currently led by artistic director Aaron Peisner, who will oversee the group through some of his favorite selections performed in past seasons from Mozart, Brahms, Rachmaninoff, Undine S. Moore and more.
As part of Sunday’s show, the ensemble also will honor former director Jerry Cribbs as conductor emeritus. It will announce the winner of the newly established Jerry Cribbs Scholarship for future vocal musicians and music educators as well.
The nonprofit choral group is supported annually by grants, including from the arts council, Landfall Foundation and New Hanover County Community Foundation. It will host auditions for new members to join on June 23, 2023. More information can be found here.
OTHER SUNDAY HAPPENINGS
Bunny Hop Fundraiser — The Dive in Carolina Beach is hosting a fundraiser to help with bunny rescue, spay and neutering. It’s the fifth annual Bunny Hop Fundraiser, with proceeds benefiting Triangle Rabbit Rescue. Live music will be on deck with members from Massive Grass, a silent auction at 3 p.m. and more. The Dive is located at 6-C North Lake Park Blvd. (Also read about The Dive owners’ new venture to launch this summer, covered here by PCD earlier this week.)
Tinted Turtle Trot — It’s also race day on Carolina Beach. The eighth annual Tinted Turtle Trot for the Island Montessori School features a 5k (10 a.m., $35) and 1-mile run (10 a.m., $25), as well as a Kids’ Dash (9:30 a.m., $5) for younger participants. A colorful twist puts a different spring on the trot as participants dash through colorful explosions before and during the race. Packet pick-up is at Good Hops Brewing, 811 Harper Ave., on Friday, March 31, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Participants can also pick up the morning of the race starting at 8 a.m. at Mike Chappell Park. Register here www.TintedTurtleTrot.com.
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