Icons of the silver screen and country music scene are getting new life on the local stage this weekend.
Dinosaurs get their turn to tell all in Cape Fear Theatre Arts’ raucous adaptation, “Triassic Parq: The Musical,” which opens at 8 p.m. tonight at City Stage in downtown Wilmington. Performances continue at 8 p.m. Friday through Sunday.
In this retelling of the classic flick, “Jurassic Park,” a host of actors play singing, dancing, swearing dinosaurs and one takes on the role of Morgan Freeman…yes, Morgan Freeman.
Seen from the beasts’ perspective, “Triassic Parq” tackles religion, identity, sex and raptors, as chaos ensues when one dinosaur in a clan of females spontaneously turns male. The mutation spawns a chain reaction of identity crises, forcing the dinosaurs to question everything they know.
Local indie favorite, the swirling, stomping, swelling, living, breathing, beautifully orchestrated chaos that is Justin Lacy and The Swimming Machine, will provide the music.
Tickets to “Triassic Parq” are $22-$27 and can be purchased here.
And over at Thalian Hall tonight, the narrative songs of the late, great Johnny Cash come together in “Ring of Fire.” The musical delves into the world Johnny Cash created through his music and features 38 of his tunes.
“Ring of Fire” opens at 7:30 p.m., with additional performances at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday and at 3 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are $30. Click here for more information.
Looking for something a little more up-and-coming? There’s plenty of innovative acts and indie films to catch–including a Tim Burton flick about a real-life art hoax and a host of area alt-rock bands.
You’ll find those–and lots more–listed below in our weekly arts and entertainment roundup.
Most of the items can be found on The Scene, where it’s always free to post and peruse the latest happenings.
Music
Spectrum Gallery presents free live music each Thursday night. Tonight’s featured musician is Roger Davis. The performance runs from 6 to 8 p.m.
The N.C. Jazz Festival kicks off at 7:30 p.m. tonight at Wilmington Hilton Riverside. Tonight’s performance features jazz standards, vocal swing, a George Shearing tribute and a traditional jam. Concerts from some “all-star” musicians–performing in seven different sets–continue at 7:30 p.m. both Friday and Saturday. Tickets are $40-$60.
Satellite Bar and Lounge presents indie-pop duo The Sea The Sea, with Stray Local and Brother’s Egg, at 9 p.m. Friday. Click here for details.
Ted’s Fun On The River celebrates its fourth birthday Saturday, with live music from special guests, including Barry Langston and Jill Ross, beginning at 7 p.m. Admission is $2.
Reggae fusion band Passafire performs at Ziggy’s By The Sea Saturday, with special guests Signal Fire and Medicated Sunfish. Doors open at 9 p.m. and the show gets underay at 10. VIP Suite and Platinum Table reservations are available. Admission is $10.
Wilmington Symphony Orchestra presents BachFest at 8 p.m. Saturday in UNC-Wilmington’s Kenan Auditorium. The performance offers a generous selection of the master’s orchestral and choral music. Tickets are $25-$27 ($6 for students).
Theater/Comedy
Big Dawg Productions presents “Dearly Beloved” at 8 p.m. tonight through Saturday, and at 3 p.m. Sunday, at Cape Fear Playhouse. The comedy tells the story of the Futrelle sisters’ plans to throw an antebellum-themed wedding in ther small town of Frayo, Texas. Admission is $15 tonight and $20 Friday through Sunday ($18 for seniors, military members and students).
Comedy Central alum Nate Bargatze performs Friday and Saturday at Dead Crow Comedy Club. Bargatze has appeared on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” and “Conan O’Brien” and is a winner of the Boston Comedy Festival. Show times are 8 and 10 p.m. each night (doors open at 7). Dinner is available. Tickets are $15-$17.
TheatreNOW dinner theater presents “Love Happens,” a romantic comedy that follows a year in the lives of two couples–one just starting out and the other nearing a 50th anniversary, Friday and Saturday. Doors open at 6 p.m. and the play begins at 7. Tickets are $24 to $42 and can be purchased here.
Dead Crow Comedy Club presents Wilmington’s only live late night talk show, “Late Fear with Wills Maxwell,” at 11:55 p.m. Saturday. Recorded the first and third Saturday night, “Late Fear” is a showcase for Wilmington’s comedians, musicians and business owners. Admission is $5.
Film
The 13th annual one-day DocuTime Film Festival gets underway at 10 p.m. Saturday in UNCW’s King Hall Auditorium. Screenings continue until 6 a.m. Sunday. This year’s documentary line-up includes “Mending the Line,” “Tashi and the Monk,” “Kitty Hawk: The Wright Brother’s Journey of Invention,” “Particle Fever,” “Duke and the Buffalo” and many more fabulous films. Admission is $7 per program and $25 for the entire event.
Cinematique presents Tim Burton’s “Big Eyes” at 7 p.m. Sunday at Thalian Hall. This biopic is based on the story of Walter Keane, a wildly successful artist who revolutionized popular art in the 1950s and 60s with his paintings of waifs with big eyes. After years of being the front man for this adored collection, the truth comes out–Keane’s art was actually created by his wife, Margaret. Tickets are $8.
Hilary Snow is a reporter at Port City Daily. Reach her at (910) 772-6341 or [email protected].
