Wednesday, October 19

Beginning today, the Novello Festival celebrates its 15th year with a dozen events scheduled over the next two weeks, including celebrated writers, illustrators and other literary luminaries. This year's line-up includes novelists Elizabeth Berg and Chris Bohjalian, plus award-winning children's writers and illustrators such as Bruce Colville, Valerie Hobbs and David Christiana. Author Judy Goldman will conduct a fiction writing workshop. Tickets available through the Children's Theatre of Charlotte box office at ImaginOn, or at 704-333-8983. For more information, go to www.novellofestival.net. (Boykin)

Steve Lawler is a man on a mission. The DJ has won three consecutive Ibiza DJ Awards for "Best Tech-House/Progressive DJ." And for good reason: Lawler has an ear for discerning fresh sounds from turntables, which he further reinterprets with his technical prowess. Lawler has contributed to a pile of compilations and remixes and has released grooves on his own labels: Harlem Records, Harlem Trax and Harlem Electric. His newest creation is the double disc Lights Out 3 for stalwart dance label Global Underground. Watch the Birmingham-born, Ibiza-based DJ/producer work his spell tonight, 10pm at Sky. Tickets are $15. For more info call 704-343-2586. (Shukla)

Thursday, october 20

The Rolling Stones of popular fiction, John Irving, brings the world according to himself to the Learning Society of Queens. Irving -- the Stones to Stephen King's Alice Cooper and John Grisham's Allman Brothers -- is the author of that spate of hip novels beginning in the early 70s with The Water-Method Man and extending through the 80s with Hotel New Hampshire and The Cider House Rules. He's come full circle with the recent Until I Find You. Like the Stones, Irving's show is sold out. You'll have to sneak in or listen on Selwyn Avenue ooutside of Queens University at 7pm. If that doesn't work, buy the bootleg. (Kemp)

Rinne Groff's Orange Lemon Egg Canary is named for a charming parlor trick (one layer after another peeled away), but the action centers on a dangerous, cringe-inducing impalement illusion. An exploitative, Svengali-like magician, whose family has guarded the secret of this illusion for generations, now finds he's the one exploited by a treacherous assistant. This haunting, sexy, mesmerizing spectacle was a sensation at the 2003 Humana Festival in Louisville. Now Carolina Actors Studio Theatre dares to bring the magic to 1118 Clement Ave. through Nov. 12. Michael Simmons stars and George Brown directs. The "Trick in Four Acts" is performed Thursdays through Saturdays at 8pm, with Sunday matinees at 2:30pm. Tickets are $15 for adults, $12 for students and seniors. Call 704-455-8542. (Tannenbaum)

Opera Carolina subscribers might think Georges Bizet wrote just one opera since the company has performed Carmen no less than eight times in its history. The melodist who gave us the "Habañera" and the "Séguedille" also left us The Pearl Fishers, which takes us to Sri Lanka and warms us once again with passion, jealousy and betrayal. Jennifer Welch-Babidge stars as Leila, the beauty powerful enough to come between two sworn blood brothers. OC's first-ever dive into Bizet's Pearl begins at 7:30pm Thursday, repeats on Saturday at 8pm and Sunday at 2pm. Tickets are $12-$82. Call 704-372-1000. (Tannenbaum)

Friday, october 21

The Love & Music Tour, featuring Jaguar Wright, Kindred the Family Soul and Latoya London, hits Club Tempo tonight. Badass Philly soul star Wright remains afloat due to her beneficial association with the Roots fam. Yet her latest CD, Divorcing Neo 2 Marry Soul, shows Wright has yet to realize the potential she showed on Jigga's MTV Unplugged special. Married duo Kindred and their 10-piece band have broken out of the same rich Black Lily scene as Wright, repping it well with their jazzy-soul fusion. London's biggest challenge remains to overcome the taint of "American Idol" stardom, which often leads to subsequent obscurity. This neo-soul lovefest goes down at CLT's hottest new nightspot at 8:30pm. Tickets are $33, and the show is 21 & over. Call 704-896-6982 for more details. (Crazy Horse)

The "Bad Boys of Abridgement" are in the house at last! Yes, the original Reduced Shakespeare Company -- the three-man troupe famed for trivializing the Bard, the Bible and all of American history -- now bring All the Great Books (abridged) to McGlohon Theatre for two nights. See what happens when this smart-alecky trio of ignoramuses gets hold of a remedial English class. Dickens defiled with "Great Expectorations" is only a small fraction of the mischief. Tickets for the 8pm performances are $26-$32. Call 704-372-1000. (Tannenbaum)

Regional classical and jazz composers join forces for the annual Jazz Composers Carolina 2005. This year's featured performers are Frank Kimbrough, Ron Brendle, Claire Ritter, Jane Hart Brendle and Alan Black. The musicians will perform the world premiere of jazz compositions in duo and trio settings, as well as the premiere of "Jazz Serenades for Georgia O'Keeffe." The show is on at 8pm in Dana Auditorium, Queens University. Tickets are $12; kids under 12 and seniors get in free. For more details, call 704-372-5008. (Shukla)

Saturday, october 22

You may need to bring camping gear to Queen City Jazz Company's fall program. The group is planning to unveil no fewer than nine dances in A Composition in Jazz at Booth Playhouse. Music always covers a wide spectrum when the energetic QCJC performs with delightful precision. The mix includes Afro-Celt Sound System, Janis Joplin, Coldplay and Broadway's Pajama Game. Headline choreographer is LJ Jellison, who has been featured on Broadway in Wicked. He'll be lighting a fuse to Metallica in the premiere of "Fade to Black." Tickets are $20 for the 8pm performance. Call 704-372-1000. (Tannenbaum)

Tuesday, october 25

First strap your arms down by your sides, then try to walk on a bed of glowing coals. The effect will approximate the motionless torsos and flying feet of Riverdance, coming back to the Blumenthal for eight performances. The tour, now in its 10th year, features 70 dancers, singers and musicians in a celebration of Irish tradition and music. The Irish eyes will be smilin' at you from the stage tonight through Saturday at 8pm, Sunday at 7:30pm, and Saturday and Sunday at 2pm. Tickets are $20-$65 and can be purchased online at www.ticketmaster.com or www.BlumenthalCenter.org, or by phone at 704-372-1000. (Vespa)