The Word Phoria: Spoken Word Festival is back with its next event at the Visulite Theater beginning tonight at 7:30pm. Come out and be a part of what appears to be a growing trend in the Queen City. Be entertained by innovative poets, writers, performers and novelists who come out to read and perform on one Wednesday each month. For more information, or to register to read yourself, call 704-566-6566.
Saxophonist Dave Sanborn has played with just about everyone, so there's not much to be revealed here. He's adored by the smooth jazz crowd, although he's also an excellent R&B-influenced player. It's the uncategorizable musicians who are usually the most interesting; you can find out at the Performing Arts Center at 8pm. Tickets range from $34.50 to $49.50. Call 704-372-1000,
Due to a tremendous response, Quidam, Cirque Du Soleil's masterful work, continues its run at Lowe's Motor Speedway. Showtimes run as follows: Tuesday and Wednesday at 8pm, Thursday and Friday at 5pm and 9pm, Saturday at 4pm and 8pm, and Sunday at 1pm and 5pm. The performances on April 18-19 will be held at 8pm. Tickets range from $45-$65 for adults and $31.50-$45.50 for children. For more information call 800-678-5440 or visit online at www.cirquedusoleil.com.
This year Rock Hill celebrates its 150th birthday with its annual Come See Me festival. The festival continues today through Sunday with events for all ages all around town. Visit beautiful gardens, see a play, hear local music, enjoy food from local vendors, and all that other neat small town stuff. For a complete schedule of events visit the website at http://comeseeme.rockhill.net.
THURSDAY 18The big Charlotte Wine & Food Weekend benefiting Hospitality House of Charlotte and the Charlotte Symphony is set for today through Saturday. The weekend includes vintner dinners, numerous tastings, a Napa-style barbecue, a silent auction and a live auction and gala. Costs vary depending on which events you wish to attend. Reservations for any of the events can be made online at www.charlottewineandfood.com or by calling 704-552-9780.
Margaritaville mayor Jimmy Buffett will appear with his Coral Reefer Band tonight at 8pm at Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre. The show is likely sold out, as are area dealers of Hawaiian shirts, plastic parrots, and dirt weed. However, you might want to call 704-522-6500 just to be sure.
Tonight at the Levine Museum of the New South at 6pm, Bettye Collier-Thomas, Professor of History at Temple University, will speak on She Hath Done What She Could: Black Women Preachers and Their Struggle for Recognition. A dinner will be provided. Admission is $10 for members and $12 for non-members. For more information, call 704-333-1887.
Charlotte Symphony's Mostly Mozart Neighborhood Concert Series returns with its next installment beginning this evening at First United Methodist Church. Shows follow on Friday at St. Matthews Catholic Church and Saturday at University Park Baptist Church. All shows begin at 7:30pm. The program will feature works by Bruckner, Bach and, you guessed it, Mozart. Tickets are $10. For more information call 704-972-2000 or visit online at www.charlottesymphony.org.
CPCC's division of Visual and Performing Arts presents Dances of India with internationally acclaimed performer Maha Gingrich and Group. We have been assured that these folks are not related, nor do they have anything to do with, former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich. Which is a relief. The performance will feature both North and South Indian Classical and Folk dances. The show starts at 12:30pm in Pease Auditorium on the campus of CPCC. Admission is free. For more information call 704-330-6309 or 704-549-8428.
The UNC Charlotte Jazz Ensemble, always an impressive outfit, are set to perform at 8pm in the university's Rowe Recital Hall. The show will also feature a new big band, the Charlotte Jazz Orchestra. It's a great chance to hear up-and-coming student musicians playing a number of different styles (swing, Latin, funk, etc.), together with seasoned professionals. The performance is free.
Last year's African American Romance Writers Weekend at West Boulevard Library was so popular, they decided to bring it back this year. Romance & All That Jazz comes to the West Boulevard Library welcoming six new authors, and one favorite from last year. The writers are Gwynne Forster, Angela Benson, Nathasha Brooks-Harris, Shirley Halistock, Brenda Jackson, Kayla Perrin and Jacquelin Thomas. The visiting authors will participate in writing workshops, readings, book signings and a concert. For more information or a detailed schedule of events call 704-353-0959 or visit online at www.plcmc.org/romance.
FRIDAY 19The all-male comic ballet Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo will be presented at the Performing Arts Center tonight at 8pm. The troupe dances a fine line between high art and straight comedy as they parody classic works like Swan Lake and Giselle. Tickets range from $15-$40. For more information call 704-372-1000 or visit online at www.performingartsctr.org.
The Loch Norman Highland Games begin today, and run through Sunday. Featured are all sorts of traditional Scottish activities, including bagpiping, wrestling, tug of war, dancing, the heavy stones, drinking single malt whisky, music, and more. Tickets range from $2-$20 depending on the event. Visit www.lochnorman.com for more info, or call 704-875-3113.
Children's Theatre of Charlotte is set to present The Crane Wife, the tale of a poor peasant whose good fortune gives way to greed. The show starts tonight at 7:20pm and will run at multiple times through April 28. Tickets are $9 for center seats, $6 for side seats, and are available for all shows with the exception of the April 21 2pm show, which is sold out. For more information call 704-333-8983 or visit online at www.ctcharlotte.org.
Grammy Award-winning jazz/blues vocalist Dianne Reeves will perform songs from her latest album The Calling: Celebrating Sarah Vaughan tonight at 8pm at Spirit Square's McGlohon Theatre. Tickets are $25, available by calling 704-336-2898.
The 2nd Annual Lake Norman Hospice Regatta to benefit Hospice at Charlotte and Hospice of Lincoln County starts today and runs through Sunday at the Lake Norman Yacht Club in Mooresville. The event begins with a fundraiser "Party at the Point" tonight from 6:30-10pm and continues with the Regatta over the next two days. The event is a qualifying event for The National Hospice Regatta Invitational Championship to be held in 2003. Tickets to "Party at the Point" are $50. For more information or to purchase tickets or receive a Notice of Race/Race Entry Form call 704-335-4324.
SATURDAY 20The 8th Annual Festival of India takes place today (11:30am-7:30pm) and tomorrow (noon-5pm) at the Wachovia Atrium and Plaza, located at 301 S. Tryon St. Admission to the event, which offers terrific Indian foods, arts and crafts, amazing dances, spectacular clothes and music, is $2. For more information, call 704-543-1767 or visit www.festivalindia.org.
Tall, cool drink of water Alan Jackson, the multi-platinum country singer, will appear at Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre at 7:30pm tonight. Tickets are $20, $35, and $45. Call 704-522-6500 for more information.
Marti Jones, who broke out in the 80s as one of that decade's most independent and original singers, brings her mix of pop, rock and jazz and whatever to the Evening Muse for two shows, at 8 and 11pm. The 8pm show is an all-ages show. Jones is backed on this tour by Charlotte percussionist Jim Brock and a string trio. Call 704-376-3737.
Theatre Charlotte will hold its annual fundraising event An Evening of Entertaining History in celebration of bringing 75 years of theater to Charlotte. The event will take place at the theater. A full evening of activities is planned including cocktails, a buffet dinner, dancing, an original play, and a silent and live auction. Gala tickets are $125 per person. For more information call 704-376-3777.
Nojum Al-Sharq, a newly formed dance company from Charlotte, presents Under Egyptian Skies, an evening of Middle Eastern dance featuring local and regional performers. Featured will be historical and mystical dances from Egypt, Lebanon, Turkey, Iran, Greece and North Africa. The event will be held at the Pineville-Matthews Fred Astaire Dance Studio. Doors open at 7pm, beverages and hors d'oeuvres provided. Adult tickets are $10 in advance, $12 at the door. Children 12 and under $5 in advance, $6 at the door. For more information call 704-724-1082 or 704-906-8353.
SUNDAY 21The Davidson College Symphony and Concert Choir will present Dona Nobis Pacem by Ralph Vaughn Williams this afternoon at 3pm in the Belmont Abbey Basilica. The work, which translates as "Give Us Peace" in Latin, is based on English texts from the Bible, Walt Whitman and others. The program is open to the public and is free. For more information call 704-334-3468.
MONDAY 22Pintsized Lil' Romeo, the son of one-time almost-Hornet and rapper Master P, appears at Cricket Arena at 7pm tonight (the better to make his bedtime). Tickets for the event are $25.50 and $30, available by calling 704-522-6500.
NC Dance Theatre 2 will give free lunchtime performances, or Dance Breaks today through Wednesday from 12:15-1pm in the Duke Power Theatre of Spirit Square. Special box lunches from Brixx Restaurant, including a sandwich, chips and soda will be offered for $8. The April program features a variety of contemporary works. For more information call 704-372-0101.
TUESDAY 23The Charlotte Knights take on the Norfolk Tides tonight and tomorrow night at 7:15pm. Tickets are $6-9, available by calling 704-36-HOMER.
WEDNESDAY 24The Gay & Lesbian Film Series continues tonight at the Mint Museum of Craft & Design with two films. The first film, Kevin's Room, will be shown at 7pm, and the second film, Queen of the Whole Wide World, will be shown at 9pm. Tickets are $7 for each film at the door. For more information call
704-563-2699 or visit online at www.outcharlotte.org.
Charlotte Repertory Theatre wraps up its season with Proof, winner of last year's Tony Award for Best Play and the Pulitzer Prize for Drama. The show will run tonight through May 5 at the Booth Playhouse of the Performing Arts Center. Tonight's performance begins at 7:30pm, and others follow at 8pm throughout the rest of the run. Tickets range from $22-$29.50. For more information call 704-372-1000 or visit online at www.charlotterep.org.
The Seventh Annual Charlotte Taste of the Nation fundraising event, featuring signature dishes from three dozen local restaurants, fine wines and other complimentary beverages, live entertainment and a silent auction, is tonight from 6:30-10:30pm. The event will be held at Two Wachovia Center Atrium, 301 S. Tryon Street. One hundred percent of ticket proceeds go to hunger relief; local beneficiaries are Second Harvest Food Bank and Community Food Rescue. Tickets to the main event are $50, tickets which include the preview hour are $75. For more information call 704-376-1785. *
