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Gaston County Public Library Conjuring Spirits?. Writing from the roots reading and discussion with author Jaki Shelton Green. Sat., Feb. 26, 2 p.m. Free. 1555 East Garrison Blvd, Gastonia. 704-868-2164 ext. 4.

Morrison Regional Library Mignon Ballard. Mystery author will speak and sign books. Thu., Feb. 24, 7-8:30 p.m. Free. 704-336-7823.

Walden Books, Carolina Mall Romance author Cheris F. Hodges. Author will sign copies of her new novel, A Love of Her Own. Sat., Feb. 26, 1-3 p.m. 704-786-1812.

Spoken Word

Cone Center, UNCC Poetry Showcase. Featuring Taylor Mali, Black Ice and J. Ivy. Thu., Feb. 24, 7 p.m. $3-$5, free for UNCC students. 704-687-2450.

Dilworth Playhouse Café Poetry Open Mic. A local poetry group will perform short pieces. Sat., Feb. 26, 8 p.m. Free. 1427 South Blvd., Suite 103. 704-632-0336.

Queens University Poets' Night. Presented by Main Street Rag and featuring Richard Taylor reading from his new chapbook, Something To Read On The Plane. An Open Mike follows. Sat., Feb. 26, 7 p.m. 1900 Selwyn Ave. 704-573-2516.

Southend Performing Arts Center Perpendicular Poets. 5th Anniversary Show. Eleven local women share their poems in rehearsed program. Sat., March 5, 8 p.m. Free, donations requested. 201 Rampart St. 704-875-6112.

Theater: Openings

Brigadoon Upper School arts department will present the musical. Taylor Hall. Feb. 25-26, 7:30pm; Feb. 27, 2pm. $5-$8. Cannon School, Concord, 5801 Poplar Tent Rd. 704-786-8171.

The Comedy of Errors Piedmont Players Theatre present the Shakespeare comedy. Feb. 25, 7:30pm; Feb. 26, 2:30 & 7:30pm. $6. Meroney Theater, 213 S. Main St., Salisbury. 704-633-5471.

Crimes of Omission A production of Actors Scene Unseen Live Internet Radio Theatre. Sat., Feb. 26, 7:30 p.m. 415. Spirit Square, 345 N. College St. 704-372-1000.

Mr. Freedom A stage adaptation of William Klein's 1969 fantasy-satire film. A slam-bang Punch and Judy show displaying the exploits of a knuckleheaded free-world agent who arrives in Paris to do battle against the forces of Communism. Feb. 26, 7 p.m.; Feb. 27, 7 p.m. $5. Milestone, 3400 Tuckaseegee Rd. 704-398-4072.

Ragtime Performed by students from Northwest School of the Arts. Feb. 25-26, 7:30pm Feb. 27, 2:30pm; Mar. 3-5, 7:30pm. $15. Blumenthal Performing Arts Center, 130 N. Tryon St. 704-372-1000.

Threads of Likeness A dramatic theater experience journeying through the arts in search of the "heartbeat of creativity". Feb. 25, 7:30 p.m.; Feb. 26, 7:30 p.m. $10. Afro-American Cultural Center, 401 N. Myers St. 704-374-1565.

Theater: Ongoing

Daddy's Dyin' (Who's Got the Will?) A comedy set in a small Texas town as the family gathers for the imminent death of its patriarch. Feb. 25-26, 8pm; Feb. 20 & 27, 3pm. $5-$8. Clover Middle School, 320 Clinton Ave. 803-831-1048.

Damien Abbey Players & Belmont Community Theatre present a drama about a priest who volunteers to care for an island of lepers. Feb. 17-26, 8 p.m. $10. Haid Theatre, Belmont Abbey College, 100 Belmont-Mt. Holly Rd., Belmont. 704-825-6787.

Holes Matthews Playhouse production of Louis Sachar's book. Feb. 24 & 25, 7:30pm; Feb. 27, 2pm; Feb. 26, 2pm & 7pm. $7-$9. Matthews Community Center, 100 McDowell Street, Matthews. 704-846-8343.

A Lesson Before Dying The story centers around two young black men, each in his own way trapped in a small Louisiana town in the 1940s. www.actorstheatre.org. Feb. 9-26, Wed-Thu, 7:30pm; Fri-Sat, 8pm. $17-$22. Actor's Theatre, 650 E. Stonewall Street. 704-342-2251.

Sans-culottes in the Promised Land Carolina Actors Studio Theatre presents Kirsten Greenidge's modern comedy. www.nccast.com. Feb. 24-26, 8pm. $12-$15. Carolina Actors Studio Theatre (CAST), 1118 Clement Ave. 704-890-3241.

Wounded Warrior NarroWay's Winter Dinner Theater featuring the story of the Jobe family. www.narroway.net. Feb. 25-26 at 7pm. Hickory Grove North Campus. 888-437-7473.

Visual Arts: Openings

Art Institute of Charlotte Gallery Victoria Burke. An exhibit of paintings. Artist Reception: Mar. 10, 5:30-7pm. March 4-30. 2110 Water Ridge Parkway. 704-357-8020.

Center of the Earth Gallery Duy Huynh. An exhibit of new paintings. Opening Reception: Mar. 3, 6-9 pm. March 4-April 24. 3204 N Davidson St. 704-375-5756.

Charlotte Art League Furnishings. Reception: March 4, 6-10pm. Through Mar. 25. 1517 Camden Rd. 704-376-2787.

ElderArt Gallery Javier Lopez Barbosa. Solo Exhibition of paintings. Artist Reception: Mar. 4, 6-9pm. Through March. 1427 S. Blvd. 704-370-6337.

Gallery 620 Middle East meets Middle America. An exhibit of large-scale digital photographic montages. March 4-31. 620 W. Morehead St. 704-618-9966.

Gaston County Public Library Forever Free: Abraham Lincoln's Journey to Emancipation. A national touring exhibition. Opening Reception: Mar. 1, 6:30-8pm. Through Apr. 15. 1555 East Garrison Blvd, Gastonia. 704-868-2167.

Hayes George Gallery Land and Light. A group landscape exhibition by gallery artists. Opening Reception: Mar. 4. March 4-April 9. 225 East Worthington Ave. # 100. 704-332-3278.