If you want to go beyond Strauss's squealing clarinet and portentous trap drums to the real story of prankster Till Eulenspiegel, Crazyface promises to take the wraps off the saga at SouthEnd Performing Arts Center through November 19. The BareBones Theatre Group production, designed and directed by the ultra outre Peter Smeal, in cahoots with Grey Seal Puppets, stars Matt Cosper as the errant Eulenspiegel. Joanna Gerdy, Andrea King, Aaron Moore, and Lee Thomas are among the other conspirators in this picaresque romp by Clive (Hellraiser) Barker with 8pm performances Wednesday-Saturday plus a 3pm Sunday matinee on November 13. Tickets are $15 for adults, $12 for students/seniors, with a pay-what-you-can show on November 9. Call 704-332-5300. (Tannenbaum)

After dousing us with a shower of classics at big Belk Theater, North Carolina Dance Theatre demonstrates its immense versatility with Innovative Works, a six-pack of contemporary spritzers at intimate Booth Playhouse. The oldest piece, Salvatore Aiello's Satto (Wind Dance), dates back to 1983, and the youngest are literally as fresh as today. No less than four world premieres are featured on tonight's bill: Mark Diamond's City South, Mary Hudetz' In Voice and Light, Mark Godden's Nocturnes, and NCDT alum Uri Sands' Tearing for a Cure. We're not stuck in a Tchaikovsky groove, either, venturing musically into Arvo Pärt, Bela Fleck, the Eunice Playboys, the Crow Nation, and Frederic Chopin. Wednesday and Thursday at 7:30pm, Friday and Saturday at 8. Tickets are $10-$55 with discounts for students/seniors/groups. Call 704-372-1000. (Tannenbaum)

The Sierra Club will host a screening of the documentary Kilowatt Ours at 6:30pm this evening at the McColl Center for Visual Art. The film follows videographer and conservationist Jeff Barrie as he travels across the southeastern US observing energy-related problems and offering ways that citizens can conserve energy. Barrie will be in attendance at the screening. Admission is free; for more information, call 704-374-1125 or go online to www.kilowattours.org. (Brunson)

If only the North Pole had this much stuff. The Southern Christmas Show returns to the Charlotte Merchandise Mart this week with "A Sugarplum Christmas" theme. Let your inner child believe in Santa Claus as you pay homage to the commercialism of the season. Better yet, let that child sit in Santa's lap. Runs today until Nov. 20 at the Merchandise Mart, 2500 E. Independence Blvd. Weekdays and Saturdays 10am to 9pm; Sundays 10am to 6pm. Advance tickets available at southernshows.com and at Harris Teeter stores. Adults $8, youth 6-12 $3; children under six free with paying adult. Groups of 20 tickets or more $6.50 each. Same day in/out privileges with hand stamp. Parking $6 cars; buses free. 704-376-6594. (Shugart)

With all the subtlety of the Lincoln Memorial, CPCC's new Academic & Performing Arts Center is officially dedicated at a black-tie gala this Thursday evening. Then on Friday night, the new 1000-seat Halton Theater comes alive with The Sound of Music, starring CP's most toothsome twosome, Susan Knowlson and Patrick Ratchford. Carry extra doses of insulin with you to this production, running through November 20, since you can be sure that the cutest kids in Charlotte came out to audition for the roles of the Von Trapp children in this historic production. Dennis Delamar, Pat Heiss, Ginger Heath, Ashby Blakely, Kathryn Stamas, and Rebecca Cook-Carter are among the adult luminaries directed by Tom Hollis. Fridays and Saturdays at 8pm, Sunday matinees at 2:30. All tickets are $16. Call 704-330-6534. (Tannenbaum)

As a new theater is birthed on King's Drive, a whiff of mortality comes to Belk Theater. The Verdi Requiem fills the Uptown musical palace, performed by the Charlotte Symphony with the vocal armada of Oratorio Singers and four guest soloists declaiming with touching solemnity. Believe me, Charlotte Observer necrologist Gerry Hostetler is all over this baby! The lengthy Mass really does build to a rousing, lyrical "Libera me" section that's one of the glories of vocal music. Concert tickets for the 8pm performances Friday and Saturday are $21-$55. Looking for an alternate route? Try the open rehearsal on Thursday at 7:30pm, with general admission seating for $25. Call 704-972-2000. (Tannenbaum)

The Charlotte Film Society's Second Week series continues today at the Manor Theatre. This month's lineup consists of the comedy Apres Vous, starring French national treasure Daniel Auteuil (Jean de Florette, The Closet) as a waiter who stops a stranger from committing suicide; Lila Says, about the friendship between two teenagers, an Arab-French boy and a sexually-charged blonde girl; and Sally Potter's Yes, centering on the love affair between a married American woman (Joan Allen) and a Lebanese cook (Simon Abkarian). For reviews, see this issue's Film section; for information on prices and times, call 704-334-1324 or go online to charlottefilmsociety.com. (Brunson)

Generally speaking a recession is not a good thing. But when it happens in the singing telegram industry, it can be. The lack of gigs caused the Western Onion to go belly up, and its newly unemployed members to form a cappella group The Bobs. Some of the members earn a "Bob" credit via middle names (a little suspicious), but we'll let that slide if they sing "Psycho Killer" and other smash hits. The Grammy-nominated quartet will be performing at the McGlohon Theatre at 8 pm. Tickets are $22-32. Call 704-372-1000 or go online at www.blumnethalCenter.org. (Neumark)

Vivian Green is yet another Philly Soul aspirant, striving to hit the urban goldmine with her two albums to date: A Love Story and Vivian. A precocious music student and vet of teen girl group Younique, Green's big break came from singing background for City of Brotherly Love Lady Soul Jill Scott. To place Green in the pantheon would be premature. But her sassy, sensual R&B vibe dovetails well with Club Tempo's mission of catering to CLT's mature music fans with eclectic tastes. At Club Tempo at 11pm. Tickets are $27.50, available at ticketmaster.com. (Crazy Horse)

The Rocketman himself, Elton John, will appear at the Charlotte Bobcats Arena tonight at 8pm as part of his Peachtree Road Tour (proving once again that Mr. Saturday Night's Alright For Fighting is a big fan of the ATL). John's performances are more akin to (pre-Rick Rubin) Neil Diamond spectaculars -- heavy on the glitz and glitter and a little light on the grit -- but the man can still pummel a piano with the best of them, and his voice sounds as good as it did 20 years ago. Tickets for Dame Elton are $35, $55 and $85 (a damn bargain compared to Stones and U2 tickets), and are available at the Blumenthal Performing Arts Center box office, by calling 800-495-2295, or online at charlottebobcatsarena.com and cellardoor.com. (Davis)

Charlotte's other chamber music series launches its 2005-06 season at Providence United Methodist Church (on the corner of Prov and Sharon Amity) with the lovable Schubert Octet. Unlike Mendelssohn's famed Octet for strings, this 13-part piece integrates winds with strings to mellifluous effect. The usual string quartet assemblage of two violins (Tatiana Karpova and Tara Fensom), cello (Theodore Harvey) and viola (Ning Zhao) is augmented with French horn (Robert Rydel), clarinet (Allan Rosenfeld), bassoon (Lori Tiberio), and bass (Felicia Konczal). The fine musicmaking at this series, organized by artistic director Tiberio, is one of Charlotte's best-kept secrets. With free admission to the 7pm concert, you've got nothing to lose. (Tannenbaum)

The Main Library Film Series, a long-running event that offers the occasional break from all the current releases in theaters, will kick off its latest theme, "Films By Ridley Scott," at 6:30pm tonight with 1977's The Duellists. Based on Joseph Conrad's story "The Duel," this period yarn about two bickering French officers (Keith Carradine and Harvey Keitel) marked Scott's feature film debut. Upcoming films in the series are Blade Runner (November 21), Legend (November 28) and Black Hawk Down (December 5). Admission is free; for details, call 704-336-6217. (Brunson)