When Kahlil Ashanti signed up to perform in the entertainment troupe Tops in Blue — to tag along with the U.S. Air Force — he got far more than he expected (from being taught soldier tricks to facing unexpected events and being brought back to his childhood). Luckily, he lived to tell his tale. In Basic Training, Ashanti presents the crowd with comedic and touching stories from that noteworthy time frame of his life. He even imitates 23 different characters to give you the lowdown as accurately as possible. 3 p.m. Stage Door Theater, N. College Street at 5th Street. 704-372-1000. www.blumenthalcenter.org.
This article appears in Mar 10-17, 2009.
