WEDNESDAY, DEC 4
Anybody who’s gotten their hands on correspondence between their parents, grandparents or great-grandparents during the “wars” knows what an incredible treasure they’ve discovered. Tonight at the Levine Museum of the New South, Andrew Carroll presents an evening of “War Letters,” including a lecture, book signing and a chance for all to share their own personal letters with Carroll following the presentation. The evening begins at 6pm. Space is limited. Cost is $10 for nonmembers. For more information or to make reservations, call 704-333-1887. (McKinney)
The Charlotte 49ers will play the Temple University Owls tonight at 7:30pm in Halton Arena. The Atlantic 10’s Owls aren’t looking very good this season following a drought in recruiting and the exit of big guns Lynn Greer and Kevin Lyde. But nobody spins straw into gold like John Cheney, so “Niners” fans would do well not to count their chickens before they hatch. Tickets are $5. For more information, call the box office at 704-687-4949. (McKinney)
THURSDAY, DEC 5
The Gin Game was a regal vehicle for Hume Cronyn and Jessica Tandy when it won the Pulitzer Prize in 1978. Now D.L. Coburn’s bittersweet comedy inaugurates a new company, Generations Theatre Group, taking up residence in Shalom Park. Veteran trouper Gene Kusterer will portray the cantankerous and volatile Weller Martin. Ann Owens will be Fonsia Dorsey, the fellow nursing home resident whose gin gamesmanship makes Weller explode. GTG is unabashedly senior-oriented, and so are their ticket prices — $12 seniors, $15 general public. But watch out: The language is unexpectedly feisty. The show runs through December 15 at Gorelick Hall. Call 704-366-5007. (Tannenbaum)
FRIDAY, DEC 6
Two-time Telluride flat picking champion Larry Keel will be joined on stage tonight at the Neighborhood Theatre by guitar virtuoso Tony Rice and legendary fiddle player Vassar Clements for an awesome night of bluegrass. The show starts at 8pm and tickets cost $22.50. For more details, call the theater at 704-358-9298. (Farris)
Woe and betide! Those wicked Herdman kids are once again on the loose at Spirit Square in The Best Christmas Pageant Ever. So are the gossiping biddies who deplore them so unforgettably in this Children’s Theatre holiday favorite. Jill Bloede takes over from Alan Poindexter as Ms. Armstrong, leader of the biddie pack, and Mark Scarboro joins the unholy sisterhood in a cross-dressing gig. Lolly Foy and Mark Sutton are the upstanding parents striving to stage the church pageant as Christmas wrestles the Herdmans. Mereda Mason is Imogene, the sprite who tips the balance. The play can be seen through December 15. Call 704-333-8983. (Tannenbaum)
Amid the wash of commercialized Yuletide cheer, Theatre Charlotte’s 9 x 9 @ 9 is an oasis of spontaneity. Nine new 9-minute plays by nine local playwrights, beginning in the lobby of the Queens Road barn promptly at 9pm — with cabaret seating for 99! Production values are manger-humble, but the atmosphere, driven by the fervid fans of 9-9-9, is always giddy. Among the notables supplying the tasty menu of short plays will be Douglas Welton, Sam Post, Ted Swindley and TC education director Dee Abdullah. If you haven’t guessed the ticket price by now, please stay away. Otherwise, call 704-334-9128. (Tannenbaum)
SATURDAY, DEC 7
Who needs those bugs? Satisfy your basketball jones with a true cross-county basketball rivalry as the Charlotte 49ers play the Davidson Wildcats at Davidson College at 7pm on Saturday. The 49ers have won their last six meetings; the last time the Wildcats won was the 1995-96 season. Tickets range from $16-12 for adults and $6 for children (in the bleachers). Call 800-768-2287 for more info. (Wicker)
The Charlotte Checkers, holding steady at a 7-7 split, meet the Greensboro Generals for the third of four regular season home games tonight at 7:35pm at Cricket Arena. The Checkers lost the first face-off back in early November (2-8) and then pulled out a win in their next meeting with a close call (3-2) later that same month. Even if they lose this one, they’ll meet Greensboro one more time at home in February where they’ll have a chance to remain “even-steven” — at least where the Generals are concerned. Tickets range from $6-$19. For more information, call 704-522-6500 or visit online at www.gocheckers.com. (McKinney)
SUNDAY, DEC 8
Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band will rock the Charlotte Coliseum tonight with nearly three hours of old and new tunes. Showtime is 7:30pm. At press time, some tickets to the side of the stage were still available for $75. Contact the Coliseum Box Office at 704-357-4801 for more details. (Farris)
The ever-struggling Carolina Panthers face off against the Cincinnati Bengals, the only team who sucks more than they do, this afternoon at 1pm. Considering the relative “stinkiness” of both teams, this could actually be an interesting game. Tickets range from $24. For more information, call 704-522-6500 or visit online at www.panthers.com. (McKinney)
MONDAY, DEC 9
Tis the time of year for the Bronko Nagurski Awards — and this year’s Master of Ceremonies is none other than Al Bernstein, the famed voice of ESPN boxing. Bernstein, one of ESPN’s big guns since 1981, continues to cover all major boxing events for “espin” and hosts a daily radio show (Al Bernstein’s Sports Party) out of Vegas. But back to the awards, which honor the nation’s best all-around defensive college football players and regional aspiring athletes (last year’s recipient was Roy Williams, who went on to be the top draft pick for the Dallas Cowboys this year). The ceremony is being held tonight starting at 5:30pm at the Adam’s Mark Hotel. Tickets are steep at $150 each, but proceeds do benefit the Charlotte Touchdown Club Scholarship Fund. For reservations (and these are encouraged), call 704-347-2918. (McKinney)
This article appears in Dec 4-10, 2002.
