03 – THURSDAY
The only female Attorney General of the United States, Janet “the Waco Wrangler” Reno, will speak on current events and entertain questions from the audience tonight at 7pm in Dana Auditorium at Queens University of Charlotte. Her speech is part of the university’s Learning Society speaker series which has formerly featured such luminaries as Henry “War Criminal” Kissinger, Carl “the Cosmic Atheist” Sagan, Pat “Liquor Burn” Conroy, and others. Tickets for Reno’s speech are $20 for the general public; $15 for Queens alumni. For tickets, call 704-337-2256 or go online to www.queens.edu/learningsociety. (Grooms)
Voyage with us to Grover’s Corners, New Hampshuh, as Thornton Wilder’s apparently imperishable Our Town keeps a three-week rendezvous at Theatre Charlotte through March 20. First produced on Broadway in 1938, where it quickly snapped up the Pulitzer Prize, Wilder’s crackerbarrel wisdom achieved classic status when the original cast was preserved in a 1940 film scored by Aaron Copland. Veteran actor Jim Greenwood as the Stage Manager heads a cast that includes Ashby Blakely, Joe Copley, Jeremy Cartee, Joanna Gerdy, and Annette Saunders among its notables. Candace Sorensen directs in her Theatre Charlotte farewell. Tickets are $17-$22. Call 704-334-9128. (Tannenbaum)
04 – FRIDAY
Children’s Theatre says farewell to Spirit Square by revisiting Amazing Grace. April Jones, who established her place in Charlotte’s theatrical firmament by directing Boundless Grace, returns to the local stage in the role of Nana under Mark Sutton’s direction. Tickets are $15 for front orchestra — and they’re nearly sold out for the entire run through March 13. General admission seats are $10. Call 704-333-8983. (Tannenbaum)
Want to really support the arts in Charlotte? Haul butt to St. Peter’s Episcopal Church for a special Benefit Concert featuring Cliburn Competition gold medalist Jon Nakamatsu at the keyboard. Friday’s benefit is concert only, priced at $35 per ticket. Saturday’s benefit adds a reception with the package priced at $75. Both events, at the corner of 7th and Tryon Streets, begin at 8pm. Call 704-335-0009 for reservations. (Tannenbaum)
Club shows of note: Sweet coastal roots music from Savannah’s Dodd Ferrelle & the Tinfoil Stars at the Evening Muse…angular post-punk from one of Charlotte’s best new bands, Calabi Yau, at the Milestone…nice roots doubleheader from headliner Buddy Miller and former Vigilantes of Love frontman Bill Mallonee at the Neighborhood Theatre.
05 – SATURDAY
The Charlotte Bobcats are at the Charlotte Coliseum to take on the Washington Wizards. These days, the Wizards boast a pair of All-Stars in guard Gilbert Arenas and forward and former Providence High School star Antawn Jamison, two players who might be the most underrated at their respective positions in the entire NBA. Tickets for the game are $10-$115, available at www.ticketmaster.com or by calling 704-522-6500. (Davis)
Club shows of note: Stephen Pearcy and Ratt (yes, that Pearcy and that Ratt) at Amos’…local blues-rockers Abe Reid & the Spikedrivers at the Evening Muse…hardcore noise from Minority Party, Hungry Ghost and more at Tremont.
07 – MONDAY
Marlon Brando the actor, the icon and the fruitcake will all be on display in A Short Burst of Brando, a new film series dedicated to the movies of the late controversial film legend. A Brando flick will be shown at 6:30pm every Monday night through the month of March in the Francis Auditorium at the Main Library. Tonight’s feature is 1976’s oddball Western The Missouri Breaks. The rest of the month’s screenings consist of the musical Guys and Dolls (March 14), the classic On the Waterfront (March 21) and the blockbuster Superman (March 28). Admission to all shows is free; call 704-336-6217 for more info. (Brunson)
08 – TUESDAY
Elvis Costello, post-punk icon and one of the greatest songwriters of the last quarter-century, plays the Grady Cole Center tonight at 7:30pm with his band The Imposters. General Admission seating is a relatively expensive $35, and worth every penny. See John Schacht’s story in the music section of this issue. For tickets, go to ticketmaster.com or call 704-522-6500. (Davis)
This article appears in Mar 2-8, 2005.
