See & Do 

The latest installment of popular spoken word event Wordphoria happens tonight at The Visulite Theater. Hostess Jessica Deltac ushers in a new group every week, with the regulars well represented, of course. Bring yourself, an open mind, and something to write on. Open mic from 7-8pm, pre-scheduled poets from 8:30-11pm. For more information, call 704-358-9250, or visit online at www.wordphoria.com. (McKinney)

We don't ordinarily hype college productions, but The Memory of Water up at Davidson College has a couple of very special things going for it. First, there's the Shelagh Stephenson script, which took the Olivier Award in London for Best Comedy of 2000. There's substance beneath the hilarity, as three feisty sisters return home to stormy Northern England after their mum's death. Second, there's student director Bill Neville, the wunderkind who piloted Boy Gets Girl to the Loaf's award for Best College/Teen production in 2001. The show runs through Sunday at the intimate Black Box Theatre. Call for tickets, $4 each, at 704-894-2361. (Tannenbaum)

The Southern Christmas Show, the area's unofficial beginning of the yearly material Xmas glut, is still in town through November 24 at the Charlotte Merchandise Mart. They've got more than 500 (more than 500!) boutiques filled with gift, recipe and decorating ideas for a warm and fuzzy suburban Christmas experience you, and perhaps your neighbors, won't forget. Regular admission is $7 at the door, $6 in advance for adults, and $3 for children 6-12. Children under 6 are admitted free with a paying adult. All-day parking is available at the Merch-Mart for $5. Hours are Monday-Saturday 10am-9:30pm and Sunday from 10am-6pm. For more information, call 1-800-849-0248, or visit online at www.southernchristmas show.com. (Herman)

NOV21 - THURSDAY

Eyes Adrift, the semi-sorta supergroup featuring Krist Novoselic (Nirvana), Curt Kirkwood (Meat Puppets) and Bud Gaugh (Sublime), will showcase their brand of country/rock/psychedelia tonight at 8pm at Amos' SouthEnd. Tickets are $10 in advance and $12 at the door, available by calling 704-377-6874. (Davis)

NOV22 - FRIDAY

The Charlotte Symphony Orchestra will attempt to scale one of the summits of 20th century music, Britten's War Requiem. Very likely, the masterwork by Benjamin Britten was chosen to memorialize the victims of 9/11. But the Latin Mass is spiked with the caustic anti-war poetry of Wilfred Owen, who perished in battle just days before the Armistice ending World War I. So with Bush beating his war drums, the composer's aversion to war becomes all the more relevant. Paul Agnew, a mainstay at the BBC Proms, takes on the key tenor role, joining two choruses and the orchestra under Christof Perick. The concert begins at 8pm; there's an additional performance Saturday night, also at 8pm. Call for tickets ($15.25-$63.25) at 704-972-2000. (Tannenbaum)

After routing Latvia -- yes, Latvia -- 78-61 in one of two exhibition games, the UNCC 49ers prepare to open what appears to be another promising season when they play Long Beach State at 7:30pm in Halton Arena. Coach Bobby Lutz will get a chance to showcase a deep bench this season and hopefully take UNCC back to the NCAA tourney -- perhaps even past the opening round. Tickets are $10-$20. For more information, call 704-687-4949. (McKinney)

The Charlotte Folk Society will present a concert featuring John Doyle and John Williams (founders of the Irish band Solas) at the Neighborhood Theatre as part of its Irish Roots Series. Special guests include Rince Na h'Eireann and Walsh-Kelly Irish Step Dancers. The show begins at 8pm and tickets cost $16. For more info, call the theater at 704-358-9298 or go to www.neighbor hoodtheatre.com. (Farris)

Charlotte's own young ballerina sensation Georgia Tucker returns this weekend to star in Dance Central's full-length classical ballet, Giselle, at CPCC's Pease Auditorium today through Sunday. This has been a banner year for this remarkable young dancer. In the spring, Tucker played the title role in Charlotte Youth Ballet's Sleeping Beauty; in May she was a magna cum laude graduate at UNC-Charlotte, then moved on to NYC to start on a Master's at NYU. And now, Giselle. Co-director Katherine Horne has wanted to produce Giselle for many years she wanted it bad enough to forgo the company's annual production of The Nutcracker. Performance times are Friday and Saturday at 8pm, Sunday at 2:30pm. Tickets are $12. Call 330-6534. (Martin Allen)

NOV23 - SATURDAY

Seems like Charlotte Rep opens the same silly can of tuna every couple of years. But there's a fresh twist to this year's serving of A Tuna Christmas, as CL's reigning Actor of the Year, Duke Ernsberger, takes over about a dozen of the zany, dopey, trashy roles. This season's fix of the ever-popular Jaston Williams/Joe Sears/Ed Howard concoction is particularly timely, since the 20th anniversary tour of Greater Tuna, starring Sears, will hit Belk Theatre in late February. The Rep sequel is at Booth Playhouse through December 15. Check charlotterep.org for times and tickets ($35), or call 704-372-1000. (Tannenbaum)

NOV24 - SUNDAY

After a sound flogging when they first met back in October (30-0), the Carolina Panthers prepare to meet the Atlanta Falcons again today at 1pm at Ericsson Stadium. Tickets to the game range upwards from $40. For more information, call 704-522-6500 or visit online at www.carolinapanthers.com. (McKinney)

OK, perhaps now isn't the best time to be poking fun, but we didn't come up with this event -- or its title, for that matter. One Arab-One Jew-One Stage, a comedic evening of "non-political" humor with Rabbi Bob Alper and Muslim Arab-American Ahmed Ahmed, will take place at The Comedy Zone beginning at 7pm. Tickets are $15. The event is part of the Jewish Community Cultural Arts Festival taking place around the city through today. For more information or a complete list of events, visit the festival website at www.charlottejewish festival.org. (McKinney)

Last year, the long-running Mystery! series on PBS announced they were going to cut down on exclusively using British written and produced mysteries for the series, a pronouncement that left fans worried. But the American mystery selected for the debut shows promise -- it's Tony Hillerman's Skinwalkers. Hillerman is the author of a popular and critically acclaimed series of mysteries set in the Southwest, specifically in and around the Navajo and Hopi reservations. Robert Redford is one of the executive producers and Wes Studi stars as Detective Joe Leaphorn. The show will air tonight on UNC-TV (Channel 58, cable 13) and WTVI (Channel 42, cable 5) at 9pm. (Wicker)

NOV25 - MONDAY

The Charlotte Film & Video Association will present the Southern Exposure Film Forum at 6pm tonight at the Visulite Theater. Designed to allow independent filmmakers a chance to screen their works for the public, the event will also give audiences a chance to discuss the showcase movies with their creators. The evening will include a mix of short films and longer pieces, and cash prizes will be given to the most popular pictures. Food will also be available for patrons. Admission to the Film Forum is free for CFVA members and $5 for the general public. For further info, call 704-559-5950. (Brunson)