All of that changes on Monday, July 9, when Roger Waters’ tour of The Wall comes to the RBC Center. Waters can’t sing, and never really could, but reviews of this tour point toward it being nothing but impressive. Tickets go on sale on Monday, November 14.

In related news, did you catch Pink Floyd Week on Jimmy Fallon? More specifically, did you see The Shins’ “Breathe”? Wow!

Link (Video): Roger Waters discusses touring with Jimmy Fallon

The remaining schedule this weekend includes Tron 3D showings today and tomorrow at Noon, 2:30, 5:00, 7:30, and 10:00.

With just a month before the the company’s 36th production was to hit the stage, Theatre In The Park director and show star Ira Davd Wood, III (IDW3) received a bombshell; he had to have bypass surgery and would not be able to perform the role of Scrooge this season. Wood turned to his son, Ira David Wood, IV (IDW4), to play the part. He also turned to his daughter, Evan Rachael Wood, to co-direct the production. The result? A fantastic evening of entertainment as it always has been.

IDW3’s Theatre In The Park is one of the most stable local theater houses in the country, and the longevity and camaraderie of the board and the Christmas Carol cast is a testament Wood’s creativity, leadership, and reliability. The news from early November would have been devastating news to many theaters. However this cast and supporters has done what it takes to snap in a new star of the show this season.

Scrooge, as Raleigh residents know him, is the creation of IDW3. True to the story, Scrooge is materialistic and greedy and finds the value of relationships through his encounters with ghosts during a long-night’s sleep. However this Scrooge is hilarious, turning current events, local celebrities, and stuffy characters into jokes that have the house rolling. If you haven’t seen this production before it is a must-see that no national comedians have come close to touching. If you have seen the production, this year’s version is a fascinating experience.

Stepping into a legend’s role has to be difficult, even more so when you are that legend’s son. With only one month of rehearsal, IDW4 smartly played it safe, putting only a few of his own touches on the role. While he doesn’t quite sell the role’s humor or heavy drama scenes as well as his veteran father, he is more agile, has a stronger voice, and seems a little more in touch with popular culture. IDW4 did an admirable job in making Scrooge come to life in a way Raleigh residents expect.

The company is extremely similar to last year’s, including the fantastic David Henderson (Jacob Marley), David Moore (Bob Cratchit), Mike Raab (Ghost of Christmas Future), John Shearer (Ghost of Christmas Present), and more. Most scenes are identical to last season’s production, however the Ghost of Christmas Future scene has been reworked with a Tim Burton feel and sets up a great TSA joke. One wonders if the goth interests of Evan had an impact here.

There were some other great new jokes, including IDW4’s references to his father and his relative youth. The best new joke, though, was delivered by a fever-laden David Henderson, and it regards a second opinion on buying an iPhone (spoilers withheld).

Some that I didn’t remember from the past were also good, such as Grace Goetz (Ghost of Christmas Past) whose enunciation was superb. I also enjoyed “Wilma” (?Blaire Callaghan?, the wife of nephew Fred) who has a voice I could listen to for a full-length production.

There were a couple of weaknesses, as to be expected. We had a difficult time in the first act understanding some of Scrooge’s jokes. It was difficult to discern whether it was due to acoustics at our side seats, the general acoustics in the room, or problems with diction from the stage. Worse, however, was the Marlettes, a Rockettes styled dance troop whose tap routine was an utter mess. Their performance was the first time I’ve ever seen a tap routine that was not met with obligatory applause from the crowd.

The entire production is outstanding, though. The 3-hour journey has much visual variety, excellent musical range, and good pacing. While the Raleigh version has a big emphasis on humor, it admirably delivers the heavy message Dickens intended. As Scrooge realizes the value of his relationships, there is part of every viewer that will kind of miss the old, hilarious Scrooge. However the entire company’s stirring rendition of “The First Noel” is a tear jerker to many, and leaves the crowd appreciating the delivery of a full production that works on many levels to many people.

A Christmas Carol runs through December 15 at Raleigh’s Memorial Auditorium. Tickets are available thru Ticketmaster.

Shen Yun Performing Arts presents classical Chinese dance and music in colorful and exhilarating shows. An art form several millennia old, Chinese dance is refreshingly dynamic and expressive. Ancient legends and heroic figures come to life through its leaps, spins, and delicate gestures, accompany with live orchestra

2:00pm:

7:30pm:

• for KIDS!
• artSPARK
• musicSPARK
• bazaarSPARK
• filmSPARK
• circusSPARK
• tastySPARK
• cyberSPARK
• ideaSPARK
• fashionSPARK
• poetrySPARK
• graffitiSPARK
• danceSPARK
• designSPARK
• theatreSPARK
• fireSTARTERS

The festival has an iPhone app and has excellent event summary pages that are connected to Google Calendar events. However neither of these quite fit my needs, so I created a master event list for the entire weekend. I’ve found it’s easier to just subscribe to the master event list and run off of it and a companion map of the area included than to hassle with the walled gardens of an app.

You can follow all 150+ events by subscribing to gogoraleigh’s SPARKcon calendar at Google Calendar. (Those subscribed to the gogoraleigh Hopscotch calendar are automatically subscribed – just check your calendar for all of the events.) See an event you like? Add it to your own calendar. Unsure about an event? Open up the calendar’s event, and see its link to SPARKcon’s event page, see a map to the venue, or see the overall SPARKcon map (which I highly recommend keeping in your mobile device’s photo gallery. You can even enable an alert for each act if you want.

While people flock to the event and enjoy many of the offerings, the Friday night fashion show is the big event of the weekend. The hour-long show begins at 8pm and features fashion from local designers. Be sure to check out the impressive and always-fresh offerings by Mollybeads at the show!

While SPARKcon has a very good website, to me it is easier to just follow the links to the elements pertinent to mobile devices:

• Complete Event Calendar (gogoraleigh)
• SPARKcon Area map
• Events by day
• Events by location
• Events by SPARK themes
• @sparkconner on Twitter
• ideaSPARK on “The State of Things”
• Bob Geary’s article in The Independent Weekly
• Craig Jarvis’ article in The News & Observer
• The Raleigh Downtowner’s SPARKcon spread (not for mobile)

	Google Calendar	XML	ICAL
SPARKcon Calendar

Let’s go Do It!!

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Death and the Maiden

General Admission

• Adult $22.00
• Student (ID required) $18.00
• Senior (65+) $18.00
• Military (ID required) $18.00

On Sale Friday

• Natalie Merchant (DPAC, 8/30)
• Heart (The Walt, 8/14)
• Lyle Lovett (DPAC, 8/18)
• Ar Rahman (RBC, 6/11)

On Sale Saturday

• Jonas Brothers, Demi Lovato (Walnut Creek, 10/16)
• Clay Aiken, Lauren Kennedy, Terrence Mann, & More (Memorial, 6/21)
• Zac Brown (Walnut Creek, 8/11)

The performances will take place at Oakwood Cemetery (701 Oakwood Ave., Raleigh) on May 14^th & 15^th at 6:30pm and May 16^th at 2:00pm. Tickets for the event are $20 or $10 for students and may be obtained by calling 919.834.4001 or visiting the Burning Coal  website.

map it

Narrated by Dustin Hoffman, “Visual Acoustics” celebrates the life and career of Julius Shulman, the world’s greatest architectural photographer, whose images brought modern architecture to the American mainstream. Shulman, who passed away recently, captured the work of nearly every modern and progressive architect since the 1930s including Frank Lloyd Wright, Richard Neutra, John Lautner, and Frank Gehry. His images epitomized the singular beauty of Southern California’s modernist movement and brought its iconic structures to the attention of the general public. This unique film is both a testament to the evolution of modern architecture and a joyful portrait of the magnetic, whip-smart gentleman who chronicled it with his unforgettable images. Have a night out with an exceptional architectural movie!

Rescheduled from December (tickets purchased online last year will be honored). 

North Carolina Theatre

Clay Aiken is a multi-platinum recording artist and is set to release his sixth album, Tried and True, this summer. Since his meteoric rise to fame on the hit TV show American Idol in 2003, Aiken has launched eight tours, authored a New York Times best-selling book called Learning to Sing: Hearing the Music in Your Life, starred on Broadway in Monty Python’s Spamalot, and has guest starring roles in TV’s Scrubs, 30 Rock and Saturday Night Live. Before all of these accomplishments and more, Aiken performed on the North Carolina Theatre stage in Shenandoah and 1776 in 1996.

Lauren Kennedy has numerous Broadway credits to her name since she moved to New York from Raleigh, her hometown. She starred as Lady of the Lake in Monty Python’s Spamalot, appeared in Sunset Boulevard with Glenn Close, and received acclaim as Fantine in the final year of Les Miserables. Kennedy has dazzled audiences in a number of NC Theatre productions, most recently starring alongside Country music singer Larry Gatlin in Annie Get Your Gun.

Sharon Lawrence is a four-time Emmy nominated actress and is known for many roles on the hit TV shows NYPD Blue, Desperate Housewives, Monk, Law & Order: SVU, Curb Your Enthusiasm and Grey’s Anatomy. In addition to film and Broadway work, Lawrence has performed a myriad of roles on the NC Theatre stage and starred alongside Terrence Mann in the theatre’s first production, Camelot, in 1984.

Terrence Mann currently stars on Broadway in The Addams Family. He made his Broadway debut in 1982 in the Tony Award-winning musical, Barnum, and has been a fixture on the Great White Way ever since. In 1987, his portrayal of Javert in Les Miserables earned him his first Tony Award nomination for Best Actor in a Leading Role, which he reprised years later. He originated the role of the Beast in Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, earning another Tony nomination. Other Broadway credits include Rags, Jerome Robbins’ Broadway, Getting Away with Murder, The Rocky Horror Show. Mann served as an actor, artistic director and director for many NC Theatre productions throughout the years.

Quiana Parler has shared the stage with an array of national artists, from Keith Sweat to Clay Aiken; Miranda Lambert to Kelly Clarkson. Her performances have been seen on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, The Today Show, The View, The Tyra Banks Show, Good Morning America, The Academy of Country Music Awards and Saturday Night Live. Additionally, her vocal talents have been sought out by recording industry leaders such as David Novik, Walter Afanasieff and David Foster. Her debut in 2008, as Effie, in NC Theatre’s Dreamgirls became one of the most talked about performances of NC Theatre’s 27 year history.

Tickets

Ticket prices range from $50 to $100 with a VIP option of $150 that includes an exclusive, one hour pre-show reception and complimentary parking.

• Week of April 12th: On sale to NC Theatre subscribers only
• Week of April 19th: All tickets open to the general public

To purchase, call the NC Theatre Box Office at 919-831-6941 x6943 OR x6944.

The North Carolina Museum of Art

4/12 Update: Now with Google goodness! Click on the Google Calendar button beside each event to add it to your Google Calendar. Another option is to click the “Calendars” tab at the top of the page and subscribe to the gogoraleigh DoIt Calendar.

CONCERTS

	The Swell Season – Friday, May 21, 8 pm. Tickets: $10-$30
	NCMA and PineCone present: An Evening with Patty Griffin and Special Guest Buddy Miller – Wednesday, June 2, 8 pm. Tickets: $10-$30
	Tift Merritt – Saturday, June 5, 8 pm. Tickets: $9-$25
	NCMA and North Carolina Opera present Casual Classics II: Opera and Broadway in the Museum Park – Saturday, June 12, 8 pm Tickets: $10-$40
	Red Clay Ramblers – Saturday, July 24, 8 pm. Tickets: $9-$25
	Joan Baez – Sunday, August 1, 7 pm. Tickets: $10-$35
	Los Lobos – Saturday, August 7, 8 pm. Tickets: $10-$30
	Dan Zanes and Friends – Sunday, August 15, 4 pm. Tickets: $9-$18
	Open Dream Ensemble: Peril on the Red Planet – Saturday, August 28, 4 pm. Tickets: $5-$10
	Paperhand Puppet Intervention – Friday, September 10, 6:30 pm. Saturday, September 11, 6:30 pm. Tickets: $7.50-$15

MOVIES

	Friday, June 4, 9 pm – Invictus, (2009) PG-13
	Friday, June 11, 9 pm – (500) Days of Summer, (2009) PG-13
	Friday, June 18, 9 pm – The Damned United, (2009) R
	Saturday, June 19, 9 pm – Family Movie Night: Monsters vs. Aliens, (2009) PG
	Friday, June 25, 9 pm – It’s Complicated, (2009) R
	Saturday, June 26, 9 pm – Up in the Air, (2009) R
	Friday, July 9, 9 pm – The Hurt Locker, (2009) R
	Saturday, July 10, 9 pm – The Blind Side, (2009) PG-13
	Friday, July 16, 9 pm – Where the Wild Things Are, (2009) PG
	Saturday, July 17, 9 pm – Star Trek, (2009) PG-13
	Friday, July 23, 9 pm – Julie & Julia, (2009) PG-13
	Friday, July 30, 9 pm – An Education, (2009) PG-13
	Saturday, July 31, 9 pm – Family Movie Night: Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs, (2009) PG
	Friday, August 6, 9 pm – Sherlock Holmes, (2009) PG-13
	Friday, August 13, 8:30 pm – Bright Star, (2009) PG
	Saturday, August 14, 8:30 pm – Fantastic Mr. Fox, (2009) PG
	Friday, August 20, 8:30 pm – The Big Lebowski, (1999) R
	Saturday, August 21, 8:30 pm – Crazy Heart, (2009) R
	Friday, August 27, 8:30 pm – The Breakfast Club, (1985) R

• Billy Elliot The Musical: November 2-14, 2010 -The National Tour Debut. Winner of 10 Tony Awards including Best Musical. Music by Elton John.
  
• The New Mel Brooks Musical Young Frankenstein: December 7-12, 2010 – “Best Musical 2008 Winner.”– Outer Critic Circle Award & Broadway.com Audience Award
  
• Disney’s The Lion King: January 4-30, 2011 – Tony® Award -winning Broadway sensation Newsweek calls “a landmark event in entertainment.”
  
• In The Heights: February 22-27, 2011 – Winner of 4 Tony® Awards Including Best Musical!
  
• Blue Man Group: March 15-20, 2011 – First ever theatrical tour promises an entirely new visual experience.
  
• Shrek The Musical: April 5-10, 2011 – Based on the Oscar®-Winning DreamWorks Film that Started it All.
  
• Hair: May 10-15, 2011 – “The Ultimate American Rock Musical!”– Ben Brantley, The New York Times
  

• Red carpet arrival with paparazzi photo.

• Catered buffet dinner provided by The Angus Barn.

• Open bar provided by Mutual Distributing Company and Carolina Brewing Company.

• Watch the Academy Awards on one of Raleigh’s biggest screens.

• Take home a copy of the official Oscar Night program.

• Participate in a silent auction that includes a number of rarely available autographed Hollywood, Broadway and Sports items.

• Dress for the red carpet or come as your favorite movie star. Black Tie Optional.

• All proceeds benefit the theatre’s community arts and education programs.

Silent Auction Items Include:

Twilight Saga: New Moon Poster autographed by Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson and Taylor Lautner

Celebrities from “The Full Monty” are expected to attend.

• Barefoot in the Park (June 9-20)
• The Great American Trailer Park Musical (June 30-July 18)
• Death of a Maiden (July 28-Aug 8 )
• Tell Me on a Sunday (August 18-Sept 5)

Auditions are being held for the first three shows of the season. To be considered for any show, all those auditioning must be available for both production and rehearsals dates (which run two weeks prior to each show’s opening). No conflicts allowed.

Auditions are scheduled for Saturday, March 6th from 12PM-6PM at the Kennedy Theatre in the Progress Energy Center for the Performing Arts in Raleigh. Those interested in auditioning will be given a total of five minutes and should prepare either two contrasting monologues or a monologue and song. Accompanist will be provided. To schedule an appointment please call Tiffany at 919-770-5892 (between 1PM-7PM ONLY). For more information about Hot Summer Nights, visit www.hotsummernightsatthekennedy.org

Wood’s stepmother has the most incredible photo I’ve ever seen. It features Manson and Evan, along with her father and stepmother, in front of Cinderella’s Castle. The photo could easily hang in an art gallery, as the the incredible juxtaposition of such different people, placed in that environment, is rarely seen in real life.

If reports are true, then congratulations to Wood and her family!

While this show will be very entertaining for children, I doubt it will be worthy of “amazing” (banamazing.com)

The movie is based on the book by Tim Tyson, which follows a disturbing trend in Hollywood, as only eight of the decade’s Best Picture nominees are original works of art.

The other reason for traffic problems is the N.C. State Fair which ends on Sunday night. Today the Wake County Public Schools have an early release day, so there should be many students invading the fairgrounds. Tomorrow is can day, where entry is free for those with 4 cans of food for the needy. The remaining music acts are Julianne Hough, Anoop Desai, Jeremy Camp and Tenth Avenue North, Blake Shelton, and Eric Church.

The State Fair isn’t the only other draw for tens of thousands of people. Raleigh Wide Open begins Friday, and celebrates the grand opening of Raleigh’s new City Plaza. Delbert McClinton headlines the main stage of music, however more interesting, perhaps, is the Cherry Bounce stage, which is the culmination of a week-long local music series downtown. The series aims to get exposure for a mostly unheard of list of bands. Be sure to stop by the WTVD studios on Saturday afternoon for your chance to get on Wheel of Fortune.

The big stand along music event occurring this week is Queensryche at the Lincoln Theatre, tonight. However in the Greensboro Coliseum, rock gods AC/DC will play Sunday night. INto industrial? KMFDM is at the Cradle Monday night.

There is plenty of theater for the people this week, too. The Picasso Ballet performance by the Carolina Ballet continues at the Fletcher Opera Theater while NC Theater’s West Side Story production runs at Memorial Auditorium. Tonight David Copperfield will be at the DPAC, while the Carolina Crown II (wrestling theater) will take place at the RBC Center on Saturday night. NCSU alumnus, John Reep, the “Hemi guy” plays at Charlie Goodnights this weekend.

If all of that excitement isn’t enough, be sure to swing by the Raleigh Convention Center for the Junior League’s Shopping SPREE!, a seriously awesome event when shopping for things women like.

For more info on these events, check out the gogoraleigh Do-It Calendar. That’s a heck of a week! I can’t wait to get out there and DO IT!

This classic Greek drama recounts the struggles of Ajax, the second greatest warrior behind Achilles. After Achilles meets his fate, a contest emerges for which Greek deserves to win Achilles weapons and armor. Odysseus wins, but only with the aid of the goddess Athena.  Ajax reacts with blind rage and slaughters countless livestock believing them to be Menelaus, Agamemnon, and their followers.  The play opens on the next morning as Ajax returns to sanity and comes to terms with his vile behavior.  The central theme of the play -warriors struggling to readjust to domestic life after years of battle stress- resonates today. 

The Greeks used special effects in their plays often.  They would raise and lower the actors playing gods and goddesses from atop the skene building to the orchestra circle.  The theatrical term to describe this effect is deus ex machine which translates as “god from the machine”.  Our production employs this device in various parts of the play. 

Broughton High School’s production will be the world premiere of Tipton’s translation.  Jason Schumacher, who works for ZFX Flying Effects and has worked on several plays on Broadway, in Las Vegas, and throughout North America and Asia, has agreed to help with this performance.  Drew Vidal, a Ball State University professor and professional fight choreographer, has also agreed to lend his expertise.  The Theatre and Dance programs at Broughton are providing opportunities for the students to work with these professionals and experience the flying effects.  PJ Benedict, a movement director with experience in the United Kingdom, has volunteered to work with the Greek Chorus.

The play is scheduled for performances opening in the Broughton High School Auditorium, October 15, 16 and 17 at 7:00 p.m. Tickets for the three night public performance are $5. The theatre program receives no money from the school or county and all of the classroom supplies and production needs are funded solely by ticket sales. Please continue to support the theatre program at Broughton so they may provide future opportunities for students and the public.  Any support is welcome. 

Show times:

• Wednesday, Oct. 14, 7:30pm
• Thursday, Oct. 15, 7:30pm
• Friday, Oct. 16, 7:30pm
• Saturday, Oct. 17, 7:30pm
• Sunday, Oct. 18, 2:00pm