It’s the week regional theater takes a turn to the biographical—sometimes even performed by the original cast.
At UNC-Chapel Hill, the SOLO TAKES ON festival returns for its second season of striking autobiographical solo shows, before a Duke Human Rights Center contingent in cooperation with the award-winning regional theater troupe Hidden Voices unearth one of the most famous and influential Durhamites in recent history—and the one you’ve most likely never heard of—in TO BUY THE SUN: THE CHALLENGE OF PAULI MURRAY .
We’re particularly interested in seeing Jeffery Blair Cornell ’s take on the historically unrepentant—and closeted until death—conservative ideologue Roy Cohn , now that Playmakers Rep is finally getting around to staging Tony Kushner’s epic ANGELS IN AMERICA . And in their midst, emerging playwright Monica Byrne rips the lid off the passions of a late-night college bio lab in Manbites Dog ’s dark comedy, NIGHTWORK .
(Wait—that last one? Not so biographical. At least, let’s hope. Make plans to see it anyway.)
More shows, after the jump.
VIDEONORTH CAROLINA DANCE FESTIVAL . The three-day encampment at Meredith College features:
Friday: new work from Gaspard & Dancers, ALBAN ELVED , festival founder Jan Van Dyke and host Carol Kyles Finley
Saturday: a state-crossing conference including Raleigh’s Code f.a.d. , Winston-Salem’s 87 Dance , E.E. Motion out of Charlotte and Ashley Suttlar Martin from Southport
Sunday: a festival of student companies including Enloe High School ‘s unbelievably strong—but possibly endangered—program, Inis Cairde School of Irish Dance , Cary’s Infinity Ballet and work from the festival’s host company, Meredith Dance Theatre
…What, still jonesing? Fine: two more events, just a little bit on the down low:
Theater fans can actually help new works be created when The Playground , a new confederation of upcoming regional playwrights and theater artists, concludes their LOVE! SEX! VIOLENCE! LAUGHTER! tour of works in progress at Common Ground Theater Saturday at 7:30. See scenes from plays still being written, leavened by live music and dance, and then respond to what you’ve seen—with the playwrights themselves—afterward.
I caught the tour last weekend in Raleigh. The works are diverse, interesting; though clearly in various stages of development, the best are quite strong. After, the exchange of insights with the audience was lively, useful. It’s a rare experience: Aside from UNC’s Process Series, how many times does the audience get to speak back to a work that’s made them think?
Admission’s free, but they’ll pass the hat.
Saturday afternoon, actor/director Paul Paliyenko and Anya Russian will do a benefit reading of David Nelson Bradsher’s 2010 verse drama, THE VAMPIRE SONNETS for the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Show’s at 1 p.m. at Burning Coal Theater.
Bradsher’s twist on the meme with the fangs is actually served straight up in the title: the entire work is composed in Shakespearean sonnets. Samples of the work are on the book’s Facebook page . Tickets are $20 with all proceeds going to Make-A-Wish; a full tea will be served between the program’s acts.
See you at the shows.