Located in the heart of downtown Durham, just a brief walk away from East Campus, the nonprofit Carolina Theatre has long been the Triangle area’s go-to spot for indie film screenings and an eclectic variety of live entertainment. If you’re looking for a fun night out, here are six upcoming events at the Theatre events that you won’t want to miss.
Swan Lake (Feb. 24)
The Russian Ballet Theatre has been performing classical Russian ballet in cities across America for almost a decade. On Feb. 24, they will bring a rendition of one of the most popular ballets of all time, Tchaikovsky’s classic “Swan Lake,” to Durham. The production, which provides a fresh, innovative take on time-honored Russian artistic traditions, features a talented cast of dancers hailing from ten different countries; every detail of the production is lovingly designed, with hand-painted sets, more than 150 hand-sewn costumes, and SFX makeup by the renowned Irina Strukova (known for her work on “Crazy Rich Asians” and for Netflix and HBO). Tickets start at $45 each.
Nevermore Film Festival (Feb. 25-27)
After being held virtually in 2020 and 2021 due to COVID, the Nevermore Film Festival will return live to Durham for its 23rd year Feb. 25-27. Named one of the top 100 film festivals in the world by FilmFreeway, Nevermore is a juried competition festival that “showcases narrative features and shorts from around the world, with an emphasis on horror, science fiction, dark fantasy, animation, mystery/suspense, and action-thrillers”; audiences will be able to vote for their favorites of the 59 films on display. Some of this year’s standouts include the award-winning found-footage thriller “The Andy Baker Tape,” Estonian horror-comedy “Kratt” and “Tim Travers and the Time Traveler’s Paradox,” which won Nevermore’s Jury Award for Best Short Film. Tickets are $12 individually or $100 for 10 films. (Films can also be streamed online for $10 each – or $80 for an all-access pass.)
Elle King: Drunk (And I Don’t Wanna Go Home) Tour (March 1)
Alternative singer-songwriter Elle King’s second headliner tour will come to Durham March 1. Best known for her chart-topping 2015 hit “Ex’s and Oh’s,” King is the first female artist ever to be credited with four No. 1 singles in different genres; her music blurs the traditional boundaries between country, rock, pop, and blues. Her Drunk (And I Don’t Wanna Go Home) tour arrives on the heels of her Country Music Association award-nominated single of the same name, a collaboration with Miranda Lambert, and will feature special guest Fancy Hagood. Tickets start at $39.50 each.
Welcome to Night Vale (March 29)
“Welcome to Night Vale” might be the most popular modern audio drama ever created. Described as “NPR meets ‘The Mothman Prophecies’,” it’s a radio show set in the fictional American Southwestern town of Night Vale, where all conspiracy theories are real and the supernatural is commonplace; over the course of the decade since its inception, it’s given rise to several novels and an upcoming television series. On March 29, the cast of “Welcome to Night Vale” will star in a liveshow at the Carolina Theatre as part of the Haunting of Night Vale Tour, featuring live music by Eliza Rickman. Tickets start at $27.50 each.
Trevor Wallace: Are You That Guy? Tour (April 1)
Trevor Wallace got his start making viral videos on Vine, and now makes a living as a YouTuber, actor and stand-up comedian; he’s been featured on Comedy Central, MTV, E! News and Barstool, and has worked with such brands as Chipotle and Snickers. His first comedy tour, Are You That Guy?, comes to Durham April 1. Tickets start at $29 each (for ages 18 and up only).
The Magic of African Rhythm (April 2)
Teli Shabu, a Liberian professional musician who teaches drum classes throughout North Carolina and currently runs the TMOAR Drum Institute, hails from a close-knit family that has been performing music together since the 1960’s. On April 2, Shabu will bring “The Magic of African Rhythm,” a multimedia performance that will combine ngoma drumming, singing, dancing and visual arts, to the Carolina Theatre of Durham. Tickets are $5 each.
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