Downtowner Jan 2007 Full.Qxd

AROUND TOWN CANES CASINO IT’S 90° OUT! Where have you Poker night against Hit the Bahamas been Downtown? the Canes for a for Downtown p. 14-15 good cause. p. 7 Live! p. 12 ■ January 2007 Finding World-Class Arts Raleigh has entered a new era of Arts and entered the big leagues with world-class per- in the Capital City forming and visual arts. Theatre, ballet, museums; you’ll find it all By Fred Benton here in Raleigh. Citystyle Editor Late one night in the early 60s—-I was just a kid then—my dad came UPCOMING ISSUES into my darkened room and woke me February: Valentine’s up telling me I was going to meet a movie star. Gosh, I thought, was it March: A New You Richard Chamberlain, Gregory Peck April: Home Makeover or JOHN WAYNE?! This wasn’t so far- May: Furniture Finds fetched. My dad was friends with Burl Ives who frequently visited our home while he was “confined” at Duke eating rice. So, with high expectations in mind I followed my dad ON THE COVER: up to the living room and met a man named Charlie Briggs. William “Wally”Jones at the helm Charlie Briggs? Charlie Briggs indeed had been in some The recent NC Museum of Art exhibit “Monet in Normandy” of the North Carolina Theatre major motion pictures, but typically in minor roles. He was a has put Raleigh visual arts in a world-wide manner. David Steele, character actor. He was visiting my parents to put forward NC Museum’s Curator of European Art poses by one of his favorite his dream of establishing a professional theater in Raleigh. Monet paintings, “Grainstack (Sunset)” My parents, indeed, helped and the Tarheelian Playhouse DeAnn Jones, entered into a contractual agreement with the was born. Performances at the Memorial Auditorium did City to become a permanent resident in Raleigh Memorial bring in professional directors and actors, including Jason Auditorium producing a minimum of four major productions Evers, Eddie Albert and Julia Meade, performing in such annually. productions as “Mary, Mary” and “Under the Yum Yum Tree.” RALEIGHDOWNTOWNER Under an agreement with the Actors’ Equity Association, Volume 3 ■ Issue 1 the union for national performers, NCT committed to hiring a significant number of “Equity” performers for its productions. This commitment to using the highest level of profes- 7511 Mourning Dove Road sional talent supported NCT’s mission to maintaining a pro- Suite 104 fessional theatre company in North Carolina. Raleigh, NC 27615 Phone: 919.460.1099 Their first musical production, Camelot, opened in May of Fax: 919.469.8892 1984. NC School of the Arts graduate Terrence Mann whose www.raleighdowntowner.com Broadway credits now include Javert in Les Miserables, the [email protected] Beast in Beauty and the Beast, Chauvelin in Scarlet Pimpernel and Rum Tum Tugger in Cats, played “King FOUNDERS Arthur” and a UNC student, Sharon Lawrence, whose cred- Randall Gregg its most recently include Sylvia Stipowitz on NYPD Blue, Sig Hutchinson “Phantom of the Opera” via Broadway Series South put Raleigh on the national performance map for professional theater. PUBLISHER Sig Hutchinson But the Tarheelian Playhouse was ahead of its time. It OWNERS Crash Gregg flopped under the heady glare of footlights beaming from Sig Hutchinson the Raleigh Little Theater which, in the early 60s, was the only source of live theater for adults in the Capitol City (I EDITOR-IN-CHIEF was much involved with the Raleigh Children's’ Theater Crash Gregg which performed on the stage at the then-Wiley Elementary School). CITYSTYLE EDITOR Fred Benton Wow, how times have changed! Raleigh is rich with the arts, The Raleigh Downtowner is a monthly both visual and performance. “Phantom of the Opera” via publication dedicated to coverage Broadway Series South put Raleigh on the map for profes- of the downtown Raleigh community. sional theater. And currently being enjoyed at the NC Museum of Art until January 14, “Monet in Normandy” has done the same for visual arts in a world-wide manner. © Copyright 2007 The name and logo of the Raleigh Downtowner is a Where Charlie Briggs failed, others with the aim of revitaliz- NC School of the Arts graduate Terrence Mann performed in NCT’s TM of Downtown Raleigh Publishing LLC. No part first musical production, Camelot, in 1984 of this publication may be reproduced without ing downtown Raleigh have succeeded. In 1983, L. P. express written permission. Zachary, Raleigh City Manager, stated his desire to bring entertainment to Raleigh’s downtown. In response, the Carolina Regional Theatre, under the expert direction of Continued on Page 3 PAGE 2 REAL ESTATE RALEIGHDOWNTOWNER Continued from Page 2 impressed with The Lion King which fighters of “Dynasty.” Legends!”, a catapulted my admiration of Broadway comedy by Tony-award winning Series South and the stage at Raleigh author, James Kirkwood (author of A Memorial into the stratosphere. And Chorus Line), centers on two some- the man responsible for these what desperate and waning movie advances is Jim Lavery, head of stars named Sylvia (played by Joan Broadway Series South and manager Collins) and Leatrice (played by Linda of Memorial Auditorium. One show I Evans). Both actresses are courted by have my eye on for the 2007 Broadway an unscrupulous young producer to Series South season is “Legends!” star together in a Broadway show, which will bring to the stage Joan Collins and Linda Evans, the star cat- Continued on Page 4 Some of the North Carolina Theatre staff (back row L to R: Heather Patterson King (Conservatory Program Director/Acting Instructor); Luke Foster (Company Manager); Lane Smith (Communications Manager); Carolee Baxter (General Manager); William W. Jones (Executive Director/Producer); Jay Wright (Conservatory Assistant Musical Director). Front row L to R: Donna Mullins (Box Office Manager); Lisa Grele Barrie (Development Director); Tricia McCoy (Business Manager); Alice Beck (Office Manager). Not pictured: Emily Bruce (Annual Fund Manager); Ray Walker (Conservatory Artistic Director/Vocal Instructor); Ken Curzon (Director of Sales). Velma Kelly in Chicago and many uled productions of 2007, I asked Broadway Series South’s presentation of The Lion King helped raise the bar for shows at Raleigh other roles on TV, stage and film; Jones what he considers a “must see!” Memorial Auditorium, as well as a creating a great economic impact on the Triangle area played “Guenivere”. The successful of the season. He praised the “incredi- formula of producing top quality musi- ble cast” of Jesus Christ Superstar, set cals with top national performers and to play in February—and in July, an local talent was inaugurated. Opening original musical, Waiting for the Moon. with 825 season tickets sold and a total audience of 24,000, Camelot marked I was curious as to whether NCT and the beginning of the Regional Broadway Series South were interre- Theatre’s new direction and the name lated. They are not. As Jones’ was changed to the North Carolina explained, “Broadway Series South Theatre. presents on the Memorial Auditorium stage and NCT produces. In other words, Broadway Series South hires already- formed road companies of smash Broadway musicals to perform here. NCT puts together a play from scenery to casting (casting calls usually take place in NYC as well as here in Raleigh). “That’s no mean feat,” Jones’ stressed. “Musicals are very expen- sive to produce; we, instead, North Carolina Theatre has attracted big names such must select plays with a as NCT “King and I” star Lou Diamond Phillips, seen broad appeal so we can fill here with Downtowner partner/editor Crash Gregg 2300 seats per performance.” Today, under the direction of William “Wally” Jones, a Capitol City native, Broadway Series South—as was the NCT brings to the stage profes- Raleigh as a performance capitol—was sional actors as well as local talent. But put on the national map when NCT’s mission has also expanded to Phantom of the Opera did so well here include its Kids on Broadway series when it played on the Memorial offering classes for new performing Auditorium stage in spring of 2003. I artists ages 7 to 20. Regarding sched- regret I missed it but I was highly RALEIGHDOWNTOWNER ARTS IN DOWNTOWN PAGE 3 Continued from Page 3 (919) 388-0066 www.burningcoal.org/ St. Augustine’s Community despite the fact that they have hated Theatre each other for decades. He convinces Theatre in the Park St. Augustine's College both ladies to go along by misleading City-sponsored theater 1315 Oakwood Ave. them into believing that they will be 107 Pullen Road Raleigh, NC 27607 Raleigh, NC 27610-2298 starring in the show with Paul (919) 831-6058 (919) 516-4364 Newman. This set-up provides the www.theatreinthepark.com www.st-aug.edu background for the full-blown comic confrontation between these two divas The Shaw Players & Company and the surprising and hilarious reso- Shaw University lution. This delicious duel of the divas 118 East South Street is presented May 1 through May 6. (919) 546-8420 www.shawu.edu Jim Lavery’s pick for the 2007 season is “Light in the Piazza.” It won 6 Tony Flying Machine Theatre Company Awards in 2005, including Best Score, Creates experiential theater has received praise around the world, 3120 McAdams Drive Durham, Chapel Hill, Cary, Research and was written by a Chapel Hill Raleigh, NC 27604-3355 Triangle Park, Fuquay-Varina and native, Elizabeth Spencer. Lavery (919) 954-8847 beyond. The initial 2000 subscribers pointed out, “The show is playing www.theflyingmachine.net have more than doubled, with 70,000 Valentine’s week and would make a seats sold each year.

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