New studio classes at Waterworks Visual Arts Center begin Jan. 15, offering Open Figure Drawing, Handbuilding & Wheel Pottery, Drawing, Darkroom Skills, and Composition on Tuesday and Thursday evenings.
Visit www.waterworks.org for full class descriptions and information. Register online or call 704-636-1882. Waterworks is located at 123 E. Liberty St.

Thursday shag dance classes resume this evening, Jan. 3, at TJ’s High Rock Lake Restaurant and Lounge (formerly High Rock Boat and Ski Club), 275 Boat Club Lane. Beginner I & II is at 7 p.m.; Intermediate/Advanced at 8 p.m. Note that Beginner I students must preregister.
Classes are $40 per month, and no partner is needed. Contact Tobitha Stewart at 704-202-9655, www.carolinashaglessons.com or Diane Harrington at 704-279-6168.

KANNAPOLIS — The Kannapolis History Associates January 7 meeting is called “Turn Your Radio On” as presented by Ryan Dayvault. It is a walk down memory lane, a cruise back in time and an evening of reminiscing about the history of radio. This event is Monday at 7 p.m. at the A.L. Brown High School social hall, 415 E 1st St.

On Friday night, the popular bluegrass duo Eden’s Gate plays from 9-11:30 p.m. Melissa Benfield Adams (fiddle and vocals) and Jamey Basinger (vocals and guitar) hail from China Grove.
Saturday night features the acoustic music of Danny Franklin starting at 9 p.m. Danny will be performing acoustic favorites of the past 50 years as well as his own blend of humor. This will be Danny’s first time on The Blue Vine stage.
The Blue Vine is located at 209 S. Main St., ?704-797-0093, www.thebluevine.com

CONCORD — Old Courthouse Theatre announces auditions for Ayn Rand’s “The Night of Jan. 16th,” on Jan. 28-29, from 7-9 p.m. Audition will consist of a cold read from the script. For details, visit www.oldcourthousetheatre.org, choose audition tab. Performance dates are March 14-23, at Old Courthouse Theatre main stage at Piedmont Renaissance Center, 51 Union St. S.
Originally written in 1933 and reedited by Ayn Rand in 1968, “The Night of Jan. 16th” is a courtroom trial set in New York City. Bjorn Faulkner, genius financier or swindler of millions, has two women in his life: his new bride, Nancy Lee Faulkner, daughter of the prominent banker, John Graham Whitfield, and Bjorn’s long-time secretary and mistress Karen Andre. On the night of Jan. 16th, Faulkner falls to his death from Karen’s penthouse apartment. Was it murder, suicide, or something else altogether? Karen is placed on trial with the prosecution claiming she did it out of jealousy since Bjorn no longer wanted a relationship now that he was happily married. In an interesting twist, the audience will be asked to help decide the outcome of the trial.
Old Courthouse Theatre is located at 49 Spring St. NW. , 704-788-2405, www.oldcourthousetheatre.org
CONCORD — Old Courthouse Theatre announces auditions for Rodgers and Hammerstein’s “South Pacific,” on Feb. 10-11, from 7-9 p.m. For details, visit www.oldcourthousetheatre.org, choose audition tab. Performance dates are April 25-May 12.
Set in an island paradise during World War II, two parallel love stories are threatened by the dangers of prejudice and war. Nellie, a spunky nurse from Arkansas, falls in love with a mature French planter, Emile. Nellie learns that the mother of his children was an island native and, unable to turn her back on the prejudices with which she was raised, refuses Emile’s proposal of marriage. Mean-while, the strapping Lt. Joe Cable denies himself the fulfillment of a future with an innocent Tonkinese girl with whom he’s fallen in love out of the same fears that haunt Nellie. When Emile is recruited to accompany Joe on a dangerous mission that claims Joe’s life, Nellie realizes that life is too short not to seize her own chance for happiness. Winner of 10 Tony Awards, including Best Musical.
Old Courthouse Theatre is located at 49 Spring St. NW. , 704-788-2405, www.oldcourthousetheatre.org

CONCORD — Old Courthouse Theatre presents the production of “The Diary of Anne Frank” by Frances Goodrich and Albert Hackett. In this gripping new adaptation by Wendy Kesselman, from the original stage play by Goodrich and Hackett, newly discovered writings from the diary of Anne Frank, as well as survivor accounts, are interwoven to create a contemporary impassioned story of the lives of people persecuted under Nazi rule. This is an adaptation for a new generation able to confront the true horrors of the Holocaust.
Performances dates are Feb. 7, 8, 9, 15, 16, 22 and 23 at 8 p.m. and Feb. 10, 17 and 24 at 2:30 p.m.
Old Courthouse Theatre is located at 49 Spring St. NW. , 704-788-2405, www.oldcourthousetheatre.org

Salisbury Pride is having a dance party at ethos, 118 N. Main St. Jan. 11, 10 p.m.-2 a.m. A portion of the $5 cover supports Salisbury Pride 2013. ?704-639-2600, www.ethosdining.com
Rowan Public Library is honored to host Clay Lunsford and Wayne Henderson, two of bluegrass music’s most esteemed artists, at RPL Headquarters, 201 W. Fisher St., at 7 p.m. next Thursday, Jan. 10 for an evening of music in the Stanback Auditorium of the Library.
Clay Lunsford is known as a guitar virtuoso and is the founder of the N.C. Thumb and Finger Style Guitar Players Association. Members of the Lunsford family have been performing gospel and mountain music throughout the southeast for almost a century. Clay has played for over fifty years in the style of Chet Atkins and Merle Travis.
Wayne Henderson’s top-notch finger-picking is a source of great pleasure and pride to his friends, family, and neighbors in Grayson County, Va.; his guitar playing has also been enjoyed at Carnegie Hall, the White House, in three national tours of “Masters of the Steel-String Guitar,” and in seven nations in Asia. In addition to his reputation as a musician, Henderson is a masterful guitar and mandolin maker.
www.rowanpubliclibrary.org

Kalima Tribal Belly Dance is at The Blue Vine for this monthly Girls Night Out on Jan. 9, from 6:30-8:30 p.m. Enjoy a fun and easy belly dance lesson while munching on free snacks and sipping the glass of wine you purchased. There will be door prizes and goodie bags as well. Normally a $5 cover, this month only the price is two for the price of one. Bring a friend with you and both get in for $5. It’s a new year and time to try something new.
Upcoming: On Feb. 2, join Kalima Tribal Belly Dance for a unique event during the Valentine season. “Dark Romance” highlights the skills of local and regional belly dancers in workshops and performance as they explore the darker side of love. Join Kim Infiniti and Margaret Pribble for workshops starting at 9:00 on Feb. 2 at The Treehouse, 506 1/2 S. Salisbury Ave., Spencer. Later that evening, see dancers from around the region at The Looking Glass Artist Center, 507 N. Lee St., at 7:30 p.m. The show will also feature the live music of Valentine Wolfe out of Charlotte, NC. For more information Check out the event information at www.KalimaTribal.com or look for Kalima Tribal on Facebook.
Lee Street Theatre presents the Lee Street Cafe’s “Around the World in Songs. The black box theatre will be transformed into a classic night club with Patsy Parnell, Mary Ann McCubbin, Becky Lippard, Carol Harris, Matthew Newton, Kent Bernhardt and John Brincefield as cabaret performers, accompanied by Matthew Brown. Featured will be songs like “Slow Boat to China,” ‘Midnight Train to Georgia,”“Gal in Kalamazoo,” “Rain in Span,” “Do You Know the Way to San Jose” and more. more!
Sponsored by Walser Technology Group, the show is Jan. 17-19 at 7:30 p.m. at the Looking Glass Artist Center’s Black Box Theatre, 405 N. Lee St. Call 704-798-7768 to reserve tickets or buy at the door. Tickets are $10 general admission.
For more informatio visit www.leestreet.org, email info@leestreet.org, or call 704-798-7768
Limited number of non-profit organization vendor spaces are available for the Martin Luther King Jr. day event. There is a $50 fee for food vendor reservations. All vendors and local participants must apply before Jan. 10. Activities will begin following the parade and televised showing of the presidential inaugural address at the Civic Center on Jan. 21. Call the coordinator at 704-636-2811 for more information and applications.
BEECH MOUNTAIN, N.C. – In conjunction with national Learn to Ski and Snowboard Month in January, the Town of Beech Mountain is offering a basic course.
“Skiing 101 at Beech” is a program that provides one night’s lodging, equipment rental, helmet rental, full-day lift ticket, and a beginner skiing or snowboarding lesson at Beech Mountain Resort.
The month-long program is available Monday through Friday to anyone age eight or older. Cost of enrollment is $101 per person, double occupancy required.
“Skiing and snowboarding can be intimidating if you haven’t tried them before, so we’re offering a learning experience that’s easy, safe and fun,” says Talia Freeman, marketing director for Beech Mountain Resort. “Additionally, this program provides an affordable entry point for folks who don’t want to make a significant upfront investment.”
Registering for “Skiing 101 at Beech” is simple. Just contact any of the participating lodging options listed at: www.BeechMtn.com/skiing101 and ask for the Skiing 101 package. The accommodation will book your room and provide a voucher at check-in to be redeemed at the ski resort for a lesson, equipment rental, helmet rental, and lift ticket.
Further details are available by calling 1-800-468-5506.