Opens tonight: LSt presents new original play ‘Running On Fire’
Written by Aurin Squire.
April 19-28 at 7:30 p.m.
Lee Street theatre, 329 N. Lee St.
$15 + tax at www.leestreet.org or 704-310-5507.

Opens tonight: Catawba College Theatre’s ‘Anything Goes’
Madcap musical comedy by Cole Porter.
April 19-21, 7:30 p.m.
Catawba’s Keppel Auditorium, 2300 W. Innes St.
$10-$15 at 704-637-4481 or catawba.edu/theatretix

Closing weekend for PPT Youth Theater’s ‘Alice in Wonderland’
April 19-21 at 7:30 p.m.
April 21 at 2:30 p.m.
Norvell Theater, 113 E. Fisher St.
$12-$14  at 704-633-5471 or PiedmontPlayers.com

 

Learning to Fly
SPENCER — The N.C. Transportation Museum will trade engineer hats and overalls for flight suits and captain’s caps on Saturday at Learning to Fly, the museum’s annual aviation event.

Learning to Fly features helicopter fly-ins, flight simulators, kid’s activities, remote-controlled aircraft, and restoration tours of the Piedmont Airlines DC-3. Special programming will surround the full-size replica Wright Flyer, showcasing the birth of powered flight, while the latest flight tracking technology will be shown off Saturday from data analytics company SAS.

The museum’s field near Barber Junction Depot will the site for helicopter fly-ins.
Meet Wright Brothers expert Darrell Collins. Collins’ interpretation of the Wright Brothers’ first flight brings that history to life, telling the story of two bicycle shop owners from Ohio who made history on North Carolina’s Outer Banks.

Piedmont Airlines will be a focus of the event, as restoration tours of the Piedmont Airlines DC-3 will take place and those experts will also be joined by representatives of Guilford Technical Community College’s aviation program.

Former Piedmont Airlines and US Air Captain Bill Wilkerson and 55-year flight attendant (she prefers “stewardess”) Carol Dobyns Fair will be among the Piedmont alums appearing Saturday.

Those wishing to try their hand at piloting an airplane will be able to do just that – virtually – via flight simulators from The Wright Stuff Simulation & Virtual Reality Center.
The Carolinas Historic Aviation Commission and Museum will give programs.

Full event details and ticket information is available at www.nctrans.org

 

Tonight: Carolina Artists Guild
The Carolina Artists Guild monthly meeting is tonight at 6:30 p.m. at Rufty-Holmes Senior Center, 1120 Martin Luther King Jr Ave S. James Taylor, local artist, is guest instructor. The topic will be Drawing as a Bridge to Painting. Anyone who is interested is welcome.

Rowan County Tea Party hosts candidates forum
Rowan County Tea Party will host a Rowan County Commission candidates forum on Tuesday, April 24 at the Bluebay Restaurant on Statesville Blvd. Dinner is at 6 p.m. followed by the forum. The candidates expect questions.

Spring Fling dance at the Harold B. Jarrett
From 7-10 pm Friday, with music by DJ “Rawhide.” $10 per person; snacks and drinks provided. 1024 Lincolnton Road. Info at Harold B. Jarrett Post 342, 704-637-1722.

Horizons Unlimited
From 1-3 p.m. Saturday, the NC Science Festival will celebrate the wonders of science indoors and outside. 1636 Parkview Circle. Park and enter from Lilly Ave. 704-639-3004, www.rss.k12.nc.us/horizonsunlimited-margaret-c-woodson-planetarium

Davidson art show features Trinity Oaks artists — 6-9 p.m.: April 20: Several artists from Trinity Oaks to be featured in gallery crawl. Landscape and nature photography of Russ and Nancy Gavitt, copper pieces by Barbara Whenal, woodwork by Russ and Lou See. Live music by the MCHS Orchestra, light hors d’oeuvres, sweet treats. Held at Homewood Suites by Hilton-Davidson, 125 Harbour Place Drive, Davidson.

Rowan Museum celebrates 65 years
Thursday, May 31, at 6:30 p.m.: Rowan Museum w ill host A Spring Supper on in the Messinger Room on the second floor of the 1857 Courthouse at 202 N. Main St. Dr. Gary Freeze will speak on Matthew Locke: Who was he and why does his portrait hang in the Utzman-Chambers House? Everyone is invited, but reservations are required and can be made by calling 704-633-5946. Cost is $15 per person.

‘CruisIn The Grove’ returns
CHINA GROVE — The first CruisIn of the season is 3-7 p.m. Saturday on Main Street in China Grove. The CruisIn is open to anything with a motor, and everyone is welcome. An Elvis Tribute artist will be performing in Hanna Park from 4-6 p.m.

PPT announces the cast of ‘Barefoot In The Park’
PAUL BRATTER: Tim Campbell
CORI BRATTER: Eliana Newkirk
VICTOR VELASCO: Gary Thornburg
MRS. BANKS: Jean Kadela
TELEPHONE REPAIRMAN: Ryan Pegarsch
DIRECTOR: Reid Leonard
STAGE MANAGER: Eve Phillips
Paul and Corie Bratter are newlyweds in every sense of the word. He’s a straight-as-an-arrow lawyer and she’s a free spirit always looking for the latest kick. Their new apartment is her most recent find — too expensive with bad plumbing and in need of a paint job. After a six-day honeymoon, they get a surprise visit from Corie’s loopy mother and decide to play matchmaker during a dinner with their neighbor-in-the-attic, Velasco, where everything that can go wrong, does. Paul just doesn’t understand Corie, as she sees it. He’s too staid, too boring, and she just wants him to be a little more spontaneous. Running “barefoot in the park” would be a start…
Tony Award Nominee for Best Play
Show Dates: May 3-5 and 9-12 at 7:30 p.m. and May 6 at 2:30 p.m.
Meroney Theater, 213 S. Main St. Tickets go on sale April 23. Adults $17, students/seniors $14 at 704-633-5471, PiedmontPlayers.com