Arts & Culture
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‘Million Dollar Quartet’ Raises Cain in Cornelius
By some cosmic coincidence, the publication of Rolling Stone’s special edition listing of the “500 Greatest Songs of All Time” in late 2004 anticipated the great flowering of jukebox musicals on Broadway almost immediately afterwards, with hardly a hiccup since. A good 40 years after my last look at Billboard…
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PaperHouse Theatre’s ‘Reverse Psychology’ Proves Devilishly Ridiculous
Best known for his international comedy hit, The Mystery of Irma Vep, Charles Ludlam and his Ridiculous Theatre Company struggled for 17 years before that 1984 breakthrough brought him financial security. But AIDS took his life, so he couldn’t enjoy his celebrity and notoriety for long. Ludlam was gone less…
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Rhizome Arts Market Puts Community First in West Charlotte
In the plant world, a rhizome is an always growing, horizontal stem underground that puts out new shoots. For April C. Turner, a member of the leadership team with QC Family Tree’s Rhizome Coalition, the Rhizome Arts Markets that she organizes in the Freedom Drive/Wilkinson Boulevard corridor are the visible…
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The Count Transforms from Bela to Bowie in ‘Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors’
Even before he became a Muppet or the mascot for a General Mills breakfast cereal, Bram Stoker’s Dracula regularly took on a comical tinge that the novelist could not have foreseen when his masterwork was published in 1897. You can probably place the blame on Bela Lugosi, the first actor…
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Charlotte Filmmaker’s Debut Draws from Dark Aspects of Religious Upbringing
Framed by a stained-glass window like a halo, a Southern pastor regales his congregation with a parable. His story is about a preacher out on a boat with two boys — his son and his son’s best friend. The boys fall into the water. The preacher, knowing his son is…
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Charlotte Studio Artists in Search of New Home Amid Looming Displacement
Speaking with members of the Charlotte Studio Artists Relocation Steering Committee in the organization’s NoDa facility on a recent Saturday afternoon, one throughline emerged: change is constant and should be expected, if not welcomed. It’s an understandable line of thinking for any artist or arts organization in Charlotte, especially one…
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The ‘New Argentina’ of ‘Evita’ Suddenly Resembles MAGA USA
As women and as films, Evita and Melania will never be viewed as two of a kind. Yet in recent years, as Ms. Trump’s husband has become more ceremonial, militaristic and authoritarian, a mild kinship and a certain sisterhood have emerged between the two first ladies. There are only a…
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Ukrainian Refugee Pavlo Korniushkin Settles Into Charlotte’s Comedy Scene
Pavlo Korniushkin’s journey to Charlotte’s comedy scene has been anything but laughs. From his hometown in Melitopol, Ukraine, Korniushkin traveled 5,800 miles, beginning with a dramatic border crossing into Russian territory amidst that government’s invasion of Ukraine, which closed the border and led to the occupation of Melitopol. Having escaped…
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15 Ways to Celebrate Juneteenth 2026 in the Charlotte Area
Our annual Summer Guide is on the way, but before we get there, we have Juneteenth right around the corner. The best way to kick off your summer early is with any of these Juneteenth celebrations spread throughout the greater Charlotte area. Queen City Juneteenth Cultural Celebration June 13 •…
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‘Charlotte Squawks’ Returns for 21st Year of Sassy, Localized Satire
[Editor’s Note: If you prefer to be surprised by which news stories are covered by which song parodies upon attending Charlotte Squawks, skip the first two paragraphs of this story.] The Carolina Panthers winning the division despite a losing record is celebrated with a rousing medley that includes “We Will…
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Keston Conquers Again in ‘The Color Purple’ at The Barn
Across the span of nearly 40 years reviewing, reporting and pontificating on the performing arts, quite a few events and performances have etched themselves into my mind. On rarer instances, an audience response will be equally unforgettable, such as press night on April 10, 2008, at Ovens Auditorium, the first…
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Tattoo Artist George Rodriguez on Scar Covering, Apprenticeships and Opening Old Soul Tattoo Club
Charlotte tattoo artist George Rodriguez considers his craft to be his wife. He loves tattooing unconditionally, and that love bleeds into the quality of his work. Rodriguez recently opened a new tattoo studio with his friend and longtime partner Jose “Jay” Alvarado. Called Old Soul Tattoo Club, the space is…
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Audrey Baran Lands on Her Feet After Parting With UNC Charlotte
On April 18, Audrey Baran posted a selfie on her Instagram account in which she’s extending her thumb-and-pinky in a “hang loose” gesture while standing in front of Robinson Hall for the Performing Arts on UNC Charlotte’s campus. “And like that … she was gone,” Baran’s caption reads, paraphrasing a…
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‘Oedipus el Rey’ Completes Groundbreaking Three Bone Trilogy
Everybody has a story, but the cruel truth is that an overwhelming majority of them, whether factual or fictional, will be forgotten. So the story of Oedipus, immortalized by the Greek dramatist Sophocles in his Theban Trilogy — and perhaps the cruelest of all stories — is an awesome exception. …
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Comic Carol Tyner Commits to the Stage as One Half of Group Chat Girlies
To pursue stand-up comedy takes a little bit of recklessness no matter who you are. To walk away from an established career in the medical field to follow that pursuit is acting with a different level of abandon. But that’s the choice that local comic Carol Tyner made in August…
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Mint to Be Shines Light on Charlotte’s Rich Fashion Scene
The force of nature that is Perrine DeShield-Jenkins, aka Professor P., has done it again. A creative marketer, educator and event curator, Perrine is the architect behind Mint to Be, this year’s iteration of her annual Met Gala-inspired event. Following up on last year’s Superfine event and exhibit across the…
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