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2011-2012 Season
Ruthie Foster  

Ruthie Foster
Friday, September 16, 2011 at 8pm  |  Stewart Theatre


If you were in Stewart Theatre on November 14, 2008, you won’t need convincing: a concert by Ruthie Foster is an unforgettable, take-your-breath-away experience. Many awards later, she is in the forefront of the blues/roots music world. Ruthie Foster’s ric­h, robust, soulful voice draws repeated comparisons to Aretha Franklin and Ella Fitzgerald, but she’s a major force on her own. An extraordinarily gifted singer and songwriter from Texas, she mixes contemporary folk with old-school gospel and blues with dazzling efficiency. Pre-show discussion, 7pm, Walnut Room.
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Four Seasons  

Musicians from the Four Seasons Chamber Music Festival
Saturday, October 1, 2011 at 8pm  |  Titmus Theatre

 

Now in its 12th season in residence at East Carolina University, the Four Seasons Chamber Music Festival is firmly established as a world-class festival and a cultural leader in North Carolina. Led by violinist and artistic director Ara Gregorian, internationally-acclaimed musicians will join together for a thrilling program of chamber music masterpieces. LEARN MORE >

 

 

Auqila Theatre  

Aquila Theatre – The Importance of Being Earnest
Wednesday, October 12, 2011 at 8pm  |  Stewart Theatre

 

Oscar Wilde’s “Trivial Comedy for Serious People” is crammed full of memorable satirical humor and larger than life characters (in fact, in all of theatre, is there one more delectable than Lady Augusta Bracknell?). Aquila Theatre’s staging of Wilde’s masterpiece promises to overflow with wit, elegance, and romantic comedy. Pre-show discussion, 7pm, Walnut Room. LEARN MORE >

 

Regina Carter  

Regina Carter
Saturday, October 22, 2011 at 8pm  |  Stewart Theatre

 

Is it obvious? We adore Regina Carter. We are thrilled to welcome her back for her fourth appearance on the Center Stage series. The leading jazz violinist of our time, she has put her indelible stamp on collaborations with artists as diverse as Wynton Marsalis, Lauryn Hill, Cassandra Wilson, Aretha Franklin, Mary J. Blige and Dolly Parton. With her own band, Regina Carter reaps praise for her unparalleled ability to integrate the finer elements of jazz, funk, African, Brazilian and soul music with an adventurous rhythmic sensibility. Pre-show discussion, 7pm, Walnut Room. LEARN MORE >

 

Dobet  

Dobet Gnahoré
Friday, November 4, 2011 at 8pm  |  Stewart Theatre

 

Ivory Coast vocalist and dancer Dobet Gnahoré first took American audiences by storm in 2006, when she joined African music legends Habib Koité and Vusi Mahlasela on Putumayo’s Acoustic Africa tour. In 2010, Dobet and India.Arie won the Grammy for Best Urban/Alternative Performance for the song “Pearls.” With a Pan-African sound ranging from Mandingue melodies to Congolese rumba, Ivory Coast ziglibiti to Cameroon bikoutsi, Dobet is hailed as one of the freshest talents in new African music. The BBC calls her “a vivacious bundle of energy, blessed with a powerful voice and infectious charisma.” Come see why. Pre-show discussion, 7pm, Walnut Room.
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Shana Tucker  

Shana Tucker             
Friday, November 11, 2011 at 7pm & 9pm  |  Kennedy-McIlwee Studio Theatre

 

Transcending genre distinctions, Shana Tucker is a "ChamberSoul" cellist and singer/songwriter from New York who's set on blazing a trail for herself down here in North Carolina. Her music is a sultry pastiche of acoustic pop and soulful, jazz-influenced contemporary folk. Shana just released her debut album, Shine, described by The News & Observer as “a delectable combination of folksy acoustic pop and in-the-pocket jazz, topped off with her easy croon.” LEARN MORE >

 

Brian Brooks  

Brian Brooks Moving Company – Motor
Thursday, November 17, 2011 at 8pm  |  Stewart Theatre

 

Choreographer Brian Brooks fuses “minimalist rigor with flamboyant whimsy” (The New Yorker). Brian’s latest whimsy? Spanning the distance from the back of the stage out to the farthest walls of the theatre, over three miles of sky blue cables expand to create a tunnel-like space over both audience and performers in the 60-minute dance Motor. Within this vibrant, large-scale installation, dancers wrestle with themselves and one another in an exploration of perpetual motion that amplifies our linear perception of time and experience. Pre-show discussion, 7pm, Walnut Room. LEARN MORE >

 

Turtle Island Quartet  

Turtle Island Quartet – The Music of John Coltrane
Saturday, January 28, 2012 at 8pm  |  Stewart Theatre

 

John Coltrane’s jazz epiphany, A Love Supreme, was recorded four decades ago at a time when the country was deeply troubled by issues of race and war. Coltrane’s music was a personal statement of redemption and salvation that struck a chord in the hearts of millions. In exploring the musical legacy of this North Carolina native, the two-time Grammy Award winning Turtle Island Quartet continues its tradition of employing the string quartet form to shed new light on the timeless joy and beauty contained in the greatest music of the American jazz masters. Presented in partnership with the Raleigh Chamber Music Guild. Pre-show discussion, 7pm, Walnut Room. LEARN MORE >

 

David Dorfman Dance  

David Dorfman Dance – Prophets of Funk
Saturday, February 4, 2012 at 8pm  |  Stewart Theatre

 

David Dorfman, a longtime favorite of Center Stage and ADF dance audiences, returns with Prophets of Funk – Dance to the Music. Set to the irresistible sounds of Sly and the Family Stone’s groundbreaking, visceral, and powerful music, Prophets of Funk exemplifies the struggles and celebration of everyday people, inviting the audience to find ardor in the muck and mess – the funk – of life. Recognizing the vitality and revelry of the 1970s, Dorfman’s Prophets of Funk seeks to lift up the spirit of Sly: insisting that in the face of this funk, there are still hopes and aspirations that reside in all of us. Pre-show discussion, 7pm, Walnut Room. LEARN MORE >

 

Casshore Marionettes  

The Cashore Marionettes           
Saturday, February 18, 2012 at 3pm & 8pm  |  Titmus Theatre

 

Simply magical. Unmatched in artistry, grace and refinement of movement, the enchanting Cashore Marionettes redefine the art of puppetry. A series of touching vignettes set to classical music explore a range of emotions and celebrate life. Marvels of engineering, The Cashore Marionettes are so well conceived and projected, the movement so convincing, the illusion so powerful, that the result is a compelling, unforgettable theatrical experience for all ages. 3pm: Simple Gifts (all ages), 8pm: Life in Motion (adults and young adults). LEARN MORE >

 

Sagapool  

Sagapool
Friday, March 16, 2012 at 8pm  |  Stewart Theatre

 

With its vibrant music and contagious joie de vivre, this band of six musicians has created an original and dazzling repertoire that reflects the colorful influences of Montreal’s cultural mosaic. Guitar, bass, accordion, percussion, banjo, glockenspiel, Rhodes, violin, clarinet and piano all shine in the hands of these multi-talented instrumentalists. Sagapool lets its music travel without borders and preserves the free spirit and exuberance of its first loves – gypsy music, gypsy swing and klezmer – while adding ska, Latin and folk rhythms. Pre-show discussion, 7pm, Walnut Room. LEARN MORE >

 

John Pizzerelli  

John Pizzarelli & Jessica Molaskey: The Heart of Saturday Night
Saturday, March 24, 2012 at 8pm  |  Stewart Theatre

 

They don’t come any better than John Pizzarelli: witty, utterly charming, an amazing voice, a dazzling guitarist. And now… on his third trip to Center Stage, he’s teaming up with the fabulous Broadway star and singer extraordinaire, Jessica Molaskey (who just happens to be his wife). Their splendid cabaret show features rich, original interpretations of songs from the Great American Songbook mixed with contemporary classics.
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Red Baraat  

Red Baraat
Saturday, April 21, 2012 at 8pm  |  Stewart Theatre

 

Infectious energy! Led by dhol player Sunny Jain, Red Baraat delivers an explosive stage performance with a riveting “Bollywood meets New Orleans” brew of North Indian, funk, go-go, Latin and jazz rhythms. Comprised of dhol (a double-headed Punjabi drum), drum set, percussion, sousaphone, and five horns, this Brooklyn-based group is pure joy. "The band artfully hybridizes Indian bhangra and something akin to New Orleans second-line funk. Plus it's fun as hell." – Chicago Reader Pre-show discussion, 7pm, Walnut Room. LEARN MORE >

 

   
    KIDSTUFF SERIES  
Goodnight Moon  

Mermaid Theatre – Goodnight Moon & The Runaway Bunny
Saturday, October 29, 2011 at 3pm  |  Stewart Theatre

 

Two bedtime stories come to life on stage with these adaptations of Margaret Wise Brown and Clement Hurd’s beloved classics. The acclaimed Mermaid Theatre of Nova Scotia (last with us two seasons ago for The Very Hungry Caterpillar) brings its whimsical puppetry, dreamlike imagery, and original music to two best-loved childhood stories, infusing young audiences with a wonderful sense of security and peace, and providing an effortless introduction to the performing arts and the excitement of reading.
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Skippyjohnjones  

TheatreworksUSA – Skippyjon Jones
Sunday, February 26, 2012 at 3pm  |  Stewart Theatre

 

“Holy guacamole,” Skippyjon Jones exclaims. “My ears are too big for my head, my head is too big for my body. I am not a Siamese cat – I am a CHIHUAHUA!” He dons a mask, a cape, and an accent, and transforms into Skippito Friskito, the greatest canine sword fighter in old Mexico! Based on the book by Judy Schachner, Skippyjon Jones is an enchanting musical about unleashing your powerful imagination and following your dreams.
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