The dreamy dozen: 12 extremely awesome events to check out in Wilmington this weekend

As you all know, there are a lot of places out there where you can find out about Wilmington-area events. Because of that, I just wanted to say thanks for including the weekly StarNews roundup as you scour social media, actual media and event sites.

I try to give the StarNews roundup a personal touch each week by including a range of events, from music and theater to art, film and festivals, a mix of stuff that I personally find interesting (in the hopes that you will, too) along with the no-brainer huge events and a few surprises.

Like what you see? Want to let me know about an upcoming event? Got a few ideas for places or things I've missed? Just let me know, I do respond to email.

With that, let's get started on events for the first weekend of March.

ALL WEEKEND

'Death of a Salesman'

Feb. 29-March 3 at Thalian Hall: Arthur Miller's classic 1949 tragedy "Death of a Salesman" is one of the few 75-year-old plays that remains as relevant as when it was written, perhaps even moreso.

Not only does it capture, with heartbreaking accuracy, the devastating fallout that comes with being cut off from the American Dream, but it gets the details right, too. When struggling salesman Willy Loman complains that "they should've had a law against apartment houses," he might as well be talking about Wilmington in 2024.

Through Sunday, Opera House Theatre Co. is staging a stellar and sobering rendition of "Salesman" at Thalian Hall with a mostly Black cast, a choice that deepens and expands on the play's themes.

As Willy Loman, Frascaswell Hyman is mesmerizing in his portrayal of a man whose life, and mind, is falling apart. It's like watching a car crash in slow motion. You can't look away, and Hyman inhabits every nuance.

His castmates are in top form as well, with Tony-nominated, Grammy-winning actress NaTasha Yvette Williams giving emotional shape to Linda Loman's long-suffering, taken-for-granted dedication to her husband. When Williams delivers perhaps the play's most famous line, "Attention must be paid!", you feel it in your soul.

Dontonio Demarco is outstanding as Willy and Linda's elder son, Biff, capturing the deep sadness that comes with the loss of illusions. As Biff's younger brother, Happy, Jadin Alexander is the picture of amiable fecklessness.

Director Stoney B. Mootoo never wastes a moment, driving the pace and pulling off hellacious, almost psychedelic sequences when Willy descends into painful memories. Terry Collins' set comes off like a fractured, compartmentalized picture of Willy's ailing mind, and it's beautifully and subtly lit by David Castaneda.

"Salesman," and this production of it, reminds us of what good theater can do: make us think, make us feel, and make us want to look for a better way. 7:30 p.m. Feb. 29-March 2, 2 p.m. March 3. 910-632-2285.

Cast Q&A: With a Grammy winner and all-star cast, this Wilmington production tackles a 'Salesman'

'Scotopia: Short Plays to Help You See in the Dark'

March 2-3 at DREAMS Garage on Fanning Street: Wilmington's Mouths of Babes Theatre Co. premieres a collection of eight short plays made up of work "curated from new play festivals from all around the country," according to a news release. Plays aim to "address modern social issues through a scope that inverses norms and challenges perceptions."

Featured works include "Shadow Day" by Steven Dietz (a right wing radio host has a mysterious encounter), "Laila Pines for the Wolf" by Hassan Abdulrazzak (a retelling of "Little Red Riding Hood" "with a climate crisis twist") and "The Line" by D.W. Gregory ("a woman waits for a protest to die down outside an abortion clinic").

Also, Kevin Lee-Y Green of Wilmington's Techmoja Dance & Theatre Co. will direct "The Ballad of George Zimmerman" by Dan O'Brien and Quetzal Flores, a "folk opera" about the night Trayvon Martin was killed. 7:30 p.m. March 2 and 9, 2 p.m. March 3 and 10. Tickets are $15-$25.

North Carolina Rice Festival

Feb. 28-March 2: Annual festival pays tribute to the role of rice cultivation in the history of Brunswick County while also celebrating the enslaved people who were brought to this area from West Africa to grow it. The March 1 Gullah Geechee Cultural Heritage Gala Dinner & VIP Reception is sold out. But free tickets (seating limited) remain for a Feb. 28 film screening and discussion about the historic role rice played in Brunswick County, and to a Feb. 29 "ancestry reveal" event in Navassa with area families exploring their connections to West Africa.

The festival's main public event runs 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. March 2 at the Brunswick Town/Fort Anderson Historic Site in Winnabow. It features live entertainment, historical info and presentations, children's activities, food, vendors and more. Details at NorthCarolinaRiceFestival.org.

David Drake

March 1-2 at the Dead Crow Comedy Room: New York City comic has been on HBO and Comedy Central, and his most recent special, "That's It!", came out last year on YouTube. Drake has some great material about the ridiculous cost of weddings, the brutality of online comments, and how everyone's got a "DWI in their heart" whether they've ever been charged or not. 7 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. March 1-2, tickets are $18 and $28.

Coastal Comic Con

March 2-3 at the Wilmington Convention Center: First-ever Wilmington event will feature comic book artists, vendors, cosplay and more, including both VR and a vintage video game room. Featured guests include actor Michael Biehn ("The Terminator," "Aliens," "The Abyss") and multiple voice and anime actors. 10 a.m.-6 p.m. March 2, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. March 3. Tickets are $5-$30.

FRIDAY

Marshall Brown Bluegrass Band

March 1 at Live At Ted's: Asheville group made up of John Duncan (banjo), Jacob Brewer (bass), Zeb Gambill (mandolin), Bridger Dunnegan (fiddle) and Marshall Brown (vocals, guitar) plays a range of harmony-driven traditional bluegrass. Opening act is Wilmington band Dear MariBella, which is made up of siblings Isabella (fiddle), AnnMari (guitar), Pete (banjo) and Chris (mandolin). 8 p.m. March 1, tickets are $22.

SATURDAY

Peking Acrobats

March 2 at CFCC Wilson Center: Touring troupe of Chinese acrobats puts on a pretty amazing show, with feats of balance, juggling and athleticism accompanied by traditional live music. 7:30 p.m. March 2, tickets start at $28. 910-362-7999. THIS EVENT HAS BEEN CANCELED

Into the Fog

March 2 at the Palm Room, Wrightsville Beach: Well-traveled Raleigh bluegrass/Americana band played Merlefest in 2021, winning the Western North Carolina festival's band competition. But Into the Fog got their start in Wilmington and Wrightsville Beach, where they'll be returning for this show. The lineup of Brian Stephenson (acoustic guitar), Winston Mitchell (mandolin), Derek Lane (bass) and Connor Kozlosky (electric guitar) blends various influences into a newgrass sound. 10 p.m. March 2, cover at the door.

SUNDAY

The Poulenc Trio

March 3 at Beckwith Recital Hall, UNCW campus: Chamber Music Wilmington presents this acclaimed classical trio with the uncommon instrumentation of bassoon, oboe and piano. Poulenc plays a mix of work by composers from the classical canon (Rossini, for example) as well as pieces that have been written or arranged specifically for the group and works that reflect its members' African, Asian, Eastern European and Jewish heritages. Joining the trio for two pieces will be Chamber Music Wilmington artistic director Oskar Espina Ruiz on clarinet. 4 p.m. March 3, tickets are $39, $19 for youth.

'Traudi Thornton: Pottery, Pantry & Seconds Sale'

March 3-April 21 at Art in Bloom Gallery: Longtime Wilmington ceramicist Traudi Thornton, who died last year at age 83, left behind a vast trove of work. Many of her works will be on display and for sale in this show at Art in Bloom, including a selection of "seconds," or (still-beautiful) works with slight imperfections. Opening reception is 2-5 p.m. March 3 with live music by violinist Shirley Lebo. Show on display during gallery hours through April 21.

Tara Nicole's Drag Brunch

March 3 at The Eagle's Dare: Legendary Wilmington performer Tara Nicole brings her collection of lovely ladies to this North Third Street bar and event space for this monthly drag showcase. Noon doors, 1-3 p.m. show. Tickets start at $10.

Tara Nicole: Veteran Wilmington drag queen on being trans, kids at shows and 'idiotic' legislation

Mike Wolfe & the Wolfe Gang

March 3 at Live at Ted's: Michael Wolfe has been playing locally with his blues and rock band, Mike Wolfe & the Wolfe Gang, since shortly after he moved to Wilmington from Louisiana in 1993. He performs what he terms his "organic free-range music" slightly less regularly these days, so the show at Ted's will be one not to miss. 4 p.m. March 3, tickets are $7.

This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: Things to do in Wilmington, NC this weekend, March 1-3