Go Play Calendar for Aug. 31-Sept. 6

Shannon Heupel, Montgomery Advertiser
·10 min read

HBCU Afterglow Concert Series

On Thursday, Frioday and Saturday, Aug. 31-Sept. 2, the city of Montgomery Department of Cultural Affairs presents HBCU Afterglow Concert Series at Riverwalk Amphitheater. Thursday is Stephanie Mills, Yung Joc and DJ Kill Switch. Friday is Silk, with MGM Soul Collective and DJ Ali. Saturday is Joe, with Souled Out Groove and DJ Who. There will be food trucks and vendors. 9 p.m. to midnight. Free to public.

Fall Festival at Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts

MMFA'S Fall Festival is Sept. 23 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sept. 24 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. It's a free event that celebrates Montgomery's vibrant creative culture, featuring both local and regional artists from all backgrounds. This free public event features an art market with more than 30 vendors, live music, art demos, food trucks, and tastings with local brewers. The Artist Market is an integral part of Fall Festival; booths feature fine arts and crafts for sale made locally in the River Region. This year, Fall Festival’s theme will be Alabama art, in connection to the Alabama: A to Z exhibition of work by talented artists from all around the state. All artists will live in and make in Alabama. In addition to event festivities, artists with work on view in the Alabama: A to Z will be on site from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., sharing stories about their work in the galleries. mmfa.org/event/fall-festival/2023-09-24

ALABAMA SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL

Single ticket sales are now open for Alabama Shakespeare Festival’s 2023-2024 season featuring a world premiere among its six productions. Season subscriptions are also on sale. For tickets call the box office at 334-271-5353 or visit asf.net.

  • William Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream: September 14 – October 1. ASF Artistic Director Rick Dildine brings Shakespeare’s classic comedy to life with a dazzling production. Four young lovers facing the prospect of an unhappy marriage escape into a magical forest. Nearby, a fairy king and queen are engaged in a war of wills, and a crew of amateur actors is rehearsing for a royal wedding. One wily sprite intent on mischief has orders to intervene. What could possibly go wrong? Set within a child’s attic, this production fosters wild imagination and uses live music throughout.

  • Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol : November 16 – December 24. ASF returns to a full production of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol on the Festival Stage. When miserly Ebenezer Scrooge receives an unwanted visit from the ghost of his former business partner on Christmas Eve, an overnight voyage of epic proportions begins. Journey with Scrooge as he learns from his ghosts (and Bob, Tiny Tim, and the Cratchits) a heartwarming lesson in forgiveness and the change we can make around us. This play is a joyful Christmas tradition for the entire family!

  • Blues in the Night: February 8 – March 3, 2024: The soul of the blues wails out full and strong in Blues in the Night, a scorching, Tony-nominated musical! The 26 hot and torchy numbers tell of the sweet, sexy, and sorrowful experiences three women have with the lying, cheating snake of a man who does them wrong. Glorious songs from Bessie Smith, Duke Ellington, Johnny Mercer, Harold Arlen, Alberta Hunter, Jimmy Cox, Ida Cox, and more tell of the pain and misery of life and love — and the dogged determination to get through it all — that is the essence of the blues.

  • Baskerville: A Sherlock Holmes Mystery: April 18 – May 12. Get your deerstalker cap on — the play’s afoot! Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson must crack the mystery of “The Hound of the Baskervilles” before a family curse dooms its newest heir. Does a wild hellhound prowl the moors of Devonshire? Can our heroes discover the truth in time? Join the fun as Holmes and Watson face a dizzying web of clues, silly accents, disguises, and deceit as five actors deftly portray more than 40 characters. You’ll enjoy the perfect mix of slapstick and thrills.

  • Zelda In the Backyard: June 13 – June 30. When Libby inherits a wrecked 1961 Rolls Royce, she sets off on a journey to reassemble the car and pieces of the past her father left behind. In honor of her Alabama roots, she names the car after Zelda Fitzgerald. A little broken herself, Libby finds herself with a new understanding of marriage and family. From the playwright of Gee’s Bendand White Lightning, Zelda in the Backyard is a story of love and loss, and all the roads in between. World Premiere: This play was developed through ASF’s 2022 Southern Writers Festival of New Plays.

  • Joseph and The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat: July 11 – August 11. One of the most enduring shows of all time, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat is a humorous retelling of the Biblical story of Joseph, his 11 brothers, his father Jacob, and the coat of many colors. Follow Joseph’s journey from bondage to becoming Pharaoh’s right-hand man to his ultimate reunion with his family. This delightful and merry musical — embracing country-western, calypso, and Elvis-style rock — will have you singing in your seat and long after you leave the theatre!

MONTGOMERY PERFORMING ARTS CENTRE

For tickets call the box office at 334-481-5100 or visit mpaconline.org.

  • Sept. 1 – Southern Soul and Blues Lovers Festival – 8 p.m. Tickets: $75, $65, $59, $55, $49

  • Sept. 17 – Darrell Scott: 100 Years of Hank – 7 p.m. Tickets: $37, $32.50, $27.50, $22.50, $17.50

  • Sept. 26 — We'll Meet Again: A New American Musical — 7 p.m. Tickets: $56, $46, $36

  • Sept. 29 — Karlous Miller — 8 p.m. Tickets: $76.50, $56.50, $36.50

  • Oct. 6 — Joanne Shaw Taylor — 8 p.m. Tickets: $64, $44, $36, $32, $22, $17

  • Oct. 8 – The Band of Heathens – 7:30 p.m. Tickets: $37, $32.50, $27.50, $22.50

  • Oct. 13 — Disney Junior Live Costume Palooza — 6 p.m. Tickets: $71, $51, $35.50

  • Oct. 15 – Leanne Morgan – 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. (Rescheduled from June 10) Tickets: $52.75, $42.75, $32.75

  • Oct. 18 — Wheel of Fortune Live! — 7:30 p.m. Tickets: $52, $47, $37, $32, $27

  • Oct. 20 – Linda Ronstadt Experience with Tristan McIntosh – 7:30 p.m. Tickets: $35

  • Oct. 22 — Sister Hazel — 7:30 p.m. Tickets: $36, $32, $26, $22, $17

  • Oct 26 — Buddy Guy with Tom Hambridge — 7:30 p.m. $102, $97, $67, $52, $42

  • Nov. 2 — Shane Gillis — 7 p.m. Tickets: $45, $35

  • Nov. 3 — George Thorogood & The Destroyers — 8 p.m. Tickets: $62, $52, $42, $37, $32

  • Nov. 9 — Lee Greenwood — 7:30 p.m. Tickets: $63, $50, $38, $32, $26

  • Nov. 10 – Bret Michaels – 7:30 p.m. Tickets: $97, $87, $77, $57

  • Nov. 20 — Blues Traveler with special guest Jono Manson — 8 p.m. Tickets: $67, $57, $47, $42

  • Nov. 21 — Cirque Dreams Holidaze — 7 p.m. Tickets: $99, $70, $50, $29

  • Feb. 20 — Mania The Abba Tribute — 7:30 p.m. Tickets: $61.50, $41.50, $24.50

MONTGOMERY WHITEWATER

Montgomery's artificial whitewater challen system facility for whitewater rafting and kayaking at 1100 Maxwell Blvd. It's free to visit, and you can book whitewater adventures online at montgomerywhitewater.com. They also host music events on an outdoor stage, which are free to attend, unless otherwise noted.

On Labor Day weekend, Montgomery Whitewater presents Golden Hour Festival, a celebration of the last days of summer:

The weekend will also feature yoga, a 5k run and activities for children including a kids triathlon. On the water, there will be kayak cross and freestyle kayak competitions, in addition to daily flatwater and whitewater activities.

The Get Down Concert Series starts Sep. 14. It'll have live music every Thursday from 6-8 p.m. through Nov. 16. Scheduled acts include:

  • Sept. 14: Grammy nominated bluegrass singer, songwriter and bassist Missy Raines

  • Sept. 21: Denver based folk-country band Clay Street Unit

  • Sept. 28: Progressive bluegrass band Nefresh Mountain Band

  • Oct. 5: John Papa Gros

  • Oct. 12: Jonathan Terrell

  • Oct. 19: Kat Wright

  • Oct. 26: Erica Fall & Vintage Soul

  • Nov. 2: Tae & The Neighborly

  • Nov. 9: Winston Ramble

  • Nov. 16: Seth Walker

A. second festival called Haystack will be held on Oct. 20 and 21. This is named after a whitewater paddling term. It refers to a series of big, fun, obstacle-free waves. Programming and musical performers for Haystack will be announced soon. Look for updates and additions to the schedule at montgomerywhitewater.com.

CLOVERDALE PLAYHOUSE

cloverdaleplayhouse.org, 334-262-1530

960 Cloverdale Road, Montgomery

  • Oct. 12-22 — “The Laramie Project” — by Moises Kaufman and Tectonic Theater Project

  • Dec. 7-17 — “Civil War Christmas” — by Paula Vogel, music by Daryl Waters

MILLBROOK COMMUNITY PLAYERS

millbrooktheater.com, 334-782-7317

5720 Main St., Millbrook

  • Oct. 5-15 — “She Loves Me” — Romantic comedy directed by Brady Walker. Oct. 5-7, 12-14 at 7:30 p.m., Oct. 8 and 15 at 2 p.m.

  • Nov. 30-Dec. 10 — Good Old-Fashioned Big Family Christmas” — by Pat Cook, directed by Michael Sneed. Nov. 3, Dec. 1, 2, 7-9 at 7:30 p.m., Dec. 3 and 10 at 2 p.m.

PIKE ROAD THEATRE COMPANY

pikeroadtheatrecompany.org, 334-414-0193

Productions at Pike Road Intermediate School, 4710 Pike Road

  • Oct. 5-22 — “Jeckyll & Hyde The Musical” — An epic struggle between good and evil. Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays 7:30 p.m., Sundays 2 p.m. Tickets $20

  • Nov. 30-Dec. 17 — “Irving Berlin’s White Christmas” — A classic Christmas tale with songs and dance. Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays 7:30 p.m., Sundays 2 p.m. Tickets $20

PRATTVILLE’S WAY OFF BROADWAY THEATRE

cc.prattvilleal.gov, 334-595-0850

203 W. 4th St., Prattville

  • Sept. 21 — “Present Laughter” — by Noel Coward

WETUMPKA DEPOT

wetumpkadepot.com/home.html, 334-868-1440

300 S. Main St., Wetumpka

  • Sept. 21-Oct. 1 — “Doubt: A Parable” — by John Patrick Stanley, directed by Tony Davison. Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays 7:30 p.m. Oct. 1 2 p.m. Tickets $15.

CAPRI THEATRE

Get tickets at capritheatre.org or call 334-262-4858. The Capri is at 1045 E. Fairview Ave, Montgomery. It’s the longest continually operated movie theatre in Alabama. Become a member of the Capri Community Film Society and receive ticket discounts, plus admission benefits at art house theaters across the country..

  • Sept. 1-4: "Passages" — 4 p.m. and 7 p.m., $10 for non-members, $4 for ages 12 and under.

  • Sept. 8-11: "The Adults" — 4 p.m. and 7 p.m., $10 for non-members, $4 for ages 12 and under.

  • Sept. 21: "The Big Lebowski" — 7 p.m. $10 for non-members, $4 for children 12 and under.

  • Sept. 29-Oct. 3: "Aurora's Sunrise" — 7 p.m. $10 for non-members, $4 for children 12 and under.

This article originally appeared on Montgomery Advertiser: Go Play Calendar for Aug. 31-Sept. 6