What winter doldrums? 9 things to do in the Wilmington area this weekend

John Staton, Wilmington StarNews
Updated ·4 min read

Wilmington is still getting over its New Year's Eve hangover, and the quantity of events is still very much Winter Doldrums.

As for the quality? Still very high, with a big musical at Thalian Hall, some really good comedy and a variety of music, from classical and hip-hop to indie rock and experimental.

Let's see what the weekend's got in store.

ALL WEEKEND

'The Producers'

Opera House Theatre Co.'s "The Producers" at Thalian Hall.
Opera House Theatre Co.'s "The Producers" at Thalian Hall.

Jan. 11-14 at Thalian Hall: Directed with pizazz by Ray Kennedy, Opera House Theatre Co.'s production of Mel Brooks musical comedy "The Producers" is filled with standout performances, splashy production numbers and laugh-out-loud one liners, not to mention a bevy of catchy tunes that ground the show as a high-octane throwback: an homage to, and send-up of, old-school Broadway. Read the full review. 7:30 p.m. Jan. 11-13, 2 p.m. Jan.13-14. 910-632-2285 or ThalianHall.org.

Theater review: 'The Producers' delivers standout performances, splashy production numbers at Thalian Hall

Emmy Blotnik

Jan. 12-13 at the Dead Crow Comedy Room: Stand-up and write Blotnik is this weekend's headliner at Wilmington's top comedy club. Blotnik has performed on Comedy Central, "The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon" and "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert," and she's got some great material about how her weighted blanket is "literally depressing" and how living alone means she gets on her own nerves. 7 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. Jan. 12-13, tickets are $20 and $30.

'The Aristocats Kids'

Jan. 12-13 at Odell Williamson Auditorium at Brunswick Community College: A play based on the Disney animated film, Starbright Youth Theatre presents "The Aristocats Kids." The story revolves around an adventure with, yes, aristocratic cats. 6 p.m. Jan. 12 and 2 p.m. Jan. 13. Tickets $12 (kids 10 and under $10).

FRIDAY

Louis.

Jan. 12 at Live at Ted's: Wilmington hip-hop artist Danny Thomas II, who performs under the name Louis. the Rapper, or just Louis., presents a live performance of songs from his new album, "Indigo Child." Backed by the Indigo Children band — Jay Killman on guitar, Tyleek Bazil on drums, Joey Lamb on bass and Will Matthews on piano — it'll be an evening of smart, insightful and introspective rhymes that will take you on a jazzy journey through the mind of one of Wilmington's top writers and artists. 8 p.m. Jan. 12, tickets are $15.

Comedy at The Kettle

Jan. 12 at the Brewer's Kettle: Since starting outdoors during the pandemic, this series has become a top spot for Wilmington comics to performs. Hosted by series founder Ellie Coleman, featured comics this weekend are MT Bottles, Chelsea Connor and Tyler Deese. 8 p.m. Jan. 12, $5.

SATURDAY

MLK Weekend Kids @ CAM

Cameron Art Museum's cultural curator, Daniel Jones, with Stephen Hayes' "Boundless" sculpture on the museum grounds. Some of the faces in the sculpture are of descendants of soldiers who fought for the Union in the Civil War with the U.S. Colored Troops.
Cameron Art Museum's cultural curator, Daniel Jones, with Stephen Hayes' "Boundless" sculpture on the museum grounds. Some of the faces in the sculpture are of descendants of soldiers who fought for the Union in the Civil War with the U.S. Colored Troops.

Jan. 13 at the Cameron Art Museum: Cameron Art Museum's cultural curator, Daniel Jones, will lead family-focused tours of "Boundless," Stephen Hayes' sculpture based on descendants of soldiers who fought for the Union in the Civil War with the U.S. Colored Troops. With associated art activites appropriate for children. 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Jan. 13, $10 per child, $5 for museum members.

Dark Night: A Winter Circus Cabaret

La Big Bouche Cabaret performs Jan. 13 at Bourgie Nights.
La Big Bouche Cabaret performs Jan. 13 at Bourgie Nights.

Jan. 13 at Bourgie Nights: Wilmington burlesquese troupe La Big Bouche Cabaret teams up with the Wilmington Circus for a show inspired by resolutions that are broken less than two weeks into the new year. Acrobatics, contortionists, singing, dancing and more. 7 p.m. doors, 8 p.m. show Jan. 13 at Bourgie Nights, 127 Princess St. Tickets are $20 in advance, $25 day of show.

Truth Club

Jan. 13 at the Fuzzy Needle: Raleigh indie rockers with Travis Harrington and Kameron Vann, formerly of all-time Wilmington greats Astro Cowboy, bring their powerful tunes to town for a rare local show. (Truth Club is also Yvonne Chazal and Elise Jaffe.) Songs from Truth Club's October album "Running from the Chase," alternately jangly and driving and downbeat and introspective, are strong stuff. With music from Asheville experimental act Walkhome, and readings from Evan Gray ("Thickets Swamped in Fence-Coated Briars") and Ashleigh Bryant Phillips (the bracing story collection "Sleepovers"). 6 p.m. Jan. 13, $15.

SUNDAY

Dali Quartet

The Dali Quartet performs Jan. 14 at UNCW's Beckwith Rectial Hall.
The Dali Quartet performs Jan. 14 at UNCW's Beckwith Rectial Hall.

Jan. 14 at UNCW's Beckwith Recital Hall: Chamber Music Wilmington's first concert of the year will be by this world-renowned group, which puts work by Spanish and Latin American composers on equal footing with folks like Beethoven. On the program is Arriaga's "String Quartet No. 1 in D Minor," Piazzola's "Tango Ballet" and Beethoven's "String Quartet in C Major, Op. 59/3, aka "Rasumovsky." 4 p.m. Jan. 14, tickets are $39 and $19.

This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: Things to do in Wilmington, NC, for the weekend of Jan. 12-14, 2023