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CONCORD The second season of the Davis Theatre at the Historic Cabarrus Courthouse promises an eclectic mix of entertainment, featuring singing and dancing violinists, a visit to those apple-blossom times with a World War II music revue, a jazz group, a folk artist and a comedian who opened for Aretha Franklin and has appeared on national TV.
Noelle Scott, executive director of the Cabarrus Arts Council, said the theater has worked to attract a varied bill of fare.
“And we also wanted to offer people who want to come to all the performances something different to look forward to each time,” she said.
This is the second season in the newly remodeled Davis Theatre, where all but one of last season's shows sold out. “We had waiting lists and had to turn people away at the door,” Scott said
She said many patrons remarked on the quality of the shows. “So many people said, ‘I can't believe we're seeing this in Cabarrus County.'” Tickets range from $30 to $39 each. That's higher than other events in the Cabarrus County arts scene, but Scott said it's due to the high caliber of professional productions being presented in the Davis Theatre.
The shows compare in quality to presentations at the Blumenthal Performing Arts Center in Charlotte, but tickets are much cheaper, she said.
“That's the other comment we get …, ‘What a deal. In Charlotte, you'd have to pay so much more to see the same show,' ” Scott said.
The 211-seat auditorium provides an intimate setting for the productions. Tickets go on sale on Wednesday for these shows:
Barrage, 8 p.m. Sept. 24, $39. The Denver Post describes the high-energy Canadian string group as “too wow for words.” Barrage has played for heads of state and royalty, with an eclectic mix of music, song and dance at a feverish pace. Look them up at www.barrage.org.
“War Bonds: Songs and Letters of World War II,” 8 p.m. Nov. 14, $35. Filmed for public television as a companion to Ken Burns' “The War,” the cabaret is a musical journey through veterans' actual letters, and woven with 22 songs performed by David zum Brunnen and Serena Ebhardt. Check it out at http://ebzb.org/warbonds.shtml.
John Brown Quintet, 8 p.m. Jan. 30, , $34. This award-winning jazz quintet specializes in music from the time-honored bebop and hard-bop eras of jazz, bringing new life to some of the best-known classics. For more on the group, see www.goingbarefoot.com/pages/artists/johnbrown.html.
Billy D. Washington, 8 p.m. March 6, $32. Washington is known as a witty and philosophical comedian. He's also a keyboard player, and was chosen by Aretha Franklin to open all of her national shows when she toured between 2003 and 2006. He recently appeared on the “Late, Late Show with Craig Ferguson” and “The Last Comic Standing.” For more on Washington, visit www.billydwashington.com.
Susan Werner, 8 p.m. May 6, $30. Nashville's “Music Row” summed up Werner's talent with, “This woman is great, period.” Werner sings folk, jazz and pop with sassy wit and classic Midwestern charm. Visit www.susanwerner.com.
Scott said she's looking forward to all the shows. But there's one in particular:
“I think Susan Werner is going to be the sleeper hit of the season,” Scott said. “She's our last performance, and everyone who has presented her says she is a consummate performer … She's hard to pigeonhole. She's billed as folk, but she performs Broadway music and original work. She is just a powerhouse. She's an amazing performer.”
