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Fall Arts Preview
ARTS A (SOCIALLY DISTANCED) FALL ARTS PREVIEW
Even if we can’t do it together, Charlotteans don’t have to miss out on culture. Here are 30 activities for an uncertain season
BY ANDY SMITH
Nick Napoletano’s mural at Hawkins and Rampart streets in South End was commissioned by Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority and Charlotte Center City Partners.
Museum-Sponsored Activities
Charlotte art venues may not open their doors in the fall. But this summer, several venues introduced digital initiatives to reach the community. Read about a few of those efforts below—and how some institutions are working together. THE MINT MUSEUM (AND OTHERS)
The recently launched program “Interactive CLT” uses augmented reality to explore the collections and histories of The Mint, The Bechtler Museum of Modern Art, Levine Museum of the New South, and Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts + Culture. The Arts and Science Council and AVO Insights produced more than a dozen videos that explore the story behind the Bechtler’s beloved “Firebird” sculpture, the Mint’s Kehinde Wiley painting, and more.
Along with Summer Wheat’s participation in upcoming Mint Museum exhibitions, the celebrated artist is also cra ing an installation on 96 windows of the uptown museum’s atrium. The work, titled Foragers, is made of layers of colored gels, mimicking the e ect of stained glass. Her installation will debut on October 10 to mark the uptown building’s 10th birthday.
Also:
Public officials, nonprofit leaders, and historians discuss social issues in The Gantt Center’s digital “Unmasked” panel series. Recent topics include defunding the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department and the city’s food deserts. Summer Wheat’s Foragers, a gel installation in the Mint Museum Uptown’s atrium windows, is part of the museum’s In Vivid Color exhibition. The exhibit opens October 10 to mark the location’s 10th anniversary.
WHAT TO DO THIS FALL
McCOLL CENTER FOR ART + INNOVATION
The center recently introduced virtual “Connected Art Workshops” with Charlotte-based artists who share their processes and practical how-tos. Each workshop has a recommended list of supplies and asks visitors to share work created during the session.
For galleries, virtual walkthroughs and chats are the primary avenues for potential buyers to meet artists and see work. One example is LaCa Projects’ Intimismos (through Sept. 5), which highlights the work of Franco Fasoli of Barcelona and Berlin-based artist Octavio Garabello. The Wesley Heights space has led hundreds through the show via social media.
Meanwhile, through Sept. 19,
A NEW PUBLIC ART HUNT
Several new murals were added to Charlotte walls (and roads) this year, like the above piece by Nick Napoletano in South End that honors hospitality workers. Its title: “FROM THE STILL-
NESS A SEED OF HOPE IS PLANTED.”
OTHERS:
»“BLACK LIVES MATTER,”
Alex DeLarge 1721 N. Davidson St.
»“BOOKER T. WASHINGTON,”
Georgia Nakima / Booker Street and Beatties Ford Road »“STRANGE FRUIT,” Dammit Wesley 2320 N. Davidson St.
»“GET OUTSIDE,”
Gina Elizabeth Franco 917 Romany Rd. (literally on the road) »“DILWORTH
TASTING ROOM,”
Darion Fleming 300 E. Tremont Ave.
HOW TO BUY ART RIGHT NOW
Jerald Melberg Gallery in Cotswold displays the realistic oil paintings and drawings of Christopher Clamp. The artist explores “object portraiture” in the show, for which the gallery digitized its “Co ee & Conversation” series when the exhibit opened in early August.
Several Charlotte galleries also allow single parties by appointment.
THE GOOD LIFE
THEATRE/FILM
Drive-In Films
THE DRIVE-IN MOVIE THEATER inspires nostalgia, and three dwell within an hour’s drive of Charlotte. Screenings usually begin at dark, as is the drive-in theater way. Each theater rents radios so moviegoers don’t have to drain their car batteries during the show. (If you do, take heart: They have jumper cables, too.) Read about the spots below:
HOUNDS DRIVE-IN THEATER IN KINGS MOUNTAIN
DISTANCE FROM UPTOWN:
33 miles This cash-only spot shows new films on two screens, with double features Friday through Sunday. Outside food and drinks are banned, but Hounds has a robust, affordable menu with popcorn, soda, and candy and heartier offerings like hamburgers, pizza, and hot dogs. Gates open at 6 p.m. 114 Raven Cir., Kings Mountain. BADIN ROAD DRIVE-IN IN ALBEMARLE
DISTANCE FROM UPTOWN:
45 miles Double features run Friday through Sunday, with two screens that show new films. There is no stated policy on outside food and drinks. Also: Wi-Fi. Gates open at 6 p.m. 2411 Badin Rd., Albemarle. SUNSET DRIVE-IN THEATRE IN SHELBY
DISTANCE FROM UPTOWN:
50 miles Also cash-only, this spot is the cheapest of the bunch if your party includes at least two adults. Like Badin, they have concessions, but outside food is allowed. Shows run on Friday and Saturday. Gates open at 6:45 p.m. 3935 Sunset Blvd., Shelby. Ron Law as Ebenezer Scrooge and Rick Taylor as Jacob Marley in the 2019 production of A Christmas Carol.
Theatre Charlotte Improvises
As COVID-19 cases swelled this summer, Theatre Charlotte reimagined its 2020-21 schedule. The theater canceled planned productions of Cat on a Hot Tin Roof and Dreamgirls during spring and summer and scheduled only nonmusical shows for fall. Why delay the musicals? Logistics are more complicated. Also, safety: Their large casts constantly touch while dancing and use headset microphones.
In September, the group stages the Lake Erie-set What I Did Last Summer by A.R. Gurney; October and November bring Tennessee Williams’ Suddenly Last Summer; and A Christmas Carol returns in December. Theatre Charlotte plans to adjust capacity to state health mandates, with distanced seating. As of press time, the troupe also plans to livestream certain performances (and hopefully won’t have to go fully virtual). It’s the most improvised season of the company’s 92 years.
STAGE PERFORMANCES As of press time, these shows were still scheduled for fall.
THE CROWN LIVE!,
Blumenthal Performing Arts
NOV. 4-8
GHOSTS OF BOGOTÁ,
Actor’s Theatre of Charlotte
OCT. 8-31
THE 39 STEPS,
Davidson Community Players
SEPT. 24-OCT. 11
This touring show coming to Stage Door Theater is a send-up of the popular Net ix show about Queen Elizabeth II—and all of the royal dramas she faced before and during her reign. This dark comedy, penned by Diana Burbano, won the group’s nuVoices 5 Festival. It follows three Latinx siblings who return to their parents’ home country to bury their grandfather. This parody of a 1935 Alfred Hitchcock lm centers on a man who befriends a spy that’s part of the mysterious program “The 39 Steps.”
LIVE MUSIC
WHAT TO DO THIS FALL
THE PLAYLIST
These songs from Charlotte artists were released in the Quarantine Era, and several re ect on social unrest and uncertainty:
1LUTE “LIFE” 5
2 6 3 7 4 8
PULLOVER “WE REMEMBER” THE AVETT BROTHERS “VICTORY”
RUEBEN VINCENT “ALBEMARLE ROAD”
MASON PARKER “STEREOTYPE”
EMILY SAGE “GUIDING LIGHT” AUTUMN RAINWATER & SIMON SMTHNG “QUESTIONS”
DYLAN GILBERT “NEW PRAYER”
STREAM SOME SWING
Middle C Jazz opened its patio for socially distanced seating options this summer. In July, they added another viewing option: a livestream of each concert on its Vimeo page. With a “Pay What You Want” option, jazz fans can support the venue and enjoy the show at home.
Other streaming shows in Charlotte: Knocturnal, the underground hiphop series typically hosted at Snug Harbor, is currently hosted on Twitch.
CLT After Dark is a variety show hosted by local musician Noel Friedline, with music, comedy, dance, and more.
ASC Culture Blocks’ Unplugged & Live series features local musicians performing at The Cube NoDa.
THE MUSIC YARD BECOMES A DRIVE-IN
THE MUSIC YARD AT SOUTHBOUND (2433 South Blvd.) couldn’t host its regular outdoor shows this summer, so the owners converted to a drive-in venue that could accommodate its seasonal series and allow more flexibility for the months to come. The space can host 34 cars and about 100 attendees, and neighboring restaurant SouthBound offers a full, car-side food and beverage menu. The Music Yard’s also hosted films under this arrangement. It wasn’t clear at press time whether its owners would stick with the format for fall, but either way, the shows will go on.
FESTIVALS/ NIGHTLIFE
The Chinese Lantern Festival returns to Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden on October 15.
The Lantern Festival Returns
Originally scheduled to kick o in August, CHINESE LANTERN FESTIVAL lights up Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden (6500 S. New Hope Rd., Belmont), Oct. 15-Jan. 3. This year’s festival, which will observe COVID-19 capacity and distancing restrictions, will have hundreds of new lanterns “constructed by masters of the cra in Zigong, China, where the festival originated centuries ago,” organizers say.
Hanart Culture, the production company behind the show, rst brought the festival to the garden in 2017 and garnered more than 100,000 visitors. For this year’s event, guests pick speci c entry times, and the garden imposes an attendance cap for the 15-acre site.
NoDa Brewing’s main location, on North Tryon Street. (Below) Gordgeous, NoDa’s premium pumpkin ale, which contains 50 pounds of pumpkin per batch.
WHAT TO DO THIS FALL
Go on a Private Brewery Tour
DIVINE BARREL BREWING 3701 N. DAVIDSON ST.
WHAT TO GET: “What, no dark beers?” Pick up a Roasted Butternut Squash & Maple Porter to satisfy the yearning for something heavier. Just leave some room during dinner if you want to nish it. If you’re not ready to go back inside these typically packed spaces, you can still conduct your own survey of the cra beer scene. Numerous Charlotte breweries continued drive-through service and beer to go, features that grew popular during COVID lockdown. Here are spots to visit and the seasonal brews to try:
THE OLDE MECKLENBURG BREWERY 4150 YANCEY RD.
WHAT TO GET: The amber lager Mecktoberfest is a staple on fall beer lists. It’s also decorated: It’s won the Gold European Beer Star and nabbed a silver medal at the Great American Beer Festival.
NODA BREWING 2921 N. TRYON ST.
WHAT TO GET: Gordgeous, Charlotte’s premier pumpkin ale, uses 50 pounds of pumpkin and 42 pounds of brown sugar in every batch.
TAKE YOUR PICK OF APPLES
WINDY HILL ORCHARD & CIDER MILL (1860 Black Hwy., York, S.C.) reopened in August. Less than an hour from Charlotte, the farm is known for its pick-your-own apple program, hayrides, and a robust selection at its cider bar. Expect a more personal experience this time around, with social distancing and new cleaning stations.
