Midday Interview with Jemila Ericson

Director Mike Thompson and actress/singer/dancer Heather Setzler, spoke all about Thalian Association Community Theatre’s production of the Dolly Parton musical 9 to 5.  The show runs tonight and Saturday at 8, Sunday at 3.  Also next week, Thursday through Saturday at 8, Sunday at 3 on Thalian Hall’s mainstage.

Tickets are available at Thalian.org.

Today Gwenyfar Rohler of Old Books on Front Street told us all about Banned Books Week.  OldBooksOnFrontSt.com

Today I had a terrific talk with Robert V. Taylor – author, speaker, blogger for The Huffington Post, and Chair of the Desmond Tutu Peace Foundation.  He was born and raised in South Africa, but had to leave the country when he began to speak out against apartheid.  We discussed his book A New Way to Be Human: 7 Spiritual Pathways to Becoming Fully Alive.  It is available through Barnes and Noble and Amazon. 

Beth Crookham, film producer, was in Rwanda earlier this year and met an artist there named Innocent Nkurunziza.  She applied on his behalf to the Artist-in-Residence project at UNCW’s Boseman Gallery.  And now Innocent is here!  His exhibition called Rwanda Shares opens with a reception at 5:30 this evening, then runs through October 25.  For more information on the artist, visit IvukaArts.com

Today's guests were David Loudermilk, director and choreographer, and Lucille Bruno, costumer. We talked about T.A.C.T.’s production of Frank Loesser’s musical, Guys and Dolls.  There are 3 shows remaining: Friday and Saturday at 7, Sunday at 3, at the Hannah Block Historic USO on 2nd and Orange.  Tickets are $12.75 and are available at the USO desk or by phone at 910-341-7860.  More info at Thalian.org

Yesterday I chatted with Woody Durham, the legendary sportscaster.  His book called A Tar Heel Voice has just been published.  

Paula Haller, documentary filmmaker and organizer of DocuTime Film Festival, told us all about [Mini]DocuTime which features three films.  It’s this Saturday at 4:00 (doors open at 3:00).  Advance tix available until noon on Saturday at etix.com or Sharky’s Box Office in the Fisher Student Center 910-962-4045.  Tix are $10 general admission; free for students with ID.  If

Jay Johnson, master ventriloquist, presents his Tony Award-winning show The Two and Only at Thalian Hall, Saturday at 2 and 8 pm.  The show will be filmed for later release.  Tickets are available at 910-632-2285 and thalianhall.org.  More info on Jay and his work can be found at his website: TheTwoAndOnly.com

Norman Bemelmans, Director of Cultural Arts at UNCW, and Elizabeth Loparits, faculty member of the UNCW Music Department, are both concert pianists who have performed in many countries to great acclaim.  They share a love for Chopin, Liszt, Rachmaninoff, and all the Romantic composers.  On Thursday, Sept. 6 at 8 pm in Kenan Auditorium, they will present a program called Piano Masterworks: Music of the Russian Romantics.  They will perform solo and duo works.  Tickets are available from the Kenan Box Office at 962-3500. 

Todays guests were Jason Aycock, the new Artistic Director for Thalian Association Children’s Theatre (T.A.C.T.) and  Susan Habas, the Managing Director of Thalian Association Community Theatre.  They told us about T.A.C.T.’s upcoming season of plays and about the T.A.C.T. Academy that is offering classes now.