Supporting Asheville and Western North Carolina’s Recovery from Hurricane Helene through Music
Community, Relationships, Music, Money, Arts, Travel Melissa Rooney Community, Relationships, Music, Money, Arts, Travel Melissa Rooney

Supporting Asheville and Western North Carolina’s Recovery from Hurricane Helene through Music

Hurricane Helene may have passed, but its impact on Asheville and the surrounding regions of Western North Carolina is still felt deeply. Attending upcoming concerts and music events not only provides entertainment but also contributes to the local economy and fosters community spirit. Here’s how you can get involved and help Asheville and Western North Carolina bounce back from the storm.

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The Lion King at DPAC Boasts a Top-Notch Cast and Spectacular Production Values
Published, Arts, Children, Music, Sustainability Melissa Rooney Published, Arts, Children, Music, Sustainability Melissa Rooney

The Lion King at DPAC Boasts a Top-Notch Cast and Spectacular Production Values

Much like "The Festival of the Lion King" performance that comes with tickets to Disney World's Animal Kingdom theme park, the Broadway musical features actors in animal costumes as well as giant, hollow puppets. The Lion King (musical), which has been on Broadway since 1997, is Broadway's third longest-running show in history and the highest-grossing Broadway production of all time. But unlike the movie or amusement-park production, The Lion King (musical) puts its audience in the center of the life-sized animals that are integral to its Hamlet-like plot and message.

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On Your Feet! The Story of Emilio & Gloria Estefan is a Pop Concert, Dance Party, Documentary, and Musical Theater, All Rolled Into One
Published, Arts, Relationships, Community, Music, Inspiration Melissa Rooney Published, Arts, Relationships, Community, Music, Inspiration Melissa Rooney

On Your Feet! The Story of Emilio & Gloria Estefan is a Pop Concert, Dance Party, Documentary, and Musical Theater, All Rolled Into One

“It's a shame that there is only one more performance of On Your Feet! -- at 7:30 p.m. tonight at DPAC. The house should be filled for the show's final Durham performance, and audience members should inform the producers and DPAC that they want it back for a longer run next year.”

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Mean Girls at DPAC May Be the Best Musical That I've Ever Seen
Published, Arts, Relationships, Community, Music, Inspiration Melissa Rooney Published, Arts, Relationships, Community, Music, Inspiration Melissa Rooney

Mean Girls at DPAC May Be the Best Musical That I've Ever Seen

“I would see the performance again tonight just to hear Natalie Shaw’s solos a second time, but there’s so much more to the musical than her enchanting voice. It would be a shame if the house were not full for all the remaining performances, particularly given the number of angsty teenagers we have in the Triangle who would benefit from its viewing.”

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Funny  Girl  at  DPAC  Is  a  Bucket-List American  Classic
Published, Arts, Relationships, Community, Music, Inspiration Melissa Rooney Published, Arts, Relationships, Community, Music, Inspiration Melissa Rooney

Funny  Girl  at  DPAC  Is  a  Bucket-List American  Classic

“Director Michael Mayer and stage manager Jovon E. Shuck have their hands full with this production of Funny Girl, but they can clearly handle the weight. They deserve the house to be full for every remaining performance. And YOU deserve to see it!”

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Alanis Morissette's Jagged Little Pill Earns a Standing Ovation at the Durham Performing Arts Center

Alanis Morissette's Jagged Little Pill Earns a Standing Ovation at the Durham Performing Arts Center

When the musical debuted in 2018, it became the highest-grossing production at the American Repertory Theater in Cambridge, MA, which is no surprise, given that Alanis Morissette's album by the same name is considered one of the most important albums of the '90s and of the alternative rock genre in general, selling 33 million copies, topping the charts in 13 countries, and winning five GRAMMYS, including Album of the Year….

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Durham Students Sparkled in An Evening to Shine on Feb. 21st at DPAC
Published, Arts, Community, Inspiration, Education, Music Melissa Rooney Published, Arts, Community, Inspiration, Education, Music Melissa Rooney

Durham Students Sparkled in An Evening to Shine on Feb. 21st at DPAC

An Evening to Shine is an annual event, presented at the Durham Performing Arts Center by Durham Public Schools (DPS), in partnership with the Durham Public Schools Foundation, which showcases the talents of dedicated youth from every public school in the county. [Of note, the DPS Scholarship Foundation merged with the DPS Foundation in 2020.] Only a handful of students are selected from each school, and they must commit to five weekly two-hour rehearsals, plus two full days of preparation at DPAC before show time…

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Come From Away at DPAC Tells the True Story of the Stranding of 7000 Airline Passengers in Gander, Newfoundland, After 9/11

Come From Away at DPAC Tells the True Story of the Stranding of 7000 Airline Passengers in Gander, Newfoundland, After 9/11

I was a little wary about seeing the Durham Performing Arts Center's presentation of Come from Away, playing through Sunday, Jan. 22nd, as part of WRAL Greatest Hits of Broadway at DPAC. This 2013 Sheridan College Canadian Music Theatre Project, 2017 Broadway, and 2019 West End musical, written by Irene Sankoff and David Hein, is based on the emergency landing of 38 airplanes (with 7,000 total passengers) in the Newfoundland town of Gander (population: 11,880) after the September 11, 2001 attacks.

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Zalman  Raffael's  Elegant  Reinterpretation  of  The  Nutcracker  Sparkles
Inspiration, Relationships, Community, Published, Music Melissa Rooney Inspiration, Relationships, Community, Published, Music Melissa Rooney

Zalman  Raffael's  Elegant  Reinterpretation  of  The  Nutcracker  Sparkles

Not feeling that Christmas Spirit as much this year as in the past? Going to see the Carolina Ballet artistic director Zalman Raffael's reinterpretation of The Nutcracker, inspired by the Raleigh, NC-based ballet's previous productions by George Balanchine and Carolina Ballet's founding artistic director Robert Weiss, will change that. Last night, I saw The Nutcracker at the Durham Performing Arts Center, with my 12-year-old son, who had never seen the holiday staple and -- except for the melody of The Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy (which I couldn't stop humming since we got the tickets) -- knew very little about it…

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Hairspray Will Have You Singing When You Wake Up the Next Morning
Published, Arts, Music Melissa Rooney Published, Arts, Music Melissa Rooney

Hairspray Will Have You Singing When You Wake Up the Next Morning

I woke up this morning humming "You Can't Stop the Beat," the hit song written by Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman for the 2002 hit Broadway musical Hairspray, playing now through Sunday, Nov. 20th, at the Durham Performing Arts Center. It wasn't just the music that was in my head. Images of the actors in the Tuesday-night performance of this romantic comedy by Mark O'Donnell and Thomas Meehan (based on John Waters' 1988 film) were singing and dancing across my mind as well. This can only make for a good review.

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Painting the Town Blue
Published, Arts, Music Melissa Rooney Published, Arts, Music Melissa Rooney

Painting the Town Blue

Since seeing a video of the Blue Man Group performing "I Feel Love," with Annette Strean and Venus Hum in 2004, I have wanted to see them live; and last night was my lucky night. Not only that, I got to see them in Raleigh Memorial Auditorium in the Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts with my 12-year-old, whose college-aged siblings were actually jealous…

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Theme Song Today: Sylvan Esso’s Free
Music, Arts, Inspiration, Relationships Melissa Rooney Music, Arts, Inspiration, Relationships Melissa Rooney

Theme Song Today: Sylvan Esso’s Free

When I first heard it, I wasn’t overly impressed by the style of Sylvan Esso’s song Free. But when I read the lyrics, Amelia Meath’s casual humming, sing-song vocals made beautiful sense. It’s easy to imagine that she’s a little girl singing to herself, though with more knowledge than a little girl should have…

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Hamilton at DPAC Is Not Just a Must-See Musical, It Is a Cultural Phenomenon!
Arts, Published, Community, Music Melissa Rooney Arts, Published, Community, Music Melissa Rooney

Hamilton at DPAC Is Not Just a Must-See Musical, It Is a Cultural Phenomenon!

Regardless of the acting team, the next time Hamilton comes to Durham, you should take your (older) kids for a special night out, including dinner (there are many affordable options). This is the article I wrote for the Triangle Review about my experience going to Hamilton the last time they came to Durham (in 2022).

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Joshua Thompson and Symoné Spencer Win 2022 Triangle Rising Stars Acting Honors

Joshua Thompson and Symoné Spencer Win 2022 Triangle Rising Stars Acting Honors

When I was given the opportunity to review this year's in-person Triangle Rising Stars Showcase and Awards program on Wednesday, May 11th, at the Durham Performing Arts Center, I knew immediately that I had to go. American Idol Season 2 runner-up Clay Aiken hosted the event, which featured performances by 2021 TRS Best Actor Joshua Messmore and 2021 TRS Best Actress and 2021 Jimmy® Awards best-actress-award winner Elena Holder.

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2Cellos Continue to Entertain and Inspire (with Matt Simons and friends) at the DPAC this Week
Community, Music, Published Melissa Rooney Community, Music, Published Melissa Rooney

2Cellos Continue to Entertain and Inspire (with Matt Simons and friends) at the DPAC this Week

This article was published by Triangle Review on April 8, 2022. My first son discovered 2Cellos when he was twelve; and his first “real” concert was the 2Cellos concert at the Durham Performing Arts Center. This year, the 2Cellos performance at the DPAC was his little brother’s first concert experience, which was even more momentous because it’s the 2Cellos last tour together...

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Postcards from Ireland Featured Three Superb Singers and a Fiddle-Playing Sprite
Arts, Published, Music Melissa Rooney Arts, Published, Music Melissa Rooney

Postcards from Ireland Featured Three Superb Singers and a Fiddle-Playing Sprite

For the Durham Performing Arts Center's Wednesday, March 16th, presentation of Celtic Woman: Postcards from Ireland, my fellow audience members -- who did not have to wear masks after showing vaccination cards and photo IDs at the door -- ranged from 8 to 80 years old and reflected not only the diversity of Durham, NC, but the diverse population that has come to appreciate traditional Irish music and its modern influence.

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Grace and Mercy at UNC’s Memorial Hall

Grace and Mercy at UNC’s Memorial Hall

Although more than 200 Confederate monuments have been removed across the country since 2019, the slabs of Confederate names in UNC's Memorial Hall still stand, rendering the Carolina Performing Arts ' presentation of Grace and Mercy an act of justice in and of itself.

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Ukraine, Green Tea, Saving Young, and the Return to Live Theater

Ukraine, Green Tea, Saving Young, and the Return to Live Theater

This is what I would have posted on Facebook today if I were not weening myself off Facebook. From facilitating your teenagers’ contributions to their Roth IRA’s (incredibly important if they are ever to have retirement savings) to naturally controlling high blood pressure (or not), this post has several informative nuggets you’ll be happy you consumed.

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