Best Bets April 2008
Audra, Audra!
Theater lovers know Audra McDonald, right, as an amazing vocalist and a four-time Tony Award winner for her roles in Carousel, Master Class, Ragtime, and Raisin in the Sun. But recently, she’s gained a larger audience as Dr. Naomi Bennett on ABC’s beachy doctor hit Private Practice, which was holding its own in the ratings before the writers strike. The Juilliard-trained McDonald, who has released four solo albums, returns to her musical roots in a one-night performance with the Charlotte Symphony.
April 12, Belk Theater
What's Your Function?
Thanks to cable television, most children nowadays aren’t familiar with Saturday-morning cartoons, let alone Schoolhouse Rock. While you may have forgotten those weekend morning hours of your youth, chances are you still catch yourself singing the beloved Schoolhouse Rock classics "I'm Just a Bill" and "Conjunction Junction." Well, thanks to the Children’s Theater of Charlotte, your kids will no longer look at you cross-eyed wondering what those crazy songs are all about. The Saturday-morning TV favorite comes to the stage for a whole new generation to enjoy.
April 18-May 4, McColl Family Theater at ImaginOn
Listen to the Boss
Bruce Springsteen's storytelling through music continues as he tours with the E Street Band for the first time in four years to promote 2007’s Magic, his fifteenth studio album and arguably one of his best. The first single, "Radio Nowhere," calls to mind classic Springsteen, heavy on guitars and melody, while the catchy "Girls in Their Summer Clothes" shares DNA with the Beach Boys' Pet Sounds. Don’t miss this opportunity to see a living legend who has earned eighteen GRAMMY Awards and inductions into both the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Songwriters Hall of Fame.
April 27, Charlotte Bobcats Arena
All About Nothing
Many years ago I was out with friends at a Los Angeles eatery and spotted Jerry Seinfeld and writing partner Larry David deep in discussion, complete with notepads. Presumably they were discussing the second season of his self-titled hit show on NBC. Little did I know at the time that these two were a comedic force to be reckoned with. Seinfeld, who is nearly a decade removed from prime-time television since Seinfeld’s nine-year run ended in 1998, has returned to stand-up and this month brings his humorous observations on life’s little things to town.
April 4, Ovens Auditorium
