Best Bets January 2008

Purrfect Rerun

There's a good chance you've seen a production of Cats. If you haven't, but have been wanting to, you're in luck. The legendary musical, a staple on Broadway for eighteen years until its final performance in 2000, roars into town telling the tale of a gaggle of anthropomorphic felines. Andrew Lloyd Webber's Tony Award-winning musical, based on the charismatic T.S. Eliot collection Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats, showcases inventive costumes, pageantry, and songs like the timeless “Memory” that took Cats from Broadway into homes and hearts everywhere. January 8-13, Ovens Auditorium

Chorus Line

In "A Tribute to America's Heroes," the U.S. Army Soldiers' Chorus performs a patriotic concert for the entire family backed by the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra. The twenty-nine-member chorus is the vocal counterpart to the world-renowned U.S. Army Field Band. And it has been performing in venues across the globe since 1957, including the state funerals of presidents Ronald Reagan and Gerald Ford as a part of the Armed Forces Chorus. January 18-19, Belk Theater

Groovin' for Good

What do you get when you cross a fabulous meal at The Palm and an exclusive performance by the quirky, soulful sounds of American Idol winner Taylor Hicks? You get Palm Night. For one night only, The Palm restaurant is closed to the public and plays host to The Family Center's annual gala to raise funds to support their efforts against child abuse and neglect. To attend this evening of great food and music, become a sponsor with a charitable donation. January 26, The Palm Restaurant, SouthPark

Life and Death

On the surface, Love Lived on Death Row is a touching look at the death penalty. But scratch that surface and you'll find an inspiring film about forgiveness and survival. North Carolina-based filmmaker Linda Booker does her best to stamp the death penalty issue with names and faces by chronicling Charlotte's Syriani family and their quest for clemency. In 1991, Elias Syriani was convicted of murdering his wife, Teresa, and was sentenced to death. In 2004, his four children—left virtually parentless fourteen years earlier—formed a united front, forgiving their father and pleading to North Carolina Governor James Easley for clemency. Despite their efforts, Syriani was executed in 2005.  January 15, Duke Power Theatre