Weekend Arts Events (Aug. 5-7)

FRIDAY
EVITA
Charlotte teens tackle the Andrew Lloyd Webber/Tim Rice historical musical. Children's Theatre of Charlotte is the group behind this retelling of the Argentine leader's life.

JAZZ AT THE BECHTLER
The monthly series featuring the Ziad Jazz Quartet returns with “More and More Monk,” a meditation on the legendary Thelonious Monk. Monk, a native of Rocky Mount, N.C., was known for both his creation of jazz standards and his groundbreaking improvisations.

CHARLOTTE STORYTELLERS
The group hits the Goodyear Arts space at 516 N. College St. on Friday and Saturday. The theme for this one is "Conforming," and this event is both BYOB and BYOP (which means, "bring your own pillow", of course).

JAY BRANNAN
Singer-songwriter (and actor) Jay Brannan brings his intimate, tenor-voiced tunes to the Visulite stage. One-time Charlottean Lauren Jenkins opens the show, adding her country-tinged sound to the mix.

SATURDAY
JOEDANCE FILM FESTIVAL
The grassroots film festival returns to the Fourth Ward neighborhood. The event invites anyone with a Charlotte connection to submit films to the organizers to be considered, with all the proceeds of the actual festival to go to the Levine Children’s Hospital.

RIVER JAM
(through Sept. 29) On Thursdays and Saturdays during the summer, River Jam offers free outdoor music at the U.S. National Whitewater Center. Check out the center’s selection of food and beer and kick back. This month’s lineup includes The Show Ponies (Aug. 4), Parsonsfield (Aug. 6), Davy Knowles (Aug. 11), Jarekus Singleton (Aug. 18),  Amigo (Aug. 20), The Accomplices (Aug. 25), and The Mike Strauss Band (Aug. 27).

LET’S DANCE: A TRIBUTE TO DAVID BOWIE
This benefit for Crisis Assistance Ministry honors the late, great David Bowie. Acts include The Roadshow Band, Gigi Dover & The Big Love, Hannah Morse, Crisis, Abbey Elmore Band, and others. Crisis Assistance Ministry is a non-profit in the county that "prevents homelessness and preserves dignity for Charlotte's working poor."

MCCOLL CENTER FOR ART + INNOVATION
The McColl Center for Art + Innovation has one of the region’s top artist residency programs, producing works that range from enormous paintings to culinary arts. Activities include open workshops and community programs. Prompt (through Aug. 21) is a pop-up residency featuring McColl alumni Quisqueya Henríquez, Susan Lee-Chun, and Willie Little. Artist Shaun Cassidy provided three prompts for the trio, who had four weeks to create installations in response. 

SUNDAY
LEVINE MUSEUM OF THE NEW SOUTH
History is complex, and there are countless perspectives on the South’s most significant events. The Levine not only puts those events in context, but it offers multimedia exhibits, forums, and artistic expressions that are tethered to our past. ¡NUEVOlution! Latinos and the New South (through Oct. 30) examines the rise of Latino populations in Charlotte and other Southern cities, and how the Latino population will help shape the future of the South. The Storied South: Voices of Writers and Artists (through Sept. 18) includes photographs of Southern cultural, artistic, and literary icons by UNC Chapel Hill history professor Dr. William Ferris.

DISCOVERY PLACE
Kids will be kids—and adults will feel like kids—at this uptown science museum. From live animals to grand experiments of physics, the museum offers a multi-disciplinary adventure. Beyond Rubik’s Cube (through Sept. 5) is the first exhibition to focus on the popular puzzle, which has been around for 40 years. Find out what inspired its creation and become an expert through games and activities.