What’s neat about the 2008 residency of the Royal Shakespeare Co. at Davidson College is that it concludes with a brand new play, “Little Eagles,” this weekend. Now, you may be wondering: Didn’t Shakespeare already write most of his plays? That and other interesting questions are addressed on the RSC blog, along with tales of an RSC visit to a bluegrass bar in Gastonia and more. The weekend includes not only the new play, but also a special guest lecture by Edward Albee, one of America’s premier playwrights, along with an array of Bard stars and drama experts who will speak at a free public symposium about the intersection of history and literature – or, in other words, more on how a Shakespeare company could be producing new plays.

RSC events plus a lot of good music and a chance to swill beer for the United Way are detailed below.

Weekend of Feb. 14-17

EVENTS –

Summit Coffee will have live music this weekend on the upstairs stage, featuring The Orsons Thursday and Adam Whiting Friday. Bands play from 8-11 p.m. Saturday, the coffee house will host its Feb-BREW-ary Fest. This event, which runs 8-11 p.m. will feature beer tasting and is also a benefit for the United Way of Central Carolinas. Tickets $15, on sale now.

Briana Hunter, a senior at Davidson College, will perform a voice recital Thusday, starting at 7:30 p.m. at the Sloan Music Center’s Tyler-Tallman Hall. Ms. Hunter, a soprano, will sing various pieces at this free concert.

Henry Lebedinsky, music director for St. Alban’s Episcopal Church in Davidson, will be the featured musician at the next Musical Interludes concert for Davidson College. Mr. Lebidinsky will be performing on the harpsichord and clavichord Friday at 12:30 p.m. in the college’s Tyler-Tallman Hall. The event is free, as is the master class and demonstration that will follow in the afternoon at 3 p.m.

The Royal Shakespeare Co. concludes its 2008 residency at Davidson College with a new play project, to be performed this weekend. Playwright Rona Munro’s work-in-progress “Little Eagles” is about the Cold War space race. Performances Feb. 15 and 16 at 7:30 p.m. and Feb. 17 at 2 p.m. at the duke Family Performance Hall. For more details on the RSC residency and the performance, consult the college Website.

Also as part of the Royal Shakespeare Co. residency, Davidson College hosts an academic symposium this weekend titled “Imagining History: Shakespeare and His Legacy,” which concerns the creative process of fictionalizing history. The keynote speaker Saturday morning at 10:30 a.m. in the Duke Family Performance Hall will be Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Edward Albee (photo), author of “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” Other speakers and panelists will include historical novelist, non-fiction writer, and literary critic Thomas Mallon, Shakespearean Phyllis Rackin from the University of Pennsylvania, and scholars of modern drama Laurence Senelick from Tufts University and Mary Karen Dahl from Florida State University. Click here for a complete list of the schedule of events for the three-day symposium.

Davidson College Presbyterian Church will offer a free family concert Sunday afternoon in the church’s Congregation House at 218 Concord Rd. “An Afternoon with Phil Markert,” which starts at 3 p.m., will feature show tunes, familiar standards, comedy and sing-alongs. Mr. Markert is a retired broadcasting personality and piano player who has entertained family audiences nationwide. Proceeds from the event benefit the church’s Chancel Choir, which is traveling to Leipzig, Germany, this summer for an international choral festival. Details available on the church website, www.dcpc.org.

SPORTS –

Sports this weekend at Davidson College will feature the men’s and women’s basketball teams playing conference rivals. The women (14-9 overall, 8-4 Southern Conference) will host UNC Greensboro Friday at 7 p.m., while the men (18-6 overall, 16-0 Southern Conference) will take on Furman Saturday at 3 p.m. The ‘Cats men’s team is coming off of an exciting victory Wednesday night at Greenboro that clinched the Southern Conference South Division.

The North Meck Soccer Club is taking registration through Feb. 29 for its spring Adult League, aimed at players 18 and up. The cost of play for one season is $65, and includes seven games.

MARK YOUR CALENDAR!

• FEB. 18, 8 p.m., Davidson College Alvarez College Union, 900 Room – “From Vision to Action: A Case Study on Collaborative Leadership,” the annual Chidsey Leadership Lecture, by Margo Williams, Davidson town commissioner and co-founder of Davidson Housing Coalition. She will share her story about being a politician building a shared vision in town, challenging the status quo, how the town finds ways to maintain socio-economic diversity amid rising housing costs. Free. Reception to follow.
• FEB. 19, 7 p.m., Main Street Books, 126 S. Main St. – Main Street Readers book group, reading “Atonement.” Also, March 18, “Pavilion of Women.” Details: Debra Smithdeal, 704-892-6841.
• FEB. 22, 8-11 p.m., Chambers Building, Davidson College – Contra Dance Carolina will host the Green Ball, a dancing fundraiser for the Davidson Lands Conservancy. Tickets are $10 and lessons in contra dancing will begin at 7:30 p.m. The caller for the evening will be Diane Silver and the band will be Land of Sky.
• FEB. 26, 8 p.m., Duke Family Performance Hall, Davidson College – Pulitzer Prize-winning author Michael Chabon (photo) will give the annual Conarroe Lecture. Mr. Chabon will sign books after his talk. The event is free, but tickets are required and can be picked up at the college union ticket office from 10-4 weekdays, beginning Feb. 12.
• FEB. 28,, 7-8:30 p.m., Parks & Recreation Office, 416 Armour St. — Stress workshop with Shannon Carney. Explore techniques that will help you better manage stress and realize more peace, balance and joy. Hands-on exercises to help you improve your overall happiness. More information about Ms. Carney at www.WindRiverServices.com. Cost: $20 nonresidents, $15 residents. To pre-register, go to the park department website, www.d-recs.org.
• MARCH 3-4, Davidson College – Davidson Garden Club 24th annual Horticultural Symposium, “Herbaceous Havens: Creating Garden Sanctuaries.” Details, including a full schedule of events, at www.davidsonsymposium.org.

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