There may be clouds in the forecast but there’s nothing dim about the calendar of events in and around Davidson this weekend. From an exhibit opening with Davidson College visiting artist Lydia Musco Thursday to the opening of Davidson Community Players’ “Violet,” to live jazz at Summit Coffee Saturday, the arts scene is hopping. Davidson College hosts its annual Women’s Leadership Conference Saturday, and Davidson Housing Coalition hosts a meeting Saturday for prospective home buyers. And check the Our Town Cinemas schedule, too, for Oscar-winning films.

Plenty of music this weekend, including a “Chopin Celebration” at the college tonight. Summit Coffee on Main Street has live, local music the next three nights: Billy Jones and The Pocket Thurday, Mike Strauss Trio Friday and Davidson guitarist Dennis Currier and his group Terzetto on Saturday.

The theater scene is busy, too. The musical “Violet” about the Civil Rights Era opens Thursday night at Armour Street Theater. And the Ethnic Studies Program at Davidson College will present the one-woman play “Harriet’s Return,” about the life of Harriet Tubman, on Friday at Duke Family Performance Hall.

Davidson’s Our Town Cinemas has the three top Oscar winning movies this weekend, including Best Picture winner “The Hurt Locker,” which is currently not in theaters. Also showing will be “Crazy Heart,” which won Best Actor for Jeff Bridges; and “Blind Side,” with Sandra Bullock (Best Actress). (More in our preview.)

Those events and more below. And you can check our day-by-day calendar on the right side of the main page in The Guide for an up to date listing of events daily.
MARCH 11-14

THURSDAY, MARCH 11, 7-9 p.m., Davidson College Belk Visual Art Center, Griffith and Main street – Art opening and lecture with Visiting Assistant Professor of Art Lydia Musco. Lecture, 7:30 p.m. The exhibit “Lydia Musco: New Sculpture” runs March 12-April 14. Free. For information call 704-894-2519. More on the college website.

THURSDAY, MARCH 11, 7:30 p.m., Davidson College Sloan Music Center, Tyler-Tallman Hall – “Celebration of Chopin,” in honor of Fryderyk Chopin. Artist Associates in Piano Cynthia Lawing and Ruskin Cooper will be joined by their scholarship piano students in a recital of Chopin’s music in celebration of the 200th anniversary of his birth. Free. For information call 704-894-2848.

THURSDAY, MARCH 11 8-11 p.m., Summit Coffee, 128 S. Main St. – Live music: Billy Jones and the Pocket. Info: 704-895-9090.

THURSDAY, MARCH 11, 7 p.m., Brickhouse Tavern, 209 Delburg St. – Live music: Steven Waddell. Details: 704-987-2022.

THURSDAY to SUNDAY, MARCH 11 to 14 Armour Street Theater, Armour and Watson streets – “Violet,” directed by Melissa Ohlman-Roberge. The contemporary musical, by Brian Crawley and Jeanine Tesori, is based on “The Ugliest Pilgrim,” a short story by Doris Betts of Statesville. It’s set in 1964 in the Deep South during the early days of the Civil Rights Movement and follows the growth and enlightenment of a bitter, young woman accidentally scarred by her father. Shows are March 11, 12, 13, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, and 27 at 8 p.m.; March 14, 21, 27 and 28 at 2 p.m.; and March 14 and 21 at 7 p.m. For tickets, call 704-892-7918 or go to www.carolinatix.org

FRIDAY, MARCH 12, 2:30 p.m., Dana Hall Room 146 — Biology lecture by Jenn Caldwell Wilhelm ’01 on “Limited Peripheral Axon Regeneration in Neurotrophin Knockout Mice.” Free. For information call 704-894-2184.

FRIDAY, MARCH 12 and SATURDAY, MARCH 13, Chambers Building Lilly Family Gallery — Women’s Leadership Conference, on the theme “Empowering Within, Empowering Around, and Empowering Beyond.” Registration is $15 for students and $25 for community leaders. Events begin at 6 p.m. on March 12 and at 8 a.m. on March 13. For a full schedule and registration go to the college website.

FRIDAY, MARCH 12, 5-9 p.m., Irish Cue, 19501 W. Catawba Ave., Cornelius – Live music for happy hour with Davidson singer/songwriter and guitarist Rusty Knox. 704-892-6904.

FRIDAY, MARCH 12, 7:30 p.m., Davidson College Duke Family Performance Hall – The Ethnic Studies Program at Davidson College will present the one-woman play “Harriet’s Return.” Written, directed and performed by Karen Jones Meadows, it examines the life of the legendary Harriet Tubman, one of the leaders of the Underground Railroad. FREE. Details in our March 10 preview.

FRIDAY, MARCH 12 8-11 p.m., Summit Coffee, 128 S. Main St. – Live music: Mike Strauss Trio. Info: 704-895-9090.

FRIDAY, MARCH 12, 8 p.m., Brickhouse Tavern, 209 Delburg St. – Live music: Captain Lou. Details: 704-987-2022.

SATURDAY, MARCH 13, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Davidson Housing Coalition, 220 Sloan St. – Do you have questions about home ownership? How much home can you afford? What about tax credits? Davidson Housing Coalition hosts a home buyer education seminar. $20 per person, $35 per couple. Details: 704-892-4486. www.davidsonhousing.org.

SATURDAY, MARCH 13, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., –
Weathers Creek Writers Series offers a songwriting workshop with legendary singer/songwriter/producer Don Dixon. For “Shades of Grey: Writing for a World That Isn’t Black & White,” Dixon will concentrate on songs where topics are open ended. For a registration form, directions and other information, visit www.weatherscreek.net/.

SATURDAY, MARCH 13, 8-11 p.m., Summit Coffee, 128 S. Main St. – Live jazz with Dennis Currier and Terzetto: Guitarist Dennis Currier, drummer Chris Garges and bassist Ron Brendle. Listen to a DavidsonNews.net 4-minute interview with Mr. Currier, CLICK HERE>

SATURDAY, MARCH 13, 8 p.m., Corkscrew, Birkdale Village, Huntersville – Live music with Davidson guitarist and songwriter Rusty Knox.

SATURDAY, MARCH 13, 8 p.m., Brickhouse Tavern, 209 Delburg St. – Live music: Robin Burke. Details: 704-987-2022.

SUNDAY, MARCH 14, 7:30 p.m., Sloan Music Center Tyler-Tallman Hall – Liederabend choral concert by Davidson voice students. Free. For information call 704-894-2848.