The curtain goes up on two theatrical productions on area stages this weekend: Davidson Community Players’ production of the drama “Wit” and Hough High School’s “Honk,” a musical tale of the ugly duckling. Meanwhile, a new Davidson environmental group holds an organizing meeting Thursday night, and an opening reception is planned Friday evening at Cornelius Arts Center for an exhibit of paintings by Monique Luck. A major regional mind-body-spirit expo called “Shift Charlotte” runs Friday night and all day Saturday in Cornelius. And the Davidson Wildcats men’s basketball team closes out its regular season Saturday afternoon against Georgia Southern at Belk Arena. There’s also wide variety of live music in the next few days at venues ranging from Summit Coffee and Davidson College in Davidson to The Wine Cellar and the Rusty Rudder in Cornelius.

Our Town Cinemas wraps up the runs of “Silver Linings Playbook,” “The Impossible,” and “A Good Day to Die Hard” Thursday, and brings in “21 and Over” and “Jack the Giant Slayer” Friday, and “Oz the Great and Powerful” next Thursday. Also there: “Identity Thief” and “Safe Haven.” See the showtimes at right on this page.

THURSDAY, FEB. 28

Story Time at Main Street Books, 3pm, Main Street Books, 126 S. Main St., Davidson – Story Time at Main Street Books, with stories, songs and fun for children. 704-892-6841

Meet JV Washam’s new principal, 4pm, J.V. Washam Elementary School media center, 9611 Westmoreland Road, Cornelius – J.V. Washam Elementary plans a reception for school families to meet the new principal, Rachel Ann Williams. Read more about her in our Feb. 27 School Notes column. ^[1]

Green Drinks Lake Norman, 5:30-7pm, Campania Cafe, South Main Square, 416 S. Main St., Davidson – Green Drinks Lake Norman monthly networking series present a reception and talk by Bill Thunberg, vice chair of the Centralina Economic Development Commission and director of the Lake Norman Transportation Commission. He’ll discuss the CONNECT Consortium and regional planning, including how greenways, transportation and other issues affect our region. Free. Green Drinks Lake Norman is an informal monthly networking happy hour with speakers on topics related to the environment and sustainability. Meets last Thursday of the month. Hosted by PIES, the Project for Innovation, Energy & Sustainability. ^[2]

Theater: “Honk!” at Hough, 7pm, W.A. Hough High School auditorium, 12420 Bailey Road, Cornelius – Hough High School’s production of “Honk!” a musical tale of the ugly duckling. Shows Thursday, Feb. 28, at 7pm, Friday, March 1, at 7pm, and Saturday, March 2 at 2 and 7pm. Tickets $8 for students and $10 for adults, and are available at the door. Appropriate for all ages.

Lake Norman Covekeeper meeting, 7pm, Charles Mack Citizens Center, 215 N. Main St., Mooresville – Lake Norman Covekeeper monthly meeting, with guest speaker Sam Perkins, Director of Technical Programs for the Catawba Riverkeeper Foundation. He will speak on the how human activity and land-use has influenced the Catawba River basin. Open to the public. More information: www.catawbariverkeeper.org ^[3]

Environmental group forming, 7pm, Davidson Friends Meetinghouse, 625 South St., Davidson – Davidson Environmental Group start-up meeting. Come help organize a new environmental group for individuals interested in sustainability and “green living.” This meeting also will include a seed swap. Questions: email Charlene at charlene.doug@gmail.com ^[4]

Live music at the Wine Cellar, 7-9pm, The Wine Cellar, 19712 One Norman Boulevard, off West Catawba Ave., Cornelius – Wine tasting with live music: Mike Alicke, folk/acoustic/pop rock. http://winecellarlkn.com/ ^[5]

Pianist Cynthia Lawing

Cynthia Lawing piano recital, 7:30pm, Davidson College Sloan Music Center Tyler-Tallman Hall – Faculty recital “Gershwin for Piano” with pianist Cynthia Lawing, artist associate in piano at Davidson. Free. Info on Davidson.edu ^[6]

Live music at Summit Coffee, 8-11pm, Summit Coffee, 128 S. Main St., Davidson – Live music: Billy Jones and Friends. Free. Info: 704-895-9090 or visit www.summitcoffee.com ^[7]

“Wit,” starring veteran local actress Marla Brown, opens at Davidson Community Players Armour Street Theatre.

Theater: “Wit,” 8pm, Armour Street Theater, 307 Armour Street, Davidson – Davidson Community Players’ production of Margaret Edson’s Pulitzer Prize-winning drama “Wit,” about one woman’s search for peace and grace as she slips away from ovarian cancer. Performances Feb. 28, March 1, 2, 7-9, 14-16 at 8pm, and Sundays March 3, 10, 17 at 2pm. Directed by Melissa Ohlman-Roberge and starring local theater veteran Marla Brown in the lead role of Vivian Bearing, PhD. Tickets $20, available at www.davidsoncommunityplayers.org ^[8] or by calling the Box Office at 794-892-7953. An audience “talk back” will be held after each performance opening weekend.

FRIDAY, MARCH 1

Davidson merchants’ meeting, 9am, Davidson Town Hall, 216 S. Main St., Davidson – Quarterly Davidson merchants meeting, to discuss issues of interest to local business owners. That meeting will be followed at 10am by a Concert on the Green planning meeting.

Davidson baseball, 6pm, Wilson Field at Davidson College – Davidson baseball vs. Appalachian State. (Also Sat. and Sun.) Info: DavidsonWildcats.com ^[9]

Exhibit opening: Monique Luck, 6-9pm, Cornelius Arts Center, Oak Street Mill, 19725 Oak St., Cornelius – The Town of Cornelius and the Cornelius Arts Center host an opening reception for “In Pieces,” an exhibit of new paintings by Monique Luck. These personal and intricate mixed-media works on canvas explore significant moments of the artist’s life. The show is on display through March 22. More information on Cornelius.org ^[10]. Free and open to the public. The bar at KadiFit next door will be open at 7pm. Gallery hours Monday-Thursday from 9am-5pm and Friday-Saturday from 9am-12pm. Followed at 9pm by Sharp Charlotte Comedy Theater. See related item.

^[11]Shift Charlotte health expo, 6-9pm, The Palace, Kenton Place, 8325 Copley Drive, Cornelius – Shift Charlotte holistic wellness and mind/body/spirit expo, opening night workshops and dinner. Hosted by YourCommunityConnector.com ^[12] Also and Saturday, March 2, 9am-5pm. Info: www.shiftcharlotte.com ^[13] Read more in our Feb. 8 preview article. ^[14]

Wine Dinner at Lake Norman Cottage, 6-9pm, Lake Norman Cottage, 200 A North Harbor Place, Davidson – $25 per person includes a light 3-course meal and wines from Argentina, Oregon, and California. Please call for a reservation: 704-237-3629.

Lake Norman Bar Crawl, Registration is 6:30-7:30 at Harvey’s Bar and Grill, 19707 Liverpool Parkway, Cornelius – There will be party bus transportation to 5 locations around Cornelius. Ticket includes beer on the bus, plus drink specials, giveaways, no cover charges. Tickets are $10 per person or $15 for 2. For more information and to purchase tickets visit lknfun.com ^[15]

Theater: “Honk!” at Hough, 7pm, W.A. Hough High School auditorium, 12420 Bailey Road, Cornelius – Hough High School’s production of “Honk!” a musical tale of the ugly duckling. Shows Thursday, Feb. 28, at 7pm, Friday, March 1, at 7pm, and Saturday, March 2 at 2 and 7pm. Tickets $8 for students and $10 for adults, and are available at the door. Appropriate for all ages.

Brad Heller and the Fustics are at Summit Coffee Friday

The Fustics at Summit Coffee, 8-11pm, Summit Coffee, 128 S. Main St., Davidson – Live music: Summit’s First Friday Concert Series presents The Fustics. This Wilmington-based high-energy touring band blends blues, folk and country into their blue-collar rock sound, and was recently voted the best rock band in Wilmington. Tickets $8. Info: 704-895-9090 or visit www.summitcoffee.com ^[16]

Theater: “Wit,” 8pm, Armour Street Theater, 307 Armour Street, Davidson – Davidson Community Players’ production of Margaret Edson’s Pulitzer Prize-winning drama “Wit,” about one woman’s search for peace and grace as she slips away from ovarian cancer. Performances Feb. 28, March 1, 2, 7-9, 14-16 at 8pm, and Sundays March 3, 10, 17 at 2pm. Directed by Melissa Ohlman-Roberge and starring local theater veteran Marla Brown in the lead role of Vivian Bearing, PhD. Tickets $20, available at www.davidsoncommunityplayers.org ^[8] or by calling the Box Office at 794-892-7953. An audience “talk back” will be held after each performance opening weekend.

Improv comedy at Kadi Fit, 9pm, Kadi Fit studio, Oak Street Mill, 19725 Oak St., Cornelius – Sharp Charlotte Comedy Theater presents a performance of improv comedy. Proceeds benefit the Kilgoris Project, to build a school in Kenya. Bar opens at 7pm for the art reception next door at Cornelius Arts Center. Seating limited, so RSVP on Facebook ^[17] or via email to calli@kadifit.com ^[18]

SATURDAY, MARCH 2

^[19]Raeford’s Barbershop Blitz 5K, 8am, Gethsemane Baptist Church, Jetton Street, Davidson – Raeford’s Barbershop Blitz 5K/fun run and 1-mile run/walk for beginners and children. Registration is $15 if registered by Feb. 28, $20 day of the race. Proceeds from this event benefit the GBC Youth Ministry Y-POP ( Young People Of Power). Get more information on the Gethsemane Baptist website ^[20]. Or you can pick up forms at Raeford’s Barbershop, 206 S. Main St.

Kiwanis pancake breakfast, 8am to noon, First Baptist Church, 119 N. Old Statesville Road, Huntersville – The Lake Norman Kiwanis Club will hold its annual pancake breakfast. All you can eat pancakes and sausage, chocolate chip pancakes available too. Tickets $8 for adults, $5 for children 3-12 years old. Also with entertainment, silent auction, raffle. Proceeds benefit the Ada Jenkins Center and other local children’s charities. For tickets, contact Arlene Arciero at arcieroa@bellsouth.net ^[21]

Davidson Farmer’s Market, 9am-noon, downtown Davidson, off Main Street next to Town Hall – Davidson Farmer’s Market winter market. Local farmers and vendors selling meats, produce, dairy products, baked goods, and other items. Runs every first and third Saturday through April. Also, extra market added March 30. Information: Visit www.davidsonfarmersmarket.org ^[22]. DavidsonNews.net and CorneliusNews.net are pleased to be media partners of the Davidson Farmer’s Market.

^[11]Shift Charlotte health expo, 9am-5pm, The Palace, Kenton Place, 8325 Copley Drive, Cornelius – Shift Charlotte holistic wellness and mind/body/spirit expo, with workshops, speakers and vendors. Also, Friday, 6-9pm, opening night workshops and dinner. Hosted by YourCommunityConnector.com ^[12] Info: www.shiftcharlotte.com ^[13] Feb. 8 preview article. ^[14]

Artisans at Latta Plantation, 10am-4pm, Historic Latta Plantation, 5225 Sample Road, Huntersville – Enjoy a spring day at the plantation and observe demonstrations of skills and crafts, including open-hearth cooking, antique tools by the Mid-West Tool Collectors Association, blacksmithing, spinning and weaving and more. Free with regular site admission ($7 for adults, $6 for seniors, $5 for students, ages 5 and under free). Also Sunday, 1-4. Info: LattaPlantation.org ^[23]

Davidson baseball, 2pm, Wilson Field at Davidson College – Davidson baseball vs. Appalachian State. (Also Sat. and Sun.) Info: DavidsonWildcats.com ^[9]

Davidson basketball vs. Ga. Southern, 2pm, Belk Arena, Davidson College – Davidson men’s basketball vs. Georgia Southern in the final game of the regular season. More information on DavidsonWildcats.com ^[24].

Davidson women’s basketball at Elon, 2pm, Elon University, Elon, NC – Davidson women’s basketball at Elon. More information on DavidsonWildcats.com ^[25].

Poineer Springs School fundraising auction, 2-4pm, Historic Croft Schoolhouse, 9200 Bob Beatty Rd., Charlotte – Inspired, in part, by success of the Community School of Davidson, the area’s newest charter school – Pioneer Springs Community School – is a testament to grass roots activism. Offering parents another quality choice in education, Pioneer Springs holds its first ever fundraising event “Arts Alive Celebration & Auction” featuring the work of local artists. Info: www.PioneerSprings.org ^[26]

Theater: “Honk!” at Hough, 7pm, W.A. Hough High School auditorium, 12420 Bailey Road, Cornelius – Hough High School’s production of “Honk!” a musical tale of the ugly duckling. Shows Thursday, Feb. 28, at 7pm, Friday, March 1, at 7pm, and Saturday, March 2 at 2 and 7pm. Tickets $8 for students and $10 for adults, and are available at the door. Appropriate for all ages.

Beer and live music, 6-9pm, Ass Clown Brewery, 10620 Bailey Rd, Suite E & F, Cornelius – The local brewery’s tasting room is open with live music by Carolina Bound Info: www.assclownbrewery.com ^[27] or 704-995-7767

Wine Dinner at Lake Norman Cottage, 6-9pm, Lake Norman Cottage, 200 A North Harbor Place, Davidson. $25 per person includes a light 3-course meal and wines from California, Germany, and Washington State. Please call for a reservation: 704-237-3629.

Live music at the Wine Cellar, 7-9pm, The Wine Cellar, 19712 One Norman Boulevard, off West Catawba Ave., Cornelius – Wine tasting with live jazz by Brad Bayley. http://winecellarlkn.com/ ^[5]

Theater: “Wit,” 8pm, Armour Street Theater, 307 Armour Street, Davidson – Davidson Community Players’ production of Margaret Edson’s Pulitzer Prize-winning drama “Wit,” about one woman’s search for peace and grace as she slips away from ovarian cancer. Performances Feb. 28, March 1, 2, 7-9, 14-16 at 8pm, and Sundays March 3, 10, 17 at 2pm. Directed by Melissa Ohlman-Roberge and starring local theater veteran Marla Brown in the lead role of Vivian Bearing, PhD. Tickets $20, available at www.davidsoncommunityplayers.org ^[8] or by calling the Box Office at 794-892-7953. An audience “talk back” will be held after each performance opening weekend.

Grievous Angels at Summit, 8-11pm, Summit Coffee, 128 S. Main St., Davidson – Live music: Grievous Angels. Free. Info: 704-895-9090 or visit www.summitcoffee.com ^[16]

Simplified at The Rusty Rudder, 10:30pm, The Rusty Rudder, 20210 Henderson Road, Conrnelius – Live music with Simplified. Info on Facebook ^[28]

SUNDAY, MARCH 3

Future of the Presbyterian Church USA, 9:45am, Davidson College Presbyterian Church Congregation House, 218 Concord Road, Davidson – First in a series of programs on “The Church in Transition: The PCUSA Faces the Future.” In this opening program, Richard Boyce, Associate Pastor of Preaching and Pastoral Leadership at Union Presbyterian Seminary in Charlotte, will speak about the divide between the “liberal” and “conservative” wings of the congregation. Info: www.dcpc.org ^[29]

Jazz Brunch at Summit Coffee, Noon to 3pm, Summit Coffee, 128 S. Main St., Davidson – First in a planned sereis of Jazz Brunch concerts at Summit, with a trio of Ben Davenport on keyboards, Karl Gunther on bass, and Brian Burton on drums. They’ll be playing the music of Miles Davis, Wayne Shorter, Freddie Hubbard, Joe Zawinul, John Coltrane and other jazz greats. $8 cover, all ages welcome. Pastries and mimosas will be available. Info: 704-895-9090. For more info, contact brianburtondrummer@gmail.com ^[30].

Artisans at Latta Plantation, 1-4pm, Historic Latta Plantation, 5225 Sample Road, Huntersville – Enjoy a spring day at the plantation and observe demonstrations of skills and crafts, including open-hearth cooking, antique tools by the Mid-West Tool Collectors Association, blacksmithing, spinning and weaving and more. Free with regular site admission ($7 for adults, $6 for seniors, $5 for students, ages 5 and under free). Also Saturday, 10-4. Info: LattaPlantation.org ^[23]

Davidson baseball, 1pm, Wilson Field at Davidson College – Davidson baseball vs. Appalachian State. (Also Fri. and Sat.) More info: DavidsonWildcats.com ^[9]

Theater: “Wit,” 2pm, Armour Street Theater, 307 Armour Street, Davidson – Davidson Community Players’ production of Margaret Edson’s Pulitzer Prize-winning drama “Wit,” about one woman’s search for peace and grace as she slips away from ovarian cancer. Performances Feb. 28, March 1, 2, 7-9, 14-16 at 8pm, and Sundays March 3, 10, 17 at 2pm. Directed by Melissa Ohlman-Roberge and starring local theater veteran Marla Brown in the lead role of Vivian Bearing, PhD. Tickets $20, available at www.davidsoncommunityplayers.org ^[8] or by calling the Box Office at 794-892-7953. An audience “talk back” will be held after each performance opening weekend.

HAVE LISTINGS?

Send calendar listings to editor@davidsonnews.net ^[31]. Announcements appear in our “This Week” and “Weekend Calendar” columns, and in our day-by-day calendar (at right), on both DavidsonNews.net and CorneliusNews.net. We also occasionally publish additional specialty calendar columns for music, theater, running, senior events, fundraisers and church news.

^[32]