New River Dramatists, a nonprofit theater workshop based in the N.C. mountains, is back for its second annual Davidson residency this week. The group invites theater-lovers to sit in on its unique script-development sessions daily, attend a youth theater playwriting session, or watch a Saturday night staged reading of “Absence,” a new play by Wendy Hammond, in a fund-raiser for Davidson Community Players. The group also joins the ongoing Davidson Comprehensive Plan project, by presenting a dramatization about our town’s vision for the future on Sunday.

Also below, Davidson Community Players is up for Theatre Company of the Year and two 2008-9 Davidson College Theater Department productions (“Hamlet” and “Company”) are up for the outstanding college and university production award later this month at the 6th annual Metrolina Theater Awards.

Meanwhile, find out what’s on the college stage during the 2009-10 season, which begins with Moliere’s “Tartuffe” in October. Listings for those and other local theater events below. Read the full story

Tobias Wolff (left) and Robin Wright lecture at Davidson College this week.

Our calendar of events this week in and around Davidson includes music, theater, a Town Board meeting, public lectures and sporting events at Davidson College and the first Shalom Lake Norman Festival. And next weekend is Homecoming at Davidosn College.

Tobias Wolff, author of “Old School” and other books, lectures and signs books Tuesday night at Davidson College. Then on Wednesday award-winning journalist and commentator Robin Wright will speak on “Turmoil in Iran: What’s Next?” Both lectures are free.

Charlotte Writers’ Club North hosts poet Barbara Presnell on Thursday. Also, a new adoption support group begins meeting Tuesday at Davidson United Methodist Church. Details below under Ongoing Events Read the full story

It’s a weekend for juggling in Davidson, with the Hurricane Hugo Juggling Festival and a Family Vaudeville Extravaganza here on Saturday. On Friday night, the Sandcrawlers play a CD release party at Summit Coffee. And the Davidson Farmers Market has its weekly sales on Saturday next to Town Hall. While you’re downtown, take your car over to CVS for the first of six Saturday car washes to raise money for Easter Seals.

In sports, Davidson’s women’s soccer team plays Villanova Friday night at Alumni Soccer Stadium. Then Saturday night, it’s Davidson’s men vs. USC Upstate.

Meanwhile, take a look at our Theater listings below for a list of events next week during New River Dramatists’ weeklong residency, which includes a variety of public events, including an unusual dramatization Sunday, Sept. 13, called “Visions of the Future” in response to the Davidson Comprehensive Plan now under development with consultants and citizen committees.

DavidsonNews.net’s calendars are updated continuously. Check back often for additions and changes. And make sure to come back Monday when our This Week calendar previews the week ahead. Read the full story

Maret Seitz (left) is Corie and Christian Love plays Paul in Davidson Community Players' "Barefoot in the Park," opening Thursday. (Bill Giduz photo)

Davidson Community Players’ production of Neil Simon’s “Barefoot in the Park” opens Thursday at Davidson College’s Duke Family Performance Hall, and runs seven performances through Aug. 2.

Read on for more about the production, including a note about local celebrities who will appear on stage nightly in cameo roles.

Also in this column: news about auditions for a paid summer residency, as well as a role in an October production of “Almost, Maine.” Read the full story