Darlingside Splatter Photo by Cameron Gee
By Natasha Anderson
The Diana Wortham Theatre (DWT), an intimate 500- seat hall in downtown Asheville, announces the schedule of performances for the 2018/2019 Mainstage Series. The Series presents a wide range of top touring artists in music, theater, dance, comedy and other performing arts.
“For the upcoming year, we chose the theme Connection to communicate the powerful way the arts connect people to each other, to artists and to ideas,” says DWT’s managing director Rae Geoffrey. “Each artist was chosen for their ability to deepen, amplify or create a new connection.”
Kicking off the season on Saturday, September 15, at 8 p.m. is virtuoso sextet Mélange, whose eclectic style is on full display as they ask the crowd to select from a musical menu to determine the evening’s program. Genres to choose from include classical, jazz, Broadway and baroque. A special opening night party featuring food and revelry will take place in the lobby following the performance.
The nine concerts in the Mainstage Music Series include Ranky Tanky, with a mix of modern jazz, R&B, soul band and Gullah sound; award-winning multiinstrumental singer and songwriter Molly Tuttle; and Avital meets Avital with traditional Moroccan, Israeli and Mediterranean rhythm and harmonies.
The Mainstage Special Attractions Series showcases six spectacular acts, including The New Chinese Acrobats’ gravity-defying performance; A Swannanoa Solstice holiday celebration; We Shall Overcome featuring Damien Sneed and celebrating generations of civil rights activists inspired by the words and actions of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.; and Jen Kober’s Homegrown Comedy Show.
Three groups make up this season’s Mainstage Dance Series: Dorrance Dance led by award-winning choreographer and percussive dancer Michelle Dorrance; MOMIX: Opus Cactus, who use mesmerizing movement, vibrant lighting and dreamlike imagery to transport audiences; and Ballet Hispánico, presenting bold and eclectic contemporary dance infused with traditional Latino influences.
The Mainstage Theatre Series includes one-eyed storytelling champion Stéphanie Morin-Robert in BLINDSIDE as she recounts her life as a feisty 7-yearold cancer survivor; returning favorite Aquila Theatre Company, with Shelly’s Frankenstein and Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream; and Arthur Trace: The Artful Deceiver, an illusionist presenting imaginatively humorous scenarios and magic.
The Mainstage Celtic Series features Scottish Hall of Fame inductee Dougie MacLean; electric fiddler Eileen Ivers performing with her new band Universal Roots; and Appalachian bluegrass and contemporary Americana group We Banjo 3.
“Collectively, this season’s artists share hundreds of awards, accolades and national and international recognitions,” says Geoffrey. “It’s exciting to know that the same artists who are making history in cities like New York and London will be performing for audiences here in Asheville.”
Diana Wortham Theatre is located at 18 Biltmore Avenue, in Asheville. Tickets for all performances are available at dwtheatre.com as well as from the box office, in person or by calling 828.257.4530. The theatre offers flexible multi-show discount packages starting with as few as three performances. Season preview videos for each artist are available on the theatre’s website.
