Community Cue: Conversations Inspired by the Stage
This series of free events, open to the general public, welcomes the community to explore a theme or topic inspired by an upcoming show. Community Cues elicit impactful conversation from attendees around these themes, with moderated events featuring local experts, teaching artists or members of the featured production's cast, crew or creative team. Community Cues take place at community sites around the Charlotte region, as well as at Blumenthal Arts venues.
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Bring more voices to the conversation! Know a great location for a Community Cue or want to host? Email educationdepartment@blumenthalarts.org.
Coming Soon
THE MYSTICAL ARTS OF TIBET
- Tuesday, Sept 17
- 12 noon
- Levine Avenue of the Arts
- Free but RSVP required
- Box lunch will be provided
- Free or reduced-price parking is not offered.
Join us for a Q&A with our President & CEO, Tom Gabbard, about Mystical Arts of Tibet and its part in Charlotte International Arts Festival. The conversation will be followed by the Mandala Sand Painting ceremony inside Knight Theater, adjacent to Levine Avenue of the Arts.
Past Offerings
The Lion King
Puppetry is such an important part of what makes the Lion King so unforgettable and our friends at Sigmon Theatrical introduced us to different types of puppets, how they’re made, and how even the simplest movements of a puppet can help tell a story.
The Lion King at NouishUP
We partnered with Nourish Up (formerly Loaves and Fishes) to highlight food scarcity, one of the themes in The Lion King. In addition to a Q&A with members of the cast, local Chef, Shef Shaun, used the demo kitchen at Nourish Up to us how to make leftover chicken last for multiple meals by using it as an ingredient in pasta. We all got to sample his creation and we left with recipes for that pasta, quesadillas, and chicken salad. Learn more about Nourish Up here.
Back to the Future
A lunch and chat with members of the cast of Back to the Future, the new musical based on the 80’s classic film!
The Kite Runner
Conversation with members of the cast and crew of The Kite Runner, a stirring new play based on the internation best-selling book by Khaled Hosseini.
Message in a Bottle
Unlike other Q&A style Community Cues, we were lucky to have the two Dance Captains and the Stage Manager from Message in a Bottle, a moving piece of dance theater, which tells the story of a family ripped apart while seeking refuge from the war being waged in their homeland. This conversation provided an interesting peek into the life of a professional dancer and how the creative process differs from that of a Broadway musical.
I Am Queen Charlotte
It’s how queens do lunch! Held in the mezzanine lobby of the beautiful Belk Theater, we heard from the Hasan sisters, the creative minds behind I Am Queen Charlotte. They were joined on the panel by Deborah Phillips of Block Love Charlotte and Hon. Aretha Blake, as they shared their stories and behind-the-scenes details on the creative process of the I Am Queen series.
Dance Theatre of Harlem
Our Education Department hosted a moderated Q&A with two company members and Artistic Director, Robert Garland. The moderated portion of the event was followed by questions from the audience and photos with the artist at this Community Cue, held at the Harvey B. Gantt Center for Arts + Culture.
Black Notes Project -- School is in Session with Professor Mad Skillz!
Featuring hip hop legend, Mad Skillz, this Community Cue led audience members on an educational and highly entertaining look at Black music through the lens of a hip hop aficionado. Skillz is a rapper, DJ, producer, host of the Real Hip Hop Confessions podcast, and Artist in Residence at the University of Richmond.
Funny Girl
The audience took part in a Q&A with cast members from the tour of the dazzling Broadway biographical musical based on the life of Fanny Brice. Lunch was provided and the event was presented at and in partnership with the Levine Jewish Community Center.
FELA! The Concert
In partnership with Su Casa Charlotte, WE LOVE FELA was held at NoDa Company Canteen at Camp North End and featured a DJ, face painting, love painting and food trucks.