The Triangle Explorer

The Raleigh Night Market returns to the streets of downtown this Saturday. Vendors will be set up just outside the gates to the Red Hat Amphitheater along Lenoir St. There will be 30+ vendors to shop local for the last few markets of the season so come support them before the market goes on its winter break.

For a list of the 30+ vendors that will be there visit https://www.facebook.com/events/896896018112095.

Local Brewery & Running Shop Bring ‘Beer Mile’ Back to Durham The Bull City Beer Mile returns to Durham Central Park on April 29th in Durham.  A “beer mile” is most often held as an unofficial race, typically happening under the radar among runner friends by the cover of nightfall at local tracks. However, thanks to an effort by The Glass Jug Beer Lab and Bull City Running Company, the people of Durham ran their first official timed beer mile last spring, complete with timed results, race bibs, and medals for the winners. And, of course, a commemorative beer.

The race last year sold out early and was a huge success so they are bringing it back for a second year with some updates to the heat schedule to allow for more runners to compete in a more seamless event. Discounted early registration is now open for individuals and relay teams. This event will sell-out again so get signed up now before it is too late.

Race Details:
The race, consisting of drinking a 12-ounce beer before each of four 0.25-mile laps, will again be held at Durham Central Park on Saturday, April 29, with groups of runners taking off every 20-30 minutes throughout the afternoon. Runners can complete the 1-mile course as individuals or as part of either a 2- or 4-person relay team in this chip-timed event.

Bull City Running Co. will be providing chip timing services and managing the race logistics. The Glass Jug Beer Lab will be providing the beer for the race and organizing the festival in the park that will coincide with the running.

The festivities will include several local food trucks throughout the afternoon for spectators and runners alike. DJ Gummy (Devareo George) will serve as the race emcee and DJ throughout the afternoon, and the party will continue in the park even after the last laps are completed. The Glass Jug will be serving 8 of their beers in the park, and runners and spectators will be able to enjoy beer and other beverages from The Glass Jug’s taproom in the park throughout the event.

All participants in the race will receive a commemorative Bull City Beer Mile beer glass. Additional commemorative merchandise, including cans of the official Beer Mile beer, an American Lager called “RUN DRM,” will be for sale in the park throughout the event.

Register to Run the Beer Mile https://runsignup.com/Race/NC/Durham/BullCityBeerMile

If you are looking for a fun way to kickoff the new year I suggest you head to Durham this Friday and catch the band Huzzah perform at the Moon Dog Meadery and Bottle Shop on Broadstreet in downtown Durham. Huzzah is a North Carolina-based six-piece group that plays acoustic, string-centric hot jazz that builds on music from the early days of the swing era. They play dance music from the early 20th century that defines swing. Music starts at 8pm with a beginners dance lesson beforehand at 7:30pm. $10 suggested donation.

Moon Dog looks like a fun and welcoming space that is kid and dog friendly too. They have a wide assortment of mead and beers and NC wines. I’m looking forward to stopping by here soon myself!

Moon Dog Meadery & Bottle Shop
1104 Broad St Suite C
Durham, NC 27705
https://www.facebook.com/MoonDogMeadery

It’s crazy to think it is already December, but here we are and holiday season officially arrived in Durham this past Tuesday at DPAC with the opening night of  “Elf the Musical“. The touring production does a nice job transitioning the hit movie to the stage with the help of a talented cast and some wonderfully designed sets. There are a few minor changes to the story to condense the plot and make time for the musical numbers, but overall all the major elements of the story from the popular 2003 film it is baed on are still there. Cody Garcia delivers a cheerful performance as Buddy the Elf as he journeys from the North Pole to New York City in search of his birth father, only discover that his real Dad is a grumpy workaholic that has lost the his Christmas spirit.

Having grown up surrounded by elves and living off a diet of candy and maple syrup, Buddy is a fish out of water in the big city, but manages to spread Christmas cheer to everyone he encounters as he works on building a relationship with his real Dad and family. In the process buddy helps the people of New York rediscover the true meaning of Christmas.

The production makes good use of magical set designs that capture the holiday magic of the North Pole and the larger than life feel of bustling New York City Streets. The beautifully choreographed dance numbers also add a dose of razzle dazzle to this holiday story and serve as a reminder that underneath those elf costumes and business suites the company on stage really knows how to deliver a dance number.

In addition to Garcia as Buddy, other standout performances included that of Jaxon James as Buddy’s brother. He has a strong signing voice with vocal chops beyond his years and was beautifully paired with Caitlin Lester-Sams as his mother. Together the two delivered some of the most moving duets of the night.  I also liked  the way Christopher Smith portrays Buddy’s Father, Walter Hobbs. He is less angry than in the movie and does a nice job of embodying the work focused dad who, while well meaning has lost his way.  The manner in which he stands up for Buddy and his family in the end will warm your heart.

Going to see a Christmas show like this live on stage is a wonderful way to build delightful holiday memories with your kids. Elf the Musical is fun and endearing show, that spreads Christmas cheer and the importance of family and makes for a fun night out with the ones you love. You’ll leave the theater smiling and humming the closing number as you ease back into the holiday hustle. Remember, “the best way to spread Christmas Cheer is singing loud for all to hear.” – Buddy the Elf

“Elf The Musical” has performances through Sunday, December 4th at The Durham Performing Arts Center. For more information and to get tickets visit: https://www.dpacnc.com/events/detail/elf-2022

This past Tuesday I returned to DPAC for opening night of Dear Evan Hansen. This wonderful touring production of the Broadway musical tells the story of a textbook loner Evan Hansen. Evan is an anxious and shy high school senior that gets caught up in a social media-fueled frenzy of grieving and good intentions after a classmate takes his own life.

As embodied with quirky and twitchy interest by actor Anthony Norman, Evan Hansen is mostly overlooked by his classmates as he struggles to connect with them socially and goes to therapy to help him break out of his shell. Part of this process involves him writing self-affirmation letters to himself

A school hallway encounter with the angry and somewhat bully-like Connor Murphy (Nikhil Saboo) turns mildly violent, but later, in a moment of uncharacteristic kindness, Connor agrees to sign Evan’s cast. But in the process finds one of Connor’s therapy letters that mentions his sister and storms off with the letter in hand.

The very next day the the school community learns that Connor has taken his own life. Connor’s family finds the letter and assumes their son had written it to Evan, a misunderstanding that Evan quickly embraces once he sees how much it comforts Connor’s parents and sister Zoe (Alaina Anderson), whose affection he is seeking.

The rest of the story hinges on the fallout from this misdirection and confused identities as the truth finally comes to light as Evan’s series of lies and deceptions spiral out of control, and force Evan to examine his own motivations.

This production is helmed by a wonderful cast using a smart and simple set to tell the story about how we all struggle with “being seen”, friendship and navigating society and trending social media in this complicated digital age.

‘Dear Evan Hansen’ performs at the Durham Performing Arts Center through this Sunday, November 6th. For tickets and more information visit https://www.dpacnc.com/events/detail/dear-evan-hansen-2022.