Arts, culture, events, entertainment and happenings in Wilmington, NC
We all love the Christmas classics. But if you’re in the market for a fun holiday story you’ve never seen before, allow me to steer the interplanetary craft of your attention in the direction of “Santa Claus Conquers the Martians,” a loving stage parody of the unheard-of B-movie from 1964.
Under the inventive direction of Devin DiMattia for Big Dawg Productions the show is both silly and sincere, not laugh-out-loud funny, exactly, but a clever, well-staged and entertaining trifle. It runs through Dec. 21 in Thalian Hall’s studio theater.
The absurd story has an irascible Santa (James Bowling, spot-on) and two meddling kids (Beau Mumford and Beth Corvino, both adults) kidnapped by Martians looking to bring some Christmas spirit to the dour children of their planet.
Atwood MacMullin Pendragon is a delightfully unhinged presence as an evil Martian named Voldar, who’s trying to violently subvert the intentions of comparatively benevolent Martian leader Kimar (Kent West, rock-solid).
The action speeds rapidly to the inevitable happy ending against the backdrop of good-looking projections and quirkily engaging production design, as well as some nice sound design (including a classic Wilhelm scream) by DiMattia and Sullivan Hamilton.
Along the way, we get references to everything from Wilmington’s “Junction of Monkeys” to other B-movie schlock classics like “Plan 9 from Outer Space.”
Worth checking out. Now let’s see what else is going down this weekend.
Weekend weather outlook
Should be a mild and sunny weekend in Wilmington. Slight chance of rain Friday with highs in the mid-60s, sunny and cooler Saturday with highs in the mid 50s. Highs back to the 60s on Sunday, with lows dipping into the 30s.
Go | See | Do
It’s the last weekend before Christmas, so you’ve only got a few more chances to take in some holiday events. We’ve got concerts and seasonal performances, a couple of art exhibitions showcasing the power of light, some comedy, a mix of touring and local bands, benefit shows and more.
The Dish with Port City Foodies
A well-known coffee-and-doughnuts chain is opening two new locations in Brunswick County. Plus, a growing breakfast chain sets up shop in Hampstead, and a coastal restaurant concept comes to the former Hops Supply spot on Oleander Drive.
Getting to know Wilmington’s sloth
In Wilmington in 1991, a skateboarder discovered what turned out to be fossils from the skeletons of two giant ground sloths. The fossils were later estimated to be some 1.5 million years old. Story below.
News you can use
We’ve got a review of the musical “Ebenezer!”, which ends its run this weekend. Plus, a Triangle community is trying to siphon off the waters of the Cape Fear River before they reach Wilmington, and the search for a grocery store downtown continues.
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