By Elizabeth Barrett

Whether you’re seeking a joyful holiday production, a thought-provoking play, the cultural taste of another continent or just some music to swing your hips to, you don’t need to look any farther than the Triangle. With its theater companies, college and university artists, visiting musicians and wide array of venues, the local performing arts scene rarely leaves any creative taste unsatisfied.
Some of the best performances in music, dance and theater will be hitting the Triangle’s hottest venues between September and December.
So pull out that calendar and pick up your pen (or your BlackBerry). Here’s just a preview of the type of entertainment you can expect before the year is over.

Theater

Why trek all the way to the streets of New York City? This fall, Broadway is headed to the Triangle.

“Deathtrap,” Broadway’s longest running comedy-thriller, will travel to the Raleigh Little Theatre in October. Broadway Series South’s production of our favorite redheaded orphan “Annie” will play at Raleigh’s Memorial Auditorium at the Progress Energy Center in November. “Defending the Caveman,” a hysterical production about the men and way women relate – not to mention the longest running solo show in Broadway history – comes to Durham’s Carolina Theatre in November.

If you still haven’t gotten your fill of Broadway, check out “A Chorus Line,” in conjunction with the Wake County Public Schools, in September and the hit musical “Chicago” in early December, both at Memorial Auditorium.

But don’t forget Raleigh Little Theatre’s annual production of “Cinderella XXV,” which has been making audiences in the Triangle believe in fairy tales for a quarter century. It will return in December to Raleigh’s Fletcher Theater at the Progress Energy Center.

If you’re simply looking for a few laughs, Memorial Auditorium will feature comedian Carlos Mencia on his “At Close Range” tour in September. Comedians Colin Mochrie and Brad Sherwood – stars of the Emmy nominated “Who’s Line Is It Anyway?” – will perform there in late October.

Although the crack-ups of comedian Paula Poundstone might have you falling out of your seat, hurry up and reserve the best one! She’ll be hitting the Carolina Theatre in October.

If your love for classic theater and humorous banter falls somewhere in between the two extremes, the Burning Coal Theatre Company’s production of Shakespeare’s much-loved “Twelfth Night” in December will balance the two ends on just one stage.
Theatre in the Park’s annual production of the musical comedy “Briarpatch,” which will begin in September, is a show for the entire family.

Looking for a mix of classic theater and beautiful music? Consider the N.C. Theatre’s production of “Yeston & Kopit’s Phantom” – based on Gaston Leroux’s novel “The Phantom of the Opera” – when it comes to Raleigh in October.
Chapel Hill’s Playmakers Repertory Company, which always cooks up a spicy mix, will offer “In the Continuum” and “Pericles” in September; “Blue Door” in October; and “The Little Prince,” a Playmakers hit from last year, returning in late November.
Just down the street, Deep Dish Theater Company will premiere “A Lesson From Aloes,” an evocative work by South Africa’s leading playwright, in October. Drama “Night, Mother” will begin at Raleigh Little Theatre in September.

While it wouldn’t be difficult to stay busy with just these options, the list goes on…

Music

…And so does the beat. Everyone loves music, of course, but some prefer the concert atmosphere to the musical theater setting. Lucky for us, the Triangle is home to some big musical venues, which often feature even bigger musical acts.

Take Martina McBride’s October concert at the Time Warner Cable Music Pavilion at Walnut Creek. Or Montgomery Gentry’s performance at the N.C. State Fairgrounds just a few weeks later.

If your music of choice isn’t so much about what will be hot on the Billboard charts this week, don’t worry. The Triangle’s world of music is broad enough to include today, yesterday and even tomorrow.

In venues from Carrboro’s Arts Center to the Hayti Heritage Center of Durham, local groups offer everything under the sun: for example, the Raleigh Chamber Music Guild, Mallarme Chamber Players and the Duke Symphony play classical. This season, get ready to relive the past. While no one could ever take the place of John, Paul, George or Ringo, “Rain, The Beatles Experience” is second in line to the original. The show (called “uncanny” by the Boston Herald) will play at the Memorial Auditorium in November.

Abigail Washburn and the Sparrow Quartet, featuring Béla Fleck, will bring a traditional folk sound with a modern twist to UNC-Chapel Hill’s Memorial Hall in September.

That same month, Susan Werner (called “one of the most innovative songwriters working today” by the Chicago Tribune) will perform at N.C. State University’s Stewart Theatre in Raleigh. In November, Ruthie Foster (think Aretha Franklin meets Ella Fitzgerald) will also perform at the Stewart.

But who can forget about the blues? The legendary Taj Mahal and master pianist Marcia Ball will headline the 21st annual Bull Durham Blues Festival, presented by the St. Joseph’s Historic Foundation, in September.
And while many venues are featuring similar laid-back sounds — such as Kenny Rogers at the Durham Performing Arts Center — you can also see ZZ Top in October at the Time Warner Cable pavilion or The Black Crowes in November at Lincoln Theatre.

Colleges

The Triangle’s universities and colleges feature even more artists and venues. With multiple schools, each made up of an immeasurable amount of diversity, the variety of their upcoming performance schedules is hardly a surprise.
Whether it’s theater, dance or music, local institutions have a full menu of shows that seems to encompass every flavor.

Despite the differences between them, many of the schools’ upcoming theatrical performances share a reoccurring theme of history and controversy.
The Reduced Shakespeare Company will make its seventh trip to NCSU in late September to explore times past in the production of “The Complete History of America” at the Stewart Theatre. Known for its quick wit and hilarious summarizations, the company is sure to exceed the limits of the typical political commentary that you can hear on TV or radio.

The nationally renowned L.A. Theatre Works will mark its first NCSU performance with H.G. Welles’ “War of the Worlds” and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s “The Lost World.” And if those creepy science fiction adventures aren’t exactly your thing, you’ll at least get to catch a live performance by the well-known actors – from the Sci-Fi Channel, “Star Trek” and “The X-Files” – who will be filling some of the lead roles.
“The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas” will give audiences the opportunity to make the move from the history of space and ancient animals to the history of politics when it premieres at the venue in October (in a show Time magazine has deemed “a font of fun and friendliness”).

Over in Chapel Hill, Carolina Performing Arts will take its own experimental look into the political arena, first with London-based DV8 Physical Theatre’s performance of the visceral and highly political dance theater piece “To Be Straight With You” in October. Incorporating performers, documentary, animation and film, the multi-ethnic players provide a powerful exploration of intolerance, religion, sexuality and the gender roles and relationships in modern society. Later that month, “Vivien and the Shadows” will meld such issues into one post-modern performance.

In October, N.C. Central University’s Department of Theatre will feature “Home, The Musical,” an award-winning play about maintaining hope through adversity. Parting from the traditional form of theater in November, NCCU will feature “Bottom of The Ninth,” which explores the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

Also in Durham, Duke Performances is set to host the Classical Theatre of Harlem in November, which will perform Melvin Van Peebles’ “Ain’t Supposed to Die a Natural Death,” and take a lighter turn in September, with the 1960s-based musical production of “Hairspray.”

Holiday

While a different year will always bring a different trend to the performing arts vista, one type of act is always a sure bet: the holiday performance.

The mention of fall provokes visions of changing leaves and October creates images of ghosts and goblins, while November marks the month of turkey and thanks, and December brings thoughts of Santa, the menorah and the new year. So if you like to commemorate seasonal traditions and holiday celebrations through the performing arts, you certainly have a lot to choose from in 2008.

For those looking to get into the holiday spirit a bit early, University Theatre will begin its run of “Christmas Belles” in mid-November. This comical holiday journey through a calamity-packed Christmas Eve is by the same author as last year’s sold-out production of “Dearly Departed.”

After the world premieres of “Artistic Expressions” by Broadway’s Lynne Taylor-Corbett in September and “Don Quixote” in October, the Carolina Ballet will round up its season with two performances fitting for the season: “Messiah” at Memorial Auditorium in November and “Nutcracker,” at both Memorial Hall and Memorial Auditorium, in December.

Another annual classic playing in December, “A Christmas Carol,” will be presented by Theatre in the Park at Memorial Auditorium.
Still looking for some seasonal cheer? Truman Capote’s “A Christmas Memory” will begin just a few days later.

The Fidelity Investments Pop Series’ holiday program is a favorite every year. Conducted by William Henry Curry, the N.C. Symphony will ring in the holiday season in late November with joyful music and a carol sing-along in its “Holiday Pops” performance. As part of the Raleigh Special Events series, the symphony will perform Bach’s “Christmas Oratorio” in December at the Meymandi Concert Hall. N.C. Symphony Music Director Grant Llewellyn will conduct the performance.
The symphony returns to the concert hall for “New Year’s Eve: Music Inspired by Dance” in December, which will feature the Time for Three string trio.
“Winterfest,” at Meredith College’s Jones Auditorium in December, will be all about the music of the season as well, with beautiful performances by the school’s chorus, chorale and sinfonietta.

Not quite ready to start thinking about the December holidays? The Young People’s Series presents a show for all ages with its “Halloween Spooktacular” in early November, where guests are invited to dress up in their costumes and join the symphony for an evening of Halloween-inspired music.

There’s no place like the Triangle to catch a great show… especially in the coming months. So unless you plan to spend fall and winter twiddling your thumbs in front of the TV, start thinking about getting your hands on those tickets!