The Charlotte Observer’s Fall Arts Guide takes you from Oz to Broadway and outer space

Welcome friends to one of my favorite times of the year — The Charlotte Observer’s annual Fall Arts Guide.

We have so much to share with you, we’re going to spread out these stories throughout the month, starting Tuesday Sept. 3. And oh, the places we’ll go. Some are returning favorites. Some are new and unexpected. Just know that Charlotte’s bountiful arts and culture scene remains delightfully diverse and entertaining.

Here are just some of the highlights we have in store for you:

Festivals, old, new and expanding

▪ The third annual Blumenthal Arts’ Charlotte International Arts Festival starts Sept. 13 and runs for 2 1/2 weeks. It offers 130 free events, 40 art installations, 70 stage acts and an array of diverse cultural experiences. That ranges from the UNC Charlotte International Festival and walking Birdmen from the Netherlands to Cirque Kalabanté, which will bring West African circus arts, African dance and West African music to town.

▪ A new festival is all about literacy and celebrating “The Wizard of Oz.” The brainchild of UNC Charlotte lecturer and Oz expert Dina Massachi, “CharlOz” runs from Sept 26-29. Among the highlights: a rare public speaking appearance by “Wicked” author Gregory Maguire and the premier of the newly restored 1914 silent movie, “His Majesty, the Scarecrow of Oz.”

▪ We’ll also check out Charlotte’s burgeoning film festival scene, from the Charlotte Latino Film Festival to the Charlotte Jewish Film Festival.

Performing and cultural arts

▪ We check in on the performing arts scene, from the Charlotte Symphony under new maestro Kwamé Ryan to Charlotte Ballet and what artistic director Alejandro Cerrudo has planned.

▪ Take an inside look at outer space and what it takes to put on Blumenthal Arts’ new Blume Studios and its first immersive show, “Space Explorers: The Infinite.”

▪ Charlotte’s art museums have big plans in the new season. The Bechtler is celebrating its 15th anniversary while the Gantt Center continues to celebrate its jubilee year and the Mint highlights diverse artistic expressions and cultural narratives.

Broadway babies

▪ Finally, we’ll take you to Broadway, where there are not one but two musicals set to debut with strong connections to the Charlotte area. We talk to some of cast and creatives involved in The Avett Brothers shipwreck musical “Swept Away,” which begins performances Oct. 29, and “Tammy Faye,” with music by Elton John. That show starts Oct. 19. 

We also have other stories coming your way. So stay tuned, stay engaged and enjoy the wide world of arts and culture around town.

More arts coverage

Want to see more stories like this? Sign up here for our free “Inside Charlotte Arts” newsletter: charlotteobserver.com/newsletters. You can join our Facebook group, “Inside Charlotte Arts,” by going here: facebook.com/groups/insidecharlottearts. And to find all of our Fall Arts Guide stories in one place online, go to charlotteobserver.com/topics/charlotte-fall-arts-guide

This story was originally published September 2, 2024 at 6:20 AM with the headline "The Charlotte Observer’s Fall Arts Guide takes you from Oz to Broadway and outer space."

Adam Bell

The Charlotte Observer

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Award-winning journalist Adam Bell has worked for The Charlotte Observer since 1999 in a variety of reporting and editing roles. He currently is the business editor and the arts editor. The Philly native and U.Va. grad also is a big fan of cheesesteaks and showtunes.  Support my work with a digital subscription