Don’t hold your applause: Here are 20 reasons we’re excited to be part of an audience this fall.  |  by Page Leggett

August 

Gladys Knight, Aug. 4 

One of the undisputed queens of soul and R&B, Gladys Knight, 78, made a name for herself in the 1960s and ’70s as frontwoman for The Pips. Expect to hear hits like “Midnight Train to Georgia,” “I Heard It Through the Grapevine” and “That’s What Friends Are For.” Knight has earned the right to be called a legend. 7:30 p.m., Ovens Auditorium, 2700 E. Independence Blvd. Tickets from $52; prices may fluctuate. ticketmaster.com 

Witch, presented by Charlotte Conservatory Theatre, Aug. 11-14 

Charlotte’s newest theater company — comprising some local heavy hitters — presents its inaugural work. In Jen Silverman’s new play, the fate of the world is at stake when a charming devil shows up in a quiet village. Based on The Witch of Edmonton, this contemporary comedy asks the question: Would you know what to ask for if the devil offered to make your darkest wish come true? Witch had its West Coast premiere at the Geffen Playhouse in Los Angeles and starred Maura Tierney (ER, The Affair). CCT’s goal is to become a regional force in theater. It brings together professional theater artists “in pursuit of rigor and excellence,” according to the press release. “We showcase work that reimagines classical storytelling with a vibrant contemporary lens.” Recommended for ages 15 and up. Booth Playhouse at Blumenthal Performing Arts Center, 130 N. Tryon St. Tickets are $20-$30. carolinatix.org 

Mary Chapin Carpenter, Aug. 20 

With hits like “Shut Up and Kiss Me” and “He Thinks He’ll Keep Her,” folk/country singer-songwriter Mary Chapin Carpenter has won five Grammy Awards and two CMA awards — and she’s a member of the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame. In 2020, the Brown University alum released two albums: The Dirt And The Stars and the hushed and powerful One Night Lonely, recorded live, without an audience, at Wolf Trap in northern Virginia during the Covid-19 shutdown. Of The Dirt and The Stars, Carpenter says, “The songs are very personal … They [speak] to life changes, growing older, politics, compassion, #metoo, heartbreak, empathy, the power of memory, time and place.” 8 p.m., Knight Theater, 550 S. Tryon St. Tickets start at $45. carolinatix.org 

September 

Mean Girls, presented by Blumenthal Performing Arts Center, Sept. 6-11 

Straight from Broadway, Mean Girls is the delightful musical from book writer Tina Fey (SNL, 30 Rock), composer Jeff Richmond (Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt), lyricist Nell Benjamin (Legally Blonde) and director Casey Nicholaw (The Book of Mormon). It’s adapted from the movie that gave us the line, “On Wednesdays, we wear pink.” When Cady Heron (played by Lindsay Lohan in the movie), the innocent new girl in school, comes up against reigning mean girl Regina George, the claws come out. Belk Theater, 130 N. Tryon St. Tickets from $25-$124.50. carolinatix.org 

From Pop Art to NFTs: Warhol, Basquiat and Now at The Bechtler Museum of Modern Art, opens Sept. 10

Andy Warhol inspired a host of artists; among the most famous was the young Jean-Michel Basquiat. The two art-world and pop-culture icons continue to inspire emerging artists to push boundaries. From Pop Art to NFTs: Warhol, Basquiat and Now features works by Warhol (including the Bechtlers’ own family portraits) and Basquiat alongside the work of current artists they influenced. Bechtler Museum of Modern Art, Levine Center for the Arts, 420 S. Tryon St. Admission to the museum is $9 for adults; $7 for college students, seniors and educators; $5 for youth 11-18; and free for kids up to age 10. bechtler.org 

American Made: Painting and Sculpture from the DeMell Jacobsen Collection, Mint Museum Uptown, opens Sept. 10 

The DeMell Jacobsen Collection is one of the finest privately held collections of American art in the country. Curated by Mint President and CEO Todd Herman, American Made will include more than 100 paintings and sculptures from the collection. Featured artists include John Singer Sargent, Mary Cassatt, Charles Alston and more. With works representing everything from realism to Impressionism and still life to landscape, there’s something for art lovers of every stripe. Mint Museum Uptown, 500 S. Tryon St. Admission is $15 for adults, $10 for college students and seniors, $6 for children 5-17, and free for members and kids 4 and younger. mintmuseum.org 

Charlotte International Arts Festival, presented by Blumenthal Performing Arts, Sept. 16-Oct. 2 

The new, family-friendly, 17-day festival — the brainchild of Blumenthal CEO Tom Gabbard — takes place all over uptown (and beyond) and includes live performances (Billy Ocean, Little Feat), immersive art installations and more. Performance artists from all over the globe will be here for the festivities, but there will be plenty of work by local artists, too. Learn more about all the happenings, most free and some ticketed, at charlotteartsfest.com.

Elton John: Farewell Yellow Brick Road The Final Tour, Bank of America Stadium, Sept. 18

Sir Elton, aka Rocket Man, is iconic. And at 75, he can still rock the joint. Wear your biggest, most outlandish glasses, and you’ll fit right in. 8 p.m., 800 S. Mint St. Tickets start at about $106; prices may fluctuate. ticketmaster.com

October

Fall Works, presented by Charlotte Ballet, Oct. 13-15 

Fall Works features the return of an audience favorite — choreographer Helen Pickett’s “IN Cognito,” created for Charlotte Ballet in 2019, with inspiration taken from novelist and North Carolina native Tom Robbins. The audience will also get to see, for the first time in Charlotte, “Under the Lights,” choreographed by Charlotte Ballet II Director Christopher Stuart and set to the music of Johnny Cash, plus a third piece titled “A Picture of You Falling.” Knight Theater, 550 S. Tryon St. Tickets from $30. charlotteballet.org 

Puccini’s Tosca, Opera Carolina, Oct. 13, 15-16 

A melodramatic political thriller/romance in three acts, Tosca is one of the world’s most beloved operas. It tells the story of Rome’s passionate opera singer Floria Tosca as she fights to save her lover, Cavaradossi, from the malevolent police chief, Scarpia. The action takes place over the course of just 24 hours. It’s riveting and intense. Belk Theater, 130 N. Tryon St. Tickets from $22-$160. operacarolina.org

The Crown – Live! Presented by Blumenthal Performing Arts Center, Oct. 18-23

The Netflix series “The Crown” is gorgeous, lavish, dignified. It has all the pomp and ceremony one would expect of a program that chronicles the reign of Queen Elizabeth II – a woman who practically invented the stiff upper lip. No matter what indignity she’s faced with, HRH Elizabeth maintains her regal bearing. And that makes her perfect parody material. The writer who combined all seven Harry Potter books into a spirited 90-minute Potted Potter has now turned his attention to the Windsors. The plot: Having been overlooked for her dream role as Queen Elizabeth in the series “The Crown,” Beth brings her own take on the story of the royal family to the stage instead … with her agent coerced into playing (almost) all the other roles. Stage Door Theater, 155 N. College St. Tickets are $54.50 for cabaret table seating and $34.50 for general admission. carolinatix.org

Something Rotten! Presented by Theatre Charlotte, Oct. 21-Nov. 6

It opened on Broadway in 2015 and earned 10 Tony nominations, including Best Musical. Set in 1595, the story follows the antics of the Bottom brothers, whose dreams of theatrical success keep getting dashed by their more successful contemporary, Shakespeare. The brothers attempt to write the world’s first musical, having heard from a soothsayer that the future of theater includes song and dance. This will be the first time Theatre Charlotte welcomes patrons back to their Queens Road home since a fire damaged the building in 2020. 501 Queens Rd. Tickets from $28-$32. theatrecharlotte.org

A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder, presented by Piedmont Players Theatre, Oct. 21-Nov. 6

The musical comedy traces the path of the charming Lord Montague “Monty” Navarro on his quest for family fortune. Navarro is eighth in line for an earldom in the D’Ysquith family. With a few tricks up his sleeve, he plots to knock off the seven in line in front of him while juggling the affections of two women, dodging suspicions and relying on incredibly lucky breaks. The Broadway production won four Tony Awards, including Best Musical, in 2014. The Meroney Theater, 213 S. Main St., Salisbury. Tickets from $21-$23. piedmontplayers.com 

November

Jackie Robinson: A Game Apart, Children’s Theatre of Charlotte, Nov. 12 and 19

Mike Wiley’s one-man show highlights the triumphs and struggles of baseball legend Jackie Robinson. This powerful story takes the audience from the baseball diamond, where Robinson was king, to beyond the stadium walls, where he was treated as a second-class citizen. It’s a powerful look into America’s not-so-distant, separate (but not equal) past. Recommended for ages 9 and up. Performances are at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. The Wells Fargo Playhouse at ImaginOn, 300 E. 7th St. Tickets from $18. ctcharlotte.org

A Motown Christmas, Nov. 27 

A Motown Christmas features a group assembled from past and present members of The Temptations, The Miracles and The Contours. The high-energy show combines Motown’s greatest hits with beloved holiday classics. A soulful way to kick off the holiday season. 7:30 p.m., Knight Theater, 550 S. Tryon St. Tickets from $28.50. carolinatix.org 

Jagged Little Pill, presented by Blumenthal Performing Arts, Nov. 29-Dec. 4

The musical inspired by Alanis Morissette’s era-defining music is directed by Tony Award winner Diane Paulus (Waitress, Pippin) with a Tony-winning book by Diablo Cody (Juno) and a Grammy-winning score. Much more than a jukebox musical, Jagged Little Pill chronicles the travails of a modern-day American family as they deal with marital woes, addiction, social-media pressures, LGBTQ issues and more. Belk Theater, 130 N. Tryon St. Single-ticket pricing not determined at press time. carolinatix.org 

December

The Play That Goes Wrong, presented by Actor’s Theatre of Charlotte, Dec. 1-Jan. 14 

The Play That Goes Wrong features a play-within-a-play that includes a terrible script executed poorly by a group of amateur actors. Welcome to the production of Murder at Haversham Manor, produced by the earnest but inept Cornley Drama Society. A rickety set, a leading lady with a concussion and a corpse that can’t be still are a few of the mishaps in this uproarious slapstick comedy. Actors Theatre of Charlotte, 2132 Radcliffe Ave. Tickets from $34.50-39.50. atcharlotte.org 

Handel’s Messiah, presented by Charlotte Symphony Orchestra, Dec. 2-4

Conductor Laureate Christopher Warren-Green returns to the Charlotte stage to lead his world-renowned interpretation of Handel’s Messiah. The oratorio is one of the best-known and most frequently performed choral works in Western music. Hallelujah! Knight Theater, 550 S. Tryon St. Tickets from $19. charlottesymphony.org 

The JAZZ ROOM Holiday Edition: Duke Ellington’s Nutcracker Suite, Dec. 8-10 

This swinging jazz interpretation of Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker is recognized as one of Duke Ellington’s most important albums of the 1960s. Featuring a full jazz orchestra, solo vocalists and an ensemble of dancers, this performance is the perfect way for jazz lovers to celebrate the season. Shows at 6 and 8:15 p.m. on Friday and 7 and 9:15 p.m. on Saturday. Stage Door Theater, 155 N. College St. Tickets start at $25. thejazzarts.org 

Ongoing

See a movie at The Independent Picture House. The Manor Theatre is gone (moment of silence), but a few of the people who ran The Manor set up shop near NoDa and opened in late June. They even brought the old popcorn popper with them. Independent Picture House/Trailhead Arts Building, 4237 Raleigh St. Tickets from $9; save on individual tickets by buying a membership, starting at $40 per year. indepedentpicturehouse.org  SP

Featured Image: Jagged Little Pill, presented by Blumenthal Performing Arts Center. Photograph by Matthew Murphy, courtesy of Blumenthal Performing Arts Center

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