10 things to do

As summer transitions to autumn the days grow shorter but social calendars don t have to. Check WBM s reoccurring series of the region s best pastimes for September s highlights including fall sports museum exhibitions and live theater performances.

1. Stroll through the ACES Gallery on North Front Street to view Wilmington artist Tatyana Kulida s oil and sketch exhibit Body Language an exploration of hands and faces now through September 24.

2. Lace up your sneakers for The Race for Preservation a 5k run and 1-mile walk to benefit the Historic Wilmington Foundation. The race begins and ends at the Best Western Plus Coastline Inn September 11.

3. Fly into Thalian Hall for Thalian Association s production of Peter Pan September 25-28 and October 2-5.

4. Immerse yourself in an interactive dinner theater experience with TheaterNOW s production of The Bard is a Broad written by Wilmington resident Anthony Lawson running September 5-6 12-13 19-20 and 26-27 at 19 South 10th Street.

5. Kick off the fall sports season in the University of North Carolina Wilmington s soccer stadium. For the full men and women s soccer team schedules visit www.uncwsports.com then pull out your team pennant for the game.

6. Jam out to Airlie Gardens  summer concert series now through September 19 on the first and third Friday of the month. Park at the old Cinema 6 Theater on Oleander Drive and catch the free trolley to the gardens. Tunes begin at 6 pm. Tickets may be purchased online at the gardens  website.

7. Sample Wilmington s best cuisine with A Taste of the Town September 23 a partnership between local restaurants and Thalian Hall. Diners will begin at Thalian Hall and walk or ride a trolley to participating restaurants to taste small bites of their most popular dishes.

8. Snag a tennis star s autograph at the Landfall Legends of Tennis Tournament featuring headliner Lindsay Davenport September 19-20 at the Country Club of Landfall.

9. Observe the 50th anniversary of the signing of the Civil Rights Act at the Cameron Art Museum with Willie Cole s art installation School Pride the Eastern NC Story now through November 2.

10. Let your kids see touch dress up experiment and play at the Children s Museum of Wilmington a hands-on learning environment for kids ages 1-10 in historic downtown Wilmington.

Theaters

Thalian Hall

Built between 1855-1858 on the corner of Third and Chestnut Streets and in a state of continuous use since its construction Thalian is still producing performances on its two stages: the main historical stage and the black box studio. Thalian Hall has a full schedule of visiting cultural events from ballet and theatre; pop jazz and folk music shows; to independent and foreign films. Call 910-632-2285 or visit www.thalianhall.com for a full calendar of events.

Thalian Association

Deemed the official community theatre of North Carolina Thalian Association is also the oldest community theatre in the state. The association locally casts and produces both classic and contemporary shows such as the Tony Award-winning Red. In 2013 it acquired the Red Barn Studio Theater an old car garage renovated by Linda Lavin and her husband Steve Bakunas. Also within the association is TACT a nonprofit children s theatre dedicated to providing arts education to the community youth. Call 910-251-1788 or visit www.thalian.org for information dates and audition opportunities.

City Stage

Housed in the century-old Masonic building in the heart of downtown Wilmington City Stage is a theatre offering shows ranging from Romeo and Juliet to The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Located at 21 North Front Street the season runs from September through March with shows on weekends. Call 910-264-2602 or visit www.citystagenc.com for tickets and show times.

The Browncoat Pub and Theatre

For an informal and laid-back atmosphere visit 111 Grace Street a theater karaoke bar and comedy club. A nonprofit organization The Browncoat is dedicated to supporting emerging artists by producing locally written plays and serving as the headquarters for Playwrights Producing Company s staged readings. Offering nightly events the bar and theater is open Monday through Sunday from 4 pm to 2 am. Call 910-341-0001 or visit www.browncoattheatre.com for show dates and information.

Screen Gem Studios Tours

A tour of Screen Gem Studios reveals where movies and tv shows like Iron Man 3 and Eastbound and Down were filmed. The tour provides a close-up look at the dynamics of how these works were shot and produced. The hour-long walking tours take place Saturdays and Sundays at 10 am noon and 2 pm weather permitting. Call 910-343-3433 for more information.

TheatreNOW

TheatreNOW produces modern plays alongside a three-course meal offering dinner and a show. It also hosts weekly children s programs; a Sunday jazz brunch; and movie comedy and live music events throughout the week. Dinner shows start at 7 pm. Visit www.theatrewilmington.com for a full schedule of events and shows.

University of North Carolina Wilmington

In the new Cultural Arts Building on the campus of UNCW student actors perform classics new plays and a student lab series featuring plays directed by students. Opening during the fall of 2014 is The Doctor in Spite of Himself closely followed up by Middletown. Visit the UNCW theater website at www.uncw.edu/thr for information about shows and dates.