Theater: Border issues come into play

The border of the United States and Mexico is as dramatic a setting as you could ask for in a timely stage drama, particularly as our presidential contenders debate (or ought to be debating) immigration issues.

So Justice Theater Project artistic director Deb Royals-Mizerk knew "The Line in the Sand: Stories from the U.S./Mexico Border" would make a compelling season closer.

Written by a group of actors and writers from Catholic Relief Services, the play uses a documentary format to illuminate arguments on both sides of the border-control debate -- much like "The Laramie Project" did with the murder of gay college student Matthew Shepard.

But reading "The Line in the Sand" was one thing. Going to the border was something else, says Royals-Mizerk, who recently went to the Mexican town of Nogales and other border sites as part of a course offered by Duke University's Center for Documentary Studies.

"It was intense," says Royals-Mizerk, who performs in the play.

"I was blown away by the reality of what's going on," she says of the complex tangle of poverty, abuse and corruption. "There's nothing that can prepare you for that. ... At one point, I just stood there and was like, 'This is insurmountable. What do you do?'"

Royals-Mizerk hopes "A Line in the Sand," as well as a related "Border Wall Project" art exhibit and post-show discussions with guest speakers, will inspire audiences to consider solutions.

The show opens at 8 p.m. Friday and runs through June 15 at Raleigh's Cardinal Gibbons High School. Tickets are $15; $12 students and seniors; pay what you can on Sunday. For information, call 272-1551 or go to www.justicetheaterproject.org.

Transactors anniversary

Transactors Improv Co. will celebrate its 25th birthday Friday with a performance featuring founding and current members and alumni. The company has had a banner year so far, especially with the new "City of Medicine" series. Check out the mad skills that have kept this troupe kicking for so long. The show is at 8 p.m. at Carrboro's ArtsCenter. Tickets are $14; $8 students. 929-2787, www.transactors.org.

See dance without paying

Dance fans with no cash to dish out for ADF's spectacular 75th season (opening tonight) can enjoy a nice consolation prize this Sunday, thanks to the nonprofit presenter PineCone.

Indian classical dance teacher and performer Jayanthi Balachandran and her group Rasa Dance Creations will present a concert of Bharathanatyam style dance from 3 to 4 p.m. at Raleigh's N.C. Museum of History.

"Colors of Bharathanatyam" will showcase "rhythmic and expressional dance, dramatization, a salutation to the Lord of Indian Classical Dance and a universal message of peace, tolerance and harmony," according to a news release from Balachandran. Information: 807-7900, www.pinecone.org or jayanthi.balachandran@gmail.com.

Shake, rattle and belly roll

In other dance news, Durham's Common Ground Theatre will host "Bellydance Raks!!" a rocking belly dance party, at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, following a day of dance workshops by Colorful Waves Bellydance Troupe (including a 1 p.m. class on belly dancing to Elvis Presley). Admission is $10; $8 in advance.

And legendary ballet dancer Vaslav Nijinsky takes the Common Ground stage at 7 p.m. Sunday in ghost form and along with his choreographer sister, Bronislava Nijinska, in a staged reading of Anthony Garcia-Copian's "Nijinska/Nijinsky." Admission is $5. Call 667-4169 (Nijinska) or 806-1281 (belly dance) or surf to www.cgtheatre.com.

Playwrights of Cary

Outsiders may not see Cary as a hotbed of drama, but the newly formed Cary Playwrights Forum has been working to change that.

You can gauge the group's success so far at 3 p.m. Saturday, when it presents a free staged reading of 10 short plays and scenes at the Herb Young Community Center. The show will feature 17 actors and some mature themes, including family conflicts, suicide and boozing. Go to www.caryplaywrightsforum.org for information.

Ballet fans meet up

If you're ISO like-minded ballet fans, consider joining Carolina Ballet's Meetup online group, which gathers for dinners and lunches before the ballet's shows at Raleigh's Progress Energy Center for the Performing Arts.

Preceding this week's performances of the Red Clay Ramblers collaboration, "Carolina Jamboree," dance fans will gather at The Pit at 328 W. Davie St. Go to dance.meetup.com/507 for details.