Commendations
Writer and musician Bland Simpson has been honored by the N.C. Literary and Historical Association for his contributions to North Carolina literature. Simpson, a member of The Red Clay Ramblers string band, is a creative writing professor at UNC-CH and the author of several books about the state.
On standby
The dust from the N.C. Museum of Art's new building (scheduled to open next spring) will hardly be settled when the old building will reopen with five special exhibitions in November: "American Chronicles: The Art of Norman Rockwell," "Bob Trotman: Inverted Utopias," "Fins and Feathers: Original Children's Book Illustrations from The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art," "Binh Danh: In the Eclipse of Angkor" and "James John Audubon's The Birds of America."
No joke
A Philly graffiti artist, a Southern cartoonist and a French-Puerto Rican mixed media/collage painter walk into a bar ... no, they're working on a single project at The LoDi Project, 1126 N. Blount St., Raleigh. That would be Sean Kernick, Paul Friedrich and Georges Le Chevallier. Runs Friday till the year's over. See: www.TheLodiProject.com.
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The Justice Theater Project's " Molly Daughter," opening tonight, explores how the wives and daughters of Irish coal miners in 1870s Pennsylvania managed after a coal town boss executed 20 men for protesting his exploitations. 
Four New York-based pianists will be in Clayton this week, ready to share their mastery of the 18th century instrument with a modern twist. 
PlayMakers Repertory Company has been demonstrating its estimable resources (and chutzpah) recently with annual two-part productions. 
"Dry Run: Defining Determination, Testing Reconstruction," an exhibit featuring visual mythologist Lynn Marshall-Linnemeier, is on display at UNC-Chapel Hill through April 30. 
PlayMakers Repertory Company takes on another two-part production with "The Making of a King," consisting of Shakespeare's "Henry IV" (Parts I and II abridged into one play) and "Henry V. 
Punk rock and the Broadway musical might seem polar opposites, but "American Idiot" proves their fusion can work. 
Little Green Pig Theatrical Concern never does anything by halves, with some productions rivetingly imaginative and others frustratingly over the top. "Donald," the company's inventive piece about former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, is one of its very best. 
Imagine walking from South America to North Carolina, traversing undeveloped swamps, evading poisonous critters and the threat of drug war violence. What to do? Find out with out free entertainment newsletters, delivered straight to your inbox!
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