Arts & Culture

Second show added for Oscar winner Ariana DeBose’s Raleigh appearance. Ticket info here

A second show has been added for Oscar winner and North Carolina native Ariana DeBose’s return to Raleigh to raise money for a local arts group.

DeBose, who has appeared on Broadway and won an Academy Award in 2021 for her role in “West Side Story,” will perform to raise money for the non-profit Theatre Raleigh in August. She will share stories and songs from her career under the direction of Benjamin Rauhala, a longtime collaborator and one of Broadway’s most trusted music directors, says Theatre Raleigh.

Both DeBose shows will take place on the same day.

Who is Ariana DeBose?

DeBose was born in Wilmington and grew up in Raleigh and Wake Forest. Her mother told The N&O in 2021 that she moved to Raleigh in order to give DeBose more opportunities to develop her talent. She took dance classes at CC & Co Dance Complex in Raleigh.

DeBose is an Oscar award-winning actress for her role as Anita in the 2021 remake of “West Side Story.” She is also the first openly LGBTQ woman of color to win an Academy Award. DeBose, a singer-dancer-actress triple threat, made her Broadway debut in “Bring It On: The Musical.” She has also been in “Hamilton” and was nominated for a Tony for her part in “Summer: The Donna Summer Musical.”

Ariana DeBose as Anita in Steven Spielberg’s 2021 remake of “West Side Story.”
Ariana DeBose as Anita in Steven Spielberg’s 2021 remake of “West Side Story.” 20th Century Studios

Why is Ariana DeBose coming to Raleigh?

It was announced this week by the Theatre Raleigh Arts Center that DeBose will return for two concerts that will raise funds for the Raleigh nonprofit professional theater and community arts organization.

“I am so thrilled to have the opportunity to come back to the Raleigh area to support Theatre Raleigh,” DeBose said in the news release. “Now more than ever, supporting arts organizations on local levels is paramount to promoting societal empathy, compassion and stimulating creativity.”

When is Ariana DeBose coming to Raleigh?

DeBose will be at Theatre Raleigh Arts Center on August 26. Shows are at 5:30 and 8 p.m.

How much do Ariana DeBose tickets cost? How do I get them?

Tickets are $100-$200. Tickets for the 8 p.m. sold out in two hours, and tickets for the 5:30 p.m. show go on sale at 9 a.m. Wednesday, July 26. Details are at theatreraleigh.com.

Steven Spielberg, from left, Rita Moreno and Ariana DeBose arrive at the Oscars on Sunday, March 27, 2022, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.
Steven Spielberg, from left, Rita Moreno and Ariana DeBose arrive at the Oscars on Sunday, March 27, 2022, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. Jae C. Hong Jae C. Hong/Invision/AP
Ariana DeBose with her mother, Gina DeBose, at opening night for the Broadway musical “SUMMER: The Donna Summer Musical” in April 2018.
Ariana DeBose with her mother, Gina DeBose, at opening night for the Broadway musical “SUMMER: The Donna Summer Musical” in April 2018. Gina DeBose
Sydney Morton as Forence Ballard, Valisia LeKae as Diana Ross and Ariana DeBose as Mary Wilson of The Supremes in “Motown: The Musical,” performing at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre in New York in 2013.
Sydney Morton as Forence Ballard, Valisia LeKae as Diana Ross and Ariana DeBose as Mary Wilson of The Supremes in “Motown: The Musical,” performing at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre in New York in 2013. Joan Marcus AP
Ariana DeBose arrives at the Oscars on Sunday, March 27, 2022, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.
Ariana DeBose arrives at the Oscars on Sunday, March 27, 2022, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. Jordan Strauss Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP
Ariana DeBose takes a photograph with members of the military at the Oscars on Sunday, March 27, 2022, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.
Ariana DeBose takes a photograph with members of the military at the Oscars on Sunday, March 27, 2022, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. John Locher John Locher/Invision/AP
Ariana DeBose, winner of the award for best performance by an actress in a supporting role for “West Side Story,” poses in the press room at the Oscars on Sunday, March 27, 2022, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)
Ariana DeBose, winner of the award for best performance by an actress in a supporting role for “West Side Story,” poses in the press room at the Oscars on Sunday, March 27, 2022, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP) Jordan Strauss Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP

This story was originally published July 24, 2023 at 1:31 PM.

SJ
Steven Matthews Jr.
The News & Observer
Steven Matthews (he/him) is originally from Waldorf, MD. He currently attends North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University as a Journalism and Mass Communication students with a concentration in Multimedia Journalism.
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