DPAC Ribbon-Cutting: Time machine required?

Perhaps, dear reader, you read about the new Durham Performing Arts Center in this week's issue of recess. We received a release from the city of Durham late last week announcing an open house and ribbon-cutting ceremony the afternoon of Monday, Dec. 1. The assiduous reader will recall that there's a concert by blues legend B.B. King the previous night; recess doesn't understand how you can cut the ribbon for the center after the fact. Two theories: (1) DPAC has a time machine. Perhaps they scoped out the site using this machine, failing to notice that in the present day, there's a jail next day. (2) They're just going to ask people to be very gingerly and limbo under the ribbons Sunday night.

Either way, the ceremony will feature music from the likes of the Pitchforks and Associate Professor of Music and Wizard of All Things Jazz at Duke, John Brown's quintet.

Anyway, enough bloviation. Here's the release:

Entertainment Details Announced for Durham Performing Arts Center Community Open House

What: Community Open House and Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony for the New Durham Performing Arts Center

Theme: “There’s No Business Like Show Business In Durham!”

Where: Durham Performing Arts Center

123 Vivian Street

Durham, N.C. 27701

(Located just off the Durham Freeway at the corner Vivian and Mangum Streets. The Durham Performing Arts Center is located adjacent to the American Tobacco Campus, which is located within the American Tobacco Historic District. Visit www.dpacnc.com/plan/parking-directions for more detailed directions.)

Fast Facts:

· The City of Durham is hosting a Community Open House and Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony for the new Durham Performing Arts Center. All Durham residents, Triangle neighbors, and the news media are invited to attend this free event.

· Live entertainment at the community open house will include performances by the John Brown Quintet featuring Lois Deloatch, the Durham Children’s Choir, Chuck Davis and the African American Dance Ensemble, the Pitchforks of Duke University, the Durham Symphony plus a few surprise guests.

· Ira David Wood, III, executive director of Raleigh's Theatre In The Park as well as a playwright, theatre director and actor, will emcee the event. For the 34^th consecutive year, Wood is starring as Ebenezer Scrooge in his original musical adaptation A Christmas Carol, which is scheduled to perform from December 5-7 at the Durham Performing Arts Center. Visit www.dpacnc.com/concerts/carol.html for more information on this performance.

· Pre-show festivities kick off outside of the Durham Performing Arts Center at 5:30 p.m. with live music and dance entertainment.

· At 6 p.m., the unveiling of Capitol Broadcasting Company, Inc.’s light sculpture “Sleep No More,” by world-renowned artist Jaume Plensa, will occur. Plensa will join Capitol Broadcasting Company in presenting this gift to the City of Durham. The CBC Plaza and Diamond View Park will also be dedicated at this time.

· Immediately after the “Sleep No More” dedication, Mayor William V. “Bill” Bell and members of the Durham City Council will lead the official ribbon-cutting ceremony, followed by live entertainment inside the Durham Performing Arts Center on all three levels.

· In addition to live entertainment, attendees will enjoy light refreshments and self-guided tours of the new theater.

· Parking will be available at the North, South, and East Deck Parking Garages located within the American Tobacco Historic District.

· Event sponsors include Capitol Broadcasting Company, Inc., First Citizens Bank, Scientific Properties, and The Special Event Company.