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Shows & Events

On this page, you’ll see a comprehensive lineup of all events and shows happening at Raleigh Little Theatre! Our production season of plays runs from July to June of each year, but we also have events which include volunteer functions, fundraisers, concerts, movies, festivals and more.

If you’d like to read more about the upcoming 2018-19 Season: Acts of Courage, which starts in July 2018, please visit our Season Announcement page. We invite you to become a Season Member so you don’t miss out on sold-out shows, and get the best seats at the best price.

Event - Discussion & Movie Screening

Conversation with Eddie McCoy + Movie Screening at NC State’s Witherspoon Student Center

April 19, 2018

Join the African American Cultural Center of NC State and Raleigh Little Theatre for a conversation with Eddie McCoy, a longtime activist and historian from Oxford, NC, followed by a screening of the film “Blood Done Sign My Name.”  Meet us at 6:30 pm in Witherspoon Student Center, Sankofa Room. 2810 Cates Ave., Raleigh, NC on the campus of NC State University. 

Fairy Tale

Alice @ Wonderland

April 13 - 22, 2018

The folly of the 21st century collides with the madness of Wonderland in this new adaptation that remains fairly faithful to Lewis Carroll’s original tale. Alice is a texting, tweeting, and googling girl of the modern digital era, but she finds herself in the Wonderland of old.

Event - Sensory-Friendly Performance

Alice @ Wonderland Sensory-Friendly Performance

April 28, 2018

We invite you to our first Sensory-Friendly Performance! Sensory-friendly performances are designed especially for individuals with autism spectrum disorders, sensory sensitivities, or other disabilities. Our goal is to create a welcoming, inclusive, and relaxed environment.

Event - Fundraiser Performance

Divas!

May 5, 2018

Who will be our 2018 Diva? Join us for a cabaret performance full of glitz, glam and giving! Divas! is a competition between some of the fabulous performers who grace the stage of Raleigh Little Theatre. Each performer competes to be the Diva of the Year by raising the most money.

Event - Art Festival Benefiting RLT

Art in the Garden 2018

May 12, 2018

Join us for the annual arts festival benefiting Raleigh Little Theatre, featuring a jury-selected lineup of visual artists, food trucks and live entertainment. This unique outdoor event takes place in the historic Raleigh Rose Garden on the grounds of RLT.

Drama

Blood Done Sign My Name

May 11 - 27, 2018

Advisory: Blood Done Sign My Name is recommended for mature audiences and features adult language. Parental guidance is suggested. In this world premiere ensemble version, Mike Wiley brings to life the recollections of author Timothy Tyson surrounding the 1970 murder of Henry “Dickie” Marrow in Oxford, NC, and the events that followed.

Comedy

Don’t Dress for Dinner

June 8 - 24, 2018

Bernard is planning a romantic weekend with his mistress in his charming converted French farmhouse, while his wife, Jacqueline, is away. He has arranged for a Cordon Bleu cook to prepare gourmet delights, and has invited his best friend, Robert, along to provide the alibi. It’s foolproof. What could possibly go wrong?

Event - Outdoor Event

Movies in the Garden ’18

July 5 - August 2, 2018

Join us this summer as we present five FREE outdoor movies on Thursdays in July & August! All movies will be held in the Stephenson Amphitheatre next to the Raleigh Rose Garden.

Musical

Into The Woods

July 20 - August 5, 2018

This epic musical is about wishes, family, and the consequences of the choices that we make. A childless baker and his wife endeavor to lift their family curse by journeying into the woods, where they encounter familiar faces including Rapunzel, Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, and more enchanted fairy-tale creatures.

Event - Concert

Groove in the Garden ’18

September 22, 2018

We’re back for year four of Groove in the Garden in the Stephenson Amphitheater and Rose Garden! Tons of great live music, local food trucks, vendors and more will all be on hand to make our annual garden party one of the most fun days of the year. Suitable for all ages.

Past Shows & Events

Musical

Beanstalk! The Musical!

March 16 - April 1, 2018

Exactly like nothing that you’ve ever seen before, not even in a book! This fun, family show follows the adventures of Jack, a young boy with his head in the clouds and his nose in a book of fairy tales.

Event - New Volunteer Interest Night

Spring Backstage Night

March 21, 2018

For everyone who’s always wanted to run away to the theatre, Raleigh Little Theatre will hold its twice-yearly volunteer open house on Wednesday, Mar 21 at 7:00pm on the RLT main stage. (Come win some cool merch too!)

Musical Comedy

Little Shop of Horrors

February 9 - March 4, 2018

Run extended! 4 performances added March 1-4! The meek floral assistant, Seymour Krelborn, stumbles across a new breed of plant that he names “Audrey II” after his coworker crush. This foul-mouthed, R&B-singing carnivore promises unending fame and fortune to the down-and-out Krelborn, as long as he keeps feeding it BLOOD. Over time, though, Seymour discovers Audrey II’s out-of-this-world origins and intent toward global domination!

Comedy

What We’re Up Against

January 12 - 28, 2018

Advisory: What We're Up Against is recommended for mature audiences and features adult language. Parental guidance is suggested. Performance added: Saturday, January 20 at 3:00 PM Set in a highly competitive architecture firm, this play is an explosive and hilarious look at the complicated battle of the sexes raging across Cubicle Land. A funny, yet insightful, view of what it means to be female in a male-dominated career and one woman’s response when she tires of slamming into the glass ceiling.

Event - Showcase

Triangle African American Theater Preview

January 14, 2018

Celebrate the rich and diverse season of African American theater in the Triangle! The Triangle Friends of African American Arts is bringing together several performing arts organizations to showcase the wonderful African American plays and musicals that will hit the stages in 2018. This special evening will include dramatic readings, songs and scenes from upcoming performances.    

Holiday Musical

Cinderella

December 1 - 17, 2017

This musical comedy is a holiday sugarplum for the whole family. Just the right mixture of comedy and romance can add the sparkle of magic to your holiday season. This visually stunning musical combines elegant costumes and scenery with singing, dancing, conniving step relatives, and resourceful fairy folk.

Dark Comedy

Perfect Arrangement

October 27 - November 12, 2017

It’s 1950, and new colors are being added to the Red Scare. Two U.S. State Department employees, Bob and Norma, have been tasked with identifying sexual deviants within their ranks. There’s just one problem: both Bob and Norma are gay, and have married each other’s partners as a carefully constructed cover-up.

Event - Movie Screening

“The Lavender Scare” Screening at NC State’s Hunt Library

October 23, 2017

Join Raleigh Little Theatre & NC State Libraries for a free screening of "The Lavender Scare" at the James B. Hunt Jr. Library on the campus of NC State on Oct 23 at 7:30 PM. This event will happen in the Hunt Library's Auditorium.

Musical

Grace for President

October 13 - 22, 2017

One day in class, Grace Campbell discovered that there has never been a female president. “Where are the girls?” she asked, as her third-grade teacher rolls out a poster of all 44 U.S. presidents. Frustrated by the lack of female faces in the White House, Grace decides she wants to be president and inspires a school election.

Event - Concert

Groove in the Garden

October 21, 2017

We’re back for year three of Groove in the Garden in the Stephenson Amphitheater and Rose Garden! Tons of great live music, local food trucks, vendors and more will all be on hand to make our annual garden party one of the most fun days of the year. Suitable for all ages. A portion of the proceeds from this year’s music and arts festival will benefit Girls Rock NC, an organization in central North Carolina that works to empower girls, women, & folks of marginalized genders—through creative expression—to be confident and engaged members of their communities.

Event - Volunteer Event

Volunteer Appreciation Night – Outdoor Movie

October 14, 2017

It's a Movie, It's a Costume Party, It's gonna be fun! We hope you can attend the first annual Volunteer Appreciation Halloween Movie Event.

Event - New Volunteer Interest Night

Back Stage Night

October 3, 2017

For everyone who’s always wanted to runaway to the theatre, Raleigh Little Theatre will hold its twice-yearly volunteer open house on Tuesday, October 3 at 7:00pm on the RLT main stage.

Event - Open House

Youth Classes Open House

September 24, 2017

Ever wondered what youth classes are all about at Raleigh Little Theatre? Come experience it first-hand at our Youth Classes Open House from 1-4pm. Drop in at the top of every half hour to sample our classes for ages 4-18 year olds, meet some of our teaching artists and education staff and have fun! Please be dressed for play and wear close toed shoes.

Gospel Musical

Crowns

August 25 - September 17, 2017

Three performances added: September 15 - 17! A moving and celebratory musical play in which hats become a springboard for an exploration of Black history and identity is seen through the eyes of a young black woman who has come down South to stay with her aunt after her brother is killed in Brooklyn.

Event - Outdoor Event

Movies in the Garden

July 20 - August 10, 2017

Join us this summer as we present four FREE outdoor movies on Thursdays in July & August! All movies will be held in the Stephenson Amphitheatre next to the Raleigh Rose Garden.

Classic Musical

The Tempest

July 21 - 30, 2017

Marooned and left to die on a remote island, Prospero can command spirits, create apparitions, and manipulate the elements. By using his magic, he assembles his enemies to take revenge on them, and in the process, awakens in Miranda, his teenage daughter, her first experience of love.

Event - Awards night

Cantey Awards Night

June 28, 2017

Celebrate the 2016-2017 season! It's an evening of volunteer awards and Cantey Awards for actors. Afterwards, catch up with friends at the reception in the Sutton Lobby.

Musical

Avenue Q

June 2 - 25, 2017

Advisory: “Avenue Q” is recommended for mature audiences. It features adult content, including language, drinking and nude puppets. Parental guidance is suggested. Recent college grad, Princeton, moves into a shabby New York apartment all the way out on Avenue Q. Along with his new friends, Princeton struggles to find a job, date, and discover an ever-elusive purpose in life. Filled with gut-busting humor and a delightfully catchy score, not to mention puppets, this truly unique show has quickly become a favorite for audiences everywhere.

Event - Drama

Grounded

May 27 - 28, 2017

Written by George Brant, Grounded is the story of a hotshot fighter pilot who has to give up flying due to an unexpected pregnancy. She is assigned to fly drones instead, and must juggle the dual realities of killing terrorists by day and going home to her family at night. This production was originally produced by Sonorous Road Productions, stars Michelle Wells, and is directed by Jerome Davis.

Event - Drama

Downrange: Voices from the Homefront

May 26 - 27, 2017

Written by Chapel Hill playwright Mike Wiley and originally produced by Cape Fear Regional Theatre, this play investigates the effect of deployment on the families who are left behind by weaving together the often-overlooked stories of real North Carolina military families. Our production is directed by Deb Royals.

Event - Showcase

A Series of Fortunate Events: Theater Showcase

May 22, 2017

Arts Access presents "A Series of Fortunate Events". Join us at RLT for the Theatre Showcase, one of the five talent showcases featuring artists with disabilities in film, music, theatre, literature, and visual art.

Historical Drama

A Piece of My Heart

May 5 - 21, 2017

Advisory: "A Piece of My Heart" contains adult situations, language, and descriptions of violence that may not be suitable for children under 13. Parental guidance is suggested.  Written by Shirley Lauro, a powerful, true drama of six women who went to Vietnam: nurses, a Red Cross volunteer and a USO country-western singer. The latter is booked to entertain the troops by an unscrupulous agent. Follow each young woman’s story before, during, and after her tour in the war-torn nation. It was named “The most enduring play on Vietnam in the nation,” by The Vietnam Vets Association.

Event - Art Festival Benefiting RLT

Art in the Garden 2017

May 6, 2017

Join us for the annual arts festival benefiting Raleigh Little Theatre, featuring a jury-selected lineup of visual artists, food trucks and live entertainment. This unique outdoor event takes place in the historic Raleigh Rose Garden on the grounds of RLT. Information about Irregardless Cafe's Art in the Garden event on the same day is here.

Fairy Tale

James and the Giant Peach

April 21 - 30, 2017

When James is sent by his conniving aunts to chop down their old fruit tree, he discovers a magic potion, which results in a tremendous peach. The peach launches James on a journey of enormous proportions. He finds himself among human-sized insects with equally oversized personalities, and he embarks on a dangerous voyage. Thanks to James’ quick wit and creative thinking, the residents learn to live and work together as a family.

Event - Volunteer Event

Ice Cream Social

April 8 - 9, 2017

Join your fellow RLT volunteers and their families in the Rose Garden for NCSU's Howling Cow ice cream & toppings, games, and an all 'round good time. The Volunteer Recognition and Appreciation Committee, in conjunction with the Staff of Raleigh Little Theatre, cordially invite you to the annual Ice Cream Social.  

Fairy Tale

When She Had Wings

March 17 - April 2, 2017

A young girl dreams about taking flight in the makeshift airplane that she has built in her backyard. After a huge storm, she finds an elderly woman who looks and sounds like a bird, but who just might be Amelia Earhart. The mysterious lady has taken up residence in the cockpit. Using live sound and puppetry, this play reminds us that, with a little imagination, anything is possible.

Comedy

One Man, Two Guvnors

February 10 - 26, 2017

Brighton, England, 1963. Francis Henshall finds himself employed by small-time gangster Roscoe Crabbe. Roscoe is in town to collect a fee from his fiancée’s gangster father. However, Roscoe is really Rachel, posing as her own dead brother, and she is in love with Stanley Stubbers (her brother’s killer). Stanley, in turn, becomes our hero’s other “guvnor.” How long can Francis keep “Roscoe” and Stanley apart, and will he ever have time to eat dinner?

Historical Drama

The Whipping Man

January 13 - 29, 2017

The Civil War is over. Throughout the South, slaves are being freed and soldiers are returning home. In one home, the annual celebration of Passover is celebrated by a young Confederate officer, who has been severely wounded, and two former slaves. However, the pain of enslavement will not be soothed by this tradition. Deeply buried secrets from the past refuse to be hidden forever, as the play comes to its thrilling conclusion.

Musical Comedy

Cinderella 2016

December 2 - 18, 2016

This musical comedy is a holiday sugarplum for the whole family; just the right mixture of comedy and romance to add the sparkle of magic to your holiday season. A visually stunning musical combining elegant costumes and scenery with song, dance, conniving step-relatives and resourceful fairy-folk.