For most of his life, Wilmington writer and actor Bob Leddy has been obsessed with the Wright brothers: You know, the siblings who changed history by inventing the airplane.
Now, after decades of research, Leddy brings a fascinating one-man show about the Wright brothers to the stage.
“Wilbur & Orville,” which Leddy wrote, directed and stars in, runs weekends in April and Thursdays-Sundays in May at a pop-up theater dubbed The Workshop Upstairs. (The space, at 20 Wrights Alley in downtown Wilmington, is in the building formerly owned by late actor Dennis Hopper.)
It’s an engrossing story, filled with twists and turns, setbacks and triumphs, and stirring depictions of the Wright brothers’ close relationship and genius. The well-written show picks up steam and urgency as it moves along, and while Leddy voices different characters over the course of the play’s 75 minutes, his performance, while steady, isn’t always as compelling as the material.
The projections (by Karahann Kiser), sound (Christopher Dean) and lighting (Andrew Fisher) are all excellent, and help elevate “Wilbur & Orville” into something like a Ken Burns film on stage.
It’s worth seeing the show just for the impressive pop-up theater that’s been constructed for it by Donn Lashley, who owns the building. With a small stage, lighting rigs and even a cute little balcony, it’s a shame it won’t be a theater forever.
Definitely worth checking out. Now let’s see what else is going down in Wilmington this weekend.
Weekend weather outlook
It’s going to be a warm and sunny weekend, with highs in the low 80s and lows in the mid-60s. Rain moving in Sunday afternoon/evening, with temps dropping a good bit into the first part of next week.
Go | See | Do
Wilmington’s weekend’s schedule is packed with theater (plays AND musicals), comedy (including the debut of a nationally known, viral comedy series) and concerts (jam, jazz, rock and more). Full list of events is below.
The Dish with Port City Foodies
A new Southport restaurant features Asian and French flavors, and food writer Allison Ballard has the scoop. Plus, Shake Shack is coming to Wilmington, and a local chef launches a new, high-concept dining experience.
Getting to know ‘The Wizard’
A wonderful musical production of “The Wizard of Oz” closes its run at Thalian Hall this weekend, and it’s a hot ticket. Read our review.
News you can use
Wilmington singer Annie Tracy had one of her songs featured during March Madness. It was quite the “Moment.” Plus, a former Azalea Festival queen makes a surprise local appearance, and we take a look back at Wilmington’s bygone May Day celebrations.
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