On a hot summer night in 1960, a historic meeting took place in Raleigh in the auditorium of Murphey Elementary School. The meeting sparked the capital city’s participation in the Civil Rights movement. Forty-nine years later, Burning Coal Theatre Company of Raleigh is producing a play, 1960, based on spoken-word interviews with the people who were there.
Get a sneak preview of scenes from 1960 (debuting in April) at the N.C. Museum of History on Saturday, March 21, from 2 to 3:30 p.m. Several members of Burning Coal Theatre Company will present scenes that recount the school meeting and the events that led to the decision to take part in the Civil Rights movement. 1960 was written by award-winning playwright Ian Finley, who is education director of Burning Coal Theatre Company. Admission is free, and weekend parking is free.
Artist at Work: Rob Anderson
Two drop-in programs will take place the same weekend. From Friday to Sunday, March 20 to 22, from 1 to 3 p.m., watch this month’s Artist at Work, Rob Anderson, repair and restore woven and caned chairs, sofas and stools. Then on Saturday to Sunday, March 21 to 22, from 1 to 3 p.m., practice weaving designs like those used on cane and splint chair seats and backs. Be sure to visit the exhibit Everyday Artistry to see examples of caned furniture from the museum collection. Admission is free for both programs.
For more information, call 919-807-7900 or access ncmuseumofhistory.org. The museum is located at 5 E. Edenton St., across from the State Capitol. Parking is available in the lot across Wilmington Street.
The N.C. Museum of History’s hours are Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday, noon to 5 p.m. Admission is free. The museum is part of the Division of State History Museums, Office of Archives and History, an agency of the N.C. Department of Cultural Resources. The department’s Web site is www.ncculture.com.