Explorations in the Arts

Black Box Dance Theatre

Dance, Documentary Film "We Lift Each Other," and Discussion
Saturday, February 28, 2026  - 4:00 to 6:00 p.m.
Orringer Auditorium
Free and open to the public
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Join us in Orringer Auditorium for a 4:00 p.m. documentary film screening with live performance and conversation featuring Black Box Dance Theatre (BBDT), a Raleigh-based modern dance company known for powerful storytelling, emotionally compelling performances, and a deep commitment to using movement as a catalyst for connection—building bridges across communities, disciplines, and lived experiences.

The event begins with a short live performance featuring excerpts from Patriot’s Path, performed by BBDT dancers including founding member Alfredo Hurtado, a Purple Heart combat-wounded U.S. Army veteran. This performance sets the stage for a screening of "We Lift Each Other"—a documentary filmed in North Carolina that bears witness to BBDT’s artist-led model of hope and community engagement.

Directed by Lou Pepe and executive produced by Tony Award–winning producer Mara Isaacs, "We Lift Each Other" follows three veterans from a treatment court as they journey through a week of collaborative dance-making and performance. The film offers a close, personal view into the transformative power of art, community, and shared storytelling, illuminating the impact of real art created with and for real people.

A facilitated talk-back conversation will follow the screening, inviting dialogue with artists and participants about art, service, and the power of belonging.

Free and open to the public.

Molasses Creek

Folk/Americana
Friday, March 13, 2026 - 7:30 p.m.
Orringer Auditorium
Tickets: Adults $30 / Students $20

For over 30 years, Molasses Creek’s high-energy performances and heartfelt songwriting have brought the love of their coastal home of Ocracoke Island to the stage. The band’s elegant harmonies and arrangements, stellar songwriting, blazing instrumentals, and quirky sense of humor have won loyal followers throughout the US, around the world, and most especially in Eastern NC.

Molasses Creek has recorded 15 albums, reaching the #4 and #5 spots on the National Folk Radio DJ Charts. Their latest releases, Catch the Wind, Waterbound, and People Get Ready, have received acclaim from audiences across the country.

As to defining their style, nobody puts Molasses Creek in a box. No matter how it’s described, their style has manifested in a 30-year run of unpredictable and delightful musical choices. Each member contributes ideas and original music. Performances move between whimsical and sincere in a way that makes you believe that balancing both might be the key to life. The four members of Molasses Creek are: Gary Mitchell - Guitar/Vocals, Fiddler Dave Tweedie - Fiddle/Vocals, Kim France - Bass/Guitar/Vocals, Gerald Hampton - Mandolin/Bass/Guitar.

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