The Wake Forest Renaissance Centre will celebrate its first year of bringing extraordinary and diverse cultural and performing arts experiences to the Wake Forest community on Saturday, Nov. 1, during Another Evening with Marcus Anderson.

Anderson's explosive on stage energy shows in all of his live performances. An all-time crowd favorite at Wake Forest's Six Sundays in Spring concert series, he has also made several high profile appearances at venues such as Jazz Fest West, The Capital Jazz Fest Jazz Alley in Seattle, the Catalina Island Jazz Trax Festival, Humphrey's in San Diego, Spaghettini in Seal Beach and the Seabreeze Jazz Festival in Panama City, Florida.

In addition to what is sure to be a dynamic performance by Marcus Anderson, this special event will include a delicious buffet dinner and cash bar.  

Advance tickets are $35. Tickets can also be purchased at the door on the day of the event for $40. 

Audiences may already know Ms. Poly and Ms. Ester, the wacky Gabardine Sisters and their super-duper star puppet Bartlet. These longtime entertainers performed for several years at the former Kazoom Children's Theater in downtown Raleigh, and now they're making regular appearances at the Renaissance Centre. Storytelling, music and puppetry are used to make these fast paced, interactive shows full of mayhem, a delightful experience for young children and you never know who might visit their stage! Each month boasts a different show theme.

These shows are geared to children ages 3-7. Tickets are $5 per person (plus tax) and can be purchased online or at the Parks and Recreation window in the lobby of the Wake Forest Town Hall, 301 S. Brooks St. On the day of the event, tickets may also be purchased at the door. 

Cinema at the Centre is an evening of film and discussion - by movie lovers for movie lovers. The series is also a community event that invites participants to watch and discuss films in a manner that encourages critical thinking while considering different worldviews, truths, faiths and meaningful questions about life, relationships and the purpose found in each film.

Cinema at the Centre features a wide range of films from Oscar winners to classics to documentaries, but all with an emphasis on meaning and significance found within each film. 

Our featured film on Nov. 6 will be 'There Will Be Blood," starring Daniel Day-Lewis. So bring your friends and come on out to the Renaissance Centre for popcorn, great films and interesting discussion.

For more information, contact Pamela Stevens at 919-435-9566.

The Wake Forest Renaissance Centre hosts First Friday Flix at 7 pm on the first Friday evening of each month.  

Free and open to the public, these monthly movie screenings feature a variety of film favorites and genres, including comedies, dramas, thrillers and more, often with a seasonal or historical theme.  

Our featured film on Nov. 7 will be 'The Blind Side' starring Sandra Bullock.

For more information, contact Cathy Gouge at 919-435-9567.

If you love the theater intertwined with a good murder mystery, then you'll love Totally 80's, Totally Murder!

 The Juggernauts of New Wave are in town for a radical concert, but things turn sour quickly, and one of these 80's stars is a murderer! The audience will take center stage as well, enjoying dinner and sleuthing while seated in the Renaissance Centre's Grand Hall.

Doors open at 6:15 pm. Dinner will be served starting at 6:30 pm and the show gets underway at 7 pm.

The evening will include a 'Killer Dinner' carved up special just for you. 

This event is designed for patrons ages 8 and older. So be sure to come dressed in your righteous 80's concert gear - jean jackets and spandex leggings, big hair, bangles and don't forget the leg warmers and ripped jeans! This will be all the rage at this rockin' night of mystery!

For more information, contact Cathy Gouge at 919-435-9567.

The Wake Forest Renaissance Centre hosts free family-friendly movie showings on the second Monday morning of each month.

Flix4kidz shows only G or PG rated children's and family films.

Concessions, including popcorn and soft drinks, will be available for purchase.

Our featured film on Nov. 10 will be 'Ice Age 3: Dawn of the Dinosaurs.'

For more information, contact Cathy Gouge at 919-435-9567.

 Forest Moon Theater will present Too Much Noise at the Wake Forest Renaissance Centre, 405 S. Brooks St., on Wednesday, Nov. 12, at 11 am.

Ellie can't find any peace and quiet - her house is just too noisy. So she sets out to see the wise woman in the woods to see what she should do. The woman's advice, however, leads to further complications - in the forms of a donkey, sheep, cow and a chicken! Come see this delightful show that is based on an age-old tale of being content.

This show is geared to young children ages 3-7. Tickets are $5 per person and can be purchased in advance or at the Parks and Recreation window in the lobby of the Wake Forest Town Hall, 301 S. Brooks St. On the day of the event, tickets may also be purchased at the door.

For more information, contact Cathy Gouge at 919-435-9567.

Writer's Night in the Forest is designed to promote local authors and their works. Each month the Renaissance Centre invites a different author to discuss a particular book and answer questions from the audience. Free and open to the public, the event typically concludes with a book signing by the featured author.

Our featured work on Nov. 13 will be Steven Lee Gilbert's 'A Lovely, Indecent Departure.'

For more information, contact Pamela Stevens at 919-435-9566.

Bring some friends and get tangled up with the project of your choosing during this unstructured evening of fun and crafty magic! This is a great time to gather to finish previous projects, expand on current ones or experience something new with our optional Make & Take project. 

This month's Make & Take project is a set of three Christmas tags. Please RSVP to Cathy Gouge if you are interested in participating.

Tickets to Scrap Happens & Open Craft Night are $10 per person plus tax and can be purchased online and at the Renaissance Centre Box Office. The cost for the optional Make & Take project is an additional $5.

Seating is limited to the first 85 people who register. Concessions will be available for purchase. 

Don't miss this opportunity to gather with friends, gain inspiration and create amazing projects. For more information, contact Cathy Gouge at 919-435-9567.

 We've scoured the globe for short stories to celebrate the spirit of the season.

In O'Henry's tale The Gift of the Magi, we learn about putting others first. From the Indian folktale The Drum, we experience the power of giving. The rendition of Stone Soup stresses the value of sharing. This is the perfect production to share with family and friends. Geared to audiences ages 3-10.

Bright Star Touring Theater is a national professional touring company based in Asheville, NC.

Advance tickets are $9 for adults and $6 for children.

For more information, contact Pamela Stevens at 919-435-9566.

The Wake Forest Renaissance Centre is pleased to present Christmas in New York with Franc D'Ambrosio on Sunday, Dec. 7, at 3 p.m.

Best known as the Phantom in Andrew Lloyd Webber's Tony Award winning musical, The Phantom of the Opera, D'Ambrosio will celebrate the magic and wonder of the holiday season. His rich tenor caresses each song in an embrace he does not relinquish until his final bow. 

As a special treat, D'Ambrosio will conclude his concert by performing several holiday songs with the Wake Forest Elementary School Choir.

Advance tickets are $30 for adults, $25 for seniors and $12 for children 12 and under.