The Marquee: Afro Legacy Fest celebrates Black culture 

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Chaka Khan shares top billing with Patti LaBelle, Stephanie Mills and Gladys Knight at "The Queens! 4 Legends. 1 Stage" Feb. 13 at Spectrum Center.

A look at events from stage, screen and dance in Charlotte:

Jan. 30
Independent Picture House (4237 Raleigh St.) shows "Do The Right Thing" at 7:30 p.m. as part of its Black History Month series.

The 1989 movie earned Oscar nominations for Best Actor (Danny Aiello) and Best Original Screenplay (Spike Lee).

For tickets: independentpicturehouse.org.

Jan. 30–Feb. 1
Charlotte Symphony presents Prokofiev & Schumann at Knight Theater, 430 S. Tryon St.

Music director Kwamé Ryan opens the program with Ives's “The Unanswered Question,” a meditation on existence. Prokofiev's Piano Concerto No. 3, played by Ran Dank, follows. Schumann's Symphony No. 2 caps the program with a testament to resilience, soaring melodies and spirit.

Tickets available at tix.blumenthalarts.org.

Feb. 6-8
Afro Legacy Fest, a festival celebrating Afro-descendant heritage through music, dance, art, and culture at VAPA Center, Harvey B. Gantt Center, Historic Rosedale, and Viva Collective. 
Feb. 6, VAPA Center, 700 N Tryon St., 6-10 p.m. (Free)

Opening celebration with live cultural and musical performances.

• Feb. 7, Harvey B. Gantt Center, 12-5 p.m. (free). Interactive workshops, cultural exhibitions, and artistic presentations for the whole family.

• Feb. 8, Historic Rosedale 11 a.m.-2 p.m., 3427 N Troyn St. (free). Honor the ancestors, participate in a community conversation, and share a potluck. Bring food or drinks to share.
Viva Collective, 901 N Tryon St., Suite B. 4:30-6 p.m.: Bomba drum workshop ($30). Several instruments will be available; if you have your own drum, bring it. From 6:15-8 p.m.: Bomba dance master class with Rafa Cepeda ($45; long skirt recommended).

On the Net:

lacasadelacultura.net/afro-legacy-fest

Feb. 6-22
“Primary Trust,” The Arts Factory, 1545 W Trade St.

Written by Eboni Booth and directed by Tiffany Bryant-Jackson, “Primary Trust” won the 2024 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. The cast includes Miles Thompson (Kenneth), Marvin King (Bart), Tim Huffman (Clay/Sam) and Frandasia Williams (Corrina/Wally’s waiter) making her Three Bone Theatre debut.

Thursday-Saturday shows start at 8 p.m.; Sundays at 2 p.m.

Tickets: threebonetheatre.com.

Feb. 13
Chaka Khan, Patti LaBelle, Gladys Knight, and Stephanie Mills are extending their “The Queens! 4 Legends. 1 Stage” tour to Spectrum Center. 

The tour brings together four trailblazing R&B/pop giants for a celebration of legacy, sisterhood, and music.

Tickets: bpctickets.com.

Feb. 13-14 
Charlotte Symphony presents Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 5, Belk Theater, 130 N. Tryon St. 

As part of the CSO Spotlight Series, pianist and vocalist Gabriel Kahane joins the orchestra conducted by Kwamé Ryan to perform “Pattern of the Rail,” a song cycle inspired by Kahane’s cross-country train journey during the 2016 presidential election. 

Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 5 closes the program.

Program starts at 7:30 p.m. both days. Tickets $40.39-$145.68 at tix.blumenthalarts.org.

March 7 
The eighth annual Queen City Blues Festival is at Ovens Auditorium at 7 p.m. The Southern soul and modern blues scene blend old-school storytelling with contemporary R&B. Performances by King George, Pokey Bear, Lenny Williams, West Love, Tonio Armani, Mike Clark Jr., E.J. Jones, Stephanie Luckett & the YP Band, and Henry Welch.

Tickets available at ticketmaster.com.

March 12
Leela James plays the Carolina Theatre at 8 p.m. as part of the 2BHonest Tour.

James, who has released seven LP albums, channels the all-time R&B/soul greats with performances that are equal parts church and blues club. James has eight top-20 R&B radio singles, including two No. 1 tracks on the Billboard charts. Her 2021 single Complicated topped the Billboard Adult R&B songs chart for three straight weeks. 

Tickets are $68-$122 and available online at Ticketmaster.com.

April 7
Contemporary soul trio Moonchild plays Knight Theater at 7:30 p.m. as part of the Waves Tour.

The Los Angeles-based threesome of Amber Navran, Andris Mattson and Max Bryk  combines neo-soul, jazz and electronic music into a genre-fluid sound. 
Tickets start at $52.77 and available at blumenthalarts.org/events/detail/moonchild-waves-tour

Through April 26
“In Pursuit of Home” at Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts + Culture, Levine Center for the Arts, 551 South Tryon St.

Artist Mario Moore's exhibit encourages viewers to reflect on how the meaning of home is changing in modern America and the inequalities intertwined with its pursuit. 

The exhibition explores the desire for homeownership in the United States, particularly among people in their 20s and 30s, and the barriers that make achieving it more challenging. 

More information: ganttcenter.org/exhibitions/in-pursuit-of-home.

May 2
R&B icons October London and Lalah Hathaway take over Ovens Auditorium, 2900 E Independence Blvd. for a concert event celebrating love, soul and timeless music. Showtime is 8 p.m. Tickets presale on Jan. 28 at 10 a.m. local time.

The general sale begins Jan. 30 at 10 a.m. local time on Ticketmaster.com.

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