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The Twin City goes Wilde

See the world premiere of “Oscar Wilde About America”

Man in pink necktie with wavy blonde hair stands with a book under his arm. A red car parked on a street shaded by a tree is in the background.

The film premiere is OUT at the Movies’ first big event of 2024. | Photo courtesy of Rhode Trip Pictures

The Twin City will be featured on the silver screen and you can be the first to see it. The world premiere of “Oscar Wilde About America” is happening Saturday, Feb. 24 at Reynolds Place Theatre.

The film

The indie documentary reimagines the trip the Irish poet and playwright Oscar Wilde took across the US in 1882. Lead star Oscar Conlon-Morrey stops in Winston-Salem during his journey around modern-day America. In this film, the modern-day Oscar finds the love and acceptance that eluded Wilde all those years ago.

Writer and director James Walsh expressed interest in using Winston-Salem to represent the character’s experience in the South. The film crew spent a week shooting scenes in the city last summer. A tea party in the original Shaffner family mansion in Old Salem features 10 local women. You’ll see 200 other locals during a scene at a gala fundraiser for OUT at the Movies, the LGBTQ+ screening and international film festival based in Winston-Salem.

The production

OUT at the Movies played other roles too. It helped finance “Oscar Wilde About America” and coordinated local production. Max Cullen, the festival’s director of operations and development, says the project fit with the organization’s goal to promote the best of LGBTQ+ cinema and to build community and understanding.

“In the scene filmed in Old Salem, Oscar Wilde remarks that ‘the secret of life is in art.’ I can’t think of a more perfect line to sum up the passion and commitment for the arts that our community has held for years,” Cullen said.

People are standing on a wooden staircase in a yellow room. Many are holding champagne glasses in the air and smiling. A person is holding a camera phone and taking a selfie. — The fun in this scene might not have taken much acting.
|
Photo courtesy of Rhode Trip Pictures

The premiere

The world premiere will feature a weekend of celebrations. The cast and crew, including screen legends Rosemary Harris and Kate Burton, will be in town for the festivities.

Prior to the screening, OUT at the Movies will host a VIP Dinner with the Stars. A Q+A with members of the cast and crew will be held after the premiere. Tickets to the evening range from $20 to $100 and are on sale now.

The film will hit the festival circuit following the premiere event. Cullen says they hope to eventually secure a streaming agreement.

Asked

Which local star-studded events do you plan to attend this year?

A. RiverRun International Film Festival
B. International Black Theatre Festival
C. OUT at the Movies International Film Festival
D. Winston-Salem Fashion Week

Get your autographs

Events

Friday, Feb. 16

Strengthen Your Immune System Workshop | Friday, Feb. 16 | 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m. | Mary Alice Warren Community Center, 7632 Warren Park Dr., Lewisville | $18 | Learn a sequence of five exercises that make your body more resilient against the flu and respiratory illnesses.
Wake Forest Baseball vs. Fordham | Friday, Feb. 16 | 5-8 p.m. | David F. Couch Ballpark, 410 Deacon Blvd., Winston-Salem | $5-$15 | See the Demon Deacons take the field for the first time since their College World Series run in the season opener.

Saturday, Feb. 17

Third Annual “A Red Affair” | Saturday, Feb. 17 | 8 p.m.-12 a.m. | The Hawthorne Inn & Conference Center, 420 High St., Winston-Salem | $25-$50 | Get dressed up, enjoy a three-course meal, music with a live DJ, and a photo booth.
Kaleideum Grand Opening | Saturday, Feb. 17 | 10 a.m.-5 p.m. | Kaleideum, 120 W. 3rd St., Winston-Salem | $13-$15 | Be one of the first to step inside the state-of-the-art new experiential learning museum — tickets must be purchased in advance.
“Moments with Paul” | Saturday, Feb. 17 | 7:30 p.m. | Gallery Theater at the Intergenerational Center for Arts and Wellness, 114 W. 30th St., Winston-Salem | $16-$24 | See 40+ Stage Company present the musical and spoken portrayal of the world-famous scholar, all-American athlete, and civil rights activist Paul Robeson.

Sunday, Feb. 18

Joyfull Hangout | Sunday, Feb. 18 | 2-4 p.m. | Bitty & Beau’s Coffee, 411 W. 4th St., Winston-Salem | Free | Hear live music and hang out with performance ensemble JoyFull, designed for individuals ages 13+ with disabilities.
Solstice: A Winter Circus Experience | Sunday, Feb. 18 | Times vary | Reynolds Place Theatre, 251 N. Spruce St., Winston-Salem | $25-$50 | See the last family-friendly acrobatic performance that tells the story of a character who finds his inner light.

Monday, Feb. 19

“A Tempest of Tea” Book Launch with Hafsah Faizal | Monday, Feb. 19 | 6:30-7:30 p.m. | Bookmarks, 634 W. 4th St., Ste. 110 , Winston-Salem | $0-$30 | Enjoy a cup of tea as you participate in “heist and seek,” a hide-and-seek game to find one of five teacups.

Events calendar here

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News Notes

Announced

SummerLark, the annual fundraiser for Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist’s Cancer Patient Support Program, will be held Saturday, May 11 at Bailey Park. Rock band Barenaked Ladies will headline the concert, with local band Crenshaw Pentecostal opening the show.

Listen

Hear jazz, folk, Americana, and original music when the Martha Bassett Band performs on Thursday, Feb. 22 at 7 p.m. in Reynolds Place Theatre (251 N. Spruce St.). The two-hour show is open to all ages — tickets start at $35.

Environment

You might notice the meadow at Reynolda Gardens looks a bit different. The NC Forest Service conducted a 14-acre prescribed burn yesterday to clear out unwanted weeds and maintain a healthy ecosystem.

History

Celebrate the opening of Historic Bethabara Park’s 2024 season on Saturday, April 6 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Visitors can play colonial games, help plant in the garden, do a scavenger hunt, and participate in other activities for free. (Yes! Weekly)

Cause

Grab tickets to the annual Starlight Gala on Saturday, May 4 to benefit the Down Syndrome Association of Greater Winston-Salem. The night includes dinner, an open bar, dancing, silent auction, and an award presentation at the Millennium Center.

Edu

Do you have questions about Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools’ decision to adjust the calendar for the 2024-2025 school year? Starting Monday, Feb. 19 you can find answers on the district’s website. Staff will reference a separate document. (Winston-Salem Journal)

Feel Good

One of Winston-Salem’s first female police officers celebrated her 100th birthday with current female officers this week. Ruth McClenny Beck joined the department in 1952. (WFMY News 2)

Eat

Just because Valentine’s Day has come and gone doesn’t mean the romance has to end. Whip up these sheet-pan steak + potatoes with roasted vegetables or this creamy ravioli soup for your loved one. After all, the way to a person’s heart is through their stomach, right?*

Arts

Tribute portrait finds permanent home

Portrait honoring Winston-Salem resident Te’Ore Terry moved to Benton Convention Center

Multicolor portrait shows man with glasses with mouth open.

Artist Kim Thore’s connection with Te’Ore Terry started with a shared love of fashion. | Photo by WStoday

An artistic tribute to a well-known downtown resident has a new home. The portrait of Te’Ore Terry was unveiled inside Benton Convention Center this week.

The painting originally hung inside the CVS on the corner of 4th and Trade streets, where Terry worked until his death on Feb. 14, 2021. When the store closed last month, Terry’s mother Velma requested the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Public Art Commission move the piece to the convention center. Members voted in favor of her request earlier this month.

Kim Thore was a friend of Te’Ore Terry and is the artist who captured his personality and good nature on canvas. He was well-known among customers, one of whom initiated the memorial project after his death. Friends and family raised money for the portrait, and Velma Terry chose the one she liked best. It was unveiled on May 31, 2021.

You can see “You’re a butterfly and butterflies are free to fly” on the lower level of Benton North near the escalators.

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The Wrap

Today’s edition by:
Cambridge

From the editor

I got to explore the Kaleideum this week and I felt like a kid again. It probably comes as no surprise that my favorite part was the Storytelling exhibit — complete with a reading dragon, a throne, and a performance stage. I know the museum will be a special place where families make memories for years to come.

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