This Halloween season, local theatre troupe Scrap Paper Shakespeare is producing a bloody rendition of Titus Andronicus, believed to be Shakespeare’s first tragedy. Titus Andronicus is the story of a Roman general returning home from war with several prisoners, some of whom vow their revenge. The troupe has not added unscripted violence, but the play is Shakespeare’s goriest work, so Scrap Paper Shakespeare does not recommend attendance for those under 18. While promotional materials note that the fake blood that may splash audience members is a fully washable recipe, it is nevertheless recommended that no one wear their fanciest dry-clean-only designer look. —Eva Flowe
Get your steps in this week, on a walking tour of the Duke Gardens’ Culberson Asiatic Arboretum while you learn how it has developed over the past 40 years from an overgrown woodland to an enchanting garden. Listen as you hear stories of plant-collecting trips to China and Japan, early landscaping ideas, and projects that shaped the arboretum’s development. Duke University recently received an arboretum accreditation for 17 consecutive years of protecting its diverse tree collection. Take in the trees and changing seasons as you learn about the arboretum’s history. Tickets are $22. —Kennedy Thomason
Enjoy the sounds of Duke University’s resident Ciompi Quartet as they explore the influences of Black and Indigenous traditions on the late Czech composer Antonín Dvořák during his time in the United States. The group will play selected movements from Dvořák’s collection, which includes original Native American melodies and African American spirituals. Join the group as they blend music, history, and heritage. The quartet was founded in 1965 by renowned Italian violinist Giorgio Ciompi. Since then, it has played hundreds of concerts across five continents. Tickets are free, but registration is required. The estimated run time is an hour and 35 minutes, including intermission. —KT
NC State’s Gregg Museum has had plants and plant science at its fore this fall, with a fascinating exhibition that draws on the philosopher Henry David Thoreau’s herbarium while bringing narratives around North Carolina’s endangered native plants to life. Celebrate the exhibit and flora at this “evening-time celebration exploring the vital roles of plants in our lives through storytelling, art, and community,” per the museum website. Artist Robin Vuchnich will showcase botanical projections at 6 p.m,. and there will be live art demos, storytelling, and opportunities to create art, with local vendors and food on-site to round out the evening. —Sarah Edwards
It’s NC Comicon season, so expect downtown to brim with superheroes this weekend. The locally run event kicks off at 10 a.m. both Saturday and Sunday with a packed schedule of panels—events run the gamut from a martial arts demo with Triangle Jiu Jitsu and a faith-based panel called “Finding God in Comics” to a DC & Marvel Recap and Forecast and a behind-the-scenes event on publishing.
But don’t get worn out too early from the weekend: The last event on Saturday is the cosplay showcase, and both nights feature an afterparty at Boxcar Bar + Arcade, with special drinks “catered mostly to GI Joe, Deadpool, & Wolverine,” per the Discover Durham website. Tickets for the weekend are $52.50, and kids under 11 get in free with the purchase of 1 adult ticket. —SE
To comment on this story, email [email protected].