Welcome to Rowan County's May in the Arts roundup! This month, creativity is in full bloom as our theaters, galleries, and studios come alive with unforgettable performances, inspiring exhibitions, and hands-on experiences. From world-renowned modern art at Waterworks to powerful stage productions and lively musical numbers, May’s lineup promises something for every art lover. Whether you're drawn to compelling drama, kid-friendly workshops, or symphonic masterpieces, Rowan County invites you to explore the arts in all their vibrant forms this spring.
Waterworks Visual Arts Center Presents: "Never Before Seen...Modern Masterpieces"
Now - August 30, 2025
“Never Before Seen…Modern Masterpieces” includes forty works by twenty-eight leading European modernists, including such greats as Kandinsky, Monet, Picasso, and de Kooning. Spanning more than a century of art history, the exhibition will introduce viewers to several pivotal movements from French Impressionism to Abstract Expressionism.
Lee Street Theatre Presents: "The 39 Steps"
Now - May 3, 2025
The 39 Steps is a fast-paced, comedic whodunit that blends Hitchcock suspense, spy intrigue, and Monty Python-style humor, featuring over 150 characters played by a cast of four on Lee Street Theatre's stage. This two-time Tony Award-winning show offers nonstop laughs, thrilling moments, and a touch of romance.
Piedmont Players Presents: "Murder on the Orient Express"
Now - May 4, 2025
In Murder on the Orient Express, detective Hercule Poirot must solve a mysterious murder aboard the famed train before it reaches its destination in 48 hours. After a businessman is found stabbed in his locked compartment, Poirot navigates a web of secrets and peculiar characters to uncover the truth. Catch this performance by Piedmont Players Theatre.
Rowan Arts Festival
May 3, 2025
Join the Rowan Arts Council for their 2025 Rowan Arts Festival on May 3, 2025 at the Salisbury Civic Center. This festival will be showcasing local art from visual, performing, literary to culinary.
The Salisbury Symphony Presents: "The Barbarian Artist"
May 3, 2025
The Barbarian Artist concert from the Salisbury Symphony explores Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 5, a powerful piece layered with hidden political commentary from the Stalinist era, alongside Mozart’s Don Giovanni and Grieg’s Piano Concerto in A minor, performed by Ying Li. This evening delves into music as resistance, showcasing the resilience of the human spirit against oppression.
Spring Adult Hand & Wheel Pottery Class at Waterworks Visual Arts Center
May 6, 13, 20, & 27, 2025
Waterworks Visual Arts Center's Adult Hand and Wheel is a class for both beginners and experienced clay enthusiasts, offering lessons in hand building and wheel throwing. Experienced potters can also refine their techniques and explore new surface decoration methods, including slip and glazing.
Lee Street Theatre Presents: "Cost of Living (Spotlight)"
May 8 - 10, 2025
Cost of Living, winner of the 2018 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, explores the emotional depth of four individuals—Eddie, Ani, John, and Jess—whose lives intersect in the face of hardship, disability, and human connection. This powerful play by Martyna Majok delves into the gap between abundance and need, confronting universal themes of fear and disconnection, and will be performed at the Lee Street Lab Performance Space.
Elmer the Elephant Meets Kandinsky at Waterworks Visual Arts Center
May 10, 2025
Second Saturday - Toddler Time invites toddlers (ages 1.5–3) and their special adult to create their own patchwork elephant in the abstract style of Wassily Kandinsky on May 10, 2025. This fun and interactive class will explore lines, shapes, and colors while celebrating both Elmer the Elephant and Kandinsky’s unique artistic approach, including a tour of the Waterworks' new exhibit.
Lee Street Theatre Presents: "Some Things You Need to Know Before the World Ends (A Final Evening with the Illuminati) (Spotlight)"
May 15 - 17, 2025
Some Things You Need to Know Before the World Ends (A Final Evening with the Illuminati) is a darkly comic play set in a post-apocalyptic church, where Reverend Eddie delivers his final sermon with help from Brother Lawrence. Through absurd and satirical skits, the play explores themes of faith, martyrdom, and the mysterious force of the Illuminati in a world on the edge of collapse.
Piedmont Players Presents: "Zombie Prom"
May 30 - June 15, 2025
Zombie Prom is a high-energy, 1950s-style musical set at Enrico Fermi High, where rebellious teen Jonny returns from a nuclear mishap—glowing and determined to win back his sweetheart, Toffee. With catchy rock ‘n’ roll tunes and a hilariously over-the-top love story, it’s a zany ride full of teen angst, atomic romance, and prom-night drama.
To find more events to enjoy this May, visit our event calendar and May in Rowan County blog post.
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