We would like to thank you all for your continued support and participation in our events every single month. We love your poems, songs, bits, dances, and most of all we love the love and community spirit you all bring to the night. We want to announce some big changes coming to Open Mic Night at Theatre Raleigh that will be starting in March.

First and foremost, our fearless leader and beloved MC, Susan Shank, will be stepping back from her duties, starting now. Susan has been instrumental in making Open Mic Night what it is and will be missed dearly. She is still a beloved member of the Theatre Raleigh community and can still be found being a patron of the arts and community steward all across Raleigh. 

With Susan stepping back and Matt Hodge moving on to other exciting opportunities later this year, Theatre Raleigh is in need of a charismatic MC and a crack accompanist. Do you think you fit this bill? Let Carolyne (carolyne@theatreraleigh.com) know! Both positions include a monthly stipend for your work. 

There are also going to be some logistical changes starting at this month’s event on March 22nd. First, sign ups for time slots will no longer be online ahead of time, but will be first come first serve on the evening of the event, starting at 6:30 pm with the event starting at 7. Carolyne will be there in person to help with sign ups and answer questions. Priority for time slots will still go to people who did not perform the month before. There are going to be more time slots now, too, and every time slot will be five minutes instead of ten. This will allow more people to participate and for there to be a greater variety of performances! We’re looking at you, comedians, jugglers, didgeridoo players, spoken word performers… come give us a shot!

Here’s some things that are staying the same: every performer will still have access to Theatre Raleigh’s technical resources, including multiple microphones for all your duets and group numbers, instrument hook ups for all the singer-songwriters, assistance from our experienced sound team, and the chance to work with a seasoned musical theater accompanist. Your five dollar performance fee (which you will now be able to pay at the event via QR code) goes directly towards making these resources available to you, so we encourage you to use them. As always, the bar will open and fresh popcorn will be popping, but there is no drink minimum and there is no obligation to bring anyone, but why wouldn’t you want to bring a friend to check out all the amazing acts? 

Your questions are always welcome, so please feel free to reach out to Carolyne if you need to. We hope that you’ll join us on this next exciting chapter of community events at Theatre Raleigh.

Best,
Carolyne Sandoval and Susan Shank