Now in its 14th year, this nonprofit theater company is dedicated to producing professional theater and cultivating excellence in the arts. It presents a mix of dramas and comedies each year, and other programs developed by the group include the annual New Play Festival, which showcases talented local youth playwrights, and the development of young talent through writing workshops and a technical internship program. One production each season is a classic work, which is offered to local students and teachers at a discount. Past offerings have included Henry V, The Scarlet Letter and Moby Dick-Rehearsed. They will be moving into their new theater at 613 Castle Street in the Spring of 2009, where they plan to expand their educational programs and offer classes, additional workshops and other nontraditional theatrical programs.

The Brown Coat Pub and Theatre is home to Guerilla Theatre and is the best place in town to see live comedy. Located in downtown Wilmington, this smoke-free establishment (one of the few in the area) is a great place to unwind, have a drink and laugh with friends. The Brown Coat Pub and Theatre hosts regular improv comedy nights, trivia and, of course, quality theatre productions with Guerilla Theatre.

The goal of Brunswick Little Theatre is to educate, involve and entertain the community by bringing high-quality theatrical productions to Brunswick County. Though performances are mainly held in the Odell Williamson Auditorium at Brunswick Community College, this group sometimes takes its shows on the road, so to speak. An example is Godspell, which was performed in November of 2007 at the Boys and Girls Home in Lake Waccammaw, at the Silver Coast Winery in Ocean Isle Beach, and at St. Philip's Episcopal Church in Southport. Productions have been held at Franklin Square Park as well, including a free show there in May of each year. The Stagestruck Players, a children's theater company for ages 8 through 18, also operates under the auspices of this group.

Whether you're in the mood for a serious drama, a musical or comedy, Level 5 at City Stage is the place to go in downtown Wilmington for great theater. Level 5 at City Stage offers an intimate theater setting where there are no bad seats. Adjacent to the theater, Level 5 contains a popular rooftop bar where you can socialize before and after the show. Ticket prices are reasonable, and the performances are Broadway caliber. In its eighth season in 2009, Level 5 at City Stage has already made its mark on the Wilmington theater scene. The Level 5 at City Stage theater group produces its own shows and provides a rental facility for other local theater company performances and independent film screenings. If you need a good laugh, local comedy groups also perform here during the week. Call for schedule and ticket information.

A professional theater company presided over by artistic director Lou Criscuolo, this group stages five major productions and three experimental works each season in Thalian Hall. 2009 is the company's 24th season in the Port City. Guest artists and directors are featured frequently. Auditions are open.

A nonprofit supporting emerging North Carolina playwrights, this organization offers seminars and looks for scripts-in-progress, which are read by actors and critiqued by the volunteer audience. Readings of selected productions or original plays are a highlight of monthly meetings. Membership is open. Call for meeting dates, times and locations.

This nonprofit theater company stages regular performances in the historic Amuzu Theatre in downtown Southport, in addition to other venues. The company is working together with the owners of the Amuzu to revive the theatre, which was originally built in 1918 as a silent movie theatre and had been unoccupied since 1980. At the same time it is providing opportunities for local emerging actors and bringing quality entertainment to downtown Southport. Warning: Performances sell out early!

Founded in 1788, Thalian Association is the Official Community Theater of North Carolina. The association presents five full-scale productions annually at historic Thalian Hall, both plays and musicals. They have been honored as Wilmington's Best Theater Company for the past three years by the readers of encore magazine. Thalian Association Children's Theater (TACT) presents five productions annually at the Hannah Block Second Street Stage in the Community Arts Center in downtown Wilmington. Operating under the supervision of a volunteer board of directors, Thalian Association also produces the annual Southern Coast Bluegrass Festival at Fort Fisher each fall and the Orange Street ArtsFest in downtown Wilmington each Memorial Day weekend. The association welcomes volunteers to take part in all of its activities.

Established in 1974 as a nonprofit organization specializing in dramas by minority playwrights, the Willis Richardson Players perform several works per season of interest to all audiences. The group strives to promote, involve and educate residents of the Wilmington area in the performing arts through African-American theater and to bridge the cultural gap. The Players perform at Thalian Hall Center for Performing Arts.

This community theater group has grown from a group of nine women at its inception to more than 40 dancers, actors, singers and production staff who perform at sites throughout Brunswick County, including retirement and long-term care communities, hospitals and charitable events. The amount of theatrical and artistic training and knowledge owned by the board of directors is quite impressive, and the members' love of theater is evident in every performance. Previous productions include I Love Lucy, Carolina Revue and Murder in Margaritaland, as well as two original performances written by members, Celebrity Cruising and Celebrity Apprentice — a spoof on Donald Trump.

The Dance Cooperative is a nonprofit organization consisting of dance professionals who are bound together by one common goal — to nurture the dance community by providing affordable classes, rehearsal space and performance opportunities to those under-served artistically, culturally and economically in the greater Wilmington area. The Dance Cooperative currently has a program of classes for children and adults (drop-ins are welcome), and both an informal and formal performance series. They also host the North Carolina Dance festival and participate in Dance-A-Lorus, part of the Cucalorus Film Festival. Some scholarships are available for children who wish to take these classes. Call (910) 763-4995 for more details and schedule information.

Theatre Dance Workshop is a place where singing, dancing and acting all come together. Classes in the performing arts are available for adults and children ages 7 and older. The students are part of senior and junior companies that perform original choreography, scenes and songs from Broadway shows.

North Carolina Writers' Network, established in 1984, is a vital resource for North Carolina writers. This well-established organization helps writers sharpen their skills in poetry, fiction, nonfiction, playwriting and technical writing through statewide writer workshops and member services. The North Carolina Writers' Network also provides information and submission guidelines for statewide and regional competitions as well as a literary calendar. The annual themed Fall Conference, hosted in alternating North Carolina regions, is a popular event for writers of all skill levels.

A nonprofit supporting emerging North Carolina playwrights, this organization offers seminars and looks for scripts-in-progress, which are read by actors and critiqued by the volunteer audience. Readings of selected productions or original plays are a highlight of monthly meetings. Membership is open. Call for meeting dates, times and locations.

This quilters group comprises members from as far away as South Carolina and boasts more than 80 members. Meetings are held the second and fourth Tuesday of each month with a business meeting at the second Tuesday meetings and teaching workshops or programs at the fourth Tuesday meetings. The group often hosts speakers and teachers from out of the area. Visitors are always welcome. Members are invited to participate in monthly Block of the Month lotteries as well as Fat Quarter lotteries. One of the group projects is the making of Comfort Quilts, which are donated to the Brunswick County Sheriff's Department to be given to children involved in traumatic situations. The group has made more than a thousand of these quilts. Other projects include the making of walker bags for nursing-home residents; quilts for wounded soldiers which are delivered to Camp LeJeune; newborn quilts for Brunswick Community Hospital and cancer quilts. For more information, check out their website.

Coastal Carolina Carvers is a multifarious group of men and women who get together every Monday evening from 6 until 9 PM wielding knives and carving tools and sharing expertise, making beauty from wood. Members come and go with the rhythm of the tourist season and visiting carvers from all over the country join in on their travels thanks, in part, to listings in Carving Magazine and Woodcarving Illustrated. Carvers work on individual projects, which can range from egghead caricatures, to animals, to birds, to musical instruments, though sometimes classes are held to teach a particular project. Interested in joining? All it takes is a phone call to Don Walker, who organized the club in 2005.

The Oak Island Beach Quilters is a sociable, friendly group that welcomes members, visitors and vacationers alike, from beginners to experts. The group meets every Wednesday at 10:15 AM with a business meeting on the first Wednesday of each month. These meetings include new techniques presentations, sharing of ideas and techniques, show and tell, and just working together on individual or group projects. Every year there is a quilting challenge that involves a theme, a particular color, fabric or shape or a combination of these. Challenge entries are displayed at Franklin Square Gallery in Southport, where visitors can vote for their favorites. The group responds to national and world natural disasters, such as those in New Orleans and Mississippi in 2005, with charity quilts for the victims. They also donate Cognitive Quilts to nursing homes. These quilts are hung on the wall and used to stimulate discussions, which are therapeutic for patients with Alzheimer's. The group maintains a lending library of quilting books and plans road trips to quilting stores and shows as well.

For very reasonable membership dues you can meet others, make friends, be involved in many activities and receive a monthly newsletter through this nonprofit organization. Activities include a monthly covered dish social, van trips for shopping and entertainment, movie nights, brunches, ladies' teas and games, including Dominoes, Canasta and Pinochle. Classes are available in beginning and advanced watercolor, oil painting, decorative painting, basket weaving (including Nantucket baskets), needlework (including knitting and crocheting) and bow making. They also offer computer classes in beginning computers, word processing, Excel, Quicken, digital PhotoShop and greeting cards. Fees for most classes are $25 for members and $35 for non-members, though some fees are less.

Members of this group work to stimulate public interest in the art of basketry and to preserve the techniques of the craft. Workshops and seminars are available, and new members, from novice to advanced weavers, are welcome.

This combination gallery and showroom downtown offers some of the most original and gorgeous art and furniture in the region. In addition to highlighting the work of local artists and craftsmen, the gallery also features pieces from all over the world. Furniture crafted of African teakwood or Brazilian peroba rosa can be found next to exotic lamps and handmade jewelry from the four corners of the earth. Owner Marcus Rich boasts a substantial list of celebrity clients and also hosts a monthly full moon party complete with live entertainment and tasty refreshments. If you're looking for an unusual or unique piece for your home, office or establishment, come downtown to watch the moon rise. Don't miss the view of the river from upstairs — it's spectacular.