have a question (Raleigh, Durham, Cary: rent, chapel, to buy)

[NChopeful]

I'm moving to Sanford and my mother wants to move to NC. My mother is a single lady and into the performing arts and is trying to find a good place to live. She heard that Cary was a nice place and was wondering how nice it would be for a single lady in her 50s.
Thank you

[MrsSteel]

What sort of performing arts does she like? Does she just like to attend performances or is she hoping to join a community performance group?

[leighbhe]

Originally Posted by NChopeful

I'm moving to Sanford and my mother wants to move to NC. My mother is a single lady and into the performing arts and is trying to find a good place to live. She heard that Cary was a nice place and was wondering how nice it would be for a single lady in her 50s.
Thank you

Chapel hill also may be a good choice. There seem to be a number of single adults and the "senior" community is active in the area.

Leigh

[NChopeful]

Originally Posted by MrsSteel

What sort of performing arts does she like? Does she just like to attend performances or is she hoping to join a community performance group?

All the above, she likes to attend and she's also a performing artist and would like to be in an area with other performing artists.

[NChopeful]

Originally Posted by leighbhe

Chapel hill also may be a good choice. There seem to be a number of single adults and the "senior" community is active in the area.

Leigh

Thanx...she's in her 50s but has a personality of a mid 30 mid 40 yr old.

[MrsSteel]

What sort of performing arts? Acting? Singing?

There are some local choral groups & instrumental groups in the area that have concerts & are also open for the public to audition. We have a couple recent threads about that, so you can do a search for them.

For opera, there are some companies that put on a couple performances a year.
Opera Company of North Carolina
http://www.operanc.com/
Long Leaf Opera Festival (takes place in June)
http://www.longleafopera.org/
Durham Savoyards (produces one Gilbert & Sullivan offering a year)
http://www.durhamsavoyards.org/home.html (broken link)

There is a ballet company in Raleigh.
http://carolinaballet.com/
Plus there is a fabulous dance festival every June at Duke.
http://www.americandancefestival.org/performances/2007performances.html (broken link)

There is a repertory theatre company at the UNC campus at Chapel Hill.
http://www.playmakersrep.org/index.pl (broken link)
And of course more theater companies than I care to list that are sprinkled all over the Triangle. I don't think any are based out of Cary, though.
As for acting, most of the companies prefer to work with people they know so it can be harder to get in, but if she's interested in working off-stage (everything from costume construction to ushering) she might like the Raleigh Little Theatre.
http://www.raleighlittletheatre.org/
Don't let the name fool you; this is no hole-in-the-wall group. They have their own large, beautiful propery in Raleigh, complete with a rose garden.

In Cary she could see all sorts of performances at the Koka Booth Amphitheatre.
http://www.boothamphitheatre.com/
Check out their calendar of events. They have TONS to offer in the warmer months!

I guess I'm just trying to say that one can find the performing arts all over the place here, so I think she could be happy here.

[JustChar]

Booth Amphitheater - WOW -- Chicago, Elvis Costello, Taylor Hicks, and movies in the moonlight. OH I am so there! (I wish right now)

[MariGirl]

She may find what she's looking for right in Sanford. There is the Lee County Symphony, several community chorus groups, the Temple Theatre - a regional theatre in town, and Carolina Classics a community play group, the Poetry Society, Brush and Pallette club if she paints, ballroom dancing, just to name a few.
You may want to contact the Lee County Arts Center in Sanford for additional information.

[Dramatravels]

All of the advice has been wonderful. My daughter is looking out for her Mama but I'm a bit overwhelmed by the choices since I've never lived in NC I am an Equity actress, SAG actress, Stage director, acting coach, Registerd nurse, Fifty and fabulous and a single woman. I'm hoping I can find an area in the TRI area that I can rent for a year then make a final decision to buy or to move on. I want to be no more than 45 minutes away from Sanford but not in walking distance. Grandma has a life also. I have a car so I can travel to the heart of action, I just want to be in an area to live that is not only relaxing but energetic and hip. Think Tribeca (nyc), Provincetown (Mass), Georgetown (DC)... Thanks

[MariGirl]

You definitely should check out Southern Pines. It has a laid-back feel with a thriving arts community. It's about 35 mins. south of Sanford, and absolutely beautiful. (And contrary to what you may read, it is a mix of ages, not just retirees, and not just about golf).
Cary is nice too, but much more of a suburban environment than Southern Pines. Visit downtown S.P. and you will fall in love with its charm.