ALPHARETTA
“Little Shop of Horrors” at Atlanta Workshop Players Acting Studio
Orbit Theatre Company, the new adult division of Atlanta Workshop Players, launches its inaugural season with a blast of camp. The cheeky musical tells the story of a struggling floral assistant who discovers a bloodthirsty plant with a booming R&B singing voice. Things get out of control as the carnivorous flora turns out to be an alien creature. Tony Galde directs the production, while Chris Hall oversees the music. According to its website, Orbit has a pair of productions on their dance card in the not-so-distant future: “Greater Tuna” and “Nunsense.” Performers age 16 and older can audition for Orbit shows.
8 p.m. Fridays; 3 and 8 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays through Nov. 17. $20-$25. Atlanta Workshop Players Acting Studio, 8560 Holcomb Bridge Road, Suite 111, Alpharetta. 770-998-8111, www.orbittheatrecompany.com.
DUNWOODY
Chris Matthews at the Book Festival of the MJCCA
This special festival event finds the bestselling author of “Jack Kennedy: Elusive Hero” talking about and signing copies of his latest book, “Tip and the Gipper: When Politics Worked.” Matthews, the anchor of MSNBC’s “Hardball,” writes about the bond between President Ronald Reagan, a Republican, and Speaker of the House Tip O’Neil, a Democrat. As O’Neill’s former chief of staff, Matthews knows the story from the inside out. Although Reagan and O’Neill came from different schools of thought, Matthews explains that the friendship shows how bipartisan harmony can happen.
8 p.m. Nov. 10. $18-$24. Marcus Jewish Community Center of Atlanta, 5342 Tilly Mill Road, Dunwoody. 678-812-4005, www.atlantajcc.org/bookfestival.
ALPHARETTA
Wire and Wood Songwriters Festival in downtown Alpharetta
A total of 20 singer-songwriters from throughout the Southeast converge upon downtown Alpharetta for this music festival. These musicians, several who’ve had songs recorded by noted performers, tell the stories behind the songs. The line-up runs the gamut from Christopher Alan Yates, a member of Ed Roland’s Sweet Tea Project, to Riley Biederer, an artist currently signed to Elton John’s Rocket Management. Acts perform on a variety of smaller stages from 4 to 7 p.m. During that time guests can step onto a pair of interactive stages and join drum circles and try out instruments. The main event, the Home by Dark Songwriters Show, takes place from 7 to 9 p.m. starring a roster of accomplished performers. This includes Victoria Banks, who wrote “Come on Over” for Jessica Simpson, and Chas Sandford, who penned “Missing You” for John Waite. A bevy of food trucks, including Happy Belly, Genki and Yum Yum Cupcake, offer edible treats.
4-9 p.m. Nov. 9. Milton Avenue and Old Roswell Street in downtown Alpharetta. 678-297-0102, www.awesomealpharetta.com.
