Up and Coming Weekly is a weekly publication in Fayetteville, NC and Fort Bragg, NC area offering local news, views, arts, entertainment and community event and business information.
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12 UCW JANUARY 1-7, 2020 WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM CHRISTINE MICHAELS, President and CEO, Greater Fayetteville Chamber. COMMENTS? Edi- tor@upandcomingweekly.com. 910-484-6200. As a business owner, is there any better way to kick off the new year, than growing your business? Local government wants to help do just that, and the Cumberland County Mayor's Coalition has proclaimed Janu- ary as "Building Local Business Month." Over the last few years, our local elected officials have increased their efforts to have more funding spent locally on the wide range of services, sup- plies and equipment purchased by local government. They have worked together to reach out to local businesses with that united message. And as part of the initiative, the fourth annual Build- ing Business Rally will be held Thursday, Jan. 30, 2020, at the Ramada Plaza from 2-6 p.m. for local businesses to learn about those opportunities. The event features purchasing and procurement representatives for Cumberland and Fayetteville's largest buyers. Each ha small business needs and offers opportunities for local vendors — suppli- ers, professional service providers and prime and subcontractors of all sizes. The event's goal is to educate and engage local businesses on how to do business with their organizations and the types of goods and services that are needed. The Building Business Rally is a unique opportunity, as Its a one-stop-shop for local busi- nesses. One might equate it to attending a job fair, only here you are connecting your busi- ness to organizations that have money to spend and are looking for local businesses to spend it with. Organizations participat- ing in the Building Business Rally include Cape Fear Valley Hospital System, Cumberland County, Cumberland County Schools, the city of Fayetteville — including FAST and Commu- nity Development, Fayetteville State University, Fayetteville Technical Com- munity College, the town of Hope Mills, the town of Spring Lake, North Carolina Department of Transportation, Prince Charles Holdings, PWC and Vector Fleet Maintenance that manages the city of Fayetteville Fleet. This year's event utilizes the local business resources of the Greater Fayetteville Chamber, the Small Business and Technology Develop- ment Center and Cumberland County NC Works to help businesses find opportunities, structure their business for success and find a qualified workforce. To help businesses take full advantage of the opportunities presented by the event, organiz- ers scheduled a series of Building Business Rally Workshops before the Jan. 30 event. Presented by the SBTC, topics of the two remaining workshops include information that can help businesses get results when attending the Building Business Rally. A Jan. 9 workshop will focus on capability state- ments that are essential when discussing oppor- tunities with government agencies as they are a concise way to communicate what your business can provide for a government agency. On Jan. 23, the series concludes with a work- shop that will help answer questions such as how, what and where to go to find business support programs specific to government contracting. The workshops will be held at the PWC Administrative Offices on 955 Old Wilmington Rd. at 6 p.m. The Building Business Rally is scheduled for Jan. 30 from 2-6 p.m. at the Ramada Plaza on Owen Dr. All events are free. Business owners can get more details about participating purchasing agen- cies they will meet and market their business to, register for the events and find local contracting opportunities at www.faybids.com. Building Business Rally celebrates Building Local Business Month by CHRISTINE MICHAELS EVENT Sweet Tea Shakespeare is adding a new flavor to its productions this year. It's bring- ing "Macbeth" to the Cumberland County community. While Director K.P. Powell has never directed "Macbeth," he has performed in "Macbeth" four times and in over 150 shows. He's also directed "Two Aside" at Saint Louis University, some music videos at the American Shakespeare Center and some short films. The show opens Jan. 2 and runs through Jan. 26. Powell feels his prior experience gives him intimate knowledge of this particular play. He will be working with a small cast, including students from around the region during the student matinees, and is looking forward to working closely with the audi- ence to create a profound personal experi- ence. "The story of Macbeth creates an oppor- tunity for the audience to follow closely with the two hugely recognizable characters," said Powell. "They can enjoy watching the other actors switch between characters con- stantly and not be confused. I really hope to advocate for the audience. I'm trying to direct it as though I have no idea what hap- pens, that way the story shines rather than my particular tastes or ideas." The main characters, Macbeth and Lady Macbeth, are played by Wade Newhouse and Chelsea Sugar. The audience can expect to be pulled into the spirit of the show. There will be people sitting on stage with the actors, where the actors talk to them — not at them. Plus, there is live music. "Shakespeare feels like a conversation, not a literary lesson," Powell said. If you're on the fence about whether or not Macbeth is something you'd enjoy, Powell wants you to know that no matter what you've been told, Shakespeare really is for everyone. In his words, "If you can understand Yoda when he's speaks, you can understand Shakespeare. If you can un- derstand the "Big Bang Theory" when you know nothing about particle physics, you can understand Shakespeare." Opening date is Jan. 2. The production will be at Vizcaya Villa through Jan. 19, and performances run through Jan. 26 at various locations, including William Peace University in Raleigh and Methodist Uni- versity. The cost is $25 dollars at the door, but advance tickets are $10 for students, $15 for senior/military and $17.50 for adults and can be purchased here: www.sweet- teashakespeare.com/tickets. Sweet Tea Shakespeare presents 'Macbeth' by CAROLINE SCHAFER CAROLINE SCHAFER, Con- tributing Writer. COMMENTS? Editor@upandcomingweekly. com. 910-484-6200. Sweet Tea Shakespeare's 'Macbeth' runs Jan. 2-26.