The creation of the play King Mackerel and the Blues Are Running: Songs and Stories from the Carolina Coast and its path to the stage feel ever so close to a “big fish” tale. It all started in 1984 when beach music group The Embers hired the team of Bland Simpson, Jim Wann and Don Dixon to write songs and material. The resulting yarn of good old boy singing fishermen The Coastal Cohorts was too ambitious for the band to stage, so the writers performed it themselves, and it’s remained a regional favorite for more than three decades. The trio of Charlie Flynn-McIver, Ben Mackel and Joel P. Rogers headline the play at North Carolina Stage Company under the direction of Neela Muñoz. The show runs Wednesday, Sept. 20, through Sunday, Oct. 8, Wednesdays-Saturdays at 7:30 p.m., and Sundays at 2 p.m. with additional Saturday matinees on Sept. 30 and Oct. 7. $16-34. ncstage.org. Photo by Nina Swann Photography
Smart Bets: King Mackerel and the Blues Are Running
Before you comment
The comments section is here to provide a platform for civil dialogue on the issues we face together as a local community. Xpress is committed to offering this platform for all voices, but when the tone of the discussion gets nasty or strays off topic, we believe many people choose not to participate. Xpress editors are determined to moderate comments to ensure a constructive interchange is maintained. All comments judged not to be in keeping with the spirit of civil discourse will be removed and repeat violators will be banned. See here for our terms of service. Thank you for being part of this effort to promote respectful discussion.