An Inconceivable Evening In Newton NC
January 27, 2023 - Before I get started I want to thank D. Wood and his wife. D and I are friends from freshman year in high school. The two of them made this article possible. Thank you, I owe you both...
Something Inconceivable
My wife and I were given the opportunity to experience An Inconceivable Evening With Cary Elwes. For those who don't know this was a screening of The Princess Bride and a Q&A session afterwards with Cary Elwes, a cast member of one of the few perfect films ever produced. I have been a fan since 1990 and never thought I would get a chance to meet one of the stars of my favorite movie. We had the VIP package that included a photo with Cary Elwes and an autographed copy of his book, As You Wish.
Newton North Carolina is a good 2-hour drive from Greenville South Carolina. The drive up to Newton was incredible smooth. Even the section of I-85 under construction (Chesnee through Gaffney) was better than the my last trip to NC. We departed Greenville around 2:30pm which made traffic light and fluid all the way to Newton. We arrived around 4:30pm. Newton has a small town feel. The architecture is typical of small town America, from downtown to the homes surrounding it. It's quiet and inviting. We decided to eat before the show and visited B-52s.
The Restaurant
B-52s American Bar & Grill is an Armed Forces themed themed restaurant serving BBQ, burgers, sandwiches, steaks, and wings. Cozy and clean with a friendly staff, this was a good choice. After exploring the B-52s menu my wife ordered the Marine Burger: 7 oz Black Angus burger topped with mustard, homemade slaw, homemade chili & onions; served on a brioche bun and a side of slaw. I ordered the Patriot Burger: 7 oz Black Angus burger topped with bacon, lettuce, tomato, onion & your choice of American, provolone, or cheddar cheese; served on a brioche bun and a side of fries. The burgers had the perfect amount of char to enhance the flavor of the Angus. Seasoned waffle fries were a pleasant surprise, hot and delicious. We never felt rushed and enjoyed our dinner and conversation. B-52s is definitely worth a return visit.
The Theater
The main event was held at Newton Performing Arts Center just outside of downtown. Newton PAC started as the Newton-Conover Auditorium, part of the local school system. Saved from demolition in the '90s it serves as a performance facility, art and music school, and event rental space. Newton PAC is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. This facility host a variety of entertainers big and small and should be considered the next time you're looking for an evening out. I encourage you to visit their website for more info, photos, and event calendar. Newton PAC At 7:30pm the hostess went on stage, gave an overview of the night's events and assurance that Cary Elwes was really there. The movie started and the next 90± minutes was like movie night at home with 400 friends. Everyone quoting along with the movie, laughing, and cheering when their favorite character appeared on screen. All the women cheered when Westley appeared, Inigo and Fezzik, even Miracle Max, but the most audible response was for The Impressive Clergyman. The whole theater recited his lines word for word. After the cheers and applause during the credits and the hostess returned to the stage to announce Cary Elwes.
The Star
Cary Elwes crossed the stage, waved, bowed, and thanked the crowd. He and the hostess sat in the arm chairs center stage and Cary started answering questions. The audience locked onto the actor and absorbed every word, smile, gesture. Absolute attention was on him. The rest of the world faded into the backdrop. The behind the scenes stories he presented were as entertaining as the great movie that us brought to Newton that night. There were a few questions that the majority of the crowd not only disliked but booed. Even that was entertaining. After the Q&A it was time to personally shake hands and have a photo taken with Cary. We led from the theater in small groups. Those waiting their turn watched another Elwes classic, Robin Hood: Men In Tights. My wife and I waited our turn patiently. When the moment arrive it was just my wife, Cary, the photographer, and I. Cary greeted my wife and asked her name. He commented how beautiful her name is and then spoke Spanish to her (she barely knew who he was before, now- fan for life). I greeted him, told him I've been a fan since my sister bought the VHS in 1990. I also promised not to pull an 'André' (if you don't know the story, you will). We posed for the photo, said our goodbyes, and received our autographed books as we exited the building.
This was a great experience for any fan whether life long or newly minted. And this happened in a small theater in a small town in North Carolina.
