Official Program Guide SECOND OF TWO
May 27-June 12
PICCOLO PICKS
Reggae at Brittlebank Park HALO’s Wunderbar Cabaret Juried Art Exhibition And more!
A special publication of
Live theater makes a triumphant return
Dive into Piccolo Spoleto’s visual arts offerings makes its rockin’ Piccolo debut
“Port City 2” by Foniti Christophillis
Post-Life Crisis
Piccolo Spoleto 2022 MAY 27–JUNE 12, 2022 2
CHAMPIONING CHAMPIONING CHAMPIONING OUR OUR OUR CREATIVE. CREATIVE. CREATIVE. We’re proud to supportWe’re thoseproud to support those who dream of a brighterwho tomorrow dream of a brighter tomorrow proudthrough to support those throughWe’re the performing arts. the performing arts.
who dream of a brighter tomorrow through the performing arts. NOURISHING COMMUNITIES
NOURISHING COMMUNITIES
About the Festival The Piccolo Spoleto Festival annually presents a
varied program that includes visual arts exhibitions, performances of classical music, jazz, dance, theater and choral music, as well as cultural events and community celebrations, poetry readings, children’s activities, craft shows and film screenings. Piccolo Spoleto prioritizes accessibility for both artists and performers, presenting professional work of the highest standard, while ensuring that nearly half of Piccolo’s events are admission-free, with the balance offered at affordable prices. In addition to the Festival’s visual arts, artisan crafts exhibitions and public art installations, performances are being planned for outdoor settings in Charleston’s parks. Events are scheduled for the City’s larger parks in formats that accommodate social distancing and smaller neighborhood pop-up events will be announced the week of the event to ensure that the weather will accommodate the performance. Piccolo Spoleto was launched in 1979 by the City of Charleston Office of Cultural Affairs, which continues to work closely with an engaged group of volunteers from the Charleston arts community. The working group of arts professionals who serve as volunteer program coordinators for the Festival now numbers nearly 40 with each specializing in a particular discipline, genre or period. Applications for the 2023 Piccolo Spoleto Festival will be available online in the autumn at PiccoloSpoleto.com. For more information, call the City of Charleston Office of Cultural Affairs at (843) 724-7305 or email CulturalAffairs@charleston-sc.gov.
Festival Staff Piccolo Spoleto Festival is produced and directed by the City of Charleston Office of Cultural Affairs CITY OF CHARLESTON John J. Tecklenburg Mayor CITY COUNCIL Boyd Gregg District 1
Karl L. Brady Jr. District 5
A. Peter Shahid Jr. District 9
Kevin Shealy District 2
William Dudley Gregorie District 6
Stephen Bowden District 10
Jason Sakran District 3
Perry K. Wearing District 7
Ross A. Appel District 11
Robert Mitchell District 4
Michael S. Seekings District 8
Caroline Parker District 12
OFFICE OF CULTURAL AFFAIRS Basil Punsalan Scott Watson Outreach and Event Director Coordinator Mindy Manziano Anne Quattlebaum Associate Producer of City Gallery Piccolo Spoleto Festival Manager Harrison Chapman Farmers Market Manager
Katie LaPorte Cultural Projects Coordinator Ray Swagerty Production Manager Rachel D. Workman Finance Manager
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BRIGHTENING OUTDOOR SPACES SINCE 1984
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Theater
FOR TICKETS, VISIT PICCOLOSPOLETO.COM
Photos provided
Susan Marrash-Minnerly’s You Might As Well Live is a one-woman show about literary icon Dorothy Parker.
Live theater makes a triumphant return
Piccolo Spoleto 2022 MAY 27–JUNE 12, 2022
By Ellen E. Mintzer
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After 2020’s canceled Piccolo Spoleto season and 2021’s pared-down version, the 17-day festival returns this year with a rich array of theater offerings. From the story of a Black family coping with the matriarch’s declining health to celebrations of cultural icons, the schedule is packed with creative, diverse shows.
Dot captures Black language in a Black household
The language of Colman Domingo’s 2016 play Dot inspired Art Gilliard, founding director of Art Forms & Theatre Concepts (AFTC), as he was looking for a new production. “(Domingo’s) rhythm is right, just the way he captures the essence of people’s conversation,” he said. “He related well with what I consider the Gullah language here. Even though the show itself takes place in Philadelphia, the rhythm that he established captured the essence of Black language in a Black family household.” Dot is a dramatic comedy that centers on the Shealy clan — matriarch Dotty and her grown children — gathering days before Christmas. The holiday cheer is coupled
with the family’s growing awareness of Dot’s battle with Alzheimer’s, and the show portrays them handling the diagnosis with humor and warmth. AFTC is bringing in guest director Miriam Crawford Grant, who has worked in New York and Los Angeles, for the production. The company is trying to connect with new artists, and this project will be a return to Grant’s roots. “She’s a Citadel graduate, and a Lowcountry girl,” Gilliard said. Dot, presented at the Queen Street Playhouse, will run June 2-12. Get tickets at piccolospoleto.com.
Dracula show includes exploration by Stoker descendant
A descendant of Bram Stoker, a lawyer/psychic medium, and a Halloween-born horror fanatic walk onto a stage. What follows is a multimedia exploration of Stoker’s singular mind. The horror fanatic, actor Braxton Williams, who portrays Stoker in the show, said it’s unlike anything he’s seen before. Williams, along with Dacre Stoker (great grand-nephew of Bram) and paranormal expert and medium Andrea St. Amand, first mounted the show last October in a two-night
Bram Stoker descendant Dacre Stoker (left), Andrea St. Amand and Braxton Williams present Secrets of Dracula...Unearthed. engagement at the Charleston Library Society, ahead of this year’s 125th anniversary of the publication of Dracula. Dacre is devoted to meticulous research into his ancestor, and the show is stuffed with it from projected slides and clips from a 2014 PBS documentary about vam CONTINUED ON PAGE 6
Festival Sponsors
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Piccolo Spoleto salutes its sponsors
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handcrafted ART. handpicked ARTISTS.
Theater CONTINUED FROM PAGE 4
pirism to reenactments of the only interview Bram ever gave. There’s also a scene from the novel where Dracula crashes his ship on the cliffs of Whitby. “There are all sorts of interesting little connections peppered throughout the story,” said Williams, who also added that Bram was married to Oscar Wilde’s ex-girlfriend. “Andrea is interested in it because she’s a selfdescribed literary nerd, and she’s kind of an expert on occult history as well.” Secrets of Dracula…Unearthed runs June 2-5 at the Chapel Theatre. Get tickets at piccolospoleto.com.
Pop-up play celebrates music of Laurel Canyon
Piccolo Spoleto 2022 MAY 27–JUNE 12, 2022
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When the Covid-19 pandemic hit and Village Repertory Company was forced out of its home at Woolfe Street Playhouse, the company piled into trucks and hit the road, performing outdoor shows in Charleston and around the country. Keely Enright, Village Rep’s producing artistic director, said they adapted to this new format, cultivating a low-key, aroundthe-campfire energy. They produced their own shows that focused on contemporary popular music. Ladies of the Canyon, an ode to the female folk-rock singers who congregated in Laurel Canyon in the late 1960s and early 1970s, is the ninth show of this format. The production, named after Joni Mitchell’s 1970 album, tells the story of foundational artists such as Cass Elliot, Linda Ronstadt and Janis Joplin, as well as Mitchell. “Joni Mitchell and Cass Elliot were huge, almost matrons of the music scene at the time,” said Enright. “And it’s just been really fun to sort of weave the story of these women together who really were trailblazers of their era, and to entwine their lives, their music, and also just to give them agency away from the male artists who were also very dominant.” Ladies of the Canyon, presented by the Village Repertory Company, will be at a pop-up on West Ashley Greenway on Saturday, June 4. Free to attend.
The razor-sharp wit that inspired a show
When Susan Marrash-Minnerly is discussing the title of her one-woman show about literary icon Dorothy Parker, she recites the author’s darkly witty yet inspirational poem Resume from memory without missing a beat. Marrash-Minnerly, a retired theater professor, has been dreaming about pro-
ducing a one-woman show about Dorothy Parker for decades. She began writing the show in the early ’90s with a student, and the two fell even more in love with Dorothy in the process. “It has become kind of my life’s passion project,” said Marrash-Minnerly. Now, after a 20-plus year hiatus, she has the opportunity to bring Dorothy back during Piccolo Spoleto. The play finds Dorothy on the day of her death, reflecting on her life and prolific career as a writer, which was marred by self-doubt and insecurity. Marrash-Minnerly embodies Dorothy and takes the audience on a journey into the past. Marrash-Minnerly admires Dorothy’s distinctive biting wit, but emphasizes that she wasn’t just a factory of one-liners. “I want people to know that there was more to this amazing woman than ‘Men seldom make passes at girls who wear glasses,” she said. “There was more depth to her than that.” You Might As Well Live, presented by Threshold Repertory Theatre, runs June 4 and 5. Get tickets at piccolospoleto.com.
Poe show gets the Charleston treatment
Director Chrissy Eliason grew up around death. Her parents, who happen to be named Bonnie and Clyde, owned an extermination company, which is now Eliason’s day job. She’s always been fascinated with Edgar Allan Poe, who was stationed at Sullivan’s Island in the 1820s. Eliason is excited to produce a show around his work, but her interest in his writing goes beyond the gothic. “Some of it’s dark — well, a lot of it’s dark — but he just has a way with words,” she said. The title, Cognac and Roses, is a reference to an anonymous visitor who used to leave cognac and roses at Poe’s gravestone, and the show will feature readings from some of Poe’s most famous works. When Paul O’Brien (also of Threshold Rep) reads The Raven to start the show, fog will ooze around his feet, and Eliason said his reading sends a chill down the spine. “The Tell-Tale Heart” and “The Black Cat” will be enacted as case studies in criminality, with performers in orange jumpsuits and handcuffs. But Eliason doesn’t rely too heavily on elaborate staging. “The poetry is the star,” she said. Cognac and Roses: A Toast to Edgar Allan Poe, presented by Threshold Repertory Theatre, will run June 4-11. Get tickets at piccolospoleto.com. Ellen E. Mintzer is a graduate student in the Goldring Arts Journalism and Communications Program at Syracuse University.
— CHARLESTON’S BAR G U IDE—
Threshold Rep Theatre 84Society St.
June 4, 7:30 PM June 5, 3:00 PM
COMING SOON On Stands June 15
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“You can lead a horticulture, but you can’t make her think.” ~ Dorothy Parker
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Exhibits
Dive into Piccolo Spoleto’s visual arts offerings
Piccolo Spoleto 2022 MAY 27–JUNE 12, 2022
By Nat Bono
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From oil paintings of local marshes to reimagined civil-rightsera photographs to paper cuttings made in front of your eyes, the Piccolo Spoleto festival has styles — and prices — to fit the needs of any and all visitors. Piccolo will feature some 200 artists, the vast majority of them local, in free shows ranging from large juried exhibitions to smaller installations created by students. The Juried Art Exhibition at City Gallery at Waterfront Park was selected by Marie Carladous, the curator and director of the Gap Gallery. The juried show is the first that Carladous, a photographer from Nice, France, has curated by herself. Choosing 88 artists from 185 submissions took three weeks as she focused on highlighting a variety of mediums and styles, including photography, a medium often neglected by galleries around the city. “I really tried to pick pieces that are not usually represented in galleries around Charleston,” she said. “It was really challenging to narrow it down and say ‘no’ to artists that deserve to be represented.” All but three of the 88 artists featured in the show are from South Carolina. This is the first juried show for Jeffery Dull, a trucker turned photographer, and only the third for City Paper car- “Backstroke Deveaux” (detail) by J. Kevin Foltz is part of the Juried Art Exhibition. toonist, Robert Ariail. Starting a new chapter in his career, Ariail painting, paper, woodcuts and everything said his work in oil in the show is inspired by a photograph he took in between. Meandering through the tentof Elliott Millpond in Clarendon County before it flooded in 2016. lined square is a great way to meet the art“When you’re a cartoonist, the feedback ists or pick up the perfect gift. you get isn’t as nice,” he laughed. “It’s nice to “I’m always floored every time I see what hear that people really like my work.” these artists do every year because they Anne Quattlebaum, gallery manager at I really tried to pick always push themselves to do something City Gallery, said she has a different favorite different,” said abstract painter Elaine among the works each day. “We are always pieces that are not Berlin, a committee member for the thrilled to have this exhibition and work usually represented Marion Square exhibition. “It’s such a nice with artists, many of whom have never blend of artwork, and we will be out there shown their work before,” Quattlebaum in galleries around rain or shine.” said. “It’s a vibrant exhibition to visit on a Berlin has been part of the festival for hot day to introduce yourself to our local Charleston.” 32 years. Drop by her tent to chat or pick community of artists.” —Juried Art Exhibition judge up some of the fans she gives out to beat In Wragg Square, the Craft Show preImages provided Marie Carladous the heat. sented by the Charleston Crafts Gallery City Paper cartoonist Robert Ariail has A number of smaller exhibitions will be features local artists from June 3 to his oil painting, “Elliott Millpond #5” on display around the city, too. Running June 5. And just steps away in Marion Square is the Outdoor Art Exhibition, a juried collection of 54 artists specializing in from May 27 to June 11 are The Art of in the Juried Art Exhibition.
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Discovery at Circular Congressional Church and An Exercise in Empathy at the James Island Arts and Cultural Center. An Exercise in Empathy, created by fifth-grade teacher Shelby Joffrion, is a collection of photos from the civil rights era recreated by her students at James Island Elementary School. Each student chose a photo they connected with, posed for the photo themselves and wrote about why it is meaningful to them. The original photographs will be displayed with the recreations as well as what each student had to say about them. “As soon as I saw it, it brought me to tears because it’s so powerful,” said Caroline Self, director and development coordinator for the James Island Arts and Cultural Center.
“I didn’t hesitate to include it in the festival. Seeing the students recreate some painful images is very moving. It’s a great lesson in empathy and it is so well done.” Self said she is so moved by the exhibition that she may even extend its run beyond Piccolo. Other shows include Ocho Festival 2022 on May 28 at the African Redemptive Struggle Museum, I Love You Sculpture on view May 30-31 in Marion Square, and silhouette artist Norman Owens will do live paper cuttings June 3 and 4 at George C. Birlant & Co. Nat Bono is a graduate student in the Goldring Arts Journalism and Communications Program at Syracuse University.
The Piccolo Craft Show features artists like ceramicist Anne John (top) and jewelry maker Henry Tinney (above).
Works by Robert Maniscalco (left) and John Walters (right) are just a couple of the artists represented in the Outdoor Art Exhibition in Marion Square.
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“Rose” (detail) by Carol Frances, 2022 Piccolo Spoleto Juried Art Exhibition.
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Calendar
FOR TICKETS, VISIT PICCOLOSPOLETO.COM
Charleston’s Piccolo Spoleto Festival is back with a broad range of performances — from free outdoor concerts, family-friendly fun and exhibitions to ticketed events to whet your cultural whistle in theater, music and more. Get out during the 17-day festival to experience the Holy City’s creative community. This year’s Piccolo Spoleto Festival includes a number of surprise pop-ups around Charleston as well as outdoor poetry recitations and a chamber music series that will blow you away. And, of course, Piccolo Spoleto features an outdoor arts exhibition that you know and love in Marion Square as well as two weekends of crafts markets nearby. For tickets and more information on everything about the festival, visit PiccoloSpoleto.com.
hardest working musicians. Family fun, food vendors, and the beautiful backdrop of Hampton Park make this night the ideal way to close out Piccolo Spoleto. 5 p.m., June 11. Location: Hampton Park, Charleston.
FESTIVAL TRADITIONS Sand Sculpting Competition
Visit the front beach of Isle of Palms to watch artists transform the beach into art as they compete for prizes in six categories of the annual sand sculpting competition. Family-friendly and free. 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., June 11. Location: Isle of Palms, front beach.
Piccolo Spoleto Finale
Piccolo Spoleto 2022 MAY 27–JUNE 12, 2022
The consummate culmination for another memorable festival, as friends, family, and neighbors gather and groove to a fantastic lineup with an infectious vibe that brings together some of Charleston’s
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MUSIC All shows are ticketed. Visit: PiccoloSpoleto.com.
Early Music Series
A major part of Piccolo Spoleto since 1986, the Early Music Series this year moves to Saint Mary’s Catholic Church, 89 Hasell St., Charleston. Bach, Vivaldi, and Mozart are the composers that will be featured in an intimate setting with stunning acoustics. All concerts start at 3 p.m. and last an hour. Buy tickets ($25) online. June 1 – Bach’s Violin June 2, 8 – Mozart in Old St. Mary’s June 7 – The Virtuoso Recorder
Chamber Music
CP file photo
The Isle of Palms sand-sculpting competition attracts hundreds of people.
Piccolo Spoleto Festival’s chamber music offerings in 2022 feature unique performances from world-class musicians who call Charleston home. For tickets, visit PiccoloSpoleto.com. Yuriy Bekker and Gary Levinson 6 p.m., June 1, Second Presbyterian Church, 342 Meeting St., Charleston.
Note
Schedule is subject to change. Be sure to check back with the Charleston City Paper and the City of Charleston Office of Cultural Affairs for the latest up-to-date information. This selective calendar listing focuses on the June events in Piccolo Spoleto. The most up-to-date calendar information can always be found on piccolospoleto.com. piccolospoleto.com PiccoloSpoletoFestival
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Regina Helcher Yost and Friends 7 p.m., June 2; Mount Pleasant Presbyterian Church, 302 Hibben St. Mount Pleasant Charleston Academy of Music Faculty 6 p.m., June 3, Second Presbyterian Church, 342 Meeting St., Charleston. Natalia Khoma and Volodymyr Vynnytsky 6 p.m., June 4, Second Presbyterian Church, 342 Meeting St., Charleston. The Romantic Harp with Abigail Kent 6 p.m., June 6, Cannon Street Arts Center, 134 Cannon St., Charleston. Chamber Music with Yuriy Bekker and Friends 6 p.m., June 12, Kahal Kadosh Beth Elohim, 90 Hasell St., Charleston.
Taylor Festival Choir The Taylor Festival Choir, led by founder Rob Taylor, performs “Reaching for the Light,” a program of inspiring spiritual music featuring two settings. 7 p.m., June 1, Circular Congregational Church, 150 Meeting St., Charleston.
Young Artist Series at the College of Charleston All shows at The Hill Gallery, 161 Calhoun St., Charleston. A Fine Romance Noon, June 2. All That Jazz Noon, June 3. To Infinity and Beyond Noon, June 6. Mostly Mozart Noon, June 7.
Charleston Opera Theater Charleston Opera Theater and the Summerville Orchestra partner to stage this charming double bill of Bach’s Coffee Cantata and Menotti’s The Telephone. 5 p.m. June 2; 6 p.m. June 3; 4 p.m. June 4; 6:30 p.m., June 4. Location: Mercantile and Mash cafe, 701 East Bay St., Charleston.
Jazz Music lovers will hear the warm sounds of jazz throughout Piccolo Spoleto Festival in 2022. Among the treats awaiting you are:
The Charlestones Sing Everything 7 p.m., June 1. St. John’s Lutheran Church, 5 Clifford St., Charleston.
Magnolia Singers with Ann Caldwell 7 p.m., June 2. Second Presbyterian Church, 342 Meeting St., Charleston.
All that Jazz with the College of Charleston Jazz Combo 1 Noon, June 3. The Hill Gallery, College of Charleston, 161 Calhoun St., Charleston.
Gershwin and Jazz with an All-Star Cast 2 p.m., June 5. Circular Congregational Church, 150 Meeting St., Charleston.
Shaggin’ and Braggin’ Experience what is half concert and half TEDTalk about South Carolina’s music and its fun personalities. Enjoy the sounds of Dizzy Gillespie, James Brown, Hootie and the Blowfish and more. Edgy, as music always is, but appropriate for all ages! 7 p.m. and 9:30 p.m., June 4. Location: Cannon Street Arts Center, 134 Cannon St., Charleston.
Charleston Musical Heritage Series The Sound of Charleston, featuring music of Charleston’s history, from gospel to Gershwin, is a Festival favorite that this year offers more than ever. All shows at Circular Congregational Church, 150 Meeting St., Charleston. The Sound of Charleston 2 p.m., June 4 and June 8. Gershwin and Jazz with an All Star Cast 2 p.m., June 5. The Charlestones: Love is in the Air 7 p.m., June 8.
Piccolo Spoleto Rising Stars Now in its 14th year, Palmetto State Arts Education will host its Rising Stars Series,
Celtic Variety Show
6 p.m., June 6, Circular Congregational Church, 150 Meeting St., Charleston.
Post-Life Crisis
Piccolo Picks Piccolo Spoleto 2022 is back, stronger than ever. This year’s annual event will offer scores of fun, innovative programs and art experiences, according to Scott Watson, director of the City of Charleston Office of Cultural Affairs. It produces the festival that draws thousands to the city every year as a people’s companion to the internationally-recognized Spoleto Festival USA. “Come out and enjoy all of the offerings that will be available for 17 glorious days this spring,” said Watson. “It might not look exactly like it looked five years ago, but neither does your cell phone! There’s going to be a whole lot of fun going on.” This year’s festival will again feature several last-minute neighborhood “pop-up events,” as highlighted in a story in this special section. But here are five things you can count on to make memories that will last for years:
43rd Annual Piccolo Spoleto Outdoor Art Exhibition
This eclectic alternative rock band will present a multimedia event of performance art, visual art and rock music. 6 p.m., June 7, 8 and 9, Cannon Street Arts Center, 134 Cannon St., Charleston.
Free. Marion Square is transformed into a beautiful open-air market as 60 of the finest and most creative local artists exhibit and sell their work. You can view original oils, pastels, watercolors, acrylics, encaustics, photography and more. Through June 11. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday-Thursday; 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Friday-Sunday. Marion Square, King and Calhoun streets
An Evening with Contraforce
With vocals, two fiddles, guitar, and an eclectic drum setup, ContraForce blends the line between tribal folk and atmospheric klezmer. 9 p.m., June 11, Cannon Street Arts Center, 134 Cannon St., Charleston.
Piccolo Spoleto Juried Art Exhibition Free. This annual juried art exhibition presented by the City of Charleston Office of Cultural Affairs is on view at the City Gallery throughout Piccolo Spoleto. This year’s show, judged by French-born photographer Marie Carladous, highlights the recent work of artists across South Carolina featuring painting, sculpture, drawing, printmaking and photography. Noon to 5 p.m. daily through June 12. Location: City Gallery, 34 Prioleau St.
Ladino Meets Latino with Susana Behar
HALO’s Wunderbar Cabaret
3 p.m., June 12, Kahal Kadosh Beth Elohim, 90 Hasell St., Charleston.
Hailed as “glamorous on stage, but regular at home,” international opera and theater stars Leah Edwards and Dimitri Pittas will offer a journey of laughter, defeat, triumph and love. In this tale, they trade champagne toasts for changing diapers and reveal that life is never what it seems. Join them for an adventurous evening of story and song! 8:30 p.m., June 5, Cannon Street Arts Center, 134 Cannon St.
POP-UP AND NEIGHBORHOOD EVENTS
Reggae at Brittlebank – a Bob Marley Tribute
Ann Street Dance Party
Members of the Gatsby Orchestra perform swing jazz, followed by Piccolo Spoleto veterans ContraForce and Tea and Whiskey (Karin McQuade and Andrae Raffield). Instructors will be on hand to help you sharpen your steps and get into the spirit of the festival. No prior experience required! 6 p.m., June 1, Ann St., Charleston.
Don’t miss this free-to-attend Bob Marley tribute featuring members of Well Charged, Mystic Vibrations, The Destinators and Signal Fire with special guest Zandrina Dunning. This will be a reprise of the sold-out show performing the Uprising album in full plus many more hits! Come help us celebrate the undisputed King of Reggae! 6 p.m., June 6, Brittlebank Park, 185 Lockwood Drive.
Eastside Celebration featuring Momentum
Street Dance with 17th South Band
Join the 17 SOUTH Band at the Charleston Housing Authority for a not-to-miss street dance. Enjoy classic party favorites and current hits from a range of musical styles from Motown, R&B, funk, beach music and even dinner jazz. You’ll groove to the sounds of Earth Wind & Fire, Maroon 5, CONTINUED ON PAGE 12
Zandrina Dunning is the special guest for the Reggae at Brittlebank concert. Rūta Smith file photos
Come out and celebrate the arts with your neighbors in the historic Hampstead Square featuring the band Momentum, which features keyboardist Demetrius Doctor, drummer Calvin Baxter, bassist LaVonta Green, guitarists Lee Barbour and David Grimm, saxophonist Mark Sterbank, and vocalists Corinthian Doctor and Stachia Simmons. 5 p.m. June 10, Hampstead Square, 67 Columbus St.
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which will showcase six young actors, dancers, musicians, writers or visual artists in each of six programs. All shows in the parish hall of St. Matthew’s Lutheran Church, 1 Vanderhorst St., Charleston. 11 a.m. and 3 p.m., June 4. 11 a.m. and 3 p.m., June 11.
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Calendar CONTINUED FROM PAGE 11
Michael Jackson, Bruno Mars, Cee Lo Green, Justin Timberlake, Stevie Wonder, Black Eyed Peas, James Brown and many more. Presented in partnership with the City of Charleston Housing Authority. 6 p.m., June 2. Charleston Housing Authority, 900 King St., Charleston.
Encanto Movie Night in Hampton Park
Come and enjoy the screening of Encanto in Hampton Park. Deep in the Colombian mountains, the Madrigal family possesses an extraordinary secret. Each member of the family is able to perform magic. Yet at the heart of the family is 15-year-old Mirabel, who does not seem to possess any unusual abilities. Faced with this harsh reality, Mirabel struggles to reconcile her place within her family while searching for who she truly is. Bring picnics, blankets and chairs and enjoy the movie. 6 p.m., June 3, McMahon Playground/ Hampton Park, 30 Mary Murray Blvd., Charleston.
Laurel Canyon: Ladies of the Canyon
Piccolo Spoleto 2022 MAY 27–JUNE 12, 2022
The Village Repertory Company will present Laurel Canyon: Ladies of the Canyon, a story with classic music of brilliant female singers and songwriters from the 1960s and 1970s who lived and worked in idyllic Laurel Canyon. These musical
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FOR TICKETS, VISIT PICCOLOSPOLETO.COM
artists, such as Cass Elliot, Janis Joplin, Linda Ronstadt, Joan Baez, Judy Collins, Carole King and Joni Mitchell, defined a generation. This performance offers music and theatre “under the stars” in a safe outdoor venue. Conceived and directed by Keely Enright and featuring Lara Swallen, Alex Shanko, Sarah Daniel, Autumn Waddell, Tanner Dieppe and Skyler Waddell. 6 p.m., June 4, West Ashley Greenway at Farmfield Ave., Charleston.
Lancaster High School Percussion Ensemble
Comedy Beth Stelling: Comedy Special
Comedian Stelling performs with special guest Deshawn Mason 7 p.m., June 9, Charleston Music Hall, 37 John St., Charleston.
PICCOLO FRINGE COMEDY Tickets online at PiccoloSpoleto.com. All shows at 280 Meeting St., Charleston.
6 p.m., June 4 Marion Square, 329 Meeting St., Charleston.
The Have Nots! Comedy Improv Company offers powerful improvisational comedy in Charleston’s longest running show. Shows on June 3 and June 11 at 8 p.m.
Reggae at Brittlebank – a Bob Marley Tribute
Don’t miss this free-to-attend Bob Marley tribute featuring members of Well Charged, Mystic Vibrations, The Destinators and Signal Fire with special guest Zandrina Dunning. 6 p.m., June 6, Brittlebank Park, 185 Lockwood Drive., Charleston.
Eastside Celebration featuring Momentum
Come out and celebrate the arts with your neighbors in the historic Hampstead Square featuring the band Momentum. 5 p.m. June 10, Hampstead Square, 67 Columbus St., Charleston.
OTHER THEATRE 99 SHOWS
Take the Funny and Run Bring your improv suggestions. June 4, June 10. All shows at 8 p.m.
Mary Kay Has a Posse Unforgettable night of all-female improv comedy. 7:30 p.m., June 9; and 6 p.m., June 11.
F.B.I.
The full name belies the family nature of this group, Finch Boys Improv, featuring Timmy Finch and the next generation. 8 p.m., June 2.
Clean Improv Comedy Show
You can bring your parents and kids to enjoy improv. 6 p.m., June 4.
Laughway to the Weekend
Midweek fun featuring up to three acts per night. 8 p.m, June 1 and 8.
THEATER Tickets online at PiccoloSpoleto.com. Provided
Annex Dance Company returns for Piccolo Spoleto 2022 with guest instrumentalists Laura Ball and Rachael Kistler Igo.
Dot
A heartfelt holiday comedy-drama by Colman Domingo and offered by Art
Forms & Theatre Concepts. In the show, Dottie’s memory is slipping as her unique children clash over how to best care for her. Eight performances over 11 days. 8 p.m. on June 2, 3, 9, 10 and 11; 2 p.m., June 4; 3 p.m., 6 p.m., June 5; 3 p.m., June 12. Queen Street Playhouse, 20 Queen St., Charleston.
Secrets of Dracula ...Unearthed Celebrate the 125th anniversary of Dracula with dramatic readings and more, including a Dracula scholar and descendant of writer Bram Stoker. 7:30 p.m. on June 2, 3 and 4; 2 p.m. on June 4 and 5. Chapel Theater, 66 George St.
You Might As Well Live A one-woman show that’s the story of literary icon Dorothy Parker. 7:30 p.m., June 4; and 3 p.m. June 5. Threshold Repertory Theatre, 84 Society St., Charleston.
Cognac and Roses: A Toast to Edgar Allan Poe Threshold Repertory Theatre presents a dark and dreary night of dramatic retellings of Edgar Allan Poe’s most famous works of literature. 7:30 p.m., June 8, 9 and 10; 9:30 p.m., June 10; and 3 p.m., June 11. Threshold Repertory Theatre, 84 Society St., Charleston.
Stelle Di Domani Stelle Di Domani is a broad, lively series by students, faculty and alumni of the College of Charleston of Charleston’s award-winning Department of Theatre and Dance. All shows at the College of Charleston’s Chapel Theatre, 172 Calhoun St., Charleston. This season’s performances include the festival’s first stage readings in three years, and modern dance works by Annex Dance Company that celebrate the resilience of human connection (Beautifully Weathered).
Stage Readings from the Todd McNerney Playwriting Contest 4 p.m., June 1; 3 p.m., June 2 and June 3.
Beautiful Weathered 7 p.m., June 9; 6 p.m., June 10.
Romp Swamp IN THE
Live sic Mu
Sunday, June 5th • 4-8 pm
Feat. Miss Wanda Johnson Carolina Queen of Soul with Big Daddy Cade + Cotton Blue
Tickets: $30
Getty Images
What’s more apt than the L’Organo series performed in the Holy City’s churches?
Musicians will explore the range of pipe organs in nine churches throughout the Holy City in Piccolo Spoleto’s annual L’Organo performances. Learn more about the music and locations online at PiccoloSpoleto.com. Free, but contributions welcome. 10 a.m., June 2: Rees Taylor Roberts 10 a.m., June 3: Timothy Tikker 3 p.m., June 5: Anthony Rispo 10 a.m., June 6: Daniel Sansone 10 a.m., June 7: Julia Harlow 10 a.m., June 8: Debra Dickensheets 10 a.m., June 9: Jacob Benda 10 a.m., June 10: Thomas Fielding
LITERARY Sundown Poetry Series
Piccolo Spoleto’s annual Sundown Poetry Series features acclaimed poets who read from their work in the coziness of the Gibbes Museum of Art’s Lenhardt Garden (135 Meeting St. Charleston). Bring your lawn chairs and picnic baskets to this free event. Free. Performers during the first few days of the festival include: Ed Gold - 6 p.m., June 1. Lisa Hase-Jackson - 6 p.m., June 2. Chrys Tobey - 6 p.m., June 8. Richard Garcia - 6 p.m., June 9. Yvette Murray - 6 p.m., June 10.
Piccolo Fiction presented by Blue Bicycle Books
Food and beverages available for purchase. Restaurant only open to concert attendees. No coolers please.
South Carolina authors read short fiction pieces. 5 p.m., June 4, 420 King St., Charleston.
PechaKucha 39
DOCK HOUSE
Eight thought leaders will offer 20 slides for 20 seconds each in a concise, powerful, fast presentation. 8 p.m., June 7, Charleston Music Hall, 37 John St., Charleston. (Doors open at 6:30 p.m.)
VISUAL ARTS Norman Owens – Silhouette Artist
Owens, a noted Lowcountry paper cutter and silhouette artist, will make Lowcountry nature scenes live. 11 a.m., June 3 and 4. George C. Birlant & Co. 191 King St., Charleston.
1870 Bowens Island Rd.
CHARLESTON MUSICAL HERITAGE CONCERTS 5 concerts spotlighting Charleston’s musical history The Sound of Charleston From Gospel to Gershwin
Charleston’s longest running musical production featuring gospel, Gershwin, jazz, Civil War songs and light classics.
MAY 28 AT 1pm, JUNE 4 & 8 AT 2pm
Circular Congregational Church, 150 Meeting St. Charleston
DANCE Annex Dance Company
MAY 29 AT 2pm
A concert of modern dance and music presented with Laura Ball (piano) and Rachael Kistler Igo (violin). 3 p.m. and 5 p.m., June 5 S.C. Society Hall, 72 Meeting St., Charleston.
Piccolo Spoleto, the official outreach arm of Spoleto Festival USA, was founded by the City of Charleston Office of Cultural Affairs in 1979. The 2022 Piccolo Spoleto Festival is funded in part by grants from the City of Charleston, and the South Carolina Arts Commission, which receives support from the National Endowment for the Arts. Patrons with accessibility concerns should call or email the Office of Cultural Affairs at (843) 724-7305 or email CulturalAffairs@charleston-sc.gov. The Office of Cultural Affairs is open MondayFriday from 9am-5pm. ©City of Charleston Office of Cultural Affairs, 2022.
“Oh Happy Day” Gospel Music featuring the Bright Family Singers & Ensemble
with special guest, Ann Caldwell
Tickets available at Charleston Visitor Center (843) 270-4903 www.piccolospoleto.com
JUNE 5 AT 2pm
“Gershwin & Jazz” with Mayor John Tecklenburg and Mark Sterbank, “Porgy and Bess” stars Shanelle Woods and Ramelle Brooks, and “Rhapsody in Blue”
charlestoncitypaper.com
L’ORGANO
at CityPaperTickets.com
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Music
Post-Life Crisis makes its Piccolo debut
Piccolo Spoleto 2022 MAY 27–JUNE 12, 2022
By Gabriel Veiga
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Radiohead, Nirvana, Bob Dylan, the Cure: Most of Post-Life Crisis’s musical influences will likely sound familiar to Piccolo Spoleto audiences on June 7, 8 and 9. But Charlestonians may not expect what they’ll see on the walls and stage when it plays at PURE Theatre on Cannon Street. Why the name “Post-Life Crisis?” Well, three of the five band members are either retired or well into their careers — and not as musicians. Acoustic guitarist/vocalist Gary Smith, 68, was a journalist for Sports Illustrated from 1983 to 2013. Lead guitarist/ mandolinist Jim Prutting, 57, has been a health care consultant for many years. And vocalist/keyboardist Duke Hagerty, 72, was a plastic surgeon until recently. As these older members and their nearly 200 years of combined life experience turn the page on their careers, they are marking their “post-life” era by playing in a band. And then there’s the word “crisis.” “It’s, you know, kind of a play on ‘mid-life crisis,’ ” Smith said. It’s really a new life for Smith, who spent the first 55 years of his life not playing any instruments or doing music of any sort. “I started learning from scratch,” he said. “I’ve always loved music but never played. I just decided it’s time to learn. Learn this trade.” He describes Hagerty as having “a very unusual perspective on the world and an unusual eye,” which you can see from the paintings on his website — or at the Piccolo show. “His art is highly incorporated into our act,” Smith said. “We kind of jive up his artwork and a number of our songs to our lyrics. You know, trying to find interesting images in his art to connect with our stuff.” The band tried to use these visuals in its shows at Awendaw Green in the past, according to the venue’s owner, Eddie White. “Unfortunately, it didn’t work out at my place because it wasn’t dark enough to have a multimedia presentation,” White said. “But I can assume that is what is going to happen at the Piccolo event, which will be very, very exciting to see.” It will happen this time, and Smith is just as excited about it. He said this mix of rock concert and arts show makes Post-Life Crisis a great match for Piccolo. “Piccolo is, you know, all about performance,” he said. “It’s about dance. It’s about music. It’s about visuals. We knew that just to go out there and play a set of music like a regular rock band wasn’t going to fit
Members of Post-Life Crisis perform June 7-9.
Vocalist and keyboardist Duke Hagerty’s artwork is incorporated into Post-Life Crisis’ performance
into what they did. We felt like what we naturally are does fit.” The band’s bass player, Blake Ryan, said having PURE Theatre as a venue allows them to project images and other great theatrical opportunities. “They’ve taken this old church and renovated the inside and have a wonderful, wide semicircle stage with a lot of room for props and other things and design plays and performances,” said Ryan. The artwork and the music will bring to light the theme of crisis — but not just the midlife kind. “[Crisis] not just in terms of life,” Ryan said, “but crisis in terms of climate change and crisis in terms of the pandemic and everything.” By addressing those world issues in the show, Smith said, the goal is to bring awareness but also a little hope. “We’re dealing with some heavy stuff, the crisis facing mankind,” he said. “But we wanted to do it with some heart and hope and humor, so it’s not just a sledgehammer to the skull.” But the show will begin with a “sledgehammer,” for sure. “The first song that’s going to kind of set the tone for the whole crisis theme is called ‘World Need an Ambulance,’ ” Smith said. “Then it goes on from there, you know, spiraling further and further into the crises.” At 25 and 30, respectively, Ryan and drummer John Ewing are roughly half the age of their fellow band members. Given how far they still are from midlife crises or
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Images provided
We’re dealing with some heavy stuff, the crisis facing mankind. But we wanted to do it with some heart and hope and humor, so it’s not just a sledgehammer to the skull.” —Guitarist/vocalist Gary Smith
retirement, they said they are glad to have climate change and pandemic crises that they can relate to from the band’s material. “Every time I tell people the name of the band, they’re like, ‘I hope there are some older people,’ ” Ryan said. But he loves the name Post-Life Crisis. “I think it’s a great name to throw out there because people will instantly recognize it. And one day, I’ll probably come to recognize it,” he laughed. Post-Life Crisis will perform June 7, 8 and 9 at PURE Theatre, 134 Cannon St., Charleston. Its set starts at 6 p.m. Find tickets under the ‘Theater’ link at PiccoloSpoleto.com. Gabriel Veiga is a graduate student in the Goldring Arts Journalism and Communications Program at Syracuse University.
THE CHARLESTON QUEER ADULT PROM SAT, JUN 4 AT 7PM FIREFLY DISTILLERY
‘MURICA BAR CRAWL ON KING STREET SAT, JUN 18 AT 3PM VARIOUS LOCATIONS
CAMPING FOR RAINBOW KITTEN SURPRISE FRI, JUL 1 AT 12PM WOODLANDS NATURE RESERVE
BABYLON BUS TOUR: STEPHEN MARLEY FRI, JUL 1 AT 7PM FIREFLY DISTILLERY
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