2019
January 31 – PechaKucha 33 at the Charleston Music Hall
As the seventh in an ongoing collaboration with Charleston Music Hall, PechaKucha 33 presenters were Nicholas Rehberg, architect and developer; Becky Burke & Xan Mclaughlin, founders of Bread + Butter; Farrah Hoffmire, founder of Heart: Artist Guild and Theatre Company for Adults with Special Needs; Kanika Moore, singer-songwriter; Harlan Greene, historian, novelist, and archivist at the College of Charleston, documenting especially the LGBTQ life of the city; Lindsay Holler, singer-musician and founder of the uber-popular “Women &” series; Maura Hogan, arts critic and writer for the Post & Courier; Venita Aspen, creative director of the Aspen Agency.
Poster Design: Blake Suarez. Emcee: Joel Sadler of Sightsee. DJ: Professor Ping.
June 5 – PechaKucha 34 at the Charleston Music Hall
As the eighth in a continuing collaboration with Charleston Music Hall, the stellar presenters were Jesse Blom, Executive Director of the Green Heart Project; Nayda & Erik Hutson, owners of Renzo and Faculty Lounge; Adam Parker, arts and entertainment writer and critic for the Post & Courier; Haydn Haring, actor; Brandon Brooks, musician and co-creator of Jyve mobile app; Hunter Park, She Returns From War singer and songwriter; Ben Cash, founding partner, Reason One digital agency; David Mandel, actor and photographer.
Poster Design: Alan Jackson and Michael Hayes. Emcees: Miles White and Femi Oyediran of Graft Wine Shop. DJ: Professor Ping.
October 4-November 2 – “Above the Radar”
As the opener of its landmark fourth season, from October 4 through November 2, 2019, the Charleston Arts Festival, in collaboration with Charleston magazine, proudly partnered for a second time with Redux Contemporary Art Center in mounting “Above the Radar” as the signature visual arts offering of CAF’s season.
“Above the Radar” was conceived to be a revisiting of the creativity of the notable local artists who were selected for inclusion in Charleston’s landmark 2006 and 2011 “Under the Radar” print features and City Gallery shows. Exhibiting artists from the class of 2006: Adrienne Antonson, Townsend Davidson, Kat Hastie Williamson, Alice Keeney, Julie Klaper, Katie Leonard, Karin Olah, Joel Parker, and Shannon Wood. Featured artists from 2011: Donna Cooper Hurt, Rebecca West Fraser, Nina Garner, Greg Hart, Alan Jackson, Salter Scharstein, and Lauren Frances Moore Evans.
“Another Opening, Another Show”
The Charleston Arts Festival was very proud to announce its first-ever foray into the arena of theatre in partnering with three of the city’s premier theatre companies: What If? Productions, PURE Theatre, and the Footlight Players. Each of these unique and distinctive companies produced works aligned with the distinct mission of their company.
September 20-29 – Wonder of the World at Queen Street Playhouse
What If? Productions mounted the regional premiere of David Lindsay-Abaire’s fantastic satire, Wonder of the World, as the opening production of their tenth anniversary season. Following its much-lauded Off-Broadway debut in 2001, Wonder of the World had received numerous revivals since and has been characterized thus: “Smart, funny, and twisted, Wonder of the World is refreshingly original.”
October 2-5 – Choir Boy at Dock Street Theatre
As the second offering of its landmark seventeenth season, PURE Theatre mounted the regional premiere of Tarrell Alvin McCraney’s acclaimed, four-time Tony Award-nominated Choir Boy as a featured offering of the Moja Festival. Choir Boy was directed by Sharon Graci, artistic director and co-founder of PURE Theatre.
