Charleston Stage Announces 9/1 Reopening With BRIGHT STAR

Charleston Stage is happy to announce our plans for a full season of live, in-person performances to return this fall to the Historic Dock Street Theatre.

Now in their 44th season in residence at the Dock Street Theatre, with programming at the Pearl Theatre and West Ashley Theatre Center, they have planned a full lineup of plays and musicals when the curtain rises this fall.

"This will be a season of reopening and reimagining," announced Julian Wiles, Charleston Stage's Founder and Producing Artistic Director. "Our first live show, after a 17 month hiatus, will be the Charleston premiere of Steve Martin and Edie Brickell's acclaimed bluegrass musical, Bright Star- a show that was in rehearsal when Charleston Stage shuttered performances in March 2020.

We're excited to bring this unique, toe-tapping Broadway musical to the Dock Street Theatre stage. Set in the mountains of North Carolina, this imaginative and original musical of loss and redemption feels like the perfect way to bring full-scale, live theatre back to the Dock Street stage. Of course, we will continue to closely monitor the pandemic situation across the fall and will follow all CDC, State and City guidelines and other COVID safety protocols required at the time of our reopening. The safety of our audiences and performers will be paramount."

To this end, masks will be required at all performances, and we encourage all attendees to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. All Charleston Stage cast, crew and staff are fully vaccinated and will be wearing masks. Cast and crew will be COVID tested weekly.

The 2021-22 Season lineup incudes a full range of Tony/Olivier/Grammy Award-winning plays and musicals, including five Charleston or Dock Street Theatre Premieres: Kinky Boots, Bright Star, Black Pearl Sings!, Agatha Christie's Murder on the Orient Express, and The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show. Our extensive Education Programs, which reach over 20,000 Lowcountry youth annually, will return as well, with COVID safety protocols in place as needed.

"We are not just reopening," announced Marybeth Clark, Charleston Stage's Associate Artistic Director and Director of Education, "we have taken this time while we couldn't perform live to reflect and reimagine our mission. During our COVID shutdown we engaged in ongoing conversations with a diverse group of community leaders in education, religious, and non-profit organizations across the city, and listened carefully to their experiences and suggestions for how we might improve our programming and broaden inclusion. We are excited to announce a number of new projects in the works that are drawn from these discussions. These include, CityStage, a series of new initiatives to expand Charleston Stage's programs and partnerships in the community.

CityStage initiatives will include expanded after school programming in underserved schools, programs to offer low cost tickets to our MainStage productions to underserved communities and organizations that serve them, as well as engaging in new partnerships between Charleston Stage's Resident Professional Acting Company and area schools, religious organizations and community groups. In May 2022, a free community tour of Treasure Island Carolina, a retelling of the classic pirate tale set along the Carolina coast, will tour parks, schools and community centers to reach underserved audiences throughout the Lowcountry."

CityStage will be overseen by a new, still-to-be-named, full-time Community Engagement Coordinator. Our expanded Resident Professional Acting Company members will also be at the forefront of CityStage efforts, both performing and serving as teachers in the expanded educational programming. The Resident Professional Acting Company of ten includes young full-time, professional actors drawn from around the country.

Our full season lineup of outstanding plays and musicals will return as well, including 5 Charleston premieres, Tony/Olivier/Grammy Award-winners, as well as the return of past run-away hits and audience favorites! Audiences will enjoy Steve Martin's bluegrass Broadway musical Bright Star, the suspenseful and thrilling Agatha Christie's Murder On the Orient Express, the magical holiday return of Elf The Musical, the riveting and moving play Black Pearl Sings!, Noel Coward's spirited classic comedy Blithe Spirit, and the triple award-winning musical Kinky Boots! Plus, three great Family Series productions: Junie B. Jones Is Not a Crook, The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show, and Charlotte's Web.

Season Tickets for our 2021-22 season are currently available here. Single tickets for the opening production of Bright Star can be purchased by clicking here. Remaining productions will go on sale on September 27th. Patrons with vouchers or canceled tickets should fill out the Google Form linked here to request their new performance dates. Please redeem your tickets or convert to a donation by September 30th.

For ticketing questions, please leave a message at 843.577.7183 (Tues - Fri, 1pm - 5pm) or email boxoffice@charlestonstage.com and a Box Office Associate will be happy to assist you. Please note that due to high volume and limited staffing response times may be delayed. Your patience is appreciated.

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