Spoleto on stage

That the word "theater" derives from the Greek theatron, or "seeing place," is apt. Centuries before the advent of the novel, and more than two millennia in advance of the art of the motion picture, the theater harbored both the dominant entertainment and edification of the age.

It was where people went to learn how their world might be interpreted or deciphered, and where the best performers brought a certain something extra to their roles that even the playwright might not have envisioned.

For their second weekend of stage offerings, the 35th Spoleto Festival USA and 33rd Piccolo Spoleto Festival underscore the maxim, beginning with Spoleto's duo of "The Red Shoes" and "The Cripple of Inishmaan."

Following triumphs with "Tristan & Yseult" in 2006 and "Don John" in 2009, Cornwall, England-based Kneehigh Theatre returns to the Spoleto Festival to lend fresh perk to "The Red Shoes." An innovative company directed by Emma Rice, Kneehigh's reimagining of the Hans Christian Andersen classic -- billed as a "luscious physical fairy tale" -- spotlights the troupe's meld of original music and creative stagecraft.

Apart from today's 8 p.m. show at Memminger Auditorium, this weekend's performances are at 2 p.m. Saturday and 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. Sunday.

Presented by Ireland's Druid Theatre Company and directed by Tony Award-winner Garry Hynes, playwright Martin McDonagh's "The Cripple of Inishmaan" is a rousing dark comedy set in 1934 on a remote island off the west coast of Ireland. When word arrives that a Hollywood director is shooting a film on location, excitement ripples through the community. But no amateur thespian is as determined to win a part in the film as one "Cripple" Billy, one of a host of colorful characters on view.

Weekend performances at the Dock Street Theatre are slated for 8 p.m. Friday, 3:30 and 8 p.m. Saturday, and 3:30 p.m. Sunday.

Of Piccolo's remarkable 41 theatrical presentations, 28 will be on view today through Sunday.

Among the highlights are Pure Theatre's rendition of David Mamet's "Race" (334 East Bay St., Suite 1), the Obie-winning best musical "The Me Nobody Knows" produced by Art Forms and Theatre Concepts (Footlight Players Theatre), the Shakespeare Project at the College of Charleston's "Shakespeare's R&J" (Chapel Theatre), What If? Productions' riotous "Hedwig and the Angry Inch" (American Theatre), the dark zombie comedy "H. Apocalyptus" from the Salvage Company of New York, Martin Dockery's one-man show "The Bike Trip" (Theatre 99), RogueArts Production's and Creative Spark's "Mark Twain Final Tour" (Footlight Players Theatre).

For a complete list of locations, show times and ticket information, visit www.postandcourier.com/spoleto.

Reach Bill Thompson at 937-5707.