Theater - Fall Arts Preview

Charleston Stage

Charleston Stage will celebrate its 30th anniversary this season with a cornucopia of musicals and plays. However, the troupe will not perform in the Dock Street Theatre, its usual venue, because of renovation on the historic building. Founded by Artistic Director Julian Wiles, the company is known for its lavish musicals.

Season ticket packages will vary according to the venue. The Sottile Theatre Series is $60-$83; The American Theater Series is $74-$100 and a combination series is $124-$170. These prices do not include the two children's plays at the Sottile Theatre.

For information, call 577-5967 or go online at www.charlestonstage.com. Group discounts are also available.

Sottile Broadway Musical Series

SEPT. 5-23: "Gershwin at Folly," with music and lyrics by George Gershwin and Ira Gershwin, additional lyrics by DuBose Heyward, book by Julian Wiles, orchestrations by Christopher Donison.

NOV. 29-Dec. 23: "Disney's Beauty and the Beast" with music by Alan Menken, lyrics by Howard Ashman and Tim Rice, book by Linda Woolverton.

FEB. 28-March 9: "Fiddler on the Roof" with book by Joseph Stein, lyrics by Sheldon Hardwick.

American Theater Contemporary Series

OCT. 10-27: "Tick, Tick ... Boom!" by Jonathon Larson.

OCT. 31-NOV. 17: "I am My Own Wife" by Doug Wright.

DEC. 6-22: "The Santaland Diaries" by David Sedaris.

JAN. 30-FEB. 16: "Bad Dates" by Theresa Rebeck.

APRIL 2-26: "Greater Tuna" by Joe Sears, Jaston Williams and Ed Howard.

Sottile Theatre Children's Series

JAN. 11-12: "James and the Giant Peach" by Roald Dahl, adapted by David Wood (children's theater).

APRIL 11-12: "A Year With Frog and Toad" by Willie Reale with music by Robert Reale, based on the books by Arnold Lobel.

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Footlight Players

The Footlight Players, the oldest theater group in the Lowcountry, was founded 76 years ago. All plays are performed at 20 Queen St., a former cotton warehouse. Early supporters of the theater were DuBose Heyward, Alfred Hutty and Josephine Pinckney. Jocelyn Edwards is the executive director, and Robert Ivey is the artistic director. In addition to the six-play mainstage series, the theater presents the Salt and Battery Season of two plays that are more avant-garde and start late at night. Also, a Christmas show for children will be staged in collaboration with the Actors' Theatre of South Carolina and Chamber Music Charleston. Season tickets are $135 general public and $120, senior citizens 62 and older and students. Tickets for individual shows range from $15 to $30.

For tickets, call 722-4487.

through SEPT. 16: "Accomplice" by Rupert Holmes.

OCT. 26-Nov. 11: "Sweet Sue" by A.R. Gurney.

NOV. 30-DEC. 16: "A Tuna Christmas" by Joe Sears, Jaston Williams and Ed Howard.

JAN. 25-FEB. 10: "Crowns" by Regina Taylor.

MARch 7-23: "The Violet Hour" by Richard Greenberg.

APRIL 25-MAY 11: "The Full Monty" by Terrance McNally.

Christmas show

DEC. 21-24: "A Child's Christmas in Wales" by Dylan Thomas.

Salt and Battery Season

Oct. 11-20: "Things You Shouldn't Say Past Midnight" by Peter Ackerman.

JAN. 3-12: "Matt and Ben" by Mindy Kaling and Brenda Withers.

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Pure Theatre

Dedicated to "knock-your-socks-off" drama and comedy, Pure Theatre is in the Cigar Factory, 701 East Bay St. Founded in 2002 by co-artistic directors and professional actors Sharon Graci and Rodney Lee Rogers, the theater specializes in new works and cutting-edge, sometimes controversial, plays by new playwrights such as Neil LaBute, Rebecca Gilman and Tracy Letts. Many of the matinees on Sundays are preceded by a free brunch.

Actor and director R.W. Smith is the Pure company manager.

Through November, plays will be performed in the black box theater in the Cigar Factory, but because the building has been sold, subsequent productions will be held in venues to be announced. Tickets are $25 for each play and $100 for a season ticket. To purchase, call 723-4444 or go online at www.puretheatre.org.

through SEPT. 22: "Shining City" by Conor McPherson.

NOV. 16-DEC.8: "Rabbit Hole" by David Lindsay-Abaire.

JAN. 11-FEB. 2: "Diary of a Madman," a world premiere by Rodney Lee Rogers.

APRIL 25-MAY 17: "Eurydice" by Sarah Ruhl.

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College of Charleston Theater Series

Plays and musicals featuring College of Charleston students, faculty and occasionally community actors are held in the Emmett Robinson Theatre in the Simons Center for the Arts, 54 St. Philip St. and in the 100-seat Chapel Theatre, 172 Calhoun St.

Todd McNerney, chairman of the theater department, says, "Our goal, which we think we have accomplished, is to provide community audiences and students with significant, challenging, poignant and entertaining theater. From classical Greek comedy to contemporary cutting-edge drama, from musical theater to re-imagined fairy tales, our season is the most comprehensive in the area."

Season tickets are $91 for the general public; $56 for College of Charleston faculty, staff, students and for senior citizens 60 and older. Tickets to individual shows are $10 to $15. To order season tickets, call 953-6306. Opening nights feature "talk-backs," which are discussions the cast and crew have with the audience.

Through SEPT. 4: "Richard III" by William Shakespeare.

OCT. 4-9: "Lysistrata" by Aristophanes.

NOV. 8-13: "The Ash Girl" by Timberlake Wertenbaker.

JAN. 16-27: "Some Girl(s)" by Neil LaBute.

FEB. 21-26: "Quilters" by Molly Newman and Barbara Damashek.

APRIL 10-15: "The Arabian Knights" by Mary Zimmerman.

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Flowertown Players

Located in the James F. Dean Community Theatre, the Flowertown Players has finished its first play of the season, "Deja Vu," and will present five more productions at the venue at 133 S. Main St., Summerville, during the 2007-08 season.

Naomi Chaitkin Nimmo is executive director of the theater, which stages a variety of comedies, dramas and musicals. Receptions are held following each opening night at the theater.

Season tickets are $50 for the general public and $45 for students and senior citizens. Tickets for individual shows are $20 for the general public and $17 for students and senior citizens. For tickets, call 875-9251 or purchase at the door. For further information, go online at www.flowertownplayers.org.

OCT. 5-20: "Of Mice and Men" by John Steinbeck.

DEC. 3-8: "Peter Pan" by J.M. Barrie.

JAN. 25-FEB. 9: "Eleemosynary" by Lee Blessing.

MARCH 10-15: "Cinderella: Or How Pipsqueak the Mouse Became a Stallion" by Will Averill.

MAY 2-17: "Noises Off" by Michael Frayn.

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Theatre 99

Theatre 99, the umbrella organization for The Have Nots!, the state's only full-time improvisational group, was formed in 1995 by Timmy Finch, Greg Tavares and Brandy Sullivan.

The troupe presents shows at its theater, 280 Meeting St., above The Bicycle Shoppe with the entrance at the rear of the building.

Tickets are $10 to $12.

Three or four times a month, the "Improv Riot" will feature 35 improvisers in a fast-paced show based on audience suggestions. Other offerings held one to three times a month include Improv Smackdown.

Call 853-6687 or go online at www.thehavenots.com for information on dates and times.

NOV. 10: Improv-A-Thon.

JAN. 16-19: Charleston Comedy Festival.

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Actors' Theatre of South Carolina

Formed a decade ago, the Actors' Theatre of South Carolina is co-directed by professional actors Chris Weatherhead, originally from Los Angeles, and South Carolina native Clarence Felder.

The troupe performs all over the state and produces history-based movies filmed in South Carolina.

For more information, call 588-9636 or go online to actorstheatreofsc.org.

OCT. 20, 21: Folly Beach Fine Arts Festival with performances at various times. Check Web site for listings.

OCT. 24: "Seven Ages of Man: Shakespeare's Saints & Sinners" starring Miles Pittman and soloist Bettina Beard. 7 p.m. Free. Location TBA.

DEC. 21-24: "A Child's Christmas in Wales" by Dylan Thomas, starring Clarence Felder in collaboration with Chamber Music Charleston and the Footlight Players at Footlight Players theater. For tickets, call 722-4487.

FEB. 24: "Beethoven: His Women & His Music" starring Clarence Felder with Chamber Music Charleston at 3 p.m. at Circular Congregational Church. For tickets, call 763-4941.

FEB. 25: "Beethoven: His Women & His Music" at 7 p.m. as part of the Kiawah Island House Concerts Series, 206 Fiddler's Court. For tickets, call 763-4941.

MARCH 14: "Pirates! The Revenge of Colonel Rhett" by Clarence Felder and Michael Easler, North Charleston Performing Arts Dinner Theatre Series at the Charleston Area Convention Center. For tickets and time, call 745-1087.

MARCH: Folly Beach Spring Festival. Performances TBA. Check the Actor's Theatre's Web site for updates.

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Best of Broadway

The Best of Broadway season will include five touring productions of Broadway musicals and two special events. Season tickets are available for four, five or seven shows with prices starting at $129.

All shows are held at the North Charleston Performing Arts Center in North Charleston. Tickets may be purchased at the Coliseum advance box office, 5001 Coliseum Drive, by calling the hot line at 202-2787 or online at www.coliseumpac.com.

OCT. 2-3: 'Hairspray.'

NOV. 6-7: 'Cats' by Andrew Lloyd Webber.

DEC. 7-8: 'Gypsy.'

JAN. 15-16: 'Evita.'

FEB. 5-6: 'Movin' Out,' with music by Billy Joel and choreography by Twyla Tharp.

Special events

NOV. 18: 'Rain: The Beatles Experience.'

FEB. 9: Art Garfunkel in concert.

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Art Forms and Theatre Concepts

The troupe Art Forms and Theatre Concepts, founded and directed by Art Gilliard, was started more than a decade ago with the intent of bringing to local stages both vintage and new plays, and musicals dealing with the African-American experience.

The group has performed at a number of Piccolo Spoleto festivals.

Tickets are $20 for the general public and $15 for senior citizens.

For more information, call 722- 2220.

DEC. 13-15: 'Christmas Coming Uptown.'

FEB. 7-9: 'Ashes to Africa.'

TBA: 'Pomp and Circumstances.'

TBA: 'One Monkey Don't Stop No Show.'