SPOLETO: Talking Gullah, talking Amistad from Dan Conover on Vimeo.

There are plenty of reasons to pay attention to Amistad this season. It’s an opera — which always means a high profile at Spoleto USA — it’s leading things off with this year’s eve-of-the-festival preview, it christens the restored Memminger Auditorium, and the festival staff has clearly invested a lot of energy in building a program of related events around the production.

Earlier today I toted the camera down to Memminger Auditorium for a meet-the-press session with some of the big guns from Amistad. I came away fairly well impressed by the creative commitment I saw on display there. Read the rest of this entry »

PICCOLO SPOLETO JAZZ SERIES KICK-OFF CELEBRATION

Sunday, May 18, Footlight Players Theatre, 5 p.m.

jazzartistsofcharleston.org
Featuring the “who’s who” of jazz in Charleston to kick-off this year’s Piccolo Spoleto Jazz Series:

Music in the alley by The Pulse Trio. Main stage concert by virtually all of the headliners for this year’s Jazz Series starts at 6 p.m. and continues through the evening. Tickets are available now through etix.com. $25/general admission and $50/VIP. VIP tickets include a JAC gift bag with this year’s Commemorative Jazz Series poster, CDs and more. Performances by Ann Caldwell, Lee Barbour, Leah Suárez, Kevin Hackler, Duda Lucena, Havanason, Garage Cuban Band, Robert Lewis & Fearless Jones, The Gradual Lean, Mark Sterbank, Bobbie Storm, Tommy Gill and more.  The Piccolo Spoleto Box Office will also be on-site to sell tickets.

Here’s the Jazz Series:
MAY 24 - JUNE 6:
UPSTAIRS AT MISTRAL

Jazz Artists of Charleston, in partnership with the City of Charleston Office of Cultural Affairs, presents UPSTAIRS AT MISTRAL - A twelve night series featuring Charleston’s Finest Jazz Artists during the 2008 Piccolo Spoleto Festival , SATURDAY, MAY 24 through FRIDAY, JUNE 6 at Mistral Restaurant located at 99 S. Market Street. The shows will take place in the cozy setting of the upstairs banquet room of Mistral, a favorite French bistro that has been featuring live jazz in the heart of the historic district for many years. Participating bands will perform 2 shows per night - 7:30 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. Each show lasts 90 minutes with no intermission. Tickets are $15 general admission per show and are available now through the Piccolo Spoleto Box Office or online at ticketmaster.com. Food and beverages will be available for purchase. Complete schedule and details at jazzartistsofcharleston.org.

MAY 31:
CUBAN BLOCK PARTY

City of Charleston Office of Cultural Affairs and Jazz Artists of Charleston present Cuban Block Party, Saturday, May 31 in Marion Square Park. The festivities begin at 7 p.m. with dance lessons by Cristina Reyes Smith and music by Garage Cuban Band and DJ Luigi. Headlining the event is Charleston’s only salsa band, Havanason, as a 12-piece ensemble, featuring musicians Victor del Castillo, Gerardo Aguillon and Jose “Pepe” Veras from Miami and award winning musical director, Fernando Rivas. Silvana Bravo will serve as a bilingual Master of Ceremonies for the evening and Suárez Soccer School and Socci will offer activities for all ages. The sounds and flavor of Cuba add spice and zest to this admission-free block party in historic downtown Charleston.
CABARET KIKI - MAY 14 - 17

Kiki est retourné! In it’s third year of existence, Charleston’s one-of-a-kind multi-media, multi-disciplinary art collective, influenced by both the turn of the 20th century cabaret houses of Berlin and Paris and the glam and punk movements of the 70s and 80s, presents a run of shows that guarantee to get you in the mood for Spoleto. Join emcee Jonny Panick, chanteuse Caramella Guillotine, and a cast of brightly (and scantily) costumed characters in an evening of song, dance, improvisation, and satire. This time Kiki brings new songs, new skits, and new faces to Theatre 99, and all shows start at 10 p.m., so leave the kids at home.

cabaretkiki.com
myspace.com/cabaretkiki