05.17.2023

Today’s Forecast

80º | Scattered thunderstorms | 40% chance of rain | Sunrise 6:25 a.m. | Sunset 8:27 p.m.

Say hello to these new plays

The stage has been set for the cast and plays of the 2024 SC New Play Festival

A poster with the text "SC New Play Fest Aug. 8 - 11" set against drawings of Greenville landmarks.

Catch “The Essential Alice” directed by two-time TONY winner Des McAnuff at the Gunter Theatre. | Photo provided

The second annual SC New Play Festival takes the Greenville stage from Thursday, August 10 to Sunday, August 13.

We’re shining a spotlight on this year’s never-before-seen plays, musicals, and a variety show, featuring work of TONY winners, Upstate locals, and even a performance from Broadway’s current Alexander Hamilton.

The plays

“The Game” | Thursday, August 10 | 7 p.m. | CentreStage, 501 River St. | Written by Rhett Guter and directed by West Hyler, this show combines mind-blowing illusions with high-quality dances.

“A Black-billed Cuckoo” | Friday, August 11 | 7 p.m. | Greenville Theatre, 444 College St. | Written by Mat Smart and directed by Shelley Butler, this comedy follows a close-knit birding group in Brooklyn’s Prospect Park.

“Kween” | Saturday, August 12 | 2 p.m. | Warehouse Theatre, 37 Augusta St. | Written by Vichet Chum and directed by Pirronne Yousefzadeh, this play follows a queer Cambodian American teen’s journey to find her voice after her dad’s deportation.

“The Essential Alice” | Saturday, August 12 | 7 p.m. | Gunter Theatre at the Peace Center, 300 S. Main St. | This musical adaptation of Lewis Carroll’s “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland” features music by the late Michael Friedman, a book by Annie Weisman, and is directed by two-time TONY winner Des McAnuff.

“Catching the Moon: The Story of a Young Girl’s Baseball Dream” | Sunday, August 13 | 3 p.m. | South Carolina Children’s Theatre, 153 Augusta St. | Written by Tyrone L. Robinson and Nichole Jackson and directed by Upstate native Clark E. Nesbitt, this musical tells the true story of Marcenia Lyle, who became the first Black woman to play for a professional baseball team.

Are you a seasoned actor or looking to make your debut? Audition for one of this year’s shows.

The cabaret

Miguel Cervantes | Sunday, August 13 | 7 p.m. | Westin Poinsett Ballroom, 120 S. Main St. | From originating the role of Alexander Hamilton in Hamilton’s Chicago production before heading to the Richard Roger’s Theater where he currently plays the role on Broadway, Miguel shares songs and backstage stories from his time in “Hamilton,” “American Idiot,” “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee,” and more.

Want to support the festival? Become a VIP.

Events

Wednesday, May 17

Reedy River Wetlands Preserve Grand Opening | Wednesday, May 17 | 11 a.m.-5 p.m. | Reedy River Wetlands Preserve at Unity Park, 165 Meadow St., Greenville | Free | Explore the new Reedy River Wetlands Preserve at Unity Park.
Lunchbox Learning | Wednesday, May 17 | 12-1 p.m. | Upcountry History Museum, 540 Buncombe St., Greenville | $9-$12 | Learn about the life and legacy of Max Moses Heller, a Jewish refugee from Vienna, Austria, who built a successful manufacturing firm in Greenville.
Ride of Silence | Wednesday, May 17 | 7 p.m. | Prisma Health Swamp Rabbit Trail, near Unity Park, Greenville | Free | Join in this local edition of a worldwide ride where cyclists ride silently and slow-paced to honor of those who have been injured or killed while cycling on public roadways.
Modern Art and Fine Wine Preview Reception at Brunk Auctions | Wednesday, May 17 | 5-7 p.m. | Brunk Auctions, 117 Tunnel Rd., Asheville | Free | Enjoy wine and hors d’oeuvres, view an impressive collection of Important Modern Art and Rare Federal Furniture plus 500+ bottles of Rare and Vintage Wines from the Collection of Jean and Jim Barrow.*

Thursday, May 18

NEXT Accelerator Showcase | Thursday, May 18 | 6-8 p.m. | Greenville ONE Center, 2 W. Washington St., Greenville | Free | The cohort members of the NEXT Accelerator will deliver their final four-minute pitches in front of a crowd and share what they’ve learned throughout this 10-week program — networking to follow.

Friday, May 19

The Vintage Open House 2023 - BMW Motorcycles | Friday, May 19 | 10 a.m.-4 p.m. | The Ultimate Driving Museum, 190 Manatee Ct., Greer | $0-$30 | Celebrate the opening of this new exhibit featuring a collection of BMW Motorcycles and five cars powered by motorcycle engines, commemorating the 100th year of BMW Motorrad.
Greenville Greek Festival | Friday, May 19-Sunday, May 21 | Times vary | St. George Greek Orthodox Cathedral, 406 N. Academy St. , Greenville | $3 | Hit downtown for a weekend to experience Greek culture through authentic food, dance, and music.

Saturday, May 20

Young Adults Social 2023 Grad Celebration | Saturday, May 20 | 10-11:30 a.m. | The Commons, 147 Welborn St., Ste. B1, Greenville | Free | Young adults (read: under 29) join together for this networking event, connecting with recent high school and college grads.
The Artists Guild Gallery Spring Paint Out | Saturday, May 20 | 10 a.m.-4 p.m. | The AGGG at Hyatt, NOMA Square, 220 N. Main St., Greenville | Free | Enjoy art demonstrations as 30 local artists Plein Air Paint (read: leave the studio).

The weekend is in sight

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Try This

Business

Try This: Adding a weekly “Endeavor Day” to your schedule

Presented by a GVLtoday Partner

You’ll pretty much always find me here, in the Sandbox. | Photo by GVLtoday

Danielle here. I’ve taken you along to Endeavor — a collaborative coworking space in downtown Greenville — on a day pass before, but we’re kicking things up a notch and signing up for a membership.

From member-exclusive events to gym access and networking opportunities, here’s how you can Try This.

What we tried:

I signed up for Endeavor’s five days a month plan. You can pick any five days, but a lot of members come one day each week to mix up their routine and be super-productive in an engaging space. For me, I especially loved the flexibility to drop in when I was working downtown, because the life of a GVLtoday City Editor means my office follows the story.

Being able to drop in and plug my laptop into a big monitor in The Sandbox, aka the quiet space, gave me the convenience of working from an office while also giving me the flexibility of being on the go — all while knocking out my to-do list.*

What not to miss

News Notes

Civic

The City of Greenville’s new development code unanimously passed its first vote this week. The code needs one more vote of approval — planned for Monday, May 22 — before it will be adopted.
The Reedy River Wetlands Preserve at Unity Park opens today, and the city is celebrating with free trees. Swing by 311 Meadow St. behind The Commons and choose a native tree to take home from 11 a.m.-1 p.m.

Announced

Comedian Kevin Hart is bringing his Reality Check tour to The Peace Center on Wednesday, June 7 at 7 p.m. Tickets go on sale tomorrow morning, May 18, at 10 a.m.
Spend my dollar… on Alabama tickets. The Roll on 2 North America Tour is taking over Bon Secours Wellness Arena on Thursday, November 9 with Alabama, Lorrie Morgan, and Pam Tillis. Tickets go on sale this Friday, May 19, at 10 a.m.

Closed

Oak & Fire, the wood-fired pizza and burger concept from the acclaimed Oak Hill Cafe team, closed on Saturday, May 13. The restaurant, located off of Poinsett Highway, posted recently from its nearby farm but hasn’t announced any future plans at this time.

Plan Ahead

Salsa at Sunset makes its return to Camperdown Plaza this summer with three Friday nights of free live Latin music and dancing: June 16, July 28, and August 25. If you’d like to support Upstate International’s efforts to keep this event free, learn more about sponsorship opportunities.

Asked

If you could ask an orthopedic or sports medicine physician a question, what would you ask? (Think: Picking an athletic shoe? Avoiding sports injuries? Improving bone strength?) Submit your questions to the Prisma Health experts, who are on call + ready to answer your questions in our next edition of Prisma Health On Call.*

Wellness

Ever wonder if feeling nervous in large crowds or being shy in social situations means you have social anxiety? Since anxiety disorders are on the rise, see what social anxiety disorder really is + how it’s treated.*

Eat

Hosting a graduation party? Pro tip: Order a freshly-prepared party tray from Lowes Foods, and check catering off your list. Here’s how.*

Travel

How does Going work? Sign up for free, follow up to five airports, and get notified when flights are 40-90% off. Bonus: You can browse deals immediately after signing up (like a ~$575 round trip to Fiji).*

Today Is

Today Is World Baking Day. To celebrate, shop our online store (Six & Main), which features Sourhouse, a company that creates simple tools for sourdough bakers to care for their starters. You might just knead it. Start shopping now.

Kids

Dive inside these children’s books

Eric Carle’s stories come to life at this new local exhibit

The exhibit is co-organized by Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh and The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art. | Photo via Upcountry History Museum

“Very Eric Carle: A Very Hungry, Quiet, Lonely, Clumsy, Busy Exhibit” opens Saturday, May 20 at the Upcountry History Museum and runs through Sunday, Septmeber 10.

Making its debut in the Southeast, this exhibit features a play-and-learn environment where families can step into the pages of the children’s author and illustrator, best known for the “Very Hungry Caterpillar.”

The exhibit features opportunities to:

Become the “Very Hungry Caterpillar.”
Weave a web with the “Very Busy Spider.”
Make the “Very Clumsy Click Beetle” flip and jump.
Compose a night symphony with the “Very Quiet Cricket.”
Explore all the stories in the “Reading Zone” through words, pictures, and videos.

Experience the stories brought to life Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and Sunday 1-5 p.m. Get tickets.

The Wrap

Today’s edition by:
Danielle

From the editor

The first time I saw “Hamilton” was actually in Chicago with Miguel Cervantes as A.Ham. I went back to check my Playbill to be sure. As someone who doesn’t listen to a soundtrack before seeing a show, I’m incredibly excited to see him perform live again, because I went in completely blind and have him to thank for “Hamilton” consistently showing up in my Spotify wrapped.

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