Gaillard 22-23 Season Announcement

CHARLESTON GAILLARD CENTER ANNOUNCES 2022-2023 ARTISTIC SEASON First Season by New CEO Lissa Frenkel Champions Artistic Creativity, Community Partnerships, Social Justice Programming, and Popular Touring Broadway Productions and Concerts Gaillard Center to Debut New Commissions and Present Broad Range of Dance, Music, Comedy, Theater, and More Charleston, SC, June 13, 2022—One of the leading performing arts centers in the Southeast, the Charleston Gaillard Center today announced its 2022-2023 season of dance, music, theater, comedy, and multidisciplinary performances and discussions that will bring to Charleston the best local, national, and global artists and companies. Starting this fall, the season will introduce new commissions including the Southeast premiere of a new ballet by Dance Theatre of Harlem inspired by the life of jazz pianist and civil rights activist Hazel Scott, co-commissioned with the International African American Museum (IAAM); highlight innovative performances from leading creatives such as Los Angeles Master Chorale’s Lagrime di San Pietro by renowned director Peter Sellars that offers a contemporary take on the renaissance opera; provide a showcase for the best of Broadway including the South Carolina premiere of JAGGED LITTLE PILL; and present performances from leading solo artists, bands, and ensembles including Lady A, “Weird Al” Yankovic, and the Preservation Hall Jazz Band.

Additional season highlights include a commissioned holiday-themed Dueling Nutcrackers performance with the Charleston Symphony and Gaillard’s Artist-In-Residence Emeritus Charlton Singleton & The Beehive Jazz Orchestra; a weekend-long summer initiative with music from Anthony Hamilton, the Charleston Symphony and Lowcountry Voices, comedy from DL Hughley, and discussion panels recognizing the bicentenary of under-recognized historical freedom fighter Denmark Vesey’s planned uprising to liberate the enslaved women, men, and children in Charleston; and Charleston’s first-ever Spiegeltent, an intermix of performances from contemporary artists under a festive tent on the Gaillard campus’ lawn.

“Combining new commissions and adventurous work that pushes the boundaries of creativity, with beloved, time-tested programming that Charleston audiences look forward to, this season the Gaillard Center will continue to present excellent performances and events that enrich the lives of our community through the transformational nature of the arts,” said Gaillard CEO Lissa Frenkel, who is co-producing her inaugural artistic season with Tony Clarke, Jonathan Holloway, and Charlton Singleton, since joining the performing arts center in July 2021. “It has been such a pleasure getting to know Charleston and the people and organizations that make it such a unique city. I am delighted that we can announce a season built on a solid network of community partnerships and world-class programming. We aim to contribute to the cultural heart of Charleston by ensuring that the arts education and community programs shown on our stages and throughout our city’s schools delight, surprise, inspire, and reflect all audiences. I am also thrilled to continue a three-year dance initiative that we started in 2021, allowing us to commission and present artists and companies who will bring experimental and innovative new and classical dance works to the stage.”

In addition to Dance Theatre of Harlem’s new work honoring Hazel Scott, the season includes several performances and programs co-presented with community partners including the Denmark Vesey Bicentenary weekend, presented with IAAM and Mother Emanuel AME Church; American Ballet Theatre’s Giselle, Dueling Nutcrackers, and Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas Live-to-Film Concert in partnership with the Charleston Symphony; and National Geographic Live, an in-person series featuring behind-the-scenes stories told by photographers, scientists, and filmmakers, in partnership with the South Carolina Aquarium.

Through these collaborations, Gaillard will further its mission to elevate voices of the community, entertain, and present work that challenges audiences to think creatively.

The Gaillard will also continue to present robust year-round education and community programs, all of which include in-class workshops and curriculum-based lesson plans, many of which feature community engagement events such as master classes, workshops, discussions, and performances that break barriers between artists and audiences, giving both groups the opportunity to meaningfully gather together.

Find a full schedule of the 2022-2023 season events below and more information, visit gaillardcenter.org.

Gaillard Center’s 2022-2023 Season Events For tickets, accessibility, and visitor information, visit gaillardcenter.org.

DANCE Support for the dance program is made possible by generous donors who have committed resources to the Charleston Gaillard Center’s three-year Dance Initiative.

Dance Theatre of Harlem featuring guest musicians from the Charleston Symphony October 20, 2022 – October 21, 2022 Dance Theatre of Harlem returns to the Gaillard Center with an evening of mixed repertoire, including an exciting new ballet co-commissioned by the Gaillard and the International African American Museum celebrating the life of jazz pianist Hazel Scott. Despite her rise to international prominence as a top recording artist, star of stage and screen, and civil rights activist, Scott lacks the name recognition of other iconic performers of her era. This new commission serves to shine a spotlight on this important African-American figure and her trailblazing journey.

Now a singular presence in the ballet world, Dance Theatre of Harlem tours nationally and internationally, presenting a powerful vision for ballet in the 21st century. The 18-member, multiethnic company performs a forward-thinking repertoire that includes treasured classics, neoclassical works, as well as innovative contemporary works that use the language of ballet to celebrate co-founder Arthur Mitchell’s belief that ballet belongs to everyone. Through performances, community engagement and arts education, Dance Theatre of Harlem carries forward its message of empowerment through the arts for all.

Hazel Scott Ballet is co-commissioned by Charleston Gaillard Center and the International African American Museum, Music Worcester, Seattle Theatre Group, and Washington

Performing Arts, with residency support from Chautauqua Institution, and the Hopkins Center at Dartmouth College.

This work is made possible by the New England Foundation for the Arts’ National Dance Project, with lead funding from the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation and The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.

Complexions Contemporary Ballet: Star Dust: From Bach to Bowie January 27, 2023 Star Dust is an evening of two dance pieces celebrating two music icons of their distinct eras— Johann Sebastian Bach and David Bowie. Bach 25 is set to the music of world-renowned 18th century composers Johann Sebastian Bach and his son Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach, and Star Dust honors David Bowie’s persona Ziggy Stardust and his most iconic hits.

Complexions Contemporary Ballet is a world-renowned performing arts company, founded by Dwight Rhoden and Desmond Richardson. Armed with a rich Alvin Ailey lineage and a cadre of 16 spectacular dancers, Complexions has re-envisioned ballet through a groundbreaking mix of methods, styles, and cultures.

Circa: Humans 2.0 February 25, 2023 Presented by Circa, one of the world's leading performance companies, Humans 2.0 is the next chapter of Humans, an internationally acclaimed journey of what it means to be human. Created by director and circus visionary Yaron Lifschitz and the Circa Ensemble with music by composer Ori Lichtik and a dramatic lighting design by Paul Jackson, this symphony of acrobatics, sound and light is next level circus.

American Ballet Theatre: Giselle April 21, 2023 – April 22, 2023 American Ballet Theatre, a leading performing arts institution dedicated to the legacy of classical dancing, will be accompanied by the Charleston Symphony to bring the classic ballet Giselle to the stage. A tragic, romantic ballet set in the vineyard country bordering the Rhine in Western Germany, Giselle is a haunting story of a young peasant girl who falls for the flirtations of a deceitful nobleman. When the ruse is revealed, the fragile Giselle dies of heartbreak, and the nobleman must face the otherworldly consequences of his careless seduction.

BROADWAY ON YOUR FEET! THE STORY OF EMILIO & GLORIA ESTEFAN December 2, 2022 On Your Feet! is an exhilarating musical about the lives of internationally renowned Cuban American singers and couple Gloria and Emilio Estefan, telling a true story of heart, heritage, and talent. On Your Feet! brings some of their most memorable songs of the past quartercentury, including “Rhythm is Gonna Get You,” “Conga,” “Get On Your Feet,” “Don’t Wanna Lose You,” “1-2-3,” and “Coming Out of the Dark” to the stage.

The show is directed by Luis Salgado, a Puerto Rican director, choreographer, and educator who was previously the Assistant Latin Choreographer of In the Heights on Broadway, which won four Tony Awards.

R.E.S.P.E.C.T - A Celebration of the Legendary Queen of Soul March 26, 2023 R.E.S.P.E.C.T. is the ultimate tribute to the legendary Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin. The elevated concert experience brings a community together with timeless music that speaks to the complicated human condition, honoring the impassioned and transcendent music of one of America’s most beloved singer-songwriters. A masterful piece of storytelling about family, loyalty, and victory, layered with glorious harmonies and sassy repartee, R.E.S.P.E.C.T journeys through Aretha Franklin’s courageous life of love, tragedy, and triumph, while showcasing her greatest hits over the last 50 years brought to life by a live band and talented vocalists performing iconic hits including “A Natural Woman,” “Think,” “Chain of Fools,” and “Respect”.

JAGGED LITTLE PILL April 6, 2023 – April 8, 2023 Making its South Carolina premiere, everything audiences have been waiting to see in a Broadway show – joy, love, heartache, strength, wisdom, catharsis, LIFE – is here in this exhilarating, fearless new musical based on Alanis Morissette’s world-changing music. The first run equity tour comes to the Gaillard Center for a half-week run fresh from its final Broadway bow. Directed by Tony Award winner Diane Paulus (Waitress, Pippin, upcoming 1776) with a Tony-winning book by Diablo Cody (Juno) and Grammy-winning score, this electrifying production about a perfectly imperfect American family “vaults the audience to its collective feet” (The Guardian). “Redemptive, rousing and real, JAGGED LITTLE PILL stands alongside the original musicals that have sustained the best hopes of Broadway." (The New York Times) You live, you learn, you remember what it’s like to feel truly human... at JAGGED LITTLE PILL. FAMILY National Geographic Live In Local Partnership with South Carolina Aquarium In National Geographic’s speaker series, tune in to behind-the-scenes stories told from National Geographic's photographers, scientists, and filmmakers and experience iconic National Geographic footage brought to life by the emotional performance from a live symphony orchestra.

Nat Geo Live: Alizé Carrère: Adaptation November 29, 2022 Explore the world of Environmental Anthropologist & Filmmaker Alizé Carrère. From the floating gardens of Bangladesh to the ice pyramids of northern India, Carrère will offer a hopeful look at the resilience, perseverance, and innovation of humankind under even the most difficult of conditions.

Nat Geo Live: Brian Skerry: Secrets of the Whales January 31, 2023 Celebrated National Geographic Explorer and photographer Brian Skerry has spent nearly four decades exploring and documenting the Earth’s oceans. From his latest project, discover the extraordinary communication skills and intricate social structures among four different species of whales. With stories of the international cuisines of orcas to families of beluga whales playing at their “summer resort,” Brian will share what these majestic creatures can teach us about ourselves and our planet.

The Lightning Thief: TYA Edition January 28, 2023 at 2:00pm In this TheaterWorksUSA production adapted from the book The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan, Percy Jackson is about to be kicked out of boarding school, while mythological monsters and the gods of Mount Olympus seem to be walking straight out of the pages of Percy’s Greek mythology textbook and into his life. Zeus’s master lightning bolt has been stolen, and Percy is the prime suspect, and Percy has ten days to find and return Zeus’s stolen property and bring peace to a warring Mount Olympus. But to succeed on his quest, he must come to terms with the father who abandoned him; solve the riddle of the Oracle, which warns him of betrayal by a friend; and unravel a treachery more powerful than the gods themselves.

Acoustic Rooster’s Barnyard Boogie: Starring Indigo Blume (The Kennedy Center Theater for Young Audiences on Tour) February 12, 2023 Acoustic Rooster’s Barnyard Boogie Starring Indigo Blume combines New York Times bestselling author Kwame Alexander’s two children’s books: Acoustic Rooster and Indigo Blume into one amazing musical performance. Bringing together animal characters based off real music icons like Duke Ellington and Dolly Parton, this story teaches children and families about the different styles of music from jazz to rap through a story about being scared, being brave, and believing in yourself.

COMEDY “Weird AI” Yankovic August 14, 2022 “Weird Al” Yankovic burst onto the scene over three decades ago and never looked back. For the second time in his storied career, the world’s foremost musical satirist and five-time Grammy winner foregoes his usual high-octane, big-production show for an intimate evening of music, focusing on original (non-parody) songs from his 14-album catalog. Marking his highly anticipated return to the concert stage after his hugely successful Strings Attached Tour in 2019 where “Weird Al” performed each night alongside a full symphony orchestra, this is a rare opportunity to get up-close and personal with this legendary performer.

An Evening with David Sedaris October 25, 2022 Join beloved personal essayist and short story writer David Sedaris for an evening of all new stories and an audience Q & A, followed by a book signing. David Sedaris is the author of Barrel Fever, Holidays on Ice, Naked, Me Talk Pretty One Day, Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim, When You Are Engulfed in Flames, Let’s Explore Diabetes with Owls, and Calypso, which was a Washington Post Best Book of the Year. He is the author of Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk: A Modest Bestiary, a collection of fables with illustrations by Ian Falconer. He is also the author of an essay length ebook titled Themes and Variations. Each of these books was an immediate bestseller. He was also the editor of Children Playing Before a Statue of Hercules: An Anthology of Outstanding Stories. His pieces regularly appear in The New Yorker and have twice been included in “The Best American Essays.”

HOLIDAY

Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas Live-to-Film Concert October 23, 2022 The music of Tim Burton fan-favorite film The Nightmare Before Christmas, will be brought to life in this performance by the Charleston Symphony. The film tells that tale of Halloween Town’s Jack Skellington and his hapless quest to take over Christmas and assume Santa Claus’ role.

Charleston Symphony/Charlton Singleton & The Beehive Jazz Orchestra, Dueling Nutcrackers December 9, 2022 This newly commissioned performance features Gaillard’s Grammy-award winning Artist-inResidence Emeritus Charlton Singleton & The Beehive Jazz Orchestra in a musical battle of “dueling nutcrackers” with Gaillard Center resident orchestra the Charleston Symphony. This event is curated by Charlton Singleton and Charleston Symphony’s Associate Conductor Kellen Gray.

Celtic Woman: A Christmas Symphony December 18, 2022 Celtic Woman is one of the most successful all-female groups in Irish history, known for performing delicate traditional Irish carols and uplifting anthems. Celtic Woman have a wealth of seasonal music, which they will perform on the Gaillard stage, from stunning new arrangements of the classic “Silent Night” and the ancient Gaelic carol “Dia do Bheatha” from their holiday album, The Magic of Christmas.

CAMPUS ACTIVATIONS Denmark Vesey Bicentenary July 14-16, 2022 As previously announced, this July the Gaillard Center is partnering with Mother Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church and the soon-to-open International African American Museum (IAAM), to mark the bicentenary of freedom fighter Denmark Vesey’s planned uprising to free the enslaved people of Charleston with three days of free and paid cultural performances and conversations. Over the course of the “Denmark Vesey Bicentenary,” the Gaillard Center will open its doors to the Charleston community to acknowledge America’s difficult history of race and slavery, and use arts and entertainment to bridge divides, build dialogues, and support healing in a city that historically saw some of the first enslaved men, women, and children enter through its port, and only six years ago, witnessed the racially motivated murder of nine congregants at Mother Emanuel AMEC. This event will feature a concert by Anthony Hamilton, an evening of comedy with DL Hughley, and a discussion panel with community leaders and prominent media figures W. Kamau Bell, Charlamagne tha God, IAAM CEO Dr. Tonya M. Matthews, Mother Emanuel AMEC historian Lee J. Bennett, Jr., BAMUTHI (Marc Bamuthi Joseph), Executive Director of the Avery Research Center for African American History and Culture Dr. Tamara Butler.

Spiegeltent December 1, 2022 at 7:30 pm – December 30, 2022 Flemish for “mirror tents,” Spiegeltents were built in 20th century Belgium to be used as traveling dance halls. In this presentation, the Gaillard will erect its own Spiegeltent on the campus, giving patrons an opportunity to experience vibrant performances from contemporary artists in a

beautiful, nostalgic location. One of the performances includes Cracked Nuts!, a whimsical take on the holiday classic The Nutcracker. Additional artist participant details to come.

OTHER GREAT PERFORMANCES Mummenschanz 50th Anniversary November 5, 2022 This Swiss theater group that draws on the tradition of pantomime and silent mask art is touring for their 50th anniversary. This presentation will feature some of their most popular skits taking audiences on an imaginative and poetic journey.

MUSIC Classical & Opera The Academy of St Martin in the Fields Johannes Moser, cello February 23, 2023 The Academy of St Martin in the Fields is one of the world’s finest chamber orchestras, renowned for their refined, polished sound and fresh interpretations of orchestral music. In this evening concert, the band will play music from their critically acclaimed repertoire, including Johann Sebastian Bach’s “Brandenburg Concerto No.3 BWV in G Major,” Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach’s “Cello Concerto in A Major No. 3” {Encore Vivaldi Concerto for Two Cellos}, Mozart’s “Adagio and Fugue in C minor K.546,” Corelli’s “Concerto Grosso in F, Op. 6 No. 2,” Geminiani’s “La Folia” (12 Concerti Grossi after Corelli’s Violin Sonatas), and Purcell’s arr.

“Britten Chacony in G minor.”

LA Master Chorale: Lagrime directed by Peter Sellars April 29, 2023 at 8:00 pm Innovative vocal ensemble, the Los Angeles Master Chorale performs Lagrime di San Pietro by renowned opera director Peter Sellars. The a cappella Renaissance masterpiece Lagrime depicts the seven stages of grief that St. Peter experienced after disavowing his knowledge of Jesus. Sellars translates the work for a contemporary audience into an allegory about taking personal responsibility and facing regrets head-on to forge a more fulfilling future.

Jazz, Bluegrass & More Closing the Gap in Healthcare Presents Lowcountry Jazz Festival September 2-4, 2022 The Lowcountry Jazz Festival, South Carolina’s premier annual Smooth Jazz event, returns to the Charleston Gaillard Center with a stellar lineup over two days that includes Dee Lucas, Robert Glasper, Norman Brown, Brian Simpson featuring Gerey Johnson, Gerald Albright, and Marcus Miller. The Festival kicks-off with its annual White Party on September 2.

Proceeds from the Festival support the mission of Closing the Gap in Health Care, Inc., a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization whose primary mission is decreasing health disparities and increasing health literacy, especially for African Americans and the underserved in local community, South Carolina, and the nation; and the Thaddeus John Bell, M.D. Endowment Fund.

Preservation Hall Jazz Band Pass It On: 60th Anniversary Musical Celebration November 20, 2022 Celebrating the 60th anniversary of the band whose home is Preservation Hall, New Orleans’ historic, enamored room dedicated to keeping the past and future of jazz alive, this performance is part of a nationwide tour. The jazz band’s mission remains focused on initiating audiences into the ineffable experience of channeling their ancestors through music and culture.

Squirrel Nut Zippers & The Dirty Dozen Brass Band February 7, 2023 New Orleans’ most celebrated modern brass band, The Dirty Dozen Brass Band, reunites with another prominent New Orleans band, the Squirrel Nut Zippers for the Southern Remedies Tour. Blending everything from traditional jazz, New Orleans R&B, funk and modern Americana, each band has earned wide critical acclaim for boldly pushing their musical boundaries.

Béla Fleck, Zakir Hussain, Edgar Meyer with Rakesh Chaurasia April 25, 2023 Innovative banjoist Béla Fleck, legendary Indian drummer Zakir Hussain, acclaimed virtuoso of the classical bass Edgar Meyer, and special guest, the great Indian flautist Rakesh Chaurasia, come together for this exciting concert.

Pop & Rock Music Lady A August 25, 2022 Multi-Platinum band Lady A is coming to Gaillard for a one-night-only performance for their REQUEST LINE TOUR. Each night fans will experience the hit-packed set backed by rich harmonies the band is known for, while also interacting with the band in real time to directly request songs, making no two shows the same.

Straight No Chaser November 13, 2022 Performing on the Gaillard stage, male a cappella group Straight No Chaser brings a unique kind of flair to the genre. Their accomplishments include two RIAA Gold Certified albums, over one billion streams on Pandora, and over two million albums sold worldwide.

ABOUT THE CHARLESTON GAILLARD CENTER A leader in the performing arts in the Southeast, The Charleston Gaillard Center commissions, supports, and presents ambitious, multidisciplinary cultural programming and provides access to the best local, national, and global artists and companies on its stage. Deeply rooted in the community, the Gaillard Center is committed to elevating local and regional voices and partnering with Charleston institutions to reflect the city’s diversity, both on stage and off.

Through programming on its public campus and extensive arts education initiatives, the Gaillard Center serves as a platform to participate in community building and essential dialogue.

The Gaillard Center is located in the heart of an inspiration corridor of cultural institutions on the Charleston peninsula, across the street from Mother Emanuel AME Church and half a mile from the soon-to-open International African American Museum (IAAM). Established as a nonprofit in 2015, its campus includes the 1,818-seat Martha and John M. Rivers Performance Hall, a

16,000 square-foot Exhibition Hall, and an adjacent park space that was recently activated for artistic presentations. Find more information and upcoming programming at gaillardcenter.org.

### For more information, please contact National press: Destanie Martin-Johnson / Josh Balber Resnicow and Associates DMartin-Johnson@resnicow.com / JBalber@resnicow.com 212-671-5172 / 212-671-5175 Local press: Kellie Lawson Charleston Gaillard Center klawson@gaillardcenter.org 757-618-0622