BY DIANA BIFFL

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Julian Wiles sits comfortably, legs crossed in one of the 450 seats of Dock Street Theatre. The founder of Charleston Stage looks right at home sitting among the woodwork and high ceilings surrounding him. When someone mentions “acting” or “the arts” in Charleston, it likely has something to do with Dock Street, the first American theatre, or the Spoleto Festival. While they’re impressive, they’re not alone.
     There are quite a few stages that deserve recognition as well. Charleston’s theatre scene is strong, thriving and continuing to grow. Only 15 years ago, there were just two theatre companies in the area. Today there are 15 challenging each other and broadening the city’s artistic culture in an unprecedented way. “You have this great menu of theatres in Charleston, and not a lot of towns have that,” Wiles declares, his pride gleaming through his smile. It’s time to uncover some of these hidden theatrical treasures.

Village Repertory Company is growing right along with Charleston’s theatre scene. After 11 years working productively out of a space of less than 3,600 square feet, this professional theatre company moved to the 17,000 square-foot Woolfe Street Playhouse. Needless to say, Village has much more room to carry out its mission of bringing the finest plays of the 20th century, including lesser-known works, to the community. It now has two theatres, the “Davis Theater” and the “Shop Stage,” and a new building with rehearsal and classroom spaces, as well as a lobby wine bar. Village has also started a children’s program. 32-34 Woolfe St.

Charleston Stage was founded in 1978 as a youth theatre producing family-targeted plays such as Huckleberry Finn. While still keeping family and education its core, the company now specializes in new works that often celebrate Charleston’s culture and history. “Quality, first and foremost, is what’s made us so successful—and our talented community,” says Wiles, company founder and producing artistic director. As the largest theatre company, Charleston Stage has earned the right to reside in the Dock Street Theatre. Just three years ago, the historic building underwent a $19 million renovation, and Charleston Stage takes full advantage of it, creating about 120 performances each season. While many theatre companies incorporate children’s programs, Charleston Stage makes it a major part of its goal to increase arts education. It offers discounted performances for 10,000 students every season and afterschool theatre programs, apprenticeships and workshops for students. Wiles also wants students to be able to afford to see Charleston Stage’s masterpieces. The company offers a student rush, in which students get a discounted price right before a show opens, as well as a “pay-what-you-will night” for every mainstage show.
     When Wiles founded Charleston Stage, the city’s theatre scene was limited, and he quickly aspired to change that. “There were two theatres. There was us and Footlight,” he recalls. “Spoleto had just arrived on the scene, and their arrival set a real high bar—if there was going to be a world class festival, there needed to be world-class theatre.” ​

135 Church St.

The Footlight Players is the longest running theatre company in the city. It began in 1931 as a mostly migratory company, starting at the Charleston Navy Yard, moving to a small warehouse and occasionally using Dock Street. The group finally found its permanent home at 20 Queen, a former cotton warehouse, in 1986. The Footlight Players, while just as impressive as Charleston Stage or Village Repertory, is not a professional theatre. Its goal is to have a community theatre with the feel of a professional theatre. “Our approach is we’re open to anyone who wants to be in a show,” explains Footlight’s executive producing director, Richard Heffner. While some theatres have in-house paid actors or recruited actors from New York City, the actors and directors at Footlight are all chosen carefully from the richly talented Charleston community through auditions and applications. Like Charleston Stage, Footlight Players offers a student rush, as well as a student price. 

20 Queen St.
 

PURE Theatre, with the slogan “thinking outside the black box,” is the edgiest of these theatre gems. This professional company focuses specifically on contemporary and challenging character-based drama. While producing well-known pieces, PURE also presents never-before-seen work. The PURE Lab invites deserving outside playwrights to bring in their work for possible production. PURE Theatre has a core ensemble of 10 highly qualified professional actors, directors, writers and designers to create the theatrical works of art PURE produces. PURE shows are top-of-the-line, including Clybourne Park by Bruce Norris, winner of the 2011 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. This show will be running May 3 to May 29. 477 King St.