Become a Community Producer in Jasper's Play Right Series Project to Support SC Theatre Artists!

CALL FOR COMMUNITY PRODUCERS!

With our Degenerate Art Project ending this weekend, Jasper is excited to jump into our 2025 Play Right Series project with both feet! And there’s still time for you to join us and other community producers for an exciting and enlightening experience.

As a Play Right Series Community Producer you will be a part of an elite team of art supporters who invest a modest amount of money ($250) in the production of the staged reading of the 2024-2025 Play Right Series winning play, Busted Open by Greenville, SC native Ryan Stevens.

How does this work?

On select Sunday afternoons this summer (schedule is below!) you are invited to join with the cast, crew, and fellow Community Producers of Busted Open, by Ryan Stevens for an enlightening and entertaining session that pulls back the curtains of theatre development and illuminates how a stageplay goes from page to stage. Your first session (July 20th) will offer you a private viewing of the first step in a play production, the Table Reading – the first time the cast of Busted Open will read their parts together.

Subsequent sessions will focus on essential ingredients in the production of a successful staged reading, such as the stage manager’s job; props, lighting, blocking, and sound; unique insights from the director; how the actors prepare for their parts; playwright perceptions from this year and past projects; and an invitation to the dress rehearsal. In addition to your invitation to gather with the cast and crew every Sunday in July, each session will also feature exciting snacks and beverages. And many more surprises each week!

Finally, you’ll take your reserved, best-in-the-house seats to a ticketed staged reading of Ryan Stevens’ Busted Open on Sunday September 14th at Columbia Music Festival Association.

But there’s more.

Your name will be included as a Community Producer on programs, posters, press releases, and other promotional materials as well as in the perfect bound book, Busted Open by Ryan Stevens, published by Muddy Ford Press and registered with the Library of Congress, and you will take home your own copies of Busted Open as a souvenir of your experience.

Become a Play Right Series Community Producer Now!

What is expected of Community Producers?

We hope you can make it to every exciting Sunday afternoon meeting, but we understand if you have to miss some. Each session will last from 90 – 120 minutes.

The financial commitment for a Community Producer is a minimum of $250 per person, but other sponsorships are also available and appreciated.

Our hope is that you will be so enlightened and inspired by this experience that you will become a diplomat of live theatre, fresh playwrights, and the Jasper Project and encourage your friends and colleagues to participate in live theatre themselves!

Play Right Series Levels of Engagement

Community Producer    $250

Invitation to attend all four PRS CP sessions on Sunday afternoons, July 20, August 3, August 17, August 31 and September 14 2025; reserved seats for you and up to 2 additional guests to attend the premier staged reading of Busted Open on September 14th at Harbison Theatre; your name in the book Busted Open by Ryan Stevens, as well as in the program and all promotional materials; a copy of the book, and a Jasper Project gift bag valued at more than $100

Other Sponsorship Levels

Actor Sponsor                 $500 

This level sponsors one actor and supports the Play Right Series. Your generosity will be recorded with distinction above that of  Community Producers in the published play as well as in all other promotional materials and you will receive all the benefits of 2025’s roster of Community Producers, two copies of Busted Open by Ryan Stevens, and an invitation for you and up to 4 additional guests to attend the premier staged reading of Busted Open on September 14, 2025

Playwright Sponsor        $1000

This level sponsors the funding of the playwright and supports the Play Right Series. Your generosity will be recorded with distinction above that of Actor Sponsors in the published play as well as in all other promotional materials and you will receive all the benefits of 2025’s roster of Community Producers, six copies of Busted Open by Ryan Stevens, and an invitation for you and up to six additional guests to attend the premier staged reading of Busted Open on September 14, 2025

 

Director Sponsor           $2500

This level sponsors the director and supports the Play Right Series. Your generosity will be recorded with distinction above that of the Playwright Sponsor in the published play as well as in all other promotional materials and you will receive all the benefits of 2025’s roster of Community Producers, eight copies of Busted Open by Ryan Stevens, and an invitation for you and up to eight additional guests to attend the premier staged reading of Busted Open on September 14, 2025

.

Play Right Series 2025 Community Producer Schedule

SUNDAY, JULY 20 – 7 pm: Introducing Ryan Stevens and Busted Open

One Columbia Co-op, 1013 Duke Avenue

Meet the 2025 Play Right Series Winning Playwright Ryan Stevens and witness the Inaugural Table Reading of Busted Open

~

SUNDAY, AUGUST 3 – 3 pm: The Art of Stagecraft

One Columbia Co-op, 1013 Duke Avenue

The cast & crew of Busted Open explain the process of preparing for a role and tricks of the trade to demystify some of the magic of the theatrical arts   

~

SUNDAY, AUGUST 17 – 3 pm: The Playwright's Craft

One Columbia Co-op, 1013 Duke Avenue

Learn about the processes of 4 award-winning playwrights including Ryan Stevens, Chad Henderson, Lonetta Thompson, and Colby Quick with your host Jon Tuttle, author of South Carolina Onstage, The Trustus Collection, and more

~

SUNDAY, AUGUST  31 - 3 pm:  Sneak Peek Week!

One Columbia Co-op, 1013 Duke Avenue

Be a fly on the proverbial stage wall among an intimate group of guests to watch a working rehearsal of Busted Open – see how far the cast has come since the first ever Table Reading just six weeks earlier

~

SUNDAY: SEPT 14: The Big Event – Staged Reading of Busted Open

Columbia Music Festival Association – 914 Pulaski Street

Take your reserved seat for the Premiere Stage Reading of Busted Open by Ryan Stevens at Columbia Music Festival Association and enjoy a post-show champagne toast to the cast, crew, and creator of Busted Open!

Join Us Under the Jasper Literary Arts Tent at Rosewood Art & Music Festival – October 7th

You’re invited to join the Jasper Project and some of your favorite local writers of poetry and prose under the Jasper Literary Arts Tent at the 2023 Rosewood Art & Music Festival on Saturday, October 7th from noon – 5 pm.*

You’ll get to hear some of your favorite Columbia-based writers read from a selection of their works, purchase their books, and then meet the authors and have your books signed.

*Authors will read during the first half of each hour and then sign and greet friends during the second half of each hour.

901 S Holly St, Columbia, SC 29205

 SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

Noon – 1 pm

Carla Damron

Jane Zenger

Sandra Johnson

 

1 – 2 pm

Evelyn Berry

Debbie Daniel

Susan Craig

 

2 - 3 pm

Terri McCord

Ann Chadwell Humphries

Robert (Bo) Petersen

 

3 – 4 pm

Jo Angela Edwins

Randy Spencer

Kristine Hartvigsen

4 – 5 pm

Al Black

Ed Madden

Cassie Premo Steele

For more information about the performing and visual artists you’ll see at the Rosewood Art & Music Festival, check out the festival website!

You're Invited to the 1st Launch Party & Reading of Ed Madden's new book of poetry -- Story of a City: poems occasional and otherwise - Saturday September 23rd, 6 pm, 1013 Duke Avenue

Please join Muddy Ford Press and friends and family of former Columbia city poet laureate Ed Madden for a launch party for his new book of poetry, Story of a City: poems occasional and otherwise, published by Muddy Ford Press.

Saturday, September 23rd

6 pm

1013 Duke Avenue

In addition to hearing Ed read from his new collection of poems written in his role as city poet laureate, Ed has invited some special guests to read as well.

And there will be cake!

Books are $20 and will be available for purchase at the event or, prior to the event at Amazon, Barnes & Noble dot com, Booktopia, and more.

Cover Artist is Steven Chesley.

1013 Duke Avenue is located up North Main Street by turning left on Arlington. Parking is available in the designated lot across the street.

Ed Madden is the author of five books and four chapbooks of poetry, most recently A pooka in Arkansas, which was selected for the Hilary Tham Capital Collection, and Ark, a book about his father’s last months in hospice care. He is a professor of English and the former director of Women’s and Gender Studies at the University of South Carolina, where he teaches Irish literature, queer studies, and creative writing. Ed served as the poet laureate for the City of Columbia, SC, 2015-2022. He is recipient of an Academy of American Poets Laureate Fellowship and artist residencies at the Hambidge Center in Georgia and the Instituto Sacatar in Itaparica, Brazil.

Jonathan Byrd at the ToL Coffeehouse October 28th

From our friends at the ToL Coffee House:

Jonathan Bryd has been one of the most the most dynamic performers we've drawn for the ToL Coffeehouse series. He writes with intense emotion, keen observation and a wry sense of humor. The musical range is astounding — from the "dark cowboy fairy tale" that is "May the River Run Dry" to the philosophicating whackiness of "Jimmy Says." And if you're really, really lucky you might hear his cover of Rob Vaarmeyer's song, "A Big Truck Brought It."

Jonathan Byrd is a preacher’s kid, Gulf War veteran, and award-winning songwriter with a near-cult following. With twenty plus years of touring and over a dozen albums, Byrd’s deceptively simple, working-class songs have become campfire standards and crowd favorites for artists like Sam Bush and Tim O’Brien. A Jonathan Byrd show will take audiences on a journey from hell-raising sing-alongs to heart-wrenching ballads and back across the backroads of his native North Carolina.

A lifelong collaborator and innovator, Jonathan Byrd’s latest project is Song Miners, a project to not only write and release new songs, but also to teach others how it’s done. Leading powerful online songwriting workshops and creating free songwriting education for social media, Byrd seems on a mission to fill the world with great songs — not least, his own. Not to be missed.

Here are the basics again: Jonathan Byrd performs Oct. 28 at the ToL Coffeehouse at the Tree of Life Congregation at 6719 N Trenholm Road, Columbia, SC 29206. Tickets are $27 online by Oct. 26 and $29 after online and at the door.

701 CCA Presents Fire & Flame with Elizabeth Brim and Shane Fero

From our friends at 701 CCA —Fire & Flame:

Elizabeth Brim and Shane Fero   

9/21/23   

6:30-8:30 

Fire and Flame: Elizabeth Brim and Shane Fero is an exhibition exploring the decades-long friendship and collaboration between two artists whose careers and acquaintance blossomed at the Penland School of Craft. Elizabeth Brim is a blacksmith, as well as a teacher, living in western North Carolina. She's best known for mastering the dichotomy of feminine imagery and ironwork. Shane Fero is a glassworker using flame to perfect his technique of 'lampworking' to envision intricate, delicate and ephemeral sculptures. Both are inspired by their environment and both's works are an allegory to their own human experience. 

Fire and Flame is a testament to this long nurtured friendship. Two individuals understanding the transformative power of fire and translating the process in iron and glass. Featuring signature works of their unique styles and collaborative works seamlessly joining their disparate materials, this exhibition ignites the understanding that all is possible through curiosity and dedication.

*Cash Bar and light refreshments served. 

South Carolina Philharmonic Kicks Off their Chamber Crawl Tuesday September 5th at Bierkeller

The SC Philharmonic's popular Chamber Crawl series kicks off the 23|24 Season at Bierkeller Brewing Company! Join us for this delightful evening at Columbia's long-anticipated riverfront biergarten!

This Chamber Crawl boasts a woodwind trio featuring Ying Liao (cello), Joeseph Eller (clarinet) and Hassan Anderson (oboe).

 The feeling you will get when stepping into Bierkeller Columbia is one of true community, with a relaxing view of the water and fresh German beer and food. Their goal is to bring you a full, authentic Biergarten experience where you can settle in with family and friends and stay a while.

Seating is first-come first-served, and capacity is limited for the performance. This event is already looking rather popular, so we recommend booking today.

Tuesday September 5th

Doors at 6 pm

Click the button below to reserve your spot!

BUY TICKETS NOW

Tickets & Subscriptions for USC Theatre & Dance Now Available

With offerings that range from classics (Raisin in the Sun) to family fun (Sideways Stories from Wayside School) to the kind of play you have to see if it is ever offered in your area (The Visit), and more, USC Theatre and Dance continues to raise the bar in arts entertainment in the Midlands. Add to that Dance performances that offer innovative choreography and the chance to see legendary Complexions Dance Company, and you’ve got a winning ticket — or better yet season ticket subscription!

Individual tickets and ticket subscriptions are now on sale at the University of South Carolina Department of Theatre and Dance website.

Don’t wait to Lock in Your Seat!

Vote for the Arts at USC with your ticket purchase!

And don’t miss

10 Minute Play Festival
Directed by Theatre Performance Faculty

Lab Theatre

Enjoy a fast-paced evening of laughter, heartbreak and everything in between as we present a collection of 10-minute plays, each directed by a different member of our theatre performance faculty.

Lab Theatre

Friday, Nov 3, 2023 at 8:00 PM (ET)

2023 State Fair Fine Art Competition Now Open for Submissions

Showcase your talents in our Fine Art Department for individuals 18+.

Divisions include Professional & Amateur 2-D, 3-D and Photography. 

Exhibitor must be a resident of South Carolina or attending a college or university in South Carolina or a member of the Armed Forces stationed in South Carolina.

New in 2023

All Entries in the Fine Art department will be required to submit a photo of their completed, prepared-to-show, piece during registration.  All entries in Fine Art must be entered through the online registration. No mail-in registrations will be accepted. 

You may register at any time during the registration period and your photograph may be submitted later, as long as it is submitted before the September 1st deadline. 

Fine Art Important 2023 Dates & Times

Open Entry Registration: July 1 – Sept. 1, 2023

Oversized Entry Artist Notification: Wednesday, Sept. 21

Delivery Days: 
(Cantey Building)

• Sunday, Sept 24 – 1:00 pm. to 6:00 pm

• Monday, Sept 25 – 9:30 am to 6:00 pm

• Tuesday, Sept 26 – 9:30 am to 6:00 pm

Release Days: 

• Monday, Oct. 23 – 9:30 am to 6:00 pm

• Tuesday, Oct. 24 – 9:30 am to 6:00 pm

• TWO DAYS ONLY

2023 Registration July 1st – September 1st

2023 Fine Art Guide

2023 General Rules and Regulations

Click Here to Enter Online

New Work from Lee Malerich at Stormwater Studios -- September Dates for Reception, Presentation, and Viewing

A Message from Visual Artist Lee Malerich:

I put down my textile work some time ago. My stories were told; my problems dealt with and tied in a knot.

But that was not the end of the artmaking.  An artist walks through life absorbing, digesting, responding, and commenting. We are trained to do this.

I moved a house from three miles away to its current location. I stripped it down to its bones and started it over. I used new tools, learned new processes, and found new materials. I was hooked.

My question was, could I make art with these new skills having neither criticism nor teacher? Could I make sculpture without knowing its cumulative history from the beginning? Could I even work in three dimensions? The experiment was that basic.

In the end, I found that I could and learned a lesson from my personal history. I will be present during all the following times:

Opening Reception: Thursday, September 14, 2023, 11- 8 PM with the reception, 5-8 PM

Artist Presentation:  Saturday, September 16, 3:00

Viewing Hours: Wednesday, September 13, 2023, 11-3 PM

                            Thursday, September 14, 2023, 11-8 PM

                             Friday, September 15, 2023, 11-3 PM

                             Saturday, September 16, 2023, 11-5 PM

                             Sunday, September 17, 2023, 11-3 PM

I will be showing my most recent work and bringing examples of intermediary work which will show how I got from there to here. It is not really a surprising evolution. 

Rob Shaw Gallery Reception to Feature Eclectic Private Collection and Award-Winning Photographer

On Friday, September 1, from 6 to 9 p.m., Rob Shaw Framing and Gallery will host a reception featuring the private art collection of Mary Beth Dawson-Gillis. The reception will also feature award-winning photographer Skip Willits, who will sign copies of his new book Come Walk with Me. Both Willits’s book and all works in the private collection will be for sale at the event. The gallery is at 324 State Street in West Columbia. 

The Dawson-Gillis collection features an eclectic mix of artwork ranging from Folk Gullah paintings to representational landscapes. Featuring more than 20 artists, it includes works by Charles DeSaussure, Kip McCullough, Amiri Farris, Saundra Erickson Wright, Marshall Foster, Michel McNinch and Cami Hutchinson.

Willits is a professional photographer specializing in maritime, nature, and urban scenes, with a special emphasis on lighthouses. His work appears in books and magazines as well as in lighthouse and wildlife posters. Willits has led tours and produced multimedia presentations for the Smithsonian Institution. 

Rob Shaw Framing and Gallery is a full-service frame shop and fine art gallery. Since opening the gallery in April of 2019, Shaw has showcased many talented South Carolina artists with diverse styles. 

The gallery hosts First Friday at Rob Shaw Gallery receptions every month except July and August.

RIVER POETS Poetry Reading Sunday Afternoon at Stormwater Studios

The public is invited to attend a poetry reading Sunday afternoon featuring Jasper Magazine Poetry Editor Ed Madden at Stormwater Studios, 413 Pendleton Street, behind One Eared Cow Glass.

Organized by Libby Bernardin and Susan Craig, the reading will also feature Nadine Ellsworth-Moran, Ann-Chadwell Humphries, Ruth Nicholson, and (in adsentia) Mary O’Keefe Brady, as well as Bernardin and Craig themselves.

Madden, who is the former poet laureate for the city of Columbia, will be reading from his newest collection, A Pooka in Arkansas.

The event begins at 4 pm and will conclude with a Talk-Back session with the poets.

Don’t Call It A Comeback: The Redemption of Shekeese Tha Beast

by Kevin Oliver

On Fat Rat Da Czar’s classic 2009 release Cold War 2, “Do Whud I Do” opens with DJ Shekeese The Beast shouting “Can you hear me out there? We back!” before Fat Rat intones, “If you knew what I knew, then you could do what I do.” The partnership between the two Columbia, South Carolina hip-hop artists made them a marquee act and flag-bearers for the genre across the southeast for nearly twenty years, before Shekeese, in his own words, “went dormant” and focused on other business pursuits. Last year, as Fat Rat Da Czar readied a new campaign of hip-hop shows and productions, he re-enlisted his former DJ to appear on stage with him again and just like that, Shekeese Tha Beast was back as hype man extraordinaire and hip-hop ambassador. In a recent conversation with Jasper, Sherard Shekeese Duvall opened up about his entry point into hip-hop, the other pursuits that have occupied his time, and how he has come full circle to reconcile his disparate, multiple pasts into a unified future with a mission to bring South Carolina hip-hop into a new generation. 

Before he was Shekeese Tha Beast, he was just a kid named Sherard, growing up in the neighborhood–but it was the formative experience of his life, he says now in retrospect.

“I grew up in Ridgewood behind Eau Claire High School, so it was a super, super black experience,” Duvall says. “The only time we saw white folks was when we went downtown.” It was a childhood surrounded by family, who shaped his worldview from an early age.

“My family was huge, and there were relatives on both my mom and dad’s sides who were into music, art, sports, politics, it was all there. I had an uncle who was political but also into Stevie Wonder, he gave me Malcolm X books when I was a kid. I had another uncle who played guitar, my grandfather played piano, so art, music, and all this stuff was all around me.”

It was a specific moment that led directly to hip-hop for Duvall, however, a purchase his mother made.

 “She bought me a 45 of LL Cool J’s ‘Candy’ and on the back side was ‘Go Cut Creator Go’ and it blew my mind, I didn’t know how they were making those sounds,” He says. “Prior to that it was seeing the video for Run DMC’s ‘Rock Box’, and I couldn’t figure it out, like was the band the DJ on top of the car? That’s what made me want to be a DJ.”

As an entry point into hip-hop, it turned out to be the right one for Duvall as high school turned into college and beyond. 

“After I got out of Columbia High, I met all the guys in Beat Junction Project, and around that time I also met Fat Rat Da Czar. The Beat Junction Project was doing its thing around Columbia, and he was doing his, and Streetside had put out a record that I was spinning at WUSC-FM.” As a student DJ, Shekeese Tha Beast was born and the show “Non-Stop Hip-Hop” put him on the airwaves weekly, featuring lots of local hip-hop talent in addition to his own DJ skills. His reputation grew, he hosted shows on Hot 103 and the Big DM, and Fat Rat came back around.

 “Fat was coming out with a mixtape, and they were looking for a DJ for it,” Duvall says. “Not sure that one ever came out, but shortly after that he went on to start doing his solo stuff and we ended up collaborating on the mixtape ‘Fat Rat Is Dead,’ which was the beginning of the whole Shekeese Tha Beast and Fat Rat Da Czar thing.”

 It was a perfect collaboration, Shekeese says, which explains the longevity of the relationship that endures to this day.

 “We have a lot in common when it comes to not only how we saw hip-hop but also how we thought about opportunities and hard work, it was just a similar perspective that clicked.”

There were multiple releases that flowed after that, from the “Cold War” series of traditional hip-hop albums with Shekeese as hype man and DJ while Fat Rat dispensed rhymes and wisdom using his instantly recognizable flow. For a time, the pair was synonymous with South Carolina hip-hop, and credit is certainly due to them for all they’ve done to promote and support the genre within the state. Then Shekeese Tha Beast went silent, at least as a performing personality. The reasons behind that dormancy were both personal and professional, he reveals.

 “Unintentionally, the separation with that part of me had to do with its popularity,” He says. “I was all over the radio, people knew me from that, from TV, doing the Love Peace and Hip Hop festival, all of that added to the notoriety and recognition.” What was happening behind the scenes, however, was that he was pursuing a professional career as a filmmaker and videographer, first with Genesis Studios and then with his own, still thriving operation as OTR Media Group. 

 “For the film stuff I felt like it needed to be different, so I was Sherard Duvall, not Shekeese Tha Beast, in that world,” He says. “When OTR came along I was still of the mind to keep things somewhat separate, because I didn’t want to enter rooms as Shekeese, I wanted to be Sherard, to be taken seriously as a business owner and not have it be like ‘Oh, the DJ is here.’”

For Duvall, the link between his hip-hop DJ persona and the work he was doing as a short film specialist and documentary filmmaker wasn’t immediately apparent, but it slowly dawned on him that he wasn’t doing anything all that much different after all.

 “Hip-hop is a storytelling form, and OTR Media Group is built around storytelling in everything we do, from media literacy to media strategy work, nonfiction, short and long form media content,” He says. “Hip-hop is incredibly dense, we’re able to use a lot of words, mesh a lot of styles together, and we’re able to connect with more people in more ways than you can with a lot of other forms of music.”

 In 2023, Sherard Shekeese Duvall, the filmmaker, husband, and father re-emerged as Shekeese Tha Beast on stage with Fat Rat Da Czar for several performances, something that Duvall says he’s enjoyed even more than he thought he would.

 “Stepping back into the Shekeese Tha Beast thing has been one of the most joyous times in my life,” he says. “It was weird when I put it down because there was an article in the paper about me quitting, people didn’t know what to call me anymore, I treated it like ‘that thing I used to do’--but I realized when I was back on stage that I had been neglecting a part of myself; I’m hip-hop through and through and it made me feel whole to be on stage again.”

 It’s the example and the role model, even mentor that he can be for the next generation that’s driving Shekeese Tha Beast now, he says–starting with his own son. 

“Until recently my son had never experienced Shekeese Tha Beast, he was too young to remember me taking him to meet KRS-One or Lauryn Hill,” Duvall says. “He’s eleven now and I took him to the show we did at the Music Farm in Charleston. Him seeing me do that might not register now, but he’s a creative, free spirit kid and it might matter later on when he’s thinking, ‘You know, it’s alright that I’m left of center, that I’m different, because my dad is super different.’” 

For now, Duvall says being “back” just means he’s whole, that his work in film and in the community will go hand-in-hand with his hip-hop persona and all that it entails.  

“I feel like Shekeese Tha Beast is back for all the right reasons,” He says. “Where I find comfort now is in being a hip-hop ambassador for South Carolina. It’s more beneficial to the culture of our state to celebrate the diversity instead of nitpicking what is and isn’t hip-hop. So, all I can tell you is that wherever South Carolina hip-hop is, that’s where you’ll find Shekeese Tha Beast.”

First Official Exhibit at Gemini II Studios - and you can be involved!

Call for Art

Call for Support

Gemini II Arts announces their first official exhibition — albeit “while renovations continue” at their evolving space near City Roots and the Hunter Gatherer Hangar.

Founder Ron Hagell shares this news with the Jasper Project:

“I'm sure by now you are aware that over the next few months this [Gemini II] will become the largest group of artist studios in Columbia with its own exhibition spaces and tons of parking close to City Roots (F2T) and the Hunter-Gatherer Hanger. In the hottest new spot in town Rosewood/Owens Field!

It's going to be super for the public and artists. Please join us and bring friends.

For artists:  If you have not signed on to participate in this show, you can still join us or bring work to show/sell. Just deliver it to the site on 14 or 15 September but text me first so I know you are coming. Be sure all your info is on your work. 

If you are showing work, please donate $10 to help with costs or you can go to our site and click on the Donate button there where you can do it through PayPal directly or with a credit card.

...or, if you just want to help us out, you can donate at these links as well.”

Eastmont Theatre Company - NEW Grassroots Theatre Company Makes Debut This Weekend with END of the LINE

Eastmont Theater Co.

is incredibly proud to present our first ever production, End of the Line!

Premiering August 12th, we are very excited to share our completely original work with the broader Columbia community.

Synopsis: Four total strangers board a train one evening. After a fight breaks out, they find themselves stuck on a never-ending ride. Now, they have to learn how to truly see each other if they ever hope to escape.

When: August 12th at 8 pm

August 13th at 7:30 pm

Where: Eastmont Theater Backyard

917 Eastmont Dr., Columbia, SC.

Tickets are $12 for an in-person viewing. 

Reserve your ticket today!

https://tinyurl.com/bp7hxfry

Celebrating the 2023 Play Right Series and Everyone Involved ~ a message from Cindi

Congratulations to the Cast & Crew of the PRS 2023 Winning Play THERAPY by Lonetta Thompson!

Cast & Crew of Lonetta Thompson’s THERAPY

Emily Deck Harrill, Ric Edwards, Marilyn Matheus, Michelle Jacobs, Allison Allgood, Elena Martinez-Vidal and center front Lonetta Thompson

Forgive me if this message still reads a little giddy but we’ve just completed the culmination of the Jasper Project’s 2023 Play Right Series and it just feels so good!

Here’s a little history. I came up with the idea for the Play Right Series in 2017 as a way to promote and support original playwrighting from SC artists while at the same time gently informing members of the community about how much time, energy, talent, and WORK HOURS go into the creation of theatre.

I have this theory that one of the reasons arts (of all disciplines) are not valued as they should be is that, due to our lack of proper arts education and appreciation in schools, among other reasons, the average working South Carolinian doesn’t learn and build their worldview knowing that in addition to art being a talent, it is also work. If the arts are not a part of one’s life, many people think of art as a hobby or something only children engage in until they grow out of it. Think piano and ballet lessons. The average person may not discern the difference in hobbyists, crafters, and artists—all important parts of our culture, but also distinctly different. They may not realize how many of their fellow South Carolinians make their livings as professional artists or in one of the unique and highly skilled jobs that fall under the profession of arts administration.

When we started the Play Right Series in 2017 with our first play, Sharks and Other Lovers written by David Randall Cook and directed by Larry Hembree, I hoped that by inviting Community Producers to become a part of the process they would act as diplomats of local theatre, sharing their experiences and encouraging others to make live theatre part of their entertainment options. The plan was—and still is—that we ask Community Producers to invest $250 each in the production of a brand-new juried play by a SC playwright with their investment going to pay a cast and crew (and playwright) to workshop that play from the first table reading to a ticketed staged reading. (Some, like Bill and Jack, donate even more.) The CPs are invited to meet with the cast and crew over the course of a month or so and take part in the workshopping of the script before serving as our guests of honor at the public staged reading.

In 2022, Chad Henderson directed last year’s winning play, Moon Swallower by Colby Quick to a SRO audience. It was almost a full production of the play.

Last night, under the direction of Elena Martinez-Vidal with stage management by Emily Deck Harrill, this year’s Community Producers and generous sponsors produced the staged reading of Therapy by SC theatre artist Lonetta Thompson. The cast included Marilyn Mattheus, Allison Allgood, Michelle Jacobs, and Ric Edwards. Illustrious SC playwright and Jasper Project board of directors member Jon Tuttle oversaw the entire project for the second year in a row and all I did was bring cookies.

RIC EDWARDS

ALLISON ALLGOOD

MARILYN MATTHEUS

MICHELLE JACOBS

LONETTA THOMPSON (LEFT) AND EMILY DECK HARRILL

Some of last year’s CPs were so pleased with the project in 2022 that they came back this year –thank you to Kirkland and James Smith and to the incredibly supportive Bill Schmidt for this. New CPs and sponsors included Shannon and Steven Huffman, Jack and Dora Ann McKenzie, Betsy Newman, and Amy and Vincent Sheheen, as well as new JP board members Keith Tolen and Libby Campbell. JP board president Wade Sellers and I were CPs again, as well.

This morning, messages streamed in on the group email thread Jon initiated for ease in communication, showering each other, actors, CPs, and playwright alike with congratulations and heartfelt feedback. Keith Tolen says, “I will never watch a performance the same without thinking of the work that makes it seem effortless. Thanks to all because you made it an experience that I will not soon forget.” Kirkland Smith says, “It was a wonderful experience and I very much appreciate your openness, honesty, and talent!”

AUGUST 6, 2023 PANEL TALK-BACK

AUGUST 6, 2023 PANEL TALK-BACK

AUGUST 6, 2023 PANEL TALK-BACK

It is extremely unusual for me to use the term “I” when referencing anything the Jasper Project does. That’s because without an enthusiastically working board of directors who share the same passion that board president Wade Sellers and I have about the importance of service to our fellow artists and arts administrators, we wouldn’t be able to accomplish anything. But this time, I’m so proud of how this little seed of an idea of mine has been implemented and improved upon by the generous and talented individuals who participated in Play Right Series 2023, that I want to claim it! It’s a legacy thing, but also, the Play Right Series is Jasper at its finest. An idea becomes a mission and good people play parts small and large to fulfill that mission, making it a reality.

Congratulations to everyone involved in Play Right Series 2023. In addition to everyone already mentioned, this includes board member Bert Easter, who shared some of his beautiful items from Easter Antiques at the Red Lion for the stage set, and to Ed Madden for helping Bert haul said stuff to and from CMFA; also to Christina Xan, Libby Campbell, and Kristin Cobb for working the event; to Bekah Rice for her graphic arts skills and for laying out the book that many attendees and all CPs and sponsors took home with them; to Bob Jolley at Muddy Ford Press for donating his time and financial resources to this project; and to One Columbia and Columbia Music Festival Association for rehearsal and performance space.

Clearly, we have the village that it takes to birth new art in Columbia, SC.

Music for All Ages–The Columbia Arts Academy Celebrates its 20th Anniversary

By Liz Stalker

Saturday, August 12th, the Columbia Arts Academy will be hosting open houses at all of their locations to celebrate their 20th Anniversary! The open houses will take place that day from 3-6 p.m., and the public is encouraged to stop by any of the three locations spread throughout the Columbia area: the Columbia Arts Academy (Rosewood Dr.), the Lexington School of Music (Barr Rd.), and the Irmo Music Academy (Lake Murray Blvd.). The festivities will include free food, tours, and an “instrument petting zoo” where guests can get a taste of the various instruments the school provides lessons for. As a part of the celebration, the school will also be giving away door prizes, including a grand prize of a year of free music lessons!  

Starting in 2003 as a small-scale studio with founder Marty Fort as the only instructor to 30 students, the Columbia Arts Academy has since grown into the largest private music school in the state of South Carolina. The journey has involved plenty of ups and downs. In fact, when Fort first acquired the Rosewood space, he had a lot of work to do to make it habitable for his business. “When I started Rosewood,” he says, “there were rats, there was broken glass, there was no carpet, no wall. It was $60,000 on a Visa and a MasterCard to get Rosewood off the ground.”  

But get it off the ground he did, with the school expanding into a second location just a decade later in 2015. This expansion was necessary as the Columbia Arts Academy had hit 500 students and counting, a huge milestone for the company, though it pales in comparison to the over 1700 students the school now serves.

 The school offers instruction for an incredibly wide range of instruments–piano, guitar, voice, bass, drums, banjo, ukulele, violin, and even mandolin. Fort himself is well-versed in most, if not all, of these instruments. In the spirit of modesty, he admits that violin would likely be his weakest instrument but notes that, “Once you really lock into music, there’s so much crossover.”  

The school also sees an incredibly diverse age range among its students, with the youngest of its pupils being just three and four years old and its oldest musical scholars approaching their eighties and nineties. This broad range of ages reflects the school’s highest purpose: to serve the musical passions of the community at large.

In addition to music lessons, the Columbia Arts Academy has provided opportunities for its students to perform at highly respected and admired venues and performance halls, such as the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Guest House at Graceland. Most recently, students traveled to New York to perform at the Weill Recital at Carnegie Hall.  

Closer to home, the Columbia Arts Academy band, including Fort himself, performed alongside Kirk Hammett, lead guitarist of Metallica, at the Columbia Museum of Art, an opportunity that opened the school up to a massive platform.  

Fort is immensely proud of the growth and success his business has seen over the last two decades. He has such an obvious and enthusiastic love for each location he has been able to bring to life, describing them all as “kind of like kids–they all have their own personalities.” Their perpetuity within the community is a testament to not only his robust work ethic and the excellence of his staff, but the surrounding community’s love and appreciation for music.

“You know, most businesses don't make it five years,” he says. “20 years is a long time, I’m just so proud, and now, I think for me, it's a reset. High fives, we've got a great party planned.”  

Regarding this party, Fort says he’s most excited just to see the community turn out and show their support. “We love it when people come and check us out,” he says. “We work very hard to keep our places nice, clean, looking awesome, and what I'm looking forward to is people coming and saying ‘hi.’” 

For more information visit the Columbia Arts Academy website, or call or text (803)-787-0931.

SC Academy of Authors Sponsors Jasper's Combahee Prize for a SC Writer of Color in this year's Fall Lines

The Jasper Project is delighted to announce that the South Carolina Academy of Authors will be the sponsor of the 2023 Combahee Prize for a SC writer of color in this year’s Fall Lines – a literary convergence journal.

Founded in 1986, the South Carolina Academy of Authors (SCAA) is a nonprofit organization which recognizes distinguished South Carolina writers, living and deceased, through induction into the Academy. It also supports developing writers with its Coker Fellowships and Student Prizes in Poetry and Short Fiction. 

"The SCAA is very pleased to join with The Jasper Project in supporting the Combahee River Prize,” says Marybeth Evans, chairman of its Board of Governors. “The Academy is dedicated to nurturing and supporting South Carolina’s literary talent. It deeply values the multicultural diversity displayed in the work of all the extraordinary writers in our state."

The SC Academy of Authors joins the Friends of Richland Library in sponsoring these three prizes: the Broad River Prize for Prose, the Saluda River Prize for Poetry, and the Combahee River Prize for a SC Writer of Color in Poetry or Prose. Each prize offers $250 cash and publication in Fall Lines - a literary convergence, volume X.

The deadline for submitting your work for consideration in this year’s Fall Lines - a literary convergence is July 31, 2023.

Submit to Fall Lines volume X here.

Jasper Wants YOUR Review of the Barbie Film!

In the 24 some odd hours since the movie Barbie has been released Jasper has been reading some fascinating insights and reviews on social media. Clearly, this film is serving as a catalyst for emotions, retrospection, contemplation — all the feels.

It strikes us here at Jasper that by sharing our thoughts about the film we might also grow as people, as film viewers, and as a community of individuals who want the best for our children, ourselves, and each other.

Please send us your personal reviews of Barbie as well as the take-away message you brought home with you. Your response is important and valid. We’ll publish a selection of them in next week’s Sundays with Jasper (subscribe at bottom of page link).

Just send your words to us as an email, a word doc, or a pasted clip from your socials and let us know if you are cool with us using your name or if you’d like to be anonymous. The email is JasperProjectColumbia@gmail.com and we’re looking forward to hearing what you think.

Stormwater Announces Group Exhibition as part of BIPOC Residency Program

From our friends at Stormwater Studios —

Stormwater Studios is thrilled to announce a group exhibition titled "Cultural Heritage | Creative Expression” which showcases the finalists of the inaugural Stormwater one-year Residency Program, designed to support and celebrate diverse voices within the artistic community. The program was made possible by the generous contribution of an anonymous donor with matching funds from One Columbia, to help foster an inclusive culture at Stormwater. The exhibition will be on display July 19-30th, with an Opening Reception on July 20th, from 5-8pm, and an Artist Talk and Closing Reception on July 30th, from 1-3pm.

The Stormwater Residency aims to provide a professional working environment that welcomes all forms of visual creative expression. As part of this year-long residency, the selected artist will have the opportunity to step outside their usual creative settings, allowing for reflection, research, experimentation with various materials, and the creation of a comprehensive body of work, which will culminate in a solo exhibition.

To identify the resident artist, Stormwater engaged prominent leaders in the art community to form a dedicated committee. Drawing upon their extensive expertise, the committee thoughtfully nominated and meticulously narrowed down the selection, culminating in the final selection process at Stormwater.

In recognition of the exceptional talent among all the residency finalists, Stormwater will proudly host a two-week art exhibition that will serve as a platform to showcase their extraordinary work. The participating artists include Nakisa Beigi, Malik Greene, Raishad Glover, Lori Starnes Isom, Quincy Pugh, Maya Smith, and Cedric Umoja. Through a diverse range of artistic expressions, the artists comment on their respective cultures, the immigrant experience, and convey emotions through poignant and nostalgic narratives. The themes explored will revolve around identity, culture, and politics, facilitating a deeper connection between the viewers and the artwork.

The exhibition will be open to the public from July 19th to July 30th, providing an opportunity for art lovers and the wider community to experience the powerful and thought-provoking artworks created by these exceptional artists. To kick off the exhibition, an opening reception will be held on July 20th from 5-8pm, allowing attendees to engage with the artists and gain deeper insights into their creative processes. Furthermore, a closing reception and artist talk will take place on July 30th from 1-3pm. Art historian and critic, Frank C. Martin, II, Ph.D., a member of l’Association Internationale des Critiques d’Art (AICA - an international art critics’ association) will act as moderator. Dr. Martin will provide an opportunity for attendees to engage in meaningful conversations with the individuals whose works will be on display, intending to enhance their understanding of the artists' visions.

 

This program is sponsored by South Carolina Humanities, a state program of the National Endowment for the Humanities; inspiring, engaging and enriching South Carolinians with programs on literature, history, culture, and heritage.

Storyboarding Workshop with Corey Davis at 701 CCA

Corey "Roc Bottom" Davis Storyboarding Workshop

701 Center for Contemporary Art

Saturday, July 15, 2023

1 pm to - 3 pm

Join multi-talented creative, Corey “Roc Bottom” Davis for a workshop exploring the process of storyboarding. In conjunction with Tyrone Geter’s Artist in Residence at 701 Center for Contemporary Art, Corey will guide the participants through the history of graphic novels while helping them develop their own hero’s storyline.

Corey Davis has vast knowledge and expertise in utilizing ink and pencils to create comics. He will explain how to communicate ideas through visual scenes in a sequence during this workshop. You will learn the step-by-step creative process to create your own storyboard. By the end of the session, you will have a storyboard outlined to take home and use again to develop your own characters and stories and share the new worlds you create with the community.

For more information on Roc Bottom and to view his work please visit https://www.rocbottomstudios.com

For more information about the workshop please visit https://www.701cca.org/.../storyboarding-workshop-with.../

We are located at 701 Whaley Street, Columbia, SC 29201. Please take the elevator to the second floor to the Main Exhibition Gallery.

Rocbottom Studios