Holiday Movie Recs from Columbia’s Arts Scene by Liz Stalker

Looking for your next holiday watch? Look no further than these fantastic recommendations from some of Columbia’s local artists and supporters!

Kwasi Brown, musician and founder of Black Nerd Mafia, says that his favorite holiday movie is Bob Clark’s A Christmas Story (1983). “I’ve watched A Christmas Story every year since I was a kid, it’s the best Christmas movie of all time and it’s not even close. I could quote it all day.” His favorite quotable moment is when the narrator, Jean Shepherd, describes Randy Parker hiding from some bullies, delivering the iconic lines, “Randy laid there like a slug. It was his only defense.”

"You'll shoot your eye out, kid."

"I triple-dog-dare ya!"

"Some men are Baptists, others Catholics; my father was an Oldsmobile man."

Tayler Simon, founder of Liberation is Lit, a popup bookstore that seeks to uplift indie authors and serve the Columbia community, says, “My favorite holiday movie is an absolute classic: The Preacher’s Wife [(Marshall, 1996)]. Whitney Houston’s soundtrack and Denzel Washington as an angel deserves more hype than it gets! For the last few years, I’ve loved sharing this movie with friends who haven’t seen it (and trying to keep my singing to a minimum, and then watching it again to sing to my heart’s desire). This used to be one of my mom’s favorite movies we would watch throughout the year! I love when we get to watch together.”

Actress Bella Coletti, currently playing the part of Pickles in Trustus Theater’s production of The Great American Trailer Park Christmas Musical, says The Santa Clause movie trilogy is her favorite holiday watch, though she admits they run in the background of her festivities. “I love The Santa Clause movies,” she says. “They bring back so many fun memories of decorating the Christmas tree with my family and making chocolate crinkle cookies with my mom.”

Painter and photographer Quincy Pugh says, “I’m likely one of the few people who does not have a favorite holiday movie. I enjoy watching, This Christmas, primarily because of the strong matriarch played by Loretta Devine. She reminds me of the strong mother figures in my life. The music is pretty good as well.” Though he loves This Christmas (Whitmore, 2007), Pugh also notes, “Since I live with someone who most definitely has a favorite holiday film, I have to say that my seasonal rewatch, It’s a Wonderful Life [(Capra, 1946], is heavily influenced by their viewing tradition and love for this film. I enjoy it as well.”

Lori Starnes, a visual artist whose “HomeGrown” collection is currently being shown at 701 Whaley, has an unconventional holiday rewatch tradition–Victor Fleming’s The Wizard of Oz (1939). “My favorite holiday movie, hands down, is The Wizard of Oz,” she says. “I realize that it isn't about Christmas or any other holiday, however, it has been the one that I've watched each and every Christmas season for as long as I can remember.”

Last but certainly not least, Jasper’s own editor in chief, Cindi Boiter, says her favorite holiday movie is Frank Capra’s It’s A Wonderful Life (1946), adding, “My favorite quote is spoken by George Bailey, played by Jimmy Stewart, to his mother during Harry Bailey’s welcome home party. His mother nudges him to visit Mary Hatch, his future wife played by Donna Reed. George responds, ‘Here’s your hat, what’s your hurry?’ The film has so many special moments: Bert and Ernie serenading the newlyweds in the rain, George embracing the broken finial on the newel post he was cursing the evening before, George forgiving and consoling Mr. Gower, the pharmacist. I find something new to love about the movie every year.”

"Youth is wasted on the wrong people."

"Every time a bell rings, an angel gets his wings."

As we approach the holidays, we hope you’ll join Jasper as we continue to celebrate the people who make up Columbia’s incredibly vibrant local arts scene.

Join Jasper for Vista Lights this Thursday - featuring Lisa Alberghini, Adam Corbett, Karen Sargent, Candace Catoe, Carla Damron, and Valerie Lamott

by Cindi Boiter

In my heart I’m just now switching over from sandals and sundresses to blue jeans and boot weather, but in my brain the calendar tells me that the holidays are sneaking up on us and I think I have to believe it. Unless we’re deep in the darkest timeline, which isn’t out of the question, numbers don’t lie. This Thursday is November 21st and that means Vista Lights is happening this week. Already.

Luckily, the Jasper Team has been at the planning table and we have an evening of local art and festivities planned for you when you join us on Thursday, November 21 at 6 pm at Coal Powered Filmworks at 1217 Lincoln Street in Columbia’s historic Vista. As usual, we’ll have a fun roster of local artists who will be sharing their wares – ornaments, jewelry, small art, surprises!

Among our featured artists are Lisa Alberghini, Adam Corbett, Karen Sargent, Candace Catoe, Carla Damron, and Valerie LaMott!

We’ll have some light snacks, friendly faces, and loads of good cheer as we pretend our political world is still on its axis and we take refuge in the reciprocated pretense of joy on all your smiling faces.

There may be booze.

Join us!

Join the Jasper Project and SCAA for a Reading and Launch Celebration of Southern Voices – Fifty Contemporary Poets Edited by Tom Mack and Andrew Geyer

By Cindi Boiter

Poetry and place come together beautifully in Tom Mack and Andrew Geyer’s (editors) new book, Southern Voices – Fifty Contemporary Poets (Lamar University Press) Which launched on October 1st on the campus of University of SC at Aiken, where Mack is a distinguished professor emeritus and Geyer serves as chair of the English Department. The two previously worked together editing the fiction anthology, A Shared Voice: A Tapestry of Tales (Lamar University Press, 2013), and have joined forces once again to bring us a new and intriguing look at contemporary poetry from the South.

“Because of the overwhelming success of that collection of paired tales, the folks at Lamar University Literary Press wondered if we could put together an equally attractive book of poems,” Mack says. Mack also edited Dancing on Barbed Wire (Angelina River Press, 2018) which Geyer co-wrote with Terry Dalrymple and Jerry Craven. “We knew from the outset of the multi-year project that we wanted to cover the whole South from Virginia to Texas, from Arkansas to Florida; and we thought that 50 would be the minimum number of poets (4-6 poems by each) that we would need to do justice to the complex geography and culture of this distinctive region of the country.”

South Carolina poetry aficionados will not be surprised by the list of distinguished contributors to Southern Voices, among them Jasper’s own poetry editor and inaugural Columbia city poet laureate, Ed Madden, along with Libby Bernadin, Marcus Amaker, Ron Rash, Glennis Redmond, and forty-five equally accomplished poets from across the region.

“Once we decided on how many poets to include in the book,” Mack says, “we divided the South in half. Because I had edited the South Carolina Encyclopedia Guide to South Carolina Writers (USC Press) and managed the USC Aiken writers’ series for over a decade, I volunteered to invite 25 poets from the Atlantic coast, the part of the South I know best. Drew (Geyer), a native of Texas and a member of the Texas Institute of Letters, focused on Southern states from Alabama to west of the Mississippi.”

The theme of “place” features prominently in this collection, Mack says. “It thus made sense to invite as many state and local poets laureate as possible since those individuals had already been selected by governmental entities to represent a particular locale. All of the Southern states have state poets laureate; and some states, such as South Carolina, have poets laureate who have been selected to represent cities and towns. Columbia, Charleston, Greenville, and Rock Hill, for example, have municipal poets laureate. Thus, we were expecting that most of the poems submitted by each invited poet would focus on place: physical, emotional, spiritual, or psychological. We were not disappointed.”

But the co-editors recognized early on that the representation of contemporary Southern poets looks increasingly different than in decades past, as it should. “From the very beginning of the process, we wanted to put together a book that reflected the changing demographics of the region, its growing diversity and burgeoning equality of opportunity. Thus, in choosing our invitees, we kept gender, ethnicity, and sexual orientation in mind,” Geyer says.

In his introduction to the volume Mack writes, “Perhaps no other region of this vast country is haunted more by the past. In the case of the American South, heavy lie the legacy of slavery and the specter of the Civil War. … Yet, the winds of change can be felt throughout the American South, due in large part to both a generational and demographic shift—the region is consistently being enriched by transplants from other parts of the country and other nations of the world.”

“This Southern Voices collection is a testament to how far we’ve come,” Geyer agrees. “The poets in this anthology are Black and white and brown, straight and LGBTQ+, native Southerners and northern transplants—a mélange of artists from across the Greater South most of whom have served as the poets laureate of their states and/or local communities. These are the poets whose work everyday folks living in the South chose to represent them. The diversity of voices that you’ll find in this incredible volume is reflective of the people who make the place what it is.” 

Launch celebrations and readings for Southern Voices are scheduled  throughout the state. The public is invited to attend the Columbia event, sponsored in part by the Jasper Project and the South Carolina Academy of Authors, from 6 to 8 pm on November 14th at All Good Books in Five Points. Poets scheduled to read from the collection include Ed Madden, Glenis Redmond, Libby Bernardin, and Ellen Hyatt.

A version of this article appeared in the Fall 2024 issue of Jasper Magazine - Available now throughout Columbia

Jasper's First Thursday at Sound Bites Features Jarid Lyfe Brown

By Cindi Boiter

The Jasper Project is excited to welcome visual artist Jarid Lyfe Brown to our gallery space at Sound Bites Eatery as part of our First Thursday celebration this Thursday, November 7th.

A profoundly original artist, Brown’s technique has typically leaned toward surrealistic expression often by anthropomorphizing animals and visually annotating his subjects on the same canvas.

Born in Atlanta and raised in Columbia, Brown has lived in Gilbert for the -last 17 years. A construction worker by day for the past 30 years, Brown attended SCAD but is, for the most part, self-taught. His work has recently shown at both Soul Haus and Havens Gallery.

“About two years ago, life seemed to be unexpectedly and unusually busy and chaotic,” Brown says. “Between that and lazy excuses, painting and drawing started drifting because I was used to painting very large which can be time consuming. I grabbed a new sketchbook as a sort of documentation device for my current erratic thoughts and regular life experiences. Since a 10x7 book is a bit more portable, this would give me a chance to work anywhere. These small new works [in his Sound Bites exhibition] reflect about two years of sporadic expression, sometimes even forced so to not let go of something that means so much.”

STILL HERE -- Jump Scares, Gore Ratings, and What to Watch if You're Staying in on Halloween

STILL HERE is a new column by Jasper Magazine editor Cindi Boiter

I remember being invited to  a Halloween costume party in my early 20s when we lived in DC and being flummoxed by the invitation to “dress up” in a costume for the event. Dress up? Like a child? I thought. This was in the early 80s and all I could think was that Halloween was for children and  I had no idea how to approach “dressing up” as an adult. Thankfully, the years have passed and taught me that Halloween may be for children, but it is also a sacred night for so many of my LGBTQ+ friends who love the holiday for the personal and aesthetic freedom it has traditionally allowed, as well as artists and creatives, like my friends Bohumila Augustinova and B.A. Hohman, who treat Halloween the way they treat their daily lives, with creativity and panache.  

In any case, I’ve learned my lessons about Halloween, and now I recognize that I don’t dress up primarily because I’m too lazy. That said, I appreciate the spookiness of Halloween, as seen through the eyes of my grandchildren, and I love a free night that allows me to stay in and watch scary and, sometimes, esoteric films.  

To that end, I took advantage of having filmmaking friends who know much more about scary flicks than I do and I asked a few of them to recommend some films to watch on Halloween night. But because I’m a wimp I also asked them to indicate whether there are scare-jumps in their recommended movies (I hate them!) and to rate the films for gore with 1 being OK for wussies (me!) and 5 being grossest. 

Thanks to Thaddeus Jones, Chris Bickel, and David Axe for helping me out. Here’s what we came up with.

David Axe, independent filmmaker 

SKINAMARINK (2022)

“A divisive and unique cinematic nightmare. No jump scares, just dread.”  (Axe)

Gore Rating - 1

Jump Scares - 0

~

CUCKOO (2024)

“A trippy and atmospheric horror set in the German alps. Several jump scares.” (Axe)

 Gore Rating -2

Jump Scares - many

Chris Bickel, independent filmmaker

NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD (1968)

“No real jump scares, but an unexpected ending. The movie that started everything and ushered in the modern horror era. I watch it every Halloween. “ 

Gore Rating – 2

Jump Scares - 0

PIECES (1982)

~

“Amazing Eurotrash slasher movie”  

Gore Rating – 4

Jump Scares -1  

~

THE MIDNIGHT HOUR (1985)  

“0 on the gore scale, just dumb fun. No jump scares. Made-for-TV comedy horror with Levar Burton and Sheri Belafonte. Kind of hard to find, but worth seeking it out for stupid fun. It's like if Michael Jackson's Thriller was a feature-length TV comedy.” 

Gore Rating – 0

Jump Scares – 0

Thaddeus Jones – independent filmmaker

LET THE RIGHT ONE IN (2008)  

Oskar, an overlooked and bullied boy, finds love and revenge through Eli, a beautiful but peculiar girl. (IMDb) 

Gore Rating – 3

Jump Scares – 2

~ 

SLITHER (2006) 

A small town is taken over by an alien plague, turning residents into zombies and all forms of mutant monsters. (IMDb) 

Gore Rating – 5

Jump Scares – 2

  ~

TRAIN TO BUSSAN (2016) 

While a zombie virus breaks out in South Korea, passengers struggle to survive on the train from Seoul to Busan (IMDb) 

Gore Rating -2

Jump Scares – 3 

~

 THE SHINING

Stanley Kubrick classic based on the Stephen King novel starring Jack Nicholson

Gore Rating – 2

Jump Scares --3

Jones also mentioned one of my favorite horror films, The Fly (1986) starring a very cute Jeff Goldblum and a porcelain-skinned Geena Davis. I favor the zeros when it comes to jump scares and gore, and Thad gave The Fly a 4.5 on gore with 1 jump scare, which made me feel brave af. But I wonder if, like me, Jones also prefers the 1958 version starring Vincent Price with David Hedison as his brother who, spoiler alert, ends up with the arm and head of a man, but the rest of his body, a fly, feebly and frighteningly muttering those infamous words that are still tattooed on my brain, “Help me. Help me!” 

If you’re staying in and watching something horrific on Thursday night, let us know  what you have queued up.

 HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Announcing Fall Lines Vol. X Winners and Launch Date

May 19th 2:30 pm Richland Library

The Jasper Project is delighted to announce the winners of our Fall Lines Volume X poetry and prose prizes, our newest prize for a South Carolina writer of color, and the date of the Fall Lines Volume X book launch and reading.

Please join Jasper on Sunday May 19th at 2:30 pm in the auditorium of Richland Library as we welcome the 10th volume of Fall Lines – a literary convergence to the world. Previously announced accepted contributors are invited to read from their published work and copies of Fall Lines will be available for further distribution throughout the state. Contributors and guests are invited to attend.

Congratulations to the following prize winners.

Alyssa Stewart, winner of the Combahee River Prize for a SC Writer of Color for her poem “a black boy dreams of water” sponsored by the SC Academy of Authors.

Liz Newall, winner of the Broad River Prize for Prose for her short fiction “Red Hill Fans” sponsored by the Richland Library Friends and Foundation.

Brian Slusher, winner of the Saluda River Prize for Poetry for his poem “Improv 101” also sponsored by the Richland Library Friends and Foundation.

This year’s judges were Jennifer Bartell Boykin, poet laureate for the city of Columbia, SC (Combahee River  Prize), Ed Madden, Fall Lines co-editor and former poet laureate for the city of Columbia SC (Saluda River Prize), and Cindi Boiter, co-editor of Fall Lines and Jasper Magazine (Broad River Prize).

In writing about “a black boy dreams of water” by Alyssa Stewart, Boykin says, “It is not a coincidence that the winner of the Combahee River Prize is a poem overflowing with water. Water can be healing. Water can be dangerous. But what is water to a Black boy? What is the role of water in the Black psyche? In “a black boy dreams of water” Alyssa Stewart explores these questions and more. She pens a well-crafted poem in which the Black boy experiences water in a pool, in a pond, a river, a broken fire hydrant and infuses them with memories of the Atlantic Ocean and the Middle Passage. Boykin continues, “There is joy in the water that ‘has the power / to make his auntie’s hair curl’ and danger in water that can ‘turn hardened men into narcs.’ This poem deals with the legacy of water and Blackness, the not knowing how to swim (‘we do not go in’) and water as a path to freedom. It’s a call and response that beckons us to dream with this Black boy and to dream of/in water.”

Ed Madden, who is the Jasper Project’s literary editor, having selected poetry contributors to Fall Lines since our begging, writes about adjudicating the Saluda River Prize for Poetry. “While I love the meditative language of Randy Spencer’s "Reading Ann's Poem..." and the unemotional attention to the things we do in Worthy Evans’ "Blues Song...," and the humor of Debra Daniel’s "Studies in Reproduction"—all that to say this is a tough decision—I decided on Brian Slusher’s "Improv 101" as the winner of the Saluda River Prize for Poetry this year. While there is so much to love in all of the finalist poems, this poem has such a playfulness that almost-but-not-quite distracts from its serious lessons, every instruction for improv comedy also resonating with so many other possibilities. Say yes and....  Why don't we just let it go?” Madden continues, “The wild pacing of the poem suggests the wild pacing of improv--as if to suggest that poetry itself is a kind of improvisation. (And isn't it?) And that last double simile is so so delightful.”  

For Boiter, it was an honor, though also a challenge, to read and adjudicate this volume’s prose submissions. “As a prose and creative non-fiction writer myself, I find that I always learn something from reading the widely varied contributions to Fall Lines. In Suzanne Kamata’s ‘Community Building,’ for example, I vicariously learned about the awkward enthusiasm of actively participating in a culture foreign to one’s own. As a person who had once felt so out of touch with the portion of my peer group that valued conformity, Evelyn Berry’s “The Home Party” reminded me of the darker days of my early thirties and the frustration and shame of trying to fit in among people for whom I had no admiration and little respect. I think many readers will commiserate with the satisfying sense of personal growth I felt, and Berry’s main character begins to feel, at having extracted oneself from the kind of dangerous women Berry writes about and ensconced oneself in a community of forward-thinking artists and progressives. But it was in Liz Newall’s ‘Red Hill Fans’ that I was most carried away by the storytelling and the plot twists that have always inspired me both as a writer and a reader. For that reason, and more, I selected Newell’s ‘Red Hill Fans’ as the winner of the Broad River Prize for Prose.” 

The Jasper Project wants to thank Richland Library, Lee Snelgrove, One Columbia for Arts and Culture, Xavier Blake, the South Carolina Academy of Authors, Wilmot Irving, Mary Beth Evans, Ed Madden, and Jennifer Bartell Boykin.

Congratulations to Liz Newell, Alyssa Stewart, Brian Slusher, and all the accepted contributors to this historic issue of Fall Lines – a literary convergence.

 Mark your calendars!

Sunday May 19th 2:30 pm

Richland Library

1431 Assembly Street, Columbia, SC

Jasper Partners with One Columbia & All Good Books to present 2024 ONE BOOK Project -- Book Announcement Celebration April 21st at Bierkeller

A few hints: the author lives, works, and writes in Columbia, the book’s theme centers around nature, environmental responsibility, and climate change, and there are characters in the book that transcend perceived racial, gender, sexual orientation, and even biological divisions to remind us that we are all citizens of this planet.

The public is invited to join the Jasper Project, One Columbia, and All Good Books, along with our host, Bierkeller Brewing Company on Sunday afternoon, April 21st from 3 – 5 pm for the announcement of our new book selection for Columbia’s 2024 ONE BOOK project!

As an Earth Day Eve event, the Bierkeller has invited representatives from local environmental organizations to be on hand to help us set the stage for the announcement of this year’s book selection.

A few hints: the author lives, works, and writes in Columbia, the book’s theme centers around nature, environmental responsibility, and climate change, and there are characters in the book that transcend perceived racial, gender, sexual orientation, and even biological divisions to remind us that we are all citizens of this planet.

Columbia city poet laureate Jennifer Bartell Boykin will read a poem dedicated to the city, and southeastern regional poetry event host Al Black has created a new poem inspired by the selected book. Dr. Melissa Stuckey, USC professor of History, will speak as will One Columbia’s Xavier Blake, All Good Book’s Jared Johnson, and the Jasper Project’s Cindi Boiter. There will be an interactive arts table for the children, environmental information booths, and various arts and crafts vendors will share their wares and talents with attendees. And, of course, beer, wine, and authentic German dishes will be available from the Bierkeller.

In addition to announcing the calendar of events for Columbia’s 2024 ONE BOOK  celebration, the pre-Earth Day event will also allow for the announcement of a Jasper Project – sponsored and ONE BOOK - inspired visual art, literary art, and singer-songwriter competition open to Midlands area artists with prizes and a 2024 ONE BOOK culminating party on September 22, 2024.

The ONE BOOK, One Community project began in the Seattle public library system in 1998 when Seattle librarians invited the community of greater Seattle to read and discuss the same book over the course of a summer. Columbia embraced the project first in 2011, and we enjoyed several years of exciting, thought-provoking programming centered around a singular book. One of our most exciting projects was in 2017 when the Columbia community read local author Carla Damron's novel The Stone Necklace, a detailed and ultimately uplifting story focusing on the power of community to combat poverty and homelessness and set in Columbia. Along with One Columbia for Arts and Culture and independent bookstore All Good Books, the Jasper Project has renewed the project focusing exclusively on books by SC authors.

While the title of the book remains embargoed until April 21st, media representatives may be made aware of the information upon request.

What will the selection for Columbia’s 2024 One Book be? Join us on April 21st from 3 – 5 pm at the Bierkeller, 600 Canal Street, Suite 1009 to find out!

For more information contact info@JasperProject.org

Congratulations to Poetry Out Loud Winner JESSIE LEITZEL!

JESSIE LEITZEL

The Jasper Project congratulates Jessie Leitzel on winning first place in the South Carolina Poetry Out Loud State Finals, held Saturday, March 9th at Richland Library. Leitzel was one of six finalists who competed in the finals for the national recitation competition and will go on to compete in the final competition in Washington DC later this spring.

“Leitzel was composed, confident, and they presented themself as a bright and progressive representative of South Carolina,” says the Jasper Project executive director Cindi Boiter who, along with Jasper Project board of directors member, Al Black, Marilyn Matheus, and Lester Boykin, adjudicated the event. Ray McManus was the host of the event, and Paul Kaufmann was the accuracy judge. Shannon Ivey was the performance coach and Eric Bultman served as recitation coach.

Leitzel is a nonfiction writer and poet studying creative writing at Charleston County School of the Arts in North Charleston. They are the co-founding editor of the literary magazine, Trace Fossils Review, a 2024 Presidential Scholar in the Arts nominee, a gold medalist of the Scholastic Writing Awards, and a YoungArts Award winner with distinction in nonfiction.

Winning second place was Abhirami Nalachandran from Calvary Christina School in Myrtle Beach and Catherine Wooten of Westgate Christian School was awarded the third place prize.

Other finalists included Eve Decker of Spartanburg Day School, Erin Maguire of Socastee High School, and Gemma Williams of Ashley Hall in Charleston.

Congratulations to all the finalists, as well as to the Columbia SC arts community for coming out to support your literary artists!

Join Jasper's Al Black, Ginny Merrett, and Cindi Boiter for an Ekphrastic Poetry Event Sunday, July 9th

Al Black and his friends are generously reading their ekphrastic poetry about Ginny Merett’s Tall Women series in what Al calls “Poetry Church.” Meet us at the hallway: community art, 701 Whaley, from 2-4 July 9, 2023 for what will be a show highlight!

Artists include:

Songwriter, Alison Trotter

Songwriter , Alyssa Stewart

Poet, Janet Kozachek

Poet, Jane Zenger

Poet, Tamar Miles

Poet, Cindi Boiter

Poet, Michal Rubin

Poet, Jennifer Bartell

Poet, Kristine Hartivigsen

PRESS RELEASE: THE JASPER PROJECT PRESENTS A STAGED READING OF COLBY QUICK’S NEW PLAY, MOON SWALLOWER, WINNER OF THE 2022 PLAY RIGHT SERIES PROJECT

Sunday, August 28th at 4pm

Columbia Music Festival Association

914 Pulaski Street

Panel Presentation and Reception to Follow

The Jasper Project is excited to present the staged reading of MOON SWALLOWER a new play by Sumter playwright Colby Quick. MOON SWALLOWER is directed by veteran theatre artist Chad Henderson and features Michael Hazin, Lonetta Thompson, Richard Edwards, Becky Hunter, and Chris Cockrell.

MOON SWALLOWER is the winner of the Jasper Project’s 2022 Play Right Series, an endeavor in which unpublished playwrights are invited to submit their work in competition for a cash prize, publication of their play in book form, and workshopping and development of the play with skilled professional theatre artists, culminating in a staged reading. Dr. Jon Tuttle, playwright in residence at Francis Marion University and member of the Jasper Project board of directors, is the director of the Jasper Project Play Right Series.

MOON SWALLOWER is an alternative coming-of-age story of a young man who finds himself stuck somewhere between small town ideologies and big world expectations with a heavy influence of social media, domestic awkwardness, and the possibility of werewolves. It is a comedy that has kept the case laughing throughout rehearsals.

The Play Right Series is a unique machination for bringing new plays and playwrights to the forefront of local performing arts by calling on Community Producers to invest a modest amount of money in the workshopping and ultimate staged reading of the play in exchange for their intimate involvement in the processes involved in taking a play from page to stage. Community Producers for MOON SWALLOWER are Bill Schmidt, Bert Easter, Ed Madden, Paul Leo, Eric Tucker, Kirkland Smith, James Smith, Wade Sellers, and Cindi Boiter.

The first iteration of the Play Right Series involved a new work from SC playwright Randall David Cook whose play, SHARKS AND OTHER LOVERS was produced in 2017 and directed by Larry Hembree. SHARKS AND OTHER LOVERS has gone on to win multiple awards and be presented throughout the US.

The Staged Reading for MOON SWALLOWER will be held Sunday afternoon, August 28th at 4 pm (doors at 3:30) at Columbia Music Festival Association, 914 Pulaski Street. Tickets are $10 in advance and $12 at the door. The performance will be followed by a panel discussion including cast and Community Producers, hosted by Jon Tuttle, with a reception following. Copies of the play, MOON SWALLOWER, will be available for purchase at the event or online at Amazon.com.

Tickets are available at  The Jasper Project.

ART AT HOME: McKissick Museum Offers Digital Exhibit - Piece by Piece, Quilts from the Permanent Collection

“Some women don’t care how their quilts look. They piece the squares together any sort of way, but she couldn’t stand careless sewing. She wanted her quilts, and Joy’s, made right. Quilts stay a long time after people are gone from this world, and witness about them for good or bad.” ―

Julia Peterkin, Pulitzer Prize winning novelist from Fort Motte, South Carolina, author of Scarlet Sister Mary

Double Irish Chain

Designed by Tabitha Meek Campbell (1822-1889) 
Spartanburg County, SC
ca. 1860
Gift of Sarah M. Norton

The desire to create is a powerful force that will fight its way out of you even when you try to suppress it or pretend it isn’t there. Lord knows that traditionally impoverished Southern women rarely found their way to store bought canvasses on which to paint. But their talent and creativity poured forth in other ways, not the least of which was the way they kept their families warm with homemade quilts fashioned from cast-off clothes and pieces of fabric put aside for a rainy day.

Homemade quilts are more than family heirlooms to store in a linen closet.

Homemade quilts are story tellers and canvasses and books with chapter after chapter to be explored in square after square of their making.

And if the heat or germs or whatever personal reason of your own is keeping you home right now, you can still enjoy an incredibly comprehensive and enlightening virtual trip to the museum right from your own computer screen by visiting McKissick Museum’s Digital Exhibition, Piece by Piece - Quilts from the Permanent Collection.

In Piece by Piece, the exhibition introduces the visitor to a variety of quilts dating as far back as the early 1800s and as recently as 2015 with a quilt crafted by Summerville’s Peggie Hartwell, recipient of the Jean Laney Harris Folk Heritage Award presented by the SC Arts Commission. Ms. Hartwell is a founding member of the National Women of Color Quilters Network.

Wisdom 11 “To Thee I Give You Our Past”

Peggie Hartwell (1939-present)
Summerville, SC
2015

McKissick Museum Collection 2017.20.01

The McKissick Museum website writes, “The McKissick Museum collection includes over two hundred quilts, featuring examples of appliquéd, whole cloth, and pieced works from the Southeast. Since the 1980s, McKissick has documented and celebrated quilting traditions, produced several publications, and developed programs exploring the topic. The quilts in this exhibition illustrate the evolution of this textile tradition over the past two hundred years. From the early use of chintz fabrics to the widespread popularity of solid colors, these quilts reflect traditions with roots in Europe, Africa, and the American South.

“Quilting traditions in the Southeast were not uniform. Quilters were influenced by geographic, economic, and cultural circumstances. Many of the quilts displayed here illustrate characteristics distinctive to individual makers, while others reflect the influence of popular styles and trends. Quilts are as varied and diverse as the women and men who make them. They can evoke powerful memories and provide tangible connections to loved ones or specific events. More important, makers often use quilts to express social commentary, communicate personal narratives, or document family or community history.”

The Virtual Exhibit features distinct sections on Southern Quilts, primarily from the Carolinas and Georgia; the Makers’ Voice, which profiles known quiltmakers; the eponymous Crazy Quilt, and the University’s Quilt History Project from 1883-86. Included is a quilt created in 1986 by Hazel Ross depicting scenes from Columbia’s history to celebrate the city’s bicentennial.

Columbia Bicentennial Quilt

Designed by Hazel Rossl
Columbia, SC
1986
Gift of Logan Lap Quilters

McKissick Museum Collection 2012.08.01

For more exhibits at McKissick Museum, both virtual and physical, please visit this link and continue to enjoy the meaningful connection between art and history.

-Cindi Boiter

Jasper Presents the Staged Reading of the 2022 Play Right Series Winning Play -- Moon Swallower by Colby Quick

MOON SWALLOWER STAGED READING

SUNDAY AUGUST 28TH — 4 PM

at CMFA

TICKETS $10 ADVANCE - $12 AT THE DOOR

The Jasper Project presents the staged reading of a brand-new play, Moon Swallower by novice playwright, Colby Quick.

Quick is the winner of Jasper’s second Play Right Series competition in which he competed with other unpublished playwrights for an opportunity to have his play workshopped and developed by a team of seasoned theatre artists with the end result being a staged reading and the option of further development toward a fully realized stage production.

Moon Swallower will be presented at CMFA on Sunday August 28th at 4 pm with a talk back session and reception following the reading.

Moon Swallower is directed by Chad Henderson with a cast that includes Lonetta Thompson, Stann Gwynn, Becky Hunter, Richard Edwards, and Michael Hazin. Katie Leitner is the stage manager. Veteran playwright Jon Tuttle is the project manager for the 2022 Play Right Series.

The 2022 Jasper Play Right Series is made possible by the contributions of a team of Community Producers, all of whom will have contributed financially to the development of the project and have, reciprocally, been involved in the process from an educational perspective.

They are Bert Easter, Ed Madden, James Smith, Kirkland Smith, Bill Schmidt, Paul Leo, Eric Tucker, Cindi Boiter, Wade Sellers, and Jon Tuttle.

The purpose of the Play Right Series is to empower and enlighten Community Producers by allowing them insider views of the steps and processes of creating theatre art. In exchange for a  minimal financial contribution, Community Producers are invited to attend designated open readings and rehearsals, informal presentations by cast and crew, and opening night performances with producer credits. The result is that Community Producers learn about the extensive process of producing a play and become invested personally in the production and success of the play and its cast and crew, thereby become diplomats of theatre arts.

Community Producers’ names, and that of the Jasper Project, will also be permanently attached to the play and will appear in the published manuscript which will be registered with the Library of Congress and for sale via a number of standard outlets under the auspices of Muddy Ford Press and the imprint of the Jasper Project.

The Jasper Project produced their first Play Right Series in 2017, producing a staged reading of Randall David Cook’s Sharks and Other Lovers under the direction of Larry Hembree. 

About the playwright: Colby Quick is a thirty-one-year-old writer, singer, musician, actor, husband, and father of two. He is the lead singer and guitarist of a Stoner Doom band known as Juggergnome and in the development phase of a rap duo project called Ski & Beige. Colby played Ebenezer Scrooge in Northeastern Technical College’s stage production of A Christmas Carol in 2019 and is currently in his final semester at Francis Marion University as an English Major and Creative Writing Minor. “I have mostly written poems, songs, and short stories, as well as an unpublished novel.: Quick says. “When I was young, I would make stop-motion videos and I wrote scripts for all of them. I think this helped a lot with writing the Moon Swallower.”

About the project manager: Jon Tuttle is Professor of English and Director of University Honors at Francis Marion University, author of THE TRUSTUS COLLECTION (Muddy Ford Press, 2019), which includes six of his plays that premiered at Columbia’s Trustus Theatre, and a recipient of the South Carolina Governor’s Award in the Humanities.

The Supper Table Goes to Jasper County!

THE MORRIS CENTER FOR LOWCOUNTRY HERITAGE

We’re delighted to announce that the Supper Table, the Jasper Project’s most ambitious project to date, is traveling to the South Carolina Lowcountry this summer for a 6-month-long residency at the Morris Center for Low Country Heritage in Ridgeland, Jasper County, South Carolina.

The Supper Table, an homage to the 40th anniversary of Judy Chicago’s 1979 epic feminist art exhibition, is a multidisciplinary arts project celebrating the history and contributions of 12 extraordinary South Carolina women and featuring the work of almost 60 of South Carolina’s most outstanding women artists in the visual, literary, theatrical, and film arts.

Place setting honoring SC artist Eartha Kitt by Mana Hewitt

The Supper Table was created between 2018 and 2019 and began touring the state in November 2019, traveling from Columbia to Irmo, Camden, Florence, Lake City, and more, but its itinerary was interrupted by the Covid-19 pandemic. For more information on the women honored with seats at the table created by outstanding SC women artists, as well as the writers, filmmakers, theatre artists, visual artists, and portrait artist Kirkland Smith, please visit the Supper Table page on the Jasper Project website.

Place setting honoring SC’s Dr. Matilda Evans by SC artist Rene Rouillier

The Morris Center for Low Country Heritage has a number of educational and interpretive events planned to further explore and celebrate the Supper Table including the following.

7/16/2022

11:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Table Talk: The Supper Table Opening

Kayleigh Vaughn/Cindi Boiter

Part history lesson, part art installation, all homage. The Supper Table, its origins and impact on South Carolina Women’s History is the topic of conversation with Morris Center Curator Kayleigh Vaughn and Jasper Project Director Cindi Boiter.

https://www.morrisheritagecenter.org/events/table-talk/

8/12/2022

6:00 PM - 7:00 PM

Take a Seat: Visual Artists' Panel

Tonya Gregg, BA Hohman, Flavia Lovatelli

Enjoy some lively table talk as several of the visual artists from The Supper Table discuss their role and process in contributing to the art installation.

https://www.morrisheritagecenter.org/events/take-a-seat-visual-artists-panel/

Many of the SC artists involved in the Supper Table project

9/20/2022

5:00 PM - 6:00 PM

South Carolina "Herstory"

Dr. Valinda Littlefield

Scores of women have left an indelible mark on “herstory” in the Palmetto State. This inspiring talk connects to The Supper Table.

https://www.morrisheritagecenter.org/events/south-carolina-herstory/

10/21/2022

6:00 PM - 7:00 PM

Take a Seat: Writers' Panel

Christina Xan, Claudia Smith Brinson, Kristine Hartvigsen

Food for thought? In conjunction with The Supper Table, several writers share about their role and process contributing to the exhibition.

11/18/2022

6:00 PM - 7:00 PM

Take a Seat: Filmmakers' Panel

Ebony Wilson, Carleen Maur, LeeAnn Kornegay

Food for thought? In conjunction with The Supper Table, several filmmakers share about their role and process contributing to the exhibition.

Happy Hour Release Party for Jasper Magazine Spring 2022 - Thursday, June 9th at Black Rooster Rooftop Bar

Join us as we celebrate all the artists honored in the spring 2022 issue of Jasper Magazine for the official release event at 5:30 on Thursday, June 9th at the Black Rooster’s beautiful rooftop bar.

Among the artists we’ll be celebrating are cover artist Lindsay Radford (written by Kristine Hartvigsen) and centerfold Michael Krajewski (which was shot by Brad Martin in the Black Rooster itself!)

In a jam-packed 64 pages you’ll find another piece by Kristine Hartvigsen on Mike Miller’s new novel, The Hip Shot, as well as excerpts from Jane Zenger and Angelo Geter’s new books of poetry from Muddy Ford Press.

Music editor Kevin Oliver put together a detailed section of new music called “10 to Watch” featuring new work from Saul Seibert, Katera, Desiree Richardson, Tam the Vibe, Rex Darling, Space Force, Admiral Radio, Hillmouse, Candy Coffins, and Lang Owen, with contributing writing from Kyle Petersen and Emily Moffitt.

Tam the Vibe

Stephanie Allen writes about Josetra Baxter and Tamara Finkbeiner’s Walking on Water Productions and their new series Secrets in Plain Sight, with photography by Bree Burchfield.

And we highlight Columbia artist Quincy Pugh as well as feature Will South’s interview with Tyrone Geter all the way from Gambia.

The Three Graces by Quincy Pugh

USC filmmaker Carleen Maur helps us understand more about the art of experimental filmmaking.

Emily Moffitt profiles visual artists Rebecca Horne, Lucy Bailey, and designer Diko Pekdemir-Lewis.

Ed Madden curates poetry from Juan David Cruz-Duarte and Terri McCord.

Christina Xan details the incredible success of Cooper Rust and her non-profit organization, Artists for Africa.

Cindi Boiter profiles SC Arts Commission executive director David Platts, with photography by Brodie Porterfield, and writes about the new public art, Motherhood by Nora Valdez, with exquisite photography by Stephen Chesley.

Motherhood by Nora Valdez, phot by Stephen Chesley

And finally, we memorialize two pillars of the Columbia arts community, Mary Bentz Gilkerson and Wim Roefs, whose loss this spring we are still reeling from.

——

We look forward to seeing you Thursday night.

The event is free and Black Rooster’s regular rooftop bar will be serving drinks and food. Come by for happy hour and grab a drink, a magazine, and a hug from your favorite folks. Or plan on staying a while and grabbing dinner or snacks.

Thanks to restauranteur extraordinaire Kristian Niemi for hosting us.

We can’t wait to see you and show off these exceptional artists who call Columbia, SC home!

Colby Quick Wins Play Right Series and You're Invited to Join the Play Right Project Team as a Community Producer

The Jasper Project is proud to announce the winner of our 2nd PLAY RIGHT SERIES project—Colby Quick for his play, Moon Swallower

Colby Quick is a thirty-one-year-old writer, singer, musician, actor, husband, and father of two. He is the lead singer and guitarist of a Stoner Doom band known as Juggergnome and in the development phase of a rap duo project called Ski & Beige. Colby played Ebenezer Scrooge in Northeastern Technical College’s stage production of A Christmas Carol in 2019 and is currently in his final semester at Francis Marion University as an English Major and Creative Writing Minor. “I have mostly written poems, songs, and short stories, as well as an unpublished novel.: Quick says. “When I was young, I would make stop-motion videos and I wrote scripts for all of them. I think this helped a lot with writing the Moon Swallower.”

Now it’s your chance to join the Jasper Project’s Play Right Series as a Community Producer.

Are you the kind of person who always wants to know more about the art you experience?

• Why did the playwright make their characters the way they did?

• What was the director trying to accomplish by having an actor move across stage, turn their back to the audience, or break into dance?

• How did an actor make me feel the way they did simply by turning their head?

If you have a passion for knowing more, understanding process, inspiration, and impetus, and seeing how a virgin play goes from page to stage, you are a good candidate for becoming a Jasper Project Play Right Series Community Producer.

 

What is a Community Producer?

Community Producers are important members of the Play Right Series Team who, in exchange for their investment of a modest amount of funding, ($250 each or $500 per couple) become engaged in the development of a virgin play from the first time the actors meet until the production of a staged reading of the play in front of an audience.

Between February and August 2022, Community Producers will gather monthly to explore the process of a play moving from page to stage with presentations that include

• ·         Meet the Playwright: Colby Quick

• ·         Meet the Director: Chad Henderson

• ·         First Table Reading with your host, Jon Tuttle

• ·         Behind the scenes with the Cast of Moon Swallower

• ·         Stage managing, props, costumes, lighting, & sound with your host, Jon Tuttle

• ·         And finally, a Staged Reading before a live audience with the Community Producers front and center as our esteemed Guests of Honor*

You’ll enjoy wine, cheese, socializing, and an assortment of other unique snacks at every event, as well as Jasper Project swag bags and FREE admission to the Jasper Project 10th Birthday Celebration rescheduled for Thursday April 14th at 701 Whaley!

* For the Staged Reading, Guests of Honor will be seated in the best seats in the house, acknowledged from the stage and in all programming, promotions, and press releases, as well as on the Jasper Project website and in the Fall 2022 issue of Jasper Magazine.

Play Right Series History

The Play Right Series is an endeavor to enlighten and empower audiences with information about the process involved in creating theatrical arts, at the same time that we engineer and increase opportunities for SC theatre artists to create and perform new works for theatre. Our first project in the Play Right Series was in 2017 when Larry Hembree led project members to ultimately produce a staged reading of Sharks and Other Lovers by SC playwright Randall David Cook. Sharks went on to win a number of awards and has been produced off-Broadway. SC Playwright Professor Jon Tuttle of Francis Marion University is overseeing this project for 2022 with a new team of theatre artists including Chad Henderson (director), Colby Quick (playwright), Cindi Boiter and Christina Xan (Community Producer Liaisons), and more.

The Jasper Project is currently recruiting 10 individuals to join the Play Right Series as Community Producers. Click here or write to Cindi@Jasper Columbia.com for more information.

PRINTWORTHY! Michaela Pilar Brown is in the Right Place at the Right Time

Reprinted from Jasper Magazine Fall 2021

by Cindi Boiter

Over the past decade, Jasper Magazine has written about Columbia-based multi-media artist Michaela Pilar Brown many times. This passage of time has witnessed Brown become a leader in our community, not only as a result of her myriad accomplishments but also by the now-international stature she commands across the most-sophisticated fine arts circles.

Brown’s career has been punctuated by a steady continuum of shows, awards, residencies, and related experiences that have helped shape the 50-something artist into the fierce icon she is becoming. Taking home the 2018 Artfields Grand Prize for her mixed-media installation She’s Almost Ready is upmost among her accolades, as is being awarded the inaugural Volcanic Residency at the Whakatano Museum in New Zealand that same year.

Born in Bangor, Maine, and raised in Denver, Brown became an influential member of the Columbia arts scene soon after she moved here in 2013. Having spent many a childhood summer visiting the Fairfield County farm where her father lived, Brown had returned to SC a dozen or so years earlier to help care for her aging family patriarch. His land and its legacies were a part of who Brown was even when the she first left home to study at Howard University in the ‘80s and ‘90s.

“Howard felt like family. My professors let me continue my work even when I couldn’t afford tuition,” Brown says. “I spent a lot of time learning outside of academia.”

Critically influenced by such trailblazing American artists as Frank Smith and Jeff Donaldson, Brown identifies world-renowned sculptor Richard Hunt as impacting her work ethic the most.

Hunt, who may be the most highly accomplished contemporary Black American sculptor and creator of public art in the country, visited Howard to install a piece of his work during Brown’s time as a student. When a piece of his art was damaged, Brown was recruited to help with the repair. A burgeoning artist-protégé relationship led to an invitation to study with Hunt for a summer in Chicago.

“I was green and just so honored,” Brown says. “He worked fervently all the time and I worked all the time,” noting that she initially wanted to make public art herself. In fact, the young artist had interned at the International Sculpture Center, part of the Washington Project for the Arts, as well as the Smithsonian Institution.

The emphasis on family and the support systems it can naturally provide had followed Brown to Howard, where the faculty became supportive elders for the young artist. The intimacy and sacredness of her ancestral home not only informed Brown as an artist but also provided her with a profound understanding of the strengths and challenges of southern Black art writ large, as well as with the workings of the local arts community specifically.

After her father died in 2007, Brown’s mother soon also came to depend on her and her brothers for what ultimately would be end-of-life care. It was a crushing loss that further strengthened Brown’s resolve to take command of her platform like never before. The artist continued to bring the roots and wings she had embraced — on her home turf, in DC, and in Chicago — into an enduring relationship with Columbia-based theatre artist Darion McCloud and his daughter more than ten years ago.

“All these experiences changed the shape of the work I was doing and what I wanted to do,” Brown says. “My work became much more personal and honest. My focus came to include what it means to me to be Black in SC, but it also focuses a great deal on love and how we grieve.”

Among her major accomplishments over the last decade has been taking on the position of executive director of 701 CCA – Columbia’s Center for Contemporary Art. 701 CCA is located on the second floor of the historic 701 Whaley Street complex and featured on page XX of this magazine.

Arguably the perfect person for this position due to her local and international profile, Brown is the first Black woman to have this role, and she handles the responsibility with a resolute intensity. “701 [CCA] has historically been a place of inclusion,” Brown says. “I am engaged in protecting that and expanding it through exhibitions, programming, community dialogue, and programs outside our walls that engage the community directly in neighborhoods and through community partnerships. … We had a challenging moment recently, and I'm proud of who we are on the other side of it. I'm proud of the public statement we made and the manner in which we supported our artist.”

Brown is referencing the night of May 17, 2021. John Sims, an artist-in-residence at the gallery was living in an apartment assigned to him in the building at 701 Whaley Street when he was accosted, handcuffed, and held at gunpoint as a “suspicious person” by the Columbia Police Department. Brown released a statement in response to the attack, saying the incident was not the first time a resident at 701 had encountered the police. “It was the first time, however, such an encounter led to hostile confrontation, detention, cuffing, and a records check. On the contrary, such previous encounters have resulted in courteous apologies from officers. The difference? Race. Mr. Sims is a Black man; the other incidents involved a white man.”

“Like other community-based, nonprofit institutions,” Brown continues in her statement, “CCA has the responsibility to shine light on injustice it encounters and to be part of an active dialogue to make real and discernible change. We cannot ignore the relationship between white supremacy that permeates our culture and the racial profiling we believe infected John Sims’ treatment by CPD officers. … What we can and will do is support the efforts of John Sims as the CCA artist in residence to tell his story, to provide context for that story through his artistic expression, and to seize the opportunity to join with him and the greater Columbia community as we continue the struggle for racial justice.”

It is Brown’s intimate knowledge of the patrons of 701 CCA and the community it supports that informs this position so well. “I am optimistic about the Columbia art scene,” she says. “This is a community that wants change, that's ready to face the challenges of the moment with art leading the discussions. I am hopeful that our politicians recognize the value of art for the betterment of this community, for the comfort it brings, for the space it makes for challenging conversations, and for the expansive learning opportunities it offers young people. I also hope they support it with dollars, and not just the legacy institutions, but in an expansive, inclusive way.”

REVIEW: Scenes from Metamorphoses, USC Theatre

I have to admit that I was surprised to see that the play, Scenes from Metamorphoses, based on the myths of Ovid by Mary Zimmerman, was being offered as part of the USC Department of Theatre and Dance’s season. My friend Ed Madden and I, along with our spouses, saw the play last weekend during its brief engagement, October 28-31, at the Booker T. Washington Lab Theatre on Wheat Street. Having had the opportunity to see the multi-award-winning production at Circle in the Square Theatre on Broadway in 2002, my memories of the experience were profoundly moving, and I remember being as impacted by the starkness of the minimalist set and costuming as I was by the power of the script and the heft of the acting and direction. The lighting in the Broadway production was so finely achieved that it almost became a character on its own.

Was it a good idea for a university to present a project as robust as Scenes from Metamorphoses? I’m still not sure.

A highly sophisticated project, Zimmerman refined her Metamorphoses over years of workshopping productions beginning in 1996 at Northwestern University. By the time it arrived on Broadway in 2002, the final iteration of the project was something pristine and exquisite. A compelling combination of the robust and the delicate that captivated audiences by reminding us of that conflict and resolution—hence, change—are both timeless and essential to life. The fact that Zimmerman also directed the play during its years on and off-Broadway should not be overlooked in terms of the organic flow in which she was able to offer her production.

While the title suggests that the presentation is an incomplete set of vignettes, in reality, we saw the play with all characters, as written, except with fewer actors. Based on David Slavitt’s 1994 translation of Ovid’s Metamorphosis the play features Cosmogony, Midas, Alcyone and Ceyx, Erysichthon and Ceres, Orpheus and Eurydice, Narcissus, Pomona and Vertumnus, Myrrha, Phaeton, Apollo, Eros and Psyche, and Baucis and Philemon. Zimmerman selected the myths to dramatize in order to replicate the rise and fall of a successful project, with all elements needed to create the arc of a well-accomplished stage play. Her use of the myth of King Midas, before his startling conflict and after his ultimate resolution represent the state of equilibrium that the play opens with and circles back to at the end.

The USC presentation featured Asaru Buffalo, Ezri Fender, Cameron Giordano, Cady Gray, Brighton Grice, Carly Siegel, and Nakao Zurlo, with direction by graduate student, Tiffani Hagan.

There were a number of challenges facing the team presenting Metamorphoses at USC last weekend. The greatest may have been the fit of this play for a group of undergraduate students. It can be difficult to discern where strengths and weaknesses come from—whether it is the actors or the director—without the conceit of knowing what the actors have brought to the table on their own. There was certainly an inconsistency in the performances with some players taking on a conscious meta theme to their interpretations and others a more lackadaisical approach. It was difficult to tell whether some of the nonchalance was prescriptive or organic. Others seemed uncomfortable but I’m not sure if their discomfort came from their roles or their own skin.

Madden made particular note of this. “One of the most interesting lines to me is: ‘You know what happened.’ The play is self-conscious about the fact that we know most of the stories. The art of the play lies in how they are put together and in how they are acted.” 

Given the use of the meta-dramatic theme, Madden, who rated the story of Narcissus as among the most beautifully told, based on the “gestures and movement of the actors,” but wondered “why a woman held the mirror for Narcissus—given his love for his own male beauty, it is the one spot in the entire play that could have included a queer element.”

The greatest challenge to this interpretation of Metamorphoses may be found in the absence of the pool of water which is central to every story line and is, in fact, the touchstone of the play. Originally written to have positioned center-stage a large, multi-use body of water serving as a character in and of itself—a place to wash, the ocean, the river Styx, and more—the pool  of water should act as the central part of the set, as a prop, as a destination, as a central unifying thread, and as the greatest symbol of change, or metamorphosis, itself. While this interpretation of the play uses a wooden barrel in that role, the barrel also becomes a receptacle for props and discarded clothing, and it is cast aside and ultimately moved off stage in what felt irreverent to this viewer.

The height of the performance, for both Madden and I, was the telling of the story of Phaeton, son of Helios, who hounded his father into letting him drive his chariot of horses across the sky creating the daily rising and falling of the sun. Phaeton’s failure to handle such a daunting task results in the scorching of the land and other earthly consequences as the boy had taken on more than he was capable of accomplishing. We both appreciated the role of the therapist who offered, as Madden says, “a way to understand the myth, and yet the very human story if the teenage boy.”

The epitaph on Phaeton’s tomb is ironically said to read, “Here Phaeton lies who in the sun-god's chariot fared. And though greatly he failed, more greatly he dared.” And while the cast and crew of Mary Zimmerman’s Scenes from Metamorphoses certainly did not fail, there is no doubt that they grew from the experience in the face of so many challenges presented them, not the least of which were the challenges they each wore on their faces—the very emblem of creating performance art in the days of Covid-19: their masks. As Madden says, the masks “Made some of the language difficult to understand, especially if the music was too loud, and may have caused some over-acting because the actors could not depend otherwise on facial movements to carry emotion.”

Kudos to the cast and crew of USC’s Metamorphoses. Every theatre artist should be so lucky to as to have the opportunity to make this play a part of their artistic lives.

-Cindi Boiter with Ed Madden

Join the Jasper Guild today!

EDITORIAL: Thoughts on Trustus Theatre as Chad Henderson Takes His Leave

By Cindi Boiter - Editor, Jasper Magazine

Chad accepting the SC Theatre Association’s Founders Award in 2018

By now, many if not most of the area’s artists and arts lovers have learned that Chad Henderson has left his post as executive director of Trustus Theatre for new stage sets and designs and new characters to coax into life. (Full disclosure: Chad is my son-in-law. That said, I have been a massive fan and supporter of Trustus Theatre for decades and have served on the board of directors under two artistic directors, including co-founder Jim Thigpen. It is from the perspective of someone who prizes Trustus and the role it plays in the greater arts community that I write this piece.)

Like pretty much everyone, I am sad to see Chad go though I firmly believe it is a smart thing for him to do.

It can be argued that Chad has more talent and potential for creative possibility than could continue to healthily grow in that small but fertile space on Lady Street.

I get that.

In the current structure of most non-profit arts organizations one can only grow as great as one’s board of directors is comfortable with.  It doesn’t matter if you’re an artist or an ED, in the non-profit world we all labor under a collection of thumbs that could fall at any time. It’s easy to imagine a creative spirit straining against the well-meaning confines of a rotating organization of seat-fillers to fully realize that spirit’s potential to break some windows and rattle some doors.

Kudos to Chad for leaving Trustus before this became the case.

As a theatre autodidact and someone who has been lucky to travel a bit and see my share of theatre throughout the US and Europe, I can honestly say that some of the best performances I have ever seen have been on the stage at Trustus Theatre.

I’m reminded of Tarell Alvin McCraney’s Brother/Sister plays, specifically In the Red and Brown Water, which Chad directed in 2015 featuring Avery Bateman and a cast-iron solid cast that included actors like Katrina Blanding and Annette Dees Grievous whose voices I couldn’t get out of my head for weeks after seeing it.

The next year, Chad directed part two of McCraney’s trilogy, The Brothers Size, with Jabar Hankins, Bakari Lebby, and Leven Jackson. I remember walking into the Side Door Theatre and being welcomed by the sounds of cicadas and seeing twinkling lights—lightening bugs—throughout the air. I saw that show three times just so I could watch Jabar’s face and hear his voice crack with love and pain.

I am also reminded of seeing Paul Kaufmann in the one-man play, I Am My Own Wife, directed by Ellen Schlaefer in the Side Door in 2012, after having seen Jefferson Mays in the role at the Lyceum on Broadway. I liked Paul better.

Spring Awakening, Next to Normal, Avenue Q – the list goes on. All of these plays left me, time and again, in awe that you could see this caliber of performance in a  grubby little theatre down the street from wherever you are in town.

No, Chad didn’t direct all the paradigm shifting plays we’ve seen at Trustus. Though it’s no coincidence that many of the plays he scheduled or directed were in keeping with the kind of avant-garde theatrical art that Jim and Kay Thigpen envisioned producing when they started the theatre.

So, as pleased as I am to see Chad move on to the next stage, wherever he finds it, I worry about Trustus.

Don’t get me wrong, I have immense faith in Dewey Scott-Wiley as she steps in as interim director. Dewey is smart, sophisticated, talented, and responsible. There is no one else in town who could do the job she will be doing as well as she will do it.

And that’s the problem. It’s doubtful that Dewey would take the helm of running Trustus permanently. Dewey already has a job and a life.

And make no mistake, whoever takes over running Trustus will not just be taking on a job. They will also be taking on a life. There’s not enough support staff in the world, and there are certainly not enough numbers before the decimal point in the ED’s salary to entice most people who are good enough to do the job to actually do it long-term.

Because running a theatre like Trustus is  a lot like raising a child. For Jim and Kay, Trustus was their child. For Chad, the theatre was a family member he was both emotionally, intellectually, and creatively connected to in that they grew alongside each other for over 14 years. Trustus made Chad the man he is today, and Chad certainly did his part in making Trustus the theatre it is.

I worry that kind of relationship was what kept Trustus going even after Jim and Kay left. And I worry about what will happen in the absence of that kind of relationship.

Trustus has built an enviable reputation among its organizational peers in South Carolina, sharing equity actors, directors, and innovations with other top theatrical minds. Will those relationships be maintained and nurtured? Will they be respected for how they elevate the art form throughout the state? Or will we just worry about our small circles of friends and supporters because that’s the easiest thing to do?

When the board puts pressure on the permanent replacement staff to pay the bills will whoever is behind the wheel resort to producing hokey Southern schlep just to fill the seats? Will they simply recycle previously successful productions and, if so, how many times will theatre audiences pay to see the same show again, and again, and again? God knows you cannot grow audiences that way!

Or worse, will they slump to the lowest of lows and cast local celebrities, moneyed patrons, or God-forbid, CHILDREN in roles just so the “actors’” doting fans and relatives will buy tickets and put butts in seats?

I mean, I have nothing against community theatre. In fact, I love community theatre. But Columbia and its bedroom communities have community theatre out the wazoo, and that's fabulous. Everybody needs a stage at some point, but the stage doesn't need every body. (I’m reminded of a local production of Cats I once saw …)

Trustus has set the standard for professional theatre in the area and believe me, there is as much a difference between professional theatre and community theatre as there is between professional dance and dance school recitals.

I worry.

As proud and happy for Chad as I am, I sincerely hope Trustus Theatre will continue to be the touchstone for avant-garde artistic experiences in the region that it has been since 1985. As a literary artist and an arts afficionado myself, I need this.

To the powers that be, a few requests:

Please respect the culture of the theatre that Jim, Kay, Dewey, Larry, Chad, and the whole Trustus Family has put so much of themselves into creating. It may not be perfect, but it is fertile, it is forgiving, and it accepts people for who they are and what they bring to the table, recognizing that genius is seldom faultless.

Please be careful filling this position, but don’t be too safe.

Please remember there are many ways to interpret integrity and dedication and the best person for the job may not be as sweet-talking or as clean behind their ears as you might like. It takes a lot of bodily fluids to maintain and grow an artistic brand like Trustus.

Trustus had Chad’s heart and he was as devoted to its legacy as a best big brother could be.  I wouldn’t want to be in the shoes of the people who have to try to replace him.

But good luck. 

Chad Henderson and Trustus Co-Founder Kay Thigpen

REVIEW: Lady Day at Emerson's Bar and Grill Brings Billie Holiday Back

“… the key to the success of this Trustus show lies squarely at the feet of the women involved in its production.”

Katrina Garvin as Billie Holiday - photo by Jerimiah Greene

Had you asked me last week if I knew who Billie Holiday was, I would have answered, Of course! Who doesn’t know about Billie Holiday? 

But I would have been wrong.

I learned how much I didn’t know about Billie Holiday last Saturday night when I attended the second performance of Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill at Trustus Theatre, the company’s first presentation since quarantine.

Set in 1959 at the seedy South Philly Emerson’s Bar and Grill on a fictional night just before her death from Cirrhosis later that year, Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill, written by Lanie Robertson, takes the audience back in time and gives Holiday the microphone to do more than sing. Played by seasoned musical theatre artist Katrina Garvin, Billie Holiday tells her life story in provocative anecdotes in between performing more than a dozen of the title character’s classic tunes.

In an almost disturbingly casual manner we learn throughout the evening how the abuses of her childhood, including a rape at age 10, transformed Eleanora Fagan, which was Holiday’s birth name, into the stage’s Billie Holiday who adopted the name of her father, Clarence Halliday, a jazz musician who had abandoned her and her mother when Eleanora was born. We also learn about Holiday’s struggles with addiction and crippling insecurity both likely resulting from the institutional racism that plagued her professional life from the time she began singing in nightclubs in Harlem as a teenager, to her stint in prison by way of Carnegie Hall, until her untimely death at age 44.

Lady Day premiered in Atlanta in 1986 before moving to Off-Broadway and finally to Broadway in 2014 where it featured the incredible Audra McDonald in the title role. It is remarkable how well the play has held up and how fitting it is that Trustus Theatre decided to present it at this time of a renewed dedication to social justice in the country. The fact that it is essentially a one-woman show, with a musical accompanist, makes it a good choice in our quasi post-Covid times, too.

Lady Day opened to a sold-out Columbia audience and the house was almost full on Saturday, followed by another sold-out show on Sunday afternoon. I don’t expect many empty seats in the run of this show, and the key to the success of this Trustus show lies squarely at the feet of the women involved in its production.

Katrina Garvin, who most may remember from previous Trustus performances like Dreamgirls, In the Red Brown Water, and Constance performing under the name Katrina Blanding, was perfectly cast in the starring role as Billie Holiday. To say that Garvin embodies Holiday is an understatement. Keep in mind that Garvin already brings to the stage exceptional vocal skills but fortified with the wisdom imbued via direction from Jocelyn Sanders and backed up with dialect coaching by Marybeth Gorman and vocal coaching from Katie Leitner, Garvin subsequently delivers a performance that literally takes the audience’s breath away. And this is no small challenge given Holiday’s distinctive vocal stylings.

Garvin conveys all the same pain, frustration, and despondency that Holiday brought to the stage as well as the remarkable talent behind her interpretations of such difficult numbers as What a Little Moonlight Can Do and even Strange Fruit, one of the most painfully powerful songs ever written or performed.

Garvin’s stage partner, Shannon Pinkney in the role of Holiday’s piano accompanist, Jimmy Powers, more than holds up his corner of the stage with exceptional musical chops whether he accompanies Garvin or takes over the theatre for an extended solo while Garvin exits for a brief period near the end of the performance.

Terrance Henderson, Garvin’s musical partner in IndigoSOUL (along with Kendrick Marion), served as movement coach to Garvin, and Colleen Kelly served as stage manager for Sanders. Bad Boy Roy Brasley, Jr. styled Garvin’s hair into an elegant updo with a shock of white gardenias wrapped around the back; Abigail McNeely was costume designer; and Curtis Smoak handled lighting and the simple but convincing set for the show, easily creating the feeling that we were all sipping our drinks as we watched Lady Day at the end of her career and, sadder still, the premature end of her days.

Kudos to Trustus Theatre for bringing us back in our roles as audience members with the perfectly timed presentation of a play that reminds us of the power of art to confront the inadequacies of an imperfect culture.

Lady Day will run through June 20th on Thursdays through Sundays. For tickets and more information, visit Trustus.org.

And be sure to visit the lobby for an outstanding exhibit of art by Lori Isom. (See Below)

Art by Lori Isom.

JASPER WRITES! A New Opportunity for SC Writers

JASPER WRITES!

The Jasper Project invites SC writers and writers with a connection to SC to submit poetry and prose for weekly publication on the Jasper Project website.

Jasper is delighted to announce our newest project—JASPER WRITES!

Hosted by Jasper Magazine poetry editor Ed Madden and editor-in-chief Cindi Boiter, the Jasper Project invites SC writers of both poetry and prose to submit their best work to us for publication consideration in a new segment on the Jasper Project website.

• Our immediate goal is to cultivate an online space where SC writers and readers can visit for inspiration and pleasure and to bask in the abundant literary talent this state offers.

• Our long-term goal is to collect samples of this talent from the accepted submissions to publish in a perfect bound compilation on a regular basis.

• Our over-arching goal is to preserve for posterity the eloquence of the Southern voice as it is created in SC at this point in time.

Submission Guidelines may be found here.

Gracious welcome to our first two contributors, Jennifer Bartell and Gina Ercolini.