THEATER | There’s no business like show business
Pulitzer Prize-winning writer David Mamet’s satire about life in show business opens at the Village Playhouse Friday. Focusing on the ruthless nature of Hollywood, Speed-the-Plow follows the life of mid-level producers who aren’t exactly the models of ethical behavior. The 1988 play focuses on the nature of business and the struggle between art and money. Appropriately, the phrase “speed-the-plow” is derived from an old farming term which means good luck and profitable plowing. The Village Playhouse provides a comfortable viewing atmosphere with small candle-lit tables instead of auditorium seating, and they have a modified black box with a cozy wine and beer bar. This enables the audience to have a more personal experience with Mamet’s characters and feel the full comedic affect as they sip on one or a few glasses of wine. The play kicks off the Village Playhouse’s eighth season. —Kelly Stroup Sept. 12-13, 8 p.m., Sept. 18-20, 8 p.m., Sun., Sept. 21, 5 p.m. and Sept. 26-27, 8 p.m. Village Playhouse, 730 Coleman Blvd., (Mt. Pleasant), (843) 856-1579, www.villageplayhouse.com.
THEATRE | Act One: Pizza, booze, and typewriters
Following the lead of similar events in Los Angeles and Louisville, Ky., North Charleston’s South of Broadway Theatre debuts the first annual Greater Park Circle Play Festival this week. The three-Saturday event combines performance readings of one-act plays with interactive acting workshops and competitions at the businesses on East Montague. One highlight will undoubtedly be the one-page, two-person plays that spring from the old typewriter at EVO Pizza. After three weeks of collecting impromptu creations, the best will be performed at the South of Broadway Theatre on Sept. 27. Down the street at The Mill, local playwright Matt Hampton will present his own two-minute plays, then invite participants to write their own in a “lightning round.” They’ll be read by other writers and judged by bar-goers for the chance to win a free tab. The Chart is offering an Oscar Wilde Martini special, and singer Ann Caldwell will perform her jazz-styled short stories at a still-to-be-determined location. Anchoring the festival are three evenings of play readings, featuring two works by teenaged writers selected from a national competition by L.A.’s Blank Theatre, and “Planet Fall,” an interplanetary love story by local playwright and City Paper writer Nick Smith. Those in the mood for a formal performance and others just looking for a creative way to spend their time should all find some fun at the Fest. —Stratton Lawrence Sat., Sept. 13, 5-11 p.m., Sat., Sept. 20, 5-11 p.m. and Sat., Sept. 27, 5-11 p.m. (843) 814-4451,www.myparkcircle.com/artevents
MUSIC | Work that
The music industry is full of one-hit-wonders who shot into the limelight before disappearing from our consciousness, hoping only for a role on a reality TV show to remind us of their existence. Mary J. Blige is not one of those fickle comets of pop culture. Her first album was released over 15 years ago, 1992’s What’s the 411?, and since then, she’s collected an impressive string of awards and praise for her velvety vocal stylings. And she certainly isn’t showing any signs of slacking off anytime soon. Blige has chosen the North Charleston Coliseum to open her Love-Soul Tour in support of her latest album, Growing Pains. The album, her eighth, features songs that focus on the journey of the soul, and the part love plays in it. Big hits include “Work That” (catchy enough for an iPod commercial) and the dance-happy “Just Fine.” The show is a special “scholarship benefit concert,” part of S.C. State’s Lowcountry Classic III weekend. —Augustine Kim Sat., Sept. 13, 8:30 p.m. (843) 554-6060, www.ticketmaster.com, North Charleston Coliseum, 5001 Coliseum Drive, (North Charleston), (843) 529-5050, www.coliseumpac.com.
EVENT | Savoring summer
The Shrimpin’ and Shaggin’ festival returns to the Charleston Maritime Center for the third year in a row on Sunday, Sept. 14. Festival-goers will enjoy fresh and local shrimp dishes while listening and dancing to the sounds of beach music. The festivities kick off with DJ Jim Bowers at 11 a.m. Following will be a shrimp dish contest, the classic beach music sounds of the TAMS, a dance contest, and children’s activities and critters from the South Carolina Aquarium. Food, wine, beer, and Bloody Marys will be available for purchase throughout the day. The event has become a new Lowcountry tradition, and proceeds go to the S.C. Shrimpers Association, the National Association of Caterers Scholarships for local culinary students and members, and the Spirit of South Carolina. —Kelly Stroup Sun., Sept. 14, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. $9/advance, $10/door, free/children under 10, (843) 849-1020, www.shrimpin.info, Charleston Maritime Center, 10 Wharfside St., (Downtown).
WINE DINNER | Now that’s our kind of debating society
Napa or Sonoma? That’s the age-old debate among California wine fans, and the experts at The Dining Room at Woodlands are determined to help you discover the answer. At this month’s Wines of the World dinner, guests will be able to taste 16 wines while nibbling on a large cheese and charcuterie selection before sitting down to a four-course dinner. Each course will be paired with a blind tasting of the same grape varietal — one from Napa and one from Sonoma. Chef Tarver King will present macerated scallops with Sauvignon Blanc, five spiced bluefin tuna with Pinot Noir, venison saddle with Cabernet Savignon, and butterscotch torte with Late Harvest from Dolce and Dry Creek Vineyards. The ticket price is steep for this dinner, but the stakes are high — when will you ever get a chance to sample so many of California’s greats and get to decide for yourself which region is better? —Stephanie Barna Tues. Sept. 16, 6:30 p.m. $145, Woodlands Dining Room, 125 Parsons Road, (Summerville), (843) 875-2600.
Help keep the City Paper free.
No paywalls.
No subscription cost.
Free delivery at 800 locations.
Help support independent journalism by donating today.