A Popular Monk Inspires Theater
A new theater group called the Corpus Christi Company will present Traveling Toward My Destiny on Fri. Feb. 27 at 7 p.m. at the Church of the Holy Communion. The show is based on the poetry of Thomas Merton, the Trappist monk best known for his autobiography The Seven Story Mountain. Merton wrote over 60 books while at the Abbey of Gethsemani, the parent company, so to speak, of Mepkin Abbey in Moncks Corner, S.C. He died in 1968. Traveling Toward My Destiny includes Gregorian chant sung by members of the church choir. Tickets are $15, including a wine-and-cheese reception. For more, call (843) 469-9246. —Reina Gascon-Lopez
Black Myth, Black Art
The Avery Research Center presents a new exhibit called Mermaid and Merwomen in Black Folklore in its McKinley Washington Auditorium. Curated by Cookie Washington and Catherine Lamkin, two local and nationally recognized fiber artists, it features over 25 quilts and dolls inspired by mermaids and merwomen. The exhibit reflects the oral myths of African sea and river goddesses brought over by slaves along the coast of South Carolina. For more information, call (843) 953-7609. —Hadley Lyman
Where the SweetGrass Grows
Highway 17 and Market Street are filled with men and women weaving native sweetgrass into traditional baskets, a skill passed down through generations. Yet there is a gap in this cultural education, says Henrietta Snype, and she plans to change that. Her new program Sweetgrass Baskets: The Next Generation works with young adults from the ages of 9-19 to teach the art form. She plans to give the students books and tools, take them on field trips to where the grass grows, and give them hands-on experience, by pulling the grass and creating their own baskets. The project has already begun and will run through September in preparation for an exhibit at the Avery Research Center. For more information, call (843) 270-9434. —Anna Linesch
Prodigy with
a Purpose
Prodigy violinist Jourdan Urbach will be performing at the Sottile Theatre on Feb. 26 at 7:30 p.m. This concert benefits the Hemangioma Treatment Foundation, a charity that helps children with birth defects. Urbach is the founder of Children Helping Children, a foundation in New York that supports pediatric wards and medical organizations through in-hospital concerts and galas. Purchase tickets at www.hemangiomatreatment.org. —Emma Hart
CSO’s innovative
fund-raising
The Charleston Symphony Orchestra has paired up with AbundaTrade.com (formerly Millennium Music) to enable patrons to support the CSO without actually giving a dime. AbundaTrade.com will buy back CDs, DVDs, and books taking up space in your closet in an innovative fund-raising partnership with the orchestra. Just package up your old media collections and bring them to any upcoming CSO concert or drop them off at AbundaTrade.com‘s warehouse located at 498 Wando Park Blvd., Suite 1000 in Mt. Pleasant. In past fund-raising events, AbundaTrade.com was able to convert a couple hundred collections into thousands of dollars. Ten percent of the total proceeds will go directly to the CSO. The program will continue until April 25. —Candice Summers
National Art Contest in North Charleston
The North Charleston Cultural Arts Department is calling for sculpture artists across the country to participate in its National Outdoor Sculpture Competition & Exhibition. Up to 15 sculptures will be juried for cash prizes up to nearly $15,000. It’s an opportunity for artists to display work in Riverfront Park and a chance for locals to see extraordinary sculptures for the next 11 months. The park, along the Cooper River, is centered in the Noisette District. David Furchgott, president and founder of International Arts & Artists, will jury the exhibit. Exhibition dates for the Sculpture Competition are May 1, 2009-March 25, 2010. The deadline for entries is March 6. You can download applications at www.northcharleston.org. —Candice Summers
Pecha Didn’t Know This
Charleston is having another Pecha Kucha night on Wed. Feb. 25 at 6 p.m. Pecha Kucha comes from the Japanese phrase meaning the sound of conversation. The event is a mixture of open-mic night, show-and-tell, and happy hour where people discuss design, architecture, and other forms of creativity. Pecha Kucha night has spread to over 135 cities around the world. For Charleston, seven people with seven stories will present 20 photos and have 20 seconds to discuss each photo. Some of the presenters include fashion designer Mary Norton, Michael Maher of the Charleston Civic Design Center, and Gil Shuler of Gil Shuler Graphic Design. Tickets are $5. For more information, go to www.pechakuchacharleston.com. —Emma Hart
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