Hilton Heads Up!
Bravo Hilton Head Island!
All through the month of May, a world of art covers the island. “Bravo!” is a month-long festival of everything artistic about the Lowcountry. Just check this out. At the beautiful
Arts Center of Coastal Carolina, a truly hidden gem if there ever was one, you can see a thrilling performance of the moving musical “Les Miserables” (“Les Mis”), through May 24.
We are very proud of our Arts Center. It’s not just musicals and plays. The Arts Center overflows with fascinating events. Like Gullah history and story-telling with Louise Miller Cohen. A fifth generation islander in May (check the
calender), Ms. Cohen has stories to tell.
There is a national juried art show at the Walter Greer Gallery at the Arts Center. Artists from all over the country show off their best. Check it out at
www.artleaguehhi.org.
Our best advice, visit the Bravo! pages at
http://www.hiltonheadisland.org/bravo.
Did we mention the
Hiromic’s Sonic Bloom Quartet, May 15 and 16, at
the Jazz Corner? Or the
Hilton Head Art Festival at Shelter Cove, May 23-23? It’s a two-day juried event that covers multiple media, from painting and photography to jewelry and ceramics.
An exceptional May line up. We love golf (and golfers), but most of this stuff happens when the sun goes down.
Labels: art, events, hilton head, theaters
Theatre Vacation on Hilton Head Island?
We just had this really great idea. People plan these long New York weekends, have dinner, catch a Broadway show, etc. You know the drill. Why not catch a show on Hilton Head Island instead? Seriously, there aren’t too many beaches or golf courses on Manhattan. And virtually every show at the Arts Center of Coastal Carolina has been on Broadway – and every one of them has been a hit. Also, all the actors are professionals and many have toured with the show that’s playing.
Getting “up close and personal” in our beautiful 324 seat theater is a bit easier than, say, New York’s Shubert (1521 seats) or the Gershwin (1933 seats). Then there’s the price: about $40 at the Arts Center, $150 - $250 for Mama Mia at Winter Garden (1524 seats).
No, our plays are not first-run. They’re first-rate. You can’t go wrong! So here’s our idea. The Arts Center of Coastal Carolina has just started its new season. They are opening with La Cage Aux Folles, Jerry Herman’s huge hit, September 24th. As usual, the production will blow you out of your seats. South Pacific opens December 3rd. Steel Magnolias opens February 4th. And it goes on.
Your Broadway weekend in New York would include dinner at a fine restaurant. Well, the Arts Center is located in Shelter Cove. Several fine restaurants are in Shelter Cove proper – minutes away from the theatre. Then, just across William Hilton Parkway is Santa Fe Café. A few minutes east of the Arts Center is the popular Bonefish Grille.
Then, of course, there are accommodations. In New York, it’s about $2,000 a night at The Carlyle, with the possibility of a view of Central Park. We can guarantee an oceanfront view for a bit less than that. Oh, yes, it’s also somewhat warmer on Hilton Head Island.
A theatre vacation on Hilton Head? Give us a call, and we’ll set it up.
Labels: entertainment, hilton head, nightlife, theaters
Free Stuff!
On Hilton Head Island, there are, quite literally, hundreds of choices for family fun. But for the uninformed, it seems like you have to pull out your wallet for anything you choose. Well, we’re here to tell you about the free stuff!
Obviously, our
beach is free. But what about when the sun goes down and the kids still need to drain off some energy. Here are four excellent choices for family fun that won’t cost you a penny.
Monday through Friday,
Coligny Plaza offers a different show every night. There is even a free
family movie on Saturdays at 11 a.m. That’s right – free! You can catch Elvis, enjoy a show about the Sea Island’s Gullah culture, get in a little magic, and enjoy a local Reggae band. Of course, there are over 60 shops and restaurants who would be very happy if you decided to stop in and visit, but there is absolutely no admission price for the entertainment. The kids (and you) will love it.
Now entering his 19th season at Shelter Cove Harbor,
Shannon Tanner does an exceptional job entertaining young and old(er) folks with a fantastic range of songs (mostly his own), stories and humor to the beautiful backdrop of the large harbor. He does two shows, Monday through Friday, one starting at 6:30 p.m., the other starting at 8 p.m.
Of course, there’s
Harbourfest on Tuesdays at Shelter Cove, too. Free fireworks over the water, all sorts of crafts, art works, you name it – and no admission!
Maybe you’ve seen one of his movies. Or maybe you’ve heard about
Hilton Head Heroes, the children’s charitable organization he and his wife, Lindy founded. Or maybe you’ve seen him under the Liberty Oak in Harbour Town, rocking the socks off his jam packed audience for 30 years!
Gregg Russell is about as much of a Hilton Head Island tradition as Harbour Town’s lighthouse. If you’re vacationing in Sea Pines Resort, his nightly concerts are free. Be prepared to join in the show! (If your vacation home is outside of Sea Pines, you will have to pay the $5 gate fee – but Gregg is really worth it.)
It’s all definitely (free) family fun.
Labels: beaches, entertainment, hilton head, sea pines, theaters
Live - On Hilton Head Island!
The house lights begin to fade to black. The shuffle of late comers and the rustle of program pages quiets. The moment is at hand. The curtain goes up and the play begins!
There just nothing like live theatre. Unlike the movies or television, when you watch a live performance, you become a part of it. The audience becomes one of the characters. There is a kind of magic up on the stage and, for a few hours, you “suspend disbelief .”
Hilton Head Island has one of the most active theatrical communities, in relation to its size, on the East Coast. The extraordinary
Arts Center of Coastal Carolina is simply beautiful There is not a bad seat in the house. The majority of the actors are professionals and the performances are equal to (or better than) virtually any regional theatre. There are not many places you can spend a day at the beach and an evening enjoying a recent Broadway hit (often with some of the same actors and sets).
The
Buddy Holly Story is playing through July 27. Yes, you’ll be hearing “Peggy Sue.”
For an even more intimate experience, there is nothing quite like the
South Carolina Repertory Theatre. “The Last 5 Years,” a musical by Jason Robert Brown, is playing July 17 through August 3. With a seating capacity of only 75, performances are usually sold out. The selection of plays tends to be a bit cutting edge.
If you want to see some VERY talented young adults perform this summer, get some tickets to the
Main Street Youth Theatre and it’s performance of “Beauty and the Beast,” running July 2 through August 10. Whether it’s the salf air, the beach, or Hilton Head, the performances here are outstanding.
We love the local theatre scene. Calling it “impressive” doesn’t come close.
Labels: entertainment, hilton head, theaters
The Popcorn is Great!
It’s definitely one of Hilton Head Island’s hidden treasures. While it’s in the heart of the island’s most popular beach area –
Coligny Plaza – the only way you’ll find it (unless you know where you’re going) is by accident. “Hidden” is definitely the right description.
Coligny Theater, with its one screen, is a true gem. It was the island’s first “movie house,” opening in 1972. There were only a few thousand full-time residents on Hilton Head and the tourist population was just beginning to grow. You won’t find the big blockbusters showing there. But you will find a fantastic selection of independent films and foreign films like “
Married Life” (Pierce Brosnan), April 25 - May 1, and “
The Counterfeiters,” May 9 - 22.
The films are mostly for adults (real adults), but there are specials for children and a real treat is the Second Sunday Film Society, which is definitely a local event – and fun. Where else but Hilton Head Island will you actually find what we used to call an “art theater?”
When it opened the theater was called The Island Theater and had a run of 25 years. For those who have visited the island in the past, you’ll remember it as a hangout for just about everyone in the summer. There were lines stretching around the Earl of Sandwich restaurant if the movie was really popular. Or when it was raining.
Refurbished and open again in 2002 by the owner of Coligny Plaza, it still has some of the “old island” feel. To learn more, visit the
theater’s website or call 843-686-3500.
Labels: movies, theaters, tips
