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December 2, 2008 – 5:26 pm
Baz Luhrmann’s wild epic is really popular at the Terrace Theatre.
“People are raving about it,” says owner Mike Furlinger. “The City Paper review was good. The Post and Courier review was mixed. But people who see it love it.”
It’s a good thing they do. Furlinger gambled on the film by putting it on two of his three screens, the first time he’s even done that.
The risk paid off. He plans to run the movie, a sweeping corny romance starring Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman, for the next two to three weeks on two screens.
Furlinger also has a good problem. He was offered an exclusive booking on Jan. 23 to show The Wrestler, starring Mickey Rourke as a washed-up professional ring thug. It’s gotten terrific reviews from critics hailing it as Rourke’s come back.
But Furlinger has to choose from a handful of great movies coming out that day, including The Reader, Revolutionary Road, Frost/Nixon, and Defiance. Besides he thinks no one will want to see it because of the subject matter.
“No one over 40 anyway,” Furlinger said.
December 2, 2008 – 5:02 pm
We just posted a final edit of a story about a proposed arts council.
Here’s a taste:
There’s movement toward establishing an entity, or “arts council,” that would serve arts groups during this historic economic crisis.
You might not know it. Lately, all we’ve been hearing is squabbling about who’s included and who’s not.
But this effort is happening, albeit slowly, and important steps are being taken to make sure every arts organization has a chance to participate.
George Stevens, president of the Coastal Community Foundation, an organization handling millions of dollars in charitable giving, is scheduled to speak at the board meeting of the League of Charleston Theatres on Dec. 8.
Ellen Dressler Moryl, director of the city’s Office of Cultural Affairs, which manages Piccolo Spoleto and other cultural events, is also scheduled to speak.
The move is a positive sign to arts groups worried they were excluded from efforts to promote holiday shows staged by the Big Three: the Charleston Symphony Orchestra, Charleston Ballet Theatre, and Charleston Stage.
Full story . . .
December 2, 2008 – 2:27 pm
It’s been tough for performing arts groups, but it’s about to get tougher.
The cost of renting the Memminger Auditorium, the historic venue run by Spoleto Festival USA, is about to jump 30 percent, according to sources at the festival.
The rate hike begins next month.
Since opening last May after a $6 million renovation, the Memminger has become a hot spot for local performing arts groups, including the Charleston Symphony Orchestra, Charleston Stage, and many events featured at the MOJA Festival.
CSO officials have said the 350-seat Memminger is the preferred venue compared to the 2,700-seat Gaillard Municipal Auditorium, because it’s smaller, more intimate, and less costly.
Now the rent is going up.
The reason is not because of a historic economic meltdown. The reason is the cost of operating the historic venue. It’s proved to be more than expected, says Susie Prueter, Spoleto’s assistant production manager.
“It’s a learning curve,” she says. “We’re trying to keep costs as low as possible.”
Spoleto’s goal, Prueter says, wasn’t to make money but to create a “community venue” shared by area nonprofits. Financially, Spoleto’s goal is the break even.
Thus far, it hasn’t. The air conditioning alone costs around $60,000 a year.
Here are the new rental rates. Monday-Thursday: $800 per day. Friday-Sunday: $1,100 per day. A full week: $3,500.
It’s still a deal if you want a cozy audience. Renting the Gaillard will run you about $2,000 a night.
Venue expenses are one reason Charleston Stage had to lay off three full-time employees this week as well as issue a 6 percent pay cut for its entire staff.
The theater company, Charleston’s largest, has had to lease the Memminger and CofC’s Sottile Theatre while the Dock Street Theatre is being renovated until 2010.
Leasing them has proved to be “more than double” the previous cost, says Julian Wiles, founder and director of Charleston Stage.
December 1, 2008 – 6:21 pm
The people trying to establish an entity that would serve area arts groups during a historic economic crisis are taking steps to demonstrate that everyone is included.
George Stevens, president of the Coastal Community Foundation, an organization that handles millions of dollars for local and regional charities, is scheduled to speak at the board meeting of the League of Charleston Theatres on Dec. 8.
Ellen Dressler Moryl, director of the city’s Office of Cultural Affairs, which manages Piccolo Spoleto and other cultural venues and events, is also scheduled to speak.
The move is a positive sign to arts groups worried they were excluded from efforts to promote holiday shows offered by the Big Three: the Charleston Symphony Orchestra, Charleston Ballet Theatre, and Charleston Stage.
Each is facing tens of thousands of dollars in shortfalls from donations. The CSO is facing an anticipated million-dollar deficit. Charleston Stage needs $200,000 by season’s end. So promoting holiday performances is thought to offset declines.
But small theater groups have also struggled. The Post and Courier has reported that theater groups have seen ticket sales slump by as much as 30 percent.
That’s why Stevens’ and Moryl’s visit is being seen as a step toward inclusivity.
“I’m very pleased,” says Emily Wilhoit, head of the League of Charleston Theatres. “I’m pleased to be part of it all and that we’re finally starting this conversation.”
Promoting the holiday shows is the first step in establishing some kind of entity that could in theory handle the business side of the arts — such as marketing, development, and promotion — while leaving the art to the artists.
An entity of this nature would reduce the cost of running an administration while expanding “earned income” through ticket sales. This entity has been called during these early stages an “arts council,” an “arts alliance” and an “arts coalition.”
“The same dollar that goes to fund-raising would work for more than one organization,” Stevens told me in an interview. “There’s no sense in separate offices doing the same work when it’s possible for one office, like an arts council, to do one job for the benefit of many.”
Stevens and Moryl are joined by John O. Sands, the Lowcountry representative of the Gaylord & Dorothy Donnelley Foundation, a regional charity that provides some measure of support to nearly every arts group in Charleston.
Sands is currently attempting to secure a $250,000 grant from his foundation. Part of that money would help pay for promotion of arts groups’ holiday programming. Charleston City Council voted last week to pitch in $50,000 in matching funds.
The P&C reported that approval of the grant was delayed until after Thanksgiving. The newpaper also said only three arts groups are currently eligible.
That’s wrong, according to Stevens. The Donnelley Foundation has designated that the money “stabilized arts organizations” without naming who would be stabilized.
“Other arts group may join,” Stevens says. “We are making that effort with discussions with the League of Charleston Theatres.” —John Stoehr
December 1, 2008 – 4:26 pm
Charleston Stage, the city’s largest theater company, announced today that it cut three full-time staffers from its payroll and issued a 6 percent pay cut for everybody else, including Julian Wiles, the company’s founder and director.
“We regret losing these fine staff members,” Wiles said in a press release. “We also appreciate the sacrifice our existing staff is making to insure our shows go on during these challenging times.”
Wiles is also taking a nearly 20 percent deferment of his salary for one year.
Wiles said deep cuts were necessary because of the cost of moving from the Dock Street Theatre, which is under renovation until 2010. More significant, however, have been huge fund-raising deficits. Donations, Wiles says, are down 43 percent compared to last year.
Productions will go as planned, except for one change. Instead of staging a big production of Crazy for You in April, Charleston Stage will present the smaller hit musical, The Producers.
Before that, the company has to raise $100,000 by the end of December. Then it needs to raise the same amount by the end of the season. If not, Wiles expressed doubt about Charleston Stage’s ability to continue producing shows and offering educational programs to kids at their current levels.
“I have never seen anything like the current across the board fundraising shortfalls that the arts organizations and non-profits in Charleston are presently facing.” —John Stoehr
UPDATE: “We really need support, but I want to make it clear we are not on the brink of closing the doors,” Wiles said in a follow-up email.
November 24, 2008 – 6:00 pm
Lowcountry Bloggers, a local community blog site, boasts a whopping 377 writers, commentators, and speechifiers on its Big Blogroll. If it’s not the biggest site of its kind in the area, it’s close. It used to be a part of The Post and Courier’s web domain. Since August it’s earned its independence and, organizers says, it’s poised to become a viable commercial enterprise. Heather Solos, web mistress, says the site’s depth, frequency, and variety of voices — from knitting to politics to cars to personal musings all day everyday — makes it an ideal product for creating an advertising network. “Our content is more than 80 percent local,” Solos says. “We’re perfect for car advertising, politicians, and everything else.” Many details remain to be ironed out, Solos says, but she and her partners plan to offer a loose proposal for an ad network some time in January. —John Stoehr
November 24, 2008 – 5:40 pm
Organizers of Kulture Klash 3 estimate that about 2,000 people attended the arts and culture party at the Old Navy Base earlier this month.
The news marks a significant step for the grass-roots project. The first Kulture Klash drew about 800. The second one, last spring, drew about 1,300. If the trend continues, Kulture Klash 4, which organizers say will likely be in the spring of 2009, is on pace to attract about 2,600 people to 10 Storehouse Row.
Gustavo Serrano, one of four figures behind the event and owner of retail stores B’Zar and Suite Sole, says the next installment will be kept under wraps until much closer to April 20, Earth Day. He did mention, however, that perhaps there will be more of a fashion focus to KK4.
The success of Kulture Klash has inspired imitators, including Blume and A Homegrown Art Gathering, trying to carve their own niche in the art-party scene. —John Stoehr
November 24, 2008 – 5:21 pm
 Richard Jenkins, the most dour-looking actor in Hollywood, has joined the cast of Dear John, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Directed by Lasse Hallstrom (What’s Eating Gilbert Grape, The Cider House Rules), the movie is being filmed in Charleston and the Lowcountry. Bill Thompson, of The Post and Courier, did a nice piece on Hallstrom on Sunday. Jenkins plays the father of Channing Tatum, an Iraq War soldier on leave who falls in love with a conservative college student played by Amanda Seyfried. Dear John is based on the bestselling novel by Nicholas Sparks. Jenkins is probably best known as the dead father in HBO’s Six Feet Under. But his acting brilliance came into crystal-clear focus as the long-suffering college professor of Thomas McCarthy’s wonderful The Visitor.
November 24, 2008 – 3:04 pm
The people behind Army Wives are worried another strike is coming, the second in more than a year.
The Screen Actor’s Guild, Hollywood’s largest union, asked its members on Saturday to approve a strike after talks with an alliance of movie studios failed due to disagreements over online and new media provisions. Though union officials have requested it, a strike is no guarantee. At least 75 percent of the organization’s 120,000 members must approve the move.
The second season of Army Wives wrapped production in October. A third season is set to begin shooting in January. Insiders, though, are afraid the production schedule will be postponed indefinitely if there’s a strike. Army Wives was already set back by a writers strike that ended only in February. That labor dispute gummed up the works for many TV shows, even forcing the Golden Globes to downsize. —John Stoehr
November 24, 2008 – 2:22 pm
Creative Forge Productions, a motion picture company on Daniel Island, plans to begin shooting a $1.2 million feature-length film, written and directed by Brad Jayne, along the South Carolina coast next summer, says studio spokesperson Doug Coupe. Called Warrior, the movie will tell the story of a young teenaged hellraiser named Joseph who goes to Myrtle Beach for a 24-hour bender. During his misadventures, Joseph encounters a sage preacher who sets him on spiritual quest to find himself. Creative Forge was won the interest of some “A-list talent” to act in the movie, Coupe says, and plans to submit Warrior to “top tier festivals,” like Sundance and Tribeca. In other news, a 30-minunte film titled Song of Pumpkin Brown won praise at the Charlotte Film Festival and another film, called Search, inspired accolades last month at the Cucalorus Film Festival in Wilmington, N.C. —John Stoehr
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