Miguel Cervantes
Miguel Cervantes stars in ‘Hamilton’ on Broadway. Photo provided by South Carolina New Play Festival

After its successful inaugural year in 2022, the South Carolina New Play Festival will continue to build a bridge between Greenville and Broadway by showcasing plays by established and emerging playwrights.

The festival recently announced its first commission for a new play/musical based on prominent blues and folk musician Josh White.

Considered a Greenville legend, White rose to fame in the 1930s and 1940s for his unique blend of blues, jazz and folk music. He was also known to be a social and political activist who served as a key figure in the civil rights movement.

Read more about the life of Josh White

“We are thrilled to commission Donnetta Lavinia Grays to write this new play or musical inspired by the life of Josh White,” said West Hyler, executive artistic director of the festival. “Grays is a powerful writer and proud South Carolinian who brings a fresh perspective to this important story. We can’t wait to see what she creates.”

Originally from Columbia, Grays is an award-winning playwright and actor with writing credits on television and Broadway. Grays recently visited Greenville to begin her research on the life of Josh White.

“The thing that I always like to tell folks is that I didn’t leave and become an actor. I didn’t leave and become a writer. I didn’t leave South Carolina (and) become an artist. I was one here,” Grays said. “So it means a lot to be able to tell the story of (Josh White), this extraordinary man, and in turn hopefully tell us something about the country and then something about ourselves through him.”

The new play inspired by Josh White is set to premiere as a reading during the festival’s 2024 season. Hyler said he hopes the first full production of the play will take place during the 2025 festival season.

What’s new for the 2023 festival?

The second annual festival will be held Aug. 10-13 and feature new plays along with a Theater for Young Audiences piece.

A staged reading of ‘Essential Alice’ will be held Aug. 12 at the Peace Center’s Gunter Theater. The musical, which has never had a production, was created by the late Michael Friedman and Annie Weisman and will be directed by Tony-winner Des McAnuff.

“By producing the first public showing of ‘Essential Alice,’ the South Carolina New Play Festival is fulfilling its goal of bringing Broadway to Greenville and shining a light on important, yet-to-be-produced works of American Theater,” Hyler said.

This year’s festival also features Miguel Cervantes, star of “Hamilton” on Broadway, who will perform during the Broadway Cabaret Aug. 13. During the event, Cervantes will share backstage stories and perform songs in an intimate cabaret setting.

  • “The Game” by Rhett Guter and directed by West Hyler will be performed on Aug. 10 at CentreStage.
  • “Black-Billed Cuckoo” by Mat Smart and directed by Shelley Butler will be performed on Aug. 11 at the Greenville Theatre. 
  • “Kween” by Vichet Chum and directed by Pirronne Yousefzadeh will be performed on Aug. 12 at the Warehouse Theatre. 
  • “Catching the Moon” by Tyrone L. Robinson and Nichole Jackson will be performed on Aug. 13 at the South Carolina Children’s Theatre.

For more information on the 2023 festival, visit https://www.southcarolinanewplayfestival.org.

Related Topics
  • Josh White
  • South Carolina New Play Festival

Subscribe

Subscribe now to our newsletter