Early May STUFF TO DO

According to the Weatherpeoples we’re going to veer from unseasaonbly cold to unseasonably hot here as we enter the first weekend of May. But fear not, there’s still a ton of STUFF TO DO in Charleston and all over the Mountain State and beyond as we find ourselves rapidly barrelling through 2023.

We start with a new show by Charleston’s most prolific playwright.

Charleston’s Contemporary Youth Arts Company opens a new gothic horror drama by playwright, Dan Kehde, “The Good Ship Barnacle” at 7 PM this Friday, May 5th and will be running it May 5,6,12,13 at 7 PM and 2 PM on Sunday May 7.

To say it’s a different kind of play is an understatement. It’s the story of a young woman’s apparent battle with her dark past as she is furloughed by her brother from a mental institution and taken to the isolated cabin of her childhood. Haunted by the voice of a kidnapped and murdered childhood playmate, Allie Burroughs, with the often unwilling aid of her older brother, relives the darker moments of her troubled life as she unravels the truth among twenty five years of lies and delusions.

The play features the extraordinary talents of local veteran actors Amanda Skidmore, Matty Connelly and Abby Connett. Not recommended for anyone under the age of twelve, this intense drama would probably be considered “PG 14” for adult language, situations and implied violence.

$15 Adult. $10 Student/Senior. Tickets are available at the door or online.

Friday is Cinco de Mayo, but not too many places had graphics available for this big day. Yours truly will appear at the Red Carpet to see The Velvet Brothers, but if there’s smoking on the patio, I may not be able to stick around too long.

Live Music is back at Taylor Books. There is no cover charge, and shows start at 7:30 PM. Friday it’s Steve Himes. Saturday Gary Hays entertains the crowd at Charleston’s beloved Bookstore/Coffee Shop/Art Gallery (details in the graphic below).

The Empty Glass has some great stuff through the week to tell you about. Thursday from 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM, Swingstein and Robin play fiddle and piano and sing swing and early jazz standards. Each week they donate their tips to a local nonprofit. Friday Tim Courts plays during happy hour, then Static Fur and friends take over for Cinco De Mayo. Saturday Kenny Booth hosts another SHRED NIGHT. Next week they’ll have an open mic Monday night, and Songwriter Showcase on Tuesday. Plus there are shows listed below.

Please remember that the pandemic is not over yet. It’s still a going concern. And now there are seasonal allergies, the flu and other ferocious bugs in the mix. Many people who have very good reasons are still wearing masks, and many of us, understandably, are still nervous about being in crowds, masked or not. Be kind and understanding while you’re out.

If you’re up for going out, here are a few suggestions for the rest of this week, roughly in order.

THEATRE