The Scene: Spoleto

Party on

2006-10-09T08:21:00.000-04:00

For continued party coverage,
visit Ida Becker's Charleston magazine
Fete Set blog: CLICK.

2006-06-14T14:23:00.000-04:00

Alas, Spoleto 2006, I miss you already.

We had fun, didn't we?
We made memories, didn't we?

I had planned to pen a rather witty "Ode to Spoleto Gone Bye-Bye," but the most clever twist I can muster errs on the side of cheek and not prose. And I've reverted to basic first grade rhymes because I dare say my brain has finally melted. Holy moly, it is hot.

Well, this is the last good-bye. Time to draw the final curtain on the Spoleto Scene blog. Move over, Marjory Wentworth!

Spoleto came to town and life was so fun, so free-
We tripped the light fantastic, didn't we?

On this Spoleto Blog, we reveled in our fabulosity:
Spoleto Scenesters are nary too flashy, too trendy, nor too hairy-- you see.

The stars twinkled as we skipped down historic streets,
with parties to grace and people to meet.

And now my sparkling existence is bereft of joy in the wake of thee (melodrama is good, yes?)

I mope through Bob Ellis looking at shoes;
Jimmy Choo is but a mild salve for my cries and boohoos.

Bright Festival: come back anytime, come back to play...
Oh, how I wish it were Spoleto every single day.

To the 5,000+ (as of last Sunday) unique visitors to this site since the dawn of the Spoleto Festival USA 2006 some 25 days ago: thank you. You are all much too fabulous.

Till next year... Ciao!

The end is near/don't cry, my dear

2006-06-13T10:12:00.000-04:00

The final Spoleto Scene blog entry needs your input.

What moment made it for you?

Please email me a brief (could be as simple as one word) quip regarding your favorite Spoleto or Piccolo Spoleto-related experience. I'll be posting answers as the final Spoleto Scene blog installment. Make sure to include your name and profession.

Things to consider:

What was most visually arresting?
What will you long remember?
What made you laugh?
What made you think?
What surprised you?
What tasted good?

All the best,
Ida

Releasing the white balloon in Tristan & Yseult.

--Stephanie Barna,
editor of the Charleston City Paper

Learning that GEISH-A was a Geish-o.

--Larry James,
distribution coordinator for Charleston magazine

Finally exhaling as the Flying Wallendas made it across the tightrope at Circus Flora!

--Jesse E. Hendrix,
communications manager for the Gibbes Museum of Art

Oh, those Spoleto summer nights! Wine, music, friends, and fireworks at Middleton Plantation.

--Jeffrey Rhodes,
Lacoste trendsetter

It was a delicious and varied feast for the eyes, ears and palette! I wanted more, but couldn't do it!

--Lynn Hanlin,
Carriage Properties

The soft jangling of the bell adornment, the hot vibrant colors, the soothing voice and ancient heartbeat of SACRED SPACE instantly transported me to India... it was a total sensory sensation... quite amazing.

--Casey Murphey,
Daniel Ravanel

Once I was fully engaged in Tristan and Yseult by the camp and fun, there were two bare moments of pointed sentiment describing loneliness, each beautifully conveyed by the actor. The two characters, although having been together for a brief moment, were not ever to know how the other felt, making their feelings even more painful to know. Many described this production as "fun," but those clear illustrations of longing are what stayed with me.

I loved that restaurants were all in with us in getting to eat but keeping on time for performances. From Mellow Mushroom with the kids to Charleston Grill with clients, the staff were invested in getting us to our show.

--Chris Nobles,
media director for the Charleston Area Convention and Visitors Bureau

What was most visually arresting?
Bill T Jones Dance... no, I was not the one who booed!

What will you long remember?
The energy and excitement of opening day

What made you laugh?
Ida's Blog...many times...always enjoyable. {ahhh, thanks!}

What made you think?
Nothing, except, where am I getting my next drink?

What surprised you?
The fact that the two weeks flew by, and I feel like I missed so much!

What tasted good?
Cabaret Kiki!!!

--Kristen Lane,
Lane and Smythe

Most memorable Spoleto performance:
Tristan & Yseult

Most memorable Piccolo performance:
College of Charleston's Trust

Most memorable celebrity sighting:
Sitting in front of actress Jane Alexander at Tristan & Yseult and meeting the cast from Tristan & Yseult at the Bedon's Alley party

Most memorable party:
Bedon's Alley with 56 Society Street running a very strong second

Best local encounter:
Seeing Denise Barto at the 56 Society St. party and realizing she was out of the hospital and doing fine

Best coverage:
Ida's Blog - It had the very best photos and captions...and it's a must read for all Spoleto lovers

Best Ending:
Winning the picnic basket contest (five years in a row) and seeing an amazing fireworks display at Middleton Place... PRICELESS!

--Alice Whitt

Most visually arresting:
The set for and performance of ASzURe & ARTISTS' LASCILO PERDERE: A Journey of Letting Go.

What will you long remember?
The 1:00 Chamber Music performance on June 3 featured a "bonus" of contemporary Blue Grass that was incredible!

What made you laugh?
Friends old and new made me laugh! So did some fanciful sculptures at the Piccolo Spoleto Festival's Craft Show and Mike Daisey in MONOPOLY? and INVINCIBLE SUMMER, but laughter with friends trumps everything else.

What made you think?
Both of Mike Daisey's pieces continue to make me think.

What surprised you?
s surprised by my less than enthusiastic reaction to the Bill T. Jones piece.

What tasted good?
Mimosas and crepes with friends on the morning of the festivals' second day were quite tasty!

--Michael Haga,
College of Charleston School of the Arts

I would have to say the Festival Finale was my favorite, yet bittersweet, Spoleto experience. It was the first chance we had to sit down and relax, not planning the next interview, performance or television appearance. Middleton Place was a gorgeous setting to look back on the success of the Festival and the best way to bid it farewell!

--Meredith Siemens,
public relations manager for Spoleto Festival USA

Out with a bang!

2006-06-12T13:13:00.000-04:00

{Folks, I'm posting in waves as I juggle deadlines. I hope to have everything posted by later tonight.}

The Regal Catering "Geepsie" Camp

Nigel Redden chats up
the highlights of this year's festival

The Spoleto development staff finally rests;
Scott Sowell looks like he was born to
recline on a picnic blanket

Kenton Morrison and Claire Slover
put the final touches on their Morccan-themed picnic

Allison, Graham, and Annie Stone
with Ted and Sue Soderlund

Barry Waldrep, Jeffrey Rhodes, Merrill Benfield,
Gray Snead, and Lori Wyatt

Lori and Gray keep John Paul Huguley on a short leash

One last time: where is John Paul Huguley?

Waterguns to beat the heat-- what fun!

Petey's shirt says it all

Wassup, party people!

A wee Spoleto patron-in-training

Emmanuel Villaume

A gold-rimmed chalice to accompany
the bone china used at this picnic;
that's some high falutin' picnicin'

Quite the impressive spread

Quite the trappings

Hats and fans were de rigeur as
the temperature soared on Sunday

Tres chic

Rachel Prioleau with daughter Isabel

Televison anchor Carolyn Murray (far right) with her family

Bottoms up!

The Fierce Picnic Competition Recap

As the judges approached, I briefed THE picnic team (Sue me, I'm partial to these cheeky folks who put together a spectacular spread year after year) with key facts from my mental dossier: congratulate Post and Courier overview critic Joshua Rosenblum on a job well done; tell Warren Pepper you are happy he has returned to the local news; bow down to television anchor Carolyn Murray because her spinning class can kill grown men. Sycophantastic efforts aside, it was the impeccably-executed theme of Dick Cheney's Hunt Club and the roasted quail that earned Fran Taggart and her team the Golden Fork for the fifth year running.

The Regal Catering "Geepsie" camp also put forth great effort, but, in the end, there was too much shake and not enough homemade coconut cake.

Team Taggart

David Whitt

David blows smoke, cigar that is, in the direction of the judges

Joshua Rosenblum and Warren Pepper
sample Team Taggart's homemade ribs as
part of their official judging responsibilities

Cast iron skillets added a special touch
to their food presentation

Post and Courier Spoleto Editor Stephanie Harvin
was quite the good-natured judge

Five-time Spoleto finale picnic champion Fran Taggart
celebrates as the winners are announced from the stage

As the sun began to set, golden-colored light
danced across the sky...

... and the majesty of the heavens descended
upon Middleton Plantation

Yikes.

Click HERE to view the final seconds of the Spoleto Symphony and the first explosions of fireworks.

Spoleto Finale Fanfare

2006-06-12T08:18:00.000-04:00

A complete round-up with loads of photographs
will be posted this afternoon. In the meantime, Click!

Piccolo Spoleto Finale

2006-06-10T23:07:00.000-04:00

Boom! Boom! Click!

one degree of separation

2006-06-10T15:34:00.000-04:00

Gabe Kellermeyer and Jeffrey Rhodes

Duck...

Scott Sowell, Ryan Roberts, and Jeffrey

Duck...

Kyle Stock, Julia Santen, Patrick Sharbaugh, and Scott

Goose!

Eva Magyar and Patrick

Duck...

Annie Stone, Sue Soderlund, Eva,
Graham Stone, and Ted Soderlund

Duck...

Nigel Redden with Sue and Ted

Goose!

Caviar mousse!

Even blogs are a mere one degree of separation. I spotted Ernie the Guitar Man on both of these local blogs.

The Friday night Spoleto party in honor of Tristan & Yseult was hosted by BMW and Pratt-Thomas Gumb at the home of Leslie Turner.

Liz Sullivan and Leslie Turner

Giles King and Katy Carmichael

Peter and Nathalie Naylor with Kim Quattlebaum

Overheard

2006-06-10T07:26:00.000-04:00

Fireworks on north side of the peninsula illuminated the Friday night sky, and guests at the Blacklock House rushed to the rear piazza to catch a glimpse of the first of many pyrotechnic displays scheduled to take place this weekend.

One especially spirited attendee exclaimed in a mock falsetto:
"The Yankees are coming! The Yankees are coming!

From a dark corner of the veranda someone else replied:
Friend, this is Spoleto. The Yankees aren't coming; they're here.

J. Gilbert Johnston of Birmingham (lecturer and
owner of Antique Nature Prints) with Nelle Woodruff
(Projects Associate at the School of the Arts)

Valerie B. Morris (Dean, School of the Arts),
Karen Jones (Director of Alumni Communications at the College),
and David Lee Nelson (one of the Skinny White Comics from
Piccolo Spoleto and alumnus of the College's theatre department)

Tog Newman (Chair of the Southern Arts Federation's Board of
Directors), Ashley Johnson (patron of the School of the Arts),
Mary Johnson (President of the School of the Arts Council), and
Michael Newman (architect and student in the Studio Art Department)

Cecil Wilson (owner of Charleston Travel and Cruise Center),
Michael Haga (HRH), Karen Oakes (actress),
Billy Vandiver (art collector), Mary Glickman (author),
and Paul Holmes (Professor Emeritus of Psychology at the College)

Make haste

2006-06-10T03:08:00.000-04:00

The Friday morning Chamber Music at the Dock Street Theatre was a sensational example of vigor, a magnitude of talent, and facial expressions. Corey Cerovsek (violin), Alisa Weilerstein (cello), and Masumi Per Rostad (viola) knocked the audience's socks off with their high-spirited rendition of Ernst von Dohnanyi's "Serenade in C Major, Op. 10." They were followed by yet another mesmerizingly charismatic man (in the vein of Emmanuel Villaume from the night before)-- pianist Jeremy Denk.

Charles Wadsworth elicited so much laughter from the audience within the first five minutes, it was difficult to tell if we were watching the best of Piccolo's comedy fringe or chamber music. Wadsworth's excitement regarding the morning's rondeau and his mini lesson on the topic of "when to clap" brought cheers from the audience who clearly love Spoleto's Artistic Director for Chamber Music and hold him in the highest esteem.

The selections for chamber music are always are surprise; however, this program will be performed for the last time on Saturday at 11 a.m. so make haste to the Dock Street.

Not too many familiar faces in the sold-out crowd...

I did spot the big-hearted Ross Magoulas who was volunteering as an usher:

Faces to Watch For

2006-06-10T02:21:00.000-04:00

Spoleto smells like pickles.

-- Scott Sowell, special events assistant for Spoleto

2006-06-09T19:25:00.000-04:00

Uhhh, who exactly is checking this blog daily from Qatar? A fabulous party person in the Middle East? Do tell; email me.

Faces to Watch For

2006-06-09T18:43:00.000-04:00

Photo supplied.

Spoleto is the color of a Chinese parade in the daytime and an antique Art Nouveau vase overflowing with peacock feathers in the evening.

Spoleto smells like sweet potato cheesecake.

Spoleto tastes like a first kiss.

Spoleto is shaped like a curvaceous woman adjusting her stockings.

Spoleto is best paired with sparkling jewelry, sparkling wine and sparkling friends.

My favorite phrase for Spoleto is so intoxicating.

-- Regina Ruopoli, songstress for the jazz band Vintage Velvet, which enjoyed a sold-out show last Saturday for Piccolo Spoleto

2006-06-09T18:25:00.000-04:00

Blogging the Spoleto parties has finally taken its toll: I nearly broke my hand this morning. No, not from the constant midnight blogging, but close.

I was so exhausted that, in the rush to get ready for chamber music, I fell against my armoire and heard a loud crack. (Andy, stop snickering or I'll pinch you. You too, David Singleton. It was bad enough that you hooted when I was accosted by that crazy Anna Nicole impersonator earlier this week. What was up with THAT?!)

I spent the afternoon consuming espresso beans-- straight up-- as if they were an illicit substance, in hopes of coaxing a caffeine-induced second wind for this evening's festivities. FourBucks: you have failed me; I've been forced to go directly to the source. Crunch, crunch.

I'm gingerly typing despite the pain. Wince, wince, whimper. Ouuuuch.

So, here's hoping that nothing too spectacular happens this weekend; nothing that would require me to type in overdrive for this blog... no fabulous drag queens, no spontaneous hooter honking, no toupee slippage, no snoring in the balcony, no Grey Poupon-inspired fist fights at the picnic finale. Nada. And heaven forbid there be another Boo-and-Run.

Let's hope everything is just peachy for the finale weekend. It will be over before we know it. (Bring on the queens!)

These peaches flew over the bridge going around 70 miles an hour! And not one toppled out of its basket-- that is a scientific marvel, I tell you. Holy moly!

Faces to Watch For (if you are clairvoyant)

2006-06-09T00:00:00.000-04:00

Spoleto is the color of Italian clowns.
Spoleto smells like the Confederate jasmine blooming downtown.
Spoleto tastes like lunch out.
Spoleto is shaped like the nanocage of a molecule of gold.
Spoleto is best paired with big ears, minimal clothing and the ability to eat, drink and talk at the same time while standing up.
My favorite phrase for Spoleto is: sometimes you just have to let art flow over you.

-- Good Morning Lowcountry in the Post and Courier

Since GML is an anonymous feature, I substituted a photograph of my backyard, taken this morning, in lieu of the mysterious person's headshot.

By the way, GML, Ted Soderlund says you added an extra "do" to his Spoleto haiku.

And down came the rain

2006-06-08T23:44:00.000-04:00

I love a good thunderstorm and tonight's came with artistic fanfare. As the audience of the Sottile Theatre emptied onto the George Street sidewalk, after a thundering rendition of Beethoven's Symphony No. 5 in C minor, fat raindrops began falling from the sky and a collective cry rang out. People clad in all shades of pastel scattered while the more intrepid folks milled about and literally soaked up the summer shower.

It's now over two hours after the standing ovation finally fell silent, and I'm still delighting in the performance. Nigel was seated directly behind me, and it was great fun to eavesdrop on his personal highlights of this Festival thus far.

With the transformation of the Sottile into an acoustical wonderland, patrons have the opportunity to sit closer to the action than ever before. The charismatic direction of Emmanuel Villaume was like discovering a musical conductor microcosm: every facial expression, every airy flow of the hands, and every staccato movement of his shoulders as the music reached a crescendo added depth and personality to the performance.

Meanwhile, guests at John Paul Huguley's show were left wondering if art has gone to the dogs:

2006-06-08T17:32:00.000-04:00

blogger = party foul

I'll try to post more detailed entries
once the server isn't quite so slow.

Boo!

Picnic Forecast

2006-06-08T17:28:00.000-04:00

To date, I know of three parties planning to vie for the title of Best Picnic at the Spoleto finale this Sunday. The ringleaders include Anna Hofford, Kenton Morrison, and four-time winner Fran Taggart.

Word from the Hofford camp is that a "beach bum" theme is in the works. I don't have any insight on the food (for those of you contemplating being picnic-crashers), but Bocce is on the agenda. Having recently participated in the already-fabled "Folly Beach Olympics," Anna might have the lock of fun activities.

Team Morrison, which includes Ashley and Brooks Wright, Kelly and Ed Murphy, and Glen Gardner, has jumped into the competition late in the game, but is making up for lost preparation time with a healthy does of bravado.

"I just have to say that we had a pretty impressive yet relatively impromptu party last year, and Finale 06 is bound to be even better considering our advance preparations, and we do have quite a bit of talent working on this project. An evening of simple Moroccan-themed luxury beneath the stars and fireworks on the grounds of the oldest landscaped gardens in North America cannot be beaten by overdone sterling candelabras and vases of roses."

--Glen R. Gardner, Wertimer and Associates

Team Morrison is all about food on a stick to complement their Moroccan theme: chicken satays and pork tenderloin on wooden skewers. Rumor has it that Glen is going to bring a life-sized gold camel. I've also heard talk of belly dancers, but again, nothing has been confirmed on that front.

The veterans-- the picnic winners the last four years running-- appeared on Lowcountry Live this morning. While Fran Taggart, Alice Whitt, and Helen Russ did not divulge specific details regarding their plan to maintain the title come Sunday, Fran confirmed the key element is to set an award-winning theme. Last year, their picnic poked fun at "The Runaway Bride" while the prior year brought the colorful Spoleto poster, credited to artist Jonathan Green, to life-- complete with a life size girl on a swing.

If you, like me, are bemused by the folks who go to such great lengths for a bit of picnic glory, yet know it is beyond your ability to channel Martha Stewart, fret not. Kennedy's Bakery on Calhoun Street has all of your picnic staples.

Kennedy's Market and Bakery
60 Calhoun Street, (843) 723-2026

Although I did not have time to stop at the following establishments to snap photos while out and about yesterday, they can also outfit your picnic with panache!

Bull Street Gourmet
60 Bull Street, (843) 720-8992

Ted's Butcherblock
334 East Bay Street, (843) 577-0094

Whole Foods
923 Houston Northcutt Blvd, (843) 971-7240

And don't forget Cumberland's-- chicken wing, anyone?
301 King Street, (843) 577-9469

Tripping the Light Fantastic

2006-06-08T17:07:00.000-04:00

The week brought forth an unexpected delight-- visitors from the North! Jason Oliver Nixon and John Loecke landed in Charleston Tuesday morning and have been soaking up the sights, Spoleto, and Sancerre as fast as the locals can dish it out.

Jason and John

I find Charleston's delight in irregular occurrences, like the docking and departure of the Queen Mary, to be quirky but charming. Thus, Mr. Benfield picked up our lovely visitors yesterday evening in his 1953 Rolls Royce, which came to America in 1954 via the original Queen Mary, and we made the outing into a grand affair.

I chatted with Ben Doyle (Palmetto Carriage) as I stood in the roundabout of Charleston Place waiting for our guests, and Ben asked if we expected a Herbie-esque meeting of ship and car.

"TOOT. TOOT." -- Queen Mary
(Shipese translation: My mother brought you to America.)

"Beep! Beep!" -- The Rolls
(Vintage Rolls translation: How is the old dame?)

That triggered laughter that wove itself throughout the rest of the night.

Tradd Newton, genial restauranteur extraordinaire, helped us secure a pimp deck-side view of the Queen Mary from Fleet Landing. Buzzy and Rebecca Newton were seated beside us, and we all reveled in the pageantry of the ship and the way it dwarfed our skyline. My, she is a big-'un.

After scattering for performances across the peninsula, we reconvened at the party held in honor of A Beautiful View hosted by Rick Fowler and Justin Thomas, Phil Duffer and John Young, and the Alliance for Full Acceptance.

We then skipped over to Cabaret Kiki.

Brook Jones and Callie Witham

Mike Lata (FIG) and Julia Santen (Julia Santen Gallery)

Claire Slover (Circa Lighting), Kristen Lane (Lane and Smythe),
and a Faceless Advertising Sales Exec from the City Paper

A very pleasant dude in a purple shirt,
Jennifer Dyer-Buddin (Mary Kay Has a Posse),
Brandy Sullivan (The Have Nots!),
Charles Ross (One Man Star Wars),
and Colleen Reilly

Oh la la! Nikki Hardin's chic-as-can-be sandals from Bob Ellis

2006-06-08T15:47:00.000-04:00

Apparently Blogger, the free hosting service for this blog, was on party overload and decided to take a break(down). Sorry for the delay in posting, but c'est la vie!

The big news is I found John Paul Huguley.

Rob Stubbs and Mr. Huguley

And you can find him too-- tonight from 5 - 8 p.m. at the John Dunnan Gallery, 131 King Street, for the opening of a post and beam structure that was constructed with artisans from Clemson Architecture and the American College of the Building Arts.

2006-06-07T12:37:00.000-04:00

Cabaret Kiki Live Tonight!

Cabaret Kiki is an ever-evolving performance experience that pays homage to the aesthetic of French and German cabaret while shattering preconceptions of what cabaret is supposed to be. Kiki is a true "Cabaret Nouveau".

Pantheon... tonight at 11 p.m.
Dress to impress or stay home.

Check out photos from a recent show.

Out and About

2006-06-06T23:12:00.000-04:00

Bobbie and Curly Greenbaum
enjoy dinner with friends at Oak

Faces to Watch For

2006-06-06T23:07:00.000-04:00

Spoleto is the color raw indigo pigment thinned with linseed oil on top of a backlighted glass artist's palette.

Spoleto smells like Disneyland's Pirates of the Caribbean ride.

Spoleto tastes like The first sip of the first vodka-soda at first dark -- and, the first Bloody-Mary the very first thing the next morning.

Spoleto is a kaleidoscopic shape.

Spoleto is best paired with friends, blankets, Rosa Regale Banfi and oak trees.

My favorite phrase for Spoleto is Spoletocalifragilisticexpialidocious!
Even though the sound of it is
Something quite atrocious,
If you say it loud enough
You'll always sound precoccious.
Spoletocalifragilisticexpialidocious!.

--Cary Weber, psychologist

photographed with wife Lois Lane

Faces to Watch For

2006-06-06T23:03:00.000-04:00

Spoleto is the color black.
Spoleto smells like French perfume.
Spoleto tastes like chili pepper crusted pecans.
Spoleto is shaped like a a kettle drum.
Spoleto is best paired with Russian vodka and a great date.
My favorite phrase for Spoleto is classic.

--Shannon Odom, Charleston Golf and member of Spoleto Scene

Faces to Watch For

2006-06-06T12:45:00.000-04:00

Spoleto is the color of blue and white seersucker.

Spoleto smells like jessamine.

Spoleto tastes like goat cheese crostini with
drizzled honey and walnuts.

Spoleto is shaped like the world.

Spoleto is best paired with great weather, good friends
and white wine.

My favorite phrase for Spoleto is Bravo!

--Brenda Thomas, Assistant Director of Development for Spoleto

Faces to Watch For

2006-06-06T11:09:00.000-04:00

Spoleto is the color aubergine.
Spoleto smells like honeysuckle.
Spoleto tastes like cabernet mixed with a freshly squeezed lime.
Spoleto is shaped like a a fat cat.
Spoleto is best paired with a crew of friends.
My favorite phrase for Spoleto is Spolicious, of course.

--Larry James, distribution coordinator for Charleston magazine

Collective sigh

2006-06-05T20:21:00.000-04:00

The most humbling and exhilarating effect of Spoleto is its innate ability to open our eyes to the different shades of beauty in the world around us.

Like the sunset I watched unfold in my backyard moments ago.

The gelato tastes creamier; the laughter is louder; the moments when I forget to breathe grow more frequent. This is my Spoleto.

Spoleto is the color of a million points of light dancing on a wave in the luminous shallows of the Mediterranean Ocean's azure water.

Spoleto smells like Chanel.

Spoleto tastes like a vine-ripened beefsteak tomato with mozzarella, whisper-thin prosciutto, a drizzle of aged balsamic, and a sprig of mint.

Spoleto is shaped like a supernova.

Spoleto is best paired with a frothy cappuccino and a ridiculously fabulous pair of Jimmy Choo heels.

My favorite phrase for Spoleto is yes, please.

--Ida Becker, columnist, contributing editor, and marketing consultant

And you? Email me with your answers to the six prompts listed above.

Saturday night social diary

2006-06-04T16:32:00.000-04:00

I hear Diddy's annual summer White Party in the Hamptons is so intense, the guests' shoes must be 100% white. Ew! There is nothing wrong with a strappy metallic sandal. So when Guilds Bennett mentioned the white theme of last night's Scene (the name of Spoleto's young professionals group, not to be confused with my City Paper column, which has first claim to the moniker) party, I had to pull a quick Susan Lucci and change from the black cocktail dress I'd worn to three earlier parties. Mea culpa! I had not read the invitation.

Hosted by Lance Hiatt and Tim Parks in their recently-renovated Society Street home, this party was the most stylized private Spoleto party yet. Custom lighting bathed the garden in blue while a disco ball-- yes, a giant disco ball-- threw sparkles of light on the home and the trees. Large arrangements of blue hydrangeas were accented by scores of flickering white candles, and several round tables provided ample seating for the guests who stayed long past time to close the curtain on the party. I stayed so late, it is a miracle my carriage did not turned into a wilted pumpkin.

the party's signature drink:
a coconut rum and pineapple concoction

all of the food, amongst the tastiest I've sampled yet this festival,
was made by the two hosts and their extended familes

the smoked salmon was a smash hit

the hosts' red piano

Bennett Pappas

Kent Austin and Trey Sedalik

Larry James and Meredith Jarvis

Kara Valentine

Christophe Drumain and host Tim Parks

Fitz Coker and Rachel Greene

David and Amy Pastre

Scott Sowell

Page Goodwin and Ellen McGauley

Tracy Barto, Brain Leiseca,
Edward Ward, and Andi Philley

Audrey Latsko, Andi Philley,
Sara Ancrum, and Lori Wyatt

Colleen Connor and Shannon Odom

I jumped in front of the camera
to mug with my dear friend and
fashion crisis preventer Guilds Bennett

Allison Cox

Faces to Watch For

2006-06-04T16:07:00.000-04:00

One of my favorite performances was Praise House, but I also loved Electra and Rusalka - both for excellent singing and fantastic, spare sets. Then again, it is hard to forget the Colla Marionettes' production of Aida. There are too many good things to remember!

The festivals always bring to mind memories of things I have done with friends, such as the time Jana Kellar (Young) and I skipped down Anson Street on the way to a dance performance at the Gaillard. Of course, we had been enjoying cocktails with friends just moments before...

The festival embodies the best that the arts can do for us. By giving us the opportunity to share common experiences, the arts allow us to engage with one another so that we learn about each other - and ourselves - in the process.

I am looking forward to enjoying performances and friends!

--Michael Haga, the College of Charleston's School of the Arts

Faces to Watch For

2006-06-04T15:55:00.000-04:00

Spoleto is the color white.
Spoleto smells like gardenia.
Spoleto tastes like stillness.
Spoleto is an amorphous shape.
Spoleto is best paired with new friends.
My favorite phrase for Spoleto is sedate.

--Ray Huff, principal of Huff + Gooden, a firm
specializing in modern architecture and urban design

Patatas Bravas

2006-06-04T13:49:00.000-04:00

Several dozen jazz fans gathered in Raval's Moroccan lounge early Saturday evening for a pre performance reception hosted by Spoleto Board Member Bill Medich and his lovely wife Julie. Guests, like Emily and Steve Swanson, talked about recent milestones in their children's lives, while servers passed trays of tasty Bocados and a custom playlist, rich with New Orleans artists, filled the fabric-draped room.

Bill and Julie Medich with Ray Huff

From Raval, I walked over to the College of Charleston where Dean Valerie Morris was hosting one of her quietly famous porch parties. Chocolate bon bons covered the conference room table; guests arrived in waves as various performances ended; and soft sounds of jazz drifted over from the Cistern. Michael Haga is the consummate host, and I overheard the following quip, which elicited laughter from those within earshot:

Champagne? Absolutely.
{a three-beat pause followed by the conspiratorial aside...}
I love that it's not just a breakfast drink anymore.

According to Boris Bohun-Chudyniv, the gentleman dubbed "Mr. Boo" attended the discussion led by Bill T. Jones at Avery Research Center. From what I hear, the man identified himself before departing for an overlapping performance.

Out and About

2006-06-04T13:47:00.000-04:00

Ashley and Thomas Kennedy enjoy a light bite
at Chai before heading to see Mike Daisey

Boo

2006-06-04T13:41:00.000-04:00

On the way to the first of several festive Saturday night events, I watched the passenger of this vehicle (a young-ish male), toss liter into the front yard of a home on the East Side.

To both the driver and the passenger: I couldn't help but notice your out-of-town license plate. Please don't come to our lovely community if you can not respect it.

Boo.

I heckle you and your nasty, thoughtless behavior.

2006-06-04T13:37:00.000-04:00

Wow.

Sandy Saturday

2006-06-04T13:30:00.000-04:00

I began Saturday with a mandatory trip to my neighborhood Starbucks. While waiting for a giant carafe of iced coffee, I bumped into Hank Holliday and Hank Hofford who were having an early morning pow wow. If they're cooking something up, literally, you know it is going to be good.

The overcast weather on the Isle of Palms provided welcome relief from the recent sweltering temperatures. A large crowd had assembled by midmorning to observe the Piccolo Spoleto sandcastle building contest. Several dozen teams began working at 9 a.m., and themes were beginning to emerge by 10:30:

Jan and Jack Tracey

Someone is missing a head full of curls!

Strike a pose

2006-06-03T09:21:00.000-04:00

To be frank, the Spoleto Soiree did not rank among my favorite fetes in years past; the gin fizzes two years ago tasted like Milk of Magnesia, and the vibe last year was, in a word, flat. I attended 227 events last year alone (and this is year four on the Spoleto party beat), so I've practically seen it all. I was reticent to expect dramatic improvement this year, but I could not have been more wrong; Spoleto Soiree is the comeback kid of the year.

From the moment I walked through the door, I was swept up in the palpable energy coursing through the room. The room itself, credited to party genius Denise Barto, was fabulous-- cool and colorful. The decor evoked shades of the Copacabana Palace, the Delano, and La Samanna with a bit of bedouin chic tossed in.

I confess I never checked out either the bars or the food stations, but friends who ventured off for cocktails often returned with haste, which indicated there were enough bars and bartenders to service the large crowd. Good show.

The PYTs were out in full force. The fashion hit parade at Spoleto Soiree was exhilarating; ladies were dressed in color and men sported varying degrees of Miami-Vice-meets-South-of-Broad attire (popped collars, pink pants, Vineyard Vines belts, and loafers).

The most glittering were asked to strike a pose:

Chandler Culbreth

Shannon Odom

Colleen Connor

Brady Waggoner

Page Goodwin

Heyward Hamilton

Jackie Tyler

David Singleton

Jennifer Harris

John Wilson and friend

Cara Valentine

Jennifer Mathis

Elizabeth Gumb

Lese Corrigan

Rebecca Hawkins

Scott Sowell

mani

Jan Lipov, Denise Barto, and Larry Lipov

party girls

Tom Lennon and Caroline Mancill

Stan and Sunny Gray with Pete Rerig

Brett Elrod and Ginger Brewton

Jennifer Waggoner's sassy heels

mesh alligator loafers by Gucci

Brady Waggoner's colorful kicks

What could possibly follow the panache and joviality of Soiree? How about a ride in Mr. Benfield's new Bentley (I could just faint), and a front-row spot at Pantheon's midnight drag show. We arrived late but managed to catch the last four numbers. I could, again, have not been more wrong: the mood for week two is not mellow; rather, it is high-energy. I'll amend the playlist shortly. No my first name ain't baby.

Stephanie Bussell and Danielle Forrestal
promote the upcoming Cabaret Kiki show

a bowtie looks smart no matter the time or place,
especially when paired with glowing devil horns

smoldering Joe Condon

the money shot, literally

The night wound down at Raval:

Claire Slover and John Payne

Where was John Paul Huguley?

2006-06-03T08:32:00.000-04:00

Grande soy chai.
Stat.

I haven't stayed out till 4 a.m. in quite some time. It was my damn dress-- it had a mind of its own (although I think it was in cahoots with my heels and handbag). How many calories are burned by dancing? And why did I eat edamame and dark chocolate when I raided the pantry at the crack of dawn? Groan.

I.
Made.
This.
Dress.

With a pattern and a sewing machine! Look out, Narciso Rodriguez.

homage to Marilyn

Friday evening: twilight report

2006-06-03T07:11:00.000-04:00

The Piccolo Spotlight concert at the City Waterfront Gallery entertained a sizeable audience early Friday evening. Patrons took advantage of the deliciously crisp twilight weather and the gallery's expansive front steps to enjoy the post-performance reception.

Lee Chin (violin), Ellen Moryl (director of Piccolo Spoleto),
Volodymyr Vynnytsky (piano), and Natalia Khomam (cello)

Bill and Betty McCullough with Mary and Ashley Johnson

Dinner took me to FIG, where I enjoyed the company of fine friends. Lo and behold, the festival's most charming gentleman was dining at the next table:

Chamber music impresario Charles Wadsworth and Mindy Spar

Jeff Kopish

Hear this

2006-06-02T17:28:00.000-04:00

I began the week in a mellow mood thanks to both Keng Sen's use the illusionary term dreamweaver when describing Geisha and Katy Carmichael and Tristan Sturrock's comment that Spoleto smells like sweet pecans, horses, and sunshine in your hair. I spun around town throughout the week listening to Hall and Oates and, my all-time favorite, Earth Wind and Fire.

The weekend is upon us, and with it comes the maddening crush of dinner reservations, overlapping performance times, elusive parking spaces, and parties!

Here is the second week playlist, which is designed to share the mellow mood.

The Spoleto Soiree is tonight, and I hear a few tickets will be available at the door. Guilds Bennett tells me the Caipirinha (white rum, lime, and sugar over crushed ice) is the soiree's signature drink, and the live band will be playing traditional Brazilian party music.

Fury of a Blind Date Scorned

2006-06-02T10:04:00.000-04:00

From an email I received regarding last night's performance of
Blind Date, the Bill T. Jones and Arnie Zane Dance Company performance that boldly questions the meaning of patriotism in today's society:

Have you seen Blind Date? ACK!!!! If you missed last night's performance, you missed a telling shouting match/audience reaction that pitted artist against viewer. I thought that what transpired served as a telling summation of how things are going in our country right now.

The shouting was interesting. As the (tepid, on the part of many people) applause was dying down, we heard a rather loud BOO from the balcony. I believe that it was Mr. Jones himself who rushed back onto the stage and demanded "Who is that booing? Who booed?" as he paced across the stage. The man identified himself (I think with the "aid" of someone else in the audience) and the shouting began.

"Come down here and tell me what you did not like!"

"I am not coming down there!"

And so it went for some time. Some audience members thought that it might have been part of the performance, but I feel fairly certain that it was not. After a while Mr. Boo finally said that what he did not like (here I paraphrase for the most part) was having to watch pretentious, repetitive, "third rate" shows that pretend to address serious issues.

ANYWAY, Mr. Jones finished by saying "I'll stay out of your politics if you stay out of my art!" It was telling that he focused on the political issue since, to my mind, that was NOT the issue for Mr. Boo. About half of the audience began to applaud after that comment, something else that I thought was telling.

I believe that any artist (painter, sculptor, writer, choreographer, actor, etc.) who offers something for public presentation should expect that there may be negative criticism of the work. That is part of the deal, isn't it? If artists assume that only roses and champagne will follow each of their efforts, then the emperor really does wear no clothes.

Anyone else want to share their experience at last night's performance? We're all very interested in hearing different opinions regarding the events that unfolded at the end of the night.

Faces to Watch For

2006-06-02T08:01:00.000-04:00

Spoleto's colors are kaleidoscopic.
Spoleto smells like OFF.
Spoleto tastes like shrimp.
Spoleto is shaped like a spheroid.
Spoleto is best paired with anything alcoholic.
My favorite phrase for Spoleto is culturific.

--Ted Soderlund, principal of Nova Gas Technologies and patron of the arts

We are local but not native, having only been in Charleston for twenty years.

Ted and his wife Sue conduct a great deal of business in Asian countries, hence the double-sided business card in two languages (photographed against the fan party favors from the Spoleto party in honor of Geisha:

addendum to Spoleto survival

2006-06-01T19:31:00.000-04:00

I discovered an oasis in our midst while out shopping with Mindy Spar and my mother this afternoon: Teavana, the tea boutique on King Street. I must confess that despite being an ardent fan of drinking tea, I had never stepped foot in this aromatic enclave. What a shame I've missed out on this lovely place for so long.

A wall of tin canisters, over 100 in total, with exotic names like "Golden Monkey," "Emerald Princess," "Iron Buddha," and "Jasmine Dragon Phoenix Pearls" make deciding upon a single cup a difficult proposition.

Fortunately, the good-humored help behind the counter steered us all in a winning direction. We even received an interesting mini-lesson on the origin of Rooibos tea.

And the icing on the cake?

Teavana's zen courtyard! What better place to enjoy a brief respite between performances?

Teavana is only a block from the College of Charleston's performing arts venues, down the street from the Gaillard, a few blocks from Marion Square, and around the corner from Theatre 99. And, ahem, only a few doors down from Bob Ellis, the paragon of local shoe shopping.

Tim Pakron and Ben Wells

If tea is not your thing, wind around the corner to Gelateria Modica, 41 George Street, where nearly 20 flavors of gelato and sorbet are made each day.

survival instincts

2006-06-01T12:44:00.000-04:00

We're not even half-way to the finale at Middleton Place, and we've hit full tilt with Spoleto performances and parties. As the weekend looms, with its power-packed schedule of activity, sweet relief is much needed. Here are a few tips from Spoleto stalwarts on how to beat the heat and stay two steps ahead of fatigue:

a super energy boost of vitamin C

a nonstop java drip

a pedicure from the spa at Charleston Place

the cheese plate from Raval

the Giovanni Royale from Rue de Jean

Faces to Watch For

2006-05-31T14:29:00.000-04:00

Spoleto is colored turquoise and gold with a blood red heart.
Spoleto smells like sweet pecans, horses, and sunshine in your hair.
Spoleto tastes like fine homemade pastry.
Spoleto is shaped like a magnificent ice cream cone pointing
to the stars.
Spoleto is best paired with everything on the menu at Meritage.
My favorite phrase for Spoleto is exquisitely exhilarating.

Spoleto is fun in the sun, love in the shade, laughter and tears
in the auditorium.

-- Katy Carmichael and Tristan Sturrock,
actors currently appearing in Tristan & Yseult

Ring around Ong Keng Sen

2006-05-31T06:17:00.000-04:00

I'm not the only one enthralled by the genius of Geisha director Ong Keng Sen. At a party last night, Sen was the man of the hour as guests jockeyed for the opportunity to speak with him.

The intimate gathering was hosted by George Cougar, Darlene Shaw, George and Marilyn Taylor, and Alice and David Whitt in a showcase home on Zig Zag Alley.

The food, courtesy of J. Bistro, featured an asian flair, and it is always a pleasure to see Chef James Burns in the kitchen. An interesting tidbit: I hear James sold the restaurant this week and plans to cater full-time. This party marked the first time I've seen guests actually prepare a small plate of food as opposed to snapping up bite-sized crudité from a passing tray.

Guests received colorful paper fans upon arrival-- a useful party favor when the breeze subsided. Three fish swimming in a cylindrical vase caused me to do a double-take as I walked past the bar. While the fish seemed content (I guess?) to watch the procession of vodka sodas, I can't help but wonder where they wound up the morning after. Are they someone's pet? Glub. Glub. Glub.

the freshly-rolled sushi was a big hit with the guests

Faces to Watch For

2006-05-30T09:16:00.000-04:00

Spoleto is the color gold.
Spoleto smells like Arpege.
Spoleto tastes like caviar.
Spoleto is shaped like the world.
Spoleto is best paired with an open mind.
My favorite word for Spoleto is discover.

-- David Rawle, chairman of Rawle Murdy and trustee of Spoleto

photographed with Harry Barker and Josephine

Faces to Watch For

2006-05-30T08:20:00.000-04:00

Julie and Bill Medich with Nunally Kersh, at the Sunday
brunch hosted by Marion and Wayland H. Cato Jr.

"In terms of what I'm looking forward to, of course I think everything on the program is a winner!

If I had to single out a few however, I am especially looking forward to: Mozart's Mass in C Minor with Jennifer Larmore and the Westminster Choir, conducted by Joe Flummerfelt. The Mass is a landmark work of the choral literature and it's thrilling to have Jennifer Larmore sing at the Festival.

I'm also very excited about Bill T Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company's Blind Date. The work is a real masterpiece. I'm very proud we're presenting it.

And finally, I can't wait for Mike Daisey and Danny Hoch, both performing under the rubric of the Solo Turns series. They're both very funny, smart, perceptive, etc. etc.

There's so much else that I'm looking forward to but these are all components of the Festival that are particularly special to me."

-- Nunally Kersh, producer of Spoleto Festival USA

Faces to Watch For

2006-05-30T07:23:00.000-04:00

Lynn Hanlin, Bev Seinsheimer, John Dunnan, and Karen Kandel

Spoleto is bright!
Spoleto smells like jasmine and roses.
Spoleto tastes like great wine.
Spoleto is shaped like a heart.
Spoleto is best paired with romance, smiling faces and joyful hearts.

--Bev Seinsheimer

Social Diary: Sunday, May 28

2006-05-29T03:01:00.000-04:00

I am having SO MUCH FUN! I was slow to wholeheartedly embrace this year's festival for reasons unknown (perhaps my mind was still in Kathmandu); however, I have fallen under Spoleto's spell and am lapping up every second spent ensconced in the pageantry of the performing arts, every moment of mingling at parties, every chance meeting on the street, every impromptu toast, and every single sighting of seersucker.

Beth and David Simmons, Liz and Chuck Sullivan, and Christine and Chris Landers hosted the Spoleto V.I.P. party early Sunday evening in the Simmons' stunning Tradd Street home. Beth and David hosted a similar party last year, and it was lovely to discover the progress made on their home restoration and renovation. Beth's floor-sweeping dress in a multitude of colors, punctuated by a splash of green in her hair, made her look like a maharani.

Party hostesses Liz, Beth, and Christine
with Development Director Julia Forster

The party centered in the rear courtyard and Callie White servers wound their way through the intimate gathering with trays of fun food like mini hamburgers and miniature ice cream cones.

Lizzie Simmons is tempted by one of the tiny ice cream cones.

Triple trouble!

Guests included Thomas and Courtney Quattlebaum, Lou and Chris Hammond, Jane and Bob Lurie, Katherine and Frank Glenn, Carol Perkins and David Rawle, Ellie and Charles Coker, and Nancye Starnes, who was entertaining friends from out-of-town.

Bob and Jane Lurie, Carol Perkins and David Rawle, and Julia

Sue Soderlund looked fresh in an aqua and white ensemble while her husband Ted looked crisp in his new seersucker blazer from A.J. Davis.

Seersucker on both JoAnn Nipper and Ted Soderlund

I made my way over to Rutledge Avenue late Sunday night for the Spoleto party hosted by Susan Sharpe and Ken Lock in honor of the Paul T. Jones dance company. Most guests took advantage of the home's sweeping piazza where the view of the star-filled sky and the sound of ice clinking in highballs filled the night.

Brenda Thomas, Scott Sowell, and Rebecca Hawkins

Bill Matalene celebrates Spoleto and his birthday
with daughter Daphne

Conversations with

2006-05-28T18:10:00.000-04:00

I just left Conversations With, conducted by CBS News Correspondent Martha Teichner, and I am swooning over Geisha director Ong Keng Sen. He is the most eloquent, insightful, and thought-provoking person I've encountered in quite some time. I could have listened to him speak for another hour.

Karen Kandel, Ong Keng Sen, and Martha Teichner

"I found it so emotional. I cried throughout the end of the piece.
Her [Karen Kandel] voice carries me to another place."

-- Denise Barto, after seeing Geisha for the second time.

Alert the paparazzi

2006-05-28T06:59:00.000-04:00

While Tracy's birthday was celebrated on one side of Oak's third floor dining room last night, the Bush twins dined on the other.

Social diary

2006-05-28T06:11:00.000-04:00

Time to give the parties-to-date a proper run-down. Exhaustion-induced dyslexia rendered me unable to type my own name on Saturday, but I can now recall, and relate, details with alacrity.

I hope.

THURSDAY

John and Meredith Dunnan once again hosted a Spoleto party in their spectacular home on High Battery. One of the most charming aspects of their parties is Mac, their vivacious young son, who is always meandering through the adults with verve, displaying his adorable precocious streak. John's exuberance for his adopted projects, which now officially includes Spoleto as he has joined the festival's board of trustees, is unparalleled, while Meredith's discerning eye makes her one of the best style makers and interior designers in this town. To top it off, they are quick to laugh and loads of fun. John celebrated his 40th birthday with a party on the under-construction Ravenel bridge. A few months ago, John emailed me a photo of him hanging out with Kid Rock. Crazy.

John is chairman of the Kennedy Center's National Committee for the Performing Arts (NCPA), the permanent national advisory board of the Kennedy Center, and he invited a number of fellow committee members to attend this year's Spoleto Festival USA.

As I arrived at the Dunnan's home early Thursday evening, a carriage was delivering a dozen of those committee members, clearly identified with cheerful yellow name-badges, to the party. Meredith typically receives guests at the front door, and this occasion was no exception; however, she had a surprise-- colorful flower leis for everyone.

Inside, first-time visitors to their home marveled at the extensive and expansive collection of art while those "in the know" headed toward the garden for food and drink. The more daring guests opted for tropical cocktails with paper umbrellas, but glasses of white wine were most prevalent. Callie White Catering, popular with the fete set, provided the food.

A constant breeze off the harbor refreshed the outdoor party, although a clear tent protected guests from the elements.

Dr. Alton G. Brown Jr. regaled me with the tale of a two-day saga to rescue a family of ducks that eventually wound up in John and Meredith's pool. Ed and Ann Bartko, whom I recently met at Another Evening at Fleet Landing, a dinner auction to benefit the Dee Norton Lowcountry Children’s Center, were full of wonderful stories from when they resided in Washington, D.C. I had the chance to chat with John Kuhn about his upcoming family trip to Maine and Canada. He and wife Shea hosted a party last year in honor of La bella dormente nel bosco, and I remember their eggplant hors d'oeuvre as being one of the best party bites I've ever tasted. Kimberly Crowell wore a striking mix of gold necklaces and one long strand of rough edge turquoise; she has a knack for putting together striking accessories.

No one fell in the pool; I don't think that fate has befallen a guest since Celeste and Charles Patrick's party in honor of DJ Spooky a few years ago.

The live music followed me down the street as I set forth for the Gibbes Museum of Art wondering all the while, "Where, oh where, could John Paul Huguley be?"

Passport to Paradise: Summer Season Opening Reception set the theme, and the Gibbes' tented courtyard was awash in blue and white. Guests, too, were bathed in color; vibrantly hued attire dominated the scene. Even the fountain statue benefitted from a few lighting gels.

I immediately spotted Anna and Jessica Hofford, my sisters from another mother, and was enchanted by their new Nieves Lavi dresses from Miostile. Their mother, Susan Ford, wore one as well.

World class sailor and Around Alone champion Brad Van Liew and his wife Meaghan were there representing the South Carolina Maritime Heritage Foundation, which has strong ties to Bermuda (one of the Gibbes' new exhibition is "Painters in Paradise: The Masterworks Bermuda Collection").

The most delightful surprise of the evening was the appearance of Kelly Linton, the former PR manager for the Gibbes, who relocated to Baltimore last year. The City Paper's Sara Miller looked festive as did Merrill Benfield and Barbara Hearst.

Peggy Lewis, all dolled-up in white, was brimming with excitement having just come from 14 George where she performed a breathless Marilyn Monroe cabaret for Bill Matalene's birthday. Peggy is a noted performer, and she offered her talent as an auction lot at Spoleto's La Dolce Vita.

FRIDAY

I began tripping the light fantastic at the College of Charleston School of the Arts party in honor of the South Carolina Arts Alliance at the Blacklock House.

There, I found myself in the consort of fabulously interesting folks: Ray Huff (principal and partner in the firm Huff+Gooden Architects, LLC, and a Liberty Fellow), David Smalls (President of the Walterboro-Colleton Chamber of Commerce and a Liberty Fellow), Ken May (Deputy Director of the South Carolina Arts Commission), Michael Haga (Program Coordinator at the College of Charleston’s School of the Arts), Todd Smith (Executive Director of the Gibbes), and Boris Bohun-Chudyniv.

I revealed to Boris that despite all the years I spent lobbying for arts funding alongside he and wife Valerie (College of Charleston School of the Arts), I am not aware of his true profession. I labeled him a movie star in his "Faces to Watch For" due to his role in Nick Smith's upcoming film about the Revolutionary War, but I fancy him to be former KBG.

Boris' response?

"Well...," he said with a chuckle and a twinkle in his eye.

The witching hour occurred around quarter after ten when I walked into the Bedon's Alley party with Bev and Wally Seinsheimer. This is traditionally my favorite fete of the Spoleto line-up, although last year's Dance Heads pushed the gala rightfully high on my list.

Bedon's adopted a Parisian theme this year. Guests entered the party by walking beneath a large Eiffel Tower strewn with white tea lights perched atop a metal truss. The smell of crackling garlic immediately wafted my way, and I spotted JoAnn Nipper enjoying a small plate of cooked-to-order mussels courtesy of Good Food Catering. Ambient light from the homes lining the alley provided just enough illumination to weave your way amongst the several hundred guests, but the table laden with smells-like-feet cheese was obscured by darkness and intrepid guests simply speared the closest hunk. Judging by the mob that jockeyed for a spot at the table, I dare say it was some delicious tasting smelly cheese. (It usually it is.) At the far end of the alley, conversation was stifled as guests discovered the piping hot twice-fried french fries.

Vivacious Laurie Tarleton Moore (Carriage Properties) looked smashing in an aqua blue shift; Rainey Evans (party host) sported a jaunty red beret; Belinda Cole (John Carroll Doyle print gallery) was attired in a hot pink tulle number, which she described as "my Sex in the City dress"; the fabric of the blouse worn by Leah Greenberg was wonderfully tactile; and Tanya Gurrieri (Good Food Catering) opted for a graphic black and white print dress.

Faces to Watch For

2006-05-27T17:14:00.000-04:00

Charleston Ballet Theatre dancers rehearse Flick of Your Wrist... Exploring the Serious Art of Clowning Around for the Brown Bag dance series, which is presented throughout Piccolo Spoleto.

Shoe de jour (Friday edition)

2006-05-27T14:28:00.000-04:00

Can you say PRADA?
Can you also say PURCHASED IN ITALY LAST WEEK?

Elizabeth Quattlebaum, you are a fashion maven in the making.

Friday night parties: round two

2006-05-27T03:12:00.000-04:00

Bedon's, Bedon's, Bedon's.

Location:
Bedon's Alley: L'Allée de l'amour

Food:
Mounds of sausage, fresh cooked mussels, tables with heaping piles of fruit and cheese, enormous flanks of dilled salmon, and fisks of french fries

Drinks:
Liquor drinks mostly

Attire:
A smattering of black tie but the majority of men wore suits and the women were in chic cocktail dresses

Caterer:
Good Food Catering

Bar service:
Vince Gilmore

Decor:
Denise Barto and the homeowners were responsible for the dazzling array of Eiffel Towers-- there were ice sculptures of the famous landmark, cast iron statues, and an illumination projected on the facade of one of the homes

Highlight:
Watching Bev Seinsheimer snag a hefty bunch of grapes to snack on during the car ride home and the funny verbal exchange that occured as we left...

"Bev! What's that in your hand?"
"It's my pocketbook."
"You don't say!"
"Yes. It's a Moo Roo!"

Grapes as a faux Moo Roo. Only at Spoleto.

Wally and Bev Seinsheimer

The Scene:

Alice and David Whitt

Rachel Greene, Scott Sowell, and Rachel Graham
from Spoleto's development office

Tom and JoAnn Nipper

Melinda Nicholson with Rainey Evans,
one of the Bedon's Alley party hosts

John Dunnan (visual artist and Spoleto board member),
Lynn Hanlin (real estate agent with Carriage Properties),
actress and Geisha narrator Karen Kandel, and Belinda Cole
(manager of John Carroll Doyle's giclee and fine reproduction prints).

Andrea Woodfield and Laurie Tarleton

Elizabeth and Anne Quattlebaum

Friday night parties: round one

2006-05-27T03:04:00.000-04:00

Location:
The Blacklock House

Host:
College of Charleston School of the Arts Dean Valerie Morris

In honor of:
The South Carolina Arts Alliance's board of directors

Food:
Mostly gone by the time I arrived; salmon, cheese, and blanched vegetables with assorted dips

Drinks:
White wine

Attire:
Relaxed casual

Highlight:
Speaking with architect Ray Huff and the pineapple-turned-palm-tree centerpiece

Dr. Sam Stafford (College of Charleston trustee
and local dermatologist) takes a camera/phone snapshot
of the exquisite chandelier.

Dr. Karen Chandler (professor of arts management and co-founder of the Charleston Jazz Initiative), Dr. Stafford, Harriett Green (South Carolina Arts Commission staff), and Jeanette Guinn (also SCAC staff).

Anice Carr and Michael Tyzack. Don't worry, readers;
they weren't rationing one glass of bubbles per guest.

Carolyn Holscher, fresh from Paris Michael Haga, and Mary Beth Heston (chair of the College of Charleston's art history department)

Alis Whitt with Ken May

The centerpiece.

2006-05-27T02:45:00.000-04:00

I spent Thursday afternoon shopping for Spoleto attire with Kim Quattlebaum at Saks Fifth Avenue. Six years ago, Kim was living in New York City. A business trip brought her to Charleston, and she never left. She since married a local chap and gave birth to a son, Alexander McQueen Quattlebaum IV (Mac), now 20 months.

Kim cites ease of use as a major influence on her style, which means the four-inch Chanel patent leather wedges she added to her collection on Thursday will be difficult given her lifestyle largely consists of chasing Mac.

"But fashion requires sacrifice," Kim states with a laugh. "My style revolves around the shoes. I buy shoes first and the outfit later."

Thus the immediate sight of shoes galore
upon arrival at the Fifth Avenue Club
made for a giddy beginning.

With the help of personal shopper Marie Laure Arnaud
(843-805-1111), we tore through the store's stock
of festival-worthy frocks.

Perfect for a garden party:
Tahari pants, a Charles Nolan shirt, and Valentino shoes.

A post-performance cocktail party dress by
Laundry with Stuart Weitzman shoes.

A gala-worthy gown by Sue Wong with Jimmy Choo shoes.

Spoleto is crimson red.
Spoleto smells like gardenias.
Spoleto tastes like champagne.
Spoleto is shaped like a beautiful shoe.
Spoleto is best paired with an open mind and a glass of champagne.
My favorite word for Spoleto is alluring.

-- Kim Quattlebaum

On Friday afternoon, I met with international makeup artist Andrew Petersen (843-437-5025), a member of Trish McEvoy's elite "Power of Makeup" team that travels around the world to teach application techniques. Andrew spent last month working in London and Dublin; he most recently traveled to Dallas and NYC. Andrew has worked with Trish McEvoy for over ten years.

The Trish look for summer uses sheer washes of color to achieve the "just off the beach" look, which Andrew refers to as "sun-kissed natural but not naked sheer color." A variety of new colors, like lovely hues of golden apricot, launched this month in addition to a summer fragrance with a mandarin ginger essence. In the past week, his clients have purchased mineral powder foundation, bronzer, waterproof mascara, and lip gloss- lots of lip gloss.

Andrew's list of must-have items when getting dolled up for Spoleto include:

Beauty Booster, a light-weight instant action anti-fatigue cream; Base Essential, a prep step that prevents eyeshadow from creasing; Bronze Shimmer Powder, a mistake-proof bronzer that is never orange or streaky; and Flawless lip , a semi-matte formula that contains Vitamin E to soften lips and provides longer staying power for any lip-color or gloss.

Spoleto is every color.
Spoleto smells like tea olive trees.
Spoleto tastes like ripe tomatoes and mozzarella.
Spoleto is best paired with good food, good friends, and good wine.
My favorite word for Spoleto is Charleston.

-- Andrew Petersen

Opening day

2006-05-27T02:25:00.000-04:00

Woof. I am tired. What a day.

Curse you, Patrick, for invoking the wrath of the sun gods with your blanket statement about oppressive heat being a tenet of the festival. Bah.

The opening ceremony attracted a moderate audience for whom sun hats were de rigueur. Cars playing music, the highlight of today's presentation, were far better than the booger-flicking folks of some years ago, but for those of us who'd migrated toward the shade at the back of the block, we missed the initial explanation of the black BMWs' role in presenting an original work by Philip Glass.

"That's some product placement," I observed to the friendly faces beside me.

"Yes," one replied. "I hear they make those cars in this state."

Ah, I surmised, tourists in our midst. Welcome.

Pearls are perfectly acceptable for midday Spoleto.

As is champagne:

Hats!

Tracy interviews the duly prepared Nigel who had
a lovely little hanky to mop his brow;
clearly this was not his first time at
the rodeo, er, opening festivities:

Leopard print at high noon. Meow!

An all too familiar sight this time of the year and
Patrick's nemesis

Inadvertant street art on the corner of Queen Street:

Overheard on King Street

2006-05-27T02:20:00.000-04:00

I overheard the following one-sided conversation as I walked alongside a gentleman talking on his mobile phone:

Acorns?!
What do you mean acorns?!
Did we promise a donor there would be acorns on the statue?

{Pause}

Well find the folder!

{Another pause}

I didn't authorize acorns. I said we'd engrave names on the leaves. I didn't authorize acorns. I don't think I... Find. The. Folder.

Thursday night parties

2006-05-26T14:32:00.000-04:00

A quick pictorial recap of last night:

Charlton Butler and Kimberly Crowell at a Spoleto party hosted by John and Meredith Dunnan

Merrill Benfield and Peggy Lewis at the Gibbes

Maggie Hackett and Lindsey Whittle at the Gibbes

Jessica Hofford, Anna Leigh Hofford, Meaghan Van Liew, and Kenton Barham Morrison at the Gibbes

(Mysterious) Faces to Watch For

2006-05-26T13:35:00.000-04:00

During Spoleto, the city comes alive with offerings for every interest, every budget and every age. On the visual arts front, you can’t miss a visit to the Gibbes! And no, I’m not biased. This year our Edward Hopper in Charleston exhibition is a must-see.

Another personal favorite is the Piccolo Fringe series organized by Theatre 99. Brandy, Timmy and Greg have pulled together a line-up that is so extensive they need two locations for laughs; Theatre 99 and The American Theater.

Last (literally), but certainly not least, is the festival Finale at Middleton Place. Look out Fran Taggart and company. My friends and I are going to give your award-winning picnic a run for its money this year!

-- Kenton Morrison, Gibbes Museum Director of Development

Alert the paparazzi

2006-05-26T13:11:00.000-04:00

Folks, we have our first celebrity sighting of Spoleto: Alice Whitt reports that the actress Jane Alexander sat behind her last night at Tristan & Yseult.

"I just saw Tristan & Yseult," says Alice. "WOW! What a way to start Spoleto, it's got all the magic you hope for when you attend a Spoleto event. I was blown away by this creative, playful, imaginative, artistic display of pure talent. It will be the big hit... so get tickets now."

Banter

2006-05-26T06:11:00.000-04:00

Party banter is an art, especially during Spoleto.

My favorite exchange last night:

"You know, he is the world's foremost expert
on jackals and wild asses."
-- a lovely woman at the Gibbes Museum party

"Indeed. The dark continent is filled with
many strange and alluring people.
-- me

Ack! How do you keep a straight face when someone uses the term "wild asses" with complete nonchalance? I had to stifle a giggle for a solid three minutes. To be fair, we were discussing Tanzania. Wild asses indeed!

Faces to Watch For

2006-05-25T15:42:00.000-04:00

Spoleto is red
Spoleto smells like flowers
Spoleto tastes sweet
Spoleto is shaped like a heart
Spoleto is best when paired with a cocktail
My favorite word for Spoleto is gala

--Guilds Bennett, owner of Miostile and chair of Spoleto's young professionals group

White out

2006-05-25T00:22:00.000-04:00

I found myself in good company when I sat beside childhood chum Cassie Baker, daughter of the aforementioned Tommy Baker, at this evening's preview of Roméo et Juliette. Cassie's family is part-owner of the Ellen B. boutique in I'On, and she's quite hip to the latest styles. As we chatted pre-show, she confirmed white is definitely on the horizon for summer wear. (The gal behind us was wearing white eyelet.)

White lace, broderie anglaise, and smocking helped Chloe create some of the season's most sought after dresses and blouses. Elie Saab, the designer who frocked Halle Berry when she won the Academy Award, sent lacy doily white dresses down his summer 2006 runway. Michael Kors, known for his bold simplicity, designed a white shift with a stunning silver beaded neck trim. Diane Von Furstenberg has produced a white cotton tiered dress coincidentally named the "Ida" dress. Too bad I'm not fond of the hemline.

Will we see white on the Spoleto party scene? We'll soon find out.

I'll be conducting some further fashion research tomorrow to learn what women will be wearing during the Spoleto. In the meantime, here's my present Ipod playlist in heavy rotation: an eclectic group of songs with sweet overlapping beats. Based on Spoleto's underlying theme of love, this collection of music represents all of my anticipatory feelings toward the festival.

Side note: I came across the mix version of Sia's "Breathe Me" after reading about Ralph Lauren's fall 2006 runway show, and I've been obsessed with it ever since.

As is a girl's prerogative, my taste in tunes is sure to change next week, so stay tuned!

Young talent in our midst

2006-05-24T13:09:00.000-04:00

As soon as I stepped foot onto Society Street this morning, I noticed an interesting procession moving through the neighborhood; young musicians laden with knapsacks and instrument cases were walking to rehearsal for the Intermezzi series.

Jason Calloway, a cellist from Philadelphia, is making his third Spoleto appearance. I stopped him on the street to request permission to snap his photograph, and we chatted for a few moments. He had to rush to rehearsal so I was unable to ask him about his career outside of the festival. A simple Google seach fixed that:

Cellist Jason Calloway has performed to acclaim throughout North America, the Caribbean, Europe, and the Middle East as soloist and chamber musician. He has appeared at festivals including Lucerne, Spoleto USA, Acanthes (France), Toulouse, Perpignan, Valencia, Jerash (Jordan), Casals, Sarasota, Blossom, Music Academy of the West, Summergarden, the New York String Seminar, and Encore.

Mr. Calloway has collaborated in chamber music with members of the Curtis, Juilliard, Miami, and Amernet String Quartets and appears across the U.S. as a member of Animato!, a duo with pianist, Christopher Weldon. He gave his Carnegie Hall recital debut under the auspices of Artists International and has also been heard in New York at Alice Tully Hall, Steinway Hall, the Museum of Modern Art, the Kosciuszko Foundation, and the Polish Consulate; in Los Angeles at the Skirball Center and Pepperdine University; in San Francisco at Hoover Auditorium; in Philadelphia at the Academy of Music and the Ethical Society; and live on WQXR (NYC), WFLN (Philadelphia), WCLV (Cleveland), KUSC (Los Angeles), and on RAI television (Italy). He has performed as soloist with the Casals Festival Orchestra in Puerto Rico’s Centro de Bellas Artes and on tour as well as with various orchestras throughout the northeast.

A devoted advocate of new music, Mr. Calloway has performed with leading ensembles on both coasts and with the New Juilliard Ensemble both in New York City and abroad. Among the hundreds of premieres he has presented are solo and ensemble works of Berio, Knussen, and Lachenmann, and he has collaborated intensively with some of today’s most important composers including Birtwistle, Carter, Davidovsky, Dusapin, Henze, Husa, Franke, and Rihm. Mr. Calloway prizes his work with Pierre Boulez and the Ensemble Intercontemporain at the Lucerne Festival and his collaborations with the versatile violinist and improviser Gilles Apap and with tap dancer Savion Glover. This season he presents a concert and seminar at Harvard and Temple Universities of solo cello works newly composed for him; appears at Darmstadt and Vienna; and returns to Spoleto USA where he gives the premiere of Yanov-Yanovsky’s ‘Hearing Solutions’ for cello and ensemble as well as the inaugural concert of the duo, ‘In Freundschaft,’ with trombonist Steve Parker.

A native of Philadelphia, Jason Calloway is a recent graduate of the Juilliard School and the University of Southern California. His teachers have included Ronald Leonard, Lynn Harrell, Fred Sherry, Orlando Cole, Robert Cafaro, Joel Sachs, Felix Galimir, Luis Biava, and Seymour Lipkin.

And to think I almost didn't say hello.

Faces to Watch For

2006-05-23T18:00:00.000-04:00

Kevin Harrison with daughter Maisie

A short film made in collaboration by visual artists Kevin Harrison and John Duckworth titled "Untuning of the Skies" made its debut last fall with the Charleston Symphony Orchestra's Out of the Box series. The film will be screened again this Sunday in conjunction with a Piccolo Spoleto presentation. The event takes place at Marion Square and will commence upon sunset.

Faces to Watch For

2006-05-23T15:34:00.001-04:00

Spoleto is the hue of a golden sunrise.
Spoleto smells like jasmine in bloom.
Spoleto tastes like vintage cabernet.
Spoleto is shaped like a fleet of colorful balloons in flight.
Spoleto is best when paired with champagne and caviar.
My favorite word for Spoleto is spectacular.

--Dean of the College of Charleston's School of the Arts Valerie Morris and her movie star husband Boris Bohun-Chudyniv

Spoleto is a feast of artistic and cultural ecstasy! -- Boris

---

Be sure to ask Valerie and Boris about the time they visited the NYC loft of Lee Breuer, director of the Obie Award-winning Mabou Mines Dollhouse, which appeared onstage at the Dock Street during last year's festival.

I come, Graymalkin!

2006-05-22T15:54:00.000-04:00

I was walking down Queen Street when I noticed the open loading doors of the Dock Street Theatre. Not one to miss the opportunity to watch the magic of the theatre come to life, I popped inside to survey the scene from a seat in the darkened balcony. There is something rather magical about an empty stage and the promise of a story poised to unfold.

I watched the carpenters consult drawings and call out measurements as they constructed someone's vision. I spotted Chris, the house union man, who has seen it all during his long backstage tenure. I inhaled the theatre's distinct aroma of ghosts and cypress as I fondly recalled my favorite year of Spoleto theatre.

In 2001, Spoleto celebrated its 25th anniversary with two phenomenal productions at the Dock Street: Purcell's Dido and Aeneas and A Servant to Two Masters, which was performed by the Royal Shakespeare Company in its festival debut.

The shows shared the stage and were a study in contrasts. Chen Shi-Zheng, the director of Dido and Aeneas, left the stage bare except for a few rocks that illuminated from within and a sweeping water trick that closed the show. The staging was slow and methodical, and it rendered the audience mesmerized. Conversely, A Servant to Two Masters, the 18th- century commedia dell'arte farce, had a monstrous set that perfectly supported the bawdy slapstick comedy. It was a breakneck comedy marvel.

As I wandered out of the Dock Street, I came across this:

Omen?

Good thing the Festival is producing Roméo et Juliette and not King Lear or Macbeth.

Faces to Watch For

2006-05-22T11:10:00.000-04:00

Spoleto is red and orange, the hue of brakelights in traffic.
Spoleto smells like Napalm in the morning.
Spoleto tastes like coffee and cigarettes.
Spoleto is shaped like a parking ticket.
Spoleto is best when paired with silenced cellphones.
My favorite word for Spoleto is Apotheosis. But that's my favorite word for everything; you can never really find a opportunity to use it, can you?

--Patrick Sharbaugh, arts and entertainment editor for the Charleston City Paper

This is the fifth Spoleto season Sharbaugh will cover for the Charleston City Paper, South Carolina's largest alternative weekly newspaper. Sharbaugh considers himself a fan of culture both high and low, though he draws the line at fusion jazz and reality television. He'd be delighted to see a municipal law passed allowing theatre patrons to carry blowguns equipped with poisonous darts against audience members who fail to turn off their cellphones before a performance.

According to Sharbaugh's blog bio, "...he [Patrick] doesn't necessarily mind spending time around long-haired artsy-fartsy types who talk in non sequiturs and affect faux accents..."

Check out his comprehensive coverage of the 2006 festival here.

Faces to Watch For

2006-05-20T23:12:00.000-04:00

The work of brilliant abstract expressionist painter Eva Carter is featured on this year's Piccolo Spoleto Spotlight Concert Series poster, while an exhibition titled "Songs of the Earth" is on display at the Dock Street Theatre City Gallery. The opening reception took place earlier this evening, and scores of people purchased autographed copies of the poster.

My companion and I were reveling in the plethora of artisanal cheese and ruminating about the mystery hors d'oeuvre-- it happens at even the best parties-- (he said sweet potato dip while I wagered spicy hummus, but we were both too chicken to actually sample the oddly colored bowl of mush so the verdict is still out), when we stumbled across the most horrifying fete food novelty I've encountered in all my years as a professional party attendee: a mini crock pot chocolate fountain.

I'm not a fan of the chocolate fountain craze sweeping the wedding reception circuit because, ew, I've seen too many people double-dip. The offending guest will snap up a medium size marshmallow and thrust it into the fountain for a good solid coating of molten chocolate; take a bite and-- the horror-- lick his/her fingers before plunging the half-eaten confection back into the stream of recycled chocolate.

This chocolate was thick like wallpaper paste. The slow-boiling concoction bubbled menacingly while chunks tumbled down the tiers of the fountain. Click for the close-up if you dare:

Openings galore

2006-05-20T22:57:00.000-04:00

Richard Moryl attends the opening of an exhibition featuring a large number of works by William McCullough.

The collection is currently on display at the City Waterfront Gallery, 34 Prioleau Street.

According to the Piccolo Spoleto site:
This retrospective exhibition of works by realist painter William McCullough takes the viewer from the farms of rural South Carolina to the studio lofts of New York City, and from the mountains of Western North Carolina to the changing urban landscape of Charleston in a visual journey through over 30 years of McCullough’s professional career. Read more

Faces to Watch For

2006-05-20T21:59:00.000-04:00

Spoleto is red.
Spoleto smells like magnolias.
Spoleto tastes like lemongrass.
Spoleto is shaped like a spiral.
Spoleto is best paired with a mohito or martini - ice cold.
My favorite words for Spoleto are exhilaratingly curious.

-- Lese Corrigan, visual artist

Faces to Watch For: Zoppè!

2006-05-19T13:27:00.000-04:00

Giovanni Zoppè, the sixth-generation circus performer who plays Nino the Clown in Circus Flora, is making his second appearance with Spoleto Festival USA.

Fresh from Italy, where he performed a whirlwind five shows in seven days, Giovanni arrived in Charleston to help the circus kick-off its 20th season and the premier of Homage, a new show that features an ensemble company of over 50 of the world’s most celebrated performers, aerialists, acrobats, musicians, animals and clowns.

When asked about the first time he entered the circus ring, Giovanni laughs.

"I was naked," he recalls. "I was two-years-old and in my family's trailer. I heard the music start and rushed out the door. I ran into the ring and took a bow. It was the first great applause I received."

Giovanni points to the Spoleto audience as a highlight of his previous appearance with the Festival.

"Charleston is amazing," he says. "The people are welcoming and kind and open to the arts-- the circus arts in particular. The audience here is great, really interactive. I've always remembered that."

Circus Flora will play a limited engagement May 25 - 30.
For tickets: click.

Chic libations

2006-05-17T22:02:00.000-04:00

The Giovanni Royale

Stoli Raspberry
Chambord
Veuve Clicquot
Fresh raspberries

--Stephen Smoak

Rue de Jean is quite possibly the best post-performance scenester spot during Spoleto. The kitchen stays open late, and Smoak, as he is called by the cognoscenti, is one of the city's best gentlemen bartenders. He gamely created the Giovanni Royale at my whim.

Tommy Baker, one of Rue's preeminent happy hour regulars, sampled and subsequently endorsed the cocktail earlier this evening. Incidentally, the drink matched Mr. Baker's dress shirt, which is painfully chic this time of year.

Boldface name nirvana

2006-05-16T06:53:00.000-04:00

While we wait for the enchantment of Spoleto to begin in earnest, here are highlights from my coverage of the most recent festivals.

--

Spoleto has arrived, and I am absolutely twitterpated. I am in love with the festival and all its trappings: the foreign tongues spoken by artists from distant lands, the string of enchanting garden parties, the world class performances, and the inspiration found within the heart of the performing arts. This is a time of celebration and community awash with vibrant life; this is Spoleto.

On Monday, an intimate group of Cognoscenti members (Spoleto’s young donors) attended the preview of Die Vogel complete with a fascinating introduction by director Jonathan Eaton. His ten-minute talk provided great clarity and insight to the multi-faceted work, which is poised to assume a weighty role amidst contemporary masterpieces. Paula Jones and Leigh Magar were among those who viewed the stunning opera at the Sottile Theatre.

Early Thursday evening, I scooted over to the Gibbes School of Art with the other star-struck flunkies in town to check out the photography of Mikhail Baryshnikov or, rather, to check out the man himself. Among those who braved the heat, both occurring naturally in the courtyard and that which emanated from the handsome celeb, were Elle Haynes, Janice Waring, and Laura Bright. Dickie Barham proved why Charleston shall forever, and rightfully so, be the last bastion of seersucker, while his darling wife Charilla looked as demure as a spring fleur.

From there, I skipped over to the Dock Street Theatre for the first official performance of Spoleto Festival 2005: a wondrous production of Mabou Mines DollHouse, technical kinks and all. Upon arrival, I discovered a full house and many friendly faces including Hal Truesdale, John Dinkelspiel, Barbara Burgess, Don Toler, Jeff Jordan, Diane and Cecil Sprung, and Gene Glave. While many chose to leave at various intervals, I found the actors, the adaptation, and the staging enthralling; however, that is the beauty of Spoleto: it provokes a thousand and seven different opinions as illustrated days later when my path crossed with Franklin Ashley, and I learned we hold dramatically divergent views on the show.

The Saturday night Opening Weekend Gala was awash in culture and couture. Starting earlier than in years past, the mood of the affair remained giddy for hours and attracted a who's who of Spoleto glitterati. A novel party pastime called Dance Heads was the height of the swinging party and credited to the party planning genius of Mitchell Crosby and Denise Barto. Essentially, a green screen and video recorder inserted the floating heads of party guests into various computer generated cartoonish music videos. The line of black tie guests vying to participate was intense, and, although it came at the end of the night, the most memorable performance was of festival development doyenne Julia Forster and Betsy Fleming, executive director of the Gibbes, singing "Wild Thing".

It wasn’t the sublime tempura fried lobster or over abundance of imported caviar that made Friday night’s Doctor and Patient cast party at the City Waterfront Gallery a religious experience. Rather, it was the sight of one serene-faced gentleman in monk’s robes that prompted several flibbertigibbets to gasp, giggle, and proclaim it the presence of (I kid you not, are you ready for this?) the Dalai Lama. Those within earshot struggled (struggled, I protest!) to stifle their reaction to the earnest, albeit outrageous, declaration of mistaken identity. Sorry, Geshe Topgyal. I think it is safe for us all to now say in unison, “Ahhh, bless their little hearts.” It appears Spoleto Festival USA has indeed reached the pinnacle of enlightenment. Thanks to Denise Barto, Lynn Hanlin, and Lena Lichtling for throwing such a memorable and ethereal fete

The jaw-dropping Alvin Ailey matinee blew the roof off the Gailliard and earned a stampeding 20-minute standing ovation. Of particular note was dancer Benoit-Swan Pouffer, whom I challenge is a Greek god masquerading as mere mortal- such a callipygian! I’d blow all three genie wishes to have him as my private dancer.

Dee Dee Bridgewater threatened to burn the Gaillard to the ground (remember, Ailey blew the roof off earlier in the week!) on Saturday night with her smoking jazz ensemble, which covered musical ground from Kurt Weill and Dizzy Gillespie to even a few bars of In Sync. At times, band mate Antonio Sanchez, the most unbelievable drummer I’ve ever heard, threatened to upstage the diva herself! With the talent on that stage ranking second to none, I was completely dismayed to see a large portion of the audience make haste to get to the Soiree after-party and leave the performance before lauding the performers with rightfully earned applause. I was embarrassed to be left in the largely empty balcony by the time Bridgewater offered up a dazzling encore performance, and I hope those of us left in the house made enough of a gratitude racket to entice these world-class musicians to make Charleston a future concert stop.

Billed as “Charleston’s most happening annual social event,” the Spoleto Soiree drew quite the festive crowd to the Gaillard Exhibition Hall on Saturday night. The ladies on the scene spoke party chic fluently: Angela Black was blazing hot in a crisp white suit; the orange and gold bared shoulder top worn by Kenton Barham was spectacular indeed; and the exotic print jacket sported by Susan Addlestone was a conversation-starter. The men too held their own; a flashing LCD screen and rhinestone encrusted belt buckled worn by Jody Morrest lead the fashionable pack. Also fetching were Dean Sawyer, Jeffrey Rhodes, John Kennedy, Ashley Bedford, and a slew of good-looking City Paper staffers including Amanda Grant, Cat Lambert, Meredith Perdue, Colby Chisolm, and Patrick Sharbaugh fresh from his whirlwind festival attendance and coverage. A big shout-out to Pearlstine Distributors for supplying the colorful blinking drink glasses and to Jan Lipov, who looked ever-luminous and paid me the kindest compliment for which I am still floating on cloud nine. Thank you!

The food, which would be best described as sexy and anatomically correct, was a panic and proved you never quite know what to expect from Spoleto, nor should you ever dismiss it as an esoteric summit of the cultural minds. We’re in for another great week of people watching and world-class entertainment, so take to the streets and see what you can uncover!

Friday, the rain cleared long enough for a wonderful early evening garden party hosted by Beth and David Simmons with Elizabeth and Charles Sullivan. Twinkling tea lights in the most heavenly scent enveloped guests as they walked to the rear garden. The doors to the home were thrown open and guests, including Vickie and Tommy Baker, Beverly and Len Hutchison, and Mona and Barry Kalinsky, were encouraged to explore the expansive dwelling. Familiar face John Zucker (Cru Café) was in the kitchen, which boasted a striking steel floor, where he whipped up his signature canapés much to the delight of those nimble enough to snag a treat from the passed trays.

Thus, Spoleto Festival USA 2005 has come to a close. We began the festival fetes with the sound of clinking champagne flutes and the sight of stuffed peacock props peeking out from the trees at the Bedon’s Alley party; we ended the 17-day celebration with the cacophony of Middleton Plantation’s live cooing peacocks, the Festival Orchestra, and a dazzling fireworks display. Once again, we made enchantment.

Faces to Watch For

2006-05-15T12:22:00.000-04:00

When asked about the benefits of working in a town with such a renowned arts festival:

I love being a young artist in such a creative town because I feel like I am a part of an exciting time in Charleston. The arts community is really growing, and the art is becoming more and more diverse and, more importantly, accepted.

--Shannon Wood, collage artist and award-winning graphic designer

Shannon was recently selected to participate in Under the Radar, a juried exhibition of emerging Lowcountry artists. She (far left) is photographed with her parents Joan and Don Brown at a reception for the exhibition held last Thursday. A wonderful article that features the ten up-and-coming artists appears in this month's issue of Charleston magazine.

Full disclosure: I am a longstanding fan of Shannon's work. A piece of her art hangs beside my desk, and it is visible in my blog thumbnail.

Faces to Watch For

2006-05-15T10:36:00.000-04:00

Spoleto means great performances and great parties. Charleston becomes more colorful than it already is. An acid green Lacoste polo under a khaki suit or pink polo under a seersucker suit are perfect for everything Spoleto has to offer this year.

-- Jeffrey Rhodes, trend specialist (and Lacoste Managing Director)

Faces to Watch For

2006-05-13T17:38:00.000-04:00

The Spoleto season mirrors the best of all things Charleston; the visual arts, music, theater and dance - add to that the energetic participants and the Spoleto parties, all with the backdrop of the Lowcountry springtime - nothing compares!

-- Harriet Smartt

Harriet serves on the boards of the Gibbes Museum's Women's Council and CAA in addition to the grants committee for Women Making a Difference. She is also a member of the Friends of the Sophia Institute.

Faces to Watch For

2006-05-12T10:39:00.000-04:00

I'm really looking forward to all of the excitement that will surround such a rich cultural event.

--Todd DeShields Smith

Todd is the newly-appointed executive director of the Gibbes Museum of Art, and he recently relocated to Charleston from Knoxville. This marks his inaugural Spoleto experience.

According to Todd, the first complete collection of works created by Edward Hopper while in Charleston during the spring of 1929 will be on display at the museum beginning May 26.

I attended a lovely preview of "Painters in Paradise: The Masterworks Bermuda Collection," and it is a gem of an exhibition.

Festival patrons are notorious night owls. From productions that spark lively debate over post-show cocktails to artists who spill onto the downtown streets after a lively performance (the flamenco dancers making their way down King Street at the stroke of midnight some years back is a sight I will long remember), the festival nightlife is riveting. The Gibbes will remain open until 8 p.m. on most nights, so make it a part of your festival related activity

Click here to visit the Gibbes Museum's site.

city ablaze

2006-05-06T10:47:00.000-04:00

In the breathless aftermath of Atlanta's role as the 1996 Olympic host city, the High Museum opened a far-reaching exhibit of Henri Matisse's paintings, drawings, sculpture, cutouts, prints, illustrated books, sets of liturgical vestment, and a stained-glass window. The 140-piece collection, on loan from New York's Museum of Modern Art, held the city in its colorful grips and inspired a number of companion events across the city. Restaurants offered decadent desserts fashioned after key paintings; colorful banners waved from every street corner; schools exhibited student work inspired by field-trips to the museum; literary salons staged readings from works penned during Matisse's life; lectures on the life and times of Matisse abound.

Atlanta's understanding of the impact a community-wide embrace can exert on a city's cultural advancement and economic future was exciting and felt progressive.

At the time, I was working my way through college by planning parties in the tony enclave of Buckhead, and French-theme bashes were all the rage. The society set sported Chanel, Christian Dior and Yves Saint Laurent while their glasses overflowed with champagne.

When I returned home to Charleston some years later, Spoleto's increasing influence on the greater city was evidenced by the growing number of companion events surrounding the Festival. I was delighted to discover the often provocative arts festival had evolved into a tour de force that sets the city ablaze with art, culture, cuisine, cocktails, and fashion every year.

The third annual Taste of Spoleto, held Friday night, gave locals the opportunity to purchase discounted tickets to selected performances, view video of this year's productions and sample wine while noshing on Italian hors d'oeuvres. This event previously featured festive table dressing and party decoration ideas and while the growing attendance may have rendered that aspect space prohibitive, recipe cards that correlate to the hors d'oeuvres served at the Taste of Spoleto might inspire guests to plan their own pre or post performance soiree.

Bonus: Eagle-eyed guests might have spotted the beautiful Nicole Cabell who was hurrying to a rehearsal of "Roméo et Juliette," in which she plays the lead. She was accompanied by stage directors Olivier DeLoeuil and Jean Phillippe Clarac.

Judging by the line to purchase tickets at last night's event, which stretched across the entire Gaillard lobby, it would appear the local audience eagerly awaits the 2006 Spoleto Festival USA.

Karla and Matt Crum purchase performance tickets and share their enthusiasm for the Spoleto Soiree.

2006-05-05T23:32:00.000-04:00

2006-05-03T08:34:00.000-04:00

Congratulations. You found the outtakes.