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Coastal Carolina announces 2007-2008 cultural calendar

August 6, 2007

Political satire from Washington, Tibetan sacred music and dance, chamber music from Russia and the always popular "Nutcracker" ballet are just a few of the exotic and exciting events planned for Coastal Carolina University's 2007-2008 cultural season.

Highlights of the season include performances by The Capitol Steps, The Mystical Arts of Tibet: Sacred Music/Sacred Dance, the Chamber Orchestra Kremlin of Moscow and the Columbia City Ballet. Additional performances in music, theater and dance, as well as art exhibitions, foreign films and literary offerings are also planned.

Throughout the season, budding student talent is showcased alongside the polished professionalism of career artists of national and international renown, including Coastal's own faculty artist-teachers. All on-campus performances will be held in five venues within the university setting - Wheelwright Auditorium, Wall Auditorium, the Edwards Black Box Theater as well as the Recital Hall and Courtyard in the Edwards College of Humanities and Fine Arts.

For information about upcoming events or to purchase tickets to a presentation, call the Wheelwright Box Office weekdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at (843) 349-2502.

September 2007

"Mystical Images of Tibet" exhibition

Sept. 6 to Oct. 19

Opening reception, Thursday, Sept. 6, 5 to 7 p.m.

Rebecca Randall Bryan Art Gallery

Admission: Free and open to the public

This exhibition, which coincides with the Wheelwright performance of "The Mystical Arts of Tibet: Sacred Music/Sacred Dance" (see below), is an introduction to the visually rich traditions of Tibetan Buddhism. Tibetan bronze sculptures from the 16th through 20th centuries are on loan from the Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art in Auburn, Ala., as well as photographs of the Tibetan landscape and people. As part of this exhibit, a special Art for Lunch lecture, featuring CCU professor Ronald Green talking on Buddhist iconography, is scheduled for Thursday, Sept. 20 from noon to 12:45 p.m. (free).

(Note: For more Tibet-related events, contact the Franklin G. Burroughs-Simeon B. Chapin Art Museum at 238-2510 or visit the museum online at http://www.myrtlebeachartmuseum.org.)

Words to Say It Visiting Writer Series

David Gessner, author of "Soaring With Fidel"

Thursday, Sept. 6, 4:30 p.m.

Edwards Recital Hall

Admission: Free with ticket

After writing about ospreys on Cape Cod for years ("Return of the Osprey"), David Gessner decided to follow the birds on their annual migration. "Soaring with Fidel" was the result, an irreverent and insightful tale of one man's adventures following the great 7,000-mile osprey migration across two continents.

Foreign Film Series

"Nobody Knows"

Thursday, Sept. 6

2 p.m., Waccamaw Higher Education Center

8 p.m., Wall Auditorium

Admission: Free and open to the public

This Asian film is a tale of four resilient children and their single mother. One day, the mother vanishes, leaving the eldest son in charge with a note and a little money to look after his siblings. The children try their best to carry on, but when they are forced to engage with the outside world, the fragile balance that has sustained their world collapses.

Jazz After Hours Combo Recital

Tuesday Sept. 11, 7:30 p.m.

Recital Hall, Edwards College of Humanities and Fine Arts

Admission: Free with ticket

The rhythm section behind the Jazz After Hours Big Band known as the After Hours combo will be performing its first recital. The group will be performing a unique set that will chronologically explore American jazz music from its birth in New Orleans to its current state of improvisational entertainment.

Faculty Recital

Thursday, Sept. 20, 7:30 p.m.

Coastal Carolina University Faculty Wind Quintet

Recital Hall, Edwards College of Humanities and Fine Arts

Admission: Free with ticket

This concert will feature the CCU wind faculty performing some of the most exciting music composed for wind quintet. The program includes chamber pieces by American composer Samuel Barber and English composer Malcolm Arnold as well as the monumental "Kammermusik" by Paul Hindemith.

October 2007

Coastal Carolina University Theater

"Comedy of Errors"

By William Shakespeare

Steve Earnest, director

Wednesday, Oct. 3, 7:30 p.m.

Thursday, Oct. 4, 7:30 p.m.

Friday, Oct. 5, 7:30 p.m.

Saturday, Oct. 6, 3 p.m.

Sunday, Oct. 7, 3 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.

Courtyard, Edwards College of Humanities and Fine Arts

Admission: General admission $12; alumni and senior citizens $8; faculty/staff $6; free to CCU students with valid ID.

Two sets of identical twins (master and servant), separated by a shipwreck in early childbirth, unwittingly cross paths in the magical city of Ephesus. They are plunged into a whirlpool of confusion when a series of chance encounters leads to mistaken identities at every turn. Add to this a pair of spirited sisters who discover that love at first sight isn't easy when two men look the same!

David Bankston and Friends in Concert

Wednesday, Oct. 3, 7:30 p.m.

Wheelwright Auditorium

Admission: Free with ticket

David Bankston, Coastal music professor and singer/songwriter, in concert with special guests, will perform from his newest CD, "Jazz, Blues, Gospel Shoes."

The Capitol Steps

Thursday, Oct. 4, 7:30 p.m.

Wheelwright Auditorium

Premium Performance

Admission: $30 first floor and balcony section I

$25 first floor and balcony section II

Students 18 and under receive a $5 discount.

The Capitol Steps are a troupe of Congressional staffers-turned-comedians who travel the country satirizing the very people who once employed them. They have recorded 24 albums, including their latest, "Papa's Got a Brand New Baghdad." They've been featured on NBC, ABC, CBS, PBS and can be heard four times a year on National Public Radio stations nationwide during their "Politics Takes a Holiday" radio specials. The Capitol Steps have performed for the last five presidents. The only complaints the Steps seem to get are from politicians and personalities who are not included in the program!

Foreign Film Series

"Free Zone"

Thursday, Oct. 4

2 p.m., Waccamaw Higher Education Center

8 p.m., Wall Auditorium

Admission: Free and open to the public

This Israeli film stars Natalie Portman as Rebecca, a Jewish-American visitor to Israel. Shattered by a recent personal crisis, she tags along with her Israeli driver Hanna on a business trip across Jordan to a vast, customs-free area known as the Free Zone, where an Arab woman named Leila warily agrees to guide them.

The WAF Band, Women of the Air Force

Wednesday, Oct. 10, 7:30 p.m.

Wheelwright Auditorium

Admission: Free with ticket

From 1951 to 1961, the original US WAF Band toured the country, playing on troopships, at VA hospitals and even marching in President Eisenhower's inaugural parade (twice). Some 235 women played in the band during those years, and 40 years later the survivors reassembled for a series of reunion tours that have been highly popular all around the country.

Words to Say It Visiting Writer Series

Poet Stuart Dischell, author of "Dig Safe"

Thursday, Oct. 11, 4:30 p.m.

Edwards Recital Hall

Admission: Free with ticket

Stuart Dischell teaches poetry writing and contemporary poetry at University of North Carolina at Greensboro. He has published three collections of poetry: "Good Hope Road" (1993), "Evenings and Avenues" (1996), and "Dig Safe" (2003). His work has appeared in a variety of journals, including Agni, Ploughshares, Antioch Review, New Republic and Slate, and his poems have been widely anthologized. In addition, he has received awards from the National Poetry Series, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the North Carolina Arts Council. He was a 2004-2005 John Simon Guggenheim Fellow.

Uncastables "Disney"

Thursday, Oct. 11, 7:30 p.m.

Black Box Theater, Edwards College of Humanities and Fine Arts

Admission: Free with ticket

Coastal Carolina University's student/faculty improvisational troupe, The Uncastables, will host a "Disney Cartoon Improv Show." Taking suggestions from the audience (like in TV's "Whose Line Is It Anyway"), the troupe will create hilarious impromptu comedy sketches. The theme is cartoon characters and situations. Adult themes may not be suitable for children.

Third Annual Spectrum Concert

Jim Tully, director

Friday, Oct. 12, 7 p.m.

Wheelwright Auditorium

Admission: General admission $8; alumni and senior citizens $6; free to CCU students, faculty and staff with valid ID.

Tickets available beginning Oct. 1.

Coastal Carolina University's bands and chamber ensembles will present the third annual Spectrum Concert for Coastal Carolina University's Family Weekend. Groups performing at the concert include: the Flute Choir, the Sax Ensemble, STRYKE Taiko Drums, Grand Strand Pans (steel drum band), Jazz After Hours and the Symphonic Band. The program will include jazz, calypso and other types of world music. The Symphonic Band will perform selections from the hit movie "Pirates of the Caribbean" and "The Stars and Stripes Forever" by John Philip Sousa.

Choral Concert

Coastal Carolina University Concert and Chamber Choirs

Terri Sinclair, director

with special guests Carolina Forest High School choirs, with Craig McBroom directing

Wednesday, Oct. 17, 7:30 p.m.

Wheelwright Auditorium

Admission: General admission $8; alumni and senior citizens $6; free to CCU students, faculty and staff with valid ID.

The Coastal Carolina University Chamber and Concert choirs host the choirs from Carolina Forest High School and their director, Craig McBroom, as guests for this Fall Choral Concert. Each choir will perform several selections individually and then combine for a performance of Randall Thompson's "Testament of Freedom."

Tell me

(Second Stage Season)

Bryan Robinson, composer and director

Wednesday, Oct. 17, 7:30 p.m.

Thursday, Oct. 18, 7:30 p.m.

Friday, Oct. 19, 3 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.

Sunday, Oct. 21, 3 p.m.

Black Box Theater, Edwards College of Humanities and Fine Arts

Admission: Free with ticket

Our personal stories make us who we are. Similarly, the way we tell our stories also reveals a lot about who we are. "Tell Me," a new musical by CCU senior musical theater major Bryan Robinson, is an exploration of stories and storytelling. This song cycle follows six people and depicts instances in their lives that make them who they are. Adult theme.

The Mystical Arts of Tibet: Sacred Music, Sacred Dance

Friday, Oct. 19, 7:30 p.m.

Wheelwright Auditorium

Premium Performance

Admission: $30 first floor and balcony section I

$25 first floor and balcony section II

Students 18 and under receive a $5 discount.

In recent years, The Mystical Arts of Tibet, featuring the famed multiphonic singers of Drepung Loseling monastery, has taken the world by storm. Endorsed by His Holiness the Dalai Lama as a means of promoting world peace and healing through sacred performing art, the group has performed in many of America's greatest theaters and music halls. The Drepung Loseling monks are featured on the Golden Globe nominated soundtrack of the movie "Seven Years in Tibet," starring Brad Pitt. They also performed with Philip Glass in the live premiere presentation of his Academy award-nominated score of the Martin Scorsese film "Kundun." On previous tours the monks have shared the stage with Philip Glass, Kitaro, Paul Simon, Sheryl Crow, Michael Stipe, Patti Smith, Natalie Merchant, the Beastie Boys and many others.

CCU Percussion Ensembles

Kurry Seymour, director

Tuesday, Oct. 23, 7:30 p.m.

Wheelwright Auditorium

Admission: Free with ticket

Coastal Carolina University's Percussion Program invites you to experience the rhythms of the world! The ensembles will take you on a musical tour of the globe in a concert featuring the sounds and instruments of the Americas, Caribbean Islands and Africa.

"Frank Poor: Mixed-Media Sculpture"

Oct. 25 to Nov. 29

Opening reception Thursday, Oct. 25, 5 to 7 p.m.

Rebecca Randall Bryan Art Gallery

Admission: Free and open to the public

Frank Poor's sculptures explore how memory and history are reflected in architecture and graphic design. His works combine vintage lettering from Poor's native rural Georgia with glass panes, vitrines and vernacular architectural structures of Southern homes and churches.

Fall Gospel Sing Out

Sunday, Oct. 28, 4 p.m.

Wheelwright Auditorium

Admission: Free and open to the public

The Gospel Sing Out is an annual event designed to celebrate a joyous and powerful musical tradition. The Coastal Carolina University Gospel Choir is often joined by visiting choirs from the region for this moving concert.

Faculty Recital

Daniel Hull, guitar; Amy Hardison Tully, flute; and Patti Edwards, voice

Tuesday, Oct. 30, 7:30 p.m.

Recital Hall, Edwards College of Humanities and Fine Arts

Admission: Free with ticket

Join faculty musicians Daniel Hull, Amy Tully and Patti Edwards for a unique performance of chamber music featuring the guitar, flute and voice.

Foreign Film Series

"Eternity and a Day"

Thursday, Nov. 1

2 p.m., Waccamaw Higher Education Center

8 p.m., Wall Auditorium

Admission: Free and open to the public

This Greek film centers on the last day in the life of a famous poet. Alexandre wanders through Thessaloniki, haunted by visions of his past, but he is drawn back to the present by a chance encounter with a young Albanian refugee.

Veterans Day Tribute "On Fields of Fire and Valor: The Battle of Gettysburg"

Friday, Nov. 2, 7:30 p.m.

Wheelwright Auditorium

Admission: Free with ticket

This new film by historian Rod Gragg depicts the drama and heroism of the great Civil War Battle at Gettysburg. It is the third in a series of films Gragg has produced as a Veteran's Day tribute. His previous films, on D-Day and Pearl Harbor, also had their premieres at Coastal and were co-produced by members of Coastal's Department of Media Services. The annual event, a tribute to American veterans, is sponsored by Goldfinch Funeral Services, HTC and Coastal Carolina University. Veterans of all American military service branches are invited to attend as guests of honor.

Steve Bailey in Concert

Thursday, Nov. 8, 7:30 pm.

Recital Hall, Edwards College of Humanities and Fine Arts

Admission: General admission $8; alumni and senior citizens, $6; free to CCU students, faculty and staff with valid ID.

Join world-renowned bass virtuoso and Coastal artist in residence Steve Bailey as he debuts new compositions and jazz standards from his latest CD release. Surprise guests are a possibility at this warm-up concert for Bailey's upcoming tour of Europe and Russia.

CCU Symphonic Band Fall Concert

Thursday, Nov. 8, 7:30 p.m.

Christ United Methodist Church

Admission: Free and open to the public

Coastal Carolina University's premier instrumental ensemble will perform the first of its Community Concert Series events at Christ United Methodist Church located in the Hard Rock Theme Park area of Myrtle Beach. The Symphonic Band, along with guests, soloists and conductors, will perform traditional wind band literature, orchestral transcriptions and popular music. This concert is presented as a community outreach experience for all residents and visitors to the Grand Strand.

Guitar Ensemble Concert

Tuesday, Nov. 13, 7:30 p.m.

Recital Hall, Edwards College of Humanities and Fine Arts

Admission: Free with ticket

Join faculty guitarist Daniel Hull and student members of the Department of Music guitar studio for a performance of ensemble music for guitar.

Saxophone Ensemble Concert

Dan O'Reilly, director

Wednesday, Nov. 14, 7:30 p.m.

Recital Hall, Edwards College of Humanities and Fine Arts

Admission: Free with ticket

The CCU Saxophone Ensemble performs a variety of musical styles. Concerts by this group feature a mix of classical, jazz and popular melodies performed exclusively on saxophones. Come and enjoy an entertaining evening with this diverse chamber ensemble.

"A Year With Frog and Toad"

Wednesday, Nov. 14, 7:30 p.m.

Thursday, Nov. 15, 7:30 p.m.

Friday, Nov. 16, 3 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.

Saturday, Nov. 17, 3 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.

Sunday, Nov. 18, 3 p.m.

Coastal Carolina University Theater

Wheelwright Auditorium

Admission: General admission $8; alumni and senior citizens, $6; free to CCU students, faculty and staff with valid ID.

Arnold Lobel's well-loved characters hop from the page to the stage in this Robert and Willie Reale musical. Conceived by Lobel's daughter Adrianne, "A Year With Frog and Toad" remains true to the spirit of the original stories as it follows two great friends, the cheerful and popular Frog and the rather grumpy Toad, through four fun-filled seasons. Waking from hibernation in the spring, they proceed to plant gardens, swim, rake leaves and go sledding, learning life lessons along the way including a most important one about friendship and rejoicing in the attributes that make each of us different and special.

Chamber Recital

Friday, Nov. 16, 7:30 p.m.

Wall Auditorium, Wall College of Business

Admission: Free and open to the public

The Department of Music will sponsor a chamber music recital comprising of student groups from the department. Featured ensembles may include the members of the percussion ensembles, flute choir, members of the chamber choir, saxophone ensemble, brass quintet, the After Hours combo and piano trio.

Jazz After Hours

Dan O'Reilly, director

Tuesday, Nov. 27, 7:30 p.m.

Wheelwright Auditorium

Admission: General admission $8; alumni and senior citizens $6; free to CCU students, faculty and staff with valid ID.

Jazz After Hours is Coastal Carolina University's own Big Band. Relive the glory years of the Swing Era while discovering new arrangements of classic songs. This concert also features the exciting jazz of the After Hours combo.

Marching Band Finale Concert

Jim Tully, director

Wednesday, Nov. 28, 7:30 p.m.

Wheelwright Auditorium

Admission: Free with ticket

Coastal Carolina University's marching band, Spirit of the Chanticleer, will present its fifth annual season finale. Spirit of the Chanticleer, comprising more than 120 students from all different majors, will perform music from the 2007 football season halftime shows. The marching band's color guard and twirlers will also perform. The group is under the direction of Jim Tully, director of bands, assisted by Kurry Seymour, director of percussion studies and assistant band director.

Words to Say It: Faculty Showcase Reading

Jason Ockert, author of "Rabbit Punches"

Thursday, Nov. 29, 4:30 p.m.

Wall Auditorium

Admission: Free and open to the public

Jason Ockert's debut collection of stories, "Rabbit Punches," was published in April 2006. Ockert, who joined Coastal's English faculty in fall 2007, was the 1999 winner of the Atlantic Monthly Fiction Contest and the 2002 recipient of Mary Roberts Rinehart National Fiction Award. His stories have appeared in Virgin Fiction 2, McSweeney's, River City, CutBank, Oyster Boy Review, Black Warrior Review and the Alaska Quarterly Review.

"The Nutcracker," Columbia City Ballet

Friday, Nov. 30, 7:30 p.m.

Saturday, Dec. 1, 7:30 p.m.

Sunday, Dec. 2, 3 p.m.

Wheelwright Auditorium

Premium Performance

Admission: $30 first floor and balcony section I; $25 first floor and balcony section II; students 18 and under receive a $5 discount.

The popular Columbia City Ballet's interpretation of Tchaikovsky's beloved ballet, The Nutcracker, returns to Coastal Carolina University, sponsored by HTC. This annual favorite is highlighted by the participation of local children. Get your tickets early - this holiday classic is a sure sell-out!

POP 101 Concert

Dan O'Reilly, director

Wednesday, Dec. 5, 7:30 p.m.

Wheelwright Auditorium

Admission: General admission, $8; alumni and senior citizens, $6; free to CCU students, faculty and staff with valid ID

POP 101 is Coastal Carolina University's rock 'n' roll performing group. This year's performance will highlight the sounds of the 1970s. If you remember the '70s or want to find out what they were all about, be sure to catch POP 101 in concert. Come early for the nostalgic slide show.

Foreign Film Series

"The Son"

Monday, Dec. 3

2 p.m., Waccamaw Higher Education Center

8 p.m., Wall Auditorium

Admission: Free and open to the public

This Belgian film is about a carpentry teacher whose life has fallen apart since the death of his child. When a sullen teenager named Francis arrives to apprentice at his school, the teacher's interest in the boy arouses suspicion.

"Portfolios: (Fall) Senior Student Exhibition"

Dec. 6 to 15

Opening reception Thursday, Dec. 6, 5 to 7 p.m.

Rebecca Randall Bryan Art Gallery

Admission: Free and open to the public

A display of works by Coastal Carolina University's graduating visual arts students.

"Catawba Pottery"

Jan. 24 to Feb. 29

Opening reception Thursday, Jan. 24, 5 to 7 p.m.

Rebecca Randall Bryan Art Gallery

Admission: Free and open to the public

This exhibition celebrates Native American pottery from the artists of the Catawba Nation in Rock Hill. Catawba pottery is hand-built, burnished and fired using traditional techniques.

Words to Say It: Visiting Writer Series

Poet A. Van Jordan, author of "Quantum Lyrics"

Tuesday, Jan. 22, 4:30 p.m.

Wall Auditorium

Admission: Free and open to the public

Jordan is an award-winning poet who focuses on resistance to racism through blues and jazz music. Formerly on the faculty of English at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Jordan now reaches at the University of Texas. His most recent publication, "M-A-C-N-O-L-I-A," takes the voice of MacNolia Cox, a young African-American girl who entered the 1936 National Spelling Bee-the first African-American to do so-and was ultimately thwarted by the judges' racism. His 2001 collection of poems, "Rise," won the PEN Josephine Miles Book Award.

Foreign Film Series

"Moolaadè"

Thursday, Jan. 24

2 p.m., Waccamaw Higher Education Center

8 p.m., Wall Auditorium

Admission: Free and open to the public

Set in a small African village, this African/French production follows four young girls facing ritual "purification." They flee to the household of Collè Ardo Gallo Sy, a strong-willed woman who has managed to shield her own teenage daughter from mutilation. Collè invokes the time-honored custom of moolaadè (sanctuary) to protect the fugitives, and tension mounts as the ensuing stand-off pits Collè against village traditionalists.

Spectrum 2 Concert

Friday, Feb. 1, 7:30 p.m.

Wheelwright Auditorium

Admission: Free with ticket

Coastal Carolina University's bands and chamber ensembles will present the Spectrum 2 concert in conjunction with the 2nd Annual Coastal Honor Band and Scholarship Festival. The event will feature numerous Coastal student and faculty groups in non-stop performance.

2nd Annual Coastal Carolina University Honor Band and Scholarship Festival

Richard Saucedo, guest conductor

Saturday, Feb. 2, 2 p.m.

Wheelwright Auditorium

Admission: Free with ticket

This concert, which features regional high school bands, is a culmination of three days of rehearsals, master classes and music making on the Coastal Carolina University campus. Guest conductor Richard Saucedo will lead the group in a concert of his own music and the music of other composers. Saucedo is the director of bands and music technology at Carmel High School in Carmel, Ind. A composer and arranger, he has released several marching band arrangements and concert band pieces. Scholarships will be awarded at this event to high school seniors who will participate in CCU bands in the 2008 fall semester.

Words to Say It: Visiting Writer Series

Poet Brian Turner, author of "Here, Bullet"

Thursday, Feb. 7, 4:30 p.m.

Wall Auditorium

Admission: Free and open to the public

"Here, Bullet," which has been described as "poetry of witness," is based on Brian Turner's year-long tour in Iraq as an infantry team leader in the U.S. Army. He has earned seven significant awards for his writing, including a 2007 NEA Literature Fellowship and Poetry. "Here, Bullet" was named a New York Times Editor's Choice Selection. Turner earned an MFA from the University of Oregon and lived abroad in South Korea for a year before serving for seven years in the U.S. Army. His poetry has been published in Poetry Daily, the Georgia Review and other journals, as well as Voices in Wartime Anthology.

Foreign Film Series

"Saraband"

Thursday, Feb. 7

2 p.m., Waccamaw Higher Education Center

8 p.m., Wall Auditorium

Admission: Free and open to the public

This Swedish film is the sequel to director Ingmar Bergman's 1973 masterpiece, "Scenes from a Marriage." The movie reunites Liv Ullmann and Erland Josephson in their unforgettable roles as Marianne and Johan.

Celebration of Inquiry Conference

Wednesday, Feb. 13 to 15

Admission: Free and open to the public

The seventh annual Celebration of Inquiry Conference begins Wednesday evening, Feb. 13 with a keynote speaker in Wheelwright Auditorium and continues through Friday afternoon, Feb. 15. This year's theme is "The Modern Life: the Challenges and Advantages to Living in the 21st Century." More than 120 sessions will be scheduled focusing on a variety of theme-related topics that engage audiences in dialogue. More information will be available online at www.coastal.edu/inquiry and in the conference's printed programs available in Spring 2008.

"Amour!" Music Faculty Recital

Featuring Amy Hardison Tully, flute

Gary Stegall, piano

Thursday, Feb.14, 7:30 p.m.

Recital Hall, Edwards College of Humanities and Fine Arts

Admission: Free with ticket

"Amour!" Join CCU faculty members Amy Hardison Tully and Gary Stegall as they perform romantic works for flute and piano. Romance and love are in the air for this Valentine's Day performance.

"Angry Gods and Lost Marbles"

Originally conceived by directors Paoli Lacy and Kenneth J. Martin

Thursday, Feb. 21, 7:30 p.m.

Friday, Feb. 22, 7:30 p.m.

Saturday, Feb. 23, 3 and 7:30 p.m.

Sunday, Feb. 24, 3 p.m.

Wednesday, Feb. 27, 7:30 p.m.

Thursday, Feb. 28, 7:30 p.m.

Friday, Feb. 29, 7:30 p.m.

Saturday, March 1, 3 and 7:30 p.m.

Coastal Carolina University Theater

Edwards Black Box Theater, Edwards College of Humanities and Fine Arts

Admission: General admission $12; alumni and senior citizens $8; faculty/staff $6; free to CCU students with valid ID.

"Angry Gods and Lost Marbles" is a new play about the close relationship of two clowns forever altered when capricious gods attack, forcing one clown to lose her marbles and become suicidal. Along the way they encounter overwhelming demons, devils, guardian angels, angry gods and goddesses and other strange creatures. The fragility of the human mind, the precarious balance between sanity and illness, and the costs of compromise are all part of this dark and comic play. Inspired by the journey of a real-life manic depressive clown. Adult entertainment.

Words to Say It: Visiting Writer Series

Novelist Jill McCorkle, author of "Creatures of Habit"

Thursday, March 6, 4:30 p.m.

Wall Auditorium

Admission: Free and open to the public

Jill McCorkle is the author of eight works of fiction, including the critically-acclaimed novels "Carolina Moon," "Ferris Beach" and "The Cheer Leader," along with the story collections "Creatures of Habit," "Final Vinyl Days" and "Crash Diet." Four of her books have been included in the "Notable Books of the Year" listings compiled by The New York Times Book Review. In 2003 she was inducted into the Fellowship of Southern Authors. A native of Lumberton, N.C., she has taught at Harvard University and Bennington College and now teaches in the MFA program at North Carolina State and at the Sewanee Writers Conference. She lives in Raleigh, N.C.

Foreign Film Series

"The Princess and the Warrior"

Thursday, March 6

2 p.m., Waccamaw Higher Education Center

8 p.m., Wall Auditorium

Admission: Free and open to the public

This German film is a mystical modern-day romance about Sissi, a mental hospital nurse, who leads an isolated life until fate puts her on a collision course with Bodo, a handsome but troubled small-time thief.

Coastal Carolina University Bands and Choirs

Jim Tully and Terri Sinclair, directors

Friday, March 7, 7:30 p.m.

Wheelwright Auditorium

Admission: General admission $8; alumni and senior citizens $6; free to CCU students, faculty and staff with valid ID.

The CCU Symphonic Band will share this concert with CCU's Concert and Chamber Choirs. Individual and combined selections in a variety of musical styles will be presented.

Chamber Orchestra Kremlin

Saturday, March 8, 7:30 p.m.

Wheelwright Auditorium

Premium Performance

Admission: $30 first floor and balcony section I; $25 first floor and balcony section II; students 18 and under receive a $5 discount.

Chamber Orchestra Kremlin has earned international recognition as one of Russia's leading ensembles. Composed of some of Russia's finest young string players, the orchestra has carved a niche for itself under the baton of its founder and music director, Misha Rachlevsky. The ensemble was founded in 1991 for an extensive recording project in Moscow, and the enthusiasm that greeted the orchestra's initial performances in the recording studio and on concert stages led to its establishment as a fulltime entity, now under the auspices of the Moscow City Government. Chamber Orchestra Kremlin has released 16 CDs on Swiss label claves, garnering numerous international reviews and awards such as "Diapason d'Or" in France, "Record of the Year" in Hong Kong and The New York Times "Critic's Choice."

"New Prints from the International Print Center New York"

March 13 to April 17

Opening reception Thursday, March 13, 5 to 7 p.m.

Rebecca Randall Bryan Art Gallery

Admission: Free and open to the public

The International Print Center New York (IPCNY) is a nonprofit organization devoted solely to the exhibition of fine art prints. This exhibition features the latest contemporary prints from emerging and established artists from the U.S. and abroad, on loan from IPCNY. As part of the exhibit, CCU art professor Treelee MacAnn will present an "Art for Lunch" talk on contemporary printmaking processes (TBA).

CCU Percussion Ensembles

Friday, March 28, 7:30 p.m.

Wheelwright Auditorium

Admission: Free with ticket

This year's Coastal Carolina University Percussion Program Concert will feature the Stryke Taiko ensemble, Grand Strand Pans Steel Band, CCU Percussion Ensemble, CCU Pop Percussion Ensemble, CCU Brazilian Ensemble and CCU Ragtime Ensemble. As always, there will be special surprise guests. Enjoy an evening of percussion music that will be a special event for the entire community.

Saxophone Ensemble Concert

Dan O'Reilly, director

Wednesday, April 9, 7:30 p.m.

Recital Hall, Edwards College of Humanities and Fine Arts

Admission: Free with ticket

The CCU Saxophone Ensemble performs a variety of musical styles. Concerts by this group feature a mix of classical, jazz and popular melodies performed exclusively on saxophones. Come and enjoy an entertaining evening with this diverse chamber ensemble.

Words to Say It: Faculty Showcase Reading

Poet Dan Albergotti, author of "The Boatloads"

Thursday, April 10, 4:30 p.m.

Wall Auditorium

Admission: Free and open to the public

Coastal English professor Dan Albergotti won the 2007 A. Poulin Jr. Poetry Prize for his first collection of poems, "The Boatloads," which will be published in March 2008. His poems have appeared in Mid-American Review, Shenandoah, The Southern Review, The Virginia Quarterly Review, and other journals. His chapbook, "Charon's Manifest," won the 2005 Randall Jarrell/Harperprints Chapbook Competition. He has been a scholar at the Sewanee and Bread Loaf writers' conferences and a fellow at the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts. A graduate of the MFA program at UNC Greensboro and former poetry editor of The Greensboro Review, he currently serves as poetry editor of storySouth (www.storysouth.com).

"Sweet Charity"

Coastal Carolina University Theater

Thursday, April 10, 7:30 p.m.

Friday, April 11, 7:30 p.m.

Saturday, April 12, 3 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.

Sunday, April 13, 3 p.m.

Wednesday, April 16, 7:30 p.m.

Thursday, April 17, 7:30 p.m.

Friday, April 18, 7:30 p.m.

Saturday, April 19 3 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.

Wheelwright Auditorium

Admission: General admission $12; alumni and senior citizens $8; faculty and staff $6; free to CCU students with valid ID.

"Sweet Charity" is a tender, poignant and funny look at the adventures, or rather the misadventures, of the gullible and guileless Charity Agnes Valentine, a dance hostess who always gives her heart and her dreams to the wrong man. One of the most successful Broadway shows of the 1960s, "Sweet Charity" introduced the songs "Big Spender" and "If My Friends Could See Me Now." This Neil Simon story is based on Federico Felllini's film, "Nights of Cabria," with lyrics by Dorothy Fields and music by Cy Coleman. Adult entertainment.

Foreign Film Series

"The Italian"

Thursday, April 10

2 p.m., Waccamaw Higher Education Center

8 p.m., Wall Auditorium

Admission: Free and open to the public

This Russian film follows the life of a 5-year-old boy living in Russia who is adopted by an Italian family. Despite being adopted, the boy still longs to find his mother.

Chamber Recital

Thursday, April 17, 7:30 p.m.

Wall Auditorium, Wall College of Business

Admission: Free and open to the public

The Department of Music will sponsor a chamber music recital featuring student ensembles within the department. Ensembles include members of the percussion ensembles, flute choir, members of the chamber choir, saxophone ensemble, brass quintet, the After Hours combo and piano trio.

CCU Symphonic Band Spring Concert

Christ United Methodist Church

Saturday, April 19, 7:30 p.m.

Admission: Free and open to the public Coastal Carolina University's premier instrumental ensemble will perform the third in its Community Concert series at Christ United Methodist Church located in the Hard Rock Theme Park area of Myrtle Beach. The Symphonic Band will perform traditional wind band pieces, orchestral transcriptions and popular music. This concert, with guest soloists and conductors, is presented as a community outreach experience for all residents and visitors to the Grand Strand.

Jazz After Hours

Dan O'Reilly, director

Wednesday, April 23, 7:30 p.m.

Wheelwright Auditorium

Admission: General admission $8; alumni and senior citizens $6; free to CCU students, faculty and staff with valid ID

This dynamic ensemble keeps the Swing Era alive by performing selections from the Great American Songbook, as well as contemporary arrangements in the big band style. If you enjoy small group jazz, this evening's concert also features the music of the After Hours combo.

"Fat Pig"

Directed by Victoria Keller-Settin

Wednesday, April 23, 7:30 p.m.

Thursday, April 24, 7:30 p.m.

Friday, April 25, 7:30 p.m.

Saturday, April 26, 3 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.

Edwards Black Box Theater

Admission: Free with ticket

The Second Stage Season's "Fat Pig" is a bitingly funny modern romance by playwright Neil LaBute. In a culture obsessed with beauty, can love ever be blind? Tom feels a magnetic attraction for the bright and witty Helen, but his coworkers are committed to saving him from himself. A brutally comic and painfully honest new work by the creator of "The Shape of Things" and "Bash: Latter-Day Plays." Adult Entertainment.

POP 101 Concert

Dan O'Reilly, director

Saturday, April 26, 7:30 p.m.

Wheelwright Auditorium

Admission: General admission $8; alumni and senior citizens $6; free to CCU students, faculty and staff with valid ID

POP 101 is the CCU rock & roll performing group. This evening's concert features more of the hits of the 1970s. Come early and enjoy a nostalgic trip back to the '70s on the big screen. POP 101 packs the house every time, so get your tickets early.

Spring Choral Concert

Terri Sinclair, director

Monday, April 28, 7:30 p.m.

Wheelwright Auditorium

Admission: General admission $8; alumni and senior citizens $6; free to CCU students, faculty and staff with valid ID

The CCU choirs will present a concert of opera scenes and choruses in conjunction with members of the CCU voice faculty David Bankston, Patti Edwards and Jeffrey Jones. In addition to several well-known opera choruses performed by the choirs, selected CCU voice majors will perform arias, duets and ensembles.

"Portfolios: (Spring) Senior Student Exhibition"

May 1 to 10

Opening reception Thursday, May 1, 5 to 7 p.m.

Rebecca Randall Bryan Art Gallery

Admission: Free and open to the public

An exhibition featuring the works of graduating visual arts students at Coastal Carolina.

Uncastables "Broadway"

Thursday, May 1, 7:30 p.m.

Black Box Theater, Edwards College of Humanities and Fine Arts

Admission: Free and open to the public

Coastal Carolina University's student/faculty improvisational troupe, The Uncastables, will host a Broadway Improv Show." Taking suggestions from the audience (like in TV's "Whose Line Is It Anyway?"), the troupe will create hilarious impromptu comedy sketches. The theme is cartoon characters and situations. Adult themes may not be suitable for children.

"Doug McAbee: Steel Sculpture"

May 22 to June 20

Opening reception Thursday, May 22, 5 to 7 p.m.

Rebecca Randall Bryan Art Gallery

Admission: Free and open to the public

South Carolina artist Doug McAbee creates whimsical and colorful abstract steel sculptures, which appear to be inspired by popular culture, cartoons and comics.