In this special four-part series, join Unpacked host Aislyn Greene as she travels to Charleston, South Carolina, to unpack the city's deeper currents.

For the series finale: Charleston's performing arts scene is nothing short of extraordinary. Aislyn explores the city's world-class venues—from America's first dedicated theater to a stunning apricot-colored concert hall—and meets the people bringing opera, dance, jazz, and theater to life in the Lowcountry.

In This Episode You'll Learn

• The remarkable 300-year history of the Dock Street Theater, where ghost stories and contemporary artists meet


• How the Spoleto Festival USA became an international arts destination that draws everyone from Yo-Yo Ma to Patti Smith

• Why the Gaillard Center is "the Carnegie Hall" of the South —and how it commissions new works that celebrate Lowcountry stories and landscapes

Don't Miss These Moments

• [02:00 ] Inside the Dock Street Theater's drawing room


• [06:00 ] The record for most light bulbs blown during a single performance


• [11:00 ] Spoleto's general director on why 125 concerts in 17 days creates festival magic


• [13:00 ] The two ghosts said to haunt Dock Street Theater


• [18:00 ] Aislyn visits Cistern Yard at the College of Charleston—one of the most beautiful outdoor venues in the city


• [21:00 ] How the Gaillard Center transformed from a brutalist municipal auditorium into a world-class performance hall


• [24:00 ] The moment Audra McDonald turned off her microphone and brought the house to tears

*Time stamps are estimated and may change due to programmatic advertising.

Featured in This Episode

Venues

• Dock Street Theater

• ⁠Gaillard Center⁠

Festivals & Organizations

• Spoleto Festival USA


• Piccolo Spoleto


• 
  Charleston Stage (Dock Street's resident theater company)


• Chamber Music Charleston


• MOJA Arts Festival


• Charleston Literary Festival

Performers

• The Gullah Collective
  


• Step Afrika!


• Complexions Contemporary Ballet (upcoming)

Resources

• Plan your Charleston arts trip using our guides on afar.com

Catch Up on the Series

Missed any episodes? Here's the full Charleston series:

• Episode 1: To Understand the Soul of This Southern City, Head for the Water
  


• Episode 2: Charleston Serves Up More Than 300 Years of Flavor—and Every Bite Tells a Story
  


• Episode 3: The Artisans Keeping the Soul of Charleston's King Street Alive
  


• Episode 4: Opera, Punk Rock, and a 300-Year-Old Ghost: One City's Arts Scene

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