COVID-19 Protocols
Charleston Gaillard Center’s Education & Community Program performances feature limited capacities and socially distanced seating. All Gaillard Center staff and volunteers are required to provide proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test.
All shows in our 2021-2022 education season are also subject to change.
Please click here for safety protocols for public performances.
We are so excited to present our 2021-2022 Education Performances!
Education Performances are 60-minutes long and are purposefully chosen to correlate with the South Carolina Department of Education Standards. Each performance highlights the curriculum through the arts and is accompanied by a lesson plan crafted by the Gaillard Center’s education team. Lesson plans to come!
Please contact Stephanie Lancaster at slancaster@gaillardcenter.org with any questions.

STANZAS AND SYNTHESIZERS
November 15, 2021
4th Grade and Up
Poet Laureate and Gaillard Center’s Artist-in-Residence Marcus Amaker teams with recording artist Niecy Blues for an educational performance of spoken word, video, and music. Students will learn about the history of poetry and how that art form was elevated by jazz, electronic music, and hip-hop. Read more…
Marcus Amaker was named Charleston, SC’s first Poet Laureate in 2016. In 2021, he was named an Academy of American Poets fellow. He’s also an award-winning graphic designer, an electronic musician, and a mentor.
His poetry has been recognized by The Kennedy Center, American Poets Magazine, The Washington National Opera, Button Poetry, NPR, The Chicago Tribune, PBS Newshour, and more.
In 2019, he won a Governor’s Arts award in South Carolina, and was named the artist-in-residence of the Gaillard Center. His ninth book is Black Music Is. He recently released Muscle Memory, a poetry & jazz album with Grammy winner Quentin E. Baxter.
Charleston-based musician Niecy Blues emphasizes the strength in vulnerability and power with her latest EP CRY, self-released in 2020, and now available on Bandcamp. Niecy self-produced the EP in collaboration with partner and frequent collaborator Khari, also known as Contour. In this release, she confesses the link between pain and healing in just three songs. She described crying as a way to “let out” emotions that bottle up for her when practicing healing.
The audience will also have a chance to submit their own poems during the performance!

SCENES FROM THE NUTCRACKER
November 29, 2021
All Ages
Dance Conservatory of Charleston is proud to present “Scenes from the Nutcracker” in partnership with the Gaillard Center! Read More…
Join our guide Herr Drosselmeyer on a 60-minute journey through a captivating abridged version of this winter classic designed to engage audiences of all ages. Whether a cherished holiday tradition or a first introduction to ballet, there’s something for everyone in this exciting production performed by a full cast of local students to Tchaikovsky’s iconic score.
Support for this program is made possible by generous donors who have committed time and resources to the Charleston Gaillard Center’s Dance Initiative.

DOG MAN: THE MUSICAL
January 21, 2022
1st Grade – 5th Grades
CANCELED
The public performance on Saturday, January 22 at 2:00pm will still occur as scheduled.
Dog Man: The Musical is a hilarious new production based on the worldwide bestselling series from Dav Pilkey, the creator of Captain Underpants.
Best buds George and Harold have been creating comics for years, but now that they’re in 5th grade, they figure it’s time to level up and write a musical based on their favorite character, Dog Man, the crime-biting sensation who is part dog, part man, and ALL HERO!! How hard could it be? Read More…
With the head of a dog and the body of a policeman, Dog Man loves to fight crime and chews on the furniture. But while trying his best to be a good boy, can he save the city from Flippy the cyborg fish and his army of Beasty Buildings? Can he catch Petey, the world’s most evil cat, who has cloned himself to exact revenge on the doggy do-gooder? And will George and Harold finish their show before lunchtime?
Find out in this epic musical adventure featuring the hilarity and heart of Dav Pilkey’s beloved characters. The show is written by Kevin Del Aguila and Brad Alexander, who collaborated on the Emmy-winning series Peg+Cat on PBS, TheaterWorksUSA’s Click, Clack, Moo, and the upcoming Clifford the Big Red Dog on PBS and Amazon. Jen Wine

JAZZ DAY FOR KIDS WITH CHARLESTON JAZZ ORCHESTRA AND CHARLTON SINGLETON
RESCHEDULED
March 16, 2022
The original performances on February 1 at 10:30am and 1pm are rescheduled to March 16 at 11:00am only.
Kindergarten – 8th Grades
Join us for Jazz Day for Kids presented by Charleston Jazz Orchestra and the Charleston Gaillard Center. Read More…
Led by orchestra director Robert Lewis and the Gaillard Center’s Artist-in-Residence Emeritus, Charlton Singleton. Students will enjoy a big band concert and learn about the origin of jazz music.

BLACK VIOLIN
February 11, 2022
11:00am In-Person OnlySOLD OUT
2nd Grade – 12th Grades
Black Violin is led by classically trained string players Wil B. (viola) and Kev Marcus (violin). Joining them onstage are DJ SPS and drummer Nat Stokes. Read more…
The band uses their unique blend of classical and hip-hop music, often described as “classical boom,” to overcome stereotypes and encourage people of all ages, races, and economic backgrounds to join together to break down cultural barriers.
Black Violin released their latest studio album, Take the Stairs, on November 1, 2019. The recorddebuted at #1 on the Billboard Classical Chart, #1 on the Billboard Classical Crossover Chart, #7 on Billboard’s Top New Artists Chart, and #9 on the Billboard Hip Hop and R&B Chart. Their last record, Stereotypes also debuted #1 on Classical Crossover Chart and #4 on the Billboard R&B Chart. NPR praised the album and band, saying “their music will keep classical music alive for the next generation.” Some of their creative collaborations include Kanye West, Wu-Tang Clan, Wyclef Jean, Lil Wayne, and Alicia Keys.
The group advocates for educational outreach and in the past 12 months have performed for over 100,000 students in the US and Europe. Black Violin’s Impossible Tour will spread the message that anything is possible and there are no limits to what one can achieve, regardless of circumstance.
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ALVIN AILEY AMERICAN DANCE THEATER LECTURE DEMONSTRATION
CANCELED
February 16, 2022
11:00am In-Person Only
All Ages
Please join the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater for a lecture demonstration. Read More…
Led by company members, students will observe abbreviated dances from the full performance with a mixture of narration, participation and question and answer. Artists will explain each piece to the audience to enhance the student’s knowledge and understanding of the art form.
Support for this program is made possible by generous donors who have committed time and resources to the Charleston Gaillard Center’s Dance Initiative.

BILL BLAGG’S MAGIC IN MOTION
March 7 & 8, 2022
10:30am In-Person Only
2nd Grade – 7th Grade
Funding for the Bill Blagg program at the Gaillard Center is supported in part by:
Bill Blagg’s Magic in Motion melds the fascination of magic with the wonders of physical science to create an unbelievable educational experience! Read More…
In this highly visual, interactive show, students will be on the edge of their seats as they explore how science creates magic right before their very eyes! Their jaws will drop in amazement as ordinary objects come to life, while others defy gravity with a simple clap of the hands and so much more!
Students will learn first-hand how to create illusions using core scientific principles such as force, energy, friction, motion, and more. Together with Bill, they will apply these principles in a variety of magical experiments that will bend the laws of science and create the impossible! Science and magic will collide as students instantly become stronger than their teachers, stop moving objects with their minds, and even make a teacher’s cell phone invisibly travel through time! You have to see it to believe it!
Magic in Motion is a magic-filled, educational experience that is designed to inspire students to investigate how physical science can create magic while also playing an important role in their daily lives!

SCHOOLHOUSE ROCK LIVE!
March 28 & 29, 2022
CANCELED – Replaced with The Pout Pout Fish below. Ticket holders have been contacted.
Book by Scott Ferguson, George Keating, and Kyle Hall. Music and Lyrics by Lynn Ahrens, Bob Dorough, Dave Frishberg, Kathy Mandry, George Newall, and Tom Yohe. Produced by Childsplay Theatre. From Tempe, Arizona.
Academic subjects will never seem boring again when presented through mega-hits like “Conjunction Junction,” “Just a Bill,” “Interplanet Janet” or “Three is a Magic Number.” Read More…
SCHOOLHOUSE ROCK LIVE! explodes onto the stage updated for a whole new generation with imaginative image projections and a rock’n’roll feel. The live performance centers around Tom, a nervous young man on his first day of being a schoolteacher, who turns on the television to calm himself down and is visited by three aspects of his personality who remind him how learning can be fun.
Childsplay brings the classic Saturday morning cartoons to life with SCHOOLHOUSE ROCK LIVE! Originally aired on the ABC television network from 1973-1985, then revived in the 90s and 00s, Schoolhouse Rock was a collection of clever, animated shorts that taught academic topics including grammar, mathematics, civics and science.
After Childsplay’s incredible national tour of the production in 2014-2015, the pop culture phenomenon returns to the musical stages across North America once more!
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The Pout Pout Fish
March 28 10:30am – SOLD OUT
March 29 10:30am – SOLD OUT
Ages 3 – 2nd Grade
About the show
With the colorful illustrations and the sing-song text from The Pout-Pout Fish book series, we thought it would be fun to fuse puppetry and musical theater to tell this story in a unique way. We paired acclaimed puppeteers Matt Acheson and Fergus J Walsh of AchesonWalsh Studios with musical theater writers Chris Anselmo and Jared Corak, and challenged them to figure out how their two art forms could best tell the story. They dove right in and explored what elements could be dramatized in a more visual way, relying less on words, and what elements might be enhanced by songs to communicate heightened feelings and emotions.
In musical theater, characters sing when words alone are not enough, and Pout-Pout’s inner, emotional journey is just as transformative as his underwater journey to reach his home again. We hope your family enjoys this aquatic adventure!
Barbara Pasternack, Artistic Director, TheaterWorksUSA
Michael Harrington, Executive Director, TheaterWorksUSA

CHARLESTON SYMPHONY’S YOUNG PEOPLE’S CONCERT
LINK UP: THE ORCHESTRA MOVES!
March 31, 2022
10:30am In-Person OR Livestream
3rd Grade – 5th Grade
For groups fewer than 10.
For groups of 10 or more.
The Charleston Symphony is proud to partner with the Charleston Gaillard Center and Carnegie Hall’s Weill Music Institute to present LINK UP: The Orchestra Moves! hosted by Thomas Cabaniss. Read more…
This highly engaging and participatory program for students in grades 3-5 connects the classroom with the concert hall, allowing students the opportunity to explore music through a curriculum of activities then attend a culminating concert where they sing and play recorders with the orchestra from their seats. The CSO is offering a free in-school performance to all participating schools prior to the culminating concert.
To participate in Link Up, we ask that you watch our pre-recorded series of professional development; it will require approximately one hour of your time and can be found below. Upon completion, please email Mitsuko Flynn at flynn@charlestonsymphony.org to confirm completion. Mitsuko will send the information to the Fine Arts Department for your school district to confirm and you will be credited for your three recertification hours. Thank you all for taking the time to participate in this amazing experience and working with the Carnegie Hall curriculum. Mitsuko will be in touch with all information pertaining to the program as you get started at your school.
For more information about the LINK UP program and curriculum, visit https://www.carnegiehall.org/Education/Programs/Link-Up/National-Program/The-Orchestra-Moves.
PART ONE: Please watch this seven minute video workshop with Composer Thomas Cabaniss:
PART TWO: Please watch the eight Orchestra Moves Professional Development videos on the Carnegie website here. You will find these listed on the bottom of that webpage.

ABT STUDIO COMPANY LECTURE DEMONSTRATION!
April 4 & 5, 2022
11:30am In-Person Only (Masks will be required for this event.)
All Ages
On the First Star of the Night by Ma Cong 3 – Photo by Jojo Mamangun
For groups fewer than 10.
For groups of 10 or more.
A Ticket Office representative will contact you to confirm your seat reservation and payment instructions at least 60 days prior to the show.
Join American Ballet Theater’s Studio Company for an interactive lecture demonstration for all ages. Dancers will perform excerpts from new and original choreography, explain the pieces, and answer questions from students. Read more…
Students will have the opportunity to view the world-renowned ABT dancers as they engage the broadest possible ballet audience by performing classical, neoclassical and contemporary repertoire.
ABOUT ABT STUDIO COMPANY
ABT Studio Company, the junior company of American Ballet Theatre, is made up of 12-18 rising stars of the ballet world between the ages of 16 and 20. ABT Studio Company prepares these outstanding young dancers, who hail from all over the globe, to enter American Ballet Theatre or other leading ballet companies worldwide. Nearly 80% of current dancers in American Ballet Theatre are alumni of ABT Studio Company, including 7 Soloists and 14 Principal Dancers – among them Misty Copeland, David Hallberg, and Isabella Boylston.
ABT Studio Company dancers perform masterworks of the classical and neoclassical canons, alongside contemporary and newly created works. The group commissions a wide variety of choreographers to create new, custom pieces on the dancers each season. As part of the ABT Women’s Movement, the Studio Company commissions at least one new work by an emerging female choreographer each year.
The highly mobile ABT Studio Company serves as an ambassador for American Ballet Theatre by touring venues large and small. In recent years, the Studio Company has performed in such international cities as London, Athens, Manila, and St. Petersburg, and toured to a wide variety of US performing arts centers, outdoor festivals, museums, and college campuses.
The vibrant young dancers of ABT Studio Company bring the artistry, professionalism, and innovation of American Ballet Theatre to a worldwide audience.
Support for this program is made possible by generous donors who have committed time and resources to the Charleston Gaillard Center’s Dance Initiative.

TWEET TWEET
April 26 & 27, 2022
CANCELED
Ages 0-5 (with a caregiver)
TWEET TWEET is a 25- minute contemporary circus duet performance experience for our youngest audience, age 0-3 years, and their caregivers, and takes place in the round. Read more…
The show takes place on a magical tree apparatus (built by Peter Benedetti and Kelsey Carrier), with 2 nests and 2 wood swing apparatuses hanging from the branches. The performers move from the nests, up into the aerial tree canopy, through the rope tree trunk, and on the floor. There is a large forest floor carpet that lies under the tree branches for the audience to sit and lie on. TWEET TWEET is directed by Monica Dottor. Generously supported by the Toronto Arts Council, Ontario Arts Council and Canada Council for the Arts.
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Programs

2021 – 2022 Classes and Workshops
The Charleston Gaillard Center serves students and the others throughout the Lowcountry by offering free curriculum-based workshops, classes, pre-show lectures, and more.