Performing Arts Season Schedule

Heart the Arts in Hartsville

2024-2025 Performing Arts Schedule

Fall 2024

September 3-5, The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged), 7:30 p.m. at the Watson Theater; $10 Students/Seniors, $20 General Admission
By Adam Long, Daniel Singer, and Jess Winfield. Three actors, performing 37 plays, in 95 minutes! Fast-paced, witty, and physical, it’s full of laughter for Shakespeare lovers and haters alike. Directed by Brian Guidry LeTraunik.

October 9, Coker Band Fall Masterworks Concert, 7:30 p.m. at the Watson Theater; $5 students/seniors, $10 General Admission
Join the Coker University Concert Band for their Fall Masterworks concert, featuring music in a variety of musical styles. The band, made up of Coker students, faculty, and community members, will play classic band repertoire as well as recently composed music.

October 24-26, Student Choreography Showcase, Thurs/Fri – 7:30 p.m., Sat. 2:30 p.m., at the Watson Theater; $10 Students/Seniors, $20 General Admission
This concert features choreography by Coker Dance majors exploring themes of love, community, and history. Various styles of dance including contemporary, jazz, and modern will be presented.

November 13, KM Dance Project ‘Raw Fruit’ , 7:30 p.m at the Watson Theater or Livestream; $15 students/seniors/livestream, $30 General Admission
Raw Fruit is a multidisciplinary work that is a collection of stories that reveal the essence of ancestral values which have been woven into the cultural fabric of Black folks’ lives. Raw Fruit is steeped in New Orleans culture and layered with visceral movement created from the female lens of the African American experience in the South. From crawfish boils to second lines, living room altars to junior daughters, and bread pudding to pecan pralines, these experiences, rituals, and ancestral contributions have created a web of lineage connecting present experiences with customs rooted in the past.

This performance and residency is funded in part by a grant from South Arts in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts.

Opera Workshop Scenes Performance – November 22, 7:30 p.m. and November 23, 2:30 p.m. at the Drengaelen House; $10 students/seniors, $20 General Admission
Join Coker’s Opera Workshop as they present scenes from opera favorites! Enjoy their fabulous performances in our intimate venue, Drengaelen House. Plan to stay afterward for themed refreshments and to mingle with the cast.

Holiday Pops Extravaganza – December 9, 7:30 p.m. at the Watson Theater; $5 students/seniors, $10 General Admission
Join the Coker University Music Program for the 4th Annual Holiday Pops Extravaganza. This highly popular concert has previously featured performances by the Coker University Concert Band, Repertory Dance Company, and more. You will not want to miss this chance to kickstart your holiday season.

SPRING 2025

The Improvised Musical Theatre Production ‘Shitzprobe’ – January 16, 7:30pm at the Watson Theater; $15 Students/Seniors, $30 General Admission
This performance and residency is funded in part by a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts.

Woza Albert! February 13-15, 7:30 p.m. at the Watson Theater
by Percy Mtwa, Mbongeni Ngema, and Barney Simon. This satirical play is set in the South African apartheid era. It envisions the second coming of Christ, highlighting the struggles and injustices faced by Black folks under oppressive rule. Through a series of vignettes, the play uses humor, pantomime, music and dance to critique the socio-political landscape, emphasizing the relevance of hope, resistance, and the enduring human spirit even in 21st Century society.

Nouveau Sud Ricochet – March 13, 7:30 p.m. at the Watson Theater; $15 students/seniors, $30 General Admission
This performance and residency is funded in part by a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts.

Coker Band Spring Masterworks Concert – March 17, 7:30 p.m. at the Watson Theater; $5 students/seniors, $10 General Admission
Join the Coker University Concert Band for their Spring Masterworks concert, featuring music in a variety of musical styles. The band, made up of Coker students, faculty, and community members, will play classic band repertoire and recently composed music.

The World Goes Round (Musical) – April 3-5, 7:30 p.m. at the Watson Theatre; $15 students/seniors, $30 General Admission
Music by John Kander, Lyrics by Fred Ebb, Conceived by Susan Stroman, David Thompson and Scott Ellis. The dynamic songwriting team of Kander and Ebb who brought us the musicals Chicago and Cabaret as well as the song “New York, New York” are celebrated in this delightful revue. Filled with humor, romance, drama, and nonstop melody, this show is a thrilling celebration of life and the fighting spirit that keeps us all going. Directed by Brian Guidry LeTraunik, music direction by Dr. Graham Wood, choreography by Dr. Meredith Sims.

Senior Thesis Concert & Dance Alumni Performance – April 10-12, 7:30 p.m. at the Watson Theatre; $5 students/seniors, $10 General Admission
The dance and theater senior thesis performance is a culmination of 4 years of creative and scholarly research. This year, we have the special privilege of hosting alumni of the dance program in a special combined Senior Thesis/Alumni concert on Saturday, April 12. Join us for a special Coker University “Then and Now” arts spectacular.

Spring Choral Concert – April 14, 7:30 p.m. at the Watson Theatre; $5 students/seniors, $10 General Admission
Join the Coker University Choral Program in the culminating concert of the academic year. This performance will showcase the talents and growth of our students and feature music in a variety of styles and genres.

Free Events

Fall 2024

August 26 – September 20: Mayuko Gray – This too, shall pass at the Cecelia Coker Bell Gallery
Mayuko Ono Gray’s “This Too Shall Pass” is a collection of hyper realistic graphite drawings which allude to the spirit within using imagery of human forms, animals, and still life objects. Born in Japan and trained in traditional Japanese calligraphy, Ono Gray is now based in Houston, TX. She holds an M.F.A. in painting from the University of Houston and exhibits her work internationally.

September 13-14: Standard Practice: A Musical Theatre Showcase at the Hannah Coker Lide Recital Hall, 7:30 p.m.
Standard Practice is a Musical Theater Showcase that features a variety of songs from familiar and less familiar Broadway musicals sung by student vocalists.

September 18: Dr. Reed Hanna Faculty Recital at the Hannah Coker Lide Recital Hall
Join Dr. Hanna, assisted by additional Coker music faculty, for a recital of original solo and chamber music featuring the bassoon. Dr. Hanna will perform repertoire written between 2020-2024, including the premiere of a newly composed work.

September 23 – October 18: Michael Webster – Sonic Frictions at the Cecelia Coker Bell Gallery
Michael Webster responds to the social organization of space through site specific projects, sculpture, and lens based media. Webster’s work often seeks to recontextualize identifiable architectural and construction objects into a new understanding of space. He holds an M.F.A. from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and is an Assistant Professor at Wofford College. 

October 21 – November 1: Alumni Invitational Exhibition at the Cecelia Coker Bell Gallery
Cecelia Coker Bell Gallery will exhibit a selection of artworks from esteemed Coker University alumni.

October 23: Fall Music Student Recital at the Hannah Coker Lide Recital Hall, 7:30 p.m.
Join the Coker University Music Program as they showcase student work in the Fall Music Student Recital. The recital will feature solo performances by vocal and instrumental students.

October 29: Fall Choral Concert, 7:30 p.m. at St. Bart’s Church
Join the Coker University Choral Program under the direction of Dr. Kevin Crowe for a concert featuring a variety of choral styles. Headlined by the Coker Singers, this performance will feature classic choral works alongside the music of living composers.

November 4 – 22: Diana Noh Fringe Effect, Cecelia Coker Bell Gallery
Interdisciplinary artist Diana Noh works with photography, fiber, and installation. In “Fringe Effect”, Noh reconstructs distressed photographs of abandoned spaces and landscapes to explore the trauma of growing up between two different cultures in a Korean-American home. Photographic images are torn, burned, stitched, sewn, and restored to represent the artist’s recovery process.

November 25 – December 14: 52nd Annual Student Art Exhibition, Cecelia Coker Bell Gallery
Stop by the Cecelia Coker Bell Gallery between November 25 and December 14 and view the 52nd Annual Student Art Competition. This year’s exhibition is adjudicated by gallery artist Diana Noh. Come by and see what the juror has selected for this year’s exhibition.

December 4: Informal Dance Concert, 7:30 p.m at the Watson Theater
This concert will feature performances by students in various dance classes such as modern, jazz, or musical theatre as well as student choreography.  Coker Repertory Dance Company will also perform.

December 6: Choral Holiday Concert at St. Bartholomew’s Episcopal Church, 7:30 p.m
Join the Coker University Choral Program in celebrating the sounds of the season. This concert will include both holiday favorites and the music of winter in a festive and joyous atmosphere.

Spring 2025

January 6-17: 52nd Annual Faculty Art Exhibition at the Cecelia Coker Bell Gallery
The Cecelia Coker Bell Gallery and the Coker University Art Program presents the 52nd Annual Faculty Exhibition. This year’s exhibition features the work of Professor Nate Gulledge, Professor Austin Sheppard, and Professor Chen Gao. This exhibition will include paintings, graphic design, and sculpture.

January 21 – February 14: Apollinariia Illina – Illusion of Reality at the Cecelia Coker Bell Gallery
Apollinariia Ilina is a visual artist, photographer, and cinematographer whose works delve into the psychology of perception in the context of engaging with the subconscious and fostering a dialogue within. This dialogue of internal reflection forms the core of her artistic expression and is seen through photographic images which impose seemingly impossible surrealistic compositions of figures and landscapes. Ilina was born in St. Petersburg, Russia and holds an M.F.A. in art history.

February 17 – March 21: Abir Mohsen – Somewhere Between The Lines at the Cecelia Coker Bell Gallery
Abir Mohsen’s delicate ceramic work explores the notion of identity and home amidst conflict, war, and the diaspora. Mohsen holds a B.F.A from the University of North Carolina at Pembroke and an M.F.A from East Carolina University. She currently teaches at The University of North Carolina at Pembroke and Robeson Community College.

February 22: February Choral Concert, St. Bart’s Church at 7:30 p.m.
Join the Coker University Choral Program for an intimate concert of chamber works at Drengaelen House. Headlined by the Coker Singers, this performance will feature classic choral works alongside the music of living composers.

February 25: Spring Music Student Recital at the Hannah Lide Coker Recital Hall, 7:30 p.m.
Join the Coker University Music Program as they showcase student work in the Spring Music Student Recital. The recital will feature solo performances by vocal and instrumental students.

March 24 – May 3: B.F.A. and B.A. Thesis Exhibitions (Art) at the Cecelia Coker Bell Gallery
The Coker University Art Program will display the thesis exhibitions for our graduating B.F.A. and B.A. visual art seniors. These one week exhibitions begin on March 24 and continue through May 3, 2025. Stop by and enjoy the work of our talented art students.

March 25: Dr. Elizabeth Holmes Faculty Recital at the Hannah Coker Lide Recital Hall, 7:30 p.m.
Join Dr. Holmes, soprano, and additional music faculty for a recital of vocal music in a variety of musical genres. In honor of Women’s History Month, Dr. Holmes will perform repertoire written by women composers.

April 15: SVPA Faculty Showcase at the Watson Theater, 7:30 p.m.
This performance will feature the faculty presenting their professional work in dance, music, theatre, and visual art. There may also be performances of interdisciplinary collaborations across artistic genres.

April 23: Informal Dance Concert at the Watson Theater
This concert will feature performances by students in various dance classes such as modern, jazz, or musical theatre as well as student choreography. Coker Repertory Dance Company will also perform.

April 23:  Band Outdoor Pops Concert on Davidson Lawn, 7:00 p.m.
Join the Coker University Concert Band for their Spring Pops concert outside under the iconic pillars of Davidson Hall, featuring light classical music, jazz, and arrangements of popular tunes. Come early for an evening of fun for the whole family! Rain Location: Watson Theatre