Now Playing

Sweat

By Lynn Nottage

November 18 - 20, 2021 at 7:30 p.m. and November 21, 2021 at 3:00 p.m.│ Performing Arts Center - 170 Gramling Dr. Spartanburg, SC 29303

Filled with warm humor and tremendous heart, SWEAT tells the story of a group of friends who have spent their lives sharing drinks, secrets, and laughs while working together on the factory floor. But when layoffs and picket lines begin to chip away at their trust, the friends find themselves pitted against each other in a heart-wrenching fight to stay afloat.

General Admisson: $10 / Faculty, Staff & Students: $5 

TICKETS AVAILABLE SOON

Masks will be required for all performances.

A Tuna Christmas

By Ed Howard, Joe Sears & Jaston Williams

Decking the Halls December 3 & 4, 2021 at 7:30 p.m. │ Performing Arts Center - 170 Gramling Dr. Spartanburg, SC 29303

It’s Christmas in the third-smallest town in Texas - Tuna. Radio station OKKK news personalities Thurston Wheelis and Arles Struvie report on various Yuletide activities, including the hot competition in the annual Christmas Yard Display Contest, won 14 times in a row by Vera Carp. A mysterious "Christmas Phantom," known for vandalizing the yard displays, has the contestants on edge. Among the subplots are Stanley Bumiller's attempts to end his probation and leave Tuna while voracious Joe Bob Lipsey’s production of A Christmas Carol is jeopardized by unpaid electric bills. A Tuna Christmas is a total delight for all seasons, so come celebrate the holidays by watching two amazing actors portray 21 inhabitants of Tuna, Texas in this hilarious quick-change comedy sensation that has become a true cult favorite. 

General Admisson: $10 / Faculty, Staff & Students: $5 

TICKETS AVAILABLE SOON

Masks will be required for all performances.

Ugly Lies the Bone

By Lindsey Ferrentino

February 17 - 19, 2022 at 7:30 p.m. │ Performing Arts Center - 170 Gramling Dr. Spartanburg, SC 29303

Newly discharged soldier Jess has finally returned to her Florida hometown. She brings with her not only vivid memories of Afghanistan, but painful burns that have left her physically and emotionally scarred. Jess soon realizes that things at home have changed even more than she has. Through the use of virtual reality video game therapy, she builds a breathtaking new world where she can escape her pain. As Jess advances farther in the game, she begins to restore her relationships, her life, and, slowly, herself.

Lindsey Ferrentino's transformative play was inspired by a real video game therapy called “Snow World,” currently being used to treat burn survivor veterans living in a state of perpetual pain.

Voices to Hear is a staged reading series here at USC Upstate that shines a light on recent works from both upcoming and established playwrights whose voices may not be heard otherwise. It focuses on diverse characters, themes, and cultures that may not be experienced or appreciated within the confines of the mainstream, commercial theatre.

Admission is FREE, but please consider making a donation to the Upstate Theatre Fund. Contributions to this fund will ensure that the USC Upstate theatre program can continue to provide transformative experiences for our students, launching them on a trajectory of success in the world of theatre and beyond.

TICKETS AVAILABLE SOON

Masks will be required for all performances.

Detroit '67

By Dominique Morriseau

February 24 - 26, 2022 at 7:30 p.m.  and February 27, 2022 at 3:00 p.m.│ Performing Arts Center - 170 Gramling Dr. Spartanburg, SC 29303

In 1967 Detroit, Motown music is getting the party started, and Chelle and her brother Lank are making ends meet by turning their basement into an after-hours joint. But when a mysterious woman finds her way into their lives, the siblings clash over much more than the family business. As their pent-up feelings erupt, so does their city, and they find themselves caught in the middle of the '67 riots. 

General Admisson: $10 / Faculty, Staff & Students: $5

TICKETS AVAILABLE SOON

Masks will be required for all performances.

Our Town

By Thornton Wilder

April 7 - 9, 2022 at 7:30 p.m. and April 10, 2022 at 3:00 p.m.│ Performing Arts Center - 170 Gramling Dr. Spartanburg, SC 29303

Our Town presents the small town of Grover’s Corners in three acts: "Daily Life," "Love and Marriage" and "Death and Eternity." Narrated by a stage manager and performed with minimal props and sets, the play depicts the simple daily lives of the Webb and Gibbs families as their children fall in love, marry, and eventually – in one of the most famous scenes in American theatre – die. Thornton Wilder's final word on how he wanted his play performed is an invaluable addition to the American stage and to the libraries of theatre lovers internationally. 

General Admisson: $10 / Faculty, Staff & Students: $5

TICKETS AVAILABLE SOON

Masks will be required for all performances.