A PULITZER PRIZE WINNING PLAY BY ANNIE BAKER DIRECTED BY DEWEY SCOTT-WILEY SPONSORED BY THE NICKELODEON In a run-down movie theater in central Massachusetts, three underpaid employees mop the floors and attend to one of the last 35 millimeter film projectors in the state. Their tiny battles and not-so-tiny heartbreaks play out in the empty aisles, becoming more gripping than the lackluster, second-run movies on screen. With keen insight and a finely-tuned comic eye, "The Flick" is a hilarious and heart-rending cry for…

MUSIC BY GREEN DAY / LYRICS BY BILLIE JOE ARMSTRONG / BOOK BY BILLIE JOE ARMSTRONG & MICHAEL MAYER / DIRECTED BY CHAD HENDERSON / MUSIC DIRECTION BY CHRIS COCKRELL / CHOREOGRAPHY BY CAITLIN BRITT A critical smash on Broadway and in London, the two-time Tony Award® winning hit musical "American Idiot" tells the story of three lifelong friends, forced to choose between their dreams and the safety of suburbia. Their quest for true meaning in a post 9/11 world leads them…

WINNER OF THE TRUSTUS PLAYWRIGHTS' FESTIVAL A NEW PLAY BY KAT RAMSBURG / DIRECTED BY CHAD HENDERSON Anatomy of a Hug explores what happens when a convict, Sonia, receives Compassionate Release from her prison sentence into her daughter Amelia's care. A lifetime of living through beloved TV characters doesn't prepare Amelia for the actual drama of her mother's return or the advances of a charming co-worker, Ben. The ticking clock of her mother's illness means Amelia must decide if her fictional…

Here at Trustus we’re taking the old-school style of Cabaret and infusing it with Columbia’s rising talent. With a diverse set list and soulful students who are well-versed in musical theatre, Youth Cabaret Night will take you through a musical journey - from classic and contemporary musical theatre to pop songs reimagined. Join us Tuesday, August 30th at 7 PM to be a part of this new Trustus experience!

LOADED LATE NIGHT SKETCH COMEDY   Friday, October 14th – 11:15pm Sunday, October 16th – 7pm Friday, December 9th - 11:15 pm Friday, February 10th - 11:15 pm Friday, March 17th - 11:15 pm Friday, April 28th - 11:15 pm   Our sketch comedy troupe is back for another round of Loaded Late Night Sketch Comedy! After two packed shows last season, the gang is ready to bring you new sketches, new characters, and new laughs! You'll giggle and guffaw…

MUSIC AND LYRICS BY DAVID NEHLS BOOK BY BETSY KELSO DIRECTED BY ROBIN GOTTLIEB MUSIC DIRECTION BY RANDY MOORE Back by popular demand - It’s holiday time down in Armadillo Acres (North Florida’s premier mobile-living community), and everyone’s filled with warmth and beer. But when a freak bout of amnesia strikes the trailer park Scrooge, neighborly love is put to the test. You’ll laugh out loud as our trailer-park storytellers Betty, Lin, and Pickles jingle all the way to tell you the story of the wildest…

Celebrated jazz trumpeter Mark Rapp and his quartet present a grooving, swinging, funky fun Christmas concert that will leave you toasty, warm and happy for the holidays. Local jazz legend Skipp Pearson will also be making a special appearance! Tickets go on sale November 5th.   Mark has prepared unique jazz arrangements of such Christmas classics as: Angels We Have Heard on High, Jolly Old St. Nicholas, O Come All Ye Faithful, Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, Grandma Got Run…

PART III OF THE BROTHER/SISTER PLAYS A PLAY BY TARELL ALVIN MCCRANEY DIRECTED BY CHAD HENDERSON Marcus is sixteen and “sweet.” Days before Hurricane Katrina strikes the projects of Louisiana, the currents of his life converge, overflowing into his close-knit community and launching the search for his sexual and personal identity on a cultural landscape infused with mysterious family creeds. The provocative, poignant, and fiercely humorous coming-of-age story of a young gay man in the South, Marcus is the stirring conclusion of The Brother/Sister Plays. Tickets on…

ONE NIGHT ONLY! GROUNDED DIRECTED BY ROBERT RICHMOND STARRING JENNIFER MOODY SANCHEZ COHN SIDE DOOR THEATRE $25/$15 Students with ID - available at the door In a world where a man who lives in a golden tower can become Commander in Chief and leader of the largest military force on earth we ask what will become of women warriors in the future? GROUNDED, by George Brant, tells the story of when an ace fighter pilot whose career is ended early…

BOOK BY DOUG WRIGHT MUSIC BY SCOTT FRANKEL LYRICS BY MICHAEL KORIE DIRECTED BY MILENA HERRING MUSIC DIRECTION BY RANDY MOORE CHOREOGRAPHY BY MANDY APPLEGATE BLOOM SPONSORED BY DON ALCORN Grey Gardens, The Musical is the hilarious and heartbreaking story of Big Edie and Little Edie Bouvier Beale, the eccentric aunt and cousin of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. Set at Grey Gardens, the Bouviers’ mansion in East Hampton, New York, the musical tracks the progression of the two women’s lives from their original status as rich and socially…

TOAST IMPROV Friday, March 24th - 11:15pm TOAST Improv takes over the Thigpen Main Stage for a special late night performance. Specializing in short-form improvisation, TOAST takes suggestions from the audience to create hilarious scenes right before your eyes. The cash bar will be open throughout the show and you can take your drinks to your seats. Last year’s show was packed, so show up early to grab your ticket! All tickets purchased at door: $10 General Admission (Adult) $5 Student…

$15/tickets sold at door   7pm house and bar, 8pm concert   Featuring special guest Mario McClean   About the band: Hey, Johnny Park! is the Southeast’s premier Foo Fighters tribute band! pride themselves on recreating the songs and stage show of the Foo Fighters, bringing musicianship and energy to every stage they step foot on. The foundation is created by Jason Summers (as Taylor), a Sabian endorsed drummer more than up to the task of recreating the pounding pulse…

A PLAY BY ROBERT ASKINS DIRECTED BY PATRICK MICHAEL KELLY Mr. Monk’s Equity Cotract is sponsored by Donna Guess.  Equity support provided by William Schmidt.    After the death of his father, meek Jason finds an outlet for his anxiety at the Christian Puppet Ministry, in the devoutly religious, relatively quiet small town of Cypress, Texas. Jason’s complicated relationships with the town pastor, the school bully, the girl next door, and—most especially—his mother are thrown into upheaval when Jason’s puppet, Tyrone, takes on a shocking and…

The Mothers sketch comedy troupe is back for another round of Loaded Late Night Sketch Comedy! The gang is ready to bring you new sketches, new characters, and new laughs! You'll giggle and guffaw for a little over an hour, as you experience one of the most fun events in The Vista. The cash bar will be open throughout the show and you can take your drinks to your seats. Come out and get loaded!   All tickets are general…

Ticket Price: $25 / $20 student House & Bar open at 7:00pm, Show begins at 8:00pm Hosted by Alexia Bonet featuring Paris Lefaris- the Dancing Diva of the Vista, Vista Queen Royalty CJ Grant, and a special appearance by Anaya Devore. The DIVAS Revue will also feature a special performance by TWISTED- Columbia's Premier All-Male Burlesque Troupe.

BOOK BY CHRIS D'ARIENZO ORCHESTRATIONS BY ETHAN POPP MUSIC BY JOURNEY, STYX, PAT BENATAR, POISON, REO SPEEDWAGON, FOREIGNER, TWISTED SISTER, NIGHT RANGER, WHITESNAKE, AND MANY MORE! DIRECTED BY DEWEY SCOTT-WILEY MUSIC DIRECTION BY CHRISTOPHER COCKRELL CHOREOGRAPHY BY MONESSA SALLEY   It’s the tail end of the big, bad 1980s in Hollywood, and the party has been raging hard. Aqua Net, Lycra, lace and liquor flow freely at one of the Sunset Strips last legendary venues, a place where sex machine Stacee Jaxx takes…

WINNER OF THE 2016 PLAYWRIGHTS' FESTIVAL BY INDA CRAIG-GALVAN DIRECTED BY STAN BROWN  Sponsored by The Jasper Project and Travel Unlimited. A single mother, Sabrina Jackson, is unable to cope with the shooting death of her 14-year-old son Tremarion by a White police officer. Rather than become yet another grieving Black mother leading community rallies, Sabrina escapes into her own mind. There, she lives out a comic book fantasy where she is a super hero crime fighter, mimicking the Maasai…

By Robert O'Hara Directed by Ilene Fins “Audacious, fearless” (New York Times) playwright Robert O'Hara  (Bootycandy) reserves a provocative, hilarious and shatteringly honest new take on good old family comedy. As the curtain rises on Robert O’Hara’s Barbecue, the audience is introduced to the siblings of the O’Mallerys, a White family that’s gathering for a barbecue in a public park. We soon learn that this cookout is actually setting the stage for an intervention intended for their sister Barbara, or…

By Robert Schenkkan Directed by Jim O’Connor The newest play by Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning playwright Robert Schenkkan (The Kentucky Cycle, All the Way, Hacksaw Ridge). It’s the very near future, and the Trump administration has carried out its campaign promise to round up and detain millions of immigrants. Now, a writer interviews the supervisor of a private prison as he awaits sentencing for carrying out the federal policy that has escalated into the unimaginable. This riveting, harrowing and…

Book and Lyrics by George Reinblatt, Music by George Reinblatt, Christopher Bond, Melissa Morris, and Frank Cipolla Directed by Chad Henderson Music Direction by Randy Moore Audiences went crazy over the Trustus production in 2014, and have been asking for it ever since. This hilarious live stage show takes all the elements of the cult classic films, The Evil Dead, Evil Dead 2, and Army of Darkness and combines them for one of the craziest theatrical experiences of all time.…

The Mothers improv/sketch comedy group is partnering with the Spork and Hand Puppet Slam to bring you an evening of adult puppet sketches at Trustus Theatre! First show is at 11:15 PM on Friday Nov. 3rd. Can't make it out that late? You'll have a second chance to catch the show at 7:30 PM on Sunday, November 5th. The Trustus bar will be open throughout the show! $10 general admission at the door, $5 for students

***PLEASE NOTE, THIS SHOW IS AT TRUSTUS** An Original Comedy by The Mothers Directed by Abigail McNeely Written by Kayla Cahill, Jennifer Hill, Amir Jenkins, Martha Hearn Kelly, Patrick Michael Kelly, Daniel Machado, Abigail McNeely, Mike Morales, Jonathan Monk and Russell Sanders Trustus Theatre’s resident sketch comedy and improv troupe is creating an original piece that just might become a holiday staple here in Columbia! The Richland Fashion Mall lies dormant during another holiday season that should be bustling with…

Celebrated jazz trumpeter Mark Rapp and his quartet present a grooving, swinging, funky fun Christmas concert that will leave you toasty, warm and happy for the holidays. Mark has prepared unique jazz arrangements of such Christmas classics as: Angels We Have Heard on High, Jolly Old St. Nicholas, O Come All Ye Faithful, Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer to Wham!’s Last Christmas. Mark has performed with such distinct artists from Branford Marsalis to Hootie…

By Tony Kushner Directed by Erin Wilson From the Pulitzer Prize–winning author of Angels in America (the first show in Trustus history to sell out before it opened!) comes this powerful portrayal of individual dissolution and resolution in the face of political catastrophe. Agnes Eggling and a bohemian group of friends gather in her cozy Berlin apartment to celebrate New Year’s Eve, 1932 – the year the Nazis win parliamentary control and ultimately propel Hitler to power. At first they…

Music Direction by Chris Cockrell Directed by Chad Henderson FEBRUARY 16 – 8:00pm FEBRUARY 17 – 8:00pm The Greeks had six wonderful words for love: Eros (desire and passion), Philia (deep friendship), Ludus (playful love), Agape (love for everyone), Pragma (longstanding love), and Philautia (love of the self). The LOVE IS LOVE IS LOVE CABARET at Trustus Theatre is the perfect way to explore all of the wonderful types of love in the world. An evening of song will leave…

By Dominique Morisseau Directed by Bakari Lebby Kenyatta Shakur was a Black Revolutionary in the 80s – a legend in his own right. Now that his wife and fellow-revolutionary has died, Kenyatta is desperate to reconnect with Nina, his estranged daughter. However, Nina is now a successful hustler who sees revolution in her own way. She and her boyfriend Damon have big plans of locking down a few more jobs before leaving the country forever, which leaves Kenyatta fighting an…

Book and Lyrics by Lisa Kron, Music by Jeanine Tesori, Based on the graphic novel by Alison Bechdel Directed by Chad Henderson Music Direction by Randy Moore WINNER! Best Musical - 2015 Tony® Awards! WINNER! Best Score (Jeanine Tesori & Lisa Kron) - 2015 Tony® Awards! WINNER! Best Book of a Musical (Lisa Kron) - 2015 Tony® Awards! WINNER! Best Musical - New York Drama Critics' Circle Award, Obie Award, Lucille Lortel Award, Outer Critics Circle Award, Off-Broadway Alliance Award FINALIST! Pulitzer Prize for…

Music and Story by The Restoration Lyrics by Daniel Machado and Adam Corbett Book by Chad Henderson Directed by Chad Henderson Music Direction by Daniel Machado After two sold-out workshop performances and a touring performance to Spartanburg, SC – Columbia’s own musical theatre creation makes its way back to the Thigpen Main Stage for a fully realized production. Based on the critically acclaimed concept album of the same name, The Restoration’s Constance is a multi-generational cautionary tale, told through historical…

By Taylor Mac Directed by Lindsay Rae Taylor HIR Pronoun. (third-person singular, gender-neutral, objective case, reflexive hirself) (neologism) them (singular). Gender-neutral third-person singular object pronoun, coordinate with him and her. Somewhere in the suburbs, Isaac has returned from the wars to help take care of his ailing father who’s had a stroke. Isaac has developed PTSD, and when he finds his childhood home in revolt upon his return, his challenges increase. His mother, now liberated from an oppressive marriage, is…

Heathcliff & You & Wanda: An Evening of Song(s) Live Cabaret at the Trustus Side Door Theatre June 15 @ 11:15 PM (Special Late Night Performance!) June 16 @ 3 PM June 16 @ 8 PM All talk. No clue. Jonathan Monk as Heathcliff the Clown, a 78-year-old song and dance man from the golden age of entertainers. Join Heathcliff and his accompanist Wanda for an evening of tunes, tap dancing, danger, Diane Keaton jokes, shadow puppetry and hostile janitorial…

Music and Lyrics by David Bryan, Book and Lyrics by Joe Dipietro Directed by Dewey Scott Wiley Music Direction by Christopher Cockrell WINNER! 2010 Tony for Best Musical WINNER! 2010 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Musical Set in the smoky halls and underground clubs of the segregated 1950s, this show tells the story of a young white DJ named Huey Calhoun who fell in love with rock 'n' roll and an electrifying black singer. Memphis is an original story about…

The Trustus Playwrights' Festival presents... BOY ABOUT TEN A new play by Jon Tuttle Directed by Patrick Michael Kelly Terry Spooner truly believes that if he can just stuff this angry copperhead into a canteen his ex-wife will forget he ever knocked her eye out during sex and return to the home she once set fire to. If he can just get her alone long enough to belt out a medley of adulterated KISS songs and ply her with enough…

A play by Dewey Scott-Wiley and Christine Hellman based on verbatim interviews SEPT 5th & 6th-7:30pm; SEPT 7th & 8-8:00pm; SEPT 9th - 3:00pm This NEWLY PREMIERED theatrical piece travels the path from addiction to recovery based on anonymous interviews with people who have found freedom from addiction. Their inspiring, sometimes harrowing stories shine a light on a disease that affects 23 million Americans – and on the hope and travails of ongoing recovery. Join us as four actors depict…

SILENCE! The Musical *The unauthorized parody of The Silence of the Lambs* Music & Lyrics by Jon Kaplan and Al Kaplan, Book by Hunter Bell Directed by Jonathan Monk Music Direction by Randy Moore OCTOBER 5 – NOVEMBER 3, 2018 When Silence of the Lambs won the Academy Award for Best Picture in 1992, the world never knew that it would become the subject of a celebrated musical parody.  Now that musical comes to the Capital City in a hilarious production…

JACOB MARLEY’S CHRISTMAS CAROL By Tom Mula Directed by Patrick Michael Kelly NOVEMBER 30 – DECEMBER 22, 2018 "Marley was dead, to begin with.” Well, we all know that from seeing countless versions of Dickens’ holiday classic A Christmas Carol.  But what happens to Ebenezer Scrooge's mean, sour, pruned old business partner after that? This play tells it all! Chained and shackled, Marley is condemned to a hellish eternity. He's even given his own private tormentor: a malicious and hilarious little…

Jingle Bell Jazz: A ‘Nawlins Christmas Dec 11, 7:30pm SOLD OUT Dec 18, 7:30pm Purchase your tickets now! From beautiful jazz vocals to the streets of New Orleans, Jingle Bell Jazz 2018 presents two awesome Christmas shows in one! We’re taking you to New Orleans as the Soda City Brass Band presents a funky, fun ‘Nawlins Christmas! As if that isn’t enough, we’re also featuring the soulful vocal stylings of Cat Galan with stellar, small group jazz arrangements by pianist…

THE CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG IN THE NIGHT-TIME Based on the Novel by Mark Haddon Adapted by Simon Stephens Directed by Chad Henderson JANUARY 18 – FEBRUARY 9, 2019 *Winner of the 2015 Tony Award for Best Play* Hold on to your seats Columbia! You’re about to go on one of the wildest rides of the season at Trustus Theatre. This 2015 Tony Winner for Best Play tells the story of 15-year-old Christopher. Our young hero has an extraordinary…

Friday February 15 at 8:00pm & Saturday February 16 at 8:00pm Doors open 30 minutes prior to the show. Trustus Theatre’s hit Valentine’s Weekend cabaret is BACK – and this time we’re hitting the road and taking the show to The Pastor’s Study at Lula Drake! Under the music direction of Christopher Cockrell, THE LOVE IS LOVE CABARET brings some of your favorite Trustus Company members together as they gather around the piano to sing you songs about that “crazy…

COST OF LIVING By Martyna Majok Directed by Paul Kaufmann FEBRUARY 22 – MARCH 2, 2019 *Winner 2018 Pulitzer Prize for Drama* One of the most powerful shows of 2018 comes to the Trustus Side Door theatre. Eddie, an unemployed truck driver, reunites with his ex-wife Ani after she suffers a devastating accident. John, a brilliant and witty doctoral student, hires overworked Jess as a caregiver. As their lives intersect, Majok’s play delves into the chasm between abundance and need…

THE GREAT GATSBY HOUSE PARTY March 23, 6-10pm The Historic Seibels House (1601 Richland St, Columbia, SC 29201) Your presence is requested by Mr. Jay Gatsby for an unforgettable evening under the stars, as we throw the hottest party of the Spring at the Historic Seibels House! Your ticket gets you access to an open bar (beer, wine, specialty cocktail), scrumptious delights from Scott Hall Catering, and you’ll dance the night away with live music from Flat Out Strangers, and…

F. SCOTT FITZGERALD’S THE GREAT GATSBY Adapted for the stage by Simon Levy Directed by Chad Henderson Music Direction by Mark Rapp Choreography by Stephanie Wilkins APRIL 5 – 27, 2019 Trustus is going back to the Jazz Age as F. Scott Fitzgerald’s classic novel “The Great Gatsby” comes to life on the Main Stage. Nick Carraway, a newcomer to Long Island, moves into a cottage next to the brilliant mansion of self-made millionaire Jay Gatsby. After witnessing many late-night…

SWEAT By Lynn Nottage Directed by Erin Wilson MAY 17 – JUNE 1, 2019 *Winner of the 2017 Pulitzer Prize for Drama* Reading, Pennsylvania. A valley town of fiercely proud families who worked for generations in the plants and factories of a thriving county seat. Unions rule, well-paying jobs are coveted and politics are personal. Having grown up side-by-side in Reading, best friends Tracey and Cynthia went from fun-loving schoolchildren to saloon-loving adults who work together on a steel manufacturing…

HEATHERS, THE MUSICAL Book and Lyrics by Kevin Murphy & Laurence O’Keefe Based on the film written by Daniel Waters Directed by Dewey Scott-Wiley Music Direction by Randy Moore Choreography by Grayson Anthony JUNE 28 – JULY 27, 2019 You’ve been asking us for it, and we’re going to give it to you: Heathers, The Musical!Based on the classic 1989 film, Westerberg High is ruled by a shoulder-padded, scrunchie-wearing junta: Heather, Heather, and Heather, the hottest and cruelest girls in…

MOTHERHOOD OUT LOUD By Leslie Ayvazian, Brooke Berman, David Cale, Jessica Goldberg, Beth Henley, Lameece Issaq, Claire LaZebnik, Lisa Loomer, Michele Lowe, Marco Pennette, Theresa Rebeck, Luanne Rice, Annie Weisman and Cheryl L. West Directed by Martha Hearn Kelly AUGUST 2-10, 2019 Columbia Children’s Theatre (3400 Forest Drive, Inside Richland Mall, next to Barnes & Noble, Columbia, SC 29204) When entrusting the subject of motherhood to such a dazzling collection of celebrated American writers, what results is a joyous, moving, hilarious,…

THE TRUSTUS PLAYWRIGHTS’ FESTIVAL MONTGOMERY By Stephen Brown Directed by Sharon Graci AUGUST 23-31, 2019 Megan hates country music singer Rick Montgomery, so she and her best friend Kimmy have decided that tonight’s concert will be his last. As they run from the cops, songs will be sung, people will be shot, and fourteen-year-olds will discover the actual difficulty in exacting revenge. ABOUT THE PLAYWRIGHT: Stephen Brown’s work has been developed or presented by MCC, Page 73, Primary Stages, ESPA, the…

1971  Tony Best Musical Directed by Dewey Scott-Wiley Music Direction by Tom Beard Choreography by Terrance Henderson From musical theatre's most renowned composer, Company is largely regarded as a trailblazer of the dark-comedy, modern-musical genre and the winner of seven Tony Awards, including Best Musical, Best Score, Best Lyrics and Best Book. In celebration of Trustus’ 35th Anniversary, this classic musical returns to the Thigpen Main Stage following a lauded production in 1997 that was directed by Dewey Scott-Wiley. This story follows confirmed bachelor, Robert,…

Brothas and Sistas - A staged re-reading of Terrance Henderson's The Black Man...Complex Saturday, September 28 Trustus Side Door Theatre 2pm Originally premiered at Trustus in 2014, Henderson is now work shopping the production for a 2020 reboot. The reading will include a special appearance by Columbia’s IndigoSOUL and a guided post-reading talk back with the cast and director. With an ensemble of four performers, Henderson explores the relationships between ethnicity, sexuality and society in this full-length work, which incorporates movement,…

Save the date / "Mark" your calendars... On December 10 & 17, we will be SWINGING into Christmas with our annual "Jingle Bell Jazz" concerts & events! We have SOLD OUT the past few years in a row, so be sure to click "Interested" or "Going" on our Facebook event and be one of the first to know when tickets go on sale. Expect this year to bring you even more jazz music, swinging singers, amazing musicians and one helluva…

WE ARE PROUD TO PRESENT A PRESENTATION ABOUT THE HERERO OF NAMIBIA, FORMERLY KNOWN AS SOUTH WEST AFRICA, FROM THE GERMAN SÜDWESTAFRIKA, BETWEEN THE YEARS 1884–1915 BY JACKIE SIBBLIES DRURY DIRECTED BY ANDREW SCHWARTZ A PRESENTATION BY COKER COLLEGE In preparation for presenting 2019 Pulitzer Winner Fairview, Trustus is partnering with Coker College to revive their stirring production of We Are Proud to Present – an earlier work by Fairview playwright Jackie Sibblies Drury.  A group of actors gather to tell the…

1948 PULITZER PRIZE FOR DRAMA BY TENNESSEE WILLIAMS DIRECTED BY PATRICK MICHAEL KELLY This classic Tennessee Williams show came to the Thigpen Main Stage in 2002, and returns in celebration of our 35th Anniversary.  One of the most renowned plays of the American theater, A Streetcar Named Desire introduces audiences to Blanche DuBois, a schoolteacher from Mississippi. She arrives in New Orleans and takes a streetcar named “Desire” to the French Quarter, where her sister, Stella, and Stella’s husband, Stanley Kowalski,…

Bringing Trustus Theatre to your home with a live stream of some of your favorite past productions! FRIDAY, MAY 22 at 7pm The Mothers Tune in for a brief happy hour performance from THE MOTHERS during our last scheduled Trustus LIVE event. The Mothers is Trustus’ resident sketch and improv comedy group, and this Friday they’re pulling together some of their favorite sketches from past performances to bring you a half-hour dose of laughter.   Past Streams: FRIDAY, APRIL 3 at…

A Celebration of the 2020 Women's Vote Centennial - August 26, 2020, 7:00pm   (Note: The stream will become available approximately 10 minutes before showtime.)   We may face extraordinary challenges, but we're unstoppable with you! Thank you for your tax-deductible donation during this unprecedented time of need. Our stages may be dark, but with your support we will continue creating exceptional art and connecting the community.   Play by Charlotte Perkins Gilman, Directed by Ginny Ives* - A Partnership…

BY LYNN NOTTAGE DIRECTED BY JOCELYN SANDERS Another Trustus favorite returns to the stage this fall. Set in 1905 in turn of the century New York, Intimate Apparel tells the story of Esther, a lonely, single African-American woman who makes her living sewing beautiful corsets and ladies’ undergarments. Seeking love and romance, Esther embarks on a letter writing relationship with a mysterious suitor laboring on the Panama Canal, and realizes that only her self-reliance and certainty of her own worth will…

Welcome to 2021's Living Legend event, honoring Bobby Craft. Please scroll for the evening's program.    

An original comedy revue by THE MOTHERS Note: All three shows have SOLD OUT! Thank you Columbia! If you have any questions, please contact the Box Office at (803) 254-9732 or [email protected].  The halls have been decked, the bells have been silenced, the grandma has been run over by the reindeer - now what? Join our award-winning resident comedy group The Mothers for a two-act mainstage-sized sketch show full of holiday humor! Get wrapped up in the spirit of the season…

Note: Both shows have SOLD OUT! Thank you Columbia! If you have any questions, please contact the Box Office at (803) 254-9732 or [email protected].    Trustus is welcoming a limited audience for our annual holiday celebration: Mark Rapp’s Jingle Bell Jazz. SC Jazz Ambassador, trumpeter Mark Rapp, brings Jingle Bell Jazz back to the Thigpen Main Stage for two nights only with two different, enjoyable programs that are sure to get everyone into the holiday spirit! . SHOW 1- December 15th at 7:30pm…

BOOK, MUSIC, AND LYRICS BY JONATHAN LARSON DIRECTED BY DEWEY SCOTT-WILEY | MUSCIAL DIRECTION BY CHRIS COCKRELL | CHOREOGRAPHY BY TERRANCE HENDERSON Trustus’ 37th season is off and running, and it only gets better in the new year! Coming up next on our Thigpen Main Stage is another Trustus favorite making its return: tick, tick… BOOM! This autobiographical musical by Jonathan Larson, the Pulitzer Prize- and Tony Award-winning composer of RENT, is the story of a composer and the sacrifices that he made to achieve…

 BY TERRY GUEST DIRECTED BY TERRANCE HENDERSON  Courtney Berringers would like to welcome you to her wake! But make no mistake—this ain’t your grandma’s funeral. At the Wake of a Dead Drag Queen is a play about Blackness, southern queerness, and the fine art of drag. From African Gods and Goddesses to Trina and Whitney Houston, At the Wake thoughtfully uses storytelling, drama, and drag to explore identity, illness, and the narratives we construct for ourselves. The two-person…

Celebrate the life of Trustus co-founder Kay Thigpen on Sunday, April 10th from 2:00-5:00pm. The event will include a cocktail hour and a memorial service featuring Trustus Company members hosted by Dewey Scott-Wiley and Chad Henderson. Kay Kaplan Thigpen (7/24/1941-9/20/2021) was co-founder of Trustus Theatre along with her late husband Jim. She died on September 20, 2021 at the age of 80. She is succeeded in life by her children Lori Brown (Janet Brabham); Marc Brown (Betsy) ; Erin Thigpen…

BY CLARE BARRON DIRECTED BY ABIGAIL McNEELY | CHOREOGRAPHY BY BRAILEY JOHNSON Winner, 2017 Susan Smith Blackburn Prize Finalist, 2019 Pulitzer Prize for Drama Somewhere in America, an army of pre-teen competitive dancers plots to take over the world. And if their new routine is good enough, they’ll claw their way to the top at Nationals in Tampa Bay. But in Clare Barron’s raucous pageant of ambition and ferocity, these young dancers have more than choreography on their minds, because…

BOOK BY AUSTIN WINSBERG MUSIC AND LYRICS BY ALAN ZACHARY AND MICHAEL WEINER DIRECTED BY DEWEY SCOTT-WILEY | MUSICAL DIRECTION BY RANDY MOORE CHOREOGRAPHY BY BRAILEY JOHNSON AND SHAUN MORELAND FIRST DATE tells the story of Aaron and Casey, two single New Yorkers on a blind date with nothing to lose, except maybe their patience and sanity. This hilariously relatable musical puts you right at the bar along with them--and all the persistent voices in their heads. While they fight…

The 2019 Trustus Playwrights’ Festival commissioned two plays about true Columbia crimes scribed by local playwrights, Jason Stokes and Charlie Finesilver. The True Crime Rep was originally scheduled for our 35th season, and Trustus is delighted to finally give both shows their world premiere on the Thigpen Main Stage. Both shows will be performed in repertory, with performances alternating nightly. Purchase a ticket to both Composure and House Calls for $46, saving $5 on each show! COMPOSURE WRITTEN AND DIRECTED…

September 9th and 10th, 2022 8:00pm | Thigpen Main Stage Trustus Theatre is proud to bring 39 years of supporters and performers together for a two-night-only performance in honor of our founders, Jim and Kay Thigpen. The two-act tribute will feature performances by Trustus Company and Company Emeritus, celebrating the legacy left by Kay and Jim. Enjoy music, scenes, video messages, and more while sitting in the comfiest seats in Columbia. The bar will be open and, as is tradition,…

BY RICHARD O'BRIEN DIRECTED AND CHOREOGRAPHED BY TERRANCE HENDERSON MUSICAL DIRECTION BY CHRIS COCKRELL Let’s do the Time Warp again! The Rocky Horror Show returns to the Thigpen Main Stage just in time for Halloween. Stuck with a flat tire during a storm, newly engaged love birds Brad and Janet find themselves at the eerie mansion of Dr. Frank-N-Furter. What follows is a “strange journey” full of wild characters, huge musical numbers, and fan-favorite moments that are sure to please.…

 PLAY FOR TRUSTUS A golf tournament to benefit Trustus Theatre Monday, October 24th | Wildewood Country Club Enjoy a round of golf AND support live theatre in the Midlands. Help ensure a success 38th season at Trustus Theatre by participating in a golf tournament with your foursome. Sign-ups are open now for $600 a team. Tournament includes lunch and door prizes. Check back for more info! Other ways to support: • Be a Executive Producer and help us upgrade…

BY MADELINE GEORGE DIRECTED BY DEWEY SCOTT-WILEY Meet Diane, a permaculture gardener dripping with butch charm. She's got supernatural identities owing to her true identity-the Greek god Dionysus-and she's returned to the mortal world to gather followers and restore the earth to its natural state. Where better to begin than with four housewives in a suburban New Jersey cul-de-sac? In this Obie-winning comedy with a twist, Pulitzer Prize finalist Madeline George pens a hilarious evisceration of the blind eye we…

BY ANNE WASHBURN DIRECTED BY ABIGAIL McNEELY MUSICAL DIRECTION BY AMANDA HINES Anne Washburn’s imaginative dark comedy propels us forward nearly a century, following a new civilization stumbling into its future. After the collapse of civilization, a group of survivors of a near-future global apocalypse have gathered around a campfire to piece together an episode of the television show The Simpsons from memory. As time passes the fireside recollections evolve beyond mere touchstones of the past they remember to become…

Directed by KATIE LEITNER and ROBIN GOTTLIEB Music direction by CHRIS COCKRELL 18-year-old Samantha Brown sits in a hand-me-down car with the keys clutched in her hand. Caught between a yearning for the unknown and feeling bound by expectation, she telescopes back to a time before her world has fallen apart. As she relives her senior year, we meet Sam's well-intentioned helicopter mother Bev and her high school sweetheart of a boyfriend Adam, but it's her painfully alive best friend…

THE KATHY AND MO SHOW: PARALLEL LIVES 30TH ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL by Mo Gaffney and Kathy Najimy Featuring Dewey Scott-Wiley and Elena Martinez-Vidal Trustus Theatre is celebrating the 30th Anniversary of PARALLEL LIVES, THE KATHY AND MO SHOW, bringing the show back for a special three-night run. This classic Trustus show starring Trustus Artistic Director Dewey Scott-Wiley and long-time company member Elena Martínez-Vidal, has had audiences raving and laughing for the past three decades. This special three-night event opens on Thursday,…

BY JOSHUA CONKEL DIRECTED BY JONATHAN MONK We're BOWK for a limited engagement! Emory is an effeminate 11-year-old boy who lives on a farm with his chain-smoking Nanna and his only friend, a depressed chicken about to be processed. Nanna wishes Emory would get his head out of the clouds, stop choreographing ribbon stick dance numbers, and be more like Elliot, the boy down the road with a penchant for burning things. But Emory and Elliot have a relationship --…

THE WINNER OF THE 2019 PULITZER PRIZE FOR DRAMA BY JACKIE SIBBLIES DRURY DIRECTED BY TERRANCE HENDERSON As the lights come up, we find ourselves at the Frasier household, and preparations for Grandma’s birthday party are under way. Beverly is holding on to her sanity by a thread to make sure this party is perfect, but her chatty sister can’t help at all, her husband is listening as best he can, her brother is MIA, her daughter is a teenager,…

BOOK AND LYRICS BY HOWARD ASHMAN MUSIC BY ALAN MENKEN DIRECTED BY JESSICA FRANCIS FICHTER MUSIC DIRECTION BY RANDY MOORE | CHOREOGRAPHY BY TERRANCE HENDERSON The campy Broadway and Hollywood Sci-Fi smash musical has devoured the hearts of theater goers for over 30 years, and is finally making its Trustus debut! The meek floral assistant Seymour Krelborn stumbles across a new breed of plant he names “Audrey II” – after his coworker crush. This saucy R&B-singing carnivore promises unending fame…

Winner of the 2020 Trustus Playwrights' Festival BY VAL DUNN DIRECTED BY DEWEY SCOTT-WILEY This play contains mature sexual content. As the play begins, audiences are transported to a holler in the Shenandoah Valley. Juniper prepares to spend a perfect life in a perfect cabin with her perfect partner, Blake. That is, until Maeve appears in the doorway. Telling tall tales and crooning high lonesomes, Maeve beguiles Juniper return to Gin – a past self who once lived and loved…

Saturday, September 9th, 2023 11:00am-4:00pm Tickets: $15, includes a raffle ticket to win an adult season pass to Season 39 and other prizes BANDS: Natural Mystic 11:00-12:15 Pluto Wilson 12:45-2:00 Tony Opus 2:30-3:45 As well as performances from our season opener, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street! ABOUT: The Trustus Season Kickoff Block Party is back! Food Trucks will be available! The Trustus bar will be open with Beer and Wine. Subscribers receive a $5 discount to this…

MUSIC AND LYRICS BY STEPHEN SONDHEIM BOOK BY HUGH WHEELER DIRECTED BY PATRICK MICHAEL KELLY MUSICAL DIRECTION BY AMANDA HINES AND AYUSH JOSHI Attend the dark, witty and Tony Award-winning tale of love, murder and revenge. Sweeney Todd, an unjustly exiled barber, returns to nineteenth century London, seeking vengeance against the lecherous judge who framed him and ravaged his young wife. Tickets on sale now! SHOWTIMES: Friday, September 29th - 8:00pm Saturday, September 30th - 8:00pm Thursday, October 5th -…

MUSIC AND LYRICS BY DAVID NEHLS BOOK BY BETSY KELSO DIRECTED BY ROBIN GOTTLIEB Special thanks to the sponsors of The Great American Trailer Park Christmas Musical, Steve and Susan Peebles! It’s holiday time down in Armadillo Acres (North Florida’s premier mobile-living community), and everyone’s filled with warmth and beer. But when a freak bout of amnesia strikes the trailer park Scrooge, neighborly love is put to the test. Now back for a third time at Trustus by popular demand,…

by Lauren Gunderson Directed by Ginny Ives Nan has decided to teach her abusive husband Kyle a lesson. With the help of her friend Simon (acting as her emotional—and actual—cheerleader), a stripper named Sweetheart, and the words of William Shakespeare, she tapes Kyle to a chair and forces him to watch as they reenacts scenes from their painful past. In the piece de resistance, they plan to cover the room in meat and honey so Kyle will be mauled by…

ADULT PROM AT THE STATE MUSEUM February 2, 2024 7-10pm At the South Carolina State Museum (301 Gervais St, Columbia, SC 29201) Your presence is requested by the Trustus Board of Directors for an evening that celebrates nearly 4 decades of theatre in downtown Columbia, as we throw the coolest party of the winter at the South Carolina State Museum! Your tickets get you access to an open bar (beer, wine, and specialty cocktails), catered hors d'oeuvres, and a dance…

STUPID FUCKING BIRD BY AARON POSNER KINDA BASED ON THE SEAGULL BY ANTON CHEKOV DIRECTED BY JESSICA FRANCIS FICHTER An aspiring young director rampages against the art created by his mother’s generation. A nubile young actress wrestles with an aging Hollywood star for the affections of a renowned novelist. And everyone discovers just how disappointing love, art, and growing up can be. An irreverent, contemporary, and very funny remix of Chekhov’s The Seagull. Tickets on sale now!

BY PEARL CLEAGE DIRECTED BY TERRANCE HENDERSON SPONSORED BY BURR & FORMAN LLP It is the summer of 1930 in Harlem, New York. The creative euphoria of the Harlem Renaissance has given way to the harsher realities of the Great Depression. Young Reverend Adam Clayton Powell, Jr., is feeding the hungry and preaching an activist gospel at Abyssinian Baptist Church. Black Nationalist visionary Marcus Garvey has been discredited and deported. Birth control pioneer Margaret Sanger is opening a new family…

by TERRANCE MCNALLY Directed by ERIN WILSON In a walk-up apartment on Manhattan’s West Side, Frankie (a waitress) and Johnny (a short-order cook who works in the same restaurant) are discovered in bed. It is their first encounter, after having met several weeks ago on the job. This bittersweet comedy combines poignancy and laughter as it traces the unlikely romance that begins to develop between two middle-aged “losers." Starring Marybeth Gorman Craig and Jason Stokes. Tickets on sale now! This…