EVENT CALENDAR

Based on a true story from the Civil War, Ben Butler balances comedy and drama in this story with a thought-provoking ethical dilemma. After a runaway slave named Shepard Mallory shows up at Fort Monroe, Confederate general Benjamin Butler must decide between providing asylum or following the law. The show has received national acclaim with The New York Times, describing it as “splendid.” PURE Theatre, 134 Cannon St. Wednesday (1/19), Thursday-Saturday, 7:30. $40-$28. (843)723-4444, www.puretheatre.org

Led by conductor Yuriy Bekker, the Charleston Symphony Orchestra is joined by other local talents, including Ranky Tanky trumpeter Charlton Singleton and vocalist Quiana Parler, to present a compilation of some of the most influential songs of the 20th century. Charleston Gaillard Center, 95 Calhoun St. Thursday, 7:30pm. $131-$14. (843)724-5212, www.gaillardcenter.org

American rock band Little Feat makes a stop in Charleston as part of its 50-year anniversary East Coast tour. Groove to tunes like their 1973 hit “Dixie Chicken” with band members Bill Payne, Kenny Gradney, Sam Clayton, Fred Tackett, Scott Sharrard, and Tony Leone. Charleston Music Hall, 37 John St. Thursday, 8pm. $90-$60. (843)853-2252, www.charlestonmusichall.com

Put on your dancing shoes for the Charleston Shag Association’s annual competition. Open to dancers of all levels, the two-day event kicks off on Friday with amateur night. Saturday night features the novice, professional, and senior professional competitions. Charleston Elks Lodge, 1113 Sam Rittenberg Blvd. Friday, 5pm; Saturday, 5pm. $10. (843)437-2954, www.charlestonshagclub.wixsite.com

The Charleston Music Hall transforms into a theater for a showing of the indie comedy film that tells the story of awkward teen Napoleon Dynamite and his struggle to fit in at high school. Following the screening, get a deeper look into the production with a lively conversation led by actor Jon Heder, who plays the title role. Charleston Music Hall, 37 John St. Friday, 8pm. $75-$35. (843)853-2252, www.charlestonmusichall.com

Join the Charleston Running Club for the 39th Charlie Post Classic, a 5K and 15K race on Sullivan‘s Island. Created in memory of Dr. Charlie Post, a famous triathlete and College of Charleston head sports physician, this race raises funds for an annual scholarship through the school athletic department. Early-registered participants receive a medal and a hoodie, and the top three finishers in each category earn a cash prize. Intersection of Middle St. & Station 15, Sullivan‘s Island. Tuesday, 8:30am. $30-$25. www.charliepostclassic.com

Based on Giacomo Puccini’s opera La Boheme, RENT tells the story of a group of young artists who are struggling to make it in New York City, centering on themes of queerness, redemption, poverty, and punk. RENT’s 25th anniversary farewell tour is the final chance to watch the production live with this cast. During its 12 years on Broadway, the show won many awards, including a Tony and a Pulitzer Prize. Charleston Gaillard Center, 95 Calhoun St. Thursday, 7:30pm. $125-$33. (843)724-5212, www.gaillardcenter.org

The Charleston Area Convention Center hosts the city‘s biggest boat show. Dozens of specialists and small businesses can help attendees find their dream vessel, from skiffs to yachts. Entertainment throughout the weekend includes live music, bounce houses, and marine education activities. Charleston Area Convention Center, 5001 Coliseum Dr., North Charleston. Friday, noon-6pm; Saturday, 10am-6pm. Sunday, 11am-5pm. $12-$5; free for child under four. (864)250-9713, www.thecharlestonboatshow.com

Trident Technical College brings back its largest fundraising event, which helps to fund scholarships and equipment for students in need. Students will welcome guests with glasses of champagne and escort them to the Culinary Institute of Charleston, where hors d’oeuvres and a two-course meal await. Guests can participate in a raffle and live auction, with prizes including a diamond necklace and PGA tickets. The College Center of Trident Technical College, 7000 Rivers Ave., North Charleston. Friday, 6:30pm. $350. (843)574-6580, www.tridenttech.edu

Back by popular demand from its summer series, Stayin’ Alive returns to 34 West Theater for a limited time. The original musical comedy tells the story of a daytime TV star fighting for love and life after his past comes back to haunt him. Named after the Bee Gees hit track, this disco-inspired musical features ‘70s hits from Elton John, Kiki Dee, and more. 34 West Theater Co., 200 Meeting St. Thursday-Saturday, 8pm. $45. www.34west.org

Grab a friend and head to James Island County Park to test your mental and physical skills. Modeled after the popular Amazing Race series, the one and a half-mile course features stations with clue cards and a variety of challenges each pair must complete before going to the next. The fastest duo in each division wins medals. A portion of proceeds benefit the Max Cure Foundation in its fight against pediatric cancer. Laurel Hill County Park, 1400 Hwy. 41, Mount Pleasant. Saturday, 8:30am. $55. (843)795-4386, www.ccprc.com

Created by Jonathan Rockefeller, The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show is a lively adaptation of Eric Carle’s best-known books, featuring 75 colorful puppets based on his classic tissue paper illustrations. The show includes characters from The Very Hungry Caterpillar, along with 10 Little Rubber Ducks, Brown Bear Brown Bear, What Do You See?, and The Very Lonely Firefly. The production has entertained audiences in China, Belgium, Australia, and across the US. Dock Street Theatre, 135 Church St. Saturday, 10-11am, 11:30am-12:30pm, 2-3pm. $32. (843)577-7183, www.charlestonstage.com

After being postponed due to COVID, the Southern Roots Smoke Show premieres at Riverfront Park. Local pitmasters will compete for the best ribs, pork butt, and fan favorite dish, judged by a panel of barbecue experts, social media influencers, and guests. A selection of local and domestic beers will be available to purchase onsite. Proceeds from the event benefit the Lowcountry Food Bank and Lowcountry Combat Veterans Motorcycle Association. Riverfront Park, 1061 Everglades Ave., North Charleston. Saturday, 11am-6pm. $125-$22. (843)308-4746, www.citypapertickets.com

See spectacular prehistoric sights in this giant life-like puppet show held at the Gaillard Center. The show introduces Miranda, the daughter of two paleontologists, who brings her dinosaur friends from a mythical island off the coast of South America. Little ones can witness the power of the Tyrannosaurus Rex, triceratops and more, then see the dinos up close after the show and talk with puppeteers. Charleston Gaillard Center, 95 Calhoun St. Sunday, 2pm. $19+. (843)724-5212, www.gaillardcenter.org

Enjoy an intimate performance in a historical home during the Chamber Music’s downtown house concert series. This month’s performance features flutists Regina Helcher Yost and Viviana Cumplido Wilson, accompanied by pianist Irina Pevzner. After the performance, guests have the opportunity to speak with musicians during a light reception. McBee House of the Ashley Hall School, 172 Rutledge Ave. Sunday, 2 & 4pm. $50. (843)763-4941, www.chambermusiccharleston.org

Celebrate Charleston’s history and culture with Museum Mile Month. Purchase a single ticket for unlimited admission to 13 of the city’s historical landmarks and museums, including South Carolina’s oldest public building, The Powder Magazine, and The Charleston Museum, the first official cultural museum in the country. Locations & times vary. $35-10. www.charlestonsmuseummile.org

Fashion meets history in this Charleston Museum exhibit. “Fur & Frost” features the clothing 19th- and 20th-century residents used to stay warm throughout Lowcountry winters. From fur stoles to acrylic sweaters, see how winter fashion developed through the years with trends and technology. The Charleston Museum, 360 Meeting St. Monday-Saturday, 9am–5pm; Sunday, noon–5pm. $12-$5; free for children under three. (843)722-2996, www.charlestonmuseum.org

See snowy Lowcountry landscapes in color for the first time at the Charleston Museum. Through new AI software, historians have rendered a collection of black-and-white photos into color, making winter wonderlands more recognizable. The Charleston Museum, 360 Meeting St. Monday-Saturday, 9am-5pm; Sunday, noon-5pm. $12-$5. (843)722-2996, www.charlestonmuseum.org

Brookgreen Gardens displays an exclusive exhibition of sculptures by founder Anna Hyatt Huntington during the garden’s continuing 90th-anniversary celebration. The exhibit, on display in the Brenda and Dick Rosen Galleries, highlights more than 70 objects, including sculptures, portrait paintings, historic objects, and photographs, created during Huntington’s prolific career. As an artist, Huntington had an affinity for horses, creating 20 life-size or larger equestrian monuments, including the famous Joan of Arc statue in New York’s Riverside Park. Brookgreen Gardens, 1931 Brookgreen Garden Dr., Murrells Inlet. Sunday-Friday, 9:30am–5pm. $18-$10; free for children under three. (843)235-6000, www.brookgreen.org

Marvel at works that capture the national spirit and perseverance through the challenges of 1930s America. Former president Franklin D. Roosevelt famously put nearly 5,000 struggling artists back to work during the Great Depression through his Works Progress Administration program. The Gibbes Museum of Art is one of only a handful of museums with access to the Federal Art Project prints collection, allowing guests to look at works in a variety of mediums. Gibbes Museum of Art, 135 Meeting St. Monday-Sunday, 10am-5pm; Sunday, 1-5pm. $12-$6; free for members & children under four. (843)722-2706, www.gibbesmuseum.org

Originally from Florence, South Carolina, William H. Johnson was a Black 20th-century artist who experimented in a variety of artistic styles and mediums to create thousands of artworks, inspired by his travels to New York, Europe, and Africa. Wanting to “paint his own people,” Johnson created this series to celebrate Black people who fought for racial justice and social equality, from modern teachers to historic figures such as Harriet Tubman. Gibbes Museum of Art, 135 Meeting St. Monday-Sunday, 10am-5pm; Sunday, 1-5pm. $12-$6; free for members & children under four. (843)722-2706, www.gibbesmuseum.org

Visit the Gibbes Museum of Art for an exhibit on French impressionists Edgar Degas, Paul Cézanne, Auguste Renoir, and Paul Gauguin, featuring 19th-century paintings from private collections across the country. Learn more about the unique qualities of each painter and artistic commonalities found during the period, including short brushstrokes, bright colors, and a focus on light in everyday scenes. Gibbes Museum of Art, 135 Meeting St. Monday-Sunday, 10am-5pm; Sunday 1-5pm. $12-$6; free for members and children under four. (843)722-2706, www.gibbesmuseum.org

Minneapolis-based visual artist Dyani White Hawk brings her work to the Halsey Institute of Contemporary Art. White Hawk’s exhibit uses photography and video to highlight the ignorance about stereotypes surrounding Native American people. Her intention is to give viewers a better understanding of the history and culture of the people whose land we live on. Halsey Institute of Contemporary Art, 161 Calhoun St. Monday-Wednesday, Friday & Saturday, 11am-4pm; Thursday, 11am-7pm. Free. (843)953-4422, www.halsey.cofc.edu

Based on a true story from the Civil War, Ben Butler balances comedy and seriousness while presenting a thought-provoking ethical dilemma. After a runaway slave named Shepard Mallory shows up at Fort Monroe, Confederate General Benjamin Butler must decide between providing asylum or following the law. The show has received national acclaim with The New York Times describing it as “splendid.” PURE Theatre, 134 Cannon St. Thursday-Saturday, 7:30pm. $40-$28. (843)723-4444, www.puretheatre.org

Back by popular demand from its summer series, 34 West Theater presents Stayin’ Alive for a limited time. The original musical-comedy tells the story of a daytime TV star fighting for love and life after his past comes back to haunt him. Named after the Bee Gees hit, this disco-inspired musical features ‘70s hits from Elton John, Kiki Dee, and more. 34 West Theater Co., 200 Meeting St. Thursday-Saturday, 8pm. $45. www.34west.org

The Carolopolis Prize was created in 1953 to recognize exceptional architectural projects that maintain historic character and authenticity of Charleston. The 68th Carolopolis Awards celebrates current exceptional projects with a reception at the recently restored Sottile Theatre. Sottile Theatre, 44 George St. Wednesday, 6-9pm. $100. (843)722-4630, www.preservationsociety.org

Join an expert naturalist for a day at the Caw Caw Interpretive Center and experience the benefits of ecotherapy, the practice of being in nature to boost growth and healing. This program is based on shinrin-yoku, therapeutic Japanese “forest baths” designed to increase mindfulness and lessen the gap between humans and the natural world by immersing all the senses. Caw Caw Interpretive Center, 5200 Savannah Hwy., Ravenel. Friday, 10am-12pm. $9. (843)795-4386, www.ccprc.com

As part of the Kiawah Island’s Art Film series, Kiawah’s Municipal Center will screen City Lights, a silent romantic comedy starring Charlie Chaplin. The 1931 film tells the story of a tramp who falls in love with a blind flower girl and attempts to save her from poverty through a series of strange events The Municipal Center, 4475 Betsy Kerrison Pkwy., Kiawah Island. Friday, 2pm. (843)768-9166, www.kiawahisland.org

Join a master naturalist to explore the ever-changing coastline of Folly Beach. Learn about both modern and prehistoric local creatures of the land, air, and sea by examining shark teeth, shells, and fossils. Then, comb through the sand and surf to find treasures. Folly Beach County Park, 1100 W. Ashley Ave., Folly Beach. Friday, 4:30-6pm. $7. (843)795-4386, www.ccprc.com

Best known as executive producer and co-creator of the Emmy-nominated comedy series 2 Broke Girls, Whitney Cummings brings her new stand-up comedy special to town. The energetic show discusses current events and the emotional and spiritual significance of touch and celebrating togetherness after quarantine. Charleston Music Hall, 37 John St. Friday, 7pm. $125-$37. (843)853-2252, www.charlestonmusichall.com