EVENT CALENDAR

This riveting production at the Dock Street Theatre marks the US premiere of Irish playwright Mark O’Rowe’s latest work. The Approach tells the story of three women who meet one-on-one over coffee, uncovering lies and betrayal in the process. A complex character study, watch as the childhood friends slowly reveal more of their troubled relationships during what The Guardian calls a “60-minute jewel of a play.” Dock Street Theatre, 135 Church St. Times vary. $75-$25. (843)953-6340, www.spoletousa.org

Curated by James Beard award-winning pitmaster Rodney Scott and Culinary Institute of Charleston instructor Kevin Mitchell, the opening night celebration of Spoleto will offer an unforgettable evening. The event will highlight locally sourced ingredients and feature modern interpretations of traditional dishes from Senegal and other West and Central African countries, barbecue, and more. Union Station, 652A King St. Thursday, 7pm. $300. (843)953-6340, www.spoletousa.org

The opera Omar makes its much-anticipated world premiere at this year’s Spoleto Festival USA after two pandemic postponements. The work, which features music by Grammy Award-winner Rhiannon Giddens and composer Michael Abels, is based on the 1831 autobiography of Omar Ibn Said, a Muslim scholar who was forced to leave West Africa aboard a ship for Charleston, where he was sold and enslaved. The narrative shines a light on Said’s faith and his resistance to being defined or erased by his enslavers, ensuring his spirit lives on. Directed by Kaneza Schaal and conducted by John Kennedy, the production pushes the boundaries of the art form to include traditionally untold stories and unsung voices. College of Charleston Sottile Theatre, 44 George St. Days & times vary. $135-$45, (843) 579-3100, www.spoletousa.org

Experience 17 days and nights of unparalleled performances, including opera, chamber music, and modern dance, during Spoleto Festival USA, in its 46th season. In this visual adaptation of the 1851 novel by Herman Melville, artist Yngvild Aspeli creates a spell-binding narrative using seven actors, 50 puppets, and a true-to-size whale to retell the obsessive journey of a ship’s captain. Festival Hall, 56 Beaufain St. Friday-Tuesday, times vary. $65-$45. (843)724-1196, www.spoletousa.org

Head to the Caw Caw Interpretive Center to hear the calls of the animal kingdom. Listen for frogs, owls, and other nocturnal critters, and learn about the sounds they make as a master naturalist guides participants through the park during twilight hours. Caw Caw Interpretive Center, 5200 Savannah Hwy. Ravenel. Friday, 6:30-8:30pm. $9. (843)795-4386, www.ccprc.com

One of Spoleto’s signature series, this classical music presentation offers 11 programs with pieces ranging from the pre-17th century to modern works. Special guests this season include the London-based Castalian String Quartet, recorder-player Tabea Debus, and the series’ first saxophonist, Steven Banks, along with returning local players. Dock Street Theatre, 1008 Ocean Blvd., Isle of Palms. Friday-Tuesday, times vary. $75-$50. (843)577-8596, www.spoletousa.org

Celebrated choreographer Reggie Wilson leads the Fist and Heel Performance Group through Power, a look at Shaker worship practices and those of the African diaspora through a “post-African/neo-HooDoo modern dance” lens. The show features a varied soundtrack, including The Staple Singers, Bessie Jones, and the Georgia Sea Island Singers. College of Charleston Sottile Theatre, 44 George St. Saturday, 7pm; Sunday, 2pm & 8pm. $98-$58. (843)953-6340, www.spoletousa.org

Yacht Rock Revue has risen from performing in bars to headlining sold-out shows with respected artists such as John Oats and the late Eddie Money. Head to The Windjammer to hear raucous tunes inspired by sounds of the ‘70s and ‘80s. The Windjammer, 1008 Ocean Blvd., Isle of Palms. Sunday & Monday, 6pm. $30. (843)886-8596, www.the-windjammer.com

Stories of belonging and the resilience of marginalized peoples come to life in this intimate new work starring internationally renowned tenor Karim Sulayman. Pieces of classical European opera music from the early Baroque period are stitched together through song and dance, exploring the Holy Wars through an Arab American lens. Dock Street Theatre, 1008 Ocean Blvd., Isle of Palms. Sunday, 7:30pm. $115-$25. (843)577-8596, www.spoletousa.org

Embrace an evening of meditative music with pianist Nduduzo Makhathini, a traditional Zulu healer whose spirituality is deeply interwined with improvisational performances. Taking influence from legendary South African jazz musicians and the American jazz canon, Makhathini plays cross-continental, multilayered grooves. College of Charleston Cistern Yard, 66 George St. Monday, 9pm. $60-$36. (843)953-6340, www.spoletousa.org

Since 1983, American rock band Phish has grown a dedicated fan base with their musical improvisation and jam sessions. Phishheads can expect to hear hit songs from albums Sigma Oasis, Billy Breathes, and Farmhouse. Credit One Stadium, 161 Seven Farms Dr. Tuesday, 6:30pm. $400-$299. (843)856-7900, www.creditonestadium.com

Explore the Lowcountry’s rich sports history through The Charleston Museum’s collection of images. The exhibit includes images from the museum’s archives dating back to the 1800s, with historic photographs of Lowcountry athletes participating in a variety of professional and amateur sports. The Charleston Museum, 360 Meeting St. Monday-Saturday, 9am-5pm; Sunday, noon-5pm. $25-$5. (843)722-2996, www.charlestonmuseum.org

President Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal programs famously put millions of Americans back to work in the 1930s, including thousands of struggling artists with his Federal Art Project. See the challenges and achievements of these artists at the Gibbes Museum of Art, one of a few places in the country with a collection of the project’s prints. Gibbes Museum of Art, 135 Meeting St. Monday-Saturday, 10am-5pm; Sunday, 1-5pm. $12-$6. (843)722-2706, www.gibbesmuseum.org

Born in Florence, South Carolina, William H. Johnson was a Black 20th-century artist. Wanting to “paint his own people,” Johnson created a series to honor Black people who fought for racial justice and social equality, from unsung heroes such as teachers to historic figures such as Harriet Tubman. Inspired by his travels to New York, Europe, and Africa, Johnson experimented with a variety of art styles and mediums, creating a collection with more than 1,000 works of art that’s being presented for the first time in his home state. Gibbes Museum of Art, 135 Meeting St. Monday-Saturday, 10am-5pm; Sunday, 1-5pm. $12-$6. (843)722-2706, www.gibbesmuseum.org

William Eggleston began photographing the world around him in the 1950s in black-and-white film and became one of the first fine art photographers to use color, capturing vivid images of billboards, storefronts, diners, and other ordinary artifacts in striking detail. Taken from the Laura and Jay Crouse Collection, these photographs represent many of the pioneering and most notable works of William Eggleston. Gibbes Museum of Art, 135 Meeting St. Monday-Saturday, 10am-5pm; Sunday, 1-5pm. $12-$6. (843)722-2706, www.gibbesmuseum.org

Colombian American artist Nancy Friedemann-Sánchez’s “Casta Painting” series confronts ongoing racial and social discrimination found both in America and her home country. Mixed-race stereotypes are represented by life-size paintings of female bodies wearing masks from Latin America and the Caribbean. Halsey Institute of Contemporary Art, 161 Calhoun St., Monday-Saturday, 11am-4pm; Thursday, 11am-7pm. Free. (843)953-4422, www.halsey.cofc.edu

The Halsey Institute of Contemporary Art debuts Peruvian American artist Kukuli Velarde’s “Corpus” project in its entirety for the first time. “Corpus” consists of 15 detailed and thought-provoking ceramic sculptures, each with a matching tapestry, symbolizing the annual Corpus Christi festival in Cusco, Peru. Velarde’s project confronts Peru’s Spanish colonial past and portrays the nation’s resilience. Halsey Institute of Contemporary Art, 161 Calhoun St., Monday-Saturday, 11am-4pm; Thursday, 11am-7pm. Free. (843)953-4422, www.halsey.cofc.edu

One of Spoleto’s signature series, this classical music presentation offers 11 programs with pieces ranging from the pre-17th-century to modern works. Special guests this season include the London-based Castalian String Quartet, recorder-player Tabea Debus, and the series’ first saxophonist, Steven Banks, along with returning local musicians. Dock Street Theatre, 135 Church St. Daily, 11am & 1pm. $75-$50. (843)577-8596, www.spoletousa.org

Stories of belonging and the resilience of marginalized peoples come to life in this intimate new work, exploring the Holy Wars through an Arab American lens and starring internationally renowned tenor Karim Sulayman. Pieces of classical European opera music from the early Baroque period are stitched together through song and dance in this Spoleto performance. Dock Street Theatre, 135 Church St. Dates & times vary. $115-$25. (843)577-8596, www,spoletousa.org

Spoleto Festival USA welcomes multi-instrumentalist, poet, and activist Allison Russell, who released her three-time Grammy-nominated debut solo album Outside Child in 2021. The Canadian singer-songwriter has performed as a member of the music groups Po’ Girl, Birds of Chicago, and Our Native Daughters. College of Charleston Cistern Yard, 66 George St. Wednesday, 9pm. $60-$36. (843)577-8596, www.spoletousa.org

The opera Omar made its much-anticipated world premiere at this year’s Spoleto Festival USA after two pandemic postponements. The work, which features music by Grammy Award-winner Rhiannon Giddens and composer Michael Abels, is based on the 1831 autobiography of Omar Ibn Said, a Muslim scholar who was forced to leave West Africa aboard a ship for Charleston, where he was sold and enslaved. The narrative shines a light on Said’s faith and his resistance to being defined or erased by his enslavers, ensuring his spirit lives on. College of Charleston Sottile Theatre, 44 George St. Dates & times vary. $135-$45, (843) 579-3100, www.spoletousa.org

This riveting production marks the US premiere of Irish playwright Mark O’Rowe’s latest work during Spoleto Festival USA 2022. The Approach tells the story of three women who meet one-on-one over coffee, uncovering lies and betrayal in the process. Watch this complex character study as the childhood friends slowly reveal more of their troubled relationships during what The Guardian calls a “60-minute jewel of a play.” Dock Street Theatre, 135 Church St. Dates & times vary. $75-$25. (843)577-8596, www.spoletousa.org

After a two-year hiatus, the iFiveK returns, starting and finishing at the newly completed Charleston Tech Center downtown. In addition to the run, neighboring restaurants and bars, including Revelry, Edmund’s Oast Brewing Co., Kickin’ Chicken, and Crust, will provide specials and discounts for participants after the race. Proceeds support the Charleston Digital Corridor’s Diversity initiatives. Charleston Tech Center, 997 Morrison Dr. Saturday, 6:30pm. $35. (843)607-1264, www.ifivek.com

Practice relaxing exercises under the moonlight as a local yogi guides participants of all skill levels through mindful movements and positions. Register to secure a spot and receive a glow-in-the-dark prize. Folly Beach County Park, 1100 W. Ashley Ave., Folly Beach. Thursdays, 7:30-8:30pm. $10. (843)795-4386, www.ccprc.com

In celebration of 41 years on the road, Americana singer-songwriter Robert Earl Keen continues his North American tour with a stop in the Holy City. A Houston native, Keen has 21 records to his name and has been inducted into the Texas Heritage Songwriters’ Hall of Fame. Hear classics such as “I’m Coming’ Home” and “Gringo Honeymoon.” Charleston Music Hall, 37 John St. Saturday, 7pm, $73. (843)853-2252, www.charlestonmusichall.com

Directed by Neel Keller, this gripping drama is based on interviews from the aftermath of the 2014 shooting of teenager Michael Brown. Until the Flood is written and performed by Dael Orlandersmith, who brings eight radically different characters to life through real conversations conducted with Ferguson community members, confronting the powerful forces of history, race, and politics. Festival Hall, 56 Beaufain St. Friday-Monday, times vary. $50-$35. (843)724-1196, www.spoletousa.org

More than 30 of the country’s most gifted choristers unite for the Spoleto Festival USA Chorus’s inaugural debut under conductor Joe Miller. Hear ecclesiastical pieces by famed composers, including Johannes Brahms and Josef Rheinberger, paired with poetic part-songs from English writers such as Edward Elgar, Robert Lucas Pearsall, and Benjamin Britten. St. Matthew‘s Lutheran Church, 405 King St. Friday & Saturday, 5pm. $55-$40. (843)571-4343, www.spoletousa.org

Art galleries in the French Quarter open their doors for the Charleston Gallery Association’s monthly art walks. Venues such as Grit & Grace and Mary Martin Galleries of Fine Art showcase local and national works in a variety of styles, sizes, and mediums, including painting, sculpture, photography, and handcrafted gifts. Locations vary. Friday, 5-8pm. Free. www.charlestongalleryassociation.com

Head to the Village Green at Freshfields Village each Friday for a free outdoor concert featuring local musicians. Guests are encouraged to bring their own lawn chairs and blankets to hear beach music, Motown, country, and more. Freshfields Village, 165 Village Green Ln., Kiawah Island. Fridays, 6-9pm. Free. (843)768-6491, www.freshfieldsvillage.com

Join violist and jazz vocalist Alva Anderson for a delightful evening of soulful music during this monthly concert series. Anderson, who has toured internationally and played with leading orchestras, creates a set that blends jazz, blues, and folk songs from around the world. Forte Jazz Lounge, 477 King St. Thursday, 7-9pm. $30-$20. (843)637-4931, www.fortejazzlounge.com