Assistant mayor Rod Blackstone believes the Squonk Opera's "Charleston - The Opera" will be the thing that gets people talking during this year's FestivALL.

At a press conference at City Hall on Thursday, Blackstone said, "Last year, the big buzz was the chalk artist. This year, 'Charleston - The Opera' will be the thing everyone will ask, 'Did you see that?'"

The Squonk Opera troupe is in town this week, recording interviews with Charleston residents, working with local schools such as Piedmont Elementary and arts groups, including the River City Youth Ballet, to create a production meant to celebrate the city.

"Charleston - The Opera," while not really an opera, will include both recorded and live performances of original songs, dance, visual art, interviews and stagecraft.

The show will be performed twice Saturday, June 21, at the Cultural Center Theater. Show times are at 3 and 8 p.m.

Jackie Dempsey, one of the artistic directors and composer for the Squonk Opera says "Charleston - The Opera" will be based on a series the group has been performing the last two years called "(put your hometown's name here): The Opera."

"This is, I believe, our 11th city," she said. "We're exploring, checking out the sights, getting to know the city."

After the group is finished with their residency, they will assemble sound, video and animation, write song lyrics and choreograph a stage presentation to bring back to Charleston for the 90-minute show.

Assistant mayor Rod Blackstone believes the Squonk Opera's "Charleston - The Opera" will be the thing that gets people talking during this year's FestivALL.

At a press conference at City Hall on Thursday, Blackstone said, "Last year, the big buzz was the chalk artist. This year, 'Charleston - The Opera' will be the thing everyone will ask, 'Did you see that?'"

The Squonk Opera troupe is in town this week, recording interviews with Charleston residents, working with local schools such as Piedmont Elementary and arts groups, including the River City Youth Ballet, to create a production meant to celebrate the city.

"Charleston - The Opera," while not really an opera, will include both recorded and live performances of original songs, dance, visual art, interviews and stagecraft.

The show will be performed twice Saturday, June 21, at the Cultural Center Theater. Show times are at 3 and 8 p.m.

Jackie Dempsey, one of the artistic directors and composer for the Squonk Opera says "Charleston - The Opera" will be based on a series the group has been performing the last two years called "(put your hometown's name here): The Opera."

"This is, I believe, our 11th city," she said. "We're exploring, checking out the sights, getting to know the city."

After the group is finished with their residency, they will assemble sound, video and animation, write song lyrics and choreograph a stage presentation to bring back to Charleston for the 90-minute show.

"It's a lot of visual spectacles," Dempsey added. 

Formed in Pittsburgh in 1992, the Squonk Opera is a group of interdisciplinary performance artists mixing medias to create sometimes strange, sometimes startling theatrical productions. The group has performed across the country and internationally, recently finishing a similar project in Korea.

FestivALL director Larry Groce said part of what makes this show so special is proximity.

"This thing will be created here. It's site specific, about the city with local people and local interest. It moves pretty fast and you get two chances to catch the show."

Tickets for the 3 and 8 p.m. showings are $25 and available through the Clay Center box office. Call 561-3570 or www.theclaycenter.org.

"Charleston - The Opera" is presented by Dixon Hughes and is supported by grants from The Greater Kanawha Valley Foundation and Pennsylvania Performing Arts on tour, a program developed and funded by the Heinz Endowments, the William Penn Foundation, the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, the Pew Charitable Trusts, and administered by Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation.

If you go: Tickets for the 3 and 8 p.m. showings of Squonk Opera's "Charleston - The Opera" are $25 and available through the Clay Center box office. Call 561-3570 or www.theclaycenter.org.

To contact staff writer Bill Lynch, use e-mail or call 348-5195.