Holy City Arts & Lyric Opera (HALO) is off and running in its 5th Season. From humble origins as ‘a pair of singers, a piano, and a pickup truck,’ HALO has blossomed into a flourishing nonprofit arts organization dedicated to uniting communities through innovative and inclusive artistic experiences.
Over the last four years, HALO has presented four large-scale productions in unconventional spaces including a baseball stadium and an artillery battery, intimate concerts at iconic Charleston venues like Dock Street Theatre and Charleston Library Society, and hundreds of mobile concerts across the Lowcountry, touching the lives of more than 25,000 residents. Employing a combination of visiting and local talent, HALO has been a vehicle for aspiring singers to make their professional stage debuts alongside Tony and Grammy Award-winning artists, and has served as a building block for industry veterans to make the next big step in their careers.
This year, HALO has formed partnerships with organizations at two locations—Battery Gadsden on Sullivan’s Island and St. Johannes Lutheran Church in downtown Charleston—establishing consistent performance venues, as well as rehearsal and audition spaces throughout the year.
“As a performer, to be invited back to a company is the biggest compliment one can receive.” says Leah Edwards, HALO’s General Director. “As an organization, to be welcomed by two venues to work collaboratively is an immense and humbling privilege. We are eager to grow together in order to better serve our artists and audiences.”
HALO events offer more than entertainment. They open minds to possibility, connect to the goodness and pureness of the simple things that actually make a difference in the lives of strangers, friends, and neighbors. HALO weaves together community. HALO strives to make Charleston even more spectacular by illuminating the magic of the arts and by building a new model: one in which everyone can participate, live, learn, and love.
For a catalog of past performances and to purchase tickets for upcoming events, visit www.holycityarts.org. To stay up to date with HALO happenings and to find out how you can be involved, sign up to receive the newsletter. HALO is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and donations are tax-deductible to the full extent of the law.
2024/25 SEASON
SEPTEMBER 15, 2024: Sidney Outlaw & Warren Jones In Recital @ St. Johannes Lutheran Church. Acclaimed baritone and world-renowned pianist kick off HALO’s fifth season as a part of their US recital tour.
OCTOBER 24 & 26, 2024: The Medium @ Battery Gadsden. Giancarlo Menotti’s intense and dramatic one-act tells the story of Madame Flora, a hack medium whose life changes when she encounters a supernatural presence.
DECEMBER 6, 2024 (additional dates and locations TBD): Carols by Candlelight @ St. Johannes Lutheran Church. Immerse yourself in a family-friendly atmosphere that creates a perfect setting for an evening of beloved sacred carols and Christmas chestnuts.
DECEMBER 14, 2024: (our) Home for the Holidays @ Leah & Dimitri’s. A multicultural musical celebration of winter traditions. Free community concert.
MARCH 12-16, 2025: Sweeney Todd @ Battery Gadsden. The demon barber returns to Sullivan’s Island in full glory. Stephen Sondheim’s intricate and haunting score masterfully blends dark humor, powerful drama, and memorable melodies.
MAY 4, 2025: Singers & Stanzas, Volume II @ St. Johannes Lutheran Church. Second installment of world premiere songs with new lyrics written by South Carolina poets. The concert also features other songs by living composers.
