THE HOUSE I LIVE IN:
JOSH WHITE’S AMERICA
July 29 - August 9 | The Cristal Palace Spiegeltent | Greenville, SC
A world premiere musical. A Greenville legend. One extraordinary venue.
Be one of the first to witness the newest musical commissioned by SCNPF, written by Donnetta Lavinia Grays.
Directed by Tamilla Woodard, Musical Direction by Wesley Hix
Sponsored by:
Bunny and Bob Hughes | Lillian and Henry Parr | The Peace Center
THE STORY
A Greenville Boy Who Changed American Music.
Born right here in Greenville, Josh White grew up leading blind street musicians through the Upstate before rising to national fame in the 1930s and '40s. He became the first Black artist to sell a million records, shared stages with Billie Holiday, Woody Guthrie, and Duke Ellington at legendary New York venues like Café Society — the nation's first integrated nightclub — and became a pioneer of the civil rights movement before the House Un-American Activities Committee tried to silence him.
Now, his story is coming home.
Three Years. One Community. A Story Only Greenville Could Tell.
SCNPF commissioned award-winning playwright Donnetta Lavinia Grays and spent three years facilitating original research and interviews with Josh White's family members, local historians, and Greenville community leaders to create a work rooted in the real voices of the people who knew him and the city that shaped him.
Several of those who shared their stories — including civil rights activist Ruth Ann Butler, community leader Mary Duckett, and Josh White Jr. — passed away during the creation of this project. The House I Live In immortalizes their voices on stage.
Directed by Tamilla Woodard · Musical Direction by Wesley Hix
This is SCNPF's first-ever full production — and you can only see it here.
Wed, July 29 · 7:00 PM
From $10
→Thu, July 30 · 7:00 PM
From $65
→Fri, July 31 · 8:00 PM
From $35
→Sat, August 1 · 2:00 PM
From $35
→Sat, August 1 · 8:00 PM
From $35
→Sun, August 2 · 3:00 PM
From $35
→Sun, August 2 · 7:00 PM
From $35
→Wed, August 5 · 7:00 PM
From $30
→Thu, August 6 · 7:00 PM
From $30
→Fri, August 7 · 8:00 PM
From $35
→Sat, August 8 · 2:00 PM
From $35
→Sun, August 9 · 3:00 PM
From $35
→SHOW TIMES
VENUE
Cristal Palace
The Cristal Palace is a historic Belgian Spiegeltent — a hand-built traveling venue of inlaid oak floors, hundreds of faceted mirrors, stained glass, and a velvet canopy. Only a handful of these "mirror tents" still exist in the world, and one of them is coming to Greenville.
Erected on the lawn outside New Realm Brewing, the Cristal Palace will transport you to the world of the play — evoking the smoky glamour of Café Society, the legendary 1930s New York nightclub where Josh White first made his name. The full bar inside the tent will be open before and after every performance.
There is nothing like this in Greenville. There is nothing like this in the Southeast.
MORE TO DISCOVER
The SC New Play Festival runs August 7–9 with free outdoor performances, new play readings starring Broadway actors, a Live Arts Fair on Main Street, and a Broadway Cabaret starring Drew Gehling (& Juliet).
Become a VIP, a $150 donation guarantees early access to tickets to all Staged Readings