Buxton’s East Bay Theatre shuttered

Aw, now this is a pity. From the City Paper's A&E Blog:

Venue News: Buxton’s East Bay Theatre shuttered

The former site of ghost storytelling, the Magnolia Singers, and many Piccolo Spoleto concerts, Buxton’s East Bay Theatre, a tiny nook seating about 70 at the most, closed in December.

Owner Julian T. Buxton III told me the reason was financial. He couldn’t meet the cost of a lease held by the Southeastern Management Group. The theater was built in 2005 using 40 seats from the old Garden Theatre on King Street (currently occupied by an Urban Outfitters).

The seats have now been sold to a “guy living on Edisto,” Buxton told me, “for his own private theater.” Chad Yonce, of Southeastern Management Group, told me the space is being turned into — what else? — condos.

“I’m sad to see it go,” Buxton said.

In its inaugural year, I co-directed a play at the theatre called Christmas in Charlestowne, and visited it last year to discuss a multimedia ghost production.

I've also attended Piccolo shows there like Hobo: The Musical and Paul Thomas: Late Bloomer, where the performers made great use of the modest space.

I also filmed Pirates! The Revenge of Colonel Rhett at the East bay Theatre. This inventive show is making a welcome return at the Charleston Convention Center.

Like Buxton, I'm sad to see it closed. It's yet another example of the arts being squuezed out of downtown Charleston by rising rent costs. For shame!