High resolution images are below

Pressroom

• Media Contacts
• Press Releases
• ETV Management Team
• Logo Farm
• ETV Style Guidelines
• Stock Photos

South Carolina ETV

• About ETV
• History of ETV
• Testimonials
• Annual Reports
• Schedule a Tour
• Weather Center
• Contact Us

Stay Connected

ETV Goes Behind the Scenes with the “Carolina Stories” Documentary “Backstage Pass!”

For Immediate Release
July 23, 2009

Columbia, SC...Myrtle Beach, one of America’s top-rated tourist attractions, boasts bustling beaches and world-class golf courses. But the popular destination is also host to award-winning theatrical productions, one of the engines that drives economic growth in the coastal city.

On Thursday, Aug. 27 at 8 p.m., ETV spotlights some of the biggest shows at the Grand Strand, revealing what it takes to draw huge crowds night after night during these fiscally-challenging times.

The brand new Carolina Stories documentary, “Backstage Pass!,” gives viewers a glimpse inside the production process for these shows. From talent casting and demanding rehearsal schedules, to training medieval knights and coaching dogs to march single file on their hind legs, this hour-long documentary goes behind the scenes to meet the folks who make it happen.

Theaters spotlighted in this entertaining program include:

• The Carolina Opry – Entertainment visionary and patriarch, Calvin Gilmore, shares the remarkable 23-year history of this ground-breaking theater. Host to two shows, The Carolina Opry and Good Vibrations, the popular venue offers a rich variety of music. The segment also takes an in-depth look at the rehearsal process, and then sneaks a peek into the dressing room as performers ready themselves for the 2009 season.

• The Alabama Theatre – While this theater was founded by the award-winning country band Alabama in July 1993, the show is actually written and conceived by Gaylord Entertainment out of Nashville, TN. Contrary to popular belief, the performances are not all country but span many genres including bluegrass, Broadway, country, pop, gospel and music from the 50's 60's & 70's. This segment takes a look at the technical aspects of the show including moving set pieces and a trolley system which transports actors to the stage.

• The Palace Theatre: Le Grande Cirque & The Magical Spirit of Ireland – The Palace Theatre, located in the heart of Myrtle Beach, is home to Le Grand Cirque as well as The Magical Spirit of Ireland, and features a cast of 50 world-class acrobats, jugglers and performers from China, Russia, and Europe.
  
  “Backstage Pass!” follows the Irish dancers who perform in Le Grande Cirque and Dennis Ignatov, the animal trainer and sixth-generation circus performer who works with “Russian-speaking” dogs. The show also visits with Carol Shiu, the “den mother,” who welcomes the Chinese performers each January and assists them with weekly errands around town during their year-long residency in Myrtle Beach.

• Legends in Concert – Seeing is believing and this is the place where the stars shine. But these are no ordinary celebrity impersonators. The men and women who perform nightly are hand-picked from Las Vegas as the best of the best. From the likes of Elvis, The Blues Brothers, Reba McEntire, Louis Armstrong, Elton John, and Donna Summer, these show-stoppers entertain thousands of Surfside Beach visitors each year.
  
  At this point in the program, ETV gets chummy with several faux celebs, later revealing their transformation into megastar dead-ringers for their live evening performances.

• Medieval Times - Believe it or not, most of the talent in this show is local. In fact, one of the electricians who helped wire the theater quit his job to become a knight. Princesses are most often played by local college students, and anyone can wear the shining armor or be a damsel in distress if they can make it through training.
  
  This portion of the documentary reveals what it takes to be a knight, and goes behind the scenes to learn the trick to being medieval in this day and age.

South Carolina ETV is the state's public educational broadcasting network with 11 television and eight radio transmitters, and a multi-media educational system in more than 2,500 schools, colleges, businesses and government agencies. Using television, radio and the web, SCETV's mission is to enrich lives by educating children, informing and connecting citizens, celebrating our culture and environment and instilling the joy of learning.

###

For more information, contact Rob Schaller at (803) 737-6556 or rschaller@scetv.org.

Legends in Concert: The Blues Brothers. Photo courtesy of Legends in Concert in Surfside Beach.

Medieval Times cheering trio. Photo courtesy of Medieval Times

ONE The Show featured at The Alabama Theatre in Myrtle Beach. Photo courtesy of The Alabama Theatre.

Carolina Opry's Good Vibrations. Photo courtesy of Carolina Opry.