In response to overwhelming demand, Spoleto Festival USA will present a free simulcast of the sold-out program George + George.

Presented as part of the nationwide America 250 commemoration and in partnership with SC250 and SC250 Charleston, this simulcast expands access to one of the Festival’s most in-demand events. Audiences are invited to experience the program in a shared, public setting—extending the reach of the live performance beyond the theater and into the broader community.

George + George

The world premiere of George + George brings Festival favorites Denis O’Hare and Lisa Peterson back to Charleston for their third Spoleto collaboration. A comedic romp through the American Revolution, this inventive new work unfolds as a lively staged reading.

Set at Valley Forge in 1778, George Washington rallies his ragtag troops by staging a forbidden British play—Addison’s Cato—to boost morale. As soldiers audition for roles (and persuade Washington himself to take the lead), rehearsals collide with the realities of war. Meanwhile, a surprising twist: King George III, having learned of the illicit production of his favorite play, decides to attend incognito—curious to meet his revolutionary counterpart and perhaps settle the conflict once and for all.

With sharp humor and theatrical flair, George + George playfully reimagines the founding era and the enduring ideals of democracy.

Attendance at all events is subject to the Festival security policy.