It’s hard for those who have moved to Bluffton in the past few years to truly understand what this place was like in 2002 when Jodie and Ed Dupuis first launched May River Theatre. If you had asked anyone back then, they would have said this new venture was an example of Bluffton’s incredible growth. Back then, we even had the gall to label that growth “explosive.”
Against this backdrop of a small town that suddenly felt big, May River Theatre raised its curtain for the first time. Jodie, a former dancer who’d toured the country with theatre luminaries like George Abbott, paired her natural talent and love of the stage with husband Ed’s business savvy to give this small town a theatre experience that was, in their own words, “anything but amateur.”
Mrs. Lovett’s Oven and Sweeney Todd’s Chair – Partners in crime as the choreography of revenge develops in Act 2 of the musical.
Twenty-four years later, with the “explosive” growth of the early 2000s now sounding more like the starter pistol on a sprint toward our mini-metropolitan present, it seems everything is bigger. Everything, that is, except the modest theatre space tucked away in Ulmer Auditorium, inside Bluffton Town Hall, that still serves as May River Theatre’s home.
With every production, they’ve proven that it’s not the size of the stage. It’s what you do with it. As we sat down with Elizabeth Schlieger, board chair for May River Theatre, they had just finished their production of Sweeney Todd, which she called “a pinnacle of all of our designers coming together and creating something visually beautiful.”
“It was a great balance between our sets, our costumes, our lighting, our projections … it really created this other space that you get lost in,” she said. “That’s where we’ve taken this theatre and it’s indicative of where we’re pushing it toward.”
Showing the 3D set design created by Elizabeth Schlieger and the physical set built by Cindy Palko.
Schlieger started working with the theatre in 2018, while teaching visual art at the high school level. At first, it was a way for her to put her extensive experience in community and school theatre to work for the community. When she stepped into a leadership role, surrounded by a working board whom you’ll often find swinging hammers, sewing costumes, and painting sets, she saw an opportunity to expand on the original mission to create a “community theatre with a professional attitude.”
“When I first got involved … multiple local theatres were producing the same shows that targeted similar audiences, leaving an opportunity to develop seasons that included shows that would engage diverse audiences,” she said.
That meant widening the scope of what May River Theatre could offer, with Broadway standards, musicals, and plays like Sweeney Todd, Cabaret and The Glass Menagerie sharing the space with more contemporary productions like Rent, Heathers the Musical, and The Full Monty. Their current season continues that thread with shows like Young Frankenstein (October 30-November 15) joining Broadway’s La Cage aux Folles and off-Broadway gems Intimate Apparel and Savannah Sipping Society (September 4-13).
Naomi LaRonde-King and Beca Salgado – Image captures the complexity of working in the garment industry as a black woman in 1900’s New York City. Conceptual set where fabric and costuming were critical elements of the final product.
“We’re always looking for the next opportunity to elevate the experience through both thematic and visual storytelling,” Schlieger said. “We like challenging audiences to step outside their comfort zones, and there’s a lot to look forward to as we’re in the middle of planning our 25th Anniversary Season. This pivotal season will feature five mainstage productions, special events, and celebrations throughout the year.”
The new creative energy that May River Theatre’s board has brought to each production isn’t just attracting new audiences who might otherwise have never experienced a show in Ulmer Auditorium. With more high-profile shows has come increased interest from the vast talent pool of performers who call the Lowcountry home.
“Looking at this season, La Cage was a balance of performers who have and haven’t done shows at MRT. And then, with our spring play, Intimate Apparel, we had both a new director and a cast composed mainly of new-to-MRT performers,” Schlieger said. “Additionally, Sweeney Todd‘s balance included four performers from Savannah. Beyond the many amazing performers from Bluffton, we have cast members from Beaufort to Hilton Head Island, while also drawing from as far away as Savannah and Charleston.”
La Cage Aux Folles – Cagelles. This show had 120+ costumes and over 50 wigs.
Yes, May River Theatre has grown over the past few years – perhaps not as literally as the town it serves has grown in the same timeframe, but grown in the sense that what it does, what it represents, has expanded immensely. Like the town that surrounds it, no amount of growth can hamper the spirit of community that has always defined May River Theatre.
Just around the corner on Calhoun Street, Okan not only hosts cast parties, they also offer 10% off your meal with a ticket to a show as part of their sponsorship. Executive Barber Lounge owner Paddy Myers, who has been a staunch supporter and regular cast member in shows all over the Lowcountry for years, gave away tickets to Sweeney Todd as part of a contest. The community has come together, as it has always done, to support May River Theatre. Because no matter what else might change, both on that stage and in the town surrounding it, this is still our hometown theatre.
Tickets for the final two shows of the 2026 season, Savannah Sipping Society and Young Frankenstein, are available now. Visit mayrivertheatre.com to reserve your seat.