See where the cougars and otters sleep overnight, meet black bears that are not commonly on display, learn the ins and outs of what it takes to care for the animals year-round, observe a training session and find out why the animals call Grandfather Mountain home.

Offered on weekends, April – October.

The November 1943 invasion of the Gilbert Islands was the beginning of the U.S. “island hopping” campaign in the central Pacific during World War II. U.S. commanders determined that amphibious attacks on Japanese-occupied islands was the key to victory. The island of Tarawa was the first target in the Allied campaign.

About 80 nautical miles north of the equator, Tarawa is the largest atoll of the Gilberts, a 16-island chain roughly halfway between Hawaii and Papua New Guinea. The Japanese seized the then-British-occupied isle just days after Japan’s December 7, 1941 attack at Pearl Harbor. Tarawa’s main island Betio, was the target of the Navy and Marine Corps in November of 1943.

The Battle of Tarawa, November 20-23, 1943, was the first major American offensive in the central Pacific. Until then, Americans hadn’t faced much opposition during amphibious assaults. But Tarawa was different. The initial landings by the 2nd Marine Division met a heavily fortified Japanese force.

Japanese Rear Admiral Meichi Shibasaki, said “a million Americans” wouldn’t be able to take Tarawa in “100 years.” Americans took Tarawa in 76 hours.

Few military battles have matched the concentrated ferocity of the three-day fight between U.S. and Japanese forces in November 1943 for a sandy sliver of land halfway between Pearl Harbor and the Philippines. The U.S. delivery of coordinated land, sea and air power brought a U.S. force of over 30,000 men, a 10-1 advantage over the Japanese.

Tarawa was an essential WWII stepping-stone across the Pacific. In what one combat correspondent called “the toughest battle in Marine Corps history,” U.S. Marines wrestled it away at a cost of more than 1,009 men. All but 17 of the 3,500 dug-in Japanese defenders were killed, along with 1,100 Korean slave laborers. The search for the missing bodies of more than 100 U.S. Marines buried on the island continues today.

The Upcountry History Museum in partnership with the U.S. Navy History and Heritage Command will commemorate the service and sacrifice of the U.S. Marines at the Battle of Tarawa through a special exhibition featuring original combat art by Kerr Eby who traveled with the Marines in the South Pacific and landed with the invasion force at Tarawa, photography, rare film footage and artifacts.

Proudly Sponsored by:
3M, Lockheed Martin, Greenville Heritage Federal Credit Union, WSPA Channel 7, Lima One Capital, and North American Rescue

See where the cougars and otters sleep overnight, meet black bears that are not commonly on display, learn the ins and outs of what it takes to care for the animals year-round, observe a training session and find out why the animals call Grandfather Mountain home.

Offered on weekends, April – October.

Then join us for a fun and physical virtual theatre class that combines reading, creative movement, acting, music, and art! In lively Zoom classes rooted in creative play and inspired by literature, students will explore improvisation, acting through movement, character development, and more. 

The Dave Hart Scholarship Fund was created in memory of Studio 52’s friend, artist, and educator Dave Hart.
​Dave believed that all students, no matter their background or resources, benefit from participating in theatre.

​​A small number of full and partial need-based scholarships are available upon application. 
Applications are due by September 4. Please fill out the Scholarship Application Form which includes basic student, guardian, and household information as well as a short written statement outlining the purpose and significance of a scholarship. Recipients will be notified via email by September 9.

Does your little kid have a big imagination and lots of energy? Then join us for a fun and physical virtual theatre class that combines reading, creative movement, acting, music, and art! In lively Zoom classes rooted in creative play and inspired by literature, students will explore improvisation, acting through movement, character development, and more. 

Mondays from 3 – 3:45 PM
Sep. 21 – Nov. 16
K – 2nd Grades
Weekly Zoom class
Instructor: Tania Battista
$150

Does your little kid have a big imagination and lots of energy? Then join us for a fun and physical virtual theatre class that combines reading, creative movement, acting, music, and art! In lively Zoom classes rooted in creative play and inspired by literature, students will explore improvisation, acting through movement, character development, and more. 

Mondays from 3 – 3:45 PM
Sep. 21 – Nov. 16
K – 2nd Grades
Weekly Zoom class
Instructor: Tania Battista
$150

Does your little kid have a big imagination and lots of energy? Then join us for a fun and physical virtual theatre class that combines reading, creative movement, acting, music, and art! In lively Zoom classes rooted in creative play and inspired by literature, students will explore improvisation, acting through movement, character development, and more.

Mondays from 3 – 3:45 PM
Sep. 21 – Nov. 16
K – 2nd Grades
Weekly Zoom class
Instructor: Tania Battista
$150Does your little kid have a big imagination and lots of energy? Then join us for a fun and physical virtual theatre class that combines reading, creative movement, acting, music, and art! In lively Zoom classes rooted in creative play and inspired by literature, students will explore improvisation, acting through movement, character development, and more. 

Mondays from 3 – 3:45 PM
Sep. 21 – Nov. 16
K – 2nd Grades
Weekly Zoom class
Instructor: Tania Battista
$150

Starting in 2020, every Monday is Student/Teacher Discount Night! All you have to do is show up with a valid work ID (teachers) or college ID (students over 21) and we’ll take 10% off your bill – that includes Haus Bites, beers, growlers, etc – only excludes gift cards!

Explore improvisation, characterization, voice and speech, costume design, and more as you create an original virtual play! With a combination of weekly in-person classes and one private 20-minute session with your instructor, students will develop, memorize, film, and share a video of their role in the play. At the end of the semester, each actor’s part will be edited together to create a virtual performance!

3rd – 5th Grades
Weekly Zoom class, one 20-minute private lesson
Instructors: Anna Kimmell, Tania Battista

Dive into the development of full and fun characters in this imaginative acting class where students learn about character creation and analysis. With an emphasis on improvisation, collaboration, and self-scripting, actors will leave feeling more confident making bold and specific choices on screen, on stage, and in life. At the end of the semester, actors will share their original characters in a one-of-a-kind virtual showcase.

Weekly Zoom class
Instructor: TJ Medel