Dock Street Theatre, Charleston

Charleston likes to claim a few firsts, and here’s a theatrical one worth remembering. Back in January 1735, long before New York's Broadway had anything to brag about, a traveling troupe staged The Orphan right inside the city courtroom. Yes—courtroom by day, drama by night. The audience loved it, the applause stuck, and just like that, the idea of a proper theater took hold, eventually leading to the creation of the Dock Street Theatre.

Jump ahead a couple of centuries—and a few plot twists—and the theater you see today is the result of a careful, and not exactly modest, revival. After a three-year, $19-million restoration, it reopened in 2010 for the third time in its long life. Set just across from the French Huguenot Church and within sight of St. Philip's Episcopal Church, the building carries a slightly European air, with subtle French touches that give it a quiet, artsy confidence.

Today, the theater keeps busy with a full annual season by its resident company and has hosted a steady stream of events, including performances tied to the Spoleto Festival USA. Even if you’re not planning to sit through a show, it’s worth stepping inside. The restored interior is part stage, part time capsule—so, feel free to wander into the lobby, ask nicely, and take a look around.