Carolina Crown 2026 Program: ‘The Doors of Perception’

“If the doors of perception were cleansed,
everything would appear to [one] as it is . . . Infinite.”
– William Blake

Carolina Crown’s 2026 program, The Doors of Perception, delivers a transformation from ordinary consciousness to expanded awareness and universal connectedness. Inspired by the writings of Aldous Huxley and William Blake, the show offers a cosmic visual aesthetic with a multitude of shifting doors to represent the contrast between filtered and unfiltered perception. Musically, the repertoire develops from the structure and restraint of Renaissance and Baroque influences to increasingly immersive contemporary sound worlds, ultimately revealing a robust spectrum of genres, textures, and emotional experiences. Through shifting visual environments, evolving musical language, and vivid theatrical design, the production invites audiences to consider what exists beyond the limits of individual perception and to experience deeper spiritual enlightenment and existential totality.

Musical selections include:

A Gabrieli Fantasy — Bert Appermont

Divertimento — Matt Hightower

Abblasen — Gottfried Reiche

Ranjani — Varijashree Venugopal & Michael League

Ave Maria — Franz Schubert

Extreme Make-Over — Johan de Meij

Break on Through (To the Other Side) — The Doors

People Are Strange — Jim Morrison and Robby Krieger

Riders on the Storm — The Doors

The End — The Doors

Original Music — Michael Klesch, Clif Walker, Joe Hobbs, Michael Martin