The Asher Theatre and Conference Center

We saw Michael Bairefoot, and loved it. He was very entertaining and it was a family-friendly show. I laughed my butt off. The Asher theater was very nice and clean. Great seating and the staff was going out of there way to take care of you.

Because of all the glowing previous reviews, I was reluctant to write this one. However, I decided that the honest feedback might be helpful to James Stephens, Celebrity Performer & Owner. Based on comments by two friends, I was SO excited about going to the Fri, Dec 12, 2025, show & was expecting James Stephens to perform his “thousand voices” show for which he’s well known. Instead, the evening had essentially 4 performers & only the 2 singers, were enjoyable, and I would rate just them as 4-5 stars. The first performer consisted of a professional singer who had a lovely voice & sang several songs during the evening that moved the audience. The second act was performed by an older gentleman who was a rather outdated magician & comic. His jokes were offensive with references to the “short [school] bus,” elderly sex, blacks-whites, etc., His very elementary magic tricks ceased to amaze & needed a lot of work. Another gentleman stopped by & quickly performed one song quite well and was off. Then it was time for the headliner - James Stephens. Mr. Stephens was extremely hoarse & spent what little time that he was on the stage performing poor standup comedy that was riddled with references to sex & never-ending old black-white jokes that weren’t very humorous especially at a time when our state & country are so divided by race. He tried to weave in comments about God, which was done in a blatantly disrespectful way. (I noticed that, like me, some of the Pastors in the audience were not always laughing.) Mr. Stephens would tease us with a few phrases done in voices, & in his final minutes, he performed a bit of Ray Charles & Sammy Davis, Jr. However, it was obvious that his failure to perform his usual show was likely related to his hoarseness, & what he noted was a cheaper paying crowd when he stated, “You didn’t pay for that.” He talked about his upcoming Netflix special & encouraged us to come back the next day for the Motown show. He repeatedly told the audience that he couldn’t perform his usual “thousand voices” show because “You didn’t pay for that.” He also kept stating that it was time for him to finish up. We couldn’t understand why he repeatedly made these comments. It was only after the show that our friends, also in the audience, told us that they paid $3.99 for tickets & others may have even been invited for a free show! We think it was to fill up the room. This was obviously unfair to us because we paid full ticket price of about $70 well in advance of the show’s date. Mr. Stephens did state that his shows are different & not always the same. It would’ve been nice to have known this. Maybe it was just an off night, & we really wish we could’ve rated the show higher, but we were gravely disappointed. It was certainly not a family show or one that we can recommend, & because Mr. Stephens stated that his shows vary, we do not plan to return because we just wouldn’t know what to expect.

Whatever you do while you are in Myrtle Beach please 🙏🏾 go to the Asher theatre for the must see Motown show featuring James Stephens III. I wasn’t sure what to expect but I was willing to take a chance and I’m so happy I did. The show is under rated in my opinion . This show needs to be seen on a larger scale even though o loved the intimate setting. We were there for our 32nd anniversary and we left with a great book given to me by James and Asher t-shirts we purchased. What an awesome 👏🏾 show to see. Please support this greatness. James is so talented it’s unbelievable! I’m Lionel Richie 😂 😂 😂

Went to see a magic and comedy show. The whole act was great. The magic was awesome and the jokes never stop coming. Michael Bairefoot make sure to see him when at Myrtle Beach.

Attended the Asher Theater on 10/4 for the Motown 59 show. It was phenomenal! Professional vocal and comedic performances with audience participation. The performers created an environment of anticipation and delivered with clean laughs and artistic performances that brought me to my feet with Motown soul and comedy. This is a community venue and the Motown 59 show should not be missed when visiting Myrtle Beach. If the Beach is home or you live near, gather a group and go support this great community live entertainment for date night, girls night, old school friends and family night, or family reunions- this is the place to go! The foundation supports student of need in NC and SC. Be a part of performance Art and Philanthropy on the Grand Strand!

Hey Family, this is the only Black owned theater in Myrtle Beach SC, so let us show more support. We had our family Reunion, and took in two shows. This place is so beautiful and magnificent. Mr. Stephens has the best Motown Show that I have seen. I have been to a few in Las Vegas, Asher Theater is best!! The shows was enjoyable, amazing , and very entertaining. You can actually bring the whole family to show. My grandchildren said it was an awesome experience for them. If you live in Myrtle Beach or plan on visiting Myrtle Beach, go to Asher Theater and get your laugh, entertainment, and good times on. Go alone, couples, or group, but go and it will be one of your enjoyable and entertaining moments and memories. Thank you Mr. Stephens, check him out on YouTube and Ted Talks,🎉❤️🙏

James Stephen's III was a most amazing comedian. While on a Senior bus trip we didn't know what to expect. The man of a thousand voices proceeded to act out a fun amazing show. Some Seniors didn't check their filters at the door so he kept getting shout outs from the audience. BUT he rolled with it all the way. We laughed and laughed listening to his story. Please go to his show! He even contributes money from contributions to children programs.

I generally love The Asher. However, Sunday night's show of Sanford & Son Tribute was mediocre at best. The comedy was lacking.

If you are looking for a great show on the weekend, you won't go wrong here. I met James Stephens, III, as we arrived early for dinner and show reservations. Dinner was baked chicken, green beans, mac & cheese, cornbread, and a small slice of cake for dessert. The dinner price added to the ticket was minimal, so we decided to try it. It was good enough for us to add nutrition to our stomachs with no complaints. The Motown '59 show was surprisingly delightful! We didn't know what to expect. Stephens is genuinely a nonstop entertainer, but he periodically stopped long enough for others to shine. Our party of 7 enjoyed the show, which included a lot of comedy and laughter!

Love supporting local businesses. Very entertaining for the entire family. My family and I will definitely return again when we are in the area.

As local entertainment goes and our third show there all we can say is that you will not be disappointed by the performances and impromptu stuff that includes the audience. Last night for my wife's birthday we enjoyed the Motown 59 Show a review that included a beautifully rendition of A Rainy Night in Georgia honoring Brook Benton by his Grandson (?). The Review also included a Gloria Gaynor tribute of I Will Survive wrapped around the Motown songs we're all familiar with. Loved it all, staying as fans of The Asher Theater.

We went to the Motown show and it was very entertaining. Good music. We had the dinner, honestly it was not the best but the perk was you got great seats when you get the dinner option. I would definitely go back.

James Stephens III was AWESOME!!! Audience interaction was GREAT!!! We couldn't stop laughing!!! The Asher Theater is the place to be!!! Thank you for an unforgettable experience!!!

Enjoyed the Motown show last night. The singers were good and James Stephens is hilariously funny. I could easily have given the overall performance a 4.5 or even a solid 5.0, except that it seemed to really go downhill during the second-half of the show, which included a tribute to The Temptations and the Four Tops. Although we enjoyed the songs, the group spent entirely too much time focusing on comedy. I grew weary of the banter between the members of the group which was intended to be comedy, but after a few minutes it wasn't funny any longer and we really wanted to hear more singing and performing. By the end of the show I had had enough and couldn't wait to leave.

Don't let the location or outside appearance fool you! This place is truly a hidden gem. We went there for the Motown show the other night and had an absolutely amazing time. The staff were courteous and appeared to really enjoy their performances. Now the stage itself looks kinda cheap but it reminded me of some of the amazing clubs that I've been to over the years that put the money into their performances rather than props to try and cover up a stale show. If you've not got to a show here do yourself a favor and attend ASAP! We will be back for many of the future shows.

We were looking for dinner shows for our recent family vacation to Myrtle Beach, SC. My 12-year-old twins specifically chose this particular dinner show. We booked our tickets a week prior, we arrived to the location early and were the 4th family in line, much to our surprise we were assigned table number 13, oh how unlucky, as it was in the back corner of the room with a horrible view of the show. When we asked about it we were told the seats were assigned based on when people book. I know we weren't the last people to book the show as there were still tickets when I looked online again the day before and there were tables up to maybe 16, but they had a better view. We addressed it with the staff and they were unapologetic. It gets better! Not only did we have the worse seats in the house, but then there was dinner which consisted of a tiny piece of overcooked chicken, a tiny salad, a handful of soggy carrots, a dinner roll with no butter, and instant mashed potatoes, all cleverly disguised in a gravy sauce to discover just how disgusting it all was. This less than appetizing meal was topped off with a slice of Sarah Lee Strawberry cheesecake...mine was still frozen. They also served you one glass of water for the entire 3 hours you were there and never came back to refill your glass. Now on to the main event, the murder mystery..... The execution of the murder mystery which was a tiny portion of the show (I thought that was why we were all here) provided barely enough clues or time to adequately solve the mystery. It was basically 2 hours of mediocre song performances. The overall value of the show (We paid $200 for a family of 4) was not at all what I would expect, and I tried really hard to give them the benefit of the doubt. Save your money and perhaps go to The Pirates show. I didn't get to attend it because I spent my dinner show budget on this, but I have seen great reviews and I have attended Dolly Parton's other show, The Dixie Stampede and it is high quality. I also have attended Medieval Times and it too far surpasses this experience, both in food, service, seating, and the overall show experience. I give this a 1 out of 5 stars, but only because I can't give it a zero.

Was in town for a family reunion at a local resort. We saw this show on a local reel and decided it was worth a try. So we loaded up in three carloads and hit the spot for the Motown 59 show. Everyone from my 75 year old father to my 15 year old niece enjoyed the show....THOROUGHLY! I read a review about it being hard to follow. But I actually liked the originality of adding something more than songs to the show. You can do YouTube or Spotify if you just want to hear music. This was a SHOW! The talent was awesome. I wish them all success in the world in the future. Here is a guide to reconciling my review with other reviews that were poor. Everyone is entitled to an opinion, and nobody's is more valid than anyone else's, so here is some advice. 1. You don't eat ice cream after brushing your teeth. If you do, don't don't expect the ice cream to taste good. Go in here with a clean palate. It's not going to be what you expect. I can promise you that. 2. The focus of the show is on the talent, not the costumes. Let the music take you back...some of these people are probably wearing stuff they bought for themselves. 3. Don't expect a big production....again the focus is the talent. 4. Don't go with your ego...the MC is a comedian...he can and will roast you.

A group of us went to see the Motown and dinner show. The dinner was very disappointing. Small portions of every item. The dinner was served on plastic plates and with plastic silverware, it wasn't terrible, but nothing I would want again. The show was amateur at best. I think there was a lot of lip-synching going on. The costumes were ill fitting and not accurate to the era. There were a lot of performers with several tattoos, nose rings, tongue rings, male buns and we even had a Caucasian Marvin Gaye performer. The show was more comedy that it was a performance in my opinion. It was entertaining but not in the way that I expected. A lot of silly things going on and it was hard to keep up with everything.

A murder mystery dinner theater was on my bucket list, and the troupe at Asher's didn't disappoint. The food was delicious, and the story was entertaining. For the price - maybe a couple choices of beverages? Or at least a refill on water? You could go to the lobby and buy a bottle of pop and some popcorn. The acting was decent, a couple actors need to develop a little more believable venom in their voices. Overall, a very fun evening!

My wife and I thoroughly enjoyed the Motown 59' show. From beginning to end the entire staff and performers went out of their way to welcome us to the show. James Stephens III and the entire Asher Theater are trying to do great things in the community and it shows through their dedication to ensuring a great experience. You never get a second chance at a first impression and I have to say our first impression of the show and venue were simply OUTSTANDING! Thanks to the Asher Theater for supporting veterans and the community in such a positive way! Loved it!

Just returned from Myrtle Beach SC. If you're going, don't miss Motown59 at the Asher Events Center, featuring James Stevens III who is Lionel Richie and the consummate entertainer as well as Ronnie Spector tribute that she would be thrilled with and an eight-time Mr. Apollo that has an unbelievable voice, the best falsetto I have ever heard. Too many great performances to list them all, apologies for not being able to name more name.

I saw "Murder at the Cotton Club" at the Asher Theatre. It's a combination of music, comedy, and a murder mystery. The singing was good, the comedy funny, and the murder mystery part was pure cheese that didn't make a lot of sense. The food was good, but it would have been nice to have pitchers of water at the tables instead of having to get up and go to the snack stand for refills. The only thing they really need to change is to let the guests have some time to look in their shop. The host, James Stevens, repeatedly told us the proceeds from the sales of his items go to charity but you're allowed into the theater in small groups to hear clues, then at the end, hustled out through the store, both times without a chance to browse and buy anything. Overall, a fun night and I would do it again.

Went to Murder in the Circus last night. The whole night was not what I expected. There was singing and comedy and a true Who done it mystery. I highly recommend fixing to see this hidden gem in our community. Going back for the Motown show next Lobes this place

Absolutely amazingly beautiful venue with phenomenal acts in Myrtle Beach. I was blown away by the staff's kindness and the talent of the performers. A must visit! Especially if you're looking for something soulful

I attended the Murder Mystery at the Cotton Club a few weeks ago. The entertainment, entertainers, servers, and setting was fantastic;! I particularly enjoyed Paul Truelove...great voice and comedian/actor as well! Unfortunately the food was poor and the rubbery chicken was almost un-chewable! Strongly encourage management to get a better caterer. Even so, I recommend this place, if for no other reason than the excellent entertainment! Enjoy!!!

Was not impressed with this show at all. The 90 minutes was so at too long for the racial and political remarks. He is aware that he gets bad reviews for it but it must not make a difference to him. But I believe there are some good shows here,

Nice place. The entertainment hall was large and spacious. Comedians was great. Went during bikers weekend Memorial Day. Entertainers was funny. Love the pictures. They even serve popcorn, food and drinks during the show. Dress code. There really isn't one. Parking was good. Location was good too. Absolutely loved it. The owners and host was so nice. I definitely will go back again. Thanks for a good time.

Attended the Motown 59 Dinner and Show at this location. We had a great time! Good food and music. The owner James, the man with a 1000 voices, is very good and yes was very surprised by his singing. All of the singers were good. Loved the interaction with the audience. Would definitely come back to this show!!!

Went to the Murder Mystery at the Cotton Club. Was just ok and something to do. Hard to follow and didn't make a lot of sense. Singers were good, good costumes. Food was terrible, Chef Boyardee would have even been better and received a very small portion. Some kind of pasta but was supposed to be chicken. Need to have water on the table for those who don't like sweet tea. Wait staff was trying to get tables cleared off while we were still trying to watch the show and caused you to pay attention to them rather than show. Better options in Myrtle Beach to spend your money on.

The performers are pretty good. A few were amazing. The ambiance is awful. Plan on eating afterward. The "dinner" consisted of overcooked 1/4 of a chicken breast, cold potatoes, a grocery store roll and ice cold nasty vegetables. There was rotten lettuce in my "salad". I got the murder mystery answer correct but I wasn't detailed enough on the motive. "Spats" was wonderful.

Man of a Thousand Voices, Friday, April 8. Absolutely horrible! I went for the impressions, got very fee. The stand up was not funny, spent the ENTIRE show talking to to two children in the audience. The ONLY children in an audience full of adults. But yet he kept saying he wasn't doing his regular show. Isn't that what I paid for? Lastly, advertised as 730 to 1030, it was mercifully over at 9. I have had better entertainment on a cruise ship. This is the first time in my life I have truly wanted a refund.

Went to the Motown 59 show at the Asher Theater. Very entertaining. The performers are very talented. James Stephens the owner did the warm-up and was very funny. Going back to see James perform as the Man of a Thousand Voices.

My wife and I attended the "Who Dunnit" mystery Murder at the Cotton Club. It was very interactive, pleasant, and fun.

Wonderful murder mystery, kept you guessing until the end, and the performers really interacted with the guests and did a great job with their parts! The owner, James Stephens III, who played Spatz, was really funny and did everything, including helping to serve drinks. I would totally recommend this place if you're ever in myrtle beach!

If you're looking for a funny and entertaining show go to the Asher theater! Great food and murder mystery!

James Stephens III is a very gifted and engaging entertainer who cares so much about his guests and the Myrtle Beach community as a whole. He and his wife, Dr. Grace Stephens, are true humanitarians and people of faith! You won't be disappointed when you visit one of the shows hosted here.

THIS IS A GEM FOR MYRTLE BEACH!! The best live show I've seen in a minute!!! If you're into MoTown you better see this show. The cast are SO GOOD as they pay tribute to the biggest MoTown stars. Close your eyes if you can and you'll hear Aretha, Marvin Gaye, The Temptations, Tina and more and more. If you can sit still during this show you have no soul!!!! Can't wait to get back for the man of 1000 voices and the Marvin Gaye tribute shows. Fun fun fun too.

Fantastic Motown show. We didn't do dinner but the show was so much fun.. great comedy warm up, interaction with the audience was fabulous and the performers were outstanding... we will be back.. this venue is a hidden gem

Wonderful show, beautiful venue!!! As soon as you enter you are wowed. The venue is new and immaculate including but not limited to the rest rooms. The waiting area resembles a comfy family room including an excellent piano player and the performance area boasts tables vs rows; not a bad seat in the house. Each show begins with an upcoming performer from the area reflecting the charitable nature of the owners, Grace and James Stephens. And now for the show: James Stephens is multi-talented and offers a different show each time he performs according to his audience. He is a visual artist, singer, comedian and pianist. If you are looking to be completely entertained in a comfortable venue, James Stephens and the Asher Theater are for you. Two very strong thumbs up!

Seen the Murder at the Cotton club show and dinner. Enjoyed our time here. The dinner was good but hard to cut with the plastic silverware. Show was a lot of fun. One of people in our group did guess the killer for the show we were at.

I attended the murder mystery show. The acting and overall show was very good and funny. However my group paid extra to get a deputy who basically just had to sit up front and later collect papers which was a stupid waste of money. Along with this the food tasted good but we were never provided a menu or asked about any eating restrictions beforehand. I am vegetarian and another member of my group has a dairy allergy. I was served "the vegetarian option" where they just took away the meat with nothing to replace it while the person with an allergy was unable to eat majority of the food. When we walked in we wondered why a dinner place would have a concession stand until we were served the food or lack there of. The serving sizes were insanely small. my group planned on ordering a pizza afterward mid show because we were still hungry. definitely not worth the money.

We went to Murder at the Cotton club last night in Myrtle Beach. It was our first time with an experience like this, and every member of our party enjoyed it. The entertainment was top-notch. The mystery was interesting. The performers interacted with the audience throughout the night. The food was not as good as some other places we visited, but the entertainment made up for the difference. We would highly recommend this show.

Murder at the Cotton Club is the most unique Murder mystery show! It's so interactive from the time you walk in the door. The characters, the costumes and the vaudeville/cotton club style presentation is like a fun blast from the past. You don't just get dinner and a mystery, you get an entertaining variety show by a talented group of actors and singers. It's family friendly too. You'll be thoroughly entertained!

The theatre is now doing mystery dinner theatre. I have attended many a show here and this new venture doesn't disappoint! Fun, energetic characters, good food!

We went to the Asher theater and we had a great time! James is hilarious and really gets the audience involved with the show. We saw a Motown show and the singer's voices are fantastic. What a fun evening!!

We saw Murder at the Cotton Club tonite and thiught the acting and characters were pretty entertaining. What was NOT good was the meal. While some of us were served pasta with salad and a slice of bread, others had to wait for their dinner as thry ran out of food. And truly, it was a very cheap dinner. When the ithers finally got theirs, it was like canned spaghetti.

Excellent place!! I had an awesome time. Tonight there was dinner and a show. I enjoyed everything.The venue is conveniently located less than 2 minutes from my hotel. Staff was nice, accommodating and professional. Venue is well maintained and clean!! I enjoyed all of the performances tonight. I will definitely return.