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South Carolina Business Review

Theater festival returns to Upstate SC

By Mike Switzer
Published July 22, 2026 at 6:30 AM EDT
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West Hyler, cofounder and executive director of the South Carolina New Play Festival
Provided
/
Kate White Little Communications
West Hyler, cofounder and executive director of the South Carolina New Play Festival

Back during the waning days of the pandemic, in 2021, we interviewed our next guest about a theater venture he cofounded. The next year, he cofounded a drama festival that is now in its fifth year. Mike Switzer interviews West Hyler, cofounder and executive director of the South Carolina New Play Festival in Greenville, SC, July 29 - August 9.

South Carolina New Play Festival infographic
Provided
/
Kate White Little Communications
South Carolina New Play Festival infographic

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South Carolina Business Review SC Business Reviewbusiness newsbusinessartsthe artsarts and cultureperforming artsTheaterSC News
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Mike Switzer
After almost 20 years, Mike Switzer retired from Wells Fargo Securities in 2001 as Senior Vice President/Investment Officer and Certified Portfolio Manager. In 1999, he and his wife, Maggie, purchased and operated for eight years the Baskin Robbins ice cream store on Forest Drive in Columbia. They grew the store from a bottom-tier operation in the Baskin Robbins franchise system to one in the top 5% nationwide within three years, tripling sales along the way. While operating the ice cream store, Mike and Maggie received patents for a portable ice cream sink and fold-down sneezeguard they invented and in 2002 started Magnolia Carts, an ice cream cart manufacturing company, which they sold in 2013.
See stories by Mike Switzer