The new season of the Greenville Area Arts Council (GAAC) kicks off in country style with the arrival of “The Right Place” on the Roberta Peacock Gamble Stage of the historic Ritz theatre downtown. The big event is set for 7 p.m. Thursday night, September 25.

Homegrown talent Kevin Sport will perform and host the first in a series of entertainment/talk shows taped and produced for television. Attendees will be part of the live audience.

“This is going to be so much fun. For many people, it’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience, being part of a show taping, especially one in a town our size,” said Nancy Idland, GAAC executive director.

The show will air on Direct TV Channel 611 this fall. In spring 2009, the show will appear on Country Adventures Network (www.cantv.us), the show’s permanent home.

Country hit maker John Berry (“Your Love Amazes Me,” “Standing on the Edge of Goodbye”) will be Sport’s special guest, along with well-known athletes.

“If you like hearing singers, songwriters and sports figures perform and talk about what’s going on in their world, you’re going to love this show,” said Sport.

Sport has been performing and entertaining audiences since grammar school in Greenville. While he loves all kinds of music, he says his heart really belongs to country and blues songs. He produced his first CD, “That’s Enough,” with

“I remember performing a Kenny Rogers song, “Lucille,” at a PTA meeting when I was a little boy and how exciting that was,” Sport recalled.

“That started a long road of loving music and loving to sing and perform. I am looking forward to a great night at ‘The Right Place’ right here in my hometown.”

Tickets are $20 for adults and $15 for students; for GAAC season ticket holders, the show is included as part of the season.

While there were plans to debut the new theater faade in time for the GAAC season kickoff, Mayor Dexter McLendon said delays in getting some of the materials needed had postponed completion of the project.

Upcoming shows for the GAAC include The Platters (Oct. 27); “Bye Bye Birdie” (Feb. 9, 2009) and “Greater Tuna” (March 9, 2009).