If you’re a fan of local theater, Western North Carolina offers plenty of options. Below are some highlights of productions hitting stages across the region.
Mobile hope
Florida’s most exclusive trailer park, Armadillo Acres, provides the setting for Haywood Arts Regional Theater’s latest production, The Great American Trailer Park Musical. The comedic show opened Aug. 30 and runs through Sunday, Sept. 22.
Written by Betsy Kelso and featuring music from David Nehls, the story follows a stripper on the run who causes all sorts of trouble upon showing up at Armadillo Acres. Steering the narrative is a trio of trailer park women, who take on the roles of various male and female residents of this unusual neighborhood.
“The tenants of these mobile homes hold a special place in my heart,” says director Mark Jones. “They are open-minded and welcoming to anyone. Their stories are timeless, and their struggles are real. They also love Christmas lights, spray cheese, Ice Capades, watching TV and drinking beer. What could be better?”
To learn more, visit avl.mx/e33.
Who are you? What have you sacrificed?
Holy Week has come and gone, but the joys of Jesus Christ Superstar endure with its Flat Rock Playhouse debut. The show opened Thursday, Sept. 5, and runs through Sunday, Sept. 22.
Featuring lyrics and music by Sir Tim Rice and Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber, the beloved rock opera chronicles the last weeks of Jesus’ life through the eyes of Judas Iscariot. But rather than a traditional production, FRP will present it in a concert-style staging with an augmented focus on the music, text and characters.
The cast includes eight orchestra members, numerous FRP apprentices and over 12 professional vocalists — including Aaron Lavigne (Jesus) and Jenna Rubaii (Mary Magdalene), reprising their roles from the show’s recent 50th Anniversary Tour. Additional cast members include FRP regular Dustin Brayley as Judas and scene-stealing Nat Zegree (who memorably played Jerry Lee Lewis in FRP’s production of Million Dollar Quartet) as Herod.
“Jesus Christ Superstar will be the perfect blend of what Flat Rock Playhouse does best: exhilarating concerts, compelling musical theater, outstanding vocalists and musicians, and cutting-edge technical elements,” says Ethan Andersen, FRP music director.
“We are bringing this iconic score, which pioneered the path of what a rock musical could be in the 1970s, to life so our audiences can simultaneously feel like they are rocking out to their favorite album and perhaps getting to experience it in a completely new way. I am certain this will be a memorable, fun and musically thrilling night at the playhouse.”
To learn more, visit avl.mx/e35.
Time pieces
Singing and dancing isn’t at the core of playwright Jack Heifner’s Vanities, but rather the lives of three women as they navigate the transition from girlhood to adulthood, revealing the evolution of their relationships and personal identities in the process. The bittersweet comedy opened Friday, Sept. 6, at Parkway Playhouse in Burnsville and runs through Sunday, Sept. 15.
The story begins in 1963 Texas and winds its way to New York in 1974. As childhood friends Joanne, Mary and Kathy come into their own as individuals, their outlooks on life follow suit.
“Directing this play has been a genuine pleasure, especially given the remarkable dedication of the three actresses, Hannah Williams, Lucy Hester and Alexa Nemitz,” says director Callista Brown. “Their willingness to delve deeply into the complexities of the characters has brought an extraordinary depth and authenticity to the story.”
Adds Nemitz, “Everyone working on this show is so talented. I love playing three best friends because it requires such authenticity on the stage. Us three actors have to do the behind-the-scenes work so that the three characters’ friendship is real onstage. It’s been such a fun process.”
To learn more, visit avl.mx/e36.
Problem solvers
As fall rapidly approaches, the hills are alive at Asheville Community Theatre — not in a monster movie sense, but with The Sound of Music. The beloved musical kicks off the company’s 78th Mainstage Season on Friday, Sept. 20, and runs through Sunday, Oct. 13.
The fact-based tale of Maria Augusta Trapp, a joyful postulant who returns music and happiness to Capt. von Trapp and his seven children while Nazi Germany overtakes Austria, features such Rodgers & Hammerstein classics as “My Favorite Things,” “Do-Re-Mi” and “Sixteen Going on Seventeen.” And on Thursday, Sept. 26, there will be a special sing-along performance where attendees can — with help from a lyrics sheet, if needed — vocalize along with the cast.
“Directing The Sound of Music at this time has been an incredibly personal and meaningful journey for me,” says Eli Cunningham. “This story of love, resilience and standing up for what’s right feels so relevant today. In a world that can often feel uncertain, I think it’s stories like this that remind us how powerful hope and kindness can be.”
To learn more, visit avl.mx/e37.
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