On the back of Michael Franti’s newest record All Rebel Rockers (2008), a photograph shows three hands raised in peace, each decorated with a different religious symbol: A cross, the Star of David and a crescent moon and star, the symbol of Islam. For Franti and his band Spearhead, music has the unique power to […]

“The Fringe Festival is an exciting, wild ride of experiences,” says festival organizer and performer Jim Julien. From abstract-movement theater to original Claymation to puppetry set to poetry, the Fringe Festival puts edgy, out-of-the ordinary and often shocking performance art in the spotlight. Now in its seventh year, the festival continues to challenge local artists […]

Some 90 years after her death, the name Mata Hari still has the power to intrigue. In The Last Dance of Mata Hari, White Dog ProjectX explores themes of freedom and liberation—all while honoring the life of the mysterious adventurer and exotic dancer whose influence on modern dance was never fully realized. ACDT dancer Kala […]

Quarters that once sheltered automobiles and provided a living space for the nearby mansion’s gardener are now in the company of ambitious young actors and a stirring play. For the public unveiling of Asheville’s newest black-box theater—i.e., a small, unadorned performance space—the A-B Tech Drama Club presents a 19th-century play that emphasizes the history behind […]

Since the beginning, we’ve been trying to unravel the mysteries of Nature. So even though Man vs. Nature isn’t exactly a new theme, two area artists are using a novel approach to explore it—fusing modern and Butoh dance styles with poetry and spoken-word theater. Timeless themes, novel approach: The performance is “strange and atmospheric.” Photo […]

“I wanted to combine the passions, characters, tragedies, joys and comedies of Shakespeare’s fantastic creations and express them through movement, through a different and enriching vocabulary,” says Ann Dunn, describing Asheville Ballet’s debut performance of Shakespeare in Ballet. Fulfilling the prophesy: Sarah McGinnis as the devious Lady Macbeth. Photo courtesy Asheville Ballet Determined to bring […]

After reading an e-mail from her nephew stationed in Iraq, Kathy Meyers decided that she needed to do something in Asheville to combat her feelings of helplessness and take a stand for peace. At Pritchard Park: From left to right, Katherine Abbott, Erin Braasch, Jenni Cockrell Oldham and Kathy Meyers. Photo Courtesy Moving Women “Despite […]

There’s one Mephistopheles in Christopher Marlowe’s Doctor Faustus. But for the Montford Park Player’s upcoming performances, two very different actors will share the role of Lucifer’s servant: local luminary David Hopes, and 11-year-old Amy Daugherty. Surrounded by sin: The cast of Doctor Faustus. Photo By William Lawrence The two will play the role on alternate […]

In the last month of summer, festivalgoers gather along Eagle and Market streets to dance to the rhythm of Gombey drums, savor Mr. Gene’s famous fried chicken and celebrate the diverse heritage and history of African-Americans in Asheville and Western North Carolina. When the spirit moves: Dancers perform for the crowds at the Goombay! festival. […]

The Feral Chihuahuas take the business of being funny very seriously. From their modest beginnings performing at “The Shed,” a small garage transformed into a tiny black-box theater, to the launch of their second summer season at Asheville Community Theatre, the sketch-comedy group is on the prowl, ready to conquer the city of Asheville one […]

It has been said that great success comes with great compromise. But how far are we willing to go to achieve our professional goals? From Shakespeare’s tragic Macbeth to Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray, the temptation to sacrifice morality for the sake of success continues to be a compelling theme for the stage. […]