Cultural Calendar
Home page: Horn in the West. Above: The Legend of Sleepy Hollow at Parkway Playhouse
“In The Good Old Summertime!”
America250 Events Highlight a Season to Remember
By Keith Martin
The explosion of performing arts events in our region is best evidenced by the fact that we have four new organizations included in this cultural calendar, along with a brand-new performing arts venue. Welcome, one and all. The listings on these pages, and in the accompanying articles on An Appalachian Summer Festival, Art Remarks, Regional Happenings, and our Live Music Guide contain most of the events that have been announced from now through mid-September. Each is listed alphabetically by the producing company, along with their websites for tickets and additional information.
PLEASE NOTE that all the performances, dates, and times are subject to change; readers are strongly encouraged to check individual websites and/or the theatre box offices for the most current information.
Be sure to tell them that CML sent you… and enjoy the show!
ALLEGHANY COMMUNITY THEATRE hosts their first theatre camp for children from August 3-8 in Sparta, NC. The camp includes a residency with Missoula Children’s Theatre and their Little Red Truck Tours, featuring two professional theatre instructors/actors as well as beautiful scenery, props and costumes. The show selected for the camp is Rapunzel with performances on August 7 and 8. AlleghanyCommunityTheatre.org
The APPALACHIAN THEATRE OF THE HIGH COUNTRY will be screening several films during the summer and beyond as part of their NC250 programming, including The Patriot on June 26, Felicity on June 27, the movie musical 1776on June 30, Lincoln on July 10, and Kit Kittredge: An American Girl on July 18,along with a July 3 live stage performance of the Tony Award-winning musical Newsies, Jr., which culminates in a two-week education and outreach initiative.
A return engagement of the Thurston Howell Band, “Your Premier Yacht Rock Spectacular!” is scheduled for July 5 with The Embers featuring Craig Woolard bringing their “Heart and Soul, Rhythm and Blues, Feel Good Music” on July 11. Brass Transit on July 30 will pay tribute to the decades-long, multi-platinum songbook of CHICAGO. Doc Watson Day on August 15 will feature the Living the Light Tour with Grammy Award-winner Tommy Emmanuel, one of only a handful of musicians in the world who are “Certified Guitar Players.” August 21 marks the fourth annual Gatsby Gala, the theatre’s major fundraiser each year. Finally, on September 17, Grammy-winning fiddle virtuoso Bronwyn Keith-Hynes steps into the spotlight on the Doc Watson Stage. New events are added each week, so check their website frequently for updates: AppTheatre.org
The ASHE COUNTY ARTS COUNCIL in West Jefferson invites audiences of all ages to experience living traditions firsthand through square dances, live radio shows, workshops, and performances. The Old Time Square Dance Series has three dates at the Arts Center on June 25, July 23 and August 27. These free country dances feature talented local bands and experienced callers entertaining a joyful mix of ages on the dance floor with enthusiastic footwork and plenty of folks happily tapping along from the sidelines while enjoying the live music.
Now in its 55th year, the Ashe County Bluegrass and Old Time Fiddlers Convention celebrates and preserves traditional music with concerts, competitions, and jam sessions “to honor the music of the mountains and the musicians who make it.” On July 24, The Blue Ridge Opry brings a special edition of its nostalgic country music variety show to the Ashe Civic Center—inspired by the early days of the Grand Ole Opry and the golden era of stars like Patsy Cline, Hank Williams, and The Carter Family. Hosted by singer and multi-instrumentalist Kelley Breiding, the evening features performances by regional and local musicians and country dancers. WKSK’S Old Time and Bluegrass Show returns to the Ashe County Park on July 25, this time featuring Sassafras Bluegrass Band with host Tom Hartman, a NC-based group rooted in the Foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. The radio show returns to the Civic Center on August 15 and will showcase Tucker Conner and Friends. AsheCountyArts.org
The ASHE COUNTY LITTLE THEATRE is encouraging audience members to wear green while attending their production of Shrek: The Musical, with music by Jeanine Tesori and book and lyrics by David Lindsay-Abaire. Based on the DreamWorks Animation film, the story follows two loveable ogres, Shrek and Princess Fiona, after their banishment from the Kingdom of Duloc by order of the evil Lord Farquaad. Their entourage grows to include a hapless donkey and a dozen fairytale characters including Pinocchio and the Gingerbread Man, all of whom “Let Their Freak Flag Fly.” Performances are June 25-28. Their next production is Turn of The Screw by Douglas Jones, based on the novella by Henry James, taking place from September 17-20. It is the tale of a governess, left in charge of a boy and a girl at a lonely estate, who begins to suspect that the ghosts of former servants have hideous designs upon the children. With every twist in the plot (or turn of the screw) the tension increases until something—or someone—must snap. Both productions take place in the Ashe Civic Center. AsheCountyLittleTheatre.org
This is my favorite time of year at the BARTER THEATRE in Abingdon, VA. Three of the productions we featured in our spring issue continue through the summer months with the additional four shows opening soon. The Savannah Sipping Society runs until August 8 and marks yet another crowd pleaser from the writing trio of Wooten, Jones, and Hope. In this delightful comedy, four very different Southern women, all strangers, are drawn together by an impromptu happy hour, and decide it’s high time to reclaim the excitement their lives once held. The da Vinci Code, adapted by Rachel Wagstaff and Duncan Abel from Dan Brown’s novel, doesn’t close until August 8. Professor Robert Langdon is called to the Louvre Art Museum in the dead of night and unwittingly becomes the center of a murder investigation. Frank Loesser’s classic Guys and Dolls: A Musical Fable of Broadway, based on a story and characters by Damon Runyon, continues through August 9. It follows the high stakes games of a motley crew of gamblers and the women who unexpectedly steal their hearts, with a score that features such beloved hits as “Bushel and a Peck,” “Luck Be a Lady,” and “Sit Down, You’re Rocking the Boat.”
Soapbox time: one of my favorite musicals of all time is the brilliant and inspiring Come From Away with book, music, and lyrics by the talented Canadian husband/wife duo of David Hein and Irene Sankoff. I first saw an early 50-minute version at the 2013 Festival of New American Musicals, produced by the National Alliance for Musical Theatre, of which I am a proud member. Set on 9/11 in Gander, Newfoundland, when 38 commercial airline flights from around the globe with nearly 7,000 passengers onboard were diverted to their tiny town, it chronicles the very best of humankind on our country’s darkest day. This must-see musical will be the most produced show in America this year, but you can see it nearby when it opens at the Barter on August 26.
Kate Hamill’s “terrifying, smart, and funny” stage version of Bram Stoker’s novel Dracula premieres on September 10; it upends the familiar tale of Victorian vampires with a “play we can really sink our teeth into.” Opening on September 17 is Kings Mountain, a world premiere by Catherine Bush that is a VA250 Signature Event. It chronicles the battle that turned the tide of the Revolutionary War and eventually led to American independence. The many Mary Lucy Bivins fans (and they are a legion) should call the box office immediately to get tickets for the encore performances of Bush’s play Grandma Gatewood Took A Walk, with shows from July 21 through August 23. Gatewood was a 67-year-old who told her children she was “going for a walk” but failed to mention that it would be over 2,000 miles through 14 states, making her the first woman to solo through-hike the newly formed Appalachian Trail. BarterTheatre.com
BARTER PLAYERS classic theatre for “Kids of All Ages” has two family-friendly shows on tap this summer with James Hendley’s adaptation of The Sword in the Stone running through July 3. For years, the sword has stood in the stone, waiting for the day that it will be drawn by the one true King of England. But could that king be an absent-minded squire named Arthur? From July 7 to August 8 is Cinderella, adapted by Kailey Kyle from the fairy tale by the Brothers Grimm, wherein our heroine dreams of a different life far away from the ceaseless demands of her cruel stepmother and mean-spirited stepsisters. Then the Palace announces a Royal Ball given in honor of the King’s son… could that be her happily-ever-after? BarterTheatre.com/The-Barter-Players
BEANSTALK COMMUNITY THEATRE is producing SpongeBob SquarePants: The Broadway Musical, based on the Nickelodeon animated television series, the weekend of July 22-25 at the App Theatre in Boone. Conceived and directed by Tina Landau with book by Kyle Jarrow and music by various artists, including Sara Bareilles, Cyndi Lauper, and Panic, it is a vibrant and imaginative adaptation featuring a unique story, original songs, and a creative team that brought to life the underwater world of Bikini Bottom on stage. Looking ahead, auditions for their holiday production of The Best Christmas Pageant Ever have been set for August 29 with details at BeanstalkNC.com.
Although between seasons, the CITY OF MORGANTON MUNICIPAL AUDITORIUM (CoMMA) is wisely presenting a series of high school summer workshops for teens beginning July 20 with “Stagecraft: Set Design Concepts” followed on July 22 with “Intro to Lighting,” and “Intro to Audio” on July 24. Completion of all three workshops leads to an opportunity for participants to apply for an internship for backstage assistance with CoMMA’s 2026/27 Family Stage productions. morgantonnc.gov/comma
The 17th season of ENSEMBLE STAGE, located in the Historic Banner Elk School, continues with the romantic comedy Love & Baseball by Jerry Montoya from July 17-26. A chance meeting creates sparks between Will and Michele, but like the pristine moments of an unforgettable baseball game, love is also a sport of luck, skill, and timing. Matthew Lombardo’s historical comedy Looped from August 14-23, depicts an actual 1965 recording session with an intoxicated Tallulah Bankhead, considered to be film’s original “bad girl” who was renowned for her promiscuity and deep sultry voice. Sir Arthur Conon Doyle’s literary farce The Hound of the Baskervilles, adapted by Steven Canny and John Nicholson, takes the stage from September 11-20. Doyle’s most celebrated Sherlock Holmes story gets a gloriously funny makeover when Sir Charles Baskerville is found dead on his estate, with a look of terror still etched on his face, and the paw prints of a gigantic hound beside his body. The great detective is summoned from Baker Street, with Dr. Watson in tow, to unravel the mysteries surrounding his death.
Throughout the summer, Alice in the Hundred Acre Wood by Maggie Lou Rader is performed by Ensemble Stage on Saturday mornings with performances on July 11, 25, and August 8. When Winnie the Pooh hires Alice to solve the case of Christopher Robin’s kidnapping, she arrives to find a very anxious Piglet, a terribly unfocused Tigger and a very Eeoyre-y Eeoyre. EnsembleStage.com
Also in Banner Elk, the popular FORUM music series at Lees-McRae College continues its popular slate of tribute bands and songbook performances on June 29 with The Stranger: A Tribute to Billy Joel, followed on July 6 with the Western Piedmont Symphony, then Stevie Mac: A Tribute to Fleetwood Mac on July 13, Southern Cross: Crosby, Stills, Nash & Youngon July 20, Electric Light Orchestra featuring Evil Woman on July 27, and concluding with Margaritas in Paradise: A Tribute to Jimmy Buffet on August 3. Extensive program notes for each concert are available at ForumMusicSeries.com.
The America250 production of HORN IN THE WEST opens June 26with the 74th season of Kermit Hunter’s historical outdoor drama, with performances through August 8. Under the first-year direction of veteran director and fight choreographer David Doersch, it is the nation’s oldest outdoor drama portraying the American Revolutionary era. As our country celebrates the 250th Anniversary of its founding, this story holds special meaning, reminding us of the courage, sacrifice, and determination that gave rise to a new nation. HornInTheWest.com
It’s always exciting when another performance venue opens anywhere in our region, and the May 28 ribbon cutting and dedication of the stage at DANIEL BOONE NATIVE GARDENS was reason for celebration. Adjacent to Horn in the West’s Daniel Boone Amphitheatre, it is the new home for the Roots in the Garden annual concert series throughout the summer celebrating Appalachian roots, live music, and community. It’s a beautiful setting amid native plants and flowers in full bloom, and one couldn’t help but think of the wonderful theatrical productions that might grace that stage one day, such as A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Dark of the Moon, or the musical Shenandoah. Just sayin’. DanielBooneNativeGardens.org
NEW to our calendar listings is the vibrant JOHNSON CITY COMMUNITY THEATRE in Mountain City, TN. They perform in the 1923-era auditorium located in Heritage Hall Theatre, “an intimate and inviting venue that is not just a theatre, but a community hub where the arts flourish and thrive throughout the year.” From July 17-25, they will perform One Stoplight Town by Tracy Wells, a story about people from a town so small that you might drive through without taking a second look. But if you stopped for just a moment, you might see a young boy and girl fall in love, a cantankerous grocery store owner coping with change, a son returning home while a daughter thinks about running away. You might even notice the town’s handyman taking it all in while he fixes what is broken. And if you stayed long enough, you’d notice that over the years, children grow up, and some change can be welcome. jccommunitytheatre.org, heritagehalltheatre.org
Founded in 1985, the LEES-McRAE SUMMER THEATRE is now in its 41st year of new and original musicals. Their 2026 season continues with the world premiere of the musical America 250, written and directed by Janet Barton Speer with musical direction by Rob Dingman. Speer explains that “a group of performers are putting together a show to celebrate our country’s 250th anniversary but, hilariously, they don’t always agree on what America stands for, or what songs should be included.” The Alan Menken/Glenn Slater musical comedy Sister Act, based on the hit 1992 film,concludes the season from July 25-31, also with Speer and Dingman at the helm. When disco diva Deloris Van Cartier witnesses a murder, she is put in protective custody in the one place the cops are sure she won’t be found: a convent! Deloris helps her fellow sisters find their voices as she rediscovers her own. Sister Act is the feel-good musical comedy. lmc.edu/community/summer-theatre/
NEW to our calendar listings is the 80-year-old PARKWAY PLAYHOUSE, proudly the oldest continuing operating summer theatre in North Carolina, located in the scenic Yancey County town of Burnsville. They are featured elsewhere in this issue, but their 2026 mainstage season opened with the musical Sister Act and continues from June 26 – July 12 with the Meehan/Stouse/Charnin tuner Annie based on the classic “Little Orphan Annie” comic strip. Rick Elice’s brilliant Tony Award-winning adaptation of Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson’s novel Peter and the Starcatcher charms audiences from July 31 – August 9, followed by the 2025 Appalachian Playwriting Festival winner Carswell Holler by Travis Lowe, about a series of dangerous events and menacing stories (both real and imagined), the natural and the supernatural. Parkway’s Junior Season features Disney’s Finding Nemo Kids on June 19-20 and Mean Girls, Jr. on July 17-19. ParkwayPlayhouse.com
PROJECT DANCE, the producers of the Carolina Snowbelles, are offering two arts education programs this summer beginning with their Camp of the Arts wherein “children of all ages dive into the vibrant world of the arts, exploring music, dance, theatre, set design, and more. Through hands-on activities, interactive lessons, and inspiring projects, campers will develop new skills, express themselves, and build friendships in a fun and supportive environment.” For example, the July 13-17 session focuses on the Broadway productions of High School Musical, The Lion King, and Moana. The summer concludes with the Kick It Up precision dance intensive from August 3-7 designed for dancers looking to refine their skills in tap, jazz, and ballet while immersing themselves in the renowned style of precision dance. ProjectDance.com
TWEETSIE RAILROAD is North Carolina’s first theme park, opening on the Fourth of July in 1957. Known primarily as a Wild West adventure park with amusement rides and a petting zoo, Tweetsie features stunning three-mile-long train rides aboard a historic, coal-fired, narrow gauge steam locomotive. From a performing arts perspective, Tweetsie is a major employer of professional talent and produces 21 performances of a half-dozen live entertainment and stage shows each day. A sampling of offerings includes the Can-Can Dancers, Country Clogging Jamboree, Hopper and Porter’s Musical Celebration, and The Magic Show. The 2026 season is in full swing and runs until November 1 with a variety of holiday events. Tweetsie.com
NEW to our calendar listings is the UNDERSTUDIES PRODUCTION COMPANY at Wilkes Community College in Wilkesboro. Their mission is “Keeping theatre in the community and community in theatre!” From June 25-28, they are producing A. A. Milne’s The House At Pooh Corner as adapted by Bettye Knapp in Mayes Pit/Cohn Auditorium in Thompson Hall on the WCC Campus. The much-loved story follows Christopher Robin and his friends Pooh, Piglet, Eeyore, Tigger and the rest as they run away together to avoid being sent off to this place called Education. As the situation becomes clearer, Christopher Robin isn’t quite so sure that running away is the answer. The company is sharing 20% of all ticket sales to the Safe Spot Child Advocacy Center. TheUnderstudies.org
The WATAUGA ARTS COUNCIL, in partnership with the Downtown Boone Development Association, is organizing the Fifth Annual Buskers Fest on Saturday, September 12. This much-anticipated celebration of our eclectic creative community features artists, musicians, performers, demonstrators, and creative groups lining the streets of Downtown Boone. Over 200 artists and performers will be on the streets, sharing their talents with residents and visitors while providing a chance to experience the arts like never before. Organizers tell us that, “You can buy art, make art, dance, sing, make pottery, discover bands and musicians and learn about our incredible creatives here in the High Country and beyond.” Have your Venmo app ready or bring cash for tips to support the artists. Watauga-Arts.org/Buskersfest
While you’re on the WAC website, download their Arts Map; check out the First Friday Art Crawls, art classes and workshops, gallery exhibits, and opportunities to showcase your artwork; and learn about the Youth Makers Market, their entrepreneurs-in-training program. You can also go to their other site, HighCountryArts.org to search an arts directory and view the events calendar.
The WILKES PLAYMAKERS are again partnering with Bleu Moon Productions on a co-production of A Hometown Legend: Tom Dooley, A Wilkes County Legend on two consecutive weekends from July 23-26 and July 30 – August 2 in Benton Hall directed by the playwright, Karen Wheeling Reynolds. Formerly an outdoor drama and now in its 25th season, the play with music invites you to step back in time and relive the haunting true story that put Wilkes County on the map. History, heartache, and hometown pride all come together in this powerful drama made famous by The Kingston Trio in their #1 hit single. Parts of the show were invited to be performed for the North Carolina Film and Tourism Committee’s Annual Meeting, the Supreme Court of North Carolina’s Annual Meeting in Raleigh, and for The North Carolina Society of Historians.
From September 10-13, the company is producing The Dark Side of Human Nature as told by Will Shakespeare. From ambition and betrayal to love and revenge, Shakespeare’s timeless tales reveal the depths of the human heart: dark, twisted, and unforgettable. The Playmakers promise an evening of drama, intrigue, and the Bard’s unmatched insight into our wilder instincts. WilkesPlaymakers.com
An Appalachian Summer Festival 2026
By Keith Martin
When the 42nd Season of AN APPALACHIAN SUMMER FESTIVAL (AASF) was announced under a banner headline that promised a “Star-Studded Lineup,” they weren’t kidding. Here are the artists performing live from June 27-August 1 in various venues at Appalachian State University in Boone, NC.
The SCHAEFER SPOTLIGHT SERIES opens with the Punch Brothers on June 27. This virtuosic “roots music” quintet is known for pushing the boundaries of acoustic music, winning a 2018 Grammy Award for Best Folk Album. Seven-time Grammy-winner Gladys Knight takes to the Schaefer Center stage on July 8. She has enjoyed #1 hits in Pop, Gospel, R&B, and Adult Contemporary, and triumphed in film, television, and live performance. On July 10, Straight No Chaser Beach Bash “is the real deal, the captivating sound of nine unadulterated human voices coming together to make extraordinary music that is moving people in a fundamental sense… and with a sense of humor.” Emmy, Golden Globe, and Tony Award-winner Darren Criss will appear on July 18; see the sidebar for information about his concert. Over the past four decades, Grammy-winning singer-songwriter-musician Rick Springfield—performing on July 23—has created some of the finest power-pop of the ‘80s, sold 25 million albums, and scored 17 US Top 40 hits, including “Jessie’s Girl,” “Don’t Talk to Strangers,” “An Affair of the Heart,” etc. Over the course of four decades, the alt-country, roots-rock band The Jayhawks have soared to heights few ever achieve while winning the hearts and minds of numerous critics, fans, and peers in the process.
The CLASSIC CONCERT SERIES features the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra on July 1, the Merz Trio on July 7, WindSync on July 12, the Calidore String Quartet on July 29, and pianist Aaron Diehl on July 31. The DANCE and THEATRE SERIES includes Complexions Contemporary Ballet on July 16 and The Other Mozart on July 19. AASF’s 15th Annual Rosen-Schaffel Competition for Young and Emerging Artists and Winner’s Recital take place on July 2. The GLOBAL FILM SERIES features four screenings from around the world on June 30, July 14, 21, and 28. Their VISUAL ARTS programming includes a Summer Exhibition Celebration on July 2 and the 40th Annual Rosen Outdoor Sculpture Walk on July 11. ARTtalks invite you to step behind the curtain for a series of intimate conversations with this season’s artists about the passions and processes that shape their work with events on June 30, July 9, 15, and 29.
Star-studded, indeed! Visit AppSummer.org for tickets, show times, and more information.
Alleghany Community Theatre | www.alleghanycommunitytheatre.org
Appalachian State University Department of Theatre and Dance | www.theatreanddance.appstate.edu
Appalachian Theatre of the High Country | www.apptheatre.org
Ashe Civic Center | www.ashecivic.com
Ashe County Little Theatre | www.ashecountylittletheatre.org
Barter Theatre | www.BarterTheatre.com
Beanstalk Community Theatre | BeanStalkNC.com
Blue Ridge Community Theatre | www.blueridgecommunitytheatrenc.com
City of Morganton Municipal Auditorium | www.commaonline.org
Ensemble Stage | www.ensemblestage.com
Hayes School of Music| www.music.appstate.edu
In/Visible Theatre | www.invisibletheatrenc.org.
Jones House Cultural & Community Center | www.joneshouse.org
Lees-McRae College Performing Arts | lmc.edu/pashows | Instagram @lmctheatre
Parkway Playhouse | www.parkwayplayhouse.com
Schaefer Center Presents | www.theschaefercenter.org
Wilkes Playmakers | www.wilkesplaymakers.com