Cultural Calendar
Above: JAZZ AMBASSADORS OF THE U.S. ARMY FIELD BAND/CoMMA; HIGHLAND ECHOES/ATHC (Main Cultural Calendar image on Home Page: A CHRISTMAS CAROL/Barter Theatre)
Cultural Calendar Set Through the Holidays by Performing Arts Groups
Offerings Include Plays, Musicals, Classics, Revivals, and New Works
(PLEASE CHECK WITH ALL ORGANIZATIONS FOR SCHEDULE CHANGES OR CANCELLATIONS DUE TO STORM)
By Keith Martin
My favorite moment putting together the Cultural Calendar for each issue is the immediate response CML receives to the request for information about upcoming productions. “We are pleased to announce…,” “The excitement about our slate of offerings…,” “Following up on the success of last season…,” “Back by popular demand…,” etc. The enthusiasm is contagious as performing arts groups flood our inbox with all the details, far more than we have room to print. From now through December, there are hundreds of performances, exhibits, and events on local stages, at museums, and in galleries across the region.
The following is an overview of performing arts offerings on the schedule but note that campus events by our area colleges and universities are listed separately. PLEASE REMEMBER that all performances, dates, and times are subject to change; you are strongly encouraged to contact the box office for the most current info. See you at the theatre!
The newly formed APPALACHIAN PLAYERS will mark their debut with an original production titled High Country Christmas Carol, a chance to ring in the holiday season with a professionally produced rendition of Dickens’ most beloved holiday ghost story. Portrayed by a four-person cast, this memorable and interactive performance of “A Christmas Carol” takes place December 19 – 22 and includes seasonal treats and hot cider. For tickets and information, visit AppTheatre.org.
The APPALACHIAN THEATRE OF THE HIGH COUNTRY (ATHC) in the heart of downtown Boone has dozens of events programmed this autumn, but here is a representative sampling. On September 29, The Peacherine Ragtime Society Orchestra (PRSO) returns to the ATHC for National Silent Movie Day. Under the direction of virtuoso Andrew Greene, they recreate the syncopated stylings of a bygone era, including ragtime, theater, and dance music, along with underscoring classic silent films. Local favorite and Deep Gap’s rising star of Bluegrass, Liam Purcell,takes to the Doc Watson Stage with Cane Mill Road on October 4. Old Gods of Appalachia, the award-winning and critically acclaimed audio drama podcast, brings their live show—a staged storytelling performance—to the historic venue on October 25.
ATHC celebrates their 86th year on November 14 with the Appalachian Roadshow with special guest Bryan Sutton, Grammy Award winner and a nine-time International Bluegrass Music Association Guitar Player of the Year. Three Times A Lady on November 22 features singer/songwriters Victoria Camp, Kennedy Scott, and Hannah Blaylock in a timeless show about country music. Scottish heritage meets holiday magic when the Highland Echoes return for one evening with their heritage Christmas featuring Highland music, dance and bagpipes. The Highland Echoes Holiday Show takes place on November 30. On December 1, three-time IBMA Vocal Group of the Year Sister Sadie and their “Raging hot Bluegrass” combined with breathtaking instrumental drive and awe-inspiring vocals.
December 13 will see the ever-popular Kruger Brothers back home to the ATHC. The Barter Theatre Players bring everyone’s favorite dancing snowman to Boone when Frosty: The Musical returns for two performances on December 20. For the second year in a row, audiences are invited to ring in 2025 during New Year’s Eve at App Theatre. In addition, over a dozen movies will be shown from September through December. For a complete schedule of concerts, film screenings, and performances, go to AppTheatre.org.
The dynamic ASHE COUNTY ARTS COUNCIL works closely with the Town of West Jefferson to program a wide variety of events ranging from a Downtown Scarecrow Contest in September and October to a countywide choral festival in December. The On The Same Page Literary Festival is slated for September 17 – 19 followed by Black Opry in Concert on September 26 showcasing Black artists, fans and industry professionals working in country, Americana, blues, and folk music. The weeklong Missoula Children’s Theatre residency from September 30 to October 5 engages local children in the theatre experience complete with costumes, scenery, and props, and concludes with two performance of The Wizard of Oz on October 5.
Concert opportunities include Carl “Buffalo” Nichols on October 3, an artist who aims “to responsibly tell Black stories through his music, offering a modern perspective on the blues.” The genre-defying trio Take3 appears on November 15 “with a flair for the wild and unexpected, bringing the refinement of a rigorous classical music background” infused with rock-star charisma. On November 16, the 580 WKSK Live Old Time and Bluegrass Show Radio Show features the Sheets Family Band with host Tom Hartman. The family’s unique old time mountain style takes inspiration from the music of the Appalachian Mountains and beyond. AsheCountyArts.org
In addition, the ASHE COUNTY LITTLE THEATRE is taking full advantage of the Halloween season by producing Dracula at the intimate Ashe Civic Center October 17 – 20. Bram Stoker’s classic novel is about a charming Transylvanian count who is really a vampire out to seduce women for their blood and has been frightening and entertaining audiences since 1897. AsheCountyLittleTheatre.org
BARTER THEATRE, “The State Theatre of Virginia,” has five shows on the boards beginning with the regional premiere of The Play That Goes Wrong, a comedy by Henry Lewis, Jonathan Sayer, and Henry Shields. It’s an ill-fated play-within-a-play, set on the opening night of the Cornley Drama Society’s newest production, “The Murder at Haversham Manor.” Throughout the night things go from bad to utterly disastrous; nevertheless, the accident-prone thespians battle against all odds to make it through to their final curtain call, with hilarious consequences. Performances continue through November 9. It alternates performances on the Gilliam Stage with Katie Forgette’s Sherlock Holmes and the Case of Jersey Lily wherein famous playwright Oscar Wilde and actress Lillie Langtry (a.k.a. “The Jersey Lily”) have come to Baker Street seeking help from world famous detective. This fast-paced ride is full of surprises and disguises as Holmes and Watson face down their greatest foe yet, running through November 8.
Across the street in the Smith Theatre, you only have until November 2 to catch Horton Foote’s poignant 1953 drama The Trip to Bountiful. Elderly widow Carrie Watts dreams of escaping her cramped apartment in Houston and returning to simpler times in her beloved hometown of Bountiful, Texas. She sets out alone on a risky journey only to encounter unexpected instances of kindness and compassion and makes a remarkable discovery about the true meaning of home.
Barter’s holiday season kicks off on the Gilliam Stage on November 20 with A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. Ebenezer Scrooge hates everything and everybody, but he hates Christmas most of all. This new adaptation of the classic story by Catherine Bush will leave you glowing with the joy of the season through December 29. Another new work by Bush is Go Tell It on The Mountain with vocal arrangements by Eugene Wolf, opening in the Smith Theatre on November 14 with performances through December 22. It gives witness to the lives of ordinary Appalachians as they celebrate “the most wonderful time of the year” with monologues and songs that remind us that faith and family is what Christmas in the mountains is all about. BarterTheatre.com
Rehearsals are underway at BEANSTALK COMMUNITY THEATRE for their “trick-or-treat” gift to the High Country: an all youth production of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow running from October 10 – 12 in Boone. Adapted from an 1820 short story by author Washington Irving, it is among the earliest examples of American fiction with enduring popularity, especially during Halloween because of a character known as the Headless Horseman believed to be a soldier who was decapitated by a cannonball in battle. For info, visit BeanStalkNC.com, but for tickets go to AppTheatre.org.
For the fifth year in a row, the BLUE RIDGE COMMUNITY THEATRE is staging a radio show produced by the immortal Orson Welles. After a sold-out production of War of The Worlds last year, the BRCT returns to its first radio reproduction, Dracula! The Bram Stoker story was the first production by the “Mercury Theatre On The Air” debuting on July 11, 1938. The play will follow the exact script, including the entrance by none other than Orson Welles himself. Along with the radio performance and the chance to see “behind the curtain,” the audience will be shown stills taken from the 1922 silent movie “Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror.” Bram Stoker sued the unauthorized production and demanded all prints to be destroyed, but fortunately several prints survived, and it is considered an influential masterpiece. There will be one performance on October 31 at the App Theatre. BlueRidgeCommunityTheatreNC.com
After participating in Paris this summer with Project Dance, the CAROLINA SNOWBELLES return to the Appalachian Theatre for a four-show run of A Carolina Snowbelle Christmas from December 6 – 8. The 2024 edition of this holiday favorite features new scenes and a few surprises for audiences young and old from the precision dance troupe, led by former Radio City Music Hall Rockette and founder Cheryl Cutlip. For info, go to TheCarolinaSnowbelles.com but for tickets, visit AppTheatre.org.
The CITY OF MORGANTON MUNICIPAL AUDITORIUM provides entertainment to the residents of Burke, Caldwell, and Catawba counties, including the vibrant communities of Hickory (my hometown), Lenoir, and Morganton. Their fall offerings include Deana Carter, the folksy singer and songwriter from Nashville who took the industry and fans by storm with her wildly successful multi-platinum international debut “Did I Shave My Legs For This?” Anchored by the hit “Strawberry Wine,” Carter showcases her own blend of country and retro-rock on October 5.
Set during the 1967 summer of love, A Wolf’s Mother by Cary Simowitz is described as “an immersive experience for deaf and non-deaf alike” on October 10. This is the story of 47-year-old Ada “Kathleen” Bower, hardened from more than three decades of ceaselessly outrunning a pack of inner demons, answering an unexpected knock on her door, only to find her long-lost son poised on the threshold with a hand outstretched. Equal parts disgusted and horrified, she slammed the door on him. Mother and son never saw each other again. But what if Kathleen had let Charles Manson in?
Canaan Smith had his first big hit in 2015 with “Love You Like That,” the lead single off the critically acclaimed album “Bronco.” The platinum-selling song skyrocketed to #1 on Billboard’s Country Airplay chart and spawned a second top 40 hit with “Hole In A Bottle.” Recently, Canaan seized on the opportunity to sign a new record deal with his college buddies Tyler Hubbard and Brian Kelly of Florida Georgia Line and has been touring extensively with the superstar duo. His performance takes place on November 1.
The Jazz Ambassadors of The United States Army Field Band are the official touring big band of the United States Army. Formed in 1969, this 19-member ensemble has received great acclaim at home and abroad performing America’s greatest original art form, jazz. The November 8 concert is free of charge, but audience members must reserve a ticket.
The World Ballet Series: The Nutcracker returns on December 4 with a ballet classic that is performed live by a multinational cast of 50 professional dancers gathered to bring the most beloved holiday tradition to life. It’s a family-friendly experience accompanied by Tchaikovsky’s timeless score, over 150 hand-sewn costumes, hand-crafted sets and iconic Lev Ivanov choreography. Next up is A Holiday Spectacular with The Western Piedmont Symphony on December 18 with a seasonal concert of holiday songs and wintermusic classics. Led by Maestro Matthew Troy, the 60-year-old Western Piedmont Symphony is the professional orchestra of the western foothills of North Carolina. On December 21, the third annual Winter Solstice and Christmas Jazz Concert featuring Joseph Hasty and Centerpiece Jazz brings their unique arrangements of Holiday and Christmas classics featuring Hasty (guitar/vocals) along with Geoff Clapp (drums), Pavel Wlosok (piano, Jazz Professor at WCU), Rick Hefner (sax/flute), Daniel Iannucci (bass) and special guest Sandra Bennett (vocals).
In addition, CoMMA has programmed a trio of concert tributes (often referred to as “jukebox musicals”) to delight their audiences. On September 27, the Electric Avenue: The 80’s MTV Experience celebrates1980s New Wave and Radio Pop. On October 19, The Barricade Boys: Stars from the West End Cast of Les Misérables features four performers taking you on a musical journey through the greatest pop, rock, swing, Motown, and Broadway hits in a song mashup with hilarious and inspiring stories. It is followed on October 25 by the Big/Gun AC/DC Tribute “to one of the greatest bands in the world, AC/DC.” CommaOnline.org
According to their website, ENSEMBLE STAGE in Banner Elk—celebrating its 15th year—has two upcoming events: The Hitchcock Radio Hour on October 25 – 26 and A Banner Elk Christmas from December 6 – 21. At the Hitchcock Radio Hour, a Staged Radio Play, you can be a part of the “studio audience” and experience the spookiness of Hitchcockian stories along with their sound effects and suspenseful musical underscoring. And don’t miss their holiday show, a fast-paced homage to the television holiday musical variety shows of the ‘60s and ‘70s, complete with all or parts of nearly 40 songs, lots of choreography and costume changes. EnsembleStage.com
The WATAUGA ARTS COUNCIL (WAC) in partnership with the Downtown Boone Development Association and the Jones House, is combining the Fourth Annual Buskers Fest from 5 to 9 p.m. on Friday, October 4 as part of the First Friday Gallery Crawl with Oktoberfest from noon to 9 p.m. on Saturday, October 5; this two-day event is now collectively known as BOONETOBERFEST! Oktoberfest is a business-to-business festival, with downtown business owners offering various themed events, sales, food and drink, and competitions. Organizers will have passports people can get stamped to enter to win a prize.
Buskers Fest is a much-anticipated celebration of our eclectic creative community with artists, musicians, performers, demonstrators, and creative groups lining the streets of Boone and filling the parking lots. Over 200 artists and performers will be on the streets, sharing their talents while providing a chance for residents and visitors to experience the arts like never before! 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 to support the artists. Watauga-Arts.org/buskersfest.
While you’re on the WAC website, check out their art classes and workshops, gift making sessions, gallery exhibits and opportunities to showcase your artwork; find a High Country Arts Map; and learn about the Youth Makers Market on the first and second Saturday of every month at the Watauga County Farmers Market. Watauga-Arts.org
The Benton Hall Community Arts Center in North Wilkesboro is home to the dynamic WILKES PLAYMAKERS, an avocational theatre that welcomes everyone in front of or behind the curtain. Their current offering is Robert Harling’s Steel Magnolias, but you’ll need to act fast since performances conclude on September 22. The story unfolds in Truvy’s salon in Chinquapin, Louisiana, where a diverse group of women gather for hairdressing and camaraderie. The salon hosts colorful characters, humorous banter and poignant moments, making them endearing companions through both joy and sorrow.
Comedian and musician Steve Martin’s Picasso at the Lapin Agile runs from November 1 – 10. This absurdist comedy places Albert Einstein and Pablo Picasso in a Parisian cafe in 1904, just before the renowned scientist transformed physics with his theory of relativity and the celebrated painter set the art world afire with cubism. From December 1 – 10 the Playmakers are producing Reindeer Games by Jeremy Johnson. It is an action-packed kids’ play, complete with a holiday message from Coach Kris Kringle about teamwork, trust, and faith in the spirit of Christmas. “Pulling Santa’s sleigh is hard work, and even reindeer have to hang up the reins eventually.” When team leader Dasher decides to retire, coaches Kris and Carol Kringle host the Reindeer Games to find the next member of Santa’s reindeer crew. WilkesPlaymakers.com, or stop by the Schaefer Center for the Performing Arts box office, 733 Rivers Street in Boone.
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