Calendar of Events

YPC: The Prom

Book by Bob Martin and Chad Beguelin; Music by Matthew Sklar; Lyrics by Chad Beguelin; Directed by Michael Jorizzo

Emma just wants to go to the prom – with her girlfriend Alyssa! But the PTA is not having it. A duo of vain Broadway actors who happen to be in town catch wind of the drama, and they want to improve their public image after some justified bad press. After stumbling across Emma’s dilemma, they team up with a Julliard grad, an overlooked Chorus girl, and Emma to protest the PTA and regain their popularity. With the help of fun musical numbers, the self-centered actors and Emma try to convince the PTA and town that her love deserves to be celebrated, not hidden away!

Watch this cast of 13-17-year-olds light up the stage!

Book by Bob Martin and Chad Beguelin; Music by Matthew Sklar; Lyrics by Chad Beguelin; Directed by Michael Jorizzo

Emma just wants to go to the prom – with her girlfriend Alyssa! But the PTA is not having it. A duo of vain Broadway actors who happen to be in town catch wind of the drama, and they want to improve their public image after some justified bad press. After stumbling across Emma’s dilemma, they team up with a Julliard grad, an overlooked Chorus girl, and Emma to protest the PTA and regain their popularity. With the help of fun musical numbers, the self-centered actors and Emma try to convince the PTA and town that her love deserves to be celebrated, not hidden away!

Watch this cast of 13-17-year-olds light up the stage!

By F. Andrew Leslie, from the novel by Shirley Jackson

DIRECTED BY JONATHAN FORRESTER

In a chilling and mystifying study in mounting terror, a small group of “psychically receptive” people are brought together in desolate and deserted Hill House, a brooding, mid-Victorian mansion known as a place of evil. The visitors have come to probe the secrets of the old house and to draw forth the mysterious powers that it is alleged to possess—powers which have brought madness, murder and suicide to those who have lived there in in the past. As disturbing events begin to transpire, the house begins to influence (and overtake) the visitors’ psyches. To stay sane, they must be stronger than the traumas the house has brought upon them.

This fun and high-energy class combines the three fundamentals of musical theatre which include acting,
singing, and dance! With a focus on singing, musicality, movement, and storytelling, students will learn new
skills and make new friends. A sharing will take place at the end of the session. No prior experience is
necessary

Ever wonder how a stage production comes together? In our Youth Production Classes, students work with directors, an artistic team, and their fellow students to learn and perform an exciting play or musical. Our fall YPC session, Fables and Fairytales, features favorite characters from Aesop’s Fables, “Jack and the Beanstalk,” and other classic tales.

Registration begins on Wednesday, July 20, 2022. Tuition will be $350 – Scholarships are available.

Student Ages: 8-10
Classes/Rehearsals: Sept 7-Oct 26 | Mondays and Wednesdays at 4:30-6:00 pm
Tech Week: Oct 31 – Nov 3 | Monday through Thursday | 4:30-6:30 PM
Performances: Sunday, November 5, 2022 at 6:30 pm

NOTE: If applying for a scholarship, please fill out the Scholarship Application INSTEAD of filling out registration. If your application is approved, we will be in touch with you to register.

In this eight-week semester, young artists will learn to create dynamic relationships through theatre games,
improvisation, scene work, music, and dance. With an emphasis on ensemble storytelling, character creation,
physicality, and voice and speech, students will leave feeling more collaborative, creative, and confident
making bold choices on stage and in life. Apply your skills in an informal showcase for friends and family at the
end of the session. No prior experience is necessary, only an open mind!

In this class designed for beginners and younger performers, students will learn basic acting techniques and have a great time doing so! They’ll get creative with short scenes and play drama games that teach key skills in a fun and approachable way. This class builds the confidence to help them to shine on stage and in life –  even in their next audition or school play! Students will perform a showcase for family and friends during the last class.

Registration begins on Wednesday, September 14, 2022 at 10:00 am. Tuition will be $225 – Scholarships are available.

NOTE: If applying for a scholarship, please fill out the Scholarship Application INSTEAD of filling out registration. If your application is approved, we will be in touch with you to register.

In this collegiate-style class, teen artists will learn from industry experts in a combination of acting and musical
theatre training, stage combat, scene work, monologue work and more! Each week will be a new Master Class
taught by local professional theatre artists. This session is ideal for students who are passionate about theatre,
excited to collaborate in a pre-professional environment with peers and industry experts, and looking to grow
and develop as artists. Space is limited.

Whether they’re performing daring maneuvers atop a precarious pagoda of chairs or displaying their technical prowess at trick-cycling, precision tumbling, juggling or somersaulting, The Peking Acrobats astound audiences everywhere with utmost bravery and dexterity. For the last 32 years, this stunning troupe of world-class artists has redefined perceptions of Chinese acrobatics. They push the limits of human ability, defying gravity with amazing displays of contortion, flexibility and control. Accompanied by live musicians who skillfully play traditional Chinese instruments, this time-honored tradition fuses Chinese music and awe-inspiring acrobatic feats with high-tech special effects to create an exuberant entertainment event with the festive pageantry of a Chinese carnival.

“The Peking Acrobats are pushing the envelope of human possibility, combining agility and grace in remarkable feats of pure artistry.” – The New York Post

The Peking Acrobats’ website

Recommended for Grades 1-12

Whether they’re performing daring maneuvers atop a precarious pagoda of chairs or displaying their technical prowess at trick-cycling, The Peking Acrobats push the limits of human ability, defying gravity and leaving your students inspired and amazed. Full of bright costumes, festival pageantry and traditional Chinese music, this thrilling cultural experience is one your class will never forget.

View the Peking Acrobats Study Guide here.

Prepare for your visit, learn about the theatre, and get the most out of each performance with this Guide to the Wortham Center.

Performance Length: 60 minutes

This class is designed for curious young performers eager to explore the “FUN”-damentals of acting, singing,
and dancing. Through high-energy theatre games, improvisation, pantomime, storytelling, & ensemble-based
activities, students will hone their theatre and musical theatre skills. They will build meaningful connections with
other young artists, and discover their creative potential! In the final class, showcase what you learned in an
informal performance for friends and family.

Ever wonder how a stage production comes together? In our Youth Production Classes, students work with directors, an artistic team, and their fellow students to learn and perform an exciting play or musical. Our fall YPC session, Fables and Fairytales, features favorite characters from Aesop’s Fables, “Jack and the Beanstalk,” and other classic tales.

Registration begins on Wednesday, July 20, 2022. Tuition will be $350 – Scholarships are available.

Student Ages: 8-10
Classes/Rehearsals: Sept 7-Oct 26 | Mondays and Wednesdays at 4:30-6:00 pm
Tech Week: Oct 31 – Nov 3 | Monday through Thursday | 4:30-6:30 PM
Performances: Sunday, November 5, 2022 at 6:30 pm

NOTE: If applying for a scholarship, please fill out the Scholarship Application INSTEAD of filling out registration. If your application is approved, we will be in touch with you to register.

Whether they’re performing daring maneuvers atop a precarious pagoda of chairs or displaying their technical prowess at trick-cycling, precision tumbling, juggling or somersaulting, The Peking Acrobats astound audiences everywhere with utmost bravery and dexterity. For the last 32 years, this stunning troupe of world-class artists has redefined perceptions of Chinese acrobatics. They push the limits of human ability, defying gravity with amazing displays of contortion, flexibility and control. Accompanied by live musicians who skillfully play traditional Chinese instruments, this time-honored tradition fuses Chinese music and awe-inspiring acrobatic feats with high-tech special effects to create an exuberant entertainment event with the festive pageantry of a Chinese carnival.

“The Peking Acrobats are pushing the envelope of human possibility, combining agility and grace in remarkable feats of pure artistry.” – The New York Post

The Peking Acrobats’ website

In this class designed for beginners to intermediate performers, students will develop and hone their acting techniques. They’ll work on short scenes, monologues and play drama games that teach key skills in a fun and approachable way. This class gives students the confidence to shine on stage and off – even in their next audition or school play! Students will perform a  showcase for family and friends during the last class.

Registration begins on Wednesday, September 14, 2022 at 10:00 am. Tuition will be $225 – Scholarships are available.

NOTE: If applying for a scholarship, please fill out the Scholarship Application INSTEAD of filling out registration. If your application is approved, we will be in touch with you to register.

There are some stories that are just so good they need to be shared with an assembled audience. Local actor/comedian Tom Chalmers invites you to take part in what is quickly becoming one of Asheville’s most popular series, Listen to This. A storytelling format in the vein of “This American Life,” Listen to This is an evening hosted by Chalmers with stories and songs from some of Asheville’s most interesting writers, performers, and citizens. Each installment features a central theme (past shows have featured stories about everything from gluttony to mistaken identity). Real people. Real stories. Real good times.

October 27th theme:

“2 Bedroom/1 Bath – Ghost Included”
shared stories of haunted spaces

Listen To This

Hosted by Tom Chalmers

A horror comedy rock musical about a Skid Row flower shop worker with low self-confidence who finds and raises a plant that feeds on human blood and flesh.

Directed by Stephanie Hickling Beckman

Book + Lyrics by Howard Ashman

Music by Alan Menken

Based on the film by Roger Corman, Screenplay by Charles Griffith

Originally produced by the WPA Theatre (Kyle Renick, Producing Director)

Originally Produced at the Orpheum Theatre, New York City by the WPA Theatre, David Geffen, Cameron Mackintosh and the Shubert Organization

$15 for General Admissions, $10 for UNCA Faculty/Staff, and $5 for UNCA Students.

This event will be held at the Carol Belk Theatre on UNC-Asheville’s campus.

RTS: Outside Mullingar

By John Patrick Shanley

Outside Mullingar is presented as readers theatre by The Autumn Players.

Anthony and Rosemary have been friends since childhood, but Rosemary has always wanted something more. When a land feud begins to brew between the two friends’ families, Rosemary worries they will never be together. But in this poignant and funny journey to happiness, Anthony and Rosemary both learn it’s never too late to take a chance on love.

Friday and Saturday performances are held in 35below at Asheville Community Theatre; Sunday performance is held at the Reuter Center on the campus of UNCA. 

The Greenville-centric story opens on Halloween night. While most families make their rounds through the well-known neighborhoods, a handful of kids break off from the group. Hoping to reveal an unspoken Greenville secret, they head to an abandoned mansion along the Reedy River. They knock on the door, and after no answer, a brave little girl says “Let’s go!” and pushes it open. Lightning flashes to reveal a silhouette of a couple who dance a pas de deux to a string quartet medley of several Michael Jackson-inspired tunes.

Music By Michael Jackson and Choreography by Hernan Justo.

Geechie Anne Productions Presents- Penthouses & Back Alley Ways. A classic evening Heightening the experience the art of Jazz Music can provide. New York Singer/Songwriter and Former Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater Principle Dancer Raquelle Chavis Hits the Stage like nobody does; with a Poetic, Exciting, Deep and Masterful Production that challenges old concepts, and arrangements that celebrate the genre of Cool. A new and exciting Production featuring the music of: Ray Noble, Betty Carter, Oscar Brown Jr., Chick Corea, Nat Adderly, Antonio Carlos Jobim and so many more… One could describe this show as a Jazz “Mix Tape.” Eighteen Music Works, travel the stage through several eras, and styles of the genre, in three Acts, presented in a Stellar and Theatrical way. World Renowned Musicians: Andy Lutter on Piano from Germany, Bassist Lonnie Plaxico from New York, Leandro Pellegrino on Guitar from Brazil, and Benjamin Johnson on Drums and Percussion from Atlanta share the stage with the electrifying Ms. Chavis. This is a night at the Theater, with an emphasis on “Show”- Penthouses & Back Alley Ways is a Jazzy Jaunt. A Musical Love Letter honoring swing and style, those two indispensable things Jazz is made of. Truly A Performance Not To Be Missed!

Join us for an evening of thrills and chills as our students debut their 2022 Horror Short Films!

A horror comedy rock musical about a Skid Row flower shop worker with low self-confidence who finds and raises a plant that feeds on human blood and flesh.

Directed by Stephanie Hickling Beckman

Book + Lyrics by Howard Ashman

Music by Alan Menken

Based on the film by Roger Corman, Screenplay by Charles Griffith

Originally produced by the WPA Theatre (Kyle Renick, Producing Director)

Originally Produced at the Orpheum Theatre, New York City by the WPA Theatre, David Geffen, Cameron Mackintosh and the Shubert Organization

$15 for General Admissions, $10 for UNCA Faculty/Staff, and $5 for UNCA Students.

This event will be held at the Carol Belk Theatre on UNC-Asheville’s campus.