We’ve got magic to do just for you! We are beyond thrilled to invite you to our 77th Season at Asheville Community Theatre! Join us for a year of mystery and magic that is overflowing with spellbinding stories and captivating characters. Pippin Performances: September 15-October 8, 2023 Elf: The Musical Performances: December 1-23, 2023 Flyin’ West Performances: February 9-25, 2024 Matilda: The Musical Performances: April 12-May 5, 2024 Alfred Hitchcock’s The 39 Steps Performances: June 21-July 7, 2024 Find your corner of the sky! Whether you’re seeking the flexibility of choosing individual shows or the perks of a subscription, here’s everything you need to know in order to unlock the theatrical experience that’s right for you. June 1, 2023: Re-subscriptions Current Season Subscription holders get exclusive access to early bird prices and first choice of seating. June 14-27, 2023: Early Bird Subscriptions Reduced pricing for Season Subscriptions opens to the public and is available for two weeks. June 28, 2023: Season Subscriptions Regularly-priced Season Subscriptions go on sale for the remainder of the season. July 5-18, 2023: Single Tickets: Opening Weekend Discount  New this year! Tickets for opening weekends are offered at a discount: musicals are 2 for $60 and plays are 2 for $50 – with no maximum ticket limit. The opening weekend discount is only available during this time period and does not include Elf: The Musical. July 19, 2023: Single Tickets All tickets for all shows are now on sale!

“Shine and Dine” on the railway! We cordially invite you to hop on board The Carolina Shine, GSMR’s All-Adult First Class Moonshine Car! We will be proudly serving hand crafted, triple-distilled, craft moonshine. Some of the smoothest tasting moonshine in the Carolinas! Offered on the Nantahala Gorge excursion, this shine and dine experience begins in a renovated First Class train fleet car, The Carolina Shine. The interior features copper lined walls filled with the history of moonshining in North Carolina. Learn about the proud tradition that the Appalachians established when bootlegging was an acceptable way of life and local home brews were the best in town. Read about Swain County’s very own Major Redmond, the most famous mountain moonshine outlaw of the 19th century. Once your appetite for knowledge is satisfied, enjoy sample tastings of flavors like Apple Pie, Blackberry, Blueberry, Cherry, Peach, and Strawberry moonshine. If the samples are not enough, there will be plenty of Moonshine infused cocktails like Copper Cola or Moonshiner’s Mimosa available for purchase. GSMR is excited to feature multiple craft NC based distilleries to serve our guests only the best! Each jar is handcrafted and authentically infused with real fruit, the way moonshine was meant to be made. Passengers will also enjoy a full service All-Adult First Class ride with an attendant and our popular Cajun seasoned Pulled Pork BBQ with Sweet Baby Ray’s sauce cooked in our special spices and slow roasted to perfection! During the month of October, 9am departures will feature the option of a delicious Cheesy Shrimp & Grits or Cheesy Ham Hash Brown Casserole while 2pm departures will be served the popular BBQ meal.

Exhibition dates: June 9 – July 23
Opening Reception: June 9, 5-8 pm
Hours: Tuesday-Saturdays from 10-5 pm, Sundays 11-4 pm

Eidolon is an ancient term from Greek -oeidēs “form”. Early meanings included “mental image”, “appearance”, and “reflection” (as in a mirror or pool), and later, “apparition” or “imaginary entity”, among other things. Expanding beyond the definition pointing to a phantasm or specter, eidolon also sounds like some kind of astral or idyllic place in a novel or poem about an imaginary world. Eidolon features the work of Jacqueline Shatz and Margaret Thompson.
Jacqueline Shatz’s small sculptures of ambiguous and hybridized figures float, entwine, swim, commune with animals and collapse into abstract arabesques and gestures, hinting at mythology, in-between states, and the permeable nature of existence. Margaret Thompson’s paintings are inspired by elements of the symbolist movement and magical realism; she channels dreams and the associative powers of the imagination into her practice, painting subjects that live between our physical realm and spaces beyond the categories of known experience: they are unrestrained, undefined, and free.

From the local favorites to new regional acts, all live from the river banks of the Nantahala. Raft, dine, then jam with us with Live Music every Friday and Saturday from 5pm-8pm between Memorial Day and Labor Day!

Enjoy the WNC Nature Center in the evening with a beer or cider in hand!

Wanna hear the best local music ​and​ drink the best local beers? Hop aboard LaZoom’s Purple Bus and rock out with a local band while we take you on a journey to Asheville’s premiere local breweries.

Les Claypool’s Fearless Flying Frog Brigade Tickets | Asheville, NC | Rabbit Rabbit (etix.com)

The Friday Night Music series will present the familiar 50’s and 60’s
classic rock and beach music from a host of different bands. Food vendors like Babbles Ice
Cream, Blue Ridge Hospitality and Eggs Up Grill will provide a some spice. The Carolina
Mountain Car Club will participate as in years past.

Friday Night Concerts
Super 60’s June 9
Gotcha Groove June 16
It’s 5 O’Clock Somewhere June 23
Marsha Morgan June 30
Shades of Gray July 7
Thomas Brown July 14
Emporium July 21
Johnnie Blackwell Band July 28
Rock and Roll Reunion August 4
208 Army Band August 11
Night Moves Band August 18

Ain’t Done Bad is a momentous, yet achingly vulnerable piece of Contemporary Dance Theatre created by “So You Think You Can Dance” star, Jakob Karr. Featuring the vivid, revelatory music of Orville Peck, seven of the most sought-after professional dancers in the industry, bring Jakob’s story to life in this utterly seamless, hour long work of art. Ain’t Done Bad explores the experience of growing up, coming out and finding love, using dance to celebrate the journey of leaving shame behind to embrace your authentic, vulnerable voice, all without speaking a word. 35th Parallel Productions proudly shares this exciting new work with the world!

By Andrew Lippa and John August
On the Steve Lloyd Stage
Directed by Candice Dickinson

What tall tales will we tell to be the hero of our own stories? 

When Will finds out his father is dying of cancer, he is on a mission to find the truth behind the tall tales his father has always told him. Audiences will be in awe as they travel back and forth from Will and Edward’s stark reality to the beautiful and larger than life fantasies of Edward Bloom’s past. This charming, warm hug of a musical features Southern-fried music from Andrew Lippa and is based on the 1998 novel by Daniel Wallace that also inspired the 2003 big-screen adaptation directed by Tim Burton. A musical for dreamers, this show has sweeping melodies, gorgeous dance numbers, and celebrates the imagination, culminating in a thrilling theatrical experience. Full of giants, witches, mermaids, and, of course, an exceptionally large fish, Big Fish is about what’s real and what’s fantastic, what’s true and what’s not true, what’s partially true and how, in the end, it’s all true.

Suitable for all audiences.

An Amateur Drag Night For Young Drag Performers and the Community to Promote Celebration, Unity, and Pride!

Born This Way: An Amateur Drag Celebration is an opportunity for new, “baby” drag performers to come together and celebrate their art and their community. The event will include lip sync performances by drag performers from Western North Carolina and Upstate South Carolina and is being co-produced by Hendersonville Theatre and Hendersonville Pride and is sponsored by The Progressive Alliance. This evening will also include an opportunity for audience participation in an Audience Lip Sync Competition. Born This Way will be hosted by Hendersonville’s own Margot Wilde. Margot Wilde started doing drag quietly in a college dorm room, but after the COVID-19 pandemic, decided that drag was meant for the stage and began pursuing performing as much as she could. Margot was first seen on stage at Hendersonville Theatre supporting Charleston, SC based queen, Patti O’Furniture at HT’s Drag Bingo night in 2022. She has also performed in drag in a few musicals, and is passionate about bringing more drag and artistic queer expression to Hendersonville. “In today’s political climate,” Margot says, “It’s crucial that LGBTQIA+ people understand that they are not broken, shameful, or that they have to hide. Drag isn’t dangerous. Our community isn’t dangerous. We are here to celebrate our differences and to spread the love!” Hendersonville Theatre is committed to presenting diverse voices that effectively reflect a broad array of cultural backgrounds and viewpoints. This includes bringing connection and visibility to the LGBTQ+ communities. Since 1966, Hendersonville Theatre has provided an inviting and nurturing environment for live theatre, as well as high-quality, affordable entertainment for the residents of Hendersonville and surrounding areas. Hendersonville Theatre is wheelchair accessible, with free parking behind and in front of the theater.

Hendersonville theatre proudly presents Born This Way: An Amateur Drag Celebration. This event kicks off Pride month with exciting new drag queens and kings from Western North Carolina and Upstate South Carolina. We invite you to join us for a night of fun, high-energy celebration with these fresh young drag stars. Hendersonville Theatre’s own Margot Wilde (last seen on stage at Drag Bingo with Patti O’Furniture) will host the event. There will be opportunities for prizes, a Pride-themed photo booth, and an exciting audience volunteer Lip-Sync competition. Dress in your most glamorous Pride fit, and come support your local drag talent, your local theatre, and the local LGBTQIA+ community. Happy Pride, and remember to bring cash to tip your performers!

18 and Over

DA CLASSROOM AIN’T ENUF
By Charles Payne
Directed by Katie Jones

Da Classroom Ain’t Enuf is an exploration of the intersection of Black and Brown communities, particularly in and around the American educational system. The play features an ensemble of four actors who play teachers, students, and their families, and is a mix of poetry, prose, and music, with original tracks by composer Richard Jones. This choreopoem is inspired by the work of Ntozake Shange.

HAVING OUR SAY: THE DELANEY SISTERS’ FIRST 100 YEARS opens as 103-year-old Sadie Delany and 101-year-old Bessie Delany welcome us into their Mount Vernon, New York, home. As they prepare a celebratory dinner in remembrance of their father’s birthday, they take us on a remarkable journey through the last hundred years of our nation’s history, recounting a fascinating series of events and anecdotes drawn from their rich family history and careers as pioneering African-American professionals. Their story is not simply African-American history or women’s history. It is our history, told through the eyes of two unforgettable women as they look not only into the past, but also ahead into the twenty-first century.

All shows will be at the Hazel Robinson Amphitheater in the Montford District of Asheville, and all will be presented absolutely FREE of charge!
Written and Directed by Skyler Goff
This World Premiere was penned by local playwright Skyler Goff and tells of the continuing adventures of our favorite Lost Boy. A fantastical way to kick off our season!

All shows will run Fridays through Sundays and all will be presented at 7:30pm and prime seats can be reserved.

Montford Park Players has been bringing some of theater’s greatest works to Western North Carolina for over 50 years. Montford Park Players continues its mission of bring free theater to the community. The summer season allows everyone to come spend an evening under the stars, seeing some of the best live performances presented in Asheville.

Montford Park Players allows patrons to bring their favorite food and beverages to their shows and sells beer, wine and concessions at the shows. If you’ve never been to the Hazel Robinson Amphitheatre for a Montford show, there’s no better season than this one. If you have been, you know why you should come back and catch everything we have to offer!

Book by Joanne Koch

Music by Ilya Levinson

Lyrics by Owen Kalt

Directed and Staged by: Jimmy Ferraro

Approximate Run Time: 1 hour, 45 minutes
Rating: Mature due to adult situations, humor, and language

Crass. It is an evening with this pioneer of edgy comedy anchored by an original score by Grammy-nominated composer Ilya Levinson, with plenty of Belle’s jokes and songs that topped the charts of the “adults only” record section… the “party records” your parents played when you were sent to bed. Inspired by her Jewish comedian father, Belle, a classically trained pianist, defined the odds (and her mother’s wishes for a career at Carnegie Hall). She rose to the top of a very limited genre of performers playing to packed clubs worldwide in an era when “women ain’t comics” culminating in a sold-out appearance at Carnegie Hall..her greatest success and yet her demise.

Fat Italian Wedding Murder which ran for 2 years in Florida and most recently in Chicago. He also produced and directed the hit New York premiere of Raunchy Little Musical…Belle Barth is Back!, scheduled to open at The Hendersonville Theatre in June and in Chicago in the Fall.

His credits as a producer and director are an outgrowth of decades as a professional performer throughout the U.S. and overseas, including Broadway, Off-Broadway and regional theatre. He made his Broadway debut in Fiddler On The Roof, directed by Jerome Robbins. Jimmy appeared in two Broadway national tours of Fiddler, with over 3000 performances to his credit. He starred as Tevye, (his signature role), in Fiddler in the 2012 National Tour, (winning Broadway World’s Best Actor in a Musical Award). He is also known  throughout the country for his roles as Sancho Panza in Man Of La Mancha, Nicely-Nicely in Guys And Dolls, each of which he has played more than 1000  performances and as Edna in . Jimmy and his wife, Broadway actress Dee Etta Rowe, now make their home in Hendersonville.

A fresh take on a timeless classic, perfect for the whole family. With great warmth and more than a touch of hilarity, the hearts of children and adults alike still soar when the slipper fits. Inspired by the acclaimed teleplay starring Whitney Houston and Brandy, this version of the magical fairy tale is reborn with the Rodgers & Hammerstein hallmarks of originality, charm and elegance.

We’re putting our build crew back together and we’d love to have you join us. Every 2 weeks, we’ll meet at 9 am for hands-on set construction! Whether your talents are building, painting, or you just want to learn, come out and join us every other Saturday for some creative fun. Tools and work gloves are helpful but not required

We’ve got magic to do just for you! We are beyond thrilled to invite you to our 77th Season at Asheville Community Theatre! Join us for a year of mystery and magic that is overflowing with spellbinding stories and captivating characters. Pippin Performances: September 15-October 8, 2023 Elf: The Musical Performances: December 1-23, 2023 Flyin’ West Performances: February 9-25, 2024 Matilda: The Musical Performances: April 12-May 5, 2024 Alfred Hitchcock’s The 39 Steps Performances: June 21-July 7, 2024 Find your corner of the sky! Whether you’re seeking the flexibility of choosing individual shows or the perks of a subscription, here’s everything you need to know in order to unlock the theatrical experience that’s right for you. June 1, 2023: Re-subscriptions Current Season Subscription holders get exclusive access to early bird prices and first choice of seating. June 14-27, 2023: Early Bird Subscriptions Reduced pricing for Season Subscriptions opens to the public and is available for two weeks. June 28, 2023: Season Subscriptions Regularly-priced Season Subscriptions go on sale for the remainder of the season. July 5-18, 2023: Single Tickets: Opening Weekend Discount  New this year! Tickets for opening weekends are offered at a discount: musicals are 2 for $60 and plays are 2 for $50 – with no maximum ticket limit. The opening weekend discount is only available during this time period and does not include Elf: The Musical. July 19, 2023: Single Tickets All tickets for all shows are now on sale!

“Shine and Dine” on the railway! We cordially invite you to hop on board The Carolina Shine, GSMR’s All-Adult First Class Moonshine Car! We will be proudly serving hand crafted, triple-distilled, craft moonshine. Some of the smoothest tasting moonshine in the Carolinas! Offered on the Nantahala Gorge excursion, this shine and dine experience begins in a renovated First Class train fleet car, The Carolina Shine. The interior features copper lined walls filled with the history of moonshining in North Carolina. Learn about the proud tradition that the Appalachians established when bootlegging was an acceptable way of life and local home brews were the best in town. Read about Swain County’s very own Major Redmond, the most famous mountain moonshine outlaw of the 19th century. Once your appetite for knowledge is satisfied, enjoy sample tastings of flavors like Apple Pie, Blackberry, Blueberry, Cherry, Peach, and Strawberry moonshine. If the samples are not enough, there will be plenty of Moonshine infused cocktails like Copper Cola or Moonshiner’s Mimosa available for purchase. GSMR is excited to feature multiple craft NC based distilleries to serve our guests only the best! Each jar is handcrafted and authentically infused with real fruit, the way moonshine was meant to be made. Passengers will also enjoy a full service All-Adult First Class ride with an attendant and our popular Cajun seasoned Pulled Pork BBQ with Sweet Baby Ray’s sauce cooked in our special spices and slow roasted to perfection! During the month of October, 9am departures will feature the option of a delicious Cheesy Shrimp & Grits or Cheesy Ham Hash Brown Casserole while 2pm departures will be served the popular BBQ meal.

TFAC invites all artists: painters, sculptors, writers, performers & more — to a casual weekly drop-in gathering on Saturday mornings at 9 AM to share your works in progress, alert others, and chat about art and what’s happening in your community. The first weekly Coffee is Saturday, August 20 at 9 am. No RSVP needed, just drop by! Free parking available on Melrose Avenue, behind and alongside TFAC.