Upcoming events and things to do in Asheville, NC. Below is a list of events for festivals, concerts, art exhibitions, group meetups and more.

Interested in adding an event to our calendar? Please click the green “Post Your Event” button below.

Wednesday, March 25, 2020
Well
Mar 25 @ 7:30 pm
NC Stage Company

Well is a funny and touching comedy about mothers and daughters, mind over body, social activism and theatre itself. Lisa, the onstage playwright, attempts a memory play about her force-of-nature mother, Ann, who though constantly ill manages to heal a community. The playwright asks the provocative question: “Do we create our own illness?” The answers she gets are much more complicated than she bargained for as the play spins dangerously out of control into riotously funny and unexpected territory.

“deceptively deep and clever as ever.” – Curtain Up

Discretionary Warning: Adult themes and language

Thursday, March 26, 2020
An Evening with N. K. Jemisin, author of The City We Became
Mar 26 @ 6:30 pm
UNC Asheville Lipinsky Auditorium

Join us Thursday, March 26 at 6:30 pm when N.K Jemisin presents her new novel, THE CITY WE BECAME (on sale March 24, 2020).

We are pleased to partner with UNC Asheville’s Great Smokies Writing Program and English Department for this event, which will be held at in Lipinsky Auditorium on the UNCA campus.

There are two ticket options:

(1) Ticket includes admission for one person and a copy of THE CITY WE BECAME (hardcover)

(2) Ticket includes admission for two people, a copy of THE CITY WE BECAME (hardcover) and a copy of HOW LONG TIL BLACK FUTURE MONTH (paperback)

N. K. Jemisin will sign books following reading and audience Q&A. Books will be available to pick up at the event.

***Stay tuned for important details about the event and signing. When purchasing your ticket(s), please make sure you provide an email address where you can receive emails from the Brown Paper Tickets automated system.***

ABOUT THE CITY WE BECAME
Five New Yorkers must come together to defend their city from an ancient evil in this stunning new novel by Hugo Award-winner and NYT bestselling author N. K. Jemisin.

Every great city has a soul. Some are as ancient as myths, and others are as new and destructive as children. New York City? Shes got six.

But every city also has a dark side. A roiling, ancient evil stirs in the halls of power, threatening to destroy the city and her six newborn avatars unless they can come together and stop it once and for all.

In a starred review, Kirkus calls THE CITY WE BECAME “Fierce, poetic, uncompromising.”

N.K. Jemisin: The City We Became
Mar 26 @ 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm
Lipinsky Auditorium

 

N.K. Jemisin will present her new book, The City We Became, just two days after its public release. This ticketed event takes place at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, March 26, in Lipinsky Auditorium, presented in partnership by Malaprop’s Bookstore/Café, and UNC Asheville’s Great Smokies Writing Program and Department of English.

This is a ticketed event with different ticketing/book purchase options, with online ordering at: https://www.malaprops.com/event/ticketed-nk-jemisin-presents-city-we-became-unca

Free tickets (which do not include the book) are available for UNC Asheville students and employees – contact Lilly Augspurger, 828.251.6099 or [email protected].

Living and writing her speculative fiction in Brooklyn, Jemisin’s new novel features five New Yorkers who must come together to defend their city from ancient evil. She is the only author to win three Best Novel Hugo awards in a row, which she did for her Broken Earth trilogy. Jemisin also has won a Nebula Award and two Locus Awards among the many honors for her eight novels, a novella, and two short story collections. A former counseling psychologist and educator, she also covered science fiction for three years for the New York Times Book Review. For more information about Jemisin, her books and this event, visit the Malaprop’s website.

Visitor Parking on the UNC Asheville Campus – Visitors may park in faculty/staff and non-resident lots from 5:00 p.m. until 7:30 a.m., Monday through Friday, and on weekends, holidays, and campus breaks. Visitors are not permitted to park in resident student lots at any time. Campus map is here – use menu bars to find parking lot locations.

Building accessibility information is available here.

Accessibility Contact: Highsmith Student Union, [email protected] or 828.251.6990.

Works in Translation Book Club
Mar 26 @ 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Malaprop's Bookstore

Join host and Malaprop’s Bookstore Manager Justin Souther to discuss writers — and their literature — in translation and the cultural, political and artistic influences that mold them. Click here to see a list of the monthly selections. Attendees receive 10% off the club’s current selection at Malaprop’s!

The club usually meets the last Thursday of every month at Malaprop’s Bookstore/Cafe.

Event date:
Thursday, January 30, 2020 – 7:00pm
Thursday, February 27, 2020 – 7:00pm
Thursday, March 26, 2020 – 7:00pm
Thursday, April 30, 2020 – 7:00pm
Asheville Community Theatre Online Events: Tom Chalmers’ Listen to This 
Mar 26 @ 7:30 pm
ACT Facebook Page

  • On Facebook: 
    • Tom Chalmers’ Listen to This is going online for a performance Thursday, March 26 at 7:30 pm
    • We are featuring singers (and dancers!) from the community during our #ACTHappyHour parties M-F at 5:00 pm!
  • On Instagram:
    • Costume Designer/Shop Manager Carina Lopez created a photo tutorial to sew masks for immuno-compromised people.
Listen To This Hosted by Tom Chalmers
Mar 26 @ 7:30 pm
Asheville Community Theatre

Listen To This

Hosted by Tom Chalmers

Usually the last Thursday of the month!

7:30 pm

Performed in 35below. 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.

 

TRAITOR by Brett Neveu
Mar 26 @ 7:30 pm
The Magnetic Theatre

This modern adaptation of Henrik Ibsen’s An Enemy of the People follows the fate of a small suburb and its newly opened charter school. The science teacher, Dr. Stock, discovers issues on the school grounds and takes on a mission to inform the public. Both hilarious and heartbreaking, this play addresses themes of truth, greed and denial, while serving as a mirror for our outrageous political reality.

Well
Mar 26 @ 7:30 pm
NC Stage Company

Well is a funny and touching comedy about mothers and daughters, mind over body, social activism and theatre itself. Lisa, the onstage playwright, attempts a memory play about her force-of-nature mother, Ann, who though constantly ill manages to heal a community. The playwright asks the provocative question: “Do we create our own illness?” The answers she gets are much more complicated than she bargained for as the play spins dangerously out of control into riotously funny and unexpected territory.

“deceptively deep and clever as ever.” – Curtain Up

Discretionary Warning: Adult themes and language

Friday, March 27, 2020
Charlotte’s Web: CANCELLED
Mar 27 all-day
Flat Rock Playhouse

Wilbur, an irresistible young pig, who desperately wants to avoid becoming “pork chops,” meets an extraordinary spider who proves to be “a true friend and a good writer.” Based on E.B. White’s classic American children’s book, this treasured tale of endearing farm animals and the people who surround them explores bravery, selfless love, and the true meaning of friendship. Featuring a cast of local students and parents, Charlotte’s Web is a charming production fit for the whole family.

In adherence to the latest North Carolina state government restrictions of public gatherings, addressing the spread of COVID-19, Flat Rock Playhouse will be suspending all programming from March 16 – April 23.

 If you purchased tickets for a performance that is being canceled, please contact the Box Office beginning 10 am on Monday, March 16 to arrange receipt of a gift certificate for the value of your ticket.  We also ask that you consider making a gift of your ticket. Theatre is a community that is built on the opportunity to come together to share stories and in this unprecedented circumstance, when coming together is not possible, we need your support more than ever.

Patron Production Preference Survey Flat Rock Playhouse
Mar 27 all-day
Flat Rock Playhouse

Hello Flat Rock Playhouse Patrons, Donors, Friends, and all-around ‘Peeps!’

Please take a few minutes to take the survey and help us as we begin planning for the 2021 season and beyond.  We’ve listed a pretty large range of shows because we want to know what you’re interested in seeing on the stage.  Please choose your TOP 10 favorites in each category; Musicals and Plays. You will also have the opportunity to write in a title or author that may not otherwise be listed.  Please only choose ten of each so we can narrow down your preferences.

As an added note, we endeavor to give you exactly what your heart most desires.  That said, there are many factors that go into selecting shows.  Are the rights available? Can we afford to produce it properly? Does it align with our Union obligations?  These questions and many more are all part of the process and influence what productions we select.  It’s important to everyone at Flat Rock Playhouse that we deliver as much of what the audience desires as we can whenever we can.

Thank you for taking a few minutes to share your preferences with us.  We are hugely grateful for the insight!

Sincerely,

The Artistic Team

Flat Rock Playhouse

Aladdin, Jr.
Mar 27 @ 6:00 pm
Owen High School auditorium

Aladdin, Jr. benefit performances by the students of The Learning Community School to be held March 27-29

Based on the hit 1992 animated film, The Learning Community School is pleased to present “Aladdin, Jr.” in the Owen High School auditorium on March 27-29. The entire K-8 student body of 75 students participates in the show, which features impressive choreography, singing, and live accompaniment.
It’s not just the students who are represented in the show. Every parent and staff member in the school contributes to the production. From costumes​ and make-up to lighting and props, and the dedicated team who gathers, organizes, and displays the incredible silent auction, this school-wide effort goes far beyond what’s seen on stage. Every single participant – kids, parents, staff, and faculty alike – shines in their own way and contributes to the overwhelming success of the show each year.

The event is unique in that it serves as the primary source of community outreach, community building, and fundraising for The Learning Community School; it is the school’s flagship event. This event is also an opportunity for this small school to give back to the WNC Community in a big way. On March 26th, we offer a free preview show to share a live-theater experience with members of our greater community with visitors from Black Mountain Neuromedical Treatment Center, Swannanoa Valley Montessori School, Fox Flower Montessori, local homeschool groups, and more.

Community building is a key component of the event. From the team of Saturday morning set builders to the Tuesday night costume sewing circle to the students creating magic on stage, the sense of working together for a common purpose permeates the atmosphere. Robin Jacobs, TLC parent, PE teacher, and silent auction coordinator says, “This common purpose creates an environment where collaboration is essential and familiar. It builds group stability and individual equanimity, while contributing to a culture of group success.” Executive Director Katherine Murphy says, “At the close of Sunday’s performance at our community gathering, we all celebrate the success of working together for the good of our community.”

While there are so many community benefits, the bottom line is that it is also an incredibly successful fundraiser for a small school. Ticket sales, concessions, sponsorships, and the silent auction all complement each other; “We’re incredibly fortunate to have this annual opportunity to give our students and community a meaningful and enriching experience while raising necessary funds for the school” says Holly Baumgartner, Administrative Director.

Musical highlights including “Prince Ali” and the show-stopping “​Never Had a Friend Like Me” are an opportunity for our talented students to show off their hard work and dedication. “Arabian Nights” is a stand-out performance that includes every member of the K-8 school’s student body. These songs and more will be performed as part of the school’s full-length, professional-level theater presentation.

This year’s show represents a few important milestones as well. First, it will be the 20th year for our incredible Costume Director, Theresa Cote, who oversees the design of the event’s custom-tailored costumes. Many of these outfits are hand sewn from scratch by staff members and teams of hard-working community volunteers.

The show’s director, Black Mountain resident, Dead Poets member, and TLC School alumni parent and teacher, Tom Tracy, is celebrating his 15th year at the helm. “I never grow tired of watching these young people get up on that stage and pour themselves into the show. They work so hard and I love to watch that moment when they drop into the full experience and “find” their place on that stage and in the story” says Tracy.

Aladdin, Jr.
Friday, March 27 at 6pm
Saturday, March 28 at 4pm
Sunday, March 29 at 2pm
Owen High School auditorium, Black Mountain NC
Tickets: $10 general admission
Purchase tickets online at www.thelearningcommunity.org.

Driving Miss Daisy
Mar 27 @ 7:30 pm
Hendersonville Community Theatre

HCT is proud to present, Driving Miss Daisy, the winner of the 1988 Pulitzer Prize and the Outer Critics Circle Award for Best Off-Broadway
Play. A warm-hearted, humorous and affecting study of the unlikely relationship between an aging, crotchety white Southern lady, and a proud, soft-spoken chauffer . A long-run Off-Broadway success and an Academy Award-winning film. —a perfectly poised and shaped miniature on the odd-couple theme.—NY Post

 

TRAITOR by Brett Neveu
Mar 27 @ 7:30 pm
The Magnetic Theatre

This modern adaptation of Henrik Ibsen’s An Enemy of the People follows the fate of a small suburb and its newly opened charter school. The science teacher, Dr. Stock, discovers issues on the school grounds and takes on a mission to inform the public. Both hilarious and heartbreaking, this play addresses themes of truth, greed and denial, while serving as a mirror for our outrageous political reality.

Well
Mar 27 @ 7:30 pm
NC Stage Company

Well is a funny and touching comedy about mothers and daughters, mind over body, social activism and theatre itself. Lisa, the onstage playwright, attempts a memory play about her force-of-nature mother, Ann, who though constantly ill manages to heal a community. The playwright asks the provocative question: “Do we create our own illness?” The answers she gets are much more complicated than she bargained for as the play spins dangerously out of control into riotously funny and unexpected territory.

“deceptively deep and clever as ever.” – Curtain Up

Discretionary Warning: Adult themes and language

Saturday, March 28, 2020
Charlotte’s Web: CANCELLED
Mar 28 all-day
Flat Rock Playhouse

Wilbur, an irresistible young pig, who desperately wants to avoid becoming “pork chops,” meets an extraordinary spider who proves to be “a true friend and a good writer.” Based on E.B. White’s classic American children’s book, this treasured tale of endearing farm animals and the people who surround them explores bravery, selfless love, and the true meaning of friendship. Featuring a cast of local students and parents, Charlotte’s Web is a charming production fit for the whole family.

In adherence to the latest North Carolina state government restrictions of public gatherings, addressing the spread of COVID-19, Flat Rock Playhouse will be suspending all programming from March 16 – April 23.

 If you purchased tickets for a performance that is being canceled, please contact the Box Office beginning 10 am on Monday, March 16 to arrange receipt of a gift certificate for the value of your ticket.  We also ask that you consider making a gift of your ticket. Theatre is a community that is built on the opportunity to come together to share stories and in this unprecedented circumstance, when coming together is not possible, we need your support more than ever.

Curtains Up Gala Save the Date!
Mar 28 all-day
Asheville Community Theatre

Save the Date!

We have a date for our Gala (aka the not-to-be-missed party of the summer)! Go ahead and put May 30, 2020 on your calendar. Tickets will go on sale on April 1!
Patron Production Preference Survey Flat Rock Playhouse
Mar 28 all-day
Flat Rock Playhouse

Hello Flat Rock Playhouse Patrons, Donors, Friends, and all-around ‘Peeps!’

Please take a few minutes to take the survey and help us as we begin planning for the 2021 season and beyond.  We’ve listed a pretty large range of shows because we want to know what you’re interested in seeing on the stage.  Please choose your TOP 10 favorites in each category; Musicals and Plays. You will also have the opportunity to write in a title or author that may not otherwise be listed.  Please only choose ten of each so we can narrow down your preferences.

As an added note, we endeavor to give you exactly what your heart most desires.  That said, there are many factors that go into selecting shows.  Are the rights available? Can we afford to produce it properly? Does it align with our Union obligations?  These questions and many more are all part of the process and influence what productions we select.  It’s important to everyone at Flat Rock Playhouse that we deliver as much of what the audience desires as we can whenever we can.

Thank you for taking a few minutes to share your preferences with us.  We are hugely grateful for the insight!

Sincerely,

The Artistic Team

Flat Rock Playhouse

Photo Op: This “terrific” pig! before matinee show Charlotte’s Web
Mar 28 @ 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm
Flat Rock Playhouse

One of our sponsors, Lafawnduh of Flowers By Larry, will be joining us before our Saturday matinees on March 14th, 21st, and 28th for a photo op! She will be in front of the gift shop starting at 1 PM. Enjoy a picture with this “terrific” pig before seeing Wilbur, Charlotte, Fern and more take the stage!

Charlotte’s Web CANCELLED
Mar 28 @ 2:00 pm
Flat Rock Playhouse
Driving Miss Daisy
Mar 28 @ 2:00 pm
Hendersonville Community Theatre

HCT is proud to present, Driving Miss Daisy, the winner of the 1988 Pulitzer Prize and the Outer Critics Circle Award for Best Off-Broadway
Play. A warm-hearted, humorous and affecting study of the unlikely relationship between an aging, crotchety white Southern lady, and a proud, soft-spoken chauffer . A long-run Off-Broadway success and an Academy Award-winning film. —a perfectly poised and shaped miniature on the odd-couple theme.—NY Post

Driving Miss Daisy
Mar 28 @ 7:30 pm
Hendersonville Community Theatre

HCT is proud to present, Driving Miss Daisy, the winner of the 1988 Pulitzer Prize and the Outer Critics Circle Award for Best Off-Broadway
Play. A warm-hearted, humorous and affecting study of the unlikely relationship between an aging, crotchety white Southern lady, and a proud, soft-spoken chauffer . A long-run Off-Broadway success and an Academy Award-winning film. —a perfectly poised and shaped miniature on the odd-couple theme.—NY Post

 

Lord Teach Me How To Love Again
Mar 28 @ 7:30 pm
Spartanburg Memorial Auditorium

 

The exciting Hit Heartfelt Stage Play that’s touching people all across America.

“Lord Teach Me How To Love Again” This Theatrical performance is about promises made, promises kept, and promises broken. Loving the wrong person and losing family. Being broken by wrong choices and rising up through Gods Grace. Beautiful stage-play that will put tears in your eyes, laughter in your voice and a song in your heart. This is one you don’t want to miss.

TRAITOR by Brett Neveu
Mar 28 @ 7:30 pm
The Magnetic Theatre

This modern adaptation of Henrik Ibsen’s An Enemy of the People follows the fate of a small suburb and its newly opened charter school. The science teacher, Dr. Stock, discovers issues on the school grounds and takes on a mission to inform the public. Both hilarious and heartbreaking, this play addresses themes of truth, greed and denial, while serving as a mirror for our outrageous political reality.

Well
Mar 28 @ 7:30 pm
NC Stage Company

Well is a funny and touching comedy about mothers and daughters, mind over body, social activism and theatre itself. Lisa, the onstage playwright, attempts a memory play about her force-of-nature mother, Ann, who though constantly ill manages to heal a community. The playwright asks the provocative question: “Do we create our own illness?” The answers she gets are much more complicated than she bargained for as the play spins dangerously out of control into riotously funny and unexpected territory.

“deceptively deep and clever as ever.” – Curtain Up

Discretionary Warning: Adult themes and language

Sunday, March 29, 2020
Aladdin, Jr.
Mar 29 @ 2:00 pm
Owen High School auditorium, Black Mountain NC

Aladdin, Jr. benefit performances by the students of The Learning Community School to be held March 27-29

Based on the hit 1992 animated film, The Learning Community School is pleased to present “Aladdin, Jr.” in the Owen High School auditorium on March 27-29. The entire K-8 student body of 75 students participates in the show, which features impressive choreography, singing, and live accompaniment.
It’s not just the students who are represented in the show. Every parent and staff member in the school contributes to the production. From costumes​ and make-up to lighting and props, and the dedicated team who gathers, organizes, and displays the incredible silent auction, this school-wide effort goes far beyond what’s seen on stage. Every single participant – kids, parents, staff, and faculty alike – shines in their own way and contributes to the overwhelming success of the show each year.

The event is unique in that it serves as the primary source of community outreach, community building, and fundraising for The Learning Community School; it is the school’s flagship event. This event is also an opportunity for this small school to give back to the WNC Community in a big way. On March 26th, we offer a free preview show to share a live-theater experience with members of our greater community with visitors from Black Mountain Neuromedical Treatment Center, Swannanoa Valley Montessori School, Fox Flower Montessori, local homeschool groups, and more.

Community building is a key component of the event. From the team of Saturday morning set builders to the Tuesday night costume sewing circle to the students creating magic on stage, the sense of working together for a common purpose permeates the atmosphere. Robin Jacobs, TLC parent, PE teacher, and silent auction coordinator says, “This common purpose creates an environment where collaboration is essential and familiar. It builds group stability and individual equanimity, while contributing to a culture of group success.” Executive Director Katherine Murphy says, “At the close of Sunday’s performance at our community gathering, we all celebrate the success of working together for the good of our community.”

While there are so many community benefits, the bottom line is that it is also an incredibly successful fundraiser for a small school. Ticket sales, concessions, sponsorships, and the silent auction all complement each other; “We’re incredibly fortunate to have this annual opportunity to give our students and community a meaningful and enriching experience while raising necessary funds for the school” says Holly Baumgartner, Administrative Director.

Musical highlights including “Prince Ali” and the show-stopping “​Never Had a Friend Like Me” are an opportunity for our talented students to show off their hard work and dedication. “Arabian Nights” is a stand-out performance that includes every member of the K-8 school’s student body. These songs and more will be performed as part of the school’s full-length, professional-level theater presentation.

This year’s show represents a few important milestones as well. First, it will be the 20th year for our incredible Costume Director, Theresa Cote, who oversees the design of the event’s custom-tailored costumes. Many of these outfits are hand sewn from scratch by staff members and teams of hard-working community volunteers.

The show’s director, Black Mountain resident, Dead Poets member, and TLC School alumni parent and teacher, Tom Tracy, is celebrating his 15th year at the helm. “I never grow tired of watching these young people get up on that stage and pour themselves into the show. They work so hard and I love to watch that moment when they drop into the full experience and “find” their place on that stage and in the story” says Tracy.

Aladdin, Jr.
Friday, March 27 at 6pm
Saturday, March 28 at 4pm
Sunday, March 29 at 2pm
Owen High School auditorium, Black Mountain NC
Tickets: $10 general admission
Purchase tickets online at www.thelearningcommunity.org.

Driving Miss Daisy
Mar 29 @ 2:00 pm
Hendersonville Community Theatre

HCT is proud to present, Driving Miss Daisy, the winner of the 1988 Pulitzer Prize and the Outer Critics Circle Award for Best Off-Broadway
Play. A warm-hearted, humorous and affecting study of the unlikely relationship between an aging, crotchety white Southern lady, and a proud, soft-spoken chauffer . A long-run Off-Broadway success and an Academy Award-winning film. —a perfectly poised and shaped miniature on the odd-couple theme.—NY Post

Well
Mar 29 @ 2:00 pm
NC Stage Company

Well is a funny and touching comedy about mothers and daughters, mind over body, social activism and theatre itself. Lisa, the onstage playwright, attempts a memory play about her force-of-nature mother, Ann, who though constantly ill manages to heal a community. The playwright asks the provocative question: “Do we create our own illness?” The answers she gets are much more complicated than she bargained for as the play spins dangerously out of control into riotously funny and unexpected territory.

“deceptively deep and clever as ever.” – Curtain Up

Discretionary Warning: Adult themes and language

Monday, March 30, 2020
Science Fiction Book Club
Mar 30 @ 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Malaprop's Bookstore

Join host and Malaprop’s Bookseller Allison Beatty to dive into the wreck of the wily and wonderful world of sci-fi, weird fiction, speculative fiction, literary horror, and disturbing fiction with a healthy mix of underappreciated classic and contemporary books. Click here to see a full schedule of what the club is reading. Club attendees get 10% off the book at Malaprop’s!

The club meets the at Malaprop’s on the last Monday of every month at 7:00pm.

 

Event date:
Monday, December 30, 2019 – 7:00pm
Monday, January 27, 2020 – 7:00pm
Monday, February 24, 2020 – 7:00pm
Monday, March 30, 2020 – 7:00pm
Wednesday, April 1, 2020
Curtains Up Gala Save the Date!
Apr 1 all-day
Asheville Community Theatre

Save the Date!

We have a date for our Gala (aka the not-to-be-missed party of the summer)! Go ahead and put May 30, 2020 on your calendar. Tickets will go on sale on April 1!
Well
Apr 1 @ 7:30 pm
NC Stage Company

Well is a funny and touching comedy about mothers and daughters, mind over body, social activism and theatre itself. Lisa, the onstage playwright, attempts a memory play about her force-of-nature mother, Ann, who though constantly ill manages to heal a community. The playwright asks the provocative question: “Do we create our own illness?” The answers she gets are much more complicated than she bargained for as the play spins dangerously out of control into riotously funny and unexpected territory.

“deceptively deep and clever as ever.” – Curtain Up

Discretionary Warning: Adult themes and language