Calendar of Events
Upcoming events and things to do in Asheville, NC. Below is a list of events for festivals, concerts, art exhibitions, group meetups and more.
July 1-30, 2022
West Side Story
The number one requested musical from our 2019 show survey. You asked for it, you got it! From the first notes to the final breath, West Side Story is one of the most memorable musicals and greatest love stories of all time. Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet is transported to modern-day New York City as two young, idealistic lovers find themselves caught between warring street gangs, the ‘American’ Jets and the Puerto Rican Sharks. Their struggle to survive in a world of fear, violence, and prejudice remains one of the most innovative, heart-wrenching, and relevant musical dramas of our time. The score by Leonard Bernstein and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim are widely regarded as among the best ever written.
July 1-30, 2022
West Side Story
The number one requested musical from our 2019 show survey. You asked for it, you got it! From the first notes to the final breath, West Side Story is one of the most memorable musicals and greatest love stories of all time. Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet is transported to modern-day New York City as two young, idealistic lovers find themselves caught between warring street gangs, the ‘American’ Jets and the Puerto Rican Sharks. Their struggle to survive in a world of fear, violence, and prejudice remains one of the most innovative, heart-wrenching, and relevant musical dramas of our time. The score by Leonard Bernstein and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim are widely regarded as among the best ever written.
Shipwrecks! Betrayals! Romance! Mistaken identities and switcheroos! Magic! A tipsy sea monster! This Shakespearean comedy has everything!
Rehearsals for “The Tempest” will be from 11am-4pm Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays starting June 13, and performances will be July 1-3 and July 8 & 9.
Asheville Area Arts Council funding helps support Moppets after-school program
Taught by Artistic Director Ashleigh Goff and veteran Moppet Eli Hamilton, the class is our first-ever partnership with the City of Asheville. Students in the after-school program are learning basic theater skills and building their self-confidence in a fun and welcoming environment. The program will culminate in a showcase performance for the students’ peers and families.
“One of our overarching goals is to introduce more kids to classical theater, wherever they are,” Moppets Executive Director Rachel Cort said. “This funding helps us to take a big step toward that goal. We are incredibly grateful to the Asheville Area Arts Council for supporting the Moppets and aspiring young actors in our community.”
The number one requested musical from our 2019 show survey: you asked for it, you got it! From the first notes to the final breath, West Side Story is one of the most memorable musicals and greatest love stories of all time. Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet is transported to modern-day New York City as two young, idealistic lovers find themselves caught between warring street gangs, the ‘American’ Jets and the Puerto Rican Sharks. Their struggle to survive in a world of fear, violence, and prejudice remains one of the most innovative, heart-wrenching, and relevant musical dramas of our time. With a score by Leonard Bernstein and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, West Side Story is widely regarded as among the best musicals ever written.
Get Involved with FEED ME!
FEED ME! is a fun opportunity to meet the apprentices and interns who come to study under the staff of Flat Rock Playhouse. On days that there are both afternoon and evening performances they are very busy between the shows and have little time to eat dinner.
This is where you come in!
FEED ME! volunteers select date(s) they would be willing to provide dinner in the Dan Dee Gift Shop and Dining Hall on the Playhouse property. A second-year Apprentice will be there to help you set up.
The number one requested musical from our 2019 show survey: you asked for it, you got it! From the first notes to the final breath, West Side Story is one of the most memorable musicals and greatest love stories of all time. Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet is transported to modern-day New York City as two young, idealistic lovers find themselves caught between warring street gangs, the ‘American’ Jets and the Puerto Rican Sharks. Their struggle to survive in a world of fear, violence, and prejudice remains one of the most innovative, heart-wrenching, and relevant musical dramas of our time. With a score by Leonard Bernstein and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, West Side Story is widely regarded as among the best musicals ever written.
July 1-30, 2022
West Side Story
The number one requested musical from our 2019 show survey. You asked for it, you got it! From the first notes to the final breath, West Side Story is one of the most memorable musicals and greatest love stories of all time. Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet is transported to modern-day New York City as two young, idealistic lovers find themselves caught between warring street gangs, the ‘American’ Jets and the Puerto Rican Sharks. Their struggle to survive in a world of fear, violence, and prejudice remains one of the most innovative, heart-wrenching, and relevant musical dramas of our time. The score by Leonard Bernstein and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim are widely regarded as among the best ever written.
![]() 2022 Season will offer Rootabaga Express! on Thursday and Saturday mornings at 10:15 am.Celebrate 100 years of Rootabaga this summer! Published in 1922, the “Rootabaga Stories” have entertained readers and audiences of all ages for 100 years. Use the links at the bottom to read a story or watch part of a play. The Sandburg Summer Stage is a series of free public performances. These 30-minute programs feature the cast and directors from The Vagabond School of the Drama, an apprentice program of the Flat Rock Playhouse. Performances are held rain or shine, at the park amphitheatre near the Front Lake. Rootabaga Express! These shows are supported by the Flat Rock Playhouse and the Park Store, operated by America’s National Parks. Apprentice actors from the Flat Rock Playhouse have performed adaptations of Sandburg’s works for park visitors since 1974. Using Sandburg’s own words from his collections of children’s stories, poetry, collected music, biography of Abraham Lincoln and his own autobiography, the performances provide visitors with a sense of the scope of his work and imagination. Sandburg was an expert storyteller, and easily wove important messages of fairness, empathy and social justice into his writings. Whatever play you are able to attend you will walk away with a smile on your face and a better understanding of the legacy of Carl Sandburg. |
No shows June 30 and July 2.
The number one requested musical from our 2019 show survey: you asked for it, you got it! From the first notes to the final breath, West Side Story is one of the most memorable musicals and greatest love stories of all time. Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet is transported to modern-day New York City as two young, idealistic lovers find themselves caught between warring street gangs, the ‘American’ Jets and the Puerto Rican Sharks. Their struggle to survive in a world of fear, violence, and prejudice remains one of the most innovative, heart-wrenching, and relevant musical dramas of our time. With a score by Leonard Bernstein and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, West Side Story is widely regarded as among the best musicals ever written.
Get Involved with FEED ME!
FEED ME! is a fun opportunity to meet the apprentices and interns who come to study under the staff of Flat Rock Playhouse. On days that there are both afternoon and evening performances they are very busy between the shows and have little time to eat dinner.
This is where you come in!
FEED ME! volunteers select date(s) they would be willing to provide dinner in the Dan Dee Gift Shop and Dining Hall on the Playhouse property. A second-year Apprentice will be there to help you set up.
The number one requested musical from our 2019 show survey: you asked for it, you got it! From the first notes to the final breath, West Side Story is one of the most memorable musicals and greatest love stories of all time. Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet is transported to modern-day New York City as two young, idealistic lovers find themselves caught between warring street gangs, the ‘American’ Jets and the Puerto Rican Sharks. Their struggle to survive in a world of fear, violence, and prejudice remains one of the most innovative, heart-wrenching, and relevant musical dramas of our time. With a score by Leonard Bernstein and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, West Side Story is widely regarded as among the best musicals ever written.
July 1-30, 2022
West Side Story
The number one requested musical from our 2019 show survey. You asked for it, you got it! From the first notes to the final breath, West Side Story is one of the most memorable musicals and greatest love stories of all time. Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet is transported to modern-day New York City as two young, idealistic lovers find themselves caught between warring street gangs, the ‘American’ Jets and the Puerto Rican Sharks. Their struggle to survive in a world of fear, violence, and prejudice remains one of the most innovative, heart-wrenching, and relevant musical dramas of our time. The score by Leonard Bernstein and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim are widely regarded as among the best ever written.
Shipwrecks! Betrayals! Romance! Mistaken identities and switcheroos! Magic! A tipsy sea monster! This Shakespearean comedy has everything!
Rehearsals for “The Tempest” will be from 11am-4pm Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays starting June 13, and performances will be July 1-3 and July 8 & 9.
Asheville Area Arts Council funding helps support Moppets after-school program
Taught by Artistic Director Ashleigh Goff and veteran Moppet Eli Hamilton, the class is our first-ever partnership with the City of Asheville. Students in the after-school program are learning basic theater skills and building their self-confidence in a fun and welcoming environment. The program will culminate in a showcase performance for the students’ peers and families.
“One of our overarching goals is to introduce more kids to classical theater, wherever they are,” Moppets Executive Director Rachel Cort said. “This funding helps us to take a big step toward that goal. We are incredibly grateful to the Asheville Area Arts Council for supporting the Moppets and aspiring young actors in our community.”
Get Involved with FEED ME!
FEED ME! is a fun opportunity to meet the apprentices and interns who come to study under the staff of Flat Rock Playhouse. On days that there are both afternoon and evening performances they are very busy between the shows and have little time to eat dinner.
This is where you come in!
FEED ME! volunteers select date(s) they would be willing to provide dinner in the Dan Dee Gift Shop and Dining Hall on the Playhouse property. A second-year Apprentice will be there to help you set up.
Southern Broadway and Black Wall Street AVL present Mr. Mouse & The Rat Pack, a musical production that will bring you laughs, joy, and great music, in memory of The Rat Pack.
Mr. Mouse & The Rat Pack is a story that takes place in the ’90s. As a young driven writer, Grace goes looking for the last great songwriter, Mr. Mouse, who was believed to be dead. Mr. Mouse has written songs for Frank, Sammy, Dean, and many more in the old days. In search of this writer, Grace ended up finding out a whole lot more than expected. This show will take you back in time and allow you to relive the good ole days in memory of the Rat Pack.
This Broadway show includes an all-star cast with Jeff Grainger as Frank, Dezhon as Sammy, Sean Patrick Kennedy as Dean, Javon Johnson from Tyler Perry’s “The Oval,” Curtis Von from “Why Did I Get Married?,” South Carolina’s Official First Lady of Song Loretta Holloway, International Gospel singer ShAunta Moore, Rosemary Milsap – powerful actress from Athens, GA, R&B/Pop sensation Sydeajah, and last but definitely not least, he’s back…JoJo Williams, an awesome comedian/playwright!
We Invite an audience of all ages to enjoy an amazing production that includes something for everyone.
HART’s Main Stage
Directed by Candice Dickinson
There is trouble in River City, Iowa when con artist Harold Hill rolls into town. Hill poses as a boys’ band organizer and sells uniforms and instruments to the naive midwestern folk, planning to leave town before he ever has to teach a single music lesson. But those plans are turned on their head when Harold Hill meets the clever town Librarian, Marian Paroo. One of the most universally cherished treasures of American musical theater, The Music Man was an instant smash hit when it premiered on Broadway in 1957, winning five Tony Awards, and going on to a long career of revivals, tours, and regional performances. The Smithsonian Institution ranks The Music Man as one of the “great glories” of American popular culture. Don’t miss this summer smash hit!
Suitable for all audiences.

By Travis Lowe
Directed by Tippin
Almond farmer Jerry wants to change the negative public perception of his nuts. Alma and Felix are there to report on it. Tressa and Effie want to claim the ranch for themselves, since farm wife Adelaide defaulted on the mortgage. Officers Kemp and Ren are there just to keep the peace. When Alma dies of a nut allergy and returns as a ghost, it sets off a series of comically fatal accidents. As each character expires and the farmhouse slowly fills with spirits, cameraman and reluctant medium Felix must manage the living and the dead, while maintaining both his life and sanity.
July 8 – 23, 2022
Thursdays, Fridays & Saturdays at 7:30pm
Sundays at 4pm

By Sean David Robinson
Directed by Ashleigh Millett-Goff
Grace, an astronomer with a Ph.D. in astrophysics, is reeling from the death of her daughter, Abigail. When Abigail appears to Grace and begins to make predictions about events in the cosmos, Grace must choose between her memories and her sanity.
May 6 – 21, 2022
Thursdays, Fridays & Saturdays at 7:30pm
Sundays at 4pm
by Rick Cummins & John Scoullar book by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry Directed by Jason Williams Opening 6/10/2022 – 7/9/2022
The number one requested musical from our 2019 show survey: you asked for it, you got it! From the first notes to the final breath, West Side Story is one of the most memorable musicals and greatest love stories of all time. Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet is transported to modern-day New York City as two young, idealistic lovers find themselves caught between warring street gangs, the ‘American’ Jets and the Puerto Rican Sharks. Their struggle to survive in a world of fear, violence, and prejudice remains one of the most innovative, heart-wrenching, and relevant musical dramas of our time. With a score by Leonard Bernstein and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, West Side Story is widely regarded as among the best musicals ever written.
July 1-30, 2022
West Side Story
The number one requested musical from our 2019 show survey. You asked for it, you got it! From the first notes to the final breath, West Side Story is one of the most memorable musicals and greatest love stories of all time. Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet is transported to modern-day New York City as two young, idealistic lovers find themselves caught between warring street gangs, the ‘American’ Jets and the Puerto Rican Sharks. Their struggle to survive in a world of fear, violence, and prejudice remains one of the most innovative, heart-wrenching, and relevant musical dramas of our time. The score by Leonard Bernstein and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim are widely regarded as among the best ever written.
Sandburg Summer Stage
![]() 2022 Season will offer Rootabaga Express! on Thursday and Saturday mornings at 10:15 am.Celebrate 100 years of Rootabaga this summer! Published in 1922, the “Rootabaga Stories” have entertained readers and audiences of all ages for 100 years. Use the links at the bottom to read a story or watch part of a play. The Sandburg Summer Stage is a series of free public performances. These 30-minute programs feature the cast and directors from The Vagabond School of the Drama, an apprentice program of the Flat Rock Playhouse. Performances are held rain or shine, at the park amphitheatre near the Front Lake. Rootabaga Express! These shows are supported by the Flat Rock Playhouse and the Park Store, operated by America’s National Parks. Apprentice actors from the Flat Rock Playhouse have performed adaptations of Sandburg’s works for park visitors since 1974. Using Sandburg’s own words from his collections of children’s stories, poetry, collected music, biography of Abraham Lincoln and his own autobiography, the performances provide visitors with a sense of the scope of his work and imagination. Sandburg was an expert storyteller, and easily wove important messages of fairness, empathy and social justice into his writings. Whatever play you are able to attend you will walk away with a smile on your face and a better understanding of the legacy of Carl Sandburg. |
No shows June 30 and July 2.
The number one requested musical from our 2019 show survey: you asked for it, you got it! From the first notes to the final breath, West Side Story is one of the most memorable musicals and greatest love stories of all time. Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet is transported to modern-day New York City as two young, idealistic lovers find themselves caught between warring street gangs, the ‘American’ Jets and the Puerto Rican Sharks. Their struggle to survive in a world of fear, violence, and prejudice remains one of the most innovative, heart-wrenching, and relevant musical dramas of our time. With a score by Leonard Bernstein and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, West Side Story is widely regarded as among the best musicals ever written.
Get Involved with FEED ME!
FEED ME! is a fun opportunity to meet the apprentices and interns who come to study under the staff of Flat Rock Playhouse. On days that there are both afternoon and evening performances they are very busy between the shows and have little time to eat dinner.
This is where you come in!
FEED ME! volunteers select date(s) they would be willing to provide dinner in the Dan Dee Gift Shop and Dining Hall on the Playhouse property. A second-year Apprentice will be there to help you set up.
Southern Broadway and Black Wall Street AVL present Mr. Mouse & The Rat Pack, a musical production that will bring you laughs, joy, and great music, in memory of The Rat Pack.
Mr. Mouse & The Rat Pack is a story that takes place in the ’90s. As a young driven writer, Grace goes looking for the last great songwriter, Mr. Mouse, who was believed to be dead. Mr. Mouse has written songs for Frank, Sammy, Dean, and many more in the old days. In search of this writer, Grace ended up finding out a whole lot more than expected. This show will take you back in time and allow you to relive the good ole days in memory of the Rat Pack.
This Broadway show includes an all-star cast with Jeff Grainger as Frank, Dezhon as Sammy, Sean Patrick Kennedy as Dean, Javon Johnson from Tyler Perry’s “The Oval,” Curtis Von from “Why Did I Get Married?,” South Carolina’s Official First Lady of Song Loretta Holloway, International Gospel singer ShAunta Moore, Rosemary Milsap – powerful actress from Athens, GA, R&B/Pop sensation Sydeajah, and last but definitely not least, he’s back…JoJo Williams, an awesome comedian/playwright!
We Invite an audience of all ages to enjoy an amazing production that includes something for everyone.
HART’s Main Stage
Directed by Candice Dickinson
There is trouble in River City, Iowa when con artist Harold Hill rolls into town. Hill poses as a boys’ band organizer and sells uniforms and instruments to the naive midwestern folk, planning to leave town before he ever has to teach a single music lesson. But those plans are turned on their head when Harold Hill meets the clever town Librarian, Marian Paroo. One of the most universally cherished treasures of American musical theater, The Music Man was an instant smash hit when it premiered on Broadway in 1957, winning five Tony Awards, and going on to a long career of revivals, tours, and regional performances. The Smithsonian Institution ranks The Music Man as one of the “great glories” of American popular culture. Don’t miss this summer smash hit!
Suitable for all audiences.

By Travis Lowe
Directed by Tippin
Almond farmer Jerry wants to change the negative public perception of his nuts. Alma and Felix are there to report on it. Tressa and Effie want to claim the ranch for themselves, since farm wife Adelaide defaulted on the mortgage. Officers Kemp and Ren are there just to keep the peace. When Alma dies of a nut allergy and returns as a ghost, it sets off a series of comically fatal accidents. As each character expires and the farmhouse slowly fills with spirits, cameraman and reluctant medium Felix must manage the living and the dead, while maintaining both his life and sanity.
July 8 – 23, 2022
Thursdays, Fridays & Saturdays at 7:30pm
Sundays at 4pm

By Sean David Robinson
Directed by Ashleigh Millett-Goff
Grace, an astronomer with a Ph.D. in astrophysics, is reeling from the death of her daughter, Abigail. When Abigail appears to Grace and begins to make predictions about events in the cosmos, Grace must choose between her memories and her sanity.
May 6 – 21, 2022
Thursdays, Fridays & Saturdays at 7:30pm
Sundays at 4pm
by Rick Cummins & John Scoullar book by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry Directed by Jason Williams Opening 6/10/2022 – 7/9/2022