Beginning September 1, 2022, Playhouse Jr. embarks on their educational and entertaining school tour! Over 17 days, the Flat Rock Playhouse 2022 apprentices will perform Letterland Alive! and Greetings from North Carolina! for elementary schools across Henderson County, Rutherford County, Polk County, and Transylvania County.
The words and music of both shows were written by Ethan Andersen, Flat Rock Playhouse’s Resident Music Director.
“It’s been an exciting challenge to musicalize North Carolina’s eventful and significant history,” Andersen said. “From local teachers sharing specifics of what their students enjoy to my own research, I’ve paired the eight most important events with contemporary (and catchy!) music to make a lasting impression. My hope is this performance is not only an entertaining experience for students but also a learning tool to aid curriculum throughout the rest of the school year.”
“Letterland Alive! was launched in 2019,” Artistic Director Lisa K. Bryant said. “We visited every elementary school in Henderson County. This year, thanks to the Dogwood Health Trust and The Community Foundation, we are able to extend our reach to three additional counties and add a whole new show about North Carolina history! It’s a dream come true for the Playhouse to combine the performing arts with academics in order to enhance the learning access points for students throughout the region, as well as provide teachers with additional resources like music video and soundtracks in their classrooms. The Playhouse Jr. programming also provides opportunities for early career professionals in the performing arts to write, direct, design, and perform original works. It’s a full-circle initiative that benefits all parties involved, but especially our region’s youth.”
Letterland Alive!
Words & music by Ethan Andersen, based on Letterland (c), K-2 Phonics.
Join six kindergarteners’ favorite daily journey to Letterland, where they meet the alphabet, the Vowel Men, and Red Robot who steals vowels! In partnership with Letterland (c), the popular K-2 phonics program, this high energy musical covers a wide range of musical genres and is the perfect companion to students’ phonics studies.
Greetings from North Carolina!
Words & music by Ethan Andersen
A group of aliens travel to North Carolina for a historical road trip. While there, they learn about North Carolina’s Indigenous People, the Lost Colony, pirates, the journey to statehood, slavery and the Civil War, the Wright Brothers, Civil Rights, and all of the great and unique people that make up the Tarheel State.
The Playhouse Junior program received a grant award of $135,800 from The Dogwood Health Trust as well as an award of $20,000 from The Community Foundation of Henderson County. Additionally, the program is supported by individual donors Charlotte & Bob Otto and Dot Moyer. The touring van is provided by Boyd Chevrolet Cadillac Buick Inc. Flat Rock Playhouse will reach thousands of local students across four counties in Western North Carolina thanks to these supporters. Their donations fuel not only the performances themselves, but other resources for local schools, like the Letterland music video and a coming soundtrack for teachers to use throughout the year.
Visit www.flatrockplayhouse.org for more information.