Flat Rock Playhouse Presents BROADWAY ON THE ROCK

The Flat Rock Playhouse 2018 season continues by bringing audiences another hit musical theater experience, Broadway on the Rock, running July 6th - July 21st on the Flat Rock Playhouse Mainstage. In response to the 2017 hit production of Music of the Night: The Music of Andrew Lloyd Webber, Flat Rock Playhouse's brand new production of Broadway on the Rock, will feature music from Oklahoma, The Sound of Music, West Side Story, Hair, Oliver, Brigadoon, Cats, Phantom of the Opera, Les Miserables, The Lion King, Wicked and more!

This July, Broadway on the Rock will explore the passion, spectacle, and delights that define the blockbuster hits of Broadway. Taking audiences on a captivating trip through the history of musical theatre, Broadway on the Rock brings to life sensational songs such as As Long As He Needs Me, Almost Like Being in Love, Jellicle Ball, and Can You Feel the Love Tonight interwoven with musical suites that capture the essence of mega-musicals such as Les Miserables and Wicked. Showcasing outstanding vocalists and local performers, Broadway on the Rock plays on the Flat Rock Playhouse Mainstage July 6th - July 21st.

Broadway on the Rock will feature returning Flat Rock Playhouse performers Alfred Jackson (Smokey Joe's Cafe, Motown Summer Nights), Sean Cooper (Daddy Warbucks in Annie), Lindsay O'Neil (Grace Farrell in Annie, Music of the Night), Khadijiah Rolle (Little Shop of Horrors). Alexa Green who has starred as Glinda in Wicked will be making her Flat Rock Playhouse debut.

Broadway on the Rock will also feature The Flat Rock Playhouse Chorus under the direction of Diane David: John Ball, Sherry Barnwell, Laura Beck, Richard Blue, Bob Carlson, Kim Chao, Claire Crook, Eileen Douglas, DeAna Earl, Craig Etheridge, Julie Fister, Rob Freeman, Sandy Freeman, Fran Friedman, Cathey Ridings Gilbert, David Hinkelman, Robin Hodgson, Hope Hollingsworth, Nancy Imhof, Rená Johnson, Coach Kitt, Shelley Lieberman, Sal Mandarino, Ed Mathis, Peggy Morrissette, Lyn Morton, Bill Moyer, Gordon Pendarvis, Ed Roberts, Will Rodriguez, Sandie Salvaggio-Walker, Lois Schweinler, Charlene Spinks, Brian Tribby, Cindy Walker, Bill White, Susan White, Ileen Wright, Thomas Young. Performing with the vocalists will be local dancers from Pat's School of Dance: Caroline Jones, Jasmine Hyatt, Brianna Haston, Kaitlyn Harrington, Tori Gunning, Trinity Luce, Breena Orr, Claire Parker, Alexis VanHook, Autumn Freeman, Alli Surrette, and Kate Siefert.

Accompanying the cast will be Alex Shields (Music Director/Keyboard I), Andrew Rogelberg (Keyboard II), Sabrina Kumar (Reeds), Chris Imhoff (Trumpet), Bill Altman (Guitar), Daniel Iannucci (Bass) and Paul Babelay (Drums). Matthew Glover, who conceived and arranged the production, will serve as Director and Choreographer with Alex Shields as Music Director. Joining Glover and Shields on the production team are Dennis C. Maulden, CJ Barnwell, Kurt Conway, Ashli Arnold Crump, and Cassidy Bowles serving as the Scenic, Lighting, Sound, Costume, and Properties designers, respectively. Adam Goodrum will serve as Production Manager and Elly Leidner will serve as Stage Manager.

Broadway on the Rock is presented by as Opening Night Sponsor BMW of Asheville, Mainstage Series Sponsor Henderson County Tourism Development Authority, and Executive Producer Cornerstone Financial. Hunter Subaru is the official Transportation Sponsor of Flat Rock Playhouse.

Broadway on the Rock will run July 6th through July 21st at Flat Rock Playhouse Mainstage in Flat Rock. Performances Wednesday and Thursday at 2:00 PM and 7:30 PM, Friday at 8:00 PM, Saturday at 2:00 PM and 8:00 PM, and Sunday at 2:00 PM. Adult tickets are $20 - $55 with a child ticket at $17 for 17 and under and can be purchased by calling the Playhouse Box Office at 828-693-0731, toll-free at 866-737-8008 or online at www.flatrockplayhouse.org.

Flat Rock Playhouse Mainstage is located at 2661 Greenville Highway, Flat Rock, NC 28731.

In 1937, a group of struggling performers, led by Robroy Farquhar, organized themselves as the Vagabond Players. The Vagabonds worked in a variety of places over the course of three years, and in 1940 found themselves in the Blue Ridge region of Western North Carolina. The local and tourist community welcomed them with open arms when they presented their first summer season of plays in a 150-year-old grist mill they converted into The Old Mill Playhouse at Highland Lake. So successful was that summer, they returned in 1941. After WWII, the Vagabond Players reorganized, came back to the region and opened a playhouse in nearby Lake Summit. The Lake Summit Playhouse thrived during the post war years and soon the Vagabond Players were looking for a larger and permanent home. In 1952, the troupe of performers, and a newly formed board of directors, made an offer to buy an 8-acre lot in the Village of Flat Rock. This new home made the Vagabonds "locals" and a rented big top gave birth to Flat Rock Playhouse. As the beautiful Western Carolina region continued to grow, so did the Playhouse and in 1961, by Act of the North Carolina General Assembly, Flat Rock Playhouse was officially designated The State Theatre of North Carolina. What began as a few weeks of summer performances in 1940 is now a nine-month season of plays including Broadway musicals, comedy, drama, and theatre for young audiences. The Playhouse's dual mission of producing the performing arts and providing education in the performing arts includes a professional series; a summer and fall college apprentice and intern program; and Studio 52, year-round classes and workshops in theatre and film for students from kindergarten through adults. Flat Rock Playhouse now hosts over 100,000 patrons annually and is a significant contributor to the local economy and the Arts in North Carolina.

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