2012 Special Feature: Parkway Playhouse Theater to Host 66th Season

The Parkway Playhouse in Burnsville has unveiled a six-show lineup featuring three plays from Western North Carolina playwrights, two Broadway musicals, plus a remake of a Shakespearean classic set in contemporary Appalachia. The 2012 season marks the playhouse’s 66th consecutive, making it the longest continually-operating seasonal theater in North Carolina.

Mama Won’t Fly (April 28-May 12) makes its North Carolina premiere. It’s a comedy about a woman who travels with her mother to her brother’s wedding, and must drive because mom is afraid to fly. It was written by noted Asheville playwrights Jessie Jones, Nicholas Hope and Jamie Wooten, a famed trio which has collaborated on more than 1,800 productions.

Outlander (June 2-16), a world premiere from Sylva playwright Gary Carden and Bryson City musician Frank Lee, is the story Horace Kephart. A noted travel writer, Kephart was a key figure in the creation of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The play combines traditional storytelling, mountain music and humor.

Nine to Five (June 30-July 14), is a Broadway musical version of Dolly Parton’s hit film. It is penned by the same writer as the movie and has 17 of Parton’s songs. “The musical might even be better than the movie,” said playhouse director Andrew Gall. “It is really, really funny.”

Big River (July 28-Aug. 11) is the Tony-award winning adaptation of Mark Twain’s Huckleberry Finn, featuring music by country legend Roger Williams. “I don’t think this story ever gets old,” Gall said. “It’s a fantastic adaptation of one of the greatest American stories.”

Romeo and Juliet (Aug. 25-Sept. 1), is a re-imagining of the Shakespeare classic set in modern day Appalachia with a different take on this famous story of star-crossed lovers.

Between the Tackles (Sept 15-29) premieres in the hometown of writers Britt Kauffman and Stephanie Stark Poling. The comedy is about three men in their early 40s who are fans of a perennially bad football team. The story focuses on their friendship during the course of a rare winning season, and how their friendships are tested and celebrated during one glorious autumn of football.

Ticket prices for adults range from $15-$20 per show, while tickets for children 17 and under are $12. A season pass provides six flexible admissions for $100. There’s also a family package which admits four for $50.

For information, call (828) 682-4285 or visit: www.parkwayplayhouse.com.