Flat Rock Playhouse, Flat Rock, NC, USA
N 35° 16.434 W 082° 26.613
17S E 368709 N 3904373
The Flat Rock Playhouse is the State Theatre of North Carolina.
Waymark Code: WMY5J
Location: North Carolina, United States
Date Posted: 11/09/2006
Views: 97
The Vagabond Players
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.
Lake Summit Playhouse
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.
THE Birth of Flat Rock Playhouse
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.
The State Theater of North Carolina
As the beautiful Western Carolina region continued to grow, so did the Playhouse and in 1961, by a 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 an eight month season of plays including Broadway musicals, comedy, drama, and theatre for young audiences.
The Playhouse Today
The Playhouse’s dual mission of producing the performing arts and providing education in the performing arts includes a ten-show professional series; a summer and fall college apprentice and intern program; performances and cabaret series by the YouTheatre; year-round classes and workshops for students from kindergarten through adults. Flat Rock Playhouse now hosts over 80,000 patrons annually and is a major contributor to the local economy and the Arts in North Carolina.
PLAYHOUSE Time Line
1936 Robroy Farquhar forms The Vagabond Players, play-reading group in NYC
1939 The Vagabond Players perform at Bedford Springs, Pa for the summer; Robroy travels to Miami, FL in the fall and begins teaching drama at private school. Here he learns of the location of Hendersonville & Flat Rock, NC.
1940 Robroy travels to Hendersonville, NC. Inquires about locals interest in summer performances and finds the “Old Mill” on the edge of Highland Lake Camp. The Old Mill Playhouse opens for the 1940 summer season.
1941 A second successful season at Old Mill Playhouse and the Hendersonville Chamber of Commerce thanks Robroy and the Vagabonds for their contributions to the community. Robroy is drafted, Playhouse plans are on hold through WWII.
1946 The Vagabonds come back to Hendersonville and take up residence in nearby Tuxedo at an old school that Mrs. John A Law had converted into a theatre for The Carolina Players of Chapel Hill. In June the Lake Summit Playhouse opens for a season of 10 plays in 10 weeks.
1948 Leona Fraki joins the company as housemother and food manager; Robroy & Leona marry in September.
1951 Spring – Ruth Conrad agrees to lease Rockworth (the home built by Richard I’on Lowndes, Jr. now known as the Lowndes House) to the Vagabond Players. This will be the last summer at the Lake Summit Playhouse
1952 The Vagabonds move back to Flat Rock and Flat Rock Playhouse is born under a rented big top. The Vagabond School of the Drama incorporates.
1956 Ruth Conrad agrees to sell Rockworth and the land. The Vagabonds launch the “Raise The Roof” Campaign and purchase the property they still call home.
1959 North Carolina General Assembly passes a resolution recognizing Flat Rock Playhouse as the Western North Carolina Theatre
1961 North Carolina General Assembly designates Flat Rock Playhouse as The State Theatre of North Carolina.
1962 Norman Corwin writes The World of Carl Sandburg and FRP stages the first production with Mr. Sandburg’s approval, later the play tours with Bette Davis then moves to Broadway. The Carl Sandburg National Historic Site is located across the street from the Playhouse.
1970 FRP’s first production of Look Homeward, Angel (runs annually until 1979).
1972 FRP Premieres Opal by Pulitzer Prize winning playwright John Patrick.
1975 Vagabond Players perform The World Of Carl Sandburg, An Afternoon with Mr. Lincoln, Rootabaga Stories at the Carl Sandburg National Historic Site.
1980 Robin R. Farquhar joins the staff as Managing Director.
1983 Robroy Farquhar, Founding Artistic Director
February 15, 1911 - October 5, 1983
86 First season of 10 plays in 11 weeks.
1987 1776 is staged as the first large scale musical in FRP’s history and the season extends to Labor Day.
1991 Burt Reynolds opens his one man show with an engagement at FRP and directs Eleemosynary starring June Havoc & Elizabeth Ashley.
1992 FRP premieres 4 new plays: Gilligan’s Island: The Musical, Smoke & Mirrors, When Pigs Fly, and Lucky Guy.
1993 Project Playhouse (Show for Schools) begins with a September production, The Glass Menagerie. The Children’s Theatre becomes The Theatre for Young People. Slip stages are installed and the Albert S. Gooch, Jr. Scenic Studio is constructed.
1994 Forever Plaid is the first “Colors Season” production staged in October.
1998 Leona Fraki Farquhar, Co-Founder
July 23, 1920 - June 8, 1998
2000 First Holiday Season: Sanders Family Christmas is staged in November and A Christmas Carol is staged in December
2002 50th Anniversary Season
2003 Singin’ In The Rain is staged complete with rain showers – breaks all Box Office records to date. A new housing facility for Guest Artist is constructed.
2004 FRP is the first professional/regional company to stage Disney’s Beauty and the Beast.
2005 The Theatre for Young People is officially renamed as the YouTheatre. 1776, FRP’s first musical production returns after 19 years. Children of Eden is staged prior to the first national tour.
Theater Name: Flat Rock Playhouse
Country: U.S.A.
Address:
NC Highway 225
Flat Rock, NC U.S.A.
28731
Web Site: [Web Link]
Venue: Community Theater
Type of Productions:
Repertory, Musicals, Summer
Restored Building: yes
Stage Type: Arena
Seating Capacity: 500
Date of Construction: Not listed
Architect/Designer: Not listed
Special Productions/Events/Festivals: Not listed
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