Press Room: 2007 Press Releases

– You like Alison Krauss and Union Station? Old Crow Medicine Show? Leftover Salmon? Chris Thile and his mates in Nickel Creek? Credit John Cowan for pioneering a musical style that paved the way for these artists’ successes. As lead singer for the former New Grass Revival, bassist Cowan introduced a new generation of music fans to an explosive, experimental brand of bluegrass by fusing rock, R&B, gospel and jazz influences with country and bluegrass

– Imagine being on a flight to an unknown destination, when suddenly the airplane is sucked into a black cloud and sent hurtling into another dimension. Such is the startling and stunning introduction to Dimension Unknown with Magic’s Royal Duke Sammy Cortino, playing for one night only at the Hayes Performing Arts Center Nov. 17 at 7:30pm. The Charlotte Observer hails Cortino's show as "Out of sight!" And master magician Lance Burton heralds his fellow alchemist "a dedicated student of magic."

For release September 5, 2007.
2 Pianos 4 Hands is the riotous tale of two Canadian boys, Ted and Richard, sharing the same goal: concert pianist stardom. They work fervently towards their dream amidst pushy parents, eccentric teachers, hours of repetitive practice, stage fright, the agony of competitions and the dream of greatness.

For release August 31, 2007.

Jan Karon's Miss Fannie's Hat is one of eight books the widely popular author has written for children but the only one adapted for the stage. This feel-good, funny story about kindness tells the tale of Miss Fannie, whose daughter, Miss Wanda, prepares her meals, shampoos and curls her hair, and, after Miss Fannie has fretted over which of her many hats to wear, takes her to church on Sundays. On one such day, the young preacher asks Miss Fannie to donate a hat to the church fundraiser for pre-Easter repairs. She agrees, but choosing one is not easy. Miss Fannie asks the Lord what she should do, and recalls past episodes involving each hat as she considers which one to give. Finally, she selects her very favorite ... her Easter hat. That means when Easter arrives, Miss Fannie goes to church with only her curls on her head. Yet the surprise that awaits her makes her gift more than worthwhile.

Jan Karon’s Journey to Mitford, playing September 5 – 23 at the Hayes Performing Arts Center, is a heartwarming story of a simple Episcopalian priest named Father Timothy Kavanagh. He is a wonderful, witty man in his early sixties. You might think that the life of a priest in the sleepy Blue Ridge Mountain town of Mitford, North Carolina (modeled after the town of Blowing Rock) would not be very exciting but you would be wrong. His life is packed with excitement, tragedy, love, and faith. In addition to Father Tim, there are many characters (loosly based on actual Blowing Rock residents) that weave in and out of his life, and in Mitford, including Cynthia Coppersmith, who eventually marries him in a fairytale wedding at the end of act one. There is also a strong presence of the church in Mitford and some of her fans have even claimed that Jesus Christ, not Father Tim, is the main character.

For release August 3, 2007.

Capitol Steps will entertain the High County audience on Aug. 18 in a fundraiser to benefit the Hayes Performing Arts Center’s community outreach activities, which include offering ticket discounts, master classes taught by renowned artists and other arts-centric activities for students and other groups in the High Country.

For release August 1, 2007.

For release June 15, 2007.
Keep on the Sunny Side, a musical about America's First Family of Country Music, explores the origins of the legendary Carter Family, July 25 – August 12 at the Hayes Performing Arts Center. Step back in time to the day in June 1914 when Alvin Pleasant Delaney Carter met his future wife, the young Sara Dougherty. From their early days together in the Appalachians, when they gathered in homes and played schools and churches, to their later musical triumphs, Keep on the Sunny Side follows A.P. as he discovers and writes the songs that would secure the family's place in musical history. In addition to the rich musical heritage, the story also sheds light on A.P. and Sara's love story, and the strains and stresses that enormous success placed on their relationship.

For release June 13, 2007.

What happens when a washed-up playwright's protege dreams up a new play that's good enough to kill for? Find out when the Blowing Rock Stage Company presents Deathtrap at the Hayes Performing Arts Center July 11- 21. One of Broadway's great success stories, and longest running comedy-thriller, this ingeniously constructed play offers a rare and skillful blending of two priceless theatrical ingredients: gasp-inducing thrills and spontaneous laughter.

For release June 5, 2007.

"A good walk spoiled" is how Mark Twain described the game of golf. Exasperating for some, exciting for others, the world of golf is revealed, revered and ridiculed in song and comic sketches in the Blowing Rock Stage Company's musical revue Golf: The Musical at the Hayes Performing Arts Center June 20 – July 8.

For release May 15, 2007.