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CHERRY ORCHARD THEATRE 2012 SEASON
Outdoor theatre is a tradition in our part of the world. Over the years North Carolina has boasted more outdoor theatre productions than any state in the country, ranging from famous ones like "The Lost Colony" and "Unto These Hills" to lesser known productions that are often of good quality.
Though we are in Virginia, we are only eight miles distant from this "mother" state of outdoor theatre. Inspired by the tradition in North Carolina -- and by the 55-mile view of mountains and valleys from our cherry orchard outdoor ampitheatre site -- since 1999 we have been offering a wide variety of theater experiences at The Cherry Orchard Theatre. Here we have performed dozens of plays, had numerous concerts and storytelling gatherings, and played host to some of the leading theatrical and musical talent in our region. Over the years many thousands of people have come, bearing lawn chairs and perhaps a picnic supper and a bottle of wine -- no restrictions there! -- to watch performances and to enjoy the coolness of the Blue Ridge Mountain evening and the spectacular view behind the stage.
Showtime is at 7 p.m. on Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings. Rain or shine, the show must go on -- if it's raining we move to our packhouse, a friendly confine for theatre that smells like the peaches we are selling there during theatre season! Tickets are $10 and purchased at the door -- reservations are accepted but not required, there is plenty of elbow room. Bring lawn chairs, food, and something to drink -- then sit back on the cool grass, and enjoy the show!
Last season was a quiet theatre season, with only two weekends. Frank was at work on his latest show, "Thunder in the Hills," a play about the 1912 courthouse shootout in Hillsville, which played in March to packed houses at the historic old Hillsville courthouse.We hope to do that play agin there, in March, 2013. But we are back in full force this summer at the orchard theatre, with eighteen eveningsand six weekends to enjoy, starting on Friday, July 27, and ending on Sunday, September 2. What follows are brief descriptions of what is going on each weekend.
A WEEKEND OF MUSIC, STORYTELLING, & ART -- JULY 27, 28, 29
"A total art event," as our co-producer, storyteller and actress Terri Ingalls, describes it. The cherry trees surrounding the stage will be adorned with regional art work. Sculptures will beckon from beneath the leafy trees. On stage will be musicians and storytellers galore, celebrating the music and stories of our area. Come enjoy an evening of performance and visual art in their many forms, all surrounded by one of the most beautiful natural settings you have ever seen anywhere. Hosted by the many Levering "spirits" who have occupied this ground for 104 years, be prepared for a ghost story or two as well, as darkness falls!
SOUTHERN WOMEN & WHY THEY ARE STILL HOLDING AT AGE 39 -- AUGUST 3,4, 5
Featuring Cherry Orchard Theatre stalwart Terri Ingalls, and frequent theatrical guest Heather Elliot (and a few surprises!), "Southern Women" is a light-hearted look at why southern women are southern -- and why wearing clothes remains a good idea. Consisting of skits, sketches, and a whimsical short play or two, it's an evening of observations that may be familiar, or may surprise. Be prepared to laugh. Menfolks -- be prepared to weep! This is the way it is around here -- and it ain't a-gonna change!
IMPOSSIBLE MARRIAGE -- AUGUST 10, 11, 12 & 17, 18 & 19 (TWO WEEKENDS)
For anyone who knows about or has seen Beth Henley's Pulitzer Prize-winning and New York Drama Critics Best Play of the Year "Crimes of the Heart" (or seen the film), you know you've met big-time Talent coming down the road. But now -- something exciting is in store for theatregoers who brave the road up to Cherry Orchard Theatre! First done in New York, where New York Times critic Ben Brantley called it "a contemporary Midsummer Night's Dream," "Impossible Marriage" comes to our stage, directed by Angell Caudill. Set in the South in the garden of a house just before a wedding, "Impossible Marriage" is a must-see, side-splitting, and just-a-bit-edgy play that will punch every romantic panic button you have ever experienced! To add to the fun, we think that Beth -- a Los Angeles resident who knows our neck of the woods-- will likely be attending the show for one or both of the weekends.
OUTLANDISH SEX LIVES OF THE MEN NEXT DOOR -- AUGUST 24,25, 26, 31 & SEPTEMBER 1 &2 (TWO WEEKENDS)
Subtitled "Are Men Necessary?" this play is what happens when men talk too much. First, a play gets written -- because Frank Levering is a guy, and he's heard (and lived) a few tales over the years. Then, men talk too much on stage -- talk about -- well. You'll have to see the play. Are men necessary? Are they even worth keeping as pets? Come judge for yourself in this new play by the author of "Thuunder in the Hillls" and other plays that didn't have so many guns.
So that's our season. It's going to be a great one -- we are alive and well, and doing theater in a special and hauntingly beautiful place. And if it rains -- it's all part of the fun.
See you at Cherry Orchard Theater this July, August & September!
Your host,
Frank Levering
ABOUT THE CHERRY ORCHARD THEATRE
After the Red House burned in 1996 - the house of Ralph and Clara Levering, built in 1908 -- this was a haunted space, begging for a Phoenix that would rise from the ashes. Then, in 1999, we did a play about the people who lived in that house - and the Phoenix rose, unexpected and heaven-sent. Over the past eleven years, scores of productions, story-telling sessions and concerts have been performed in this unique outdoor performance space, everything from Anton Chekhov's classic "The Cherry Orchard," regarded as one of the greatest plays in world theatre, to a brilliant, five minute one-act play penned by an Elkin artist. If you've missed out in previous summers, or if you'd like to renew your ties to COT, please see Frank or Terri to get your name down on our mailing and e-mail address list. We're excited that you're here! We know it's a winding road to get here - but hope the rewards make the journey worthwhile. Thank you - thank you! - for your support for "something a little different." |