"We'll take a cup of kindness yet, for auld lang syne."

And now for the reeeeeeally scary ghost! The ghost of Theatre Future!

Well, not really. The future looks good doesn’t it? At NC Stage we’re looking forward to beginning rehearsals for Boeing-Boeing in the immediate future. Scott Treadway and I have done three shows together over the past year and I directed him in one. But with all that time spent with Treadway over the last year, I’m still looking forward to spending even MORE time with him on Boeing-Boeing.

Later this spring, One Flea Spare will be directed by Angie and I know she’s been looking forward to that one for a while. What an amazing play! And then our Immediate Theatre Project friends, (the ITPeeps) will round out the year with what I’m sure will be an amazing production of the American classic, The Glass Menagerie.

As we wrap up this season, we’re also thinking ahead to future seasons. Next season will mark our 10th season of producing professional theatre in Asheville. It’s almost unbelievable to me that we’ve been doing this for 10 years.

So, what do we do to mark the occasion? Every one around the office is just itching to do part 2 of Angels In America, maybe along with part one performed in repertory… There are other plays on our short list for next season for next season that are pretty exciting to us, but we’re always interested to hear suggestions (feel free to post something in the comments if you have ideas).

As for the long-term future, there are a couple of big projects that Angie and I have been day-dreaming about, which we hope will turn into a reality, just as our daydream of a professional theatre in Asheville has become a reality. One of those daydreams involves another local arts organization, with whom we’ve recently worked, and a possible co-production of a profoundly amazing play. Another involves a collaboration with a funk band on a Shakespeare play. And yet another involves an adaptation of a novel that has a lot of meaning for Angie and me (we were both reading it when we started dating) and a lot of meaning for Western North Carolina. And it would involve music too. How can anything about Western North Carolina NOT involve music?

But of course, all these things are only possible with the support of our community. I hope you’ll take an opportunity before the tax year ends to support NC Stage’s work THIS year.

You can make an instand donation to NC Stage via the JustGive link, and help us make great theatre for Asheville and Western North Carolina for the next year and for years to come.

And don’t be a stranger. Share your hopes for the future on the blog. Visit the Facebook page and become a fan. Follow us on Twitter. But most of all, come see a play in 2011.

Happy New Year everyone! Be safe and keep telling your story!


Charlie