Flat Rock Playhouse presents The Music of Andrew Lloyd Webber

The Flat Rock Playhouse 2017 season continues with the legendary music and lyrics of one of musical theater's greatest composers: Andrew Lloyd Webber. Featuring songs from Broadway sensations like Evita, Cats and The Phantom of the Opera, Music of the Night: The Songs of Andrew Lloyd Webber plays on the Mainstage August 25th - September 3rd.

If you don't know the name, you know the legacy. Andrew Lloyd Webber is one of the most highly acclaimed composers in musical theater, receiving an Academy Award, four Grammy awards and seven Tony awards. He has written the music for nearly a dozen Broadway mega-hits including Jesus Christ Superstar, Starlight Express, Phantom of the Opera, Cats, Evita and most recently, School of Rock. With a career that has spanned over half a century, Andrew Lloyd Webber's work has defined a musical theater generation. Music of the Night: The Songs of Andrew Lloyd Webber is sure to inspire, awe and amaze.

Music of the Night: The Songs of Andrew Lloyd Webber features Flat Rock favorites, Julie Foldesi, Guy Lemonnier, Lindsay O'Neil, most recently seen as Grace Farrell in this summer's Annie, and Jason Wooten. Get ready to hear all of the show-stopping classics like "Don't Cry for Me, Argentina," "I Don't Know How To Love Him," "Superstar" and "Til I Hear You Sing."

The Music of the Night: The Songs of Andrew Lloyd Webber will also feature the Flat Rock Chorus under the direction of Diane David: Allison Baker, John Ball, Sherry Barnwell, Richard Blue, Marion Bradford, David Brookshire, Sharon Brookshire, Bob Carlson, Joanie Covell, Claire Crook, Craig Etheridge, Rob Freeman, Sandy Freeman, Fran Friedman, Sharon Hetrick, Lyndi Hewitt, Robin Hodgson, Hope Hollingsworth, Rená Johnson, "Coach" Kitt, Stephen Klein, Peggy Morrissette, Tasha Pepi, Ed Roberts, Will Rodriguez, Lois Schweinler, Bob Staton, Betsy J. Tankersley, David Vandre, Cindy Walker, Bill White and Thomas Young.

Accompanying them will be Bill Altman on Guitar, Jim Anthony on Reeds, Paul Babelay on Drums, David Gaines on Keyboard, Ryan Guerra on Bass, Mariya Potapova on Violin and Lenora Thom on Keyboard. Matthew Glover will serve as Director with Lenora Thom serving as Music Director. Joining Glover and Thom on the production team are Dennis C. Maulden, CJ Barnwell, Kurt Conway and Ashli Arnold Crump serving as the Scenic, Lighting, Sound and Costume designers respectively.

TICKETS AND SCHEDULE

Presented by Mainstage Series Sponsor Henderson County Tourism Development Authority, Music of the Night: The Songs of Andrew Lloyd Webber will run August 25th through September 3rd at The Flat Rock Playhouse Clyde & Nina Allen Mainstage. Performances Wednesday and Thursday evenings at 7:30PM, Friday and Saturday evenings 8:00PM, matinees Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday at 2 PM. Tickets are $15-50 and can be purchased by calling the Playhouse box office at 828-693-0731, toll-free at 866-732-8008 or online at www.flatrockplayhouse.org.

The Flat Rock Playhouse Clyde and Nina Allen Mainstage is located at 2661 Greenville Hwy, Flat Rock, NC 28731.

Flat Rock Playhouse 2017 Sponsors include: Playhouse Downtown Sponsor, Rug & Home; Opening Night Sponsor, BMW of Asheville; Transportation Sponsor, Hunter Automotive Group; Main Stage Series Sponsor, Henderson County Tourism Development Authority.

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. 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. 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. As the beautiful Western Carolina region continued to grow, so did the Playhouse and in 1961, by 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 a nine-month season of plays including Broadway musicals, comedy, drama, and theatre for young audiences. The Playhouse's dual mission of producing the performing arts and providing education in the performing arts includes a professional series; a summer and fall college apprentice and intern program; and Studio 52, family focused programming that provides immersive, hands-on theatrical experiences for children in kindergarten through adults. Flat Rock Playhouse now hosts over 98,000 patrons annually and is a significant contributor to the local economy and the Arts in North Carolina.