Jumping Jack Flash
By Natasha Anderson
A southeastern regional premiere, new Black Box Series and Shakespeare’s most wicked wonder join beloved Main Stage productions, Music on the Rock® and Playhouse Jr. Family Programming to round out an inviting 2023 season at Flat Rock Playhouse (FRP).
“We love to use the phrase ‘escape reality, experience live theater’ and that’s exactly what we hope to achieve,” says FRP marketing director Christy Souther. “For a couple of hours, we want to help our patrons get lost in a play, musical or concert.”
A crowd favorite, the Music on the Rock® series features the bluesy swagger of the Rolling Stones with the tribute band Jumping Jack Flash in concert Thursday, April 13, through Saturday, April 15. Jumping Jack Flash has performed worldwide with lead singer Joey Infante capturing the thing about Jagger that makes him one of rock music’s biggest icons.
“We feel like this is a great way to start the new year, with some good rock-n-roll,” says Souther. “Our patrons get excited and the energy is magnetic.”
The season’s Main Stage series kicks off in April with Ring of Fire, a musical portrait of Johnny Cash. Mother’s Day weekend brings the witty and hilarious Steel Magnolias. Children of all ages and the Vagabonds who never grew up will delight in a newly imagined Cinderella: Enchanted, a fresh take on a magical fairytale, followed by Broadway’s longest-running musical and nine-time Tony Award-winner, A Chorus Line. And this summer, FRP is excited to present the southeastern regional premiere of The Girl on the Train, a thrilling mystery based on the bestselling novel by Paula Hawkins and the DreamWorks film.
In October, William Shakespeare’s Macbeth will engage audiences in the terrifyingly prophetic tale of revenge, murder and madness in a smaller, intimate setting as part of FRP’s new Black Box series. The series invites patrons onto the Leiman Mainstage, where they can watch storylines unfold from just a few feet away. The stage is configured so that 160 seats surround a slightly elevated platform. This theater-in-the-round arrangement ensures 360-degree views. Though the theatrical experience is intimate and immersive, it is not participatory.
“Theaters have been doing this for a while, so we wanted to give our patrons this experience to dive deeper into the stories and really experience the plays up close,” says Souther.
In November, Slowpoke! The True Story of a Tortoise and Hare, an Appalachian retelling of Aesop’s fable, arrives, and the season concludes with an all-new version of the popular holiday show A Playhouse Christmas.
Flat Rock Playhouse is supported by the North Carolina Arts Council, a division of the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (NCArts.org).
Flat Rock Playhouse is located at 2661 Greenville Highway, Flat Rock. For a complete lineup with show descriptions and to purchase individual tickets or subscriptions, visit FlatRockPlayhouse.org.
