BURNSVILLE, NC: Parkway Playhouse is thrilled to welcome its 2023 Mainstage Company Members including a handful that are new to both Parkway Playhouse and the Burnsville area! The Parkway Playhouse team spoke with a few of these newcomers to find out more about what drew them to Parkway’s 2023 season, and why they chose WNC as home.
George Pfeffer relocated to Burnsville recently from Charlotte. “One of the reasons my wife and I chose to move to the Burnsville area was Parkway Playhouse. A respected community theater that’s lasted over 70 years – that’s a great draw!” Prior to moving, The Pfeffers spent some time checking out all that Burnsville has to offer. “We attended Empty Bowl events, went to the Carolina Mountain Literary Festival, hiked in the area, stayed in Bed and Breakfasts in Burnsville and Spruce Pine, and in all of those cases, talked to lots of people. Many mentioned Parkway Playhouse as an important part of the community. We went to a Kaki King concert at the Playhouse and liked the feel of the space.” George will be making his Parkway debut this season in both our season opener, The Red Velvet Cake War, and our closer, Black Comedy.
The Red Velvet Cake War actor, Melanie Veazey, was drawn to the theater by its stunning historic barn wood features and gorgeous location. “When I first moved here, I did a lot of driving around to see where everything was located. I saw a sign in the center of town that said ‘Parkway Playhouse’ and I took that turn and followed the road and there in front of me was the most beautiful theater. I think I drove around it several times to make sure I took it all in. It was exactly the sort of theater that I love. I knew instantly it was a place where people came to experience the joy and art of storytelling. I knew instantly I wanted to be involved.”
WNC newcomer Kelli Hall, who will be playing Sally in You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown feels similarly. “I was drawn to Parkway Playhouse because of the beautiful location, the beautiful theater, and the season selection!” Parkway Playhouse’s audiences have been clear about wanting to laugh this season, so Parkway is delivering with four comedies all set in the South or the 1960s.
Listening to the community has been a priority for Parkway Playhouse since reopening after covid and welcoming an entirely new leadership team. This meant finding new avenues to bring in performers who may have never auditioned for Parkway before. “I loved that there were auditions available for ‘more experienced’ and ‘less experienced’ actors. This made me feel very comfortable and less nervous about the audition process,” says Kelli Hall. Melanie Veazey agreed that the audition atmosphere was a refreshing experience. “I requested to sit in on season auditions so that I could see how I might best be of service to the company. It was such a warm and welcoming environment and I was delighted with the talent that came to audition,” she shared.
For You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown actor, Reed Atherton, familiar faces were a draw for our auditions. He says, “I worked with Marci Bernstein growing up in the Asheville theater community. When I saw the audition call, I knew that doing something at Parkway this summer would be a great opportunity.”
For many Parkway Playhouse newcomers, Burnsville is a town that really drew their eye to the area and made them want to call WNC home. “It’s almost a step back in time to an inviting community. I’m a novelist and it’s an inspiring place to write,” says The Red Velvet Cake War actor Jeremy Holden.
For Melanie Veazey, Burnsville kept calling to her, “We looked at places to live in many of the small towns that surround the Asheville area and we just kept coming back to Burnsville. There is a kindness and sense of community here that so many cities and towns have lost. It’s peaceful, beautiful, fun, and filled with artsy creative people. It is truly what my soul needed.”
And for George Pfeffer, it was all about the local landscape and the community, “This is beautiful country and cooler than the Piedmont. We are happy to be out of the suburbs and in cleaner air and water. We’ve transplanted lots of things from our previous yard [in Charlotte] and now have room for larger beds for food and flowers as well as areas for meadows of native plants – bring on the birds and insect life! The library is a delight and though we cook a lot, having restaurant choices in town is a plus. We have met some wonderful people and hope to meet more through the Playhouse.”
“The community seems very welcoming and excited about the arts. I love that!” Kelli Hall sums up Burnsville and Parkway beautifully.
For full cast lists for Parkway Playhouse’s 2023 Mainstage season, be sure to check out their Facebook (Parkway Playhouse) and their Instagram (@parkwayplayhouse) pages.
Tickets are on sale now at www.parkwayplayhouse.com. Parkway Playhouse is a professional theater company located in Burnsville, NC located at 202 Green Mountain Drive, Burnsville, North Carolina 28714. The oldest continually operating theater in North Carolina, they are celebrating its 76th season this year. Parkway Playhouse offers something for everyone including shows, classes, community events, and more!
