Parkway Playhouse’s 2026 season auditions are just around the corner! These auditions will take place at The Mountain Heritage Center, located at 113 Green Mountain Drive in Burnsville, NC, on January 17th from 10am-4pm. This first set of auditions will be for Sister Act, Annie, Peter and the Starcatcher, and their Reading Is Alive program.
Sister Act is showing May 29-June 7, 2026, and will be directed by Reed Atherton.
When disco diva, Deloris Van Cartier, witnesses a murder, she is put in protective custody in the one place the cops are sure she won’t be found: a convent! Disguised as a nun, she finds herself at odds with both the rigid lifestyle and uptight Mother Superior. Using her unique disco moves and singing talent to inspire the choir, Deloris breathes new life into the church and community but, in doing so, blows her cover. Soon, the gang is giving chase, only to find themselves up against Deloris and the power of her newly found sisterhood.
Annie is showing June 26-July 12, 2026, and will be directed by Daniel Moore.
With equal measures of pluck and positivity, little orphan Annie charms everyone’s hearts despite a next-to-nothing start in 1930s New York City. She is determined to find the parents who abandoned her years ago on the doorstep of a New York City Orphanage that is run by the cruel, embittered Miss Hannigan. With the help of the other girls in the Orphanage, Annie escapes to the wondrous world of NYC. In adventure after fun-filled adventure, Annie foils Miss Hannigan’s evil machinations… and even befriends President Franklin Delano Roosevelt! She finds a new home and family in billionaire Oliver Warbucks, his personal secretary, Grace Farrell, and a lovable mutt named Sandy.
Peter and the Starcatcher is showing July 31-August 9, 2026, and will be directed by Jenny Martin.
A young orphan and his mates are shipped off from Victorian England to a distant island ruled by the evil King Zarboff. They know nothing of the mysterious trunk in the captain’s cabin, which contains a precious, otherworldly cargo. At sea, the boys are discovered by a precocious young girl named Molly, a Starcatcher-in-training who realizes that the trunk’s precious cargo is starstuff, a celestial substance so powerful that it must never fall into the wrong hands. When the ship is taken over by pirates – led by the fearsome Black Stache, a villain determined to claim the trunk and its treasure for his own – the journey quickly becomes a thrilling adventure.
The Reading Is Alive program is touring around local communities this summer and will be directed by Chelsea Thayer.
This year’s Reading is Alive production will embrace the spirit of Appalachia. Stories that were told by Granny on the front porch or Pa from around the fire, pull up a rocking chair, and get ready for some tales that are rooted in these mountains and come straight from the heart. Looking for a cast of 3-5 actors that can portray a variety of roles and ages.
Parkway Playhouse is accepting video submissions if you are unable to make it to auditions in person. Please email your submission to marketing@parkwayplayhouse.com
Parkway Passes and individual tickets are on sale now. They have two pass options this year. A Parkway Pass is the equivalent of five tickets to any mainstage show in their 2026 season for just $90. A Parkway Pass Plus is the equivalent of five tickets to any mainstage show in their 2026 season and two tickets to any junior show in their 2026 season for just $120. These can be purchased at www.parkwayplayhouse.com/
Parkway Playhouse is a professional theater company located at 202 Green Mountain Drive, Burnsville, North Carolina 28714. The oldest continually operating summer theater in North Carolina, they are celebrating their 79th season this year. Parkway Playhouse offers something for everyone, including shows, classes, community events, and more! To find out more about Parkway Playhouse, please visit their website at www.parkwayplayhouse.com, or check out their Facebook or Instagram pages.
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