Seek & Find

Study these pictures carefully and look for the hidden costs of running an educational theater.  Every season, Parkway Playhouse provides the community with engaging theatrical productions and young people receive life-changing educational experiences. There are several ways that the cost to provide these experiences are met since memberships and ticket prices do not cover all of our expenses.  Please seek and find some of these additional costs and consider making a donation this summer to support our work.  We will put it to good use for the items below and many more in the season to come.

A – Cool air and hot stage lights: the air conditioning units are fantastic.They make being in and watching a play much more comfortable. We have older stage lights which generating a great deal of heat. Combined we often have power bills around $600 per month.

B – Assistant in the scene shop: on-going, skilled scene shop help is critical. Right now, there are many weeks where the great Bruce Chuvala is on his own. $5,000 per season.

C – Director of outreach and education: with the conservatory program, Parkway Players, touring productions and other outreach, we are in need of someone to provide skilled guidance throughout the year. This will allow us to reach more people, young and old, and provide the actors with a trained mentor. $10,000 per year.

D – Royalties for all plays: we have to pay for the rights to perform the plays for each season as well as for our camps and conservatory productions.  $28,000 per year.

E – Set construction materials for one play: $500.

F – Intern/Apprentice program: instructional costs for the training the next generation of theater artists and technicians or just building self-esteem and team building skills: $6,000 per year

These are just some of the hidden costs that need your support. Recurring donations are a great way to support our work. Follow the link to learn how to create a recurring donation or simply email me and I will help you set it up: Jeff at jbachar@parkwayplayhouse.com

Personally, I’ve found monthly donations to be an affordable way to give to organizations while staying within my budget. Monthly donations are helpful to Parkway Playhouse as well, since they provide a consistent source of income throughout the year and we can be more efficient with our resources. Checks are also welcome.  

Whatever method of giving is most convenient for you is what matters. Your summer support is greatly appreciated and I hope to see you at the theater soon for Dial M For Murder and The Complete Works of Shakespeare (Abridged) [Revised].   

Sincerely,
      Jeff Bachar, Executive Director

Tag Line: A Conversation About “Boeing, Boeing” with director Dwight Chiles

It was a few hours before opening night when I spoke with Dwight Chiles about his production of Boeing, Boeing at Parkway Playhouse.  Last year when he and Kristen Livengood were discussing what plays to do this year Dwight was pleased with the reaction audiences had to The 39 Steps which led to the conclusion that a fast-paced farce, with 7 doors, 4 different accents and one very awkward plot situation would go over very well.  

He knew it would be challenging because of the comedic timing necessary and the ability of the actors to handle foreign accents; however, during the casting process he found an ideal combination of actors with the skills to handle the material.  

Dwight has a wide range of theatrical capabilities and much his experience and training is connected to Shakespeare who used music and dance in a variety of ways in his work.  Influenced by this, we will see a choreographed dance number (that isn’t in the script). Dwight likes to use music to set the tone and add comedic elements as well. He collaborated with Henry Williamson to find just the right music.   Listen for 1960’s pop music from Italy, France, Germany and the USA in the production. You might even hear a sixties-era commercial jingle or two.

Dwight designed the set as well. He researched other productions of the play, sixties fashion and design to give us a clear sense of time and place (a Paris apartment in the 1960’s).  Using his drawings, Bruce Chuvala created exactly what Dwight wanted.

See you at the theatre!

Jeff Bachar

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To purchase tickets, click HERE or call (828) 682-4285

       Saturday, June 2 19 at 7:30pm (with complimentary Opening Night Reception)

Sunday, June 3 at 3pm (with post-show cast Q&A)

Friday, June 8 at 7:30pm

Saturday, June 9 at 7:30pm

Sunday, June 10 at 3pm (with post-show cast Q&A)

Friday, June 15 at 7:30pm

Saturday, June 16 at 7:30pm

Meet the new Executive Director Jeff Bachar

(pronounced ba-HAR)

You may have already had a chance to meet Jeff at a Parkway Playhouse event, but in case you haven’t… here’s a first introduction to him and his new role.

PP:  What role do you believe theatre plays in a community?

Jeff: A theatre should bring people together; people from all parts of the community. Its a place where people, young and old, can safely challenge themselves to learn new skills and build self-confidence. A theatre welcomes people from all walks of life and has a way of helping people who are feeling a little lost to find their way.  A good theatre will have a mix of plays and musicals: some that just make you laugh out loud, others that challenge the way we see the world, and some that make us cry and there are those plays that do all of that at once.  Experiencing those moments together, as an audience, is important for a community. That actually builds community.

For Parkway Playhouse the role of the junior program, the conservatory, is very powerful and exceptional for a community this size.  Whether a young person dreams of performing on Broadway or their parents want them to gain confidence for a job interview, or they just want to have fun singing and dancing, the junior program provides that opportunity.  Lifelong, positive memories are created there.

PP: Your last job was working for another non-profit in Asheville (Western NC AIDS Project) What was it that appealed to you about a theatre job?

Jeff: It feels like I’m going back to my roots.   I’ve always been a part of a theatre, at least since high school.  My undergraduate degree is in theatre and I’ve worked professionally as a director and an actor.  I’ve built scenery, run lights and sound, designed sets (not very well), been a stage manager.   This is a dream job for me that combines my theatre knowledge with extensive management experience.

PP: What is your primary role at Parkway Playhouse as Executive Director? 

Jeff: As Executive Director I have a wide range of duties.   One of the most important roles is to represent the organization in the community, with local government officials, tourism and development offices, other non-profits.   To do this well, I need to be able to share our vision for the future as an organization so the board and staff will be creating a strategic plan that looks ahead.  We will spend some time listening to community members regarding how they see Parkway Playhouse growing over time.  I will be facilitating this process.  By mid-December we want to be done and have the finished product.  That may seem like a long way off but since the process requires in-person meetings and conversations with very busy people its going to take some time. And of course we have all of our daily work to do in addition to the strategic planning work.  But its very exciting and will be worth the effort. The plan will guide our work for some years to come.  I don’t see myself acting or directing here anytime soon; there just isn’t time right now.

PP: What excites you the most about your new position?

Jeff: I’ve been welcomed by and am getting a huge amount of support from community members and staff here.  That’s a great feeling. Its thrilling to join a group of people who are creative, energetic and passionate about teaching, learning and entertaining.

PP:  What’s the Holiday show this year?

Jeff: Stay tuned to our Facebook page.  We will be announcing that in the coming weeks.

PP: When will we find out what the 2018 shows are?  

Jeff: You’ll have to come the end of the year party on October 21st to find that out!

PP: What do you envision for Parkway Playhouse in five years?

Jeff: Even sooner than five years I’d like Parkway Playhouse to host more bluegrass concerts, show some movies now and then, and do other things beyond traditional main stage productions.  We’ll keep those going strong of course; just add a few new things.  Who knows what will happen, but maybe we will develop a larger rehearsal space and office space. Why not throw in a cafe while we are at it?!   I’m just dreaming now.  If we have the space I’d love to have visiting playwrights work on developing new works with local and national actors during the summer.

 

So, be on the lookout for Jeff at the next show (opening this weekend) and be sure to give him a warm welcome.

For tickets call 828.682.4285 or purchase them online.