SOUTHERN APPALACHIAN REPERTORY THEATRE
Professional theatre company located in the heart of the Appalachian mountains in Mars Hill, NC​
SOUTHERN APPALACHIAN REPERTORY THEATRE
Proudly Announces Its
52nd Summer Season
“Embracing Our Heritage / Discovering New Visions”
Theatre has always belonged to every age. It is a living art form—passed from generation to generation, shaped by memory and reinvented by imagination, enriched by the wisdom of those who have stood in the wings for decades and electrified by the daring of those just finding their voice. Southern Appalachian Repertory Theatre was founded on that belief, and 52 years later, nothing has changed.
The legendary Broadway director George Abbott was still staging productions at 100 years old. He understood what SART has always known: talent does not fade with age. Passion does not retire. The story is never finished. This summer, SART celebrates that truth with a season designed to embrace where we come from and boldly discover where we are going—a season for all ages, all voices, and all of Appalachia.
Welcome to SART’s 52nd Summer Season: “Embracing Our Heritage / Discovering New Visions”.
THE 2026 SEASON AT A GLANCE
June 4–7, 2026
SEEGER:
An Inconvenient Folk Singer
The season opens with a celebration of artistic heritage in its purest form. Seeger: An Inconvenient Folk Singer marks the return of Randy Noojiin, who brings with him a remarkable 30-year working relationship with SART—a partnership that is itself a testament to the enduring bond between an artist and a community. In this one-man tour de force, Noojiin channels the spirit of Pete Seeger, the banjo-strumming, union-singing, truth-telling folk icon whose music rattled the comfortable and lifted the weary for over seven decades. Seeger sang because silence was not an option. Neither is missing this production.
Thursday, June 4, 2026 at 7:30pm
Friday, June 5, 2026 at 7:30pm
Saturday, June 6, 2026 at 2:30pm
Saturday, June 6, 2026 at 7:30pm
Sunday, June 7, 2026 at 4:00pm
June 11–14 &
June 18–21, 2026
SINGING MARY
From the ridges and hollows of Madison County comes a voice that time nearly silenced—and a new musical determined to make sure it never goes quiet again. Singing Mary is a world premiere original musical by Beverly Austin, a Weaverville, NC resident, telling the story of ballad singer Mary Sands, one of the most celebrated traditional musicians ever to emerge from these mountains. Austin’s work is a profound act of heritage—reaching back into the roots of Appalachian musical tradition and bringing it forward, alive and resonant, for a new generation of listeners. This production sits at the very heart of our season’s theme: embracing those who came before us, and ensuring their stories are never lost.
Thursday, June 11, 2026 at 7:30pm
Friday, June 12, 2026 at7:30pm
Saturday, June 13, 2026 at 2:30pm
Saturday, June 13, 2026 at 7:30pm
Sunday, June 14, 2026 at 4:00pm
Thursday, June 18, 2026 at 7:30pm
Friday, June 19, 2026 at 7:30pm
Saturday, June 20, 2026 at 2:30pm
Saturday, June 20, 2026 at 7:30pm
Sunday, June 21, 2026 at 4:00pm
Saturday, July 4, 2026
RED, WHITE & BLUEGRASS
Outdoor Concert
As our nation marks a profound milestone—the 250th anniversary of American independence—SART is honored to participate in the Red, White & Bluegrass celebration this Fourth of July. There is perhaps no more fitting way to mark America’s 250th birthday than with the sound of fiddles and the spirit of a region that has always carried the soul of this country in its music. SART joins with community partners to raise a toast to liberty, to heritage, and to the mountains that shaped us all.
July 11-12, 2026
SEUSSICAL JR.
SART Youth Theatre
Oh, the places you’ll go! SART’s beloved Youth Theatre takes the stage with Seussical Jr., the wildly imaginative musical romp through the world of Dr. Seuss, where Horton the Elephant dares to hear a Who, the Cat in the Hat presides over the mayhem, and young Jojo’s impossible dreams take flight. This production is a joyful reminder that the theatrical tradition begins young—and that nurturing the next generation of performers, storytellers, and dreamers is one of SART’s most cherished responsibilities. Theatre is truly for every age, and these young artists prove it.
Saturday, July 11,2026 at 11:00AM
Saturday, July 11,2026 at 4:00PM
Sunday, July 12, 2026 at 4:00PM
July 16-26, 2026
LICKETY SPLIT:
Women and Men in Outrageous Shorts
From James, Hope, and Wooten—the acclaimed writing trio behind the beloved The Sweet Delilah Swim Club—comes a brand-new comedy that promises to delight audiences with the same warmth, wit, and Southern charm that made its predecessor a regional theatre favorite across the country. Lickety Split is fresh, funny, and deeply human—a new vision that feels immediately like an old friend. If you loved Delilah, this one is for you.
Thursday, July 16, 2026 at 7:30pm
Friday, July 17, 2026 at 7:30pm
Saturday, July 18, 2026 at 2:30pm
Saturday, July 18, 2026 at 7:30pm
Sunday, July 19, 2026 at 4:00pm
Thursday, July 23, 2026 at 7:30pm
Friday, July 24, 2026 at 7:30pm
Saturday, July 25, 2026 at 2:30pm
Saturday, July 25, 2026 at 7:30pm
Sunday, July 26, 2026 at 4:00pm
July 30-Aug 2, 2026
THE MUSIC MAN
MTI Senior Musical Edition
The season closes with a rousing, foot-stomping exclamation point. That Wells Fargo wagon is coming to Mars Hill, and it is bringing The Music Man—in a glorious production presented through Music Theatre International’s groundbreaking Senior Musicals program, featuring one-hour productions designed specifically for performers aged 55 and over. We will be your SRO Theatre Company! MTI has long created musicals for youth; now these acclaimed adaptations give experienced performers the spotlight they deserve—because talent does not have an expiration date.
SART is thrilled to be among the first in the region to bring this program to Western North Carolina and the greater Asheville community. Harold Hill may be a con man, but there is nothing dishonest about the pure joy this production will deliver.