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Photo by Todd Bush

VISITORS ENJOY THEATER AND ART IN THE HEART OF BANNER ELK

Special to 919 Magazine

Banner Elk offers a summer full of theater and art in North Carolina’s Blue Ridge Mountains.

Two local theater companies bring a series of big shows to the stage, while outdoor art shows are held one weekend per month in July, August and September.

This walkabout, one-stoplight resort town is home to Ensemble Stage, a professional theater company; and Lees-McRae Summer Theatre, which blends professional, educational and community theater on the campus of Lees-McRae College.

“People can come in the summer and see two distinctly different productions and make a weekend out of it,” said Gary Smith, artistic director for Ensemble Stage. “We have people who come from larger metropolitan areas with tons of theater specifically to see shows here in Banner Elk.”

For its 13th Summer Season, Ensemble Stage brings four premiers to Hahn Auditorium at the Historic Banner Elk School. The company performs a world premiere, an international premiere and two regional premieres.

The theater has waited to present the world premiere, “Zaglada,” since discovering it at a theater conference in January 2020. The international premiere, “Baby on Board,” originated as a French comedy in Canada and was translated into English for its American debut. Opening the season are two regional premieres — “No Wake” and “Catch the Butcher” — that have never been performed in North Carolina or any bordering states.

“No Wake” kicks off the season June 24-July 2, followed by “Catch the Butcher” July 15-23, “Baby on Board” Aug. 12-20, and “Zaglada” Sept. 9-17.

Lees-McRae combines aspiring performers and technicians with industry professionals and a dash of local talent to produce two musicals at Broyhill Theatre inside Hayes Auditorium. “The Drowsy Chaperone” runs June 28-July 3, and “Matilda: The Musical” takes the stage July 21-27.

These talented folks descend on Banner Elk each summer to work with founder and artistic director Dr. Janet Barton Speer.

We have people who come from larger metropolitan

areas with tons of theater specifically to see shows here in Banner Elk.

GARY SMITH Ensemble Stage Artistic Director

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Speer started the program in 1985, and since then the theater has entertained more than a quarter-million guests.

Handcrafted art takes center stage during Art on the Greene, two-day shows held on the lawn of the Historic Banner Elk School the weekends of July 2-3, Aug. 6-7 and Sept. 3-4.

“The arts are important to the town of Banner Elk, and Art on the Greene is one way we celebrate them,” says Nancy Owen, Banner Elk’s tourism director. “We’re in such a beautiful spot in the mountains; the scenery and aesthetics are very fitting for an event like this.”

More than 50 artists are scheduled to participate in every show. Each installment of Art on the Greene has a unique lineup, including local artists from the surrounding High Country, as well as artists from throughout the Southeast and beyond.

A juried selection process ensures all artwork is original and high-quality. The roster regularly includes painters, metalsmiths, glassblowers, potters, photographers, wood carvers and turners, jewelry makers, and textile artists.

“The shows bring people into town or give them something extra to do when they’re here for a long weekend,” Owen said.

Banner Elk is located in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina, nestled between Sugar Mountain Ski Resort and Beech Mount Ski Resort. For information on the shows, lodging options and links to theater tickets, visit BannerElk.com.

Photo by Todd Bush

The arts are important to the town of Banner Elk, and Art on the Greene

is one way we celebrate them. We’re in such a beautiful spot in the mountains; the scenery and aesthetics are very fitting for an event like this.

NANCY OWEN Banner Elk Tourism Director