Highlands PAC

The MET, Live Via Satellite

The MET Opera returns to Highlands Performing Arts Center with a pair of productions – Eurydice on December 4; and Cendrillon on January 1. For tickets or more information, visit HighlandsPerformingArts.com.

Cendrillon

The MET Opera is back in full swing with new productions for the 202122 season.

At 12:55 P.M. Saturday, December 4, the MET will present Live via Satellite, Eurydice.

The ancient Greek myth of Orpheus, who attempts to harness the power of music to rescue his beloved Eurydice from the underworld, has inspired composers since opera’s earliest days. Rising American composer Matthew Aucoin now carries that tradition into the 21st century with a captivating new take on the story. With a libretto by MacArthur Genius Grant-recipient Sarah Ruhl, adapted from her acclaimed 2003 play, the opera reimagines the familiar tale from Eurydice’s point of view.

Met Music Director Yannick Nézet-Séguin takes the podium, leading Aucoin’s evocative music and an immersive new staging by Mary Zimmerman. Soprano Erin Morley sings the title role, opposite baritone Joshua Hopkins as Orpheus and countertenor Jakub Józef Orliński as his otherworldly alter ego.

At 12:55 P.M. Saturday, January 1, we’ll present the classic tale of Cinderella. Laurent Pelly’s storybook staging of Massenet’s Cendrillon is presented with an all-new English translation in an abridged 90-minute adaptation, with mezzo-soprano Isabel Leonard as its rags-to-riches princess. Maestro Emmanuel Villaume leads a delightful cast, which includes mezzo-soprano Emily D’Angelo as Cinderella’s Prince Charming, soprano Jessica Pratt as her Fairy Godmother, and mezzo-soprano Stephanie Blythe and bass-baritone Laurent Naouri as her feuding guardians. It’s the perfect Holiday adventure for all ages, young and old.

A pre-opera discussion will begin at 12:30 P.M. before the operas begin at 12:55 P.M. Tickets are available at HighlandsPerformingArts.com.

We’re located at 507 Chestnut Street.

by Mary Adair Trumbly, Highlands Performing Arts Center

While there’s not an ounce of science to support bad luck associated with black cats, walking under ladders, or Friday the 13th, who among us still wonders how many years of bad luck remain on our broken mirror inventory? And is there a special demon in hell that keeps track of looking glass penance?

One thing is for certain: superstitions abound, and there are plenty in theater. For instance, it’s bad luck to say good luck. Instead we say, break a leg, which sounds like inviting bad luck. But it comes from the belief that pixies and ghosts haunting the theatre do the opposite of what they’re told. So actors intentionally ask for broken legs, and thus believe they’ll get money, fame, and tickets to the Tina Turner Musical.

But why a leg? Why not a neck or back? There is a curtain called the “leg” in the wings that conceals backstage. If you break this leg you break past the barrier that keeps you from being onstage. And if you make it to the stage before you are supposed to, you’ve thrown everything out of synch. Crash, bang, boom. It’s the end of life as we know it.

Another break-a-leg explanation dates back to Elizabethan theater when the audience would throw money at the actors if they liked their performance. An actor would bend over to pick up loot, thus breaking (the line of ) his leg.

If the audience didn’t like the show, they’d throw splattery things and rotten rutabagas. No line broken there. A contract maybe.

Here’s another: Never whistle in the theater. When rigging was installed in a playhouse to fly scenery or actors, sailors were the engineers-of-choice to manage the ropes and pulleys. On ship sailors communicated these maneuvers with coded whistles. If an actor inadvertently whistled while crossing the stage, a sailor could hear that as a cue, and BOOM! Leading man is now Flat Stanley.

Never say Macbeth. Say Scottish Play. The actor playing Macbeth in the original production died in an accident (perhaps someone whistled) and Shakespeare, himself, had to stand in for him. If you inadvertently say, M—beth in the Playhouse, run outside, spin around three times, and spit, avoiding your friends’ shoes, of course.

A bad dress rehearsal means a great show. Ah, hope and denial collide. But by the time the cast and crew have squeezed every last ounce of energy out of their exhausted bodies and brains, there are bound to be a few last-minute blunders. However, by opening night, adrenalin pumping, a wine-prepped audience, electric air, careful planning and hard work will pull it all together.

Help the Playhouse launch 2022 by creating nothing but good luck for the crew, staff, and actors with a generous end-of-the year donation. As Executive Artistic Director Scott Daniel says, “Supporting the arts by becoming a sponsor is a theatre tradition that is a necessity to the survival of small professional theatres like Highlands Playhouse.”

Visit highlandsplayhouse.org and make your pledge today. Scott promises he’ll clean up your broken mirror debt in exchange.

Traditions and Superstitions

A host of traditions and superstitions shadow theaters around the world. You can help Highlands Playhouse avoid this pack of troubles.

by Donna Rhodes

The Concept of Place

The Bascom’s Winter Resident Artist Colin Dawson brings a critical eye to the concept of Place in art and the world.

Colin Dawson The Bascom Winter Resident Artist Program, better known as the WRAP, calls on students or faculty from across the Southeast to submit site-specific installation proposals for The Bascom’s Thompson Gallery based on an annual theme.

For 2022, The Bascom will be connecting programming throughout the year to the theme of Place.

This residency provides the selected artist with the opportunity to live and work on The Bascom campus while designing, building, and installing their project proposal in a four week period. As a professional development opportunity, the WRAP allows an artist the time and space to create, document their process, and exhibit their work in a gallery setting.

We enter this winter season by welcoming the latest addition to our Winter Resident Artist Program, Colin Dawson. Competing with applicants from North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia, Colin’s project proposal was a standout given that he has been exploring the theme of Place for the last few years. Through an investigative lens, Colin researches the historical narrative of specific pieces of land, and documents the discoveries found there through plaster casting, and sculptural assemblages.

Colin is a first year MFA candidate at Western Carolina University. Originally from Pensacola, Florida, he brings with him a background in furniture design, and works in sculpture.

Regarding his view on the arts, Colin says, “I view art as a public service that helps us digest our culture and its effects. Elements of pop culture, art history, literature, film, TV can by synthesized into artistic forms to break down and define their impetus, sources, and affect.”

We are excited to witness the process and result of his work at The Bascom, and in the community.

Please join the Bascom in welcoming Colin Dawson to the Plateau, and be sure to visit The Bascom to view his exhibition, open January 11 through April 2, 2022.

The Bascom, A Center for Visual Arts, is located at 323 Franklin Road in Highlands.

by Billy Love, The Bascom

A Successful Season of Art

Drawing upon its members’ natural talents of creativity and ingenuity, the Art League of Highlands-Cashiers managed to stage a successful year of meetings and events.

As the calendar year draws to a close, the Art League of HighlandsCashiers is grateful that the 2021 season mostly returned to normal following a year of cancelled programs and events due to Covid.

This year, all six free monthly presentations took place at The Bascom, and the League sponsored three fine art shows, one in Highlands and two in Sapphire Valley. Despite the residual effects of the pandemic that held down the number of exhibitors to fewer than normal, there were record sales of member artwork.

The one event that regrettably was not able to take place was the week-long Children’s Summer Art Camp at the Rec Park.

Other positive measures of a successful season are evident. ALHC membership grew from 39 members in 2020 to 64 in 2021. The ALHC website was greatly improved, and in addition to featuring more member artwork on it, we also established a presence on Instagram. You can visit artleagueofhighlands-cashiers.com. to keep up with current events and to view members’ artwork.

The Art League wishes to thank The Bascom for once again providing the venue for its meetings and for sponsoring an ALHC member exhibit that will run through the end of the year. If you haven’t yet seen this exhibit in the Joel Gallery, we encourage you to do so.

We also thank the community at large for its support with presentation attendance and membership gains. The Art League welcomed new board members, and the board will be busy during the winter months making plans for an even more exciting year in 2022.

We hope you will join us during the 2022 season that kicks off next year on April 25.

by Zach Claxton, Highlands-Cashiers Art League

DINING

Pages 88-98

Serving up Food & Fellowship

Highlands Burritos, located at 226 South Fourth Street, is serving up generous helpings of comfort food and, just as important, local conversation. They’re open Monday through Saturday, 11:00 A.M. to 3:00 P.M.

Over the course of these last 20 Covid-cramped months, I’ve rhapsodized about the sublime joy of dining out with friends, of restoring the warp and woof of relationships that’ve frayed.

The happy chatter and bursts of laughter that punctuate our meals at all of our Plateau dining destinations, from mom ‘n pop cafés to deeply-indulgent dining rooms that’ve earned an international reputation, is a powerful tonic to the quarantine stupor that’s somehow followed us into this new, unsettled landscape.

It’s always been that way on the Plateau – food and fellowship served in equal portions. Consider that Mrs. Elvira Zachary’s Boarding House was often referred to as Zachary’s Kitchen, or that Highlands’ earliest businesses were The Highlands Inn and The Central House, both offering full menus to their guests.

I’m bringing this up because that’s what I encountered during our fast trip to Highlands Burritos.

Though my time in the place spanned only a few minutes (we were on a takeout, eat-at-our-desk mission), I encountered and chatted with three friends who’d been missing from my life for the past 20 months.

We updated ourselves, exchanged gossip (this is Highlands, after all), shared pictures of loved ones and grandkids, and talked about plans for the off-season.

I lack the poetry to describe what a benison it is to indulge in these sweet Plateau traditions. The serving line at Highlands Burritos serves the same purpose as those early morning bull sessions at Farmer’s Market or those earnest discussions at Calders Coffee.

And while we’re talking about the simple bliss of falling back into the lives of friends and the neighbors we’ve lost track of, let me jump

over to the simple bliss served up at Highlands Burritos.

It’s set up like your standard Subway – you place your order and advance, choose your protein, your fillers (rice, black beans, refried beans), and toppings that are rolled into the creation.

Each burrito is crafted by a trio of smiling women and men (some of whom are fluent at English, some not-so-much, but each gracious and dedicated to their task).

And each burrito is the Tex-Mex equivalent of a British Ploughman’s Lunch. They’re enormous, incredibly filling, and budget friendly.

Tricia and I ordered Blackegdfgned Fish and Ground Beef versions, and our friend Casey was gratified to discover a Veggie option.

Even though I mentioned that these choices were enormous, my dedication to the thoroughness of my reviews led me to add a generous helping of guacamole to the order.

Now I don’t know your religious leanings, and I’m usually tightlipped about my expressions of faith, but let me just say, “Sweet Jesus, that’s some incredible Guac!”

You could taste the sunshine and the freshness, and it was a quick transport to some tropical hideaway.

No wonder those sweet counter workers were smiling so much – they knew they were serving up something transcendent!

And, since this was a lunch order that would carry over into the evening, I also ordered Pico de Gallo and Tortilla Chips. I’m snacking on these as I’m writing this. (Again, taking us back to my evocation of the Ploughman’s Lunch.)

To complete the Tex-Mex theme, I ordered bottles of Mexican (Real Sugar) Coca Colas. These were appropriately fizzy and fun. Casey swears by the Margaritas that are crafted at Highlands Burritos, but since this was a takeout order, these were a no-no.

Highlands Burritos is located at 226 South Fourth Street. You can order online, highlandsburritos.com, but if you have time, why not stop to place your order and dine there? I promise, you’ll get into a conversation with someone (including, if they have a moment of time, the people building your order) and keep that wonderful Plateau community spirit going.

by Luke Osteen photos by Susan Renfro

Let Someone Else Cook

Family get-togethers and holiday entertaining are so much more enjoyable when someone else handles the cooking.

If your holiday plans include meals out at one of our area’s fine restaurants, please note that most area restaurants will be open on Christmas Eve for your dining pleasure. Your options on Christmas Day are limited. Reservations are recommended, and in some cases required, and should be made well in advance. Your choices on New Year’s Eve are plentiful but make those reservations early as possible!

Call for Information on Carry Away:

Fressers Courtyard Café (828) 526-8847 Rosewood Market (828) 526-0383 The Kitchen Carryaway (828) 526-2110 Dusty’s Rhodes Superette (828) 526-2762

Call for Information and Reservations:

Bella’s Junction Café: Scaly Mountain (828) 526-0803

Wolfgang’s Restaurant & Wine Bar Bistro (828) 526-3807 Julep Farms (706) 960-9600 Greystone Inn (828) 966-4700 Highlander Mountain House (828) 526-2590 Four65 Woodfire Bistro and Bar (828) 787-2990 Fire+Water at Fire Mountain Inn (800) 775-4446

On The Verandah (828) 526-2338 The Library Kitchen and Bar (828) 743-5512 Oak Steakhouse (828) 482-4720 Ristorante Paoletti (828) 526-4906 Wild Thyme Gourmet (828) 526-4035 Tug’s Proper (828) 526-3555 4118 Kitchen & Bar (828) 526-5002 Highlands Smokehouse (828) 526-3554 The Orchard Restaurant (828) 743-7614 The Ugly Dog (828) 743-3000; The Ugly Dog (828) 526-8364 Cashiers Valley Smokehouse (828) 743-2096 Midpoint (828 )526-2277 Madison’s Restaurant (828) 787-2525 Bridge at Mill Creek (828) 526-5500 Lakeside Restaurant (828) 526-9419

by Mary Jane McCall