LET’S REVIEW

Jim Cavener. Photo by Amanda Wray.

At the beginning of March 2021, a month that marks one year and counting of pandemic conditions that have forever altered the landscape of local and global performing arts, Managing Director Rae Geoffrey sat down with longtime arts reviewer and scholar Jim Cavener to learn a bit about the history of performing arts in Western North Carolina.

Rae: Jim, thank you for your time today. You’ve seen a huge amount of change in this area throughout the years. Can you tell me about your history as a reviewer?

Jim: My awareness has been honed by 33 years of writing reviews, advances and features across the spectrum of the arts, for both local and out-of-town newspapers, though with a focus on somewhat traditional theater. When writing for newspapers in my native Southern California, I was referred to simply as “the arts writer.” It was a dream appointment, with a discerning editor who allowed me to cover almost any theater event, art museum or gallery opening, or performing arts presentation — anywhere from San Diego to Santa Barbara, including Hollywierd and El Lay. With the Asheville Citizen Times, I have reviewed the gamut: theater, chamber music, dance, contemporary and classical dance, symphonies, other classical music ensembles, visual arts exhibitions and performance art that fits under no recognizable categories — such as the annual Asheville Fringe Festival performances of indescribable events in the most unlikely venues.

How do you explain the rich artistic heritage and offerings of our relatively small area?

The performing arts encompass so much, yet barely contain the rich and varied range of options that thrive in the fertile cultural soil of Western North Carolina. We’ve benefitted from the frequently suppressed and often obliterated cultural treasures of the Cherokee legacy, then incorporated the imported Scots-Irish culture brought down the Shenandoah Valley. The late 19th century saw an influx of economic and cultural aristocracy of New York City, London, Paris — the pinnacles of art elite, as the Vanderbilts established a major outpost on the edge of Asheville.

This monumental country home, Biltmore Estate, drew to our modest mountain metropolis major architects and visual artists. The 1930s establishment of Black Mountain College further elevated the cultural richness of our area, which by then was called “The Paris of the South.”

What are some of the companies you’ve reviewed throughout your career in Western North Carolina?

In its heyday, the local newspapers attempted to cover much of the 18-20 counties of Western North Carolina. I wrote reviews and advances on performing arts events from Peacock Playhouse in Hayesville and HART (Haywood Arts Regional Theatre) to the west, to Boone, Banner Elk and Blowing Rock on the north, Morganton and Black Mountain’s The Front Porch Theatre to the east, and Highlands, Brevard Music Center and Tryon to the south. The range of theater groups ran from equity theatres (Flat Rock Playhouse, North Carolina Stage Company), academic theater at Western Carolina University, Brevard College, Mars Hill University (SART — Southern Appalachian Repertory Theatre), UNC Asheville and Warren Wilson College theater department productions. Add to that a slew of longstanding community and “little theaters” (Hendersonville, Highlands, Brevard, and Asheville Community Theatre, Burnsville’s Parkway Playhouse, Montford Park Players, and going back to Blue Plate Special and The Green Door), to more recent stage magic like Highland Theatre, Magnetic Theatre, The Altamont, Attic Salt Theatre, and Different Strokes! Performing Arts Collective.

How do you think the pandemic will further alter the performing arts scene in our area?

It has already changed in astonishing ways. I’ve been surprised and enthralled by the wild diversity of innovative and creative responses, using the marvels of the internet to come up with dazzlingly creative ways to entertain and keep the attention of the audiences, to generate and maintain interest and to provide at least a modicum of cash flow.

I’m suspect our arts scene will never return to where we were before. I’m not sure that this is all bad. Being forced to create new approaches to reach an audience made way for new inventiveness that I predict will remain in effect even when theaters and auditoria are accessible to the masses once again. Virtual approaches create advantages for both the producers and audiences in accessibility, cost savings and reach. I think future producers of audience fare will retain some of these new access modes.