Call for Theatre Proposals
2026-2027 Season
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The Black Mountain Center for the Arts (BMCA) Theatre's goal is to provide exceptional, creative, diverse, and affordable theatrical productions that stimulate and entertain the audience and artists. We welcome proposals for both original and established works, in an effort to provide our community with quality live theatrical performances. We are currently accepting proposals for the 26-27 Season! Proposals must be submitted by 12 pm on Friday, March 20, 2026, to be considered. Please read below for more information and directions for submitting proposals. We look forward to hearing from you!
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The Complete works of William Shakespeare (Abridged)
by Adam Long, Daniel Singer, and Jess Winfield
February 20 - March 1
Fri & Sat 7:30pm, Sun 2pm
Tickets $20
The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged) is a fast, furious, and laugh-out-loud sprint through the Bard’s best (and weirdest) moments. Expect tragic deaths, wild romances and more ridiculous wigs than a royal court as three performers attempt to tackle every play and sonnet in one whirlwind performance. This play is brought to you by Mike Yow and Fire in the Head Productions.
BMCA Instructors Concert
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***NEW DATE***
Sunday, March 8 • 2pm
(was previously January 24)
Tickets $20
The BMCA instructors are back for another performance! The Black Mountain Center for the Arts rings in the new year with our annual Instructors Concert on Saturday, January 24 at 7:30 pm. BMCA is blessed to work with many wonderful professional musicians through our Junior Appalachian Musicians program and private lessons.
We love to highlight their great talent with a yearly concert. You’ll experience a variety of music from several different genres as instructors perform individual and collaborative pieces. Appearing in this year’s concert will be Clarke Williams, Maddy Mullaney, Travis Stuart, Nathan Vargos and Cary Fridley from our Junior Appalachian Musicians program, as well as private lesson instructors Alison Adams (voice) and Joel Ragan (piano). Join us in celebrating the wonderful musicianship that lives here at BMCA. Grab some friends and get your tickets now!
Reasonably Priced Babies
Friday the 13th Show
Friday, March 13th • 7:30pm
Tickets $20
Test your luck with the Babies’ Friday the 13th comedy improv show at BMCA! It’s sure to be your lucky night, as this award-winning improv troupe takes the stage. No two RPB shows are the same. The Babies take audience suggestions to build each show, so come ready to participate because the audience makes the show!
O'Carolan's Best
Featuring Sue Richards and Robin Bullock
Sunday, March 15th • 2pm
Tickets $20
Experience the enchanting legacy of the "last of the bards" as virtuoso guitarist Robin Bullock and four-time National Scottish Harp Champion Sue Richards take the stage at the Black Mountain Center for the Arts. On Sunday, March 15 at 2pm, this award-winning duo will perform the timeless compositions of Turlough O'Carolan, the legendary 17th-century blind Irish harper whose music uniquely blends traditional Gaelic melodies with Italian Baroque elegance. Bullock, hailed as a "Celtic guitar god," and Richards, a world-renowned harper who has performed for presidents and royalty, bring decades of shared mastery to these ancient planxties and airs. Their performance promises to bridge the gap between the Old World and the New, showcasing the "string wizardry" that has earned them multiple WAMMIE Awards and critical acclaim. Do not miss this rare opportunity to hear the hauntingly beautiful tunes of O'Carolan brought to life by two of the finest instrumentalists in the Celtic tradition.
AN Artful Journey
Exploring the Best Art Exhibitions of 2026
led by Julianna Caro
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Fridays, 10:30am-12pm
Tuition: $25 per lecture
(refreshments included)
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Join us for an artful journey to the world’s most exciting art centers: Boston, Denver, London, New York and Charlotte to virtually tour this year’s best museum exhibitions. Each artful journey will begin with a delightful morning drink and snack followed by an inspiring lecture and discussion with art historian and curator Julianna Caro. Together we will enjoy time to visit, connect and learn about current shows featuring artists such as Allan Crite, Camille Passaro, Raphael, Carvaggio, Turner and Constable.
January 30th: Allan Rohan Crite: Urban Glory at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, Boston
March 27th: The Honest Eye: Camille Pissarro’s Impressionism at the Denver Art Museum
April 24th: Raphael: Sublime Poetry and Caravaggio: Revolution
May 22nd: Turner and Constable at Tate Britain, London
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Julianna Caro is an art historian, curator, museum educator, and a passionate advocate for wellness and transformative life experiences. Formally an art history professor and Chair of the Art Department at Warren Wilson College, she is the Head of Learning and Engagement at the Asheville Art Museum. Caro has curated exhibitions at the Black Mountain College Museum, the Center for Craft, and the North Carolina Museum of Art. Her popular Friday morning lecture series, An Artful Journey, pairs engaging art history lectures with gourmet refreshments and time to socialize. With her company, The Artisan Tour by Julianna, she leads week-long excursions to Italy and local art and food tours. For more about Julianna, visit www.theartisantour.com.
Mosaic Birdbaths
led by Michelle Bettencourt
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Saturday, April 18th • 12:30-4pm
and
Sunday, April 19th • 12:30-2:30pm
Tuition $90 (supplies included)
$5 off for BMCA Members
Ages 12+
Whether you have dabbled in mosaics before or are completely new, this class will introduce you to the ancient art form of mosaics through the creation of your own, unique mosaic birdbath. In the first session, you will learn the basics of mosaic design, select and cut/break your ceramic pieces and adhere them to your birdbath. In the second session, you will learn how to grout your birdbath and will have a number of colors of grout to choose from. After just two sessions you will leave with a wonderful garden piece and the knowledge to make mosaics of different shapes and sizes. See my general guidelines and links for mosaics here.
The Dark City Speaks
An evening of poetry featuring David Brendan Hopes, Lockie Hunter, and Allan Wolf
Saturday, April 18th • 7:30pm
Tickets $15
The Dark City Speaks is back! Poetry returns to the Black Mountain Center for the Arts on Saturday, April 18 at 7:30 for The Dark City Speaks: An Evening of Poetry. A powerful collaboration between BMCA, the Friends of the Black Mountain Library, and the Dark City Poets Society, this celebration of the spoken word will inspire and entertain. The evening kicks off with student poets from local colleges, followed by performances from the Dark City Poets Society, and concludes with readings from renowned poets David Brendan Hopes, Lockie Hunter, and Allan Wolf. This will be an unforgettable night of poetry and verse!
Walker Family Band Concert
Friday, May 1st • 7:30pm
Tickets $15
The Walker Family Band returns to BMCA on Friday, May 1 at 7:30 pm! Drawing from a rich legacy of musical education and diverse performance backgrounds, the Walker Family Band offers a multi-generational "melting pot" of sound that is a perfect fit for audiences at BMCA. This family ensemble showcases an incredible range of talent, from Jennie Brunner’s compelling fiddling and her father Scott’s multi-instrumental expertise, to Landon Walker’s transition from Florida's jazz scene to high-energy Irish accordion. Their performances celebrate a
unique evolution of styles, blending the precision of their Suzuki-method roots with the soulful, "unbuttoned" traditions of Old-Time and Irish music. The inclusion of third-generation rising star Claire Brunner adds a heartfelt, family-centered warmth that cements the family musical legacy. Audience members will experience more than just a concert; they’ll encounter a joyful night of original compositions and collaborative spirit that is the Walker Family Band!
Mother's Day Watercolor Cards Workshop
Led by Melanie Meador
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Saturday, May 2nd • 10am-12pm
$30 per person
$50 per Grown-up/child pair (save $10!)
All art supplies include
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Whether you are an experienced painter or this is your first time painting, all ages and abilities are welcome. Melanie will walk you through each step or encourage you to create your own special card for your mom.There will be a brief introduction to watercolor painting techniques with a focus on spring flowers. Paint, brushes, pencils, pens, cards and a floral still life will be provided. This is the perfect opportunity for you to paint a unique card to surprise your mom on mother’s day or bring her to this workshop and try something new together.
Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune
By Terrance McNally
May 8-17
Fri & Sat 7:30pm, Sun 2pm
Tickets $20
The setting is a walk-up apartment on Manhattan's West Side where, as the curtain rises, Frankie (a waitress) and Johnny (a short-order cook who works in the same restaurant) are discovered in bed. It is their first encounter, after having met several weeks ago on the job, and Frankie is hopeful that Johnny will now put on his clothes and depart, so she can
return to her usual routine of watching TV and eating ice cream. But Johnny, a compulsive talker (and romantic), has other ideas. He is convinced that he loves Frankie, a notion that she, at first, considers to be ridiculous. She has had more disappointments than delights in life, and he is the veteran of one broken marriage already. And neither of them is in the bloom of youth. Yet out of their sometimes touching, sometimes hilarious interplay the promise of a relationship beyond a "one-night stand" does begin to emerge and, as the lights dim, the two are back in bed again, but this time side-by-side, holding hands before the glowing television screen.
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Frankie and Johnny at the Clair de Lune is produced by Multiverse Theatre Collective.
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This production includes adult themes, language and sexual situations.
Mosaic Mushrooms
led by Michelle Bettencourt
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Saturday, June 13th • 1-5pm
and
Sunday, June 14th • 1-4pm
Tuition $100 (supplies included)
$5 off for BMCA Members
Ages 12+
Whether you have dabbled in mosaics before or are completely new, this class will support you in the creation of 2 unique concrete mosaic mushrooms with a hand cut wooden stake. In the first session, you will learn the basics of mosaic design, select and cut/break your ceramic pieces and adhere them to both of your concrete mushrooms. In the second session, you will learn how to grout your pieces and will have a number of colors of grout to choose from. After just two sessions you will leave with two whimsical mosaic mushrooms for outdoor use and the knowledge to make mosaics on a number of substrates. See my general guidelines and links for mosaics here.