Playhouse dedicated to arts education

A commitment to arts education comprises one half of the dual mission of your state theater and has been evident since the theater's founding as the Vagabond School of the Drama Inc. in 1952 by Robroy and Leona Farquhar.

Since 1952, the Flat Rock Playhouse Apprentice Program has provided more than 1,000 college students an opportunity to learn and work in a professional theater. This program is nationally recognized and some apprentices completing a summer at Flat Rock Playhouse have received college credit for their efforts.

Books can be filled with statistics touting the advantages arts education has on the development of young minds. FRP's Project Playhouse was begun in 1993 to provide opportunities for area high school students to experience live theater at no cost. Four free performances of Tennessee Williams' The Glass Menagerie were attended by more than 1,800 area high school students that first year alone.

Since then, this annual project has gifted more than 27,000 seats to regional students. This represents a financial commitment on the part of Flat Rock Playhouse to your community exceeding $513,000 in value.

Programs for area children began in 1952 as well. In the early years Children's Theatre was a summer program. Playhouse staff and visiting performers would teach classes and produce shows for the younger folks. Performances were often held in the East Henderson High School auditorium. In the 1980s as the playhouse season grew, so did the Children's Theatre program. In the 1990s, enrollments continued to increase and classes were scheduled year-round.

"YouTheatre — Where You Fit In" was adopted several years ago to replace the long-time moniker, Flat Rock Playhouse Theatre for Young People. The new name was selected to promote the organization's goal of creating all-inclusive arts programming for students of all ages.

As these programs continued to grow, space and scheduling became major challenges. For many years, classes were held in any available space on the campus, often outdoors, or on the front porch of the Lowndes House. Fifteen years ago parents, staff, supporters and board members recognized the growing need for a dedicated educational facility. The demand for even more classes, a steadily increasing number of students and playhouse space limitations were all the motivation required to set the staff and Board of Trustees to developing a plan for the growth of the theater's educational programming.

Evaluation and planning began eight years ago. Three years ago, the Board of Trustees approved a plan to commit nearly $4 million dollars to the design, construction and funding of a new facility.

After receiving a very positive feasibility study and settling on a beautiful, environmentally friendly design for the building, a $2.3 million capital campaign was carefully designed and launched to pay for the land and cover construction costs. The 8,000-plus-square-foot Robin R. Farquhar Education Center opened its doors in the fall of 2007 and is currently serving more than 400 local students each teaching semester.

It is a state-of-the-art arts education center complete with classrooms, music and dance studios, a working costume shop, media center, library and offices for a growing faculty of teachers and artists in residence.

By 2010, this Education Center at Flat Rock Playhouse — the State Theater of North Carolina (aka the Vagabond School of the Drama Inc.) will have committed more than $3.8 million dollars toward arts education in Henderson County. This is the largest individual project the playhouse has ever attempted.

Already we know it was worth the effort. The programs have surpassed expectations and continue to expand and grow.

We ask that you join us as we celebrate the generosity of this arts-minded community full of Flat Rock Playhouse supporters, without whom the realization of so many of our dreams would not be possible.

Thank you from the Board of Trustees, the staff, the professional company, our volunteers and especially the students. We are blessed to have an asset like this in a community that is so enthusiastic and supportive.

John Sheiry is the president of the Flat Rock Playhouse Board of Trustees.