Aspen Jackson and Evan Barnard rehearse a scene for the upcoming production of “The Last Five Years” to be performed in June at the Foothills Arts Center.
ELKIN — Foothills Theatre will return from the pandemic break with a full slate of shows this summer and fall, most of which will be performed outdoors at the Elkin Municipal Park.
“We’ve been working with the town to get approval for performances in the park, we really wanted to celebrate the fact that we’ve all had to take so much time off and to finally bring live theater back to our town,” said Foothills Theatre President Mike Cheek.
“We’ve also got a show that we’ll do in our new space in the former Chatham/YMCA building,” Cheek added. “People will get to see what it looks like now before our planned renovation.”
The season will begin in June with a two-person musical entitled “The Last Five Years” followed by a production of “Steel Magnolias” in July, an all-youth production of “Disney’s Frozen” in August and end with a September show called “A Funny Little Thing Called Love.”
“We’re very excited,” Cheek said. “We’ve picked out four shows so we’re doing a mini season in just four months. It’s a lot but we have a lot of followers who are excited about it and we’re excited about. We’re just happy that we can bring live theater back. It was a dark time and now it’s time to have some fun and we’re looking forward to it.”
The season will begin with “The Last Five Years” with show dates June 17-19 at 7:30 p.m. Cheek who will direct this production called it a “touching and somewhat comical look at five years of a relationship from beginning to marriage to the end of the relationship.”
“It celebrates love and the fact that love will bloom and also sometimes goes away,” Cheek said. The production will star Elkin native Aspen Jackson as well as newcomer to the Foothills stage, Evan Barnard of Mount Airy, a recent graduate of the NC School of the Arts high school.
The remaining shows of the season will take place at Elkin Municipal Park. Show-goers are invited to bring their chairs and pack picnics to enjoy the shows.
“I’m very excited to get it started back this season,” said Foothills Theatre Artistic Director Kim Arnold. Arnold will direct “Steel Magnolias” which is slated for July 23-25 with showtimes at 7:30 p.m.
“We have six very talented ladies in this production and I think it will be a very enjoyable show,” said Arnold.
An all youth production of “Disney’s Frozen” will take place at 7:30 p.m. on Aug. 6 and 7. The show was originally cast last spring prior to the pandemic shutdown and virtual rehearsals were held since last summer.
“My kids and I are extremely ready to finally bring this performance to the stage,” said Arnold.
The season will conclude with productions on Sept. 17 and 18 of “A Funny Little Thing Called Love.” This show features multiple vignettes showcasing love and all the humor and heartbreak it sometimes entails.
Tickets are $12 per person or $40 for a season pass. For tickets call the Foothills Arts Center at 336-835-2025.
Kitsey Burns Harrison may be reached at 336-258-4035 or follow her on Twitter and Instagram @news_shewrote.