School is back in session, prompting families and educators alike to jump into an exciting new year full of new students, new teachers, and new life lessons. This fall, The Flat Rock Playhouse will bring this relatable, if a bit unpredictable, excitement to the stage with Miss Nelson is Missing. As the next Studio 52 Family Series production, Miss Nelson is Missing will run from October 26th to November 11th at the Playhouse Downtown. From page to stage, this classic children’s book by Harry Allard and illustrated by James Marshall will have audiences laughing the night away while also serving as a cheerful reminder to always be kind and grateful.

Miss Nelson is Missing tells the story of a lovely school teacher, Miss Nelson, who’s just too nice to control her crazy classroom. After meeting with the Principal to discuss her students’ behavior, Miss Nelson, suddenly, disappears. The next morning, students are met by her replacement: the hard-as-nails, detention-loving, recess-canceling, homework-overloading substitute teacher Miss Viola Swamp! With the Big Test approaching, the kids suddenly realize how much they miss Miss Nelson, and they’ll do anything — including hiring a private eye — to solve the mystery of her disappearance and bring her back for good.

Miss Nelson is Missing will feature a cast of local students and families including Trinity Smith as Miss Nelson, Patty Siebert as Principal Humleker, Colleen Schnitzer and Chris Edwards as Detective McSmogg, Christian Corral as Raymond, Wyatt Schnitzer as George Jorgenson, Jr., Asher Holmberg as Morris, Cyrus Hardin as Mouse, Jonah Jakubielski as Elvis, Noelle Crist as Phoebe, Zoe Corbin as Daphne, Lindsay Hall as Lavita, Chloe-Belle Edwards as Kimberly, Aly Lamb as Kiley, Suzannah Best as Hildy Twist, Ella Oursler as Heather Twist, Jordan Roasch as Heidi Twist, and Lila Feather as Emma.

Miss Nelson is Missing will be directed by Dave Hart. Zeinab Caskey serves as Production Stage Manager with Riley Hewitt and Jacey Bergman as Student Stage Manager. Adam Goodrum will serve as Production Manager. Sandra Lopez, CJ Barnwell, Ashli Crump, and Joshua Fronk will serve as Scenic, Lighting, Costume, and Sound Design respectively. Cassidy Bowles will be designing the properties.

Miss Nelson is Missing is presented by the Downtown Series Sponsor Rug and Home, Studio 52 Productions Sponsor Park Ridge Health, and Executive Producers Blue Ridge Literacy Council, Blue Ridge Orthodontics and Biltmore Town Square.

TICKETS AND SCHEDULE

Miss Nelson is Missing runs from October 26 – November 11 at the Flat Rock Playhouse Downtown. Performances Thursday and Friday at 7:00 PM, Saturday at 11am and 3pm, and Sunday at 3pm. Tickets are $14 – $28 and can be purchased by calling the Playhouse box office at (828) 693-0731, toll-free at (866) 737-8008 or online at www.flatrockplayhouse.org.

Flat Rock Playhouse Downtown is located at 125 S Main St, Hendersonville, NC 28792.

FLAT ROCK PLAYHOUSE

In 1937, a group of struggling performers, led by Robroy Farquhar, organized themselves as the Vagabond Players. The Vagabonds worked in a variety of places over the course of three years, and in 1940 found themselves in the Blue Ridge region of Western North Carolina. The local and tourist community welcomed them with open arms when they presented their first summer season of plays in a 150-year-old grist mill they converted into The Old Mill Playhouse at Highland Lake. So successful was that summer, they returned in 1941. After WWII, the Vagabond Players reorganized, came back to the region and opened a playhouse in nearby Lake Summit. The Lake Summit Playhouse thrived during the post war years and soon the Vagabond Players were looking for a larger and permanent home. In 1952, the troupe of performers, and a newly formed board of directors, made an offer to buy an 8-acre lot in the Village of Flat Rock. This new home made the Vagabonds “locals” and a rented big top gave birth to Flat Rock Playhouse. As the beautiful Western Carolina region continued to grow, so did the Playhouse and in 1961, by Act of the North Carolina General Assembly, Flat Rock Playhouse was officially designated The State Theatre of North Carolina. What began as a few weeks of summer performances in 1940 is now a nine-month season of plays including Broadway musicals, comedy, drama, and theatre for young audiences. The Playhouse’s dual mission of producing the performing arts and providing education in the performing arts includes a professional series; a summer and fall college apprentice and intern program; and Studio 52, year-round classes and workshops in theatre and film for students from kindergarten through adults. Flat Rock Playhouse now hosts over 100,000 patrons annually and is a significant contributor to the local economy and the Arts in North Carolina.