The Eclectic Rowan County Theatre Scene

“All the world’s a stage,

And all the men and women merely players.”

              Jacques – As You Like It, Act 2, Scene 7

While Rowan County may not have a world-sized stage, there is a place for every player here to enjoy themselves theatrically. Our county boasts a rich history of theatre spanning over a century and has become a creative hub for those wishing to attend dynamic performances, showcase their talents onstage, artfully apply their technical knowledge backstage, or hone their production skills through workshops and classes.

Piedmont Players Theatre, Inc.: PPT owns not one but two fully functioning theatres in downtown Salisbury that produce a total of ten plays and musicals each season. A small group of thespians began performing in 1961 at Knox Junior High School then moved operations over to Hedrick Theater at Catawba College where it remained until 1992. After purchasing The Meroney Theater building in downtown Salisbury and spending three years renovating it, Piedmont Players officially started operating in its own building with a production of Jesus Christ, Superstar in 1995. Since then, Piedmont Players has provided Rowan County with an eclectic showing of plays and musicals, ranging from intimate, thought-provoking plays to huge, classic musicals.

What makes PPT truly stand out in the greater Charlotte area is The Norvell Theater, named for the late Lucille Proctor Norvell whose family wanted to honor her legacy by starting a theatre that was primarily for youth performers. The Norvell is a dedicated building for the education of young performers from preschool to age 18. The Norvell provides Rowan County and beyond with a consistent and creative educational experience through five stage productions each season, workshops, classes, and summer camps, The Norvell has also partnered with Rowan-Salisbury School System to include two field-trip plays each season. This partnership allows every Rowan County public school student (plus private school and homeschool students) in second through fifth grade to be able to come to the building and experience a performance during the school day from the perspective of an audience member.

To learn more about what Piedmont Players has to offer on The Meroney and The Norvell stages, please visit their website at https://piedmontplayers.com/. 

Lee Street Theatre: Lee Street Theatre was born in 2008 out of a desire to provide Rowan County with alternative forms of performance art. Not only do they produce seven mainstage productions each season in their black box style theatre, they offer one-act and original ten-minute play festivals, off-Broadway style musicals and revues, reader’s theatre, dance performances, original plays, variety shows, live music, and improvisational comedy.

For four years, Lee Street Theatre rented the black box theatre at the Looking Glass Artists Center for their performances. They embarked on their own capital campaign and completed construction in 2013 of their vision for a performing arts center on the corner of N Lee Street and E Kerr Street.

To learn more about what Lee Street Theatre has to offer in their creative arts center, please visit their website at https://leestreet.org/.

Catawba College has become synonymous with Theatre Arts in Rowan County and the reach of their department is global. They offer multiple degree options for majoring and minoring in Theatre Arts, internship opportunities, international study abroad programs, and the Blue Masque association. Undergraduate students can truly learn to excel in every aspect of theatre production. Catawba’s campus houses three different theater spaces: Keppel Auditorium, Hedrick Little Theatre, and the black box style Florence Busby Corriher Theatre.

To learn more about what is currently showing at one of Catawba’s theater spaces or to find information about the academic program, please visit their website at https://catawba.edu/theatre/.

We cannot forget about the Rowan County School System. Multiple high schools in RCSS offer theatre programs as part of their curriculum. These immersive classes include multiple productions throughout the school year at Jesse C. Carson High School and North Rowan High School.

In addition to the theatre programs offered through the public schools, some of Rowan County’s private schools also have theatre classes and performances. The newly established Salisbury Academy Upper School works in tandem with the middle school to put on stage productions. North Hills Christian School has recently added a drama club to their extracurricular activities.

You can visit the websites or social media pages of each school for the latest performance information:

Salisbury Academy – https://www.salisburyacademy.org/

North Hills Christian School – https://www.northhillschristian.com/

Whether you are an avid audience member who enjoys a fulfilling feast of theatre entrees, a performer who is looking to be challenged to take their abilities to the next level, a technician looking to plug-in their skill set to an electrified community, or the parent of an expressive youth, Rowan County has something theatrical for you!

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