News

Playhouse apprentices debut new Sandburg shows

Apprentice actors from the Flat Rock Playhouse take the stage for visitors at the Sandburg Home.

By Bill Moss, Published: June 13, 2016

FLAT ROCK — The Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site begins a summer of centennial fun on June 16 by hosting two brand-new theater shows on its summer stage. In partnership with the Flat Rock Playhouse Vagabond School of the Drama new works were developed, exploring a broader range of Sandburg’s Rootbaga Stories.

Wednesday through Saturday mornings at 10:15 a.m, the amphitheater adjacent to the Sandburg Home comes alive with theater performances of Sandburg’s words and music. Wednesday and Friday morning features the new Spink, Skabootch and Swipes (Sandburg’s loving nicknames for his three daughters). Follow them into Rootabaga Country, discovering how the letter X made its way in the alphabet, hit the rails with the Great Golden Spike Limited as it speeds from coast to coast and marvel at how Hot Balloons and his two pigeon daughters crossed the Shampoo River!

On Thursday and Saturday morning, Rootabaga Express! Brings to life the stories of the Five Rusty Rats, Bimbo the Snip and more. The 30-minute shows are appropriate for all ages and held rain or shine.

That’s not all going on this summer. Take a history tour or learn to make cheese too.

Wednesday through Sunday afternoons at 2:15 p.m., visitors can learn how Mrs. Sandburg turned sweet fresh goat’s milk into cheese, butter, yogurt and more. These farm-life demonstrations focus on cheese-making with recipes and samples for the audience.

Monday and Tuesday mornings at 10:15 am, rangers will stroll the grounds uncovering the history of Connemara from the first residents in 1838 to the Sandburg family. This is a great opportunity to see inside buildings usually closed to the public and discover how life at Connemara changed over time.

The park is located three miles south of Hendersonville off U.S. 225 on Little River Road in Flat Rock. It is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. For more information, call 828-693-4178 or visit www.nps.gov/carl.