This is the conclusion of the Brevard Little Theatre article previously published.

During World War II, the theater took a break from doing productions. It restarted in 1950 under the leadership of Mr. Robroy Farquhar, the founder of Flat Rock Playhouse, which is the State Theater of North Carolina. He served as Brevard Little Theatre’s resident director throughout the 1950s.  By 1954 the Brevard Little Theatre had grown rapidly and according to some sources, the quality of the set designs and construction were as good as or even superior compared to Little Theatres in Asheville and Charlotte. Like a ship with no one port to call home, Brevard Little Theatre has operated in several different locations over the years. The theater never had a building to call its own.

Sonia Arnold, who previously was vice president of the theater board, recalled back in the 1960s the theater was downtown near The Transylvania Times and held about 100 people. The building used to belong to former Congressman Charles Taylor. Over the years, Brevard Little Theatre also performed at several different venues, including Dunham Auditorium and Morrison Playhouse at Brevard College, the Transylvania County Courthouse, the building below the post office at the time on Jordan Street, the auditoriums at Brevard and Rosman high schools, and at the Connestee Falls Clubhouse. For seven years from 1997-2004, Brevard Little Theatre performed at the Barn theater at Brevard College until the college repurposed the space for new needs.

In 2003 the theater expanded beyond performing plays and offered a New-Play Competition. The competition had two categories: full-length and one-act. Entries poured in from all over the United States and even foreign countries. According to Al Edick the Brevard Little Theater President, they received over 450 scripts in 2007. Their other endeavors included a theater camp each summer and the offering “BLT to Go”, an entertainment option for private parties, meetings, and non-profit fundraising events where a group from the theater went to your location to perform skits, plays and monologues. The theater’s season went from October through September. They put on eight shows a year. 

 In 2008, Brevard Little Theatre and the American Legion Post 88 entered a joint venture to renovate the building on East Jordan Street for use as the theatre’s permanent home, as well as a venue for other activities. The renovations would have established a variety of seating and staging configurations providing up to 217 audience seats. However, the lease with American Legion Post 88 ended May 31, 2020, and those plans were never realized. 

Although the Brevard Little Theatre closed four years ago, it had an immeasurable impact on our community and surely evokes fond memories of the wonderful performances over the years. Photographs and information for this column are provided by the Rowell Bosse North Carolina Room, Transylvania County Library.

This article was written by Local History Assistant Helaine Kranz. Sources available upon request. For more information, comments, or suggestions, contact NC Room staff at [email protected] or 828-884-1820.