Parkway Playhouse

Parkway Playhouse is a theater company in Burnsville, North Carolina, operating from a converted high school gymnasium within the Yancey Collegiate Institute Historic District. The venue hosts multiple annual productions and offers educational programs including a Junior Program and the annual Appalachian Playwriting Festival.

The theater company was founded in 1947 by William Raymond Taylor, a drama professor from University of North Carolina at Greensboro, originally named Burnsville Playhouse. Over time it transitioned from a university-connected venue to an independent professional operation running autonomously.

The theater hosts multiple productions each year with both local and touring professional actors, creating a place where regional artistic expression thrives. These performances blend traditional plays with original works that enrich the community's cultural life.

The theater is housed in an accessible building in downtown Burnsville that can be reached by car or on foot. Visitors should check performance schedules ahead of time and be prepared for traditional theater formats and occasional new productions.

The venue is North Carolina's oldest continuously operating summer theater, making it exceptionally rare in the region for maintaining such consistent activity. This long-standing presence has allowed it to connect generations of performers and audiences.

Location: North Carolina

GPS coordinates: 35.92200,-82.29460

Latest update: December 14, 2025 18:10