News & Events

Theatre UNCA Stages “Flaming Guns of the Purple Sage”

February 9, 2011

Theatre UNCA will stage Jane Martin’s horror-comedy crossover play, “Flaming Guns of the Purple Sage,” offering three evening performances and a Sunday matinee, February 23-27 at UNC Asheville’s Carol Belk Theater. Tickets go on sale February 17 for all performances, with student, senior citizen and general admission pricing.

“Flaming Guns of the Purple Sage,” an updated “B Western” set for the stage, focuses on a former rodeo rider who now rehabilitates injured cowboys on her ranch. A macabre comedy, “Flaming Guns” pits the code of the Old West against contemporary darkness. With partial nudity and staged acts of outrageous violence including spattering of stage blood, this show may not be suitable for younger audiences.

The production is directed by Rob Bowen, UNC Asheville associate professor of drama. The UNC Asheville student cast includes Hollis Anderson, John Coggin, Taylor Collins, Sydney deBriel, Sarah Felmet, Casey Harrell, and Charlie Napier, with understudies Jeff Sammarco and Sally Tucker. Designers include Rob Bowen; UNC Asheville Assistant Professors of Drama Rob Berls and Ida Bostian; and students Cory Cheeks, Taylor Collins, Brittany Curtis, Garrett Funk, Rachel Gordon, Rhiannon King, Chris Kugler, Katherine Lancaster, and Jordan Rucker.

The Wednesday-Saturday performances will begin at 8 p.m.; curtain for the Sunday matinee is 2 p.m. Tickets for all performances are $10 general admission, $8 for senior citizens and $5 for students. Because of the intimate size of UNC Asheville's Carol Belk Theatre and the often heavy demand for tickets, advance purchase is strongly advised. Tickets go on sale February 17 and may be ordered online or by phone by calling 828.232.2291 between 10 a.m.-4 p.m. weekdays. Tickets are also available at the box office one hour before curtain.

For online tickets and links to a student blog about the production, visit http://drama.unca.edu/theatre-unca. For more information, contact UNC Asheville's Drama Department at 828.251.6610.