In 1937, under the direction of Robroy Farquhar, a group of actors in New York City organized themselves as the Vagabond Players and read plays for performance. In 1939, the troupe performed in Bedford Springs, Pennsylvania, for the summer.[3]
Farquhar came to Hendersonville, N.C., in 1940 and discovered a 150-year-old grist mill at Highland Lake Camp. He opened a playhouse inside the former mill for the summer.[2][3] After the group's 1941 season, Farquhar was drafted into the U.S. Army for World War II[4] and the theatre business was put on hold.[3]
Following the war, in 1946, the troupe took up residence in nearby Tuxedo and opened a playhouse at Lake Summit for a series of 10 plays in 10 weeks over the summer.[3] In 1952, the group moved to an 8-acre area of land in Flat Rock, where the theatre is currently located.[2] A big-top tent was rented for use as a venue; the property was purchased in 1956 and a theatre was built that year.[3][4][5]
In 1962, "The World of Carl Sandburg" premiered at Flat Rock Playhouse before moving to Broadway.[3] Farquhar's son Robin took his father's place managing the theatre in 1983, three years before his dad's death. Robin later died in 2008.[3][4]
As of 2002, the 500-seat Flat Rock Playhouse had an annual budget of $2.2 million and 17 full-time employees.[5][6] In 2011, the theatre opened a 250-seat theatre-in-the-round satellite venue in downtown Hendersonville.[6] As of 2024, the Flat Rock Playhouse has a nine-month-long season and hosts more than 100,000 visitors each year.[7]
