Each fall, the stage lights up with creativity and collaboration as Henderson County high schools take part in the North Carolina Theatre Conference (NCTC) High School Play Festival, one of the nation’s most celebrated theatre events.
In fall 2025, students from East Henderson, Hendersonville, and West Henderson High Schools will attend, bringing shows created and performed entirely by students. The festival includes more than 3,500 students and 130+ productions across North Carolina, with performances running from morning to night. Schools present a one-act production within a 45-minute time limit including loading and striking the set, competing to advance to the NCTC State High School Play Festival.The top two productions from the state continue on to a national showcase.
This year, East Henderson High School presented “Life and Death in an Empty Hallway,” a reflective piece that asks the audience to consider the choices we make and the lives we impact. The cast explores themes of purpose, regret, and connection, leaving audiences with a powerful reminder of what matters most.
Hendersonville High School performed the student-written show “The Wonder of It All,” following a father who questions whether he’s doing the right things in life. Drawn into Alice-in-Wonderland-inspired scenes, he meets familiar characters who help him realize what it truly means to show up for the people he loves.
West Henderson High School presented a student-written production titled, “The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane.” Through original scriptwriting, movement, live music, and powerful storytelling, the cast explores what love looks like: how it grows, how it hurts, and how it shapes who we become.
Henderson County schools received many awards at their conferences.
East Henderson High School — Excellence in Symbolism
East Henderson High School students Zocea, Estrella, and Julie — Excellence in Trio Monologue Performance
East Henderson High School student James, alongside West Henderson High School students Cole and Natalia — Excellence in Acting
Hendersonville High School — Excellence in Character Relationships
Hendersonville High School — Excellence in Worldbuilding
West Henderson High School student Lillie — Excellence In Production Design
West Henderson High School teachers Kelly Cooper and Matthew Parent — Excellence In Directing
All West Henderson High School students — Distinguished Play, Audience Choice
West Henderson High School’s production was one of only two shows selected at regionals to attend the NCTC State Festival. At the state festival, the cast and crew earned outstanding recognition, including Excellence in Production Design for Music awarded to Hayden; Excellence in Acting for Cole and Caroline; Excellence in Directing for Matthew Parent and Kelly Cooper; and they were named Distinguished Play, Audience Choice. The team will advance to the national festival in Chattanooga, Tennessee in March 2026 to showcase their work on the national stage.
NCTC is an event that brings teamwork, academia, and the arts all together. Students across the different teams learn and grow, many noting what they have learned as ‘irreplaceable’. West Henderson senior, Braydn, shared how much the experience has shaped him stating, “It’s taught me a lot about how you get out what you put into something. If I give it my all and believe it’s possible, it turns out to be something worth seeing.”
Whether performing under the lights or working behind the scenes, Henderson County theatre students continue to prove that the arts are thriving — powered by creativity, teamwork, and heart.
