As part of its winter studio season, the Feichter Studio Theatre at the Performing Arts Center in Waynesville presents “Rupert’s Birthday” and “Cemetery Man” March 10-12. Show times are 7:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, and 3 p.m. for the Sunday matinee. Tickets are $8 for adults and $5 for students.

Barbara Bates Smith will perform “Rupert’s Birthday,” the story about a 13-year-old farm girl who births a calf named Rupert. Then, through a series of tender stories and tragic events, she becomes so connected to this calf, the only date she winds up celebrating in her life is Rupert’s birthday.

“Cemetery Man,” performed by Preston Tinsley, involves an old gravedigger about to be replaced in his job by a backhoe. Before his job is over, he delivers some tall tales and offers wisdom about a life surrounded by death.

Smith and Tinsley are both award-winning theatre veterans and have performed these shows last summer at the Cherry Orchard Theatre in Ararat, Va. Smith recently won the HART 2005 Acting Award for her powerful studio roles in such shows as “Sister Mary Ignatius Explains It All For You,” and “Wit.” She also wrote, starred and toured her adapted versions of Kaye Gibbons’ novel Ellen Foster and Lee Smith’s novel Fair and Tender Ladies (“Ivy Rowe”).

Tinsley, who is certainly no stranger to the HART stage, has acted in dozens of main stage productions, including last season’s “Camping with Henry and Tom.” Cross-dressing as the hilarious fashion expert known as Codeine Beaujolais, Tinsley has entertained thousands in various venues and earned a Silver Arts Comedy prize for this endearing role.

For their latest acts, Smith and Tinsley have different approaches when it comes to doing one-person shows in the intimate 75-seat studio theatre in Waynesville. Smith likes the challenge of finding the right props and blocking to create a compelling monologue. However, Tinsley is much more used to working with an ensemble cast, so a one-person show has forced him to rely on his own wit and poise in case he makes any mistakes. Unlike the main stage shows, the studio audience is seated much closer to the action to catch your every move.

“You’re looking at them dead-on in the eye,” Tinsley said.

Smith previously performed this set of shows earlier in her career when she was presenting drama in Florida schools. Now, years later, she wanted to return to these plays once again to celebrate what she loves the most about theatre — the powerful language that can leave a person breathless.

For example, at one point in “Cemetery Man,” Tinsley remarks, “We come into this world from out of a dark place, a wound in the flesh that opens up and spills us forth, and when we leave here we return to a dark place.”

“It’s haunting,” Tinsley said.

The HART studio theatre is located in the Performing Arts Center on Pigeon Street (U.S. 276) a few blocks from downtown Waynesville. Seating for the shows is limited, and although many studio shows are held over for a second weekend, audience members are encouraged to get tickets early since these smaller shows tend to sell out early. The HART box office is open from 1-5 p.m. from Monday through Saturday. For more information or to reserve tickets, call 828.456.6322.