The world premiere of Gary Carden’s “Signs and Wonders” and a special performance of “The Bright Forever” will take place at The Performing Arts Center in Highlands. Both plays will be presented starting 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 1, and Saturday, Oct. 2; and at 2:30 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 3.

Along with the performances of Carla Gates as Shelby Jean in “Signs and Wonders” and Shirley Williams as Fanny Crosby in “The Bright Forever,” Carden will exhibit some of his “stories” that have been put to canvas.

John Williams researched and arranged the music for this production.

“The music that comes to us from Appalachia often times is difficult to determine its origin,” Williams said. “‘Signs and Wonders,’ also referred to as ‘I Believe in Being Ready,’ is such a piece. Gary Carden’s most recent play has taken bits and pieces of the lyrics from this very old gospel hymn and intertwined it throughout the monologue.”

In “The Bright Forever,” Fanny Crosby continues to inspire the Christian community to this day although she died in 1915. Although blind, she is known to have written over eight thousand hymns and volumes of poetry.

The production is a joint project between the Highlands Cashiers Players and the Performing Arts Center in Highlands.

$20. 828.526.9047.