The Mountain Magnolia’s Podcast

Episode 64: Holiday Happenings at the Black Mountain Center for the Arts with John Hall

Holiday Happenings at the Black Mountain Center for the Arts with John Hall
 
In this episode, I had the pleasure of sitting down with John Hall — associate director at the Black Mountain Center for the Arts, and a well-loved actor, director, and arts advocate in our community. Our conversation dives into all of the incredible Holiday Happenings taking place over the next two weeks. These events bring world-class music, storytelling, comedy, and Appalachian traditions to the heart of Black Mountain.
 
Here’s a preview of what’s coming to BMCA:
 
Reasonably Priced Babies — Improv Comedy
Friday, December 12 | 6:30pm and 9pm | $20
Each show is completely unique, created on the spot from audience suggestions. Fresh, original, and always a great time.
 
Kellin Watson & Friends’ Holiday Special (featuring Aaron Price)
Saturday, December 13 | 7:30pm | $25
A beloved local favorite. The stage is transformed into a cozy living-room setting where Kellin and her friends share music and stories. Last year’s show sold out quickly.
 
Tales of Chanukah
Sunday, December 14 | 2pm | $15
Featuring storytellers Catherine Serota, Zane Chait, and Donna Catton-Johnson, with Larry Pearlman as emcee. A warm and uplifting celebration of the Festival of Lights.
 
Christmas in Appalachia — A Family Show
December 19–21 | $15 adults, $10 youth
A singin’, strummin’ holiday experience with Appalachian music, storytelling, and audience participation. Led by musician Travis Stuart, storyteller John Hall, and friends, this show explores holiday traditions and memories from our mountain region.
 
Beyond these performances, the Black Mountain Center for the Arts continues its mission of bringing art to the people and people to the art. Programs include dance classes, art and clay studios, private music lessons, the Junior Appalachian Musicians program, the Swannanoa Valley Community Chorus, and ongoing gallery exhibitions.
 
John’s closing reminder is one to carry with us:
“Life is short and we do not have much time to gladden the hearts of those who make the journey with us. Be swift to love and make haste to be kind.”
 
Listen to the full episode to hear more about the heart, history, and creativity that make BMCA such a vital part of our community.

Episode 63 — Cathryn Davis aka “Cathryn The Grateful” : Fully Awake & the Legacy of Black Mountain College

Mountain Magnolia Show — Episode 63 with Cathryn The Grateful
 
Today’s episode is one of my favorites — and a milestone — the first time I’ve ever recorded the Mountain Magnolia Show from home. It felt sacred to welcome my friend Cathryn Davis aka Cathryn The Grateful into that space.
 
Cathryn is not only a filmmaker, activist, minister, and creative visionary — she is one of the people who has done the deepest work to preserve and uplift the story of Black Mountain College, one of the most influential places in our region’s history.
 
Why Black Mountain College Matters to WNC
From 1933–1957, Black Mountain College operated just a few miles from town — a radical experiment in community-centered, collaborative education. It welcomed European refugees fleeing fascism, artists escaping convention, and thinkers hungry for possibility.
 
This tiny school in the mountains shaped the world:
 
• Buckminster Fuller built his first geodesic dome here
• John Cage staged the first multimedia “Happening”
• Merce Cunningham revolutionized modern dance
• Josef & Anni Albers shaped modern art & design
• The Black Mountain Review launched the Beat poets
• Its work program inspired Warren Wilson’s model
• Its community ethos helped shape WNC’s creative identity
 
The ripple effect of Black Mountain College still lives in:
 our arts community,  our schools,  our festivals , our creativity, and  our mountain spirit
 
And in many ways, the community-centered, collaborative heart of WNC today can be traced back to BMC’s presence here.
 
Fully Awake — the Documentary
Cathryn co-created Fully Awake with fellow Asheville native Neeley House — a documentary that gathers student interviews, faculty stories, archival photographs, and rare footage to illuminate BMC’s legacy.
It has screened at MoMA, film festivals worldwide, and most beautifully — here at home at LEAF, in the very space students once walked.
 
Cathryn’s Journey
 
Her story is as rich as her work:
Born on sacred mounds in Macon… raised in Asheville… clown training, theater, debate… a life-changing season in London… Cultural Studies at UNC… and a chance question in a NYC green room that led to 25 years of devotion to Black Mountain College.
 
Her life continues in service through:
• Civic activism & justice work
• Sacred ecology & seed sovereignty
• Enough Pie (Charleston) — combating gentrification with creativity
• Housing advocacy
• Spiritual leadership
• Movement healing & dance medicine
 
She opened our episode with a quote she lives by:
 
“The place God calls you is where your deep gladness and the world’s deep hunger meet.” — Frederick Buechner
 
Our conversation is filled with heart, wisdom, history, creativity, and the magic of our mountains.
 
 Listen to Episode 63 — “Cathryn the Grateful: Fully Awake at Black Mountain College.”
 
 Learn more: fullyawake.org
 

Episode 62~"Reconstitution" by Mitch Emoff playing at the Black Mtn Center for the Arts

 Reconstitution by Mitch Emoff, Directed By Lucy O'Brian
 
World Premiere | November 14–16, 2025
 
 Black Mountain Center for the Arts | Black Mountain, NC
 
“Theatre is a form of knowledge; it should and can also be a means of transforming society.” — Augusto Boal
 
In this episode of The Mountain Magnolia Show, host Mary Noble Braden talks with playwright Mitch Emoff about his new play Reconstitution, making its world premiere this November at the Black Mountain Center for the Arts.
 
Show Dates: November 14–16, 2025
 Fri & Sat 7:30 PM | Sun Matinee 2 PM
Tickets: $20 Adults | $15 Students (ages 11–17)**
Visit BlackMountainArts.org for tickets.
 
About the Play:
 
On the last day of school, a history teacher’s “experimental lesson” zaps four high-school students into the spirits of America’s Founding Fathers — Franklin, Washington, Patrick Henry, and Madison. In a classroom turned battleground, they debate freedom of religion, the right to bear arms, the three-fifths compromise, and freedom of speech — all while navigating TikToks and classroom cliques.
 
From Our Conversation:
 
“All local talents. Many who want to go on after college and go into professional theater. We’ve been blessed with an incredible cast — some from the Black Mountain area, some homeschooled children, and some from Asheville High School, sprinkled all around. It’s been wonderful to watch them bond and become like a family. By the end, everyone’s hugging and sad it’s over.”
 
 
Mitch shared how Reconstitution first came to life:
 
“It’s the first story I ever wrote, back in 2009. I hadn’t even been writing before that, but I knew I had a story in me — about the Founding Fathers coming back in time in their own bodies. Later, my publisher in Chicago, Gittleman and Good Publishers, suggested I adapt it so the Founding Fathers come back as high school students. I thought, that’s brilliant. It opened the door to ask whether our Constitution can adapt to the modern world. It’s really my first work — but the fifth play I’ve written — and the only one that’s been a novel, a screenplay, and now a play.”
 
 
About BMCA:
The Black Mountain Center for the Arts was incorporated in 1995 and opened in 2000 with the mission to “bring the arts to the people and the people to the arts.”

Episode 61: Food Is a Memory — with Betty Martinez-Sperry of Cousins Cuban Café”

This week on The Mountain Magnolia Show, we’re celebrating five flavorful years of Cousins Cuban Café in Black Mountain, North Carolina — and the woman whose heart and soul have made it a community treasure: Beatriz “Betty” Martinez-Sperry.
From her roots in Miami to the mountains of WNC, Betty brings the warmth of Cuban culture to every plate. Her food tells a story — of family, of migration, of love — and her café has become a gathering place where friendships are formed over café con leche, Cuban sandwiches, and shared laughter.
Join us as we talk about:
What inspired Betty to open her café in Black Mountain
 The power of food as a bridge between cultures
 How she infuses tradition with modern flavor (including vegan options!)
 And her favorite dish for first-timers — the Mojo Pork Bowl
 
“Food is a memory. Every flavor tells the story of where we come from and who we love.” ~ Unknown
 
 Celebrate Cousins’ 5-year anniversary — Friday, Oct 17, 5-8 p.m. — with mojitos, appetizers, and community connections!

Episode 60~Live Life Like a Festival w/Jennifer Pickering – Founder & Visionary Connector, LEAF Global Arts

This week on The Mountain Magnolia Show, I sit down with Jennifer Pickering, the visionary behind LEAF Festival and LEAF Global Arts, as the beloved fall festival celebrates its 30th anniversary at Lake Eden in Black Mountain, North Carolina on October  16-19th, 2025.
 
Jennifer shares the inspiring story of LEAF’s founding — how a dream of creating a place where families could connect with world cultures blossomed into one of WNC’s most cherished community traditions.
 
We talked about the festival’s theme this year — “Live Life Like a Festival” — which is also the title of Jennifer’s upcoming book capturing 30 years of heartfelt conversations, global art, and connection.
 
She reflects on the spirit of resilience and rebuilding that defines this year’s celebration, and shares touching stories like the creation of the Luminary Ceremony, held Saturday night ( Oct 18th) at 7 p.m. — a moment of silence and light honoring those who have passed, reminding us who we walk with and whose footsteps we follow.
 
 Highlights:
• The origins of LEAF and its global cultural impact
• The beauty and meaning of the Luminary Ceremony
• The 2025 Poetry Slam — one of the world’s longest-running slams, hosted by James Navé
• Jennifer’s personal reflections on Lake Eden’s magic and community
 
~ Learn more & get tickets: https://theleaf.org
~View the lineup: https://theleaf.org/leaf-october-festival/
"Stay curious and treasure those cultural traditions — that’s the sweetness of life.” – Jennifer Pickering
 
#MountainMagnoliaShow #LEAFFestival #LEAFGlobalArts #Asheville #BlackMountain #WNC #LiveLifeLikeAFestival #CommunityVoices #LocalArts

Episode 59~ "Coaching is making Changes in order to heal & Therapy is healing to in order to make changes" with guest Eve Stevens

This week I welcome Eve Stevens—spiritual coach, ordained minister, and priestess—whose journey reminds us that real transformation begins with naming what we want to change, and what we long to create.
 
Eve’s path carried her from seminary in New York to ministry in Charlotte, and eventually here to the mountains of Western North Carolina. Along the way, she shifted from long hours in the pulpit to blending nutrition, spiritual coaching, and emotional well-being into a holistic practice of healing.
 
Her words stay with me:
“Coaching is making changes in order to heal, and therapy is healing in order to make changes.”
 
And from her own writing:
“Once I learned the names of what I wanted to change, the power to do so found me. Once I learned the names of what I wanted to create, new energy flowed into me.”
Eve’s story is an invitation for us all: to pause, to listen, and to honor what we feel by calling it by name.
Book a spiritual heath coaching session  @ https://www.anatomyofchange.life
#MountainMagnoliaShow #Asheville #BlackMountain #SpiritualCoaching #HealthAndWellness #CommunityVoices

Episode 58~ "Beyond the Mat and Classroom", Owen High School Wrestling Coach, Rich Caisse

Please join me in welcoming Rich Caisse to the Mountain Magnolia Show!
 
Rich is an EC teacher and Wrestling Coach at Owen High School. He attended Appalachian State University (1999–2004), where he was a proud member of the wrestling team. After some years in Florida, he and his wife longed for the mountains of Western North Carolina, and in 2011 they returned to WNC to build their life here.
 
Today, Rich serves as case manager for 17 exceptional children and coaches 25 student athletes on Owen High School’s wrestling team.
 
Rich shared these powerful words with me:
“Beyond the mat and classroom.”
That phrase reflects his mission. I’ve seen him firsthand not only coaching athletes, but also showing up for them in the community. After Tropical Storm Helene, Rich and his team worked side by side to help neighbors clear tree debris—all while raising money to fund their tournaments. His drive to support and mentor our youth is truly next-level.
 
How You Can Support the Team
The Owen High School Wrestling Team is gearing up for the 2025–2026 season, and Rich shared a few ways our community can rally behind them:
 
Fans in the stands! Show up for home matches—your energy makes a huge difference.
Donate to the fundraiser. Every contribution, big or small, helps the wrestlers pursue their goals.
 
https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-owen-high-wrestling-teams-journey
 
The team’s motto says it all:
“Family is how we break it down every day.”
And when you see the camaraderie, dedication, and heart in this group—you know it’s true.
 
Let’s cheer them on, lift them up, and celebrate the spirit of community that Rich and his wrestlers embody.

Episode 57~ELDERBERRY LOVE~ SAMARA PRICE OWNER OF BREW NATURALS

 Meet Samara Price, owner of Brew Naturals in Black Mountain! 
 
Her journey started with a simple recipe to keep her little one healthy… and today she’s creating amazing elderberry syrups, butters, mixers, and even a knock-your-socks-off barbecue sauce! 
 
 From 3-gallon pots in her kitchen to a 40-gallon kettle in her purple cottage on West Street, Samira now uses over 1,000 pounds of elderberries a year — all sourced from local + domestic farms.
 
Why elderberry?  It’s a native superfood, rich in antioxidants + immune support. Daily use may help keep colds + flus away, and at the first sign of sniffles it can even shorten the duration.
 
From elderberry lemonade  to peach butter  to craft cocktails , Samira shows us that elderberry isn’t just medicine — it’s delicious, versatile food that brings health + joy to the table.
Fun Fact  9 0z of elderberry syrup has 3000 elberries. 
 
 Find her at local farmers markets and taste the difference for yourself. Brew Naturals is Black Mountain’s own blend of wellness, creativity, and community.
  To sign up for Brew Naturals newsletter and  order elderberry products go to https://www.brewnaturals.com
 
#BrewNaturals #ElderberryLove #BlackMountainNC #ShopLocal #MountainMagnoliaShow #WNCWellness
Come be on The Mountain Magnolia Show where I reveal the heart and soul of our community members here in WNC.  Listen on Spotify – The Mountain Magnolia’s 
or tune in to Big Foot 103.9 FM
 Sat at 10 AM
Wed at 7 PM
 Listen Live
 

Episode 56: Rhoda Weaver ~ The soulful voice behind Rhoda & The Risers

 Happy Saturday, beautiful people! 
We’ve got a special treat for you on the Mountain Magnolia Show today!  Please help me welcome the amazing Rhoda Weaver!
 
Born right here in Asheville, Rhoda grew up singing with her family in church and at gatherings—and she’s carried that passion into a life full of music. You’ll find her lighting up festivals, weddings, churches, and even busking in downtown Asheville. 
 
 Rhoda is also the soulful voice behind Rhoda & The Risers, a Black Mountain–based band playing Motown, soul, and funk that will have you dancing in no time. Catch them live at the Black Mountain Blues Festival, Friday, Sept 26th at 4:30 PM—you won’t want to miss it!
 
 Fun fact: Rhoda also runs an airport shuttle business—and rumor has it, she just might sing you a tune along the way. 
 
Rhoda, thank you for sharing your heart and soul with our community. You are a true inspiration. 
 
 Check out Rhoda & The Risers on YouTube: 
https://youtu.be/t-qEzC94geQ?si=_aETKP3DIodUBuz2
 To book Rhoda & The Risers or Her AIrport Shuttle Service call : 828-702-6663
 
Full interview now streaming!
Listen on Spotify – The Mountain Magnolia’s
or tune in to Big Foot 103.9 FM
Wednesdays at 7 PM
Saturdays at 10 AM
 

Episode 55: Movement, Mindfulness & Finding Your Happy Place .Elemental Pilates~ Christey Carwile

 Movement, Mindfulness & Finding Your Happy Place 
 
This week on the Mountain Magnolia Show, I had the absolute pleasure of sitting down with Christey Carwile, owner of Elemental Pilates in Black Mountain, NC.She is , is the heart and soul behind Elemental Pilates in Black Mountain. We talked about the healing power of movement, how we work out our work, and how she turned a pandemic parking lot Pilates class into a beautiful community studio.
From earning her PhD in Anthropology to building a thriving Pilates studio, Christey has lived a life dedicated to both the mind and the body. We talked about:
 “Movement is not just about fitness—it’s about working things out of your body so they don’t become pain.” – Christey Carwile
 How movement can carry us through grief, stress, and life’s toughest seasons
 Why “working it out” is more than just exercise—it’s healing
 The journey from teaching in her home to creating a warm, welcoming studio space where the community can thrive
Whether you’re new to Pilates or simply need a reminder to get up and move, Christey’s story will inspire you to make space for your body and your joy.
 
Visit Elemental at 106 WNC Shopping Center Dr, Black Mountain, NC 28711 or on the web at https://www.elemental-pilates.com/about-us