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Archives for March 2019

Rapid Fire Q&A with director and cast of Expression City’s ‘Matilda’; regional premiere March 29 & 30

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It’s been three years since Nashville theatre audiences had the opportunity to see Matilda: The Musical when the National Tour came through Music City. Thanks to Curtis Reed and the team at Expression City, all that’s about to change this weekend as Bradley Moore directs the regional theatrical premiere of the beloved Roald Dahl story of a precocious young girl with a penchant for elaborate stories and a touch of telekinesis; at Expression City’s gorgeous new Roy E. Barberi Theatre (1724b Gen George Patton Drive Brentwood, TN) for three shows only, Friday and Saturday, March 29 and 30. Matilda stars Audrey Rowels in the title role and features a mix of professional actors, adults and student performers. As the cast prepared for Opening Night, I recently chatted with director, Moore and a few members of his cast, including Reed, who’s playing Agatha Trunchbull; Elizabeth Turner, cast as Mrs. Wormwood; John Mauldin, appearing as Mr. Wormwood, for the latest in my recurring interview feature, Rapid Fire Q&A.

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RAPID FIRE WITH MATILDA’S CURTIS REED

JHP: In addition to being the company’s Musical Theatre Program Director, you’re also choreographing and appearing in Matilda as Agatha Trunchbull. What can you tell me about Agatha?

CURTIS REED: Yes, I have been with the company since its start and have helped build their musical theatre program into what it is today. I have a secret love for playing the villain. It’s always a bigger stretch, and with this particular character having so much comedy built in, it has been a dream come true. I may not be 6 feet tall or taller like those who played her on Broadway, but I have a very large personality that i think makes up for what I lack in stature. 

JHP: Aside from the National Tour that played TPAC a few years back, this marks the regional theatrical debut of Matilda. How did mounting it at Expression City come about?

CURTIS REED: Allison Barberi, the owner and founder of Expression City and I have talked about it for a while now and we both said, the second it becomes available let’s apply. We were fortunate enough to be able to stage the first premiere of the show here in Nashville and that is huge for us! Especially is a growing company only 3 years old.

JHP: What is it about Matilda that makes it a perfect fit for Expression City’s current season?

CURTIS REED: These kids that are part of our program are crazy talented. We have a lot of girls and a good handful of boys. We knew this would be the next challenge that they could definitely take on. With close to 20 kids having to learn British accents and pull them off—along with a style of choreography they aren’t used to and a story that is a bit darker in nature,—they have all risen to the expectation. 

JHP: You’ve worked alongside Bradley Moore in a number of shows over the years, but this is his first time directing for Expression City. What’s been the best aspect of having him direct this show?

CURTIS REED: Not only is he a dear friend, he is a respected and admired colleague. I was so happy that I could bring him in and we could finally collaborate on a show on the same side of the table. The kids love him and we have a stellar adult cast as well. We are so looking forward to sharing this project with Nashville. Bradley’s direction keeps it fresh and constantly moving. This show is a beast!

RAPID FIRE WITH MATILDA’S BRADLEY MOORE

JHP: When I chatted with Curtis, I asked him about working with you as a director, so I’ll start by asking you about directing Curtis. How has it been working with him and the rest of the cast of Matilda?

BRADLEY MOORE: This is actually the fourth show that I have directed Curtis in and I am always so lucky to have that opportunity. He is always a team player and one of the most talented, committed performers I know. The difference on this show was that he was not only playing one of the main characters, but also the Choreographer & Music Director. So we finally had the opportunity to collaborate on all things creative. That was a gift! We have been close friends for years and always talked about working together in different capacities and it finally happened! We were both clamoring to do Matilda so this was definitely kismet. And the cast is incredible. Such a ridiculously talented group of kids and professional actors. And I get to work with Cecilia Lighthall as my Stage Manager! I could not have asked for a better situation to present this Tennessee Premiere!

JHP: This is your first time directing a show at Expression City. What was behind your decision to join the team in this capacity?

BRADLEY MOORE: The short answer: Curtis. For the past year, he had been very adamant about bringing me into the Expression City family. And for that, I am super grateful. Friends who go to bat for you and try to help you achieve your dreams are extremely rare. Then back in December, he had cast me in Newsies at Expression City, which was my first experience with the studio. I loved every minute. The kid’s passion and energy is infectious. The environment at Expression City is very positive, encouraging, and warm. I couldn’t think of a better place to create art.

JHP: What do you hope audiences come away feeling after experiencing Matilda?

BRADLEY MOORE: Matilda is one of those shows that has all the feels; It’s hilarious, heartwarming, heartbreaking, sad, scary, and a million other emotions. I think that each audience member will take something different away from the show. As long as they leave with a smile and maybe a tear in their eye, then we have definitely done our job as artists.

JHP: I understand your cast includes 18 student performers. What’s the most exciting aspect of directing theatre kids?

BRADLEY MOORE: Remembering that I was them. I think back to when I was their age and realize how much I learned from my directors and the seasoned actors I was lucky enough to work with. To possibly be that person in these kids’ lives is a powerful thing. Kids are sponges and they are so eager to learn and better their craft. And I keep saying kids, but these “young actors” are a level of professional that I don’t even think I was at their age. The whole experience has been beyond rewarding for me. 

RAPID FIRE WITH MATILDA’S ELIZABETH TURNER

JHP: You play Mrs. Wormwood. What’s your favorite thing about her?

ELIZABETH TURNER: Boy, I wish I had one ounce of her self-confidence! She literally dances like EVERYONE’S watching. 

JHP: This is your first time being in a show at Expression City. Are you having fun?

ELIZABETH TURNER: I am having a great time!  I was on a bit of a self-imposed theatre sabbatical after having my daughter Eleanor in 2017, and I am really happy this was the show that got me out of my “mom cave.” The cast is extraordinary with great chemistry. And of course, I always enjoy working with Bradley.

JHP: As Matilda’s mother, you share scenes with both Audrey Rowles, who’s playing Matilda, Braden Wahl, who plays Matilda’s brother, Michael and John Mauldin, who’s playing your on-stage husband, Mr. Wormwood. What’s it been like being part of this particular family?

ELIZABETH TURNER: Oh, you know, we’re just your typical Norman Rockwell family, with a hint of John Waters mixed in for variety!  Audrey is such a sweet, talented, and grounded young actor. She carries the lion’s share of the show’s lines and songs, and I’m so impressed with her abilities. Braden and I graduated from the same theatre program at Tennessee Tech a few years apart from one another, so it’s been a lot of fun talking about productions and mutual friends back in Cookeville. 

John has been an absolute pleasure to work with. He’s such a nice guy that it’s tricky to constantly be yelling in his face and slapping him around onstage.

JHP: A big theme behind Matilda seems to be marching to your own drum, changing your own story. I understand you have a young daughter yourself. While she’s still a toddler, have you given any thoughts of how you’ll instill that attitude in her?

ELIZABETH TURNER: Great question!  My husband (Toby Turner) and I have had many talks about what we think Eleanor will be like when she’s older. I often joke that, it’d be just our luck that the two actor parents would have a child who is only interested in sports. But, of course, we will support her interests whatever they may be, and in the end, what really matters to us is that she’s happy with who she is, both inside and out, and that she is not afraid of being her 100% authentic self. To quote Kacey Musgraves, “just follow your arrow wherever it points!”

RAPID FIRE WITH MATILDA’S JOHN MAULDIN

JHP: What can you tell me about Mr. Wormwood?

JOHN MAULDIN: He is probably an example of one of the worst parents in the world in the sense that he is not compassionate to his youngest child, Matilda, who he wished was a boy.  He is a used car salesman who has grand schemes that aren’t fully thought out which have disastrous results for the family.  Ironically, his blunderings lead to one of the most heartwarming stories in Matilda.

JHP: Matilda tells the story of a precocious 5-year old who takes refuge among the library. As a kid, what was your escape?

JOHN MAULDIN:  My imagination was my escape. I would create narratives for my G.I. Joes; ya know secret rescue missions and what not.

JHP: For this who may not be familiar with the story, Mr. Wormwood is Matilda’s father. Audrey Rowles is playing the title role. What can you tell me about your young co-star?

JOHN MAULDIN: She is an amazing kid with oodles of talent. The audience is going to love her. She has been a real treat to work with.

JHP: This is your second show with Expression City, having appeared in their recent Newsies production. What’s the most gratifying aspect of working with a theatre company focused on younger actors and audiences?

JOHN MAULDIN: It is a joy to work with these kids.  Their commitment to honing their craft is inspiring.  The performance level these kids reach is a testament to the training they receive at Expression City.  I am pleased that I may have a small part in mentoring tomorrow’s theatre artists.  It is so rewarding to be a part of the process.

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Expression City’s Matilda plays the Roy E. Barberi Theatre for  only three shows, opening Friday, March 29 at 7:00p.m. then continuing Saturday, March 30 with a 2p.m. matinee and a final performance Saturday night at 7 p.m. At the time of this article, a very limited number of tickets remained, but you can always hope for a Miracle or get a little Naughty and CLICK HERE to purchase tickets. Next up for Expression City, the company will present a Music Recital on May 11, then Thoroughly Modern Millie, Junior performances May 31-June 1, followed by a Mary Poppins Theatre Camp and performance in July. To learn more about Expression City’s Programs, Classes and more, CLICK HERE. You can also find them on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

If you’ve enjoyed this Rapid Fire, CLICK HERE to check out previous conversations with the who’s who of Nashville’s theatre scene.

Interested in coverage for your latest entertaining endeavor? Click the contact page and drop me a note. You can also follow JHP Entertainment on Instagram, and Facebook.

Rapid Fire 20 Q with cast of Nashville Rep’s ‘Shakespeare in Love’ onstage at TPAC’s Johnson Theatre thru April 13

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Directed by René Copeland, Shakespeare in Love is making its Nashville stage debut as Nashville Repertory Theatre’s current offering. Adapted for the stage by Lee Hall and based on the screenplay by Tom Stoppard and Marc Norman, it’s been 20 years since the Gwyneth Paltrow/Joseph Fiennes/Geoffrey Rush film premiere. I remember enjoying the movie, but considering the time that has passed since I’ve seen it and the fact that I’ve never seen the stage version…full confession: I had no idea it even existed…I had to get the low-down on. When I found out one of my absolute “theatre crushes”, Jennifer Whitcomb-Oliva was cast as Queen Elizabeth 1 for The Rep’s mounting, alongside Rep newcomers Joe Leitess as Will Shakespeare, Cailen Fu as Viola and Sewanee professor, James Crawford as Henslowe, as well as local theatre favorite, David Wilkerson, who’s not only cast as Tilney, but also serving as the show’s fight choreographer, I knew this group would result in a fun-filled Rapid Fire 20 Q, and by Bard, I was right.

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RAPID FIRE WITH SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE’S JENNIFER WHITCOMB-OLIVA

JHP: You’re playing Queen Elizabeth 1, so tell me…is it really true what they say? IS it good to be the Queen?

JENNIFER WHITCOMB-OLIVA: It’s soooo good! Big dresses, royal treatment, bowing, parties! Queen Elizabeth was quite the woman. She’s a total rockstar! I’m really enjoying portraying her.

JHP: From what I know, this is your sixth time to appear onstage at Nashville Rep. What keeps you coming back?

JENNIFER WHITCOMB-OLIVA: Nashville Rep continues to bring in theatrical gems. The plays are always so engaging, and full of wonderful surprises. I am so challenged each time from production to production. I am grateful for each opportunity I get, to play something meaningful and outside of the box. I strive to play roles and characters that are beyond the norm.

JHP: Alright, you’ve already mentioned the big dresses…I LOVE the publicity photo of you all done up in QE1 drag. What can you tell me about the gorgeous wigs and the costumes designed by Lori Gann-Smith for Shakespeare in Love?

JENNIFER WHITCOMB-OLIVA: I can tell you to brace yourself! Queen Elizabeth was not one to do casual. These costumes are absolutely gorgeous! They are big, colorful, decadent and exquisitely made. If you don’t ooo and aah, I don’t know how to help you. Also…being a redhead is fun!

JHP: With themes of love, marriage, equality, gender and even the creative life, Shakespeare in Love and Shakespeare’s own writings are just as vital now as when audiences were first exposed to them. Among the themes, which do you think rings most true, in relation to this work?

JENNIFER WHITCOMB-OLIVA: The creative life for sure. This play is truly about the life of the man. It’s about the actors and the world they live in. It’s such a lovely view into the fantastical world of theatre, and why we all fall in love with it over and over again.

RAPID FIRE WITH SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE’S CAILEN FU

JHP: In Shakespeare’s time, it wasn’t unusual for male actors to portray female roles. In a bit of a gender flip, as Viola de Lesseps, you spend part of your time on stage in disguise in male drag. While there’s a large element of comedy, in that the audience is in on the gag, how did you prepare for the duality of the role(s)?

CAILEN FU: My approach to Viola’s disguise is completely based on her idea of what it means to “be an actor.” In Shakespeare’s time, like you said, only men could be actors, so I tried to draw from the men who she would have been influenced or surrounded by for most of her life. This meant looking to her father, the men she met at court and mostly, the actors she saw on stage. While technically she IS going into male drag, I’m making the effort to go more in the direction that she is completely the same person, but she’s just seeing the world and it’s circumstances through a different pair of eyes.

JHP: Speaking of research, have you ever been to Play Dance Bar on a Thursday night for their Drag Kings show? If not, do you think that might be the perfect cast outing?

CAILEN FU: I have not but I think we’d all have a bunch of fun!

JHP: I understand this marks your Nashville Rep debut. What’s the experience been like so far?

CAILEN FU: Yes, this is my Nashville debut! I am having a blast. The entire company of Shakespeare in Love has been so welcoming and lovely. I am loving my time here!

JHP: Shakespeare in Love is of course filled with nods to Romeo and Juliet, as well as many of The Bard’s other works. Do you have a favorite reference included in the play?

CAILEN FU: Oh my, there are so many references! I don’t think I have favorite but I really love how each reference is cleverly woven into the script.

RAPID FIRE WITH SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE’S JOE LEITESS

JHP: You’re playing Shakespeare opposite Cailen’s Viola. What’s the best aspect of having her as your leading lady?

JOE LEITESS: It’s hard to pick just one thing! I admire her ability to jump right into the work. In an abbreviated rehearsal process it can be daunting to tackle these huge scenes about love, loss, and grief- especially with someone you just met. Cailen’s bravery makes that work much easier and more rewarding.

JHP: When I spoke with Cailen, I mentioned her gender flip. Not to give too much away, but you also have a brief moment playing the opposite sex in Shakespeare in Love. What’s something about playing a woman, albeit, mostly for laughs, that you didn’t anticipate?

JOE LEITESS: I was surprised by the physical effect that clothing has- especially with Elizabethan costumes. Dresses, headwear, and footwear change the way you stand, breathe, speak, and relate to other people in space. Doubly so if you’re wearing a corset or something that restricts range of movement. My cast mates sing, play instruments, and dance their way through this play so gracefully while being cinched in- it’s very impressive. I was relieved to learn my brief gender-flip scene doesn’t include a corset.

JHP: Like Cailen, this show marks your Nashville Rep debut. Are you enjoying it so far?

JOE LEITESS: I love it. Our director René Copeland, the cast, crew, and design team are delightful people who do beautiful work.

JHP: I also asked Cailen about the many references and winks to multiple Shakespeare plays within the dialogue and subplots of Shakespeare In Love, so I’ll ask you as well. What’s one nod to The Bard within this work that makes you smile every time it’s uttered?

JOE LEITESS:

Will: This is a dream.

Viola: Dreams are the children of an idle brain, begotten of vain fantasy which is as thin of substance as the air.

Will: …Did you really just say that?

 Of all the references and winks in the show, this one really feels like Will is stealing quotes from the people around him-a good trick for an aspiring writer. I imagine him going home and feverishly rewriting conversations from memory, trying to capture on the page what people say off the cuff.

RAPID FIRE WITH SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE’S JAMES CRAWFORD

JHP: I understand you teach in the department of theatre and dance at Sewanee. How did being part of Nashville Rep’s Shakespeare in Love come about?

JAMES CRAWFORD: I just showed up at the Nashville Rep auditions last year, and I’m so happy that I’m getting to make my Nashville debut in Shakespeare in Love. I feel really lucky. Continuing to act makes me a better teacher, and teaching has made me a better actor.

JHP: Aside from the written word, I understand music plays a part in conveying the spirit of this play. What can you tell me about the inclusion of music in Shakespeare in Love?

JAMES CRAWFORD: Considering this play is not technically a musical, there’s a tremendous amount of live music in it, and it’s beautiful. The cast has over twenty people in it, and it turns out that a few of the actors are also amazingly talented musicians, each of whom plays several instruments. They create a really magical world that the rest of us get to play in.

JHP: You’re playing Philip Henslowe, the owner of The Rose Theatre, a character based in reality, as Henslowe’s The Rose was indeed the first public theatre to stage Shakespeare’s plays. Does portraying a historical figure affect the way you approach the character?

JAMES CRAWFORD: Because Henslowe’s a real person, I did do some research about him. He left a diary that’s very important to people who study theatre history.  It’s full of facts about how much money he spent and how much money he earned, and all kinds of details about what it was like producing plays four hundred years ago. But there’s not a lot of personal information in the diary. Some historians think he was a very generous man, lending his actors money when they needed it, and others think he was more of a ruthless landlord. My job is to honor the version of Henslowe that the writers of Shakespeare in Love imagined.  And, lucky for me, he’s a very funny, delightful character.

JHP: You’re part of a fantastically talented cast, among them, Joel Diggs as Kit Marlowe, fresh off his incredible turn in Nashville Rep’s Topdog/Underdog. What can you tell me about sharing the stage with Joel and this company?

JAMES CRAWFORD: I got to see Joel in Topdog/Underdog the week before we started rehearsing together. It’s always thrilling to see someone make a wonderful leap like that, jumping from playing a bitter three card monte hustler to a wise Elizabethan playwright. As a newcomer to the Nashville theatre scene, I had a memorable experience on the first day of rehearsal. We read the play aloud, and I got to listen to all of these actors, most of whom I’d barely met. It was wonderful, discovering how many exceptionally talented actors are in this cast.

RAPID FIRE WITH SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE’S DAVID WILKERSON

JHP: You’re playing Edmund Tilney, Master of the Revels. Am I dumbing it down to much to say he was the OG party planner?

DAVID WILKERSON: I guess you could say that. Although in the play, he’s a party planner who hates parties then, he’s the person in control of theatre in London and he HATES theatre and actors.

JHP: IF there’s a villain to this piece, you could say TIlney is it, for….SPOILER ALERT…he’s the one who finds out Viola is performing on stage in male drag. What’s the best part of playing Tilney?

DAVID WILKERSON: I always love playing characters who ask for big choices. Tilney is so stuffy and condescending and fun to play!

JHP: In addition to portraying Tilney, you’re also working behind the scenes as the show’s fight choreographer. How much rehearsal goes into fight choreography for a show like this?

DAVID WILKERSON: There is a LOT of fighting in this show. Not counting the slaps and face burnings and wrestling and all that, there are three sword fights. And they are completely different. One is a rehearsal fight, one is a bunch of actors playing, and one is a real life-and-death fight. And they all need to feel different. So we started day one. When you only have two and a half weeks before tech, you have to make the most of every moment.

JHP: Having the unique opportunity of working with the show’s director, René Copeland both on stage as an actor and behind the scenes as fight choreographer, what do you hope audiences take away with them after seeing The Rep’s Shakespeare in Love?

DAVID WILKERSON: Shakespeare in Love is joyous. I hope people come to laugh and cry and along the way realize that art and artists hold an important role in society.

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If you want to experience the joy that is Shakespeare in Love, you have several more chances remaining as performances continue thru Saturday, April 13. Wednesday and Thursday performances at 6:30p.m., Friday evenings at 7:30p.m. and Saturday matinee and evening performances at 2:30p.m. and 7:30p.m. CLICK HERE to purchase tickets or CLICK HERE for more information. Next week, on Thursday, April 4, Nashville Repertory Theatre will announce the coming 2019-2020 season at their 35th Season Reveal Party. Following Shakespeare in Love’s run, The Rep will host the company’s 4th Annual Broadway Brunch fundraising gala at City Winery on May 5. CLICK HERE for tickets.

To keep up with the latest from Nashville Rep, CLICK HERE, or follow them on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

If you’ve enjoyed this Rapid Fire, CLICK HERE to check out previous conversations with the who’s who of Nashville’s theatre scene.

Interested in coverage for your latest entertaining endeavor? Click the contact page and drop me a note. You can also follow JHP Entertainment on Instagram, and Facebook.

RAPID FIRE 20 Q with playwright and cast of ‘Stop Me If You’ve Heard This One’; limited engagement Backstage at Chaffin’s Barn beginning Thursday, March 28

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Having garnered second place in Chaffin’s Barn Dinner Theatre’s second annual Clash of the Playwrights competition, Stop Me If You’ve Heard This One will make its stage debut with a limited three-day engagement Backstage at The Barn beginning with a Thursday matinee March 28 at noon and two evening performances Friday and Saturday, March 29 and 30.

Written by Vanderbilt English Professor, Judy Klass, Stop Me If You’ve Heard This One tells the story of what happens when a nice Jewish man gets an emergency call from his retired parents in Florida urging him to come visit. Under the impression his trip is because of his father’s medical emergency, he soon discovers the family is plotting to fix him up with his niece’s nanny.

Earlier this week, as the playwright and cast prepared for their opening performance, I had the opportunity to chat with them about the play, family, dating and all things Stop Me If You’ve Heard This One for my latest Rapid Fire 20 Q.

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RAPID FIRE WITH STOP ME IF YOU’VE HEARD THIS ONE PLAYWRIGHT, JUDY KLASS

JHP: What’s your play about?

JUDY KLASS: It’s about a family. It’s about how people you love drive you crazy, and it’s still worth putting up with it, and working through problems, because your time with them is precious. And it’s about how jokes, no matter how long and shaggy they are, can be a means of communication between people.

JHP: Your play is being presented this weekend Backstage at The Barn after having come in second at Chaffin’s playwright competition. How excited were you to learn your play had taken that prize?

JUDY KLASS: I was very excited. The play won the Dorothy Silver Award some years back, but it was never fully staged. Other plays of mine have gone up elsewhere, but I’ve never had a full-length play produced in Nashville before, though I’ve lived here thirteen years. So, to have this play produced at last, and to have that kind of recognition in the place where I live, is a wonderful thing. I’m happy that people I know here are coming to see it.

JHP: It’s often said that playwrights and fiction writers in general, draw inspiration from what they know…are these characters based on your own family, friends or acquaintances? If so…do they know?

JUDY KLASS: Yes, this play draws on aspects of my own family. My father, close to twenty years ago, told me a joke over the phone. I said: “That actually would work as the first scene of a play.” I got off the phone and imagined dramatizing the joke as a scene. It’s an old Jewish joke, and I imagined writing a comedy where characters would tell each other jokes, many of them old Jewish jokes, and that dramatized-joke-scene would kick things off. I figured I’d ask my father to write the play with me, or at least contribute the jokes I’d need along the way. Then, my father, Morton Klass, suddenly died in the spring of 2001. And I figured: that’s it, I can’t write that play. Forget the whole thing. Some months or a year later, I reconsidered. I felt that I should write the play, and quickly, while I still had so many jokes my father had told me in my head, and I could still hear his inflections — his way of telling them. So, that’s what I did, and in a sense, it’s still the kind of collaboration I hoped to have with him. And I tried to capture things that I liked about my family when I was growing up. It’s got a bit of the flavor of our household when people gathered for a holiday — a bit of us in our element, as a family. Some family members attended a reading of it in NYC.

JHP: I understand you visited Backstage at The Barn during rehearsal. Can you describe the feeling of seeing your characters in the flesh?

JUDY KLASS: It was wonderful to sit in on a rehearsal. Joy Tilley Perryman is doing a terrific job as director, and the whole cast is top-notch — it’s a professional production. The play has had five more or less staged readings — one at the Cleveland Playhouse when it won the Dorothy Silver Award, the reading in NYC, two in Florida and one in San Diego. But it was exciting to see actors really learning their parts, off book, with blocking, and to see this play receiving the care that goes into a full production, with actors playing moments again and again to get the humor and the serious aspects right. I feel very good about it going up at Chaffin’s Barn.

RAPID FIRE WITH STOP ME IF YOU’VE HEARD THIS ONE’s  AUSTIN OLIVE

JHP: You play Alan. How would you describe him?

AUSTIN OLIVE: Alan is definitely high strung. I think deep down he has a good heart. He just spends most of his time wrapped up in his own life and pursuits. He spends a lot of his time worrying about other people’s perception of him. He has found success in New York as a writer, but there is still a void in his life that leaves him deeply unhappy. He does love his family, but those feelings often manifest as sarcasm and combativeness.

JHP: A subplot of the show revolves around Alan being set up with a girl he doesn’t know. Have you ever been set up on a date?

AUSTIN OLIVE: Fortunately, I have managed to avoid being set up on a blind date with anyone so far. I tend to not like the feeling of not knowing or having control of my circumstances. I would like to keep my dating experience confined to people I have had the chance to meet and decide for myself whether or not I like them.

JHP: Speaking of your unexpected date…Cassie Donnegan is cast as Lisa, the aforementioned set up, who also happens to be your character’s nieces’ au pair. What’s Cassie like as a scene partner?

AUSTIN OLIVE: Cassie is a wonderful scene partner. We have done several shows together in the past couple of years. I always enjoy working with Cassie. It always helps to work with someone who you know well. There is a certain level of comfort that allows us to joke around and have fun while we’re working.

JHP: I understand Daniel Bissell and LaDarra Jackel are playing Alan’s somewhat stereotypical Jewish parents. What would be the best thing about having those two as parents in real life?

AUSTIN OLIVE: LaDarra and Daniel are two of the funniest people I know. I absolutely love working with them. They are certainly not old enough to be my parents in real life, but if they were, the best thing about having them as parents would be the warmth and support they both give to everyone. They are two of the most genuinely delightful people I have had the opportunity to work with.

RAPID FIRE WITH STOP ME IF YOU’VE HEARD THIS ONE’s LaDARRA JACKEL

JHP: Tell me about Ida.

LaDARRA JACKEL: She is loving, opinionated, and has a passion for life. Family is the most important thing to her and she is at her happiest when everyone is together.

JHP: One of the early plot points has Alan basically being tricked by his father to travel from New York to Florida. What’s the craziest thing family has ever convinced you to do?

LaDARRA JACKEL: I have some family that lives in Texas. When they moved into their house my Uncle asked us to come visit for our vacation. When we got there he put us to work and had us laying the sod in his yard. It was so hot that summer and we all still complain about it to this day.

JHP: Joy Tilley-Perryman is directing this show. What’s it like working with her as a director?

LaDARRA JACKEL: Joy is wonderful! She really has an eye for comedy and encouraged us to become a family unit organically.  I also appreciate that she is always respectful of our time and keeps us laughing daily.

JHP: Young Kylan Ritchie plays Ida’s granddaughter, Sandra. Knowing most of the cast myself, I’m just gonna ask…Have you guys warped her young innocent mind yet?

LaDARRA JACKEL: I hope not! Let’s be real though. She’s a teenager in a social media world. She has probably seen or heard worse.

RAPID FIRE WITH STOP ME IF YOU’VE HEARD THIS ONE’s, JENNY NORRIS

JHP: Who is Abbie?

JENNY NORRIS: Abbie is the daughter of Ida and Murray. She is opinionated and intelligent, but also kind hearted and family oriented. 

JHP: With this being the first full staging of the show. How much fun are you having creating this character?

JENNY NORRIS: Creating a character so the audience will say “ I know that person” is my favorite part of doing any show. So having the opportunity to do that with a brand new character is the most fulfilling creating process.   

JHP: When I chatted with Judy, the playwright, I asked her about dropping in on a rehearsal. What was it like having the person who wrote the lines you’re performing there during that stage of the production?

JENNY NORRIS: Ha! Well I could lie and say its no sweat but… 

JHP: What is it that keeps you coming back to The Barn show after show?

JENNY NORRIS: Well it helps that they keep offering. But, seriously, they believe in me and trust me and that means everything to me as an actor. Plus they are truly my family. Whether I’m in the show, waiting tables, or doing sales for the barn, coming to work is a joy bc I’m surrounded by people I love to be around and inspire me daily. Norma, Martha, Joy, Everett, Curtis, Miriam, Donnie*, the entire cast of this show, and so many others I’ve had the honor of being in- they are the smartest, funniest, most talented, kindest people I know, so surrounding myself with them is my privilege. 

*to expand upon Jenny’s response, Norma Luther is Chaffin’s current owner; Martha Wilkinson, the company’s Artistic Director; Joy Tilley Perryman, production manager, props mistress and this show’s director; Everett Tarlton, Chaffin’s social media coordinator, as well as frequent actor/director/choreographer; Curtis LeMoine, frequent Chaffin’s actors/choreographer; Miriam Creighton, the company’s costumer and Donnie Hall, Chaffin’s Director of Operations.

RAPID FIRE WITH STOP ME IF YOU’VE HEARD THIS ONE’s J. ROBERT LINDSEY

JHP: You’re cast as Howard. What’s the best way to describe him?

J. ROBERT LINDSEY: Howard is the son-in-law of this very close-knit family.  He is a bit dorky, but also very warm.  I’ve based my portrayal of him on my experiences of meeting past boyfriends’ families.  While Howard has had several years to get to know his wife’s parents and brother, there is still that bit of awkwardness and disconnectedness that comes along with not being on the “inside” of the family.

JHP: While this show has had a couple of staged readings, this marks its first full staging. What’s it like bringing a show to the stage for the first time?

J. ROBERT LINDSEY: I always enjoy originating a character and being part of the development of a piece.  It gives you freedom to create the character without a previous portrayal from which to draw.  While I enjoy playing iconic characters as well, there is often pressure to pay homage to prior performances.  With an original show, you get to be much freer during the whole process.

JHP: Within the show, you’re married to Jenny’s character, Abbie. Jenny is one of my ‘theatre crushes’. What’s something about Jenny as an actor that your admire?

J. ROBERT LINDSEY: Jenny has become one of my “theatre crushes” as well!  I have thoroughly enjoyed playing her stage husband.  One of the things I admire about Jenny is her ability to completely transform into the character she is portraying.  Not only does that make her performance authentic, she is also able to build extremely believable on-stage relationships with the other characters.  I also love that we try to make each other laugh with our husband and wife ad libs.

JHP: If there’s a lesson to be learned from Stop Me If You’ve Heard This One, what would it be?

J. ROBERT LINDSEY: The lesson in this show is that you’ve got to be yourself – no matter what.  There is also a message of accepting and loving others for who they are – no matter what.  At the heart of this play is a family that really loves each other, and that has been something really fun to portray.

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Austin Olive (foreground) receives a phone call from parents LaDarra Jackel and J. Robert Lindsey (background left to right) in playwright Judy Klass’ ‘Stop Me If You’ve Heard This One’, Backstage at The Barn Thursday, March 28-Saturday, March 30.

As I prepared to post this Rapid Fire 20 Q, I learned that both Friday and Saturday evening’s performances have SOLD OUT! There are a selection of tickets available for Thursday’s matinee. Backstage at the Barn offers two ticket options. Show Only tickets are $19 while their Show and Box Lunch option is $27.50. If you are looking for some midday laughs, get your weekend started early and CLICK HERE or call 615.646.9977 to purchase tickets.

Following this premiere production of Stop Me If You’ve Heard This One, Chaffin’s will be bringing back last year’s Clash of the Playwrights winner, Ollie’s Diner by Ron Osbourne. Having initially had its limited debut run Backstage at the Barn, when the show returns for a full run this season from October 17 to November 2, it will be presented on Chaffin’s Main Stage. Call 615.646.9977 for tickets or more information.

To learn more about Stop Me if You’ve Heard This One playwright, Judy Klass, CLICK HERE. For more about Chaffin’s Barn Dinner Theatre, CLICK HERE or follow them on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Interested in coverage for your latest entertaining endeavor? Click the contact page and drop me a note. You can also follow JHP Entertainment on Instagram and Facebook.

Breaking News: Ahead of this year’s upcoming Broadway season announcement event, TPAC releases ‘Hamilton’ Nashville premiere details

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The wait is finally (almost) over. Details concerning the Broadway smash hit Hamilton and its upcoming Nashville tour dates have been released. By way of a Breaking News press release, comes word that Hamilton will play TPAC’s Jackson Hall December 31-January 19, 2020.

Last April, during the 2018/2019 Broadway Season Announcement Event, TPAC patrons were among the first to learn that the Broadway smash hit, Hamilton would be coming to Nashville. That news was revealed by way of a special video message from former Nashvillian and Belmont University alum Chris Lee, who at the time played Marquis de Lafayette and Thomas Jefferson in both the Chicago and touring productions of Hamilton.

From the creative genius of Lin-Manuel Miranda, Hamilton tells the story of Founding Father Alexander Hamilton, an immigrant from the West Indies who became George Washington’s right-hand man during the Revolutionary War and was the nation’s first Treasury Secretary—all set to hip-hop, jazz, blues, rap, R&B and traditional Broadway musical styles.

TPAC.org is the only official place to purchase tickets, so be sure and CLICK HERE to stay informed about all things Hamilton in Nashville. You can also check them out online on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

As always, if you are interested in coverage for your latest entertaining endeavor, simply click the contact page and drop me a note. You can also follow JHP Entertainment on Instagram and Facebook.

Theatre Review: ‘Anastasia’, a visually stunning, historically based, albeit fictionalized fairytale; at TPAC thru Sunday, March 24

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Anastasia, the musical, is currently on stage at TPAC’s Jackson Hall through Sunday, March 24, as the first National Tour continues. With book by Terrence McNally (known for everything from Frankie and Johnny at the Clair de Lune and Love! Valor! Compassion! to Ragtime, The Full Monty and Chita Rivera: The Dancer’s Life), lyrics by Lynn Ahrens (Lucky Stiff, Seussical, Ragtime, the aforementioned Chita Rivera musical and more) and music by Aherns’ frequent musical theatre partner, Stephen Flaherty, Anastasia premiered on Broadway spring of 2017, with its first national tour having launched October of last year. Interestingly, the show’s Music City performances come just weeks before the original Broadway run is set to close later this month.

Adapted from both the 1956 Cinemascope spectacle starring Ingrid Bergman and Yul Brenner, and Helen Hayes, as well as the 1997 feature of the same name from animation legend, Don Bluth (An American Tale, The Land Before Time, and my personal favorite, The Rescuers–when he was still with the House of Mouse), Anastasia tells the tale of an amnesiac orphaned girl known as Anya, who resembles The Grand Duchess Anastasia, the youngest daughter of Czar Nicholas II. Although Anastasia was thought to have perished alongside the rest of her immediate family during a hostile takeover, rumors–or perhaps simply false hope by their loyal subjects–persisted that the young duchess somehow survived. Those rumors lend themselves perfect to a storyline that seemingly combines elements from Cinderella and My Fair Lady as two con men meet Anya by chance and immediately take note of her resemblance to the presumed dead heir to the royal lineage. They quickly began teaching her how to act like a duchess with a plan to present her to the only surviving member of the royal family, The Dowager Empress, in hopes of earning a reward for her safe return.

From the snowfall of one of the show easiest scenes, the visually stunning piece presents true fairytale moment after moment, courtesy of Alexander Dodge‘s sets, Aaron Rhyne‘s incredibly realistic  projections, Donald Holder’s mood-enhancing lighting design–he inclusion of illuminated streetlamps within the projected images was absolutely mind-blowingly realistic. Simply regal costuming from Linda Cho and wig/hair creations by way of Charles G. LaPointe all add up to a remarkably beautiful show. The majesty of the look of Anastasia truly rivals any show I’ve ever seen.

Completely unfamiliar with the story, having never seen the aforementioned Bergman mid-century drama, nor the Bluth animated entry (I KNOW, I KNOW), I felt at a bit of a disadvantage going into the show, especially when I spotted more than a couple FAnastasias dressed to the nines in their best attempts at recreating Anastasia’s look. From the enthusiastic applause that greeted the rise of the curtain, I knew I was among appreciative fans.

Directed by Darko Tresnjak, Anastasia presents a grand epic of a story that also cleverly contains smaller, more intimate subplots as it invites the audience to journey from the glory of Nicholas II’s palacial House of Romanov to the horrors of the Bolshevik revolution, then the journey continues across the European continent on to the glory of Paris 1920s.

Among the more visually stunning moments, snow falling outside the palace windows and the opulence of the ballroom sequence are absolutely breathtaking. On the other end of the spectrum, when the peacefulness of the snowfall dramatically morphs into sparks of fire during the attack upon the palace, you can’t help but marvel at the creative team’s talent. Then there’s the cleverness of the train trip to Paris. The train car is constructed in such a way that there are no walls or ceiling to it, alowing the audience full access to the action on-stage. Coupled with the projection of the track and the sweeping landscape passing by as the train continues on it’s journey…sheer genius.   

With themes of revolution, rising up and reclaiming one’s lost or forgotten heritage, comparisons to the sweeping epic that is Les Mis are inevitable. Anastasia does have the advantage in the alluded-to spectacular set and projection accomplishments, but the soundtrack is sadly lacking the grandeur of Les Mis.

While a handful of songs: Once Upon a December, A Rumor in St. Petersburg, Learn to Do It, Journey to the Past, Paris Holds the Key and Meant to Be–all originally featured in the musical’s animated counterpart–are in deed audience-pleasing, the majority of the remaining tunes aren’t exactly going to make it onto your playlist after leaving the theatre.

Of the musical highlights, Joy Franz and young Victoria Bingham as The Dowager Empress and Young Anastasia get this off on a high note with the above-referenced show-opening Once Upon A December. It’s such a touching moment and completely serves to set up the relationship between Anastasia and her elder relative, a vital point within the tale’s featured plotline.

Then, when Lila Coogan appears as Anya—the young woman who may or may not be Anastasia—she provides a pleasing performance, especially during her big solo numbers like In My Dreams and the animated film’s FAnastasia favorites.

Another bright, undeniable high point comes in Act Two when Vlad and Lily (one of the conmen and the Dowager Empress’ Lady in Waiting) duet on The Countess and The Common Man. The comedic timing and hilarious physicallity of Tari Kelly as The Countess Lily and Edward Staudenmayer as Vlad during this number evokes memories of Carol Burnett and Harvey Korman during their heyday on The Carol Burnette Show, spoofing many an overly melodramatic film classic. A scene perfectly suited for this show that oftentimes gets a bit bogged down in its own grand airs.

Also worth mentioning are Jason Michael Evans and Stephen Brower as Gleb and Dmitry, two young men, both interested in Anya, but for very different reasons. Every wannabe princess should be so lucky as to have these two handsome, taleneted young men in pursuit.

Also of note, the entire ensemble’s beautiful execution of Peggy Hickey’s magnificent choreography. The previously mentioned ballroom sequence, Act 1’s literally and figuratively hauntingly beautiful ‘ghost’ dance during the Once Upon A December redo featuring Anya and the ensemble, as well as segments featuring traditional Russian dance, and even a snippet of Swan Lake…all performed to perfection.

While Anastasia may lack some of the magic of a certain Mouse’s princess lineup, the sets, costumes and several standout performances are indeed each jewels in the would-be Duchess’ tiara. Anastasia wraps the Music City tour dates with matinee and evening performances Saturday and Sunday, March 23 and 24 with Saturday matinee at 2p.m., Saturday Evening at 8p.m., Sunday matinee at 1p.m. and a final Sunday evening performance at 6:30p.m. CLICK HERE for tickets, or call the TPAC Box Office at 615.2.782.4040.

Not in Nashville, but interested in seeing Anastasia as the National Tour continues with dates current scheduled through August? CLICK HERE for more information or to purchase tickets. You can also follow Anastasia on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Following Anastasia, TPAC’s Broadway Season continues next with a special 10th Anniversary Tour engagement of Rock of Ages for two days (three performances only), Friday, April 12 at 8 p.m. and Saturday, April 13 at 2p.m. and 8 p.m. CLICK HERE for tickets or more information. You can also discover all the latest from TPAC by checking them out online on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

As always, if you are interested in coverage for your latest entertaining endeavor, simply click the contact page and drop me a note. You can also follow JHP Entertainment on Instagram and Facebook.

 

 

Theatre Review: ‘Book of Mormon’ still on a decidedly non-pc mission of inappropriate laughter: National Tour continues at TPAC thru Sunday

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When you think about it, 2011 doesn’t seem like such a long time ago. After all, how different could the world be in just eight years, right? Oh, wait…In that time, we’ve gone from our first black president to, well, the current administration. Some would also argue that we’ve gone from a society of speaking our minds to holding out tongues for fear of upsetting someone’s sensitivities. While kindness and forethought are indeed a good thing, I’m frequently of the opinion that it’s ok to laugh, as long as you’re laughing with, and not completely laughing at. Thankfully, The Book of Mormon—on stage in Nashville at TPAC’s Jackson Hall thru Sunday, March 17—seems to agree as it is just as bawdy, offensive, riotous and, yes, thought-provoking as when it debuted on Broadway some eight years ago.

Nine-time Tony-award winning musical, The Book of Mormon comes courtesy the genius, if not slightly twisted minds of South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone and Robert Lopez (Avenue Q). The Book of Mormon (for those who’ve must have been hiding under golden plates buried on a hill in Manchester, New York) is the tale of a group of young Latter Day Saints missionaries assigned to a small village in Africa plagued by AIDS and a drug lord with a name I can’t bring myself to put into print.

Often described as ungodly, profane, crude…it is certainly all of those things, but at its core, The Book of Mormon is a story about friendship, growth and belief. Belief in the unknown (and let’s face it, the unproven), belief in the good of your fellow man, and most importantly, belief in yourself…all set to bawdily lyrical tunes and some fabulous choreography.

Earlier this week, as I attended media night and enjoyed the show for a third time—having had the great fortune of seeing it during both of its previous tours through Music City, I was finally able to find a balance between the oft shocking humor and the sweeter aspects noted above. Part of this newfound enjoyment came courtesy the chanced proximity to the slightly inebriated, but undeniably enthusiastic foursome who hadn’t yet bore witness to the glory that is The Book of Mormon, who just so happened to be seated next to me. Their exclamations of “Oh My God!” and “I can’t believe they just said that” reminded me of the first time I saw The Book of Mormon, or for that matter, the South Park movie. Both times, I thought to myself, “If the world ends right now, you’re going straight to hell right alongside everyone in this theatre.” Remember, I told you it’s THAT ballsy.

While the show is exactly the same, save a few updated references to Nikki Minaj and Neil Patrick Harris, this time around, something different clicked for me. The Book of Mormon is the All in the Family of this generation. For those old enough to remember, when Archie Bunker ruled the television airwaves, audiences were shocked week after week at what came out of the bigoted New York character’s mouth, courtesy the remarkable acting of Carroll O’Connor and the show’s creator, Norman Lear, but it was that mirror to society that somehow magically educated the masses through humor. If you’ll let it, The Book of Mormon does the exact same thing.

While the show—nor the wildly inappropriate humor—hasn’t changed, the cast has, allowing even the most jaded BOM fans like myself yet another chance to see it for the first time, as the current cast simultaneously embody the expected aspects of their respective characters, while breathing new life into them with their own talent and presence.

Tobin as Elder Price (photo courtesy Tobin’s Instagram)

This time around, Elder Price is being played by Liam Tobin, who originally joined the tour a year ago understudying the lead. Nashville audiences might remember Tobin from his stint as Gerry Goffin in Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, which played TPAC two seasons ago. As Elder Price, Tobin brings the charm and wholesomeness. HIs boy-next-door looks matched only by his Broadway-belting vocal skills. Tobin’s enigmatic presence, even when the character’s faith and friendship is tested, shines through. You gotta love a missionary who dreams of being assigned to Orlando who instead ends up in the wilds of Africa.

Pierson as Elder Cunningham

Mandated by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, of course Elder Price has a companion. Enter Elder Cunningham, blissfully, nerdily, enthusiastically played by Conner Peirson. Peirson’s comedic timing and knock-em-outta-the-park vocal skills harken images of a young Jack Black. Among his finer moments, Peirson as a relationship developed with Kayla Pecchioni’s Nabulugi, a young African villager who’s name is bastardized throughout to hilarious result.

Other notable members of the cast include Ron Bohmer (who, if you check out my Rapid Fire 20 Q, you’ll see also has ties to Nashville), as Elder Price’s Dad, as well as Mormon founding father, Joseph Smith. Every member of the cast, from Monica L. Patton’s brief but unforgettable turn as Mrs. Brown and Corey Jones as The General to the entire ensemble bring energy, talent and humor coming forth so seamlessly that it keeps the show moving so quickly that you barely have time to recover from one uproarious moment to the next.

While there’s always been resistance to The Book of Mormon and those who’s cast it out as vile and unredeemable, let’s not forget…Broadway has always had a history of pushing buttons while opening eyes. From Shakespeare’s violent Titus Andronicus to the nudity and free-love of Hair, and in more recent years, the heart wrenching truths of Angels in America, theatre has frequently shocked to inform, to entertain and educate. BOM is just one of the latest to brilliantly do all of the above.

The best part…it does all this while presenting all the elements of a traditional theatre. While the laughs are often nervous with embarrassment, they’re genuine guttural guffaws. Then there’s the musical numbers. From the start, the appropriately titled Hello, arguably the show’s most well-known number, performed by our two leads and the ensemble of Mormon missionaries, starts things off on a hilariously high note. (This seems as good a time to mention a brief aside. When I chatted with Tobin recently for the latest of my recurring Rapid Fire 20 Q interview segments, I asked if actual Mormon missionaries still showed up outside the theatres handing out the real Book of Mormon. He confirmed and noted that it was more unusual if they didn’t. Much to my delight, as I got out of my car in front of TPAC earlier this week, there were indeed two mormon missionaries, dressed in black slacks, with short-sleeve white dress shirts, black ties and name plates above their left pocket handing out their religious materials. As I passed by I made eye contact with the Elder closest to me and said a quick “Hi”. To my amusement, rather that the expected “Hello”, he smiled and kindly replied, “Howdy”…well, we ARE in Nashville after all.)

Back to the show, in addition to the show’s opening Hello, The Book of Mormon is packed with by the book…the Broadway book that is…showtunes, musical numbers and some fabulous choreography. You and Me (But Mostly Me) checks off the comical duet box, Hasa Diga Eebowai, the OMG, they’re actually singing a song about this? shock value box. Then there’s Turn it Off, the show’s tap-tactic all-in mid-Act 1 wowser.

Among Act 2’s most memorable….Spooky Mormon Hell Dream, pretty much self-explanatory, complete with prerequisite effects and puppetry, not to mention nods to pop culture evils such as Hitler, Dammer and even Jonnie Cochran. I Believe follows and is the show’s unlikely anthemic entry showcasing once again Tobin’s leading man vocals and charisma. Not to be outdone, Peirson and Pechioni shine during Baptise Me, a song about Elder Cunningham baptizing Nabulungi with so much sexual innuendo you just might need a cold shower afterwards. Midway through Act 2, I Am Africa is yet another showstopper with the entire company of missionaries embracing their newfound, albeit totally appropriated, heritage. Simply, awkwardly, hilariously brilliant.

The Book of Mormon continues its Nashville tour dates at TPAC’s Jackson Hall through Sunday, March 17 with Friday and Saturday evening performances at 8 p.m., matinee performances on Saturday at 2p.m. and Sunday at 1 p.m. with a final evening performance Sunday at 6:30p.m. Tickets range in price from $45 to $115. CLICK HERE for tickets.

Just last week, TPAC announced a special ticket lottery for all Nashville performances. For each performance, a limited number of tickets will be available for only $25. To enter the ticket lottery, patrons must arrive at the box office (just inside TPAC street level entrance under the marquee at Deaderick and 6th Ave) two and a half hours before showtime of the performance they hope to attend. Upon arrival at the box office, patrons will write their name and the number of tickets (one or two tickets per entrant). Two hours before curtain, a limited number of names will be drawn for tickets in the first two rows of the Orchestra, thus allowing the winning lottery participants to purchase those tickets at the special $25 price!

Following the Nashville dates, The Book of Mormon continues across the country with stops from Grand Rapids to Salt Lake City through August. For tickets or more information about the tour, CLICK HERE. You can also follow the tour on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Next up at TPAC, as their Broadway series continues is the national tour of Anastasia, on stage at Jackson Hall, March 19-24 CLICK HERE for tickets or more information. You can also discover all the latest from TPAC by checking them out online or on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

As always, if you are interested in coverage for your latest entertaining endeavor, simply click the contact page and drop me a note. You can also follow JHP Entertainment on Instagram and Facebook.

Rapid Fire 20 Q with members of Studio Tenn’s ‘The Sinatra Legacy’; select tix remain to this weekend’s limited-run musical event

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Studio Tenn presents “The Sinatra Legacy” on stage at The Franklin Theatre March 13-17 (select production graphics and images by Tony Matula/MA2LA/courtesy Studio Tenn)

Season after season, Studio Tenn produces some of the best dramatic and musical theatre experiences around. For the past six years, in addition to more standard offerings, Studio Tenn has presented their Legacy Series, a limited-engagement celebration of icons in the world of music. This weekend, the company is once again including another installment in the mix of their theatrical season as they present The Sinatra Legacy: A Musical Tribute to Ol’ Blue Eyes, on stage at The Franklin Theatre in nearby Downtown Franklin from March 13-17.

I often say Studio Tenn is as close to Broadway-quality as middle-Tennessee theatre-goers get without booking a vacation to New York City’s theatre district and the inclusion of their Legacy Series proves just that, featuring some of the most talented performers in Music City (or anywhere for that matter) and presenting them in an intimate setting as though a group of friend—albeit ridiculously talented friends—have gathered together to celebrate the musical heritage of one of the 20th Century’s most gifted performers.

Previous Studio Tenn Legacy Series offerings honoring Hank Williams, Johnny Cash, Ray Charles and most recently, Glen Campbell, have been performed on the stages of the company’s usual home, Jamison Hall at The Factory at Franklin, as well as The Schermerhorn Symphony Center and The Ryman Auditorium. This weekend’s upcoming Sinatra Legacy marks the first time since heir inaugural Legacy show that Studio Tenn will once again set up shop at The Franklin Theatre, the beautifully restored historic movie house/live music venue that originally hosted the company’s Hank William Legacy debut back in 2013.

As is usually the case for Studio Tenn’s Legacy Series, the entire run of the show is nearly SOLD OUT, with just a handful of tickets remaining. That said, I was thrilled to get the chance to chat with members of the company for the latest in my recurring interview feature, Rapid Fire 20 Q. Among the conversationalist for this edition, Matt Giraud, frequent Studio Tenn performer who gained notice during 2009’s Season 8 of American Idol for his smooth vocal skills,infectious smile and charming stage presence that landed him in the Top Five. Then I chat with Belmont alum, Maggie Richardson, singer/dancer/choreographer, returning to Studio Tenn, for the first time since having portrayed Dainty June in the company’s 2015 production of Gypsy. Next up is Jaimee Paul, an acclaimed vocalist who, when not providing backup for superstars like Kelly Clarkson and Wynona, has worked with noted producers David Foster and Michael Omartian. Rounding out this edition of Rapid Fire 20 Q is Nashville native, William Hall, who, after studying classical voice at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill has returned to his hometown to continue his education at Vanderbilt while pursuing music right here in Music City.

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RAPID FIRE 20 Q WITH CAST MEMBERS OF STUDIO TENN’S THE SINATRA LEGACY: A MUSICAL TRIBUTE TO OL’ BLUE EYES

RAPID FIRE WITH THE SINATRA LEGACY’S MATT GIRAUD

JHP: From what I remember, Studio Tenn’s 2016 The Ray Legacy, celebrating the music of Ray Charles, marked your debut with the company and now you’re back for this year’s Sinatra Legacy. What is it about these Legacy shows that sets them apart from standard musical theatre?

MATT GIRAUD: Well, before these shows I hadn’t really acted since I was in elementary school and it was the perfect way to get my feet wet, being such a fan of musical theater and this company in general. I’ve learned so much working with them and am absolutely honored to be surrounded by such talented musicians and artists every day. These shows are so special because the quality that they put into them is unlike anything I’ve seen in a live show in Nashville. It’ll take you right back to the Rat Pack era and you’ll forget you live in the present day.

JHP: Some folks likely first took note of you from your time on American Idol. That season’s Top 5 theme was Rat Pack Standards, during which you performed your take on Sinatra’s version of My Funny Valentine. Any chance you’ll revisit the tune during this week’s Sinatra Legacy?

MATT GIRAUD: Ha! We will have to see! With Frank’s catalog there are countless numbers of tunes to pick from and I’m sure some we wish had time for just won’t make it in. Either way, we are definitely going to come out swinging Plus that song got me kicked off of Idol so I kind of hope we don’t! Haha.

JHP: Speaking of The Rat Pack, if you had to name your squad, what would you call yourselves and why?

MATT GIRAUD: Probably The Ignance! Cause we’re all pretty ignant. (Slang for silly/over the top)

JHP: This year marks the first year the Legacy Series returns to The Franklin Theatre. What is it about that historic venue that lends itself perfectly to this type of musical event?

MATT GIRAUD: It will be my first time on stage at the lovely Franklin theater. It’s such an intimate beautiful room that really does have a timeless feel to it. I think it’s a perfect spot to transport each audience back in time for a smokin’ hot, classy, jazz-filled evening.

JHP: Sinatra’s music is timeless. Why do you suppose that is?

MATT GIRAUD: Taking the time to learn and truly live the lyrics to these songs has really shed new light on this music. Yes, some of these tunes were covered by many artists but Frank put a special kind of playful joy or deep sadness on these tunes. He could really break your heart if he wanted to with one song and make you want to dance to the next…just that easily. Listening to him taught me how to truly express these gorgeous lyrics. A reminder to really think about what I am singing to connect with the audience and take them with me emotionally rather than just sing a song. His delivery and the depth in his renditions will always make Frank truly timeless.

RAPID FIRE WITH THE SINATRA LEGACY’S MAGGIE RICHARDSON

JHP: You just choreographed a local production of Singin’ in the Rain, which takes place in the 1930s and now you’re performing in Studio Tenn’s The Sinatra Legacy. Sinatra’s first big break came in the mid-30s thanks to a radio show audition. What is it about that time period that you think was so magical?

MAGGIE RICHARDSON: I love the glamour and romance of this time period. Movies and music were all about stepping into a totally different world. They were a form of escape and a creative outlet where people were given permission to dream. If you look at Frank’s early songs, the romance of the lyrics might actually make you sick (in the best way)!

JHP: Studio Tenn audiences might recognize you from your turn as Dainty June in their 2015 presentation of Gypsy. Is this your first time back with the company? How’s it been so far?

MAGGIE RICHARDSON: Yes! I am absolutely thrilled to be back, after doing theatre around the country and coming back to the Nashville area to raise my precious daughter. Studio Tenn always creates a safe and fun work environment, and they put on incredible shows. I feel SO blessed to be working at this amazing company with these incredible people.

JHP: If you could emulate one aspect of Sinatra’s swagger, what would it be?

MAGGIE RICHARDSON: He had a special way of connecting with the audience and people- a little glimmer of something different that you couldn’t quite put your finger on. I hope to embody and portray that zing.

JHP: I can’t talk Studio Tenn without mentioned one of my theatre crushes, Laura Matula. What’s it like to share the stage with her and the rest of the performers in The Sinatra Legacy?

MAGGIE RICHARDSON: Same! It is magical. I have been looking up to Laura for years, and this is our first time actually working together. I could go on about how much I have learned from her as a performer and as a person. She’s BRILLIANT. And I can’t even tell you how many times I have almost straight up exploded while listening to and watching my fellow cast members perform. They are just insane.

JHP: Speaking of Laura, she’s co-directing alongside Studio Tenn’s Interim Artistic Director, Benji Kern. With these two at the helm, I’m sure we’re in for some surprising takes on Sinatra classics. Can you reveal just a hint of a particular song to look out for?

MAGGIE RICHARDSON: Oh my goodness yes, they are a power team. I will say this…in this show, you’ll be taken on a moody journey and get caught up in moments that take you by surprise. You’ll get everything you came for, but SO much more than you knew you even wanted! My favorite (which is different every day) is Laura and Jaimee’s intimate version of the song Something Stupid.

RAPID FIRE WITH THE SINATRA LEGACY’S JAIMEE PAUL

JHP: Is this your first time working with Studio Tenn?

JAIMEE PAUL: Yes…and I’m so excited about it!

JHP: What is it about The American Songbook style of music that appeals to you as a performer?

JAIMEE PAUL: The lyrics…the songs were so simply written, but yet said so much.

JHP: To put it into the modern vernacular, you could say that Sinatra and the Rat Pack were the original Squad Goals. What famous female singers would be your ideal squad?

JAIMEE PAUL: Bette Midler, Barbra Streisand, and Tina Turner.

JHP: While The Rat Pack seemed quite the boys club, many influential and successful women were also associated with Sinatra and the rest. From Marlene Dietrich and Lauren Bacall to Angie Dickinson and Marilyn Monroe. If you could chat with one of the Rat Pack women, who would it be and what might you ask?

JAIMEE PAUL: I would say Marilyn Monroe…I would ask her, “when you were a little girl, what did you want to do when you grew up?” I’d also love to ask Liza Minnelli, “What it was like growing up with Judy Garland as your mom?”

JHP: Oh, that’s right! Liza was indeed a member of The Rat Pack, touring with Sinatra and Sammy Davis, Jr. after Dean Martin dropped out of the Ultimate Event Tour in the late 80s. Good Call! Is there one particular song in The Sinatra Legacy that you just can’t get enough of, whether it’s one you’re performing, or someone else?

JAIMEE PAUL: I absolutely LOVE, It Was A Very Good Year.  Not only does John-Mark McGaha absolutely nail it, but I now want to add it to my show!

RAPID FIRE WITH THE SINATRA LEGACY’S WILLIAM HALL

JHP: Last year you were part of the audio team for Studio Tenn’s Glen Campbell Legacy and now you’re featured as one of the performers of The Sinatra Legacy. What’s the experience been?

WILLIAM HALL: It has been an absolute blast. I am so thankful to be part of such an amazing cast of singers and musicians. I feel like every rehearsal has been a masterclass in singing and performing, so I am just trying to soak it all in. I’ve been in love with this music since I was young and it’s such a pleasure to get to sing it.

JHP: One thing I love about Studio Tenn’s Legacy Series is that it always seems like a group of friends just hanging out and celebrating music. Is that a fair assessment?

WILLIAM HALL: Absolutely. I think that is one of the things that makes this Legacy process so unique; it’s all about the music. That perspective allows us to be casual and collaborative onstage and let the music speak for itself. I think I speak for everyone when I say that we really do enjoy watching each other perform.

JHP: The promo shoot for The Sinatra Legacy resulted in some fantastic shots of you and your co-stars.. Tony Matula totally captured that Sinatra vibe. What was working on that photo shoot like?

WILLIAM HALL: To be honest I was really nervous! I had never done any kind of photo shoot before. Tony was awesome to work with and I can’t thank him enough for being patient with me. He has an amazing vision and he knows how to make you feel comfortable and like yourself in a laid-back way. We were actually on the set of Always…Patsy Cline for the shoot which added a whole other dramatic element and made it feel more natural. Frank Sinatra had an incredible swagger and cool about him and Tony knew how to play off of those subtleties.

JHP: While The Sinatra Legacy centers on his music, Sinatra also enjoyed a hugely successful film career. What’s your favorite non-musical Sinatra movie?

WILLIAM HALL: From Here to Eternity. I love the behind the scenes story about the film helped pull Frank out of a career slump. It’s also the one that I am most familiar with. For some reason I imagine that Sinatra’s character, Maggio’s feistiness in the movie captured some of his own personality.

JHP: If you could pick a Sinatra career highlight to have witnessed in person—-from crooner to movie star to Vegas headliner to his later comeback—which would you choose?

WILLIAM HALL: I would say either Sinatra Live at the Sands in Vegas, or any of the Rat Pack performances at the Sands around 1965 or so. I have the Live at the Sands recording and I just love the energy of his voice live, the way he phrases things, and interacts with the band.  As far as the Rat Pack goes, I love the way that they play off of each other. They always look like they are really having fun and they are masters of their craft.

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Speaking of masters of their craft really having fun, while most of The Sinatra Legacy‘s five-day run performances are indeed SOLD OUT, at the time of this article, single seat tickets remained for select shows, so say a prayer to the Rat Pack gods and CLICK HERE to try your luck. If you miss out on The Sinatra Legacy, fear not, Studio Tenn’s next musical, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat takes the stage at Jamison Hall from May 17-June 2. As for their Legacy Series, I have it on great authority you will not be disappointed with next year’s offering. CLICK HERE for tickets or more information on Studio Tenn or follow them online at StudioTenn.com or on social media at Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Wanna check out previous Rapid Fire conversations? CLICK HERE. Interested in coverage for your latest entertaining endeavor? Click the contact page and drop me a note. You can also follow JHP Entertainment on Instagram and Facebook.

Rapid Fire Q&A with ‘Book Of Mormon’ stars Liam Tobin and Ron Bohmer; plus ticket lottery details for Nashville tour dates March 12-17

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It’s been five years since the uproarious The Book of Mormon National Tour first played Nashville’s TPAC, but with every subsequent tour of the 9-time Tony-winning show, the laughter gets louder and the enthusiasm of the audiences continues.

As the current stars of the tour prepared for their week in Music City, I recent had the opportunity to pose a few questions to Liam Tobin and Ron Bohmer, who play young missionary, Elder Price and Church of Latter Day Saints founder Joseph Smith, respectively, for the latest round of Rapid Fire Q&A.

RAPID FIRE WITH BOOK OF MORMON’S RON BOHMER

JHP: You play Joseph Smith, the founder of the Church of Latter Day Saints. How familiar were you with his history prior to taking on the role?

RON BOHMER: Saw the South Park version (hysterical), read some pro-Mormon stuff about him , read a more critical book about him. Since ours is a musical world, I took it all and gave him a little bit of Harold Hill, a little bit of Lancelot and a dash of Jean Valjean.

JHP: Do you feel any added responsibility considering you’re playing a character based on a real person?

RON BOHMER: If he were a living person maybe, but since he died in 1844 I’ve yet to have anyone come up and say, “I knew Joseph Smith – and you, sir, are no Joseph Smith!” We try to give him a heroic leading-man quality that honors a Prophet of the Mormon church.

JHP: Bringing such a hilariously irreverent show to audiences across the US who’d otherwise not get the chance to see it must be quite interesting. What do you like most about being on tour?

RON BOHMER: Being in a long-running show can be like Groundhog Day. Touring shakes that up. New environments, new faces, new local crew almost every week. It keeps it fresh. Plus local cuisine and culture constantly changing, it’s great. It’s also a little like being on the moon. I value my vacation time, aka home time.

JHP: On the subject of touring, in researching to chat with you, I discovered you played Joe Gillis in the first National Tour of Sunset Boulevard. Just two weeks ago, I read that Glenn Close starring in the film adaptation of the musical is finally absolutely a go, with Tony-winning choreographer Rob Ashford set to direct. Have you started making calls to audition yet?

RON BOHMER: Ha! Thanks for that. It’s been 22 years since I played Joe Gillis, I’m afraid I’ve aged out of it. But he remains one of my very favorite roles and I’m excited they are doing the film so that more people can see it – of all the Andrew Lloyd Weber shows, it has the best book. Compelling like a car wreck, you can’t look away.

JHP: Book of Mormon is the brainchild of Trey Parker, Robert Lopez and Matt Stone. Parker and Stone, best known as the duo behind South Park, while Lopez co-created the equally bawdy and hilarious Avenue Q. How much fun are you having bringing their brilliance to the stage night after night?

RON BOHMER: The most fun! I get to read a lot of scripts and often I’m thinking about what I can contribute, how I can add something to the show. But Book of Mormon was uproariously funny on the page. I was laughing out loud throughout my read and thinking, “this is perfect. I just want to stay out of the way of how great it is. Just deliver it.”

JHP: Because of it’s no-holds-barred humor, BOM maintains a bit of controversy wherever it plays. What’s your favorite “I can’t believe we get away with this” moment?

RON BOHMER: All of it. I had friends who did the early workshops of the show in NYC and they said, “oh it’s brilliant, but too bad it’ll never get produced. People will never sit still for THAT.” But they do. All of it. I think it’s because our audience gets to caring so much about the characters and because it is always truthful. the most outrages things in the show are based in fact.

JHP: In 2008, you toured with Disney’s High School Musical, playing Coach Bolton. Will this be your first time back to Nashville since that tour?

RON BOHMER: I was back in 2017 with BOM (It’s been 5 years on this show for me, my longest. Les Miz on Broadway was my longest before that, 2 1/2 years). I hope to catch more of the music scene on this visit.

JHP: Of course 2008 wasn’t your first time in Nashville. Back in the 80s, you worked at Opryland, our beloved and much-missed musical theme park. What was your gig at the park? Please tell me you were part of I Hear American Singing?

RON BOHMER: Oh my God, you’re good. Can’t believe you dug that up. Some of the best memories of my life. I was a tap dancer in For Me and My Gal my first summer there, and I was in I Hear America Singing the second. I had a really fun track, doing a lot of the comedy bits and singing Proud Mary a la Credence Clearwater Revival and I was also The Village People lead. It was probably my first pop music training. It really was the greatest, hanging with so many of those incredible singers and dancers who went on to Broadway and Country careers.

JHP: A quick stalk of your social media accounts and I see we have a few mutual friends. Any plans to reconnect with Nashville folks while in town?

RON BOHMER: I hope so, I haven’t seen the Opryland crew in ages. In my mind, we’re all still 20. My main memories of Nashville in the 80’s was everyone, everyone – treated you like you were their long lost friend who just showed back up. It was incredibly comforting. The world could use a little more of that feeling today.

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RAPID FIRE WITH THE BOOK OF MORMON’S LIAM TOBIN

JHP: You’re starring as Elder Price, a young Mormon missionary in the current National Tour of The Book of Mormon. What can you tell me about Elder Price?

LIAM TOBIN: Elder Price is an extremely ambitious young man. He has excelled in pretty much everything in his life so far and is super excited to get out into the world and excel in his mission as well. Of course, we see in the show that through all the chaos and hilarity, instead of changing the world like he planned, the world changes him.

 JHP: What’s life been like for you having been on the road with the show this past year?

LIAM TOBIN: It is such a joy to bring this show around the country. Seeing patrons from all over leaving the show with smiles on their faces and laughing throughout the performance is really special. It’s also a treat to get to explore amazing cities like Nashville!

JHP: How familiar were you with Book of Mormon prior to being cast in the lead for the tour?

LIAM TOBIN: I’ve been a fan of Trey Parker and Matt Stone for years, and The Book of Mormon did not disappoint. I saw the show when it first opened in New York back in 2011, and I’ve been dreaming of playing Elder Price ever since!

JHP: The last time BOM tour came to Nashville’s TPAC, I remember seeing actual members of the Church of Latter Day Saints passing out the real Book of Mormon to theatre-goers as they exited the show. Does that still happen from city to city?

LIAM TOBIN: It sure does! It’s almost rarer when they’re not there!

JHP: Speaking of TPAC, your March 14-17 tour stop isn’t your first time to play Jackson Hall, as you were part of the 2017 National Tour of Beautiful: The Carole King Musical. Did you get much of a chance to see Music City when here last?

LIAM TOBIN: Absolutely, Nashville is definitely one of the highlight cities for us on the tour. Last time I came through we managed to see a TON of live music and even got into the Bluebird Cafe! We can’t wait to come back for more!

JHP: Any particular things you plan to check out in Nashville this time around?

LIAM TOBIN: My favourite thing to do is to “get lost” in a city and see where it takes me. For Nashville, I’m hoping to get lost in all of the live music the city has to offer – it’s really spectacular!

JHP: Having been with the show for a while now, are there still lines, or scenes that make you genuinely laugh?

LIAM TOBIN: Oh absolutely, so many of my cast mates are incredibly talented and are a real joy to watch. When Conner Pierson and Kayla Pecchioni sing Baptize Me, it never fails to make me laugh.

 JHP: What’s your favorite aspect of Elder Price’s personality that you wish you could adopt more in your own?

LIAM TOBIN: I think towards the end of the show, he is able to self reflect and make some changes to his behaviour and treatment of others, which is something I think we could all do better with.

 JHP: What do you think is the message behind Book of Mormon?

LIAM TOBIN: I think the show has a lovely message of friendship, love, and that whatever you believe – if it’s helping people or making the world a better place – then that’s valid.

The Book of Mormon opens its Nashville tour dates at TPAC’s Jackson Hall on Tuesday, March 12 and continues through Sunday, March 17. Tuesday-Thursday curtain is 7:30p.m. with Friday and Saturday evening performances at 8 p.m., matinee performances on Saturday at 2p.m. and Sunday at 1 p.m. with a final evening performance Sunday at 6:30p.m. Tickets range in price from $45 to $115. Just last week, TPAC announced a special ticket lottery for all Nashville performances. For each performance, a limited number of tickets will be available for only $25. To enter the ticket lottery, patrons must arrive at the box office (just inside TPAC street level entrance under the marquee at Deaderick and 6th Ave) two and a half hours before showtime of the performance they hope to attend. Upon arrival at the box office, patrons will write their name and the number of tickets (one or two tickets per entrant). Two hours before curtain, a limited number of names will be drawn for tickets in the first two rows of the Orchestra, thus allowing the winning lottery participants to purchase those tickets at the special $25 price!

Following the Nashville dates, The Book of Mormon continues across the country with stops from Grand Rapids to Salt Lake City through August. For tickets or more information about the tour, CLICK HERE. You can also follow the tour on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Next up at TPAC, as their Broadway series continues is the national tour of Anastasia, on stage at Jackson Hall, March 19-24 CLICK HERE for tickets or more information. You can also discover all the latest from TPAC by checking them out online or on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

As always, if you are interested in coverage for your latest entertaining endeavor, simply click the contact page and drop me a note. You can also follow JHP Entertainment on Instagram and Facebook.

 

Rapid Fire Q & A with cast of Chaffin’s Barn’s ‘Kiss Me, Kate’: final performances this weekend

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Martha Wilkinson and Matthew Carlton in Chaffin’s Barn Dinner Theatre’s “Kiss Me, Kate”

Directed by Everett Tarlton, this weekend marks the final two chances for audiences to see Chaffin’s Barn Dinner Theatre’s wonderfully riotous romp that is Kiss Me, Kate. Full to the brim with Cole Porter tunes, Kiss Me, Kate tells the tale of a diva film actress returning to the stage in a musical stage adaptation of William Shakespeare’s Taming of the Shrew that just so happens to co-star and be directed by the actress’s ex. Chaffin’s own grande dame of the theatre, Martha Wilkinson stars as the diva with Matthew Carlton playing opposite her as her estranged ex husband.

Since I posted my review of the show opening weekend, it seems appropriate that I mark the end of the play’s run by sharing my latest Rapid Fire Q&A.

Busily juggling starring in their current production and seamlessly moving into directing the debut of their next production, Dan Zimmerle’s biblical musical, Esther, Wilkinson kicked things off with bit of interesting insights concerning returning to a role she debuted on the very same stage some years ago. The conversations continue as I chat with her then and now co-star, Matthew Carlton, as well as Mallory Mundy, Caleb Pless and Timothy Fudge.

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RAPID FIRE Q&A WITH CAST OF CHAFFIN’S BARN DINNER THEATRE’S KISS ME, KATE

RAPID FIRE WITH KISS ME, KATE’S MARTHA WILKINSON

JHP: I understand this production of Kiss Me, Kate might conjure a bit of a déjà vu for you and your co-star Matthew Carlton?

MARTHA WILKINSON: Yes, Matt and I played Lilli/Kate and Fred/Petruchio in 1993 at Chaffin’s under Rene Copeland’s direction. We were too young then but, it’s magical to return to  this show with him again.

RAPID FIRE WITH KISS ME, KATE’S MATTHEW CARLTON

JHP: What’s it like revisiting Fred Graham and Petruchio all these years later?

MATTHEW CARLTON: When we did it before, I don’t think I was old enough to relate to the complicated past the characters shared both personally and professionally in the storyline.  Now, I understand more fully what a life on the stage can bring and I feel very cozy in Fred’s skin.

JHP: What are you enjoying most about playing opposite Martha in Kiss Me, Kate?

MATTHEW CARLTON: Martha is a true one of a kind performer. Having a close friendship on and off stage for so long, makes working together a joy. We have a pure trust and ease together and hopefully the audience will catch that vibe and be a partner in the fun that we share playing together.

JHP: As Fred, you are not only directing the show within the show, but also starring in it as Petruchio. What’s the best aspect of playing what is essentially dual roles?

MATHEW CARLTON: The writers of this classic show have done all the work and the parallel character traits of Fred & Petruchio are drawn beautifully in the script.  It’s a challenging role for sure, with a broad range to cover, but great writing always makes an actor’s job easier.

JHP: Of course you’ve got plenty of actual Shakespearean experience having been seen in a number of Nashville Shakespeare Festival productions over the years. Why does Shakespeare still seem to intimidate some audiences and what about Kiss Me, Kate helps to bridge that gap?

MATTHEW CARLTON: Some folks may have the impression that Shakespeare is too “highfalootin”  for the average person but he wrote plays that all the audience members, no matter their status or station, could appreciate and relate to. KMK‘s parallel backstage storyline echoes the relationship and personalities of the  main characters in Shrew and illustrates the timelessness of the Bard’s understanding of human nature.

Mallory Munday as Lois

RAPID FIRE WITH KISS ME, KATE’S MALLORY MUNDY

JHP: You’re playing Lois Lane. What’s up with that character name? Do you think Cole Porter was a comic book nerd? After all, the OTHER Lois Lane made her debut in comic book form a full decade before Kiss Me, Kate premiered.

MALLORY MUNDY: Gosh, that’s such a tough call to make. If I wanted to overthink it (which I have a nature for doing), I could guess that maybe it was Porter’s humorous way of nodding at the comic book character.  It is my limited understanding that in the comic book, Lois Lane is a more conservative career woman, whereas in this show, she’s far from conservative.  One might say she is a career woman, but the type of career and means of establishing that career are contrary to the comic’s Lane.

JHP: Some have said the play and especially its source material are misogynistic. What do you think?

MALLORY MUNDY:  Hahaha.  Sure, there’s definitely some misogynistic substance in there, but it is most specifically in the source material.  I’m probably the worst person to comment on this because, while I do not agree with misogynistic ideals, I am a big proponent of understanding the time and place of a story.  There are some cringe-worthy lines within the play,  HOWEVER, I think we have done a really tasteful job of presenting the material in a way that absolutely does not celebrate those prejudices toward women.  As far as Cole Porter’s script, some might argue that Lois is a celebration of a woman’s sexual freedom.  And, if paying attention, one will see that the end of the play is fighting against the ideals seen in The Taming of the Shrew.

JHP: Like your co-stars, you play dual roles, first as the actress Lois Lane and also as Bianca, the character she plays in Shrew. What are the best traits of Lois/Bianca?

MALLORY MUNDY:  Lois is such a fun role because she is the ‘ditzy,’ sexy role that is so typical is classic musicals (especially Cole Porter’s).  The thing about Lois, though, is that she isn’t the idiot that she could easily be perceived to be.  She’s actually very clever, very determined, but uneducated and inexperienced in common experiences.

The best thing about Bianca, for me, is the fact that she’s played by a nightclub performer who has no idea what she is doing as an actress.

JHP: What’s most fun about playing opposite Martha?

MALLORY MUNDY:  Jonathan, how am I supposed to choose one??  Martha is the essence of delightful.  She’s playful, witty, smart, strong, talented, dynamic, one of the funniest people I have ever known.  The weekend I moved to Nashville as a Belmont student, my (now) brother-in-law was playing bass in the band for Johnny Guitar at The Barn.  Martha was the first leading lady I saw in a professional show in Nashville.  Her strong, quick-witted, brilliantly talented performance wooed me, especially as an aspiring theatre actress myself.  I have looked up to her ever since.  Watching Martha in rehearsals is like getting paid to take a master class in acting.  This isn’t the first show I’ve gotten to do with Martha, but it is the first time I’ve gotten to play the other leading lady with her, and it’s much like a dream come true!

 

RAPID FIRE WITH KISS ME, KATE’S CALEB PLESS

JHP: Tell me about Bill Calhoun?

CALEB PLESS: Bill is the suave, take chances kind of guy. A heavy gambler always getting involved in things he shouldn’t. He’s paired with Lois and Mr. Fred Graham has given them this new opportunity to preform with him in his big Shakespeare show. However, Bill May cause more trouble than Fred was expecting!

JHP: While Everett Tarlton and Curtis Lemoine are the show’s dance captain and assistant choreographer, your character is a dancer and you, yourself have a background in dance. What’s your favorite choreo moment in the show?

CALEB PLESS: Both Everett and Curtis are such great dancers and choreographers and I’ve had a blast getting to perform everything that they have created. It’s hard to pick a favorite moment but I think I would have to say the end of Another Opening. This song starts the whole show and comes out with such high energy that really sets the whole tone of the performance. There’s something so magical and powerful about seeing the whole cast dancing in sync!

JHP: Bill has an affinity for gambling. In a game of five cars stud with your co-stars, who’d win and why?

CALEB PLESS: While my character is a gambler we definitely don’t have that in common. I have a very telling face! However, I feel that I could probably use that to my advantage and no one would expect that from me. I’d be the underdog that could possibly come out on top!

JHP: Is this your first Chaffin’s show? AND….Bill is dating Lois, meaning you get to share the stage with one of my theatre crushes, Mallory. Are you enjoying playing her love interest?

CALEB PLESS: Yes, this is my first show at Chaffin’s barn and also my first show in my home city of Nashville! I’m very grateful for this opportunity. Mallory is the best! Such a talented performer and wonderful person on stage and off. She is always open to discussing and working through acting moments and is not afraid to try new things on stage. So happy to be sharing the stage with her!

RAPID FIRE WITH KISS ME, KATE’S TIMOTHY FUDGE

JHP: As Harry Trevor, you have mostly Shakespearean dialogue as your character plays Baptista in Shrew, the play within the play . What about the Shakespearean dialogue do you enjoy most?

TIM FUDGE: I’m having fun with the Shakespearean text. In my career as a musical theatre actor I have taken workshops in Shakespearean acting and have auditioned for many Shakespearean productions, but this is the first time I’ve had the chance to perform it. I love researching the meaning of words and phrases to make sure I am clear in what I’m wanting the audience to understand.

JHP: As Baptista, you’re Kate and Bianca’s father. Of course Martha plays Kate and Mallory plays Bianca. Tell me about sharing scenes with these two.

TIM FUDGE: They are both such amazing performers! I have music directed Mallory before, but this is my first time sharing the stage with her and she is a joy to work with. Martha and I have worked together for 30 years (of course, she was just a child actress at the time!), so we have a long history from which to pull. I always love sharing the stage with her!! It is wonderful to feel so safe and secure onstage with these two consummate actresses.

JHP: With a character like Harry, there’s not much exposition. What backstory might you you concoct to get into character?

TIM FUDGE: Yes, we are given very little background on Harry, but I love thinking of him as an actor very much like myself. He’s worked in the theatre his whole adult life with no great financial success, but he is doing what he loves and that’s all that matters to him.

JHP: What about this production, with this company, appealed to you as an actor?

TIM FUDGE: Well, I’ve worked at the Barn off and on for 30 years – as an actor, a waiter, and mostly as a music director – and now under the new ownership, they can offer Equity contracts. I haven’t been able to be onstage here in many years due to my union status, so it’s wonderful to have the opportunity to perform here again. As far as Kiss Me, Kate goes, I’ve never even seen it before so it’s a new show to me! That’s always fun!!

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Whether, like Tim, Kiss Me, Kate is a new show for you, or an old favorite, you have two final chances to see this great production at Chaffin’s Barn Dinner Theatre with closing performances Friday and Saturday, March 8 and 9 at 7:30 p.m. each evening. Show tickets are $13 for Children 12 and Under, $20 for Youth and Students and $35 for Adults. As the venue’s name indicates, Chaffin’s also offers a full a la carte menu with items ranging from starters and an all-you-can eat soup and salad bar to meat and side entrees and small plate and sandwich options.  CLICK HERE for tickets or call 615.646.9977.

As mentioned above, following Kiss Me, Kate, Chaffin’s will debut Esther,an all-new musical based on the Bible’s beautiful Queen Esther by Dan Zimmerle. Directed by Wilkinson, with choreography by Tarlton, this limited run premiere will take to Chaffin’s main stage March 21, 23, 24 & 28. CLICK HERE for tickets or more information. To keep up with the latest from Chaffin’s Barn Dinner Theatre, find them online at ChaffinsBarnTheatre.com, ’like’ them on Facebook and follow them on Instagram and Twitter.

Interested in coverage for your latest entertaining endeavor? Click the contact page and drop me a note. You can also follow JHP Entertainment on Instagram and Facebook.