Archives for May 2022

Prior to attending the Music City Opening Night performance of the current National Tour of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Oklahoma!, which continues at TPAC’s Jackson Hall through Sunday, May 8, I had heard a wide range of opinions about Daniel Fish’s Tony-winning revival. Heck, I’d even formed a few preconceived notions myself, considering the original 1943 production, and Hollywood’s iconic film adaptation that followed a decade later are the stuff of which legends are made.

Among the rumblings, folks seem to be out of joint for a variety of reasons. Some feel it’s too dark and brooding. Others don’t care for the ‘checking every box’ overly-politically correct nature of the casting, or the striped down consolidation of the action now all taking place at a barn dance, rather than the typical multiple set-changes. Still others apparently have their petticoats in a twist because of the amped-up sexual tension, potentially triggering subject matter and interesting choices concerning everything from the choreography to the over-exaggerated accents.

I’m here to tell you, within the first few minutes, for me at least, very little of that mattered. Even as the audience made their way to their seats, Jackson Hall was lit a little brighter than usual, thanks to the curtain being up on the stage and Scott Zielinski’s overly-saturated bright white lighting making the sparse set almost glow. As for the set, Laura Jellinek’s simply but purposeful stark set which seems to depict the interior of a barn or social gathering spot with a few rows of picnic tables and a wall lined with rows and rows of gun racks full of rifles. The play is set in Indian Territory in 1906, after all.  This might not be the farmhouse, surrey, corale or paddocks to which audience have grown accustomed, nonetheless, it still seems familiar and easy.

In preparation for my recent Rapid Fire 20Q during which I chatted with members of the cast of Oklahoma!, I fell down a YouTube rabbit hole and discovered an old black and white clip of an early stage mounting of the show, so as soon as I saw the scrim that covers the back of the stage with it’s simple graphic of a farmhouse and a barn set along the great expanse of the land, I realized it’s a brilliant nod to Lemuel Ayers’ original Broadway set design for that early scrim is almost identical. From the familiar opening number, Oh What a Beautiful Morning, now presented in a less-than-optimistic slower tempo, it’s indeed evident this is not only a revival, but a complete reimagining. Sean Grandillo’s Curly, completely opposite the usual strapping buck of a leading man, is a slight young young thing…with straight hair at that. But here’s what he has going for him in spite of his less-than-intimidating presence, this Curly’s got swagger, confidence, a strong tenor voice and can play a mean lick on his guitar.

On the subject of the show’s soundtrack, gone are the sweeping full orchestrations of previous incarnations, replaced instead by a 7-piece on-stage orchestra. Alright, calling it an orchestra seems a little grandiose. In keeping with this new Oklahoma!, it’s more like a house-band made up of Andy Collopy who serves as conductor, as well as playing the accordion and drums; associate conductor, Dominnic Lamorte, who also plays upright bass; Rick Snell on mandolin & electric guitar; Liz Faure on pedal steel, acoustic and electric guitar; Justin Hiltner on Banjo, Libby Weitnauer on Violin (come on, that’s a fiddle) and Grace Hartman Parce on Cello. I mention the band early on simply because Daniel Kluger’s new orchestrations and arrangements are a vital part of why this production skews darker than we’re used to.

Another genius aspect of this incarnation is that while the tempo of the tunes and the emotion and intonation of the delivery may have changed, the lyrics, and for that matter, the dialogue is the exact same as it has always been. A prime example of how this affects the mood and meaning of the show is seen when Curly attempts to woo Laurey (Sasha Hutchings) as he describes the fancy horse-drawn surrey he intends to take her to the comping social in. With no change at all in the lyrics, but a slower, more seductive delivery, he describes taking her on a date, keeping her out all night and waking up still in the surrey together. The tune’s lyrics “whoa! You team, and just keep a-creepin’ at a slow clip clop. Don’t you worry with the surrey with the fringe on the top” suddenly take on a new meaning. Is Curley telling Laurey not to worry if anyone see’s their surrey ride of shame the next morning as the top of the carriage will keep their secret? Maybe. Maybe not.

As for Laurey, Hutchings strikes a gorgeous, tall figure of a woman and her voice possesses a raw throaty quality. It’s almost as if she’s singing from the back of her mouth and not at full power, but it kinda works. It adds to Laurey’s predicament of being the object of affection to more than one man. I do have to say this, though. Both my companion for the evening and I noticed Hutchings kept futzing with her hair, constantly doing an almost exaggerated sweeping motion with her hand, pushing it up and presumably away from her face. It became an odd distraction for me and my friend.

Hennessey Winkler is cast in the role of Will Parker, who takes on the next song in the show, Kansas City, a tune that extols the fabulousness of the nearby modern town. In the playfully capable hands of Winkler, who was quoted in a recent interview admitting Ado Annie was a dream role, until he transitioned to male, you gotta wonder though, have they indeed “gone about as far as they can go”? While singing about a particularly voluptuous female he encountered at a burlesque show, he recalls, “One of the gals was fat and pink and pretty. As round above as she was round below”. Y’all! Those lyrics! And again, thanks to his delivery, that description takes on a whole other super-sexualized meaning. Made all the more obvious by Winkler picking up a shucked ear of corn on the nearby picnic table and holding it just so, as to suggest…how shall I say this…the early 1900s equivalent of today’s eggplant emoji. Hilariously, a similar suggestive ideal comes later when the ladies all shuck corn, then violently begin to break the cobs in half as they toss them into a barre during Many a New Day. I can’t be the only person who saw these not so subtle things and thought these bawdy campy thoughts, right?

Speaking of camp, enter Ado Annie played by trans actress and activist, Sis. Here’s the deal, I myself am a member of a couple of less-than-equally-represented demographics, one being I was born with a neuromuscular disorder that now requires I use forearm crutches to walk, so when Fish debuted his Oklahoma! on Broadway coinciding with the show’s 75th anniversary and he cast wheelchair-using actress/singer Ali Stoker as Ado Annie, who subsequently won the Tony, I was all for it. Now, when the tour was announced and Stoker’s star was on the rise, I figured she wouldn’t join the tour, but I had kinda thought they might cast another wheelchair’d actress. Nope. Sis won the role. Again preconceived notions and my own thoughts of the powers that be overcompensating for decades of Broadway literally and figuratively being the great white way, by checking all the boxes was my initial reaction. But the minute Sis breaks into Ado Annie’s signature song, I Cain’t Say No, I was done…in the best way possible. Sis, who is the very definition of a big, Black, beautiful woman, owns that song, the stage and everything that comes with it. As if the first few verses aren’t enough, she goes to the rear of the stage, grabs the mic from the stand by the band, comes back to the edge of the stage and breaks out into a rollicking reprise. Plus, the juxtaposition of Winkler’s Will Parker and Sis’ Ado Annie, is a perfect comedic role reversal in every sense of the word. Yes, it’s ok to laugh, ‘cause guess what, they’re totally in on it.

Other standout performances come by way of Benj Mirman as Ali Hakim and Barbara Walsh as Aunt Eller. Mirman’s Hakim, the Persian peddler who finds himself unexpected betrothed to Ado Annie at her father’s (Mitch Tebo) insistence, gets his shining moment with It’s a Scandal, It’s a Outrage. As for Walsh’s Aunt Eller, she gets a section of choice comebacks and knowing glances throughout the show, as well as featuring prominently during most of the all-in moments.

Then there’s Christopher Bannow’s Jud Fry, in spite of the fact that Jud doesn’t really say much during the first half of the show, thanks to director Fish’s keen sense of anticipation, even when Jud is just sitting there at one of the picnic tables while Curly flirts with Laurey, he can be seen, reacting. Doing things as seemingly inconsequential as shifting in his seat, or sitting up a little straighter when Laurey walks near him or listening more intently when she’s talking. All of this leads up to one of the show’s most volatile and creative scenes.

Curly, realizing Jud also has his eye on Laurey, pays Jud a visit. While there, he goes so far as to suggest that Jud hang hmself, explaining by the lyrically sinister Pore Jud is Daid that if he offs himself, he will finally garner the love and empathy of Laurey and the entire town. Adding to the drama of this scene, the entire theatre goes completely black and the two men talk to each other using handheld mics. Suddenly out of the darkness, Jud’s face is projected in black and white on the scrim behind the stage, thanks to a member of the crew and a handheld video cam. It’s at this precise moment that the rows of seats between the audience and the actors effectively disappear, making the audience truly feel part of the show. Interesting, considering the fact that during the show’s Broadway run, it was housed in the very intimate Circle In The Square Theatre, a 776 seat theatre in the round, where the audience surround the stage on all four sides. Furthermore, during the first act of the Broadway run, the cast literally made chili and cornbread which they served to the audience during intermission.

Of course that intimacy isn’t possible for a National Tour, but the dimming of the lights and then the projection of the actors faces in severe close up, for that moment, bridges the distance and effectively achieves that closeness. Jud’s Lonely Room follows and his isolation and emotion during this song, simply heart wrenching.

The blackout effect is successfully used a second time when Laurey and Curly get a little intimate on a date, unfortunately, the smacking of their lips into their handheld mics during this scene turn a heated romantic moment into an uncomfortable exaggeration.

Another major difference between traditional mountings of the show and the current version is the fact that the Dream Ballet, originally choreographed by Agnes de Mille, and the stuff of which legends are made, has shifted from the end of Act 1 just after Laurey solo’s on Out of My Dreams, to the top of Act 2. Not only that, gone are the stunningly ethereal movements of most of the cast members and they bring to life Laurey’s dream/nightmare of being torn between two men. Instead, a single barefoot dancer emerges wearing an iridescent white t-shirt emblazoned with the message “Dream Baby Dream”. This might be my one biggest disappointment with the update. I get that it’s modern dance, but scooting across the stage like a puppy with a clogged gland, that’s not dance, that’s just bizarre. Now, I’m no dancer, though I did win the dance contest at homecoming in high school one year, but let’s face it, it was a popularity vote, but I digress. Again, my companion for the evening had a little to say about this particular moment. She is a trained dancer, so there’s some merit in her reaction. She too felt as if we were watching the equivalent of a young child performing for the family in the living room after Sunday dinner, noting the lack of proper extensions and a pointless pointe. That said, we both appreciated the final seconds of the Dream Ballet, when an ensemble member joined the soloist onstage and they embrace whilst the lighting shifts, casting their shadow large across the wall. Another beautiful nod to the original and the film version.

The story’s still-shocking conclusion is handled in an interesting way when the groom and his intended are about to say their I Dos and they’re interrupted by a third party. There’s a gunshot, the after effects of which result in the white-clad marital couple staining not only their wedding attire with the red splatter of the moment, but potentially also staining their future happiness. (How’s that for an attempt at not spoiling a 75-year-old musical theatre moment?

With that the rollercoaster of emotion that is Oklahoma! ends, and just like any good traditional musical theatre icon, the cast, even the daid one, returns to the stage for curtain call and one last rousing version of the titular tune. And yes, the audience stood for a well-deserved ovation.

Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Oklahoma!  continues in Nashville at TPAC’s Jackson Hall with performances thru Sunday, May 8. CLICK HERE for tickets.

Not in Nashville? Oklahoma! continues its North American Tour with dates across the US through the fall. CLICK HERE for show dates and locations or follow Oklahoma! on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

For more from Benj Mirman and Christopher Bannow check out their Instas.

As for TPAC, next up is the World Premiere presentation of May We All: A New Country Musical, June 7-July 17. Be sure to check out TPAC online and on socials by clicking any of the following:  TPAC.org, TPAC on Instagram, TPAC on Facebook, TPAC on Twitter and TPAC on YouTube.

As always, if you wanna follow JHPEntertainment to find out who I’m chatting with for my next Rapid Fire Q&A, or for my take on the latest local and national theatre, music and movie offerings, find us at JHPEntertainment on Facebook, JHPEntertainment on Instagram  and JHPEntertainment on Twitter.

Got an event or show we should know about, drop us a line at the Contact tab. Till then, #GoSeeTheShow!

Having first been announced Disney and Cameron Mackintosh’s Mary Poppins as an intended part of their 2020 season, Nashville Repertory Theatre’s Mary Poppins, as directed by Micah-Shane Brewer, made its debut last week on April 28 to a near-sold out crowd at TPAC’s Polk Theatre, featuring some of the Nashville theatre community’s most-beloved actors, as well as a few newer faces. Unable to attend opening night, but it being one of my favorite shows, I was thrilled to catch the show during its second evening performance.

While the literary world was first introduced to self-professed practically perfect nanny Mary Poppins in author P. L. Travers‘ 1934 children’s book of the same name, as well as seven subsequent sequels through 1988, it’s likely Julie Andrews‘ iconic portrayal in Disney’s 1964 film that most think of when they hear the name. In 2004, the theatrical division of Disney, who had already enjoyed success by adapting both Beauty and the Beast and The Lion King for the Broadway stage, did the same for Mary Poppins. With Book by Julian Fellows (yes, that Julian Fellows, of Downton Abbey and The Gilded Age fame) and additional music and lyrics by George Stiles and Anthony Drewe, added to original music featured in the Disney film by Richard and Robert Sherman, the creative team breathed new life into the magical world of Poppins, her jack-of-all-trades friend Bert and The Banks family who reside at No. 17 Cherry Tree Lane.

Upon entering the Polk Theatre last weekend, my eye immediately fixed upon the the scrim concealing the set, as the canvas curtain features the exterior of the familiar row of houses on Cherry Tree Lane. What struck me so what the illustration-like nature of the scene for it looks as if it might have somehow been rendered in pen and ink, not unlike the drawings by Mary Shepard that accompanied the original books by Travers when the stories were first published. According to the program, Scenery for Nashville Rep’s production of Mary Poppins has been provided by Music Theatre of Wichita and designed by J. David Branson. When the scrim rises, the interior set pieces of 13 Cherry Tree Lane continue to pay homage to Shepard’s illustrations with corners and shadows created by hashmarks and layering of color. 

For Nashville Rep’s Mary Poppins, has cast Nashville Rep newcomer, Christine McNeal in the title role. Among McNeal’s theatrical credits, a solo show at 54 Below and an international tour as Daphne in Scooby Doo Live. Near the top of the show, upon decided for herself that she’ll be hired by The Banks family to take charge of their young children Jane and Michael, McNeal’s Mary Poppins extols her qualifications in Practically Perfect, the first of many gloriously infectious tunes; some new, some carried over from the Disney film as mentioned above. Under the direction of director Brewer, McNeal is playing the role with a hint more prudent sternness than I’ve seen in the past. The children seem to have a genuine respect for her as their Nanny. That said, McNeal also finds interesting layers in the often single-dimensional character perhaps taking to heart the lyrics from A Spoonful of Sugar, “In ever job that must be done, there is an element of fun. Find the fun and snap! The job’s a game”. McNeal gets the job of portraying Mary Poppins done, but again, to borrow a lyrical phrase…”in the most delightful way”.

The aforementioned Banks family comes to life by way of Geoff Davin as Mr. George Banks, Natalie Rankin as Mrs. Banks and two sets of young actors alternating the roles of the Banks’ offspring and Mary Poppins’ charges, Michael and Jane Banks. At various performances, Jackson Benfield & Danny Davis play Michael, while Mia Blaise Campbell and Sarah Hedrick alternate duties as Jane. The night I saw the show, the children were played by Benfield and Campbell.

Davin as Mr. Banks, has the daunting task of being the family’s business-minded task master. A role he plays to the hilt, balancing a seemingly stern exterior with the deeper love and first priority of his family’s success and happiness. The softer side of Mr. Banks is revealed in Act 1’s lighthearted Cherry Tree Lane and the thoughtful A Man Has Dreams. The latter of which gets a reprise near the end of Act 2. Interestingly, Mr. Banks’ more self deprecating number, Good for Nothing which is in some stage versions that I’ve seen in the past, was absent from this production.

Rankin is fabulous as Banks’ loving wife with a mind of her own. She hold’s her on as wife, mother and lady of the house with an undeniable feistiness. Musically, Rankin’s high point as Winifred Banks comes in the sentimental but telling, Being Mrs. Banks.

As Jane and Michael, Benfield and Campbell light up every scene they’re in, as I’m sure their cohorts do during their alternate appearances. Their interaction with McNeal’s Mary Poppins and the rest of the cast is truly blissful. I particularly enjoyed Benfield and Campbell’s mischievousness regarding their behavior around Gavin’s Mr. Banks. They also seem to genuinely be having a blast as Michael and Jane during many of the show’s familiar moments with Mary and Bert.

Speaking of Bert, the man of many occupations who’s got the inside track on Mary Poppins. Also making his Nashville Rep debut, Jeremy Benton is happiness personified. Having first seen Benton  in the National Tour of Broadway’s Anything Goes, then again in the tour of White Christmas, I’ve known for a while the Tennessee native is an accomplished singer/dancer/actor…a true triple threat. Benton is front and center in many of the evening’s breathtaking dance sequences, as well he should be. Having seen several iterations of the show, both on Broadway, on tour and regional, I was curious if Nashville Rep would present the full Step in Time experience where Bert magically walks up the wall of the proscenium, then proceeds to perform a tap-tastic upside down dance across the ceiling. Indeed they did and Benton is not only gravity-defying, he does this with excitement, energy and an obvious abundance of joy. Y’all! It’s truly one of the most spectacular theatrical moments I’ve ever been witness to in my life. I think because it happens in a theatrical company I have grown to love and being performed by a talent I’ve come to truly admire and consider one of my theatre crushes, just makes it all the more special.

Christine Zimmerman’s choreography crushes it with her faithful nod to original choreography featured in the Broadway show. An Associate Professor of Dance at Ball State, Mary Poppins also marks Zimmerman’s first Nashville Rep show. Yup. She’ll be back.

Special mention has to be made of Katie Bruno, Jonah M. Jackson and Dennis R. Elkins. Bruno and Jackson play The Banks Family’s house staff, Mrs. Brill and Robertson Ay, respectively. These two obviously feed off each other perfectly giving the audience some of the show’s best snark and silliest slapstick physical comedy moments. I always think of character actresses like Mary Wickes and Hermione Baddeley when I see Bruno in a supporting comedic role. Interestingly, both Wickes and Baddeley themselves have ties to Poppins. Wickes played the lead in a 1949 TV adaptation, while Baddeley played the maid in the Disney film. Jackson goes all in for laughs, pratfalls and all leading into and out of one of the show’s most popular numbers, A Spoonful of Sugar.

As for Elkins, who plays Admiral Boom, the Park Keeper and the Bank Chairman, where has this treasure of a character actor been? According to his bio, he’s got more than two decades of theatre experiences in Tennessee, Georgia and Colorado and is currently working with Encore Theatrical Company in Morristown, but I’ve a feeling now that Nashville Rep has featured him in this myriad of charming character roles, each of which he plays to the hilt, Nashville audiences will surely see more of him.

Then there’s the magical unicorn of a talent, Jennifer Whitcomb-Oliva. Whitcomb-Oliva pulls triple-duty in Mary Poppins appearing first near the end of Act 1 as Mrs. Corry, then briefly as the Statue of Queen Victoria, and finally as Miss Andrew, George Banks’ own Nanny, three characters created and expended when the musical was adapted for the stage. When Mary takes the children on a walk in the park, they encounter Mrs. Corry, who runs the Talking Shop, a place to buy conversations and gingerbread stars. What? What else pairs well with letters of the alphabet for sale? Come on, it’s Mary Poppins, just go with it. That leads to an all-in moment and another familiar tune, Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious. With a brightly colored costume and wonderfully whacky wig for Whitcomb-Oliva it’s another moment in the show I dare anyone who sees it to try not to sing and clap along. On that note, as my friend, Bryce and I were walking into the lobby, I ran into Nashville Rep’s Executive Director, Drew Ogle. As we chatted, he mentioned that opening night he, and the cast were surprised when the audience randomly, unanimously erupted into syncopated applause during a couple of the numbers. I guess they’re used to it by now, because the same spontaneous magic happened the night I attended.

While Whitcomb-Oliva’s Mrs. Corry is a hand-clapping delight, it’s her more playfully sinister turn as the strict Miss Andrew that’s simply marvelous. As the darkly-dressed villainous Miss Andrew, complete with a Jane Russell-esque swirl of gray among her severely styled raven-colored wig, Whitcomb-Oliva revels in the role during the lyrically frightful Brimstone and Treacle near the top of Act 2 and again during a good vs. evil mashup of Brimstone and Spoonful with McNeal’s Mary Poppins towards the end of the show.

Speaking of that moment, the larger than life birdcage that (Spoiler Alert!) soon houses Miss Andrew, features a giant version of Mary Poppins’ parrot umbrella topper, complete with winking eye. Gorgeous!

I can’t review Nashville Rep’s Mary Poppins without special mention of Denise Hicks. Hicks, a legend among the Nashville theatre community, plays not only Miss Lark, the puppy-carrying neighbor to the Banks family, but she’s also featured as the Bird Woman, the elderly lady who sells bird seed for “tuppence a bag”. Knowing Hicks was cast in the role, as Bryce and I settled into our seats, I leaned over and told him to avert his glance away from me during the heart-wrenching moment when Hicks’ Bird Woman sings Feed the Birds, and as certain as Mary Poppins comes in on the east wind, when Feed the Birds happened, I was once again thankful that masks are still being required in the theatre because my eyes began to sweat as I sobbed uncontrollably.

As for the technical aspects of the show, musical director and conductor,Randy Craft and the in-house orchestra, Nate Stasser, Ming Aldrich-Gan, Michael Meadows, Brad Williamson, Melodie Chase, Harry Ditzel, Michelle McClary, Robbie Shankle, Matthew Davich, Garen Webb and Casey Brefka do a tremendous job bringing music—familiar and new—to life.

Sound designer Tanner Roman and Lighting designer Mike Wood and every single person involved in this production deserves high praise for the stunningly beautiful job they’ve done. In particular, Nashville Rep’s resident costume goddess, Lori Gann-Smith and her incredible team, who according to a recent  behind-the-scenes post on The Rep’s socials, reveals they constructed a mind-boggling 80 pieces for the show. From Mary Poppins’ signature blue topcoat, flower-festooned black straw hat and ever-present parrot umbrella to her iconic white with red accented Jolly Holiday dress and from Bert’s chimney sweep tattered clothing to his white and red striped jacket and bright white pants park attire and everything in between it’s all there and looking lovelier than ever.

There’s a line in Anything Thing Can Happen, the show’s final number that says, “If you reach for the heavens you get the stars thrown in”. Nashville Rep’s Mary Poppins has certainly done both, reached for and attained heavenly musical theatre status and the show’ is certainly chocked full of stars!

Mary Poppins continues through May 8 at TPAC‘s Polk Theatre. CLICK HERE to purchase tickets or for more information. In case you missed it, CLICK HERE to check out my recent Rapid Fire 20Q when I got the chance last week to chat with Mary Poppins’ stars Christine McNeal, Jeremy Benton, Geoff Davin and Natalie Rankin.

While Mary Poppins marks the end of Nashville Rep’s current season, they’ll be back with their 22-23 Season in the fall starting with RENT September 16-25, The Cake October 21-30, Elf: The Musical December 21-January 1, August Wilson’s Fences March 3-5, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time March 24-April 2 and Violet May 12-21. Season Tickets just went on sale earlier this week. CLICK HERE to purchase Season Tickets or for more info. Check out Nashville Rep online HERE and follow them on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Instagram.

As always, if you wanna follow JHPEntertainment to find out who I’m chatting with for my next Rapid Fire Q&A, or for my take on the latest local and national theatre, music and movie offerings, find us at JHPEntertainment on Facebook, JHPEntertainment on Instagram  and JHPEntertainment on Twitter. Got an event or show we should know about, drop us a line at the Contact tab. Till then, #GoSeeTheShow!

Studio Tenn’s much anticipated season closer, Camelot opens Thursday, May 5 and runs through Sunday, May 15 at the theatre’s home stage, Jamison Hall at The Factory in Franklin. As the company prepared for Opening Night, I had the opportunity to chat with four members of the cast for the latest installment of my recurring interview feature, Rapid Fire 20 Q. In conversation this time, I’m putting the spotlight on Brian Gligor, who plays King Arthur, his Guenevere, Steffanie Leigh, her other on-stage love interest, Bryce Dunn, as Lancelot, and Abram Guice, who plays troublesome Mordred.

RAPID FIRE Q&A WITH BRIAN GLIGOR, KING ARTHUR IN STUDO TENN’s CAMELOT

JHPENTERTAINMENT: What’s your favorite character trait—whether good or not so good—about King Arthur?

BRIAN GLIGOR: What most strikes me about King Arthur is his compassion for individuals from all walks of life. The  brilliance in the lore of King Arthur is that he wasn’t born into a royal family. He grew up a peasant, serving as a page to his cousin, and only became King because of the miracle that took place when he removed Excalibur from the stone. Because of this, he understands both the life of a peasant and that of royalty, and he embarks on creating a new order of chivalry where the powerful use their advantages to help those who are less fortunate. His tale is the birth of democracy. His Achilles Heel is that his broad ideals don’t function the same in his personal life.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: This isn’t exactly your first time at The Round Table, having appeared in the 2014 production of Monty Python’s Spamalot at UT Knoxville’s Clarence Brown Theatre where you played Galahad. So, a two-parter….First, Do you think  the bawdiness of Spamalot has helped bring a little more fun to your portrayal as Arthur? And…Second,….stay with me here…Speaking of the Clarence Brown, among your many shows there, you also shared the stage with the inimitable Carol Mayo Jenkins as recently as 2019 during her triumphant turn as Aurelie, the titular role in Madwoman of Chaillot. Totally a selfish question as I’ve adored her since I was a kid and have gotten to know her in recent years. What’s it like to share the stage with her?

BRIAN GLIGOR: Ooooh Yes. I grew up watching Monty Python’s The Holy Grail on repeat, and the Clarence Brown Theatre’s production of Spamalot was outstanding. King Arthur’s tale is of course much more profound in Camelot than in Spamalot, but I approached the mythos and lore of King Arthur much more comically, and I like to think Lerner & Loewe would have approved.

Camelot is a Musical Comedy, but like many in its day this musical mixes larger themes into the narrative. There is a quote from the French theatre-maker Molière that I love: “the duty of comedy is to correct men by amusing them.” I hope the comedy in our show helps engage our audience with its broader themes.

As for Carol, I have had the immense fortune to share the stage with Carol Mayo Jenkins in four productions, and I credit her for teaching me how to handle heightened text. She is a master at this art-form, and I was her student in my graduate studies at the University of Tennessee. She was relentless, and I think I’d make her proud in Camelot. I am extremely grateful for my time with her as a student and as a co-star. Yes, watching her as Aurelie in Madwoman of Chaillot was incredible, but a highlight of my career was playing Charles with Jenkins as Madame Arcati in Blithe Spirit. That’s where we really got to make some magic happen together.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: On the subject of working with others, Studio Tenn’s production of Camelot is directed by Phil McKinley, whose directorial credits range from Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus to The Boy From Oz and Spider-Man: Turn Off The Dark. What’s something unexpected director Phil McKinley has encouraged from you in the role of King Arthur?

BRIAN GLIGOR: I continue to find movement as a profound skill for storytelling on stage. I have studied Suzuki, Corporeal Mime, Viewpoints, and many other movement practices to cleanly and clearly tell stories physicality. Phil and I absolutely connect on this front. We’ve been sharing clips of movement pieces that inspire us. I’ve built much of the Royal formality you’ll see in our show from his expertise with movement and my experience with corporeal mime.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: While prepping questions for these conversations I rewatched the 1967 Richard Harris/Vanessa Redgrave film adaptation. Early on in the film, when Arthur first sees Guenevere, while telling her about Merlin, he say, “He doesn’t age, he youthes”, further explaining that he can see the future and tell you what you’ll do in it. If you could have the ability to do the same, would you? 

BRIAN GLIGOR: That isn’t in this story of Camelot. Merlin can’t see the future, but he does express to Arthur that whatever choice Arthur makes is the right choice. Arthur’s choice is the new reality. Arthur is King, so it is definitely the new reality! 

I ultimately agree with the sentiment, which I see as a commitment to whatever ideal you put in place at a young age. Stay focused on that. Point your arrow in that direction. There are many references in Camelot about finding your path. Find your path.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Arthur also reveals to Guenevere that Merlin would change him into animals to teach him various lessons. If you could be any animal what would it be and why?

BRIAN GLIGOR: Merlin often turns Arthur into a hawk. Oddly that seems very right for me. I’d like to say “turn me into a Labrador,” but I think really I’m a hawk.  They seem peaceful up there, aloft, free, and yet very aware. And they’ll get you if they want to.

RAPID FIRE Q&A WITH STEFFANIE LEIGH, GUENEVERE IN STUDIO TENN’s CAMELOT

JHPENTERTAINMENT: First of all, I have to say how lovely to have met you out and about here in Nashville at our mutual friend Curtis Reed’s cabaret show. If you had to describe Lady Guenevere in five words, and I guess since I’m asking you to, you do…what would they be?

STEFFANIE LEIGH: It was lovely to meet you as well! Guen in five words… I would say vivacious, fiery, naive, an exhibitionist, and carefree. 

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Having been on Broadway, both as the lead in Mary Poppins and in the company of War Paint starring Patti LuPone and Christine Ebersole, I gotta ask…What’s among your favorite memories of those shows and your time in them?

STEFFANIE LEIGH: Ah, so many amazing memories! Mary was my Broadway debut, and I will never forget flying over the audience at the end of the show, looking down, making eye contact with my parents, and immediately welling up. And of course, in War Paint, getting to watch two musical theatre legends leaving their hearts out on the stage every night (and then grabbing the occasional drink with them after) was an opportunity I never dreamed I would be lucky enough to have. 

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Though she is betrothed to King Arthur, Guenevere falls for Sir Lancelot. To that end, as Guenevere, you’ve got not one, but two leading men. Brian Gligor as Arthur and Bryce Dunn as Lancelot. What’s your favorite aspect of sharing the stage with each of them?

STEFFANIE LEIGH: Yeah, I’m one lucky lady! It is so fun to get to tell this story with both of these actors. Brian brings such a unique blend of warmth, vulnerability, and strength to his portrayal of Arthur that is absolutely riveting to watch, and Bryce has this striking purity that effortlessly emanates from him. 

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Camelot, thanks largely to this show, and of course Jacqueline Kennedy’s use of the term to describe her late husband’s presidency and their relationship, has come to mean an idyllic existence. To that end, what is your real-life Camelot?

STEFFANIE LEIGH: I suppose it would be an existence where everyone truly realized and valued their own individuality. An existence devoid of competing to be the “better than“ and needing to prove oneself, and instead honored the beautiful uniqueness that everyone has to offer. I know, it sound very pie in the sky, but I guess that is what ideals are for. 

JHPENTERTAINMENT: As Guenevere, your costumes must be simply divine. Neno Russell and Lauren Roark are the show’s Costumer Designers. What can you tell me about Guenevere’s various looks?

STEFFANIE LEIGH: Neno and Lauren have done such an incredible job with the design of this show. Because our version of Camelot does not include the actors leaving the stage very often for “normal costume changes,” they have created looks that layer together and convert onstage in front of your very eyes. It’s pretty genius! And I get to live out my full feminine, medieval, royal, Game of Thrones dreams in these beautiful clothes every night! 

RAPID FIRE Q&A WITH BRYCE DUNN, LANCELOT IN STUDIO TENN’S CAMELOT

JHPENTERTAINMENT: What can you tell me about Lancelot?

BRYCE DUNN: Lancelot is an archetype of chivalry itself. He is both pious and courageous, as well as the ultimate hero. At the show’s beginning, Lancelot views himself as a sort of warrior monk. He would consider himself a consecrated virgin and defender of Christendom. However, Lancelot must come to grips with his humanity when he is bewitched by the beautiful Guinevere and finds himself in the middle of an illicit affair. 

JHPENTERTAINMENT: As Lancelot, you not only have an affair with Guenevere, but you also defend her honor. To that end, Eric Pasto-Crosby is the show’s Fight Choreographer. Can you speak a little about the process of staging as it relates to the fight scenes?

BRYCE DUNN: The fight scenes are the stuff I dreamed of as a boy, swords clanging, saving damsels in distress. It’s like I’m dreaming. And yet, the fight scenes are challenging, both in skill and physical demand. I’m sure these moments will not disappoint our audience. 

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Studio Tenn has been promoting the show, as directed by Phil McKinley, as a reimagining and different from previous productions of the Lerner and Loewe classic. You yourself are relatively young, so I have to ask…How familiar were you with the source material prior to joining the cast?

BRYCE DUNN: I have loved the Arthurian Romances, beginning with reading Sir Gawain and the Green Knight in high school. I adore the score for this show! My favorite piece of Arthurian Literature is The Lady of Shalott by Alfred Lord Tennyson.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Lancelot takes the lead on two of the show’s many beloved tunes, C’est Moi and If Ever I Would Leave You. What’s it like taking on such classic show tunes?

BRYCE DUNN: Certainly, there are some big shoes to fill with the legacy of Robert Goulet, but I am very excited about the challenge and hope the audience will be pleased with my work. 

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Are there any themes within Camelot that you think you’ll take with you once the show wraps?

BRYCE DUNN: I look at Camelot (particularly this production) within the tradition of Tragedy. The most prevalent theme that I have found in Camelot is the duty of the state to hold society together amid the dangers of human frailty. 

RAPID FIRE Q&A WITH ABRAM GUICE, MORDRED IN STUDIO TENN’s CAMELOT

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Who is Mordred as you see him?

ABRAM GUICE: At the end of the day, Mordred a child who has been abused. There are many different iterations of these characters, and this one I feel is the most fun.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Researching to chat with you, I discovered you have been in a number of shows at Act Too Players, the youth theatre company overseen by the fabulous Sondra Morton. How has your time with Act Too prepared you for being amongst the cast of Studio Tenn’s Camelot?

ABRAM GUICE: Yes, it definitely has. I wouldn’t be doing any of this if it weren’t for them. They gave me the confidence to be the performer I am today, and are truly my family. They taught me almost everything I know about the stage. 

JHPENTERTAINMENT: As Mordred, you take center stage during the show’s second act, especially during The Seven Deadly Virtues. What can you tell me about this musical moment and the show as a whole, as choreographed by Everett Tarlton?

ABRAM GUICE: It is so much fun! Everett is a king, and truly the best at what he does.  The movement and dance in our version is nothing like you’ve seen before in any production of Camelot. It really keeps the audience as well as the actors as entertained and engaged as possible. 

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Many people’s first introduction to King Arthur was by way of  T. H. White’s The Once and Future King. For me, it was an old Disney animated movie, The Sword and the Stone. What was yours?

ABRAM GUICE: Initially it was the T.V show Merlin, but after that I fell down a rabbit whole of studying Arthurian Legend all throughout high school. Some was just for fun, and some was to write mini skits or short stories to try and create in my film class. 

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Camelot first opened on Broadway in 1960. Some sixty two years later, what is it about this story and these characters that still enthralls actors and audiences alike?

ABRAM GUICE: To me, it’s the history. I mean, almost every kid at once in their life wanted to be a warrior or knight, and the idea of King Arthur’s Round Table always kept that alive for me. These Arthurian Legends have been around for a very long time, and it’s hope that they aren’t going anywhere. 

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Studio Tenn‘s Camelot opens at Jamison Hall in The Factory at Franklin on Thursday, May 5 at 7p.m. and continues through Sunday, May 15. For all dates, showtimes and to purchase tickets, CLICK HERE.

Following Camelot, Studio Tenn will once again join forces with TPAC to present a Second Season of their hugely popular Cabaret On Stage series, featuring four intimate evenings at TPAC’s Jackson Hall. First, on July 2 it’s award-winning actor and multi-platinum recording artist, Sam Harris (The Life, The Producers) with composer/pianist/theatrical producer, John McDaniel (Daytime TV’s The Rosie O’Donnell Show, Broadway’s 1999 Annie Get Your Gun revival and Patti LuPone Live!). On August 20, Emmy Award-winning actress and recording artist Liz Callaway (Boston TV’s Ready to Go and Broadway’s Merrily We Roll Along, Baby, CATS) and Broadway, television and film actor Jason Graae (A Grand Night For Singing, Falsettos, Wicked) take the stage together. Next up, on September 10, it’s the incomparable Emmy and Tony-winning actress and singer, Kristin Chenoweth (TV’s Pushing Daisies, Schmigadoon! and Broadway’s Wicked, You’re A Good Man Charlie Brown). Rounding out the series on October 15, four-time Tony nominated actress/singer Judy Kuhn (The Mystery of Edwin Drood, Les Misérables, She Loves Me, Fun Home), who also sang the title role in Disney’s animated modern classic, Pocahontas, will be joined by the aforementioned John McDaniel.

For ticket to these special performances, as well as Studio Tenn’s upcoming 2022/2023 season announcement, be sure to check out Studio Tenn online at StudioTenn.com or on social media at Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

As always, if you’re 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. Till then, #GoSeeTheShow.

In 2019, Daniel Fish’s bold new interpretation of the musical theatre classic Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Oklahoma! debuted on Broadway. Later that year the show won the Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical. In October of 2021, casting for the National Tour was announced alongside tour dates across the US from November 2021 through October 2022. Just last week, as Oklahoma! prepares for their Music City debut on stage at TPAC’s Jackson Hall with shows Tuesday May 3 through Sunday, May 8, I got the chance to pose a few questions to cast members Benj Mirman and Christopher Bannow for the latest installment of my recurring interview feature, Rapid Fire 20Q.

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RAPID FIRE Q&A WITH BENJ MIRMAN, ALI HAKIM IN OKLAHOMA

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Who is Ali Hakim to you?

BENJ MIRMAN:  A simple man.  He loves the ladies, loves to make money and, perhaps unexpectedly, loves to dance. 

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Being part of the tour must feel like a bit of a full-circle moment for you, given the fact you played Ali Hakim in the 2015 workshop  of director Daniel Fish’s Oklahoma that preceded this iteration’s Broadway run. Has your Ali changed, first from the original source material then to the 2015 presentation and on to Broadway and the tour?

BENJ MIRMAN: The 2015 Bard production was very much a full production but it’s been a joy to see how much our director, Daniel Fish, has really dug into his ideas.  Choices that were bold in 2015 are all the more bolder and clearer now in our touring production.  I’ve changed (and hopefully grown!) a lot as a person and actor since 2015, but Ali Hakim has always been the same Ali Hakim.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: When first presented at Bard College’s Fisher Center and then on Broadway at Circle in the Square, scenic designer Laura Jellinek’s set truly incorporated the audience into the action. By nature of the venues hosting the National Tour, the proximity between the actors and the audience isn’t physically possible. How has that challenge been addressed?

BENJ MIRMAN:  It’s quite different, that’s for sure.  I think one of the gifts of the proscenium is that the audience really has a chance to take in everything, all at once.  Certainly the physical intimacy between actor and audience has changed, but my hope is that the intimacy of the production as a whole remains intact. 

JHPENTERTAINMENT: From what I understand, this is your first National Tour. What’s the best aspect of being on the road?

BENJ MIRMAN: It’s a thrill to eat and drink my way through these new cities. I’m a tour newbie, so I’m surely doing some part of this experience “wrong”, but I’m having a great time just wandering around new places.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: As the world seems to be getting back to pre-pandemic normalcy, are there things you hope to do or see while on tour across the country?

BENJ MIRMAN:  I would love to go see more performances while we are on the road (specifically live music but open to all!).  The COVID anxiety of being at small venues that don’t necessarily have COVID protocols in place can be a bit stressful with our testing regimen.  I look forward to that worry going away!

JHPENTERTAINMENT: If you could step into another role, even if just for one night, and regardless of whether you fit the type or not, what character would it be and why?

BENJ MIRMAN:  I’m not qualified for a variety of reasons, but it’s Curly for me.  I’m a sucker for all the songs he sings (and the cue to the green lights in “Surrey…”).  I couldn’t hold a candle to my good pal Sean Grandillo, but maybe he could teach me a couple guitar chords just for fun.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: As far as Broadway National Tours go, the company of Oklahoma is relatively small. Has that enabled a better sense of family amongst the cast while preparing for the tour and now that you’re on the road?

BENJ MIRMAN:  I’m very grateful that our group is so small.  It really does feel like this rag tag, motley crew.  I’ve been able to spend quality time with the vast majority of our company and I’m not sure that would’ve been the case if there were 30 of us. 

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Ali Hakim takes the lead on It’s a Scandal! It’s a Outrage! lamenting Ali’s predicament of being forced into marriage. Grammatical titular error aside, what’s your favorite aspect of performing in this particular number?

BENJ MIRMAN:  Somewhere on the internet, there’s a linguistics podcast discussing the title of the song…not sure what it’s called but it’s out there.  I love connecting with both the audience and my castmates during the song, really trying to find someone who truly understands Ali’s frustration and plight. 

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Speaking of Ali’s proposed pending intended, who much fun are you having sharing scenes with Sis as Ado Annie Carnes?

BENJ MIRMAN:  I’m having a wonderful time.  One of the strengths of this production is we are all encouraged to bring ourselves to our roles and that means that Ado Annie is strong, funny, opinionated and not a pushover.  We have good fun up there. 

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Is there a message, or an idea within the context of this update of Oklahoma that you hope audiences remember long after the wind has swept down the plain?

BENJ MIRMAN: It’s okay to leave the theater asking questions and it’s okay to be uncomfortable with what’s happening in front of you. 

RAPID FIRE Q&A WITH CHRISTOPHER BANNOW, JUD FRY IN OKLAHOMA

JHPENTERTAINMENT: You play Jud in the National Tour of director Daniel Fish’s boldly reimagined Oklahoma. Who is Jud Fry?
CHRISTOPHER BANNOW: He’s the poorest person on stage, and he’s an employee. He works as a farmhand, he lives in a smokehouse on the farm, he’s been working hard day and night for two years, and he just wants to be with Laurey and finally have a meaningful relationship in his life. He wants his life to have some meaning, and the action of the play shows what happens to him when he tries to make that a reality.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Prior to being cast as Jud in the tour, you appeared in the Tony-winning Broadway revival understudying a multitude of roles, including Jud. Now that you’ve taken on the role full-time, are their nuances of the character that you’ve discovered or now elaborate on?
CHRISTOPHER BANNOW: Yeah it’s been a gift to have both perspectives. There’s so much I was able to learn watching Patrick Vaill do it on Broadway. Watching him change and grow in the role from the outside really gave me a solid foundation to work from. It supplied me with a bunch of options that I knew worked. And being on the inside now, I’m able to marry some of those options with things I’ve found organically. I’ve been interested recently in Jud’s lack of action in the show. He asks Laurey to go to the Box Social, he tries to bid on her hamper, and then the play takes a turn. But before that, for the first 2/3rds of the show, he really is doing nothing wrong. The way that the other characters treat him in those first 2/3rds, the harshness they treat him with, really is not congruent with his actions. So feeling those first 2/3rds of the play catalyze the final 1/3rd has been a recent discovery.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: You made your Broadway debut in the 2014 revival of The Elephant Man which starred Bradley Cooper and Patricia Clarkson. What do you remember about the first time you stepped out onto the Broadway stage?
CHRISTOPHER BANNOW: I remember being backstage with Bradley, we both entered from the same place more or less. And for his first entrance he was shirtless and wearing rags and basically had a bag over his head, but there we were, just so excited, he and I were equally pumped,, and we were both just geeking out together at how cool this moment in time was. And when I entered the stage and I saw all those bodies crammed so closely together and the energy of a sold out house on Broadway, I felt like I was where I was supposed to be.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: While your career focus has been on stage as of late, you also have experience behind the scenes, having assistant directed a couple of productions during your undergrad years at Boston University’s College of Fine Arts. Do you think your experiences behind the scenes have helped your performance on stage?

CHRISTOPHER BANNOW: Most definitely. At BU I assistant directed, and then at Yale I directed two or three productions. I really love that side of it, and who knows maybe that will be a bigger part of my life at some point. But absolutely, understanding the needs of a director is a huge asset for an actor. The director needs to figure out how to tell the story, so that an audience can receive it as fully as possible. There are 1,000’s of options within any given play, and the job of the director and actor is to figure out which version of the story both parties find most compelling. If you can help the director do that, you become sort of a VIP and people will want to have you in the room.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: As you mentioned you followed your BFA at Boston with an MFA from Yale School of Drama. Among your coursework there, you studied Speech/Dialect and Stage Combat. I’m guessing both those classes are coming in pretty handy in your current role as Jud?

CHRISTOPHER BANNOW: You know I’ve never fired a gun in real life, and probably never will. But onstage I have fired many firearms, I’ve punched so many people, I’ve had a couple of duels, and I’ve been thrown around like a paper doll. Rick Sordelet works nonstop over the country and he was our Stage Combat teacher and I really value the time I had with him there. And speech work is so important, and although I don’t warm up as much as I should I still have recordings from speech guru Beth McGuire from 2nd year at Yale that I play every now and then to keep in shape.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: As Jud, you share several scenes with Sasha Hutchings’ Laurey, who was also part of the Broadway production. What’s the best thing about Sasha as a scene partner?
CHRISTOPHER BANNOW: Sasha is the definition of a professional. She shows up every night and never holds back and is always in pursuit of the best possible version of the show. We both understudied on Broadway and so we know that these roles are a huge responsibility and a privilege to be trusted with, and it can’t be taken for granted. She’s really wonderful. Everyone should hire her.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: While Jud is enamored by Laurey, he’s hindered by Curley, played by Sean Gandillo. The two of you are featured in the show’s most volatile scenes. How do you prepare for the gravity of those scenes night after night?
CHRISTOPHER BANNOW: You know a lot of that has to do with our trust in each other. I enter the stage at the very top of the show and listen for about an hour before Sean and I start going in our scene. It’s a huge gift for me that I can be fully present in everything else that is happening on stage and then instantly when Sean and I make eye contact we begin. There’s no prep or warning, there’s no run up. We both take a breath and see where the scene takes us every night. And when we exit we always give each other a little hug. I super appreciate his willingness to be vulnerable with such heavy material.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Speaking of Curley. Near the end of Act 1, Curley comes up with an interesting way to eliminate his competition as laid out in Poor Jud is Daid. What’s your favorite aspect of this particular number?
CHRISTOPHER BANNOW: Mmm yeah. Well for anyone who sees the show they’ll know that it’s both a very private and very public moment. My job every night is to stay grounded in the privateness of it, the intimacy of it, and listen to Sean and be present with him. It’s easier said than done but I love the challenge of it.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Jud’s main musical moment comes with Lonely Room. The revival’s musical arranger, Daniel Kluger’s work during this number is among my favorite in the show as it seamlessly transitions from melancholy to angst-ridden determination. Is there a particular musical moment—your’s or someone else’s—that you truly love hearing each performance?

CHRISTOPHER BANNOW: Yeah I really love Lonely Room too, I never get tired of going through that journey. But in addition to that moment I really love hearing the entire cast (sans me) sing Oklahoma the first time. I’m the only one offstage and I can’t really see what’s happening but I can hear everyone’s voices and the blending of melodies and the energy as it ramps up and the true celebration of the moment that really shines through in that song. This cast really sounds good together and it’s a joy to get to be on the receiving end.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Is there a message, a vibe or a feeling you hope audiences take with them after seeing Oklahoma?
CHRISTOPHER BANNOW: The vibe I hope you take away is Rodgers and Hammerstein meets America 2022 meets You.

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Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Oklahoma! premieres in Nashville at TPAC’s Jackson Hall Tuesday, May 3 with performances thru Sunday, May 8. CLICK HERE for tickets.

Not in Nashville? Oklahoma! continues its North American Tour with dates across the US through the fall. CLICK HERE for show dates and locations or follow Oklahoma! on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

For more from Benj Mirman and Christopher Bannow check out their Instas.

As for TPAC, next up is the World Premiere presentation of May We All: A New Country Musical, June 7-July 17. Be sure to check out TPAC online and on socials by clicking any of the following:  TPAC.org, TPAC on Instagram, TPAC on Facebook, TPAC on Twitter and TPAC on YouTube.

As always, if you wanna follow JHPEntertainment to find out who I’m chatting with for my next Rapid Fire Q&A, or for my take on the latest local and national theatre, music and movie offerings, find us at JHPEntertainment on Facebook, JHPEntertainment on Instagram  and JHPEntertainment on Twitter.

Got an event or show we should know about, drop us a line at the Contact tab. Till then, #GoSeeTheShow!