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Rapid Fire 20 Q with director and cast of ‘Barefoot in the Park’; at The Keeton Dinner Theatre April 11-27

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During the time Neil Simon’s BAREFOOT IN THE PARK played Broadway, the prolific playwright was enjoying major success, at one point having a total of four plays running simultaneously on the Great White Way. For its initial effort, the play received four Tony nods, taking home Best Director for Mike Nichols. Opening in 1963 and closing in 1967, BAREFOOT IN THE PARK become Simon’s longest-running Broadway show, and Broadway’s tenth longest-running non-musical ever. The year the play closed on Broadway, a film adaptation premiered in theaters, transferring the success of the show to the big screen and widening the audience to movie-goers world-wide.

With such rich history, it’s no wonder The Keeton Dinner Theater has chosen BAREFOOT IN THE PARK as their latest endeavor. Directed by Lenny West and starring Regan Aycock, Evan Fenne, Aleah Christian, Steve Mook and Chad Stem, The Keeton’s BAREFOOT IN THE PARK opens Friday, April 11 and continues through Sunday, April 27. Earlier this week, literally days before the show’s opening, I had a chance to chat with the director and three of the show’s stars for my latest Rapid Fire 20Q. What follows are those conversations.

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Rapid Fire 20 Q with director and cast of The Keeton’s BAREFOOT IN THE PARK

Rapid Fire with BAREFOOT IN THE PARK’s Corie, Regan Aycock

JHPENTERTAINMENT: What can you tell me about Corie Bratter, the character you play in The Keeton’s BAREFOOT IN THE PARK?

REGAN AYCOCK: She’s so lovely, she loves life, she loves love, she’s quick to emotion, but quite literally always just wants to have a good time. I think Corie is the little voice in the back of all of our heads that tells us to get mad or get excited, or cry tears of joy. She’s truly all of us, especially those of us who are in love. On the surface though, she’s a 21-year-old new wife that’s trying to start her life with her new husband. Just a girl.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: In preparing to chat with you and the other company members of BAREFOOT IN THE PARK, I discovered the 1981 HBO presentation starring Richard Thomas, Bess Armstrong and Barbara Barrie is available on YouTube. Pretty sure I saw it back then, but It’s been years since I’ve seen this Neil Simon classic live on stage. How excited are you to be part of this particular production?

REGAN AYCOCK: Funny you mention it! That production is actually how I memorized Cories lines, I listened to it day in and day out for weeks in order to get lines down! As for excitement—you have no idea. I wept like a baby when Lenny offered me Corie. I’ve been off the stage for quite some time now, and Barefoot auditions were simply just to get my feet wet again in terms of acting. I had no inclination that I would get Corie. Now I get to spend a little time with her every day. When I told Lenny I was going to take good care of her, I meant it. This is also such a lifelong goal of mine. I’ve been doing theatre for over a decade, and I can’t say I’ve ever been THE girl. Every actor has that dream of getting to lead a show, and Lenny gave me the opportunity to cross that off my list–It just so happens that Corie is also genuinely lovely. I’ll thank him every day for the experience.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: BAREFOOT IN THE PARK takes place in a small New York apartment of newlyweds Corie and Paul Bratter. In fact, the first half-hour of the play centers around the young marrieds settling in, so I gotta ask…What do you remember most about your first apartment after moving out from your parent’s home?

REGAN AYCOCK: I still live in it! I was very fortunate to have some help moving from St. Louis to Nashville, so my apartment wasn’t in quite the state that Corie and Paul’s is (plus, there’s an elevator rather than six flights of stairs) It was scary when I first moved though, I lived by myself so I didn’t know how to fill the time. It was a brand new building however, so things did break often–but on the bright side, I had a bathtub!

JHPENTERTAINMENT: The show’s title comes from Corie’s carefree attitude towards life, as she encourages her rather uptight business-minded newlywed husband to seize unconventional opportunities in life. Is that an attitude to which you yourself subscribe?

REGAN AYCOCK: To be honest, the biggest challenge that came with playing Corie was her energy. Having to pull her loveliness and energy was difficult, as I’m a bit more of a Paul in real life. I wish to be more like Corie, she just has so much fun no matter what she’s doing. What I do have in common with her though is I think with my heart first rather than my head, there are a few lines in act 1 where I think to myself “I don’t even need to act right now”.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: How much fun are you having being ‘married’ to your onscreen hubby, Evan Fenne?

REGAN AYCOCK: I’ve actually known Evan for a little bit now, we did a show together back in 2022, but hardly interacted, if at-all. It’s been great actually getting to connect with him, he’s a phenomenal actor, and an even sweeter guy. It’s nice having so much trust in a scene partner. Getting to be married is something that I’m having a lot of fun with, and it only got easier as myself and Evan got to be better friends. I can’t say enough good things about him, truly—he’s a class act.

Rapid Fire with BAREFOOT IN THE PARK’s Paul, Evan Fennel

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Who is Paul Bratter to you?

EVAN FENNE: To me, Paul Bratter is a guy who can’t fight the fact that he is a very particular and neat person, no matter how hard he tries. I think his whole life, he has been trying to prove that he can be “fun.” And he does like to have fun, just the Paul way.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Is there an aspect of Paul’s character that you’d like to incorporate into your own life?

EVAN FENNE: I really love the heart of the story being how two people who are so different can be so in love and value each other so much. Paul’s ability to love Corrie for all the ways she balances him out is one I’d like to exemplify in any of my relationships, not just romantic. Even when they’re fighting, I know Paul is saying everything with the implication that he still loves her.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: How familiar were you with the role prior to auditioning? AND…what was it about this show and this role in particular that prompted you to audition?

EVAN FENNE: I actually portrayed Paul in an acting class and read the play when I was at Belmont, so I was fairly familiar. After that, Paul became a dream role for me. I love Neil Simon’s sense of humor, and I immediately understood and loved Paul. When I saw that the Keeton was putting it up, I was immediately excited to audition. I’m very thankful that I was cast, and the experience has been amazing.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Quite often, it’s little details within the set decoration or props that prove the most interesting. Is there an aspect of the set that you enjoy and hope audiences take note of?

EVAN FENNE: The use of color in the set is particularly awesome to me. It’s the perfect amount and balance where it’s fun to look at but not too much. The space is also filled so well, and to be honest, it’s better decorated than my own apartment!

JHPENTERTAINMENT: When I chatted with Regan Aycock, I asked her about sharing the stage with you as young marrieds on stage, so I’ll ask you about having Regan as your ‘wife’? How is she as a scene partner?

EVAN FENNE: It’s been wonderful and a breeze to share the stage with Regan. We both have a lot of fun during the big argument because Paul and Corrie are trying to push each other’s buttons, while Evan and Regan are borderline trying to make each other break. She also cares greatly about making sure each of us feels comfortable and safe during scenes, for which I’m very grateful.

Rapid Fire with BAREFOOT IN THE PARK’s Ethel, Aleah Christian

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Keeton audience will no doubt recognize you, having portrayed Belinda Blair in their 2024 production of NOISES OFF. Loved you in that role, by the way! Now you’re playing Ethel Banks, aka Mother in BAREFOOT IN THE PARK. How would you describe Ethel?

ALEAH CHRISTIAN: Ethel is such a fun character to portray.  She’s a devoted mom who’s spent most of her life doing what’s expected of her, but there’s this spark in her that hasn’t gone out—she just hasn’t had a reason to let it shine in a long time. Throughout the show, you see her get a little bolder, a little braver, and it’s really heartwarming. I love that she has more interest in her character than just “The Mom.” Ethel is rediscovering parts of herself.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: What’s your favorite scene or bit of dialogue from the show?

ALEAH CHRISTIAN: There’s a scene where Ethel has just climbed all those infamous stairs and is trying so hard to act like she’s completely fine. The physical comedy is so relatable—like when you’re trying to look composed but your body is saying, “Nope!”

JHPENTERTAINMENT: If research serves, this isn’t your first time being directed by West, having starred as M’Lynn in a 2019 production of STEEL MAGNOLIAS under his direction. What is one aspect of West’s direction that you appreciate as an actress?

ALEAH CHRISTIAN: I love working with Lenny. He’s so intuitive and creates a space where actors feel supported but also challenged in the best way. He gives you the freedom to make bold choices, but he’s always there with a thoughtful note that somehow unlocks a deeper layer of the character. His timing is just spot on. He knows how to bring out the best in a cast. Lenny is selfless and meticulous in overseeing every detail. Honestly, I could go on… I am so grateful for the opportunity to work with him again!

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Some of the show’s funniest scenes happen between Ethel and Victor Vilasco, the rather eccentric upstairs neighbor of Paul and Corie. In this production, Victor is played by Steve Mook. What’s been the best thing about sharing the stage with Steve?

ALEAH CHRISTIAN: Steve has been a joy to work with! He brings so much charm and spontaneity to Victor. We’ve had a blast finding that chemistry between our characters. We are still discovering moments. He’s one of those actors who keeps you on your toes in the best way, you never feel like you’re just going through the motions. He is a great scene partner and it’s been a lot of fun sharing the stage with Steve. 

JHPENTERTAINMENT: At one point, playwright Neil Simon had four plays running in four Broadway theatre at the same time, BAREFOOT IN THE PARK being one of them. While that was during the mid-60s, his work is just as timeless, entertaining and funny today. Why do you think his work holds up so well?

ALEAH CHRISTIAN: Neil Simon’s writing is rooted in real people. Even with all the comedy, his characters feel familiar. They are flawed, funny, and trying to figure things out…just like the rest of us. His dialogue is so sharp, but also full of heart. You laugh because it’s funny, but also because you recognize yourself (or someone you know) in these characters. In essence, his work is timeless and relatable on so many levels. 

Rapid Fire with BAREFOOT IN THE PARK director, Lenny West

JHPENTERTAINMENT: I understand this is your third time to direct BAREFOOT IN THE PARK. So, I gotta ask…What keeps you coming back to this particular work?

LENNY WEST:  You are correct!  This is indeed my third time in the director’s chair for this gem of show.  BAREFOOT IN THE PARK is the very first play I ever directed, so it absolutely holds a special place in my heart and that’s certainly part of what keeps me coming back to it.  Getting to check in with Paul, Corie, Mrs. Banks, Mr. Velasco & Harry Pepper every 10-ish years is like getting a warm hug from an old friend.  I think it’s also a terrifically funny script.  Most people will know Neil Simon from The Odd Couple, his most famous play, but I personally think Barefoot in the Park is his best.  It’s story and the circumstances our characters find themselves in, while a bit exaggerated for comic effect of course, are pretty true to life and many people will recognize themselves in it. It’s one of the classic comedies of the American theater, and classics are classics for a reason.  They deserve to be taken out, dusted off and revisited every now and then.  Also, the opportunity just  keeps presenting itself!    

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Having directed the show three times, some might think you simply just plug in the new cast from each company, so what it is about this piece that allows you to find new ideas as a director from production to production?

LENNY WEST: That’s a great question, and it comes down to primarily two things:  First, my perspective and life experience has been different each time, so it’s impossible to not bring a bit of that to the project.  22-year-old-me saw the world and this play very differently from 34-year-old-me who sees things even more differently from (almost!) 45-year-old-me.  I think a great work of art is one that you can revisit over and over and each time it will speak to you in a new way based on where you are on this crazy journey called life.  While the bones of the play obviously stay the same and the truths at the center of the story remain, fresh nuances are revealed each time I come back to the play.  The second thing is the performers I have been fortunate enough to work with each time.  Each actor brings their own experience and interpretation and talent and those things of course will inform how they inhabit their roles  As a director, I learned a long time ago to never ever try to squeeze a performer into a prior interpretation of the role.  It never works!  And what a gift it has been to see three very different groups of individuals bring this universal story to life!  I’ve been incredibly lucky.  

JHPENTERTAINMENT: BAREFOOT IN THE PARK marks your debut with The Keeton. How did directing this show for Keeton come about?

LENNY WEST: This opportunity sort of sought me out, actually.  Nashville theater legend Linda Speir is a dear friend and one of The Keeton’s board members.  She has been nudging me for a few years (sometimes gently, sometimes no so gently!) to come and work at The Keeton in some capacity, but the timing was never quite right and the right project hadn’t presented itself.  Last spring after The Keeton’s new season was announced, Linda nudged again and the time and the project were both right, and one thing led to another and here we are!.  And I’m glad she kept nudging!  I’ve had a great time at The Keeton.  

JHPENTERTAINMENT: The entirety of BAREFOOT IN THE PARK takes place in a relatively small fifth floor New York walkup. What are the challenges and advantages of directing, what is a single set piece?

LENNY WEST: Ordinarily, I’d say that a play with a single set is a huge advantage in that once it’s built and decorated, you’re essentially finished and can move on to making the staging and movement of the actors interesting and visually appealing, which admittedly can be a challenge on a static set.  However, with Barefoot in the Park the conceit is that the first scene takes place the day that Corie & Paul move into their tiny apartment–so essentially an empty room–, and the next scene is four days later after furniture has arrived and after the room has been decorated and brought to full, colorful life.  So, sure, it’s one single set, but there is a MAJOR scene change that must occur.  No spoilers here as to how we accomplish it–to find out, you’ll just have to come see the show!  

JHPENTERTAINMENT: What do you hope audiences remember long after seeing The Keeton’s production of BAREFOOT IN THE PARK?

LENNY WEST: BAREFOOT IN THE PARK is first and foremost a delightful, often laugh-out-loud comedy with a huge heart, so I hope audiences will remember that they (hopefully!) had a great time watching the trials and tribulations of Corie & Paul’s first week of marriage.  But Neil Simon–that old sneaky devil–doesn’t let us off that easily.  The moral of story as I see it is that to make any kind of relationship successful, there must be compromise, there must be give and take, and everyone involved must be willing to take a small step outside of their comfort zone in order to see world from the other person’s perspective.  We shouldn’t only seek to be understood but we must also seek to understand.  We should see and appreciate and celebrate differences and eccentricities in others rather than finding fault with them.  ….and if can do that, you just might find something beautiful.   These things are necessary in order to really connect with another person, and in a world that is increasingly isolated and divided, we need connection now more than ever.  That Neil Simon….he might’ve been on to something, eh?  

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The Keeton’s BAREFOOT IN THE PARK opens Friday, April 11 and continues through Sunday, April 27 with 7pm shows Thursday through Saturday and a 2pm matinee on Sunday. Thursdays are Show Only nights (Show Only tickets are $30). As always, The Keeton’s dinner offering is a perfect compliment to their current show. For BAREFOOT, The Keeton is serving Dinner Salad, Pork Chop with Gravy, Mashed Potatoes, Green Beans, a Rolle and Apple Cobbler with Ice Cream. Dinner and Show tickets are $40 (plus a $2 fee) For Adults and $35 (plus $2 fee) for Children. For a slight uncharge, Salmon can be substituted as the main entree. For groups of 15 or more, The Keeton offers a group rate of $38 (plus $2 fee) per person. CLICK HERE for tickets.

Following BAREFOOT IN THE PARK, The Keeton will host their annual fundraising gala, A Night Under The Stars. Tickets to the event are $60. CLICK HERE for tickets or more information. Following the gala, The Keeton’s current season continues with COMPANY June 13-29. CLICK HERE for tickets and more information.

So you don’t miss out on upcoming shows at The Keeton Dinner Theatre, follow them on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

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. In the meantime, #GoSeeTheShow!

Rapid Fire 20Q With Cast of Playhouse 615’s ‘Dracula: a Comedy of Terrors’; onstage through November 3

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The cast of Playhouse 615’s ‘Dracula: a Comedy of Terrors’ (l to r: Jeremy James Carmichael, Robert Coles, Katie Fraley, Jonathon Joyner and Beth Henderson) on stage through November 3.

Following last weekends SOLD-OUT opening performances, Playhouse 615’s Dracula: a Comedy of Terrors is back this weekend and next, October 25-27 and November 1-3, to glamour audiences with a bloody hilarious reimagining of the Bram Stoker classic. After having seen the off-Broadway premiere just last year, Playhouse 615’s Ann Street Cavanagh quickly snagged the rights to present the Tennessee debut for this Halloween season. As the cast prepared for the remainder of the run, I had the chance to chat with each of them for the latest installment of my recurring interview feature, Rapid Fire 20Q.

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Rapid Fire 20Q with the entire cast of Playhouse 615’s Dracula: a Comedy of Terrors

Rapid Fire with Robert Coles, Mina and others in Dracula: a Comedy of Terrors

JHPENTERTAINMENT: First of all, your Mina and Dr. Van Helsing are absolute scene stealers. I honestly didn’t think I would enjoy you in these roles so much. What’s been the most challenging aspect of playing these two lovely ladies?

ROBERT COLES: Thank you! These roles have been so much fun to play. They’re so different and I’ve loved creating them. For me, they’re polar opposites. Mina is written as a horny misfit and Dr. Van Helsing is composed and serious. So, making the switch between these two (sometimes within a few seconds) is challenging. And, with them having such drastically different accents, one scene in particular where they have a full on conversation with each other is absolutely crazy! But, Ann and I worked closely on building the characters and how we wanted them to sound, their physicalities, and different traits to put into them to make them so different. Partner that with costumes and wigs, and they come together quite nicely!

JHPENTERTAINMENT: As Mina, you reminded me a bit of Bette Davis in Whatever Happened to Baby Jane, and I was there for it! What went into developing your characterization of that role?

ROBERT COLES: Oh, Mina! I just love her. She has tender moments where you really start to feel for her, then she does things so cooky and crazy that you’re back to, “Aww. Bless your heart…” For her, I just wanted to amp up the crazy and horny. I put a lot into her physical traits and how she walks, talks, and moves. Her laugh and grunts are also a favorite aspect of the character. This cast has been a dream to work with and they put up with all my crazy! Truly no two nights with Mina are the same. I feed so much off the audience’s energy, too!

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Can we just talk about the oversized hair bow? I love that it just kept falling into your face and without missing a beat, you repositioned it and went on. Who’s idea what it to have you wear it?

ROBERT COLES: That bow is the bane of my existence, but I LOVE that the audience reacts to it so much! Ann always wanted that giant bow to be sitting on the side of my head, but you throw it on top of a wig and add in a gallon of sweat (seriously, we’re running marathons during this show!) and it just won’t stay on! My favorite moment during the show opening night was when I finally got so tired of it that I just threw it into the audience! 

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Ann Street-Kavanagh is directing Dracula. Recently, you’ve worked with her as a co-star during Sordid Lives, as playwright and cast member for Aunt Sally’s Wild Ride and now as director and cast member in Dracula. How does the fact that you both are as adept on stage as behind the scenes affect your working relationship?

ROBERT COLES: Ann is an actor’s director. She comes into rehearsals knowing exactly what she wants, but allows us to play with the scene and characters and make them our own. I love her passion for this show, and for directing. She was so funny during this process and so many of our little bits were straight from her zany brain! Fun Fact: I have actually directed Ann TWICE as well! I think we have a mutual respect for each other and our crafts and it really created a harmonious relationship. When you add in this incredible cast (I mean, come ON, I’m acting with Jeremy James Carmichael, Beth Henderson, Katie Fraley, and newcomer Jonny Joyner for goodness sakes!), magic happens. We’ve become a family… Truly. This is one show I don’t want to end. Thank you, Ann, for this opportunity. It’s blessed my life in so many ways.

Rapid Fire with Beth Henderson, Renfield and others in Dracula: a Comedy of Terrors

JHPENTERTAINMENT: As I mentioned after having seen opening night of Dracula, you, along with Robert Coles, steal every scene you’re in. Was absolutely going for it and pushing the boundaries of comedy something you were initially comfortable doing or did it take a bit of coaxing from your director Ann Street Cavanagh?

BETH HENDERSON: I was all in from the audition forward. When it comes to comedy, you’re more likely to have to reign me in than push me out there.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Thanks to Nick Cage’s recent Renfield film, I suspect more audience members might be a bit more familiar with the character. But your interpretation is anything but a carbon copy of latest big screen version. The distinct way in which your Renfield speaks gave me and several folks around me in the audience a serious case of the giggles. What went into presenting Renfield the way you do?

BETH HENDERSON: The script describes Renfield as someone with salivary issues. I think that was the key to finding the character for me. Once I figured out how to do a very slobbery cockney-like accent, the rest just fell in place. 

JHPENTERTAINMENT: In addition to Renfield, you play Dr. Westfeldt. There’s a particularly fast-paced scene in which you play both, onstage at the same time. What’s your secret to keeping straight whose line you’re delivering and when?

BETH HENDERSON: Ha! Keeping the lines straight is the easy part of that scene. It’s the wig and pipe exchange while spinning that I will never perfect.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: One thing I noticed during the opening night performance was that the audience was laughing so hard there were instances we missed what I’m sure where some equally guffaw-inducing lines. To that end, how imports is audience reaction to the energy of the cast when performing comedy?

BETH HENDERSON: The audience reaction is everything! We had rehearsed the show so much that we weren’t even sure it was funny anymore. The laughter creates this energetic buzz that kind of gives you a high as an actor. 

Rapid Fire with Katie Fraley, Lucy and others in Dracula: a Comedy of Terrors

JHPENTERTAINMENT: What do we need to know about Lucy, one of the characters you play in Dracula?

KATIE FRALEY: Lucy is a woman ahead of her time. She is not only strong and courageous, but she is unwilling to hide her true self. Lucy is also fiercely devoted to her loved ones, especially her sister Mina, so much of her fighting spirit shines through in her relationships. She maintains her independence as best she can, even though the people around her have not quite caught up to her progressive ideas. Her father, for example, still views her as a frail future housewife who needs protection. Many of Dr. Westfeldt’s comments speak to the general attitude toward women during this time. One of the things Lucy craves the most is an intellectual equal who celebrates her free spirit. I think this is where some of the conflict appears for her in the story. Because her fiancé, Jonathan, is so timid and unsure, Dracula appears as the first bold personality she has encountered for ages. It makes sense why she is drawn to him. Ultimately, these forces pull Lucy in many different directions, but whatever happens, you can be sure that she will follow her heart and intuition authentically. 

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Jeremy was the first to break character on opening night. In that same vein (see what I did there?) During the rehearsals, who had you all laughing the most with their outlandish behavior?

KATIE FRALEY: Oh gosh, we couldn’t go two minutes in any rehearsal or show without cracking up one another. This is the funniest and most caring cast I have ever worked with. I have to say though, that Robby constantly makes me howl with laughter. We have such similar (and random) senses of humor that we’ll frequently make jokes at the same time or say what the other is thinking. One of my favorite things about him is that he is so quick-witted. He finds the joke in everything and presents it perfectly. His incredible comedic timing is evident both on and off stage. Any time he does an accent it sends the whole cast into a fit. I still have to keep myself from cracking when he says “wampire.” Robby is such a great physical comedian too and uses this to fully embody each character. It’s hard to keep quiet backstage because even during shows, he is doing something to make us all laugh. Every cast member has made me break character one time or another. Keeping a straight face is an impossible task.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: In addition to Lucy, you also play a couple other roles, including the carriage driver and the elderly housekeeper. For the most part, your characters are the “straight men” to the more outlandish comic antics of some of the others. What’s the most challenging aspect of playing it straight in such an uproarious comedy?

KATIE FRALEY: Honestly the hardest part about playing these other characters is the quick changes! But in terms of playing it straight, it is definitely challenging to present exposition without as much response from the audience. These other characters are often smaller parts meant to drive the plot, so they don’t get as much character development or as many of the killer comedic lines as the main characters we each play. In a farce like this the audience reactions really drive the energy, so it takes a lot more intentional effort to keep the pace steady when playing one of these peripheral characters.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: I’m about to chat with Jonathon Joyner, who plays Lucy’s love interest, Jonathan Harker. I still can’t believe this show marks his first time on stage in a theatrical production. How has he been as a scene partner?

KATIE FRALEY: If I were to watch this show for the first time as an audience member, I would have thought he had been doing theatre for years. He’s a natural. His instincts and character choices come so easily to him. More than anything, he has understood the teamwork element of theatre since day one. He gives such great energy as a scene partner and brings authenticity to each scene. I have always felt comfortable working our scenes. Any little tweak that needed to be made, usually because of different practices between film and stage, he adapted to quickly and with grace. I selfishly hope we have converted him to a stage actor! 

Rapid Fire with Jonathon Joyner, Harker and others in Dracula: a Comedy of Terrors

JHPENTERTAINMENT: As I just mentioned in my chat with your co-star, Katie, while you’ve previously focused on film work, this show marks your stage debut, not just your Playhouse 615 debut, but your first time ever in a theatrical production. What lead you to audition for this show?

JONATHON JOYNER: Yes! this is my first time ever on stage and I just want to thank Ann first and foremost for giving me the opportunity. I came by the audition through a mutual friend, Mick Grayson. He referred me to the audition that was open and I decided to take a chance. I have always been interested in the stage but have maintained my focus on film. I now know the benefits of both and the wonderful expression that you get to convey on the stage. 

JHPENTERTAINMENT: When I saw you after the show on opening night, I shared with you my connection to the character of Harker, and I love that you’re playing a character who shares your first name (though spelled slightly different). Had you ever read the original book or seen any Dracula movies? AND…Did you realize there was a character that bore your first name? 

JONATHON JOYNER: I have not read the original book but I have seen many of the Dracula adaptations so I have been familiar with the story. Despite this I do not believe I had ever realized the connection in name, but I am so happy that I do now. I do believe I will go back and read the original work now!

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Speaking of names, I love the fun name drops peppered throughout the script, including the ship being named the SS Stoker, a nod to Dracula author, Bram Stoker. Is there a scene or line in the show that you find particular amusing?

JONATHON JOYNER:  I think that one of my favorite scenes is the scene where I play a gravedigger and the character has this cockney accent, I find it particularly amusing because cockney has always been one of my favorite accents. I recently watched Legend with Tom Hardy where his character has a cockney accent and I always find it so humorous and engaging. The juxtaposition of standard received pronunciation with Jonathan Harker and the fun animated nature of cockney always brings me joy. There is also a line where I say “I want to introduce you to my cousins Mary and Shelly” a nod to the author of Frankenstein which I always always always love delivering.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Once bitten, your character undergoes a bit of a transformation. How much fun are you having vamping it up?

JONATHON JOYNER: The energy from the audience when coming out from the transformation is what makes it the most fun. Flipping to a complete opposite form allows me to loosen up on stage and enjoy the energy that is being thrown at me from the audience, I love it so much. It is almost like a release up to that point of my own personal energy being contained and an almost woosah type of moment once the transformation happens haha. 

Rapid Fire with Jeremy James Carmichael, Dracula in Dracula: a Comedy of Terrors

JHPENTERTAINMENT: When I interviewed you recently about your role in Aunt Sally’s Wild Ride, I asked you to describe your character in five words. You responded in the most cheekily arrogant way possible. Now you’re playing Dracula in an equally cheeky and arrogant way. So a two-parter for you: 1) How much fun are you having in this role? AND 2) Ever feel like you are being typecast? 😉

JEREMY JAMES CARMICHAEL: 1) Dracula is a blast to play, but it’s even more fun being supported by an incredible ensemble of hilarious and talented actors. I couldn’t be the Dracula you see in this show without the banter and trust I have with each of my co-stars. And Dracula changes from night to night depending on the energy of the audience, and how my scene partners feed me the lines; I’ve played him more petulant and melancholy at some shows, but hyper and more self-absorbed at others. The beauty of live theater! 2) Well gee, Jonathan (an actual line of mine in the show)… I like to think of it as excelling in one certain facet, or being able to demonstrate mastery in a particular trait. But yes, I do think I get type-cast a lot. When I look back at my work, I see many of the same characters: Billy Flynn, Conrad Birdie, Danny Zuko, Sam Carmichael. I hope audiences know that’s not me in real life; I’d consider myself fairly opposite of all those roles I play. But I wish I had their confidence and… cajones.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: When I attended the show opening night, the audience couldn’t stop laughing. I found myself wondering how you all keep it together, then, about an hour in, you broke character, attempting to stifle the giggles during a particularly hilarious scene opposite Robert Coles. During rehearsals, who had the hardest time keeping it together?

JEREMY JAMES CARMICHAEL: How dare you. But yes, breaking character happens to the best of us. Something magical happened the first night the five of us met for our table read; only two had known each other before, but we clicked and then bonded faster and harder than any cast I’ve worked with, and I’ve been doing this for 47 years. Our team is rock-solid, and our love for each other is palpable. When you have that trust, the show can skyrocket. I’ve told my scene partners I have no limits; lean into the comedy if the audience is eating it up. And sometimes jokes go farther than we’ve taken them before, and sometimes — yep. It’s too dang funny to keep inside. My four castmates are BRILLIANT. And so I constantly find myself lost in their performances and sometimes reacting, out of character. I’m only human.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Let’s talk about those vampire teeth. What’s the most challenging aspect of wearing fangs while trying to deliver your lines?

JEREMY JAMES CARMICHAEL: They hurt! But I think they’re kinda sexy so I always keep them in right after the show. I’m always hoping to get pulled over on my way home.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Why should folks come see Dracula: a Comedy of Terrors. AND After seeing Dracula: a Comedy of Terrors, what do you hope they come away thinking of long after those two mysterious blood spots fade on their necks?

JEREMY JAMES CARMICHAEL: The show is FUN. Sometimes are is provocative; sometimes it’s used as an agent for social justice or change. And sometimes it’s just damn fun. We’re in a heavy time in our nation and I think the escapism that theater provides is a real benefit. Trust me — you won’t be thinking about your problems for the 90 minutes you spend with us. I think audiences will leave happy, and sometimes, that’s the best you can ask for.

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Playhouse 615’s Dracula: a Comedy of Terrors continues with performances through November 3. At the time of this publication, Limited Tickets remain for the rest of the run with the exception of Saturday, October 26, which has SOLD OUT. Limited seating remains for October 25 & 27 and November 1-3. CLICK HERE to purchase, or contact the box office at 615.319.7031.

Next up at Playhouse 615, Joel Meriwether will direct Every Christmas Story Ever Told (And Then Some!) with performances December 6-22. WATCH THIS LINK for ticket info when it becomes available. For more on the show and to keep up with what’s next at Playhouse 615, check out their website or follow them on Facebook.

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, follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Rapid Fire 20Q with cast of ‘A Tuna Christmas’; Opening at Playhosue 615 December 1

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Each holiday season there’s a handful of theatrical offerings from classics like A Christmas Carol to more modern fare such as Elf. Nestled hilariously somewhere in the middle of these wide-ranging shows is A Tuna Christmas, the brainchild of Joe Sears and Jaston Williams. With only two actors playing every character in the fictitious town of Tuna, Texas, A Tuna Christmas is truly a knee-slappin’, belly-laughin’ good time that will warm your spirits quicker than a shot of brandy in eggnog. Playhouse 615 (located at 11920 Lebanon Road in Mt. Juliet, TN) will be presenting their production of the holiday favorite beginning this weekend as the show opens Friday, December 1 and runs through Sunday, December 17. Directed by Memory Strong-Smith, with set design by Eric Crawford, Matthew N. Smith and Daniel Vincent star as the citizens of Tuna, Texas as they ready for the holiday season.

Earlier this week as the director, set designer and two-man cast prepared for the show’s opening, I had a chance to pose a few questions to each of them for the latest installment of my recurring interview feature, Rapid Fire 20Q. As I have done the last few years, you’ll notice the questions, like everything else around us this time of year, have a decidedly holiday theme.

RAPID FIRE 20Q WITH CAST & CREW OF PLAYHOUSE 615’s A TUNA CHRISTMAS

RAPID FIRE Q&A WITH A TUNA CHRISTMAS DIRECTOR, MEMORY STRONG-SMITH

JHPENTERTAINMENT: What has been the most rewarding aspect of directing Playhouse 615’s holiday offering, A Tune Christmas?

MEMORY STRONG-SMITH: Seeing the whole project cone together. This show has lived in my head for about a year, and it’s really lovely to see everything- lights, costumes, set, characters, trees, and sound come to insane life. It took a village to get us to this point and I am so grateful to Matt and Daniel, Eric who designed and almost singlehandedly built the set, our dresser and ASM Tony Barrow for keeping the chaos as contained as possible back stage, and Nikki Nelson-Hicks who took ownership of running the lights and sound like she was born to it. It’s a LOT and I’m so grateful to each of them for partnering with me on this journey. 

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Are you more likely to return a gift or regift it?

MEMORY STRONG-SMITH: Depends on the gift. If it’s something I think someone else could use or want, I’ll pass it along. 

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Snowball fight or building a snowman?

MEMORY STRONG SMITH: Snowman. 

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Die Hard or Love Actually?

MEMORY STRONG-SMITH: Oh man! I love them both!! Die Hard, tho edges out Love Actually, but a nose hair! 

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Favorite Christmas memory?

MEMORY STRONG-SMITH: There are many, but I have to say the last Christmas I got to spend with my mom before she died. We put on Mariah’s 1st Christmas album (this was 1995), drank adult beverages, got a bit tipsy, and decorated the tree. It was just a lovely time spent together and I so cherish that memory. 

RAPID FIRE Q&A WITH A TUNA CHRISTMAS STAGE MANAGER/SET DESIGNER/GRUMPY ELF, ERIC CRAWFORD

JHPENTERTAINMENT: As Stage Manager/Set Designer/Grumpy Elf for Playhouse 615’s A Tuna Christmas, is there a detail in the set that you’re most proud of?

ERIC CRAWFORD: The Christmas trees. This show features 7 Christmas trees which determine the setting for each scene. I put a lot of thought into capturing Matt and Daniel’s interpretations of the characters and what each character’s Christmas tree would look like. 

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Christmas Breakfast, Christmas Lunch or Christmas Dinner?

ERIC CRAWFORD: Dinner

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Sleep late or up early for presents?

Sleep late is always the appropriate answer. 

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Gift Bag or meticulously wrapped presents? 

I tend to be involved with holiday productions, so I usually wind up paying my son, Ace, to wrap for me. 

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Favorite Christmas memory?

How about one theme? Family.  So many memories of my relatives revolve around Christmas, especially those who have passed.  

RAPID FIRE Q&A WITH A TUNA CHRISTMAS STAR, MATTHEW N. SMITH

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Of the myriad of characters you play in A Tuna Christmas, do you have a favorite? 

MATTHEW N. SMITH: Every character is special to me for one reason or another and I can’t say I have a favorite but I’m going to go with Arles Struvie because he has a really touching relationship that develops through the show (leaving out details to avoid giving away the plot). 

JHPENTERTAINMENT: A walk in the wintery woods or a stroll through a decorated neighborhood?

MATTHEW N. SMITH: I’m going to go with the decorated neighborhood. It sounds slightly less freezing. 

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Who was the better Scrooge…Bill Murray in Scrooged, Jim Carrey in 2009’s A Christmas Carol or Uncle Eider as Scrooge McDuck? 

MATTHEW N. SMITH: The answer will never not be Bill Murray.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Would you prefer a ride on the Polar Express or a Horse-drawn Sleigh? 

MATTHEW N. SMITH: Since I have an affinity for the traditional and picturesque, I’ll take the sleigh. Under a warm blanket with a hot toddy and my Mine.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Favorite Christmas memory? 

MATTHEW N. SMITH: When I was 17, my mother gave me a Fender acoustic guitar. It’s been through everything with me ever since and though we’re both a little the worse for wear, we can still strum a pretty nice tune. 

RAPID FIRE Q&A WITH A TUNA CHRISTMAS STAR, DANIEL VINCENT

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Like your costar, you also play a ton of characters in A Tuna Christmas. Who’s your favorite?

DANIEL VINCENT: Though Inita Goodwin, the sassy waitress, is a lot of fun, I’d have to say that Bertha Bumiller is my favorite. She’s the heart of the show and delivers some of the most country and hilarious one-liners.

 JHPENTERTAINMENT: Emmet Otter’s Jug-Band Christmas or John Denver and The Muppets: A Christmas Together?

DANIEL VINCENT: Emmet Otter’s Jug-Band Christmas is a classic, but I’m going to pretty much always go with The Muppets any time there is a choice.

 JHPENTERTAINMENT: Handcrafted presents or store-bought with thought?

DANIEL VINCENT: I don’t really have a preference here as long as it’s something practical or that I can enjoy throughout the year. I’m not a fan of tchotchkes.  

 JHPENTERTAINMENT: Ice Skating or Caroling?

DANIEL VINCENT: I’ve only tried ice skating once and it was a tremendous and painful failure. I’m a singer, so I’m going with caroling. Fewer bruises and broken bones.

 JHPENTERTAINMENT: Favorite Christmas memory?

DANIEL VINCENT: We didn’t have money growing up, so my mother made sure Christmas was more about service to others than getting things on your wish list. My favorite Christmas memory is probably the first time I volunteered with my rugby team to deliver meals on Christmas Day with Nashville Cares. It was humbling as well as heart-warming and brought home what the season is really about. I’ve done it every year since. It’s become a part of my holiday traditions.

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With that my conversations with the cast of Playhouse 615’s A Tuna Christmas came to a close, but it’s just the beginning of the riotous laughter they’ll be providing during the holiday season as the show opens Friday, December 1 and continues weekend through Sunday, December 17. CLICK HERE for tickets or call the box-office at 615.319.7031. When available, tickets can also be purchsed at the door an hour before each performance.

Following a brief holiday break, up next at Playhouse 615 is The 39 Steps., directed by Diane Bearden-Enright, onstage February 16- March 3. For more on these shows and to keep up with Playhouse 615, check out their website or find them on Facebook.

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!

Rapid Fire 20Q with cast of ‘Move Over Mrs. Markham’; onstage at Playhouse 615 August 4 thru August 20

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Recently, during their final days of rehearsal, I had the opportunity to chat with cast members of Playhouse 615’s latest presentation, Move Over Mrs. Markham. A British farce written by Ray Cooney and John Chapman as directed by Playhouse 615’s Joel Meriwether, the show opens Friday, August 4 and running through August 20. Among the cast are Beth Henderson as Miss Olive Harriet Smythe, Craig Hartline as Henry Lodge, Eric Crawford as Phillip Markham and Lindsey Patrick-Wright as Joanna Markham. What follows are my conversations about their characters, the show, company and more.

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RAPID FIRE 20Q WITH CAST OF PLAYHOUSE 615’s MOVE OVER MRS. MARKHAM

RAPID FIRE WITH BETH HENDERSON, MOVE OVER MRS. MARKHAM’S MISS OLIVE HARRIET SMYTHE 

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Not being all that familiar with Move Over Mrs. Markham myself, I got my hands on the script. Move Over Mrs Markham seems like its somewhere between Billy Wilder’s The Apartment and the bed-hopping farce within the farce of Noises Off. Do you think that’s a fair assessment?

BETH HENDERSON: It definitely has elements of both. It has The Apartment’s plot line of the flat being used for multiple trysts. And it shares Noises Off’s farcical elements of slamming doors and ladies in nighties. But, what really makes this show funny is everyone pretending to be someone else in order to persuade a very prudish and clueless author that they are just the wholesome upright publishing company she wants to sign with.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Speaking of said author, what can you tell me about Miss Olive Harriet Smythe?

BETH HENDERSON: She’s a rather prudish and proper children’s book author who is outwardly appalled by sex (although I think she secretly relishes in it, at times). She’s also pretty flighty and constantly saying things that come across in a completely unintended way. Oh, and she’s completely obsessed with dogs.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Audiences will surely recognize you from you most recent role as Mrs.Wingfield in Playhouse 615’s The Glass Menagerie, or perhaps 2022’s Trip to Bountiful, two classic dramatic roles. Now, with Miss Smythe, you’re fully immersed in farcical comedy. Do you prepare differently for comedy as opposed to a more dramatic role?

BETH HENDERSON: I can’t really say that I prepare for them differently. For me, whether it’s a comedy or a drama, the first and most important thing to do is get to know the character beyond the covers of the script: their history, what makes them tick, how they feel about things, etc. However, I will say that in comedy, more often than in drama, finding my costume can really help create the character. That was 100% the case in this show.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: You’ve not only been part of several productions at Playhouse 615, but you’re also on the company’s Board of Directors. How long have you been on the board and what does that entail?

BETH HENDERSON: I’ve only been on the board for about five months, so I’m pretty new. I’ve been fortunate enough to have been on the boards of several Nashville theaters over the past 15 years, so it’s nice to bring that experience to a newer theater that’s just starting to take off. 

JHPENTERTAINMENT: If you weren’t playing Miss Smythe, what other role would you enjoy, whether you’re “right for the part” or not, and why?

BETH HENDERSON: They’re all such fun roles, so it’s hard to say. Maybe Alistair, because of his cheekiness. And Linda pretending to be Helga would be such over-the-top fun.

RAPID FIRE WITH CRAIG HARTLINE, MOVE OVER MRS. MARKHAM’S HENRY LODGE

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Who is Henry Lodge to you?

CRAIG HARTLINE: Henry Lodge to me is a bit of a spoiled little boy, pretending to be a man. He has had some success in the children’s book business, but he spends his time and money, pursuing women for his own pleasures. He’s a bit of a cad, lovable, but a cad.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Henry is a children’s book publisher. If you were to write a children’s book, what  would it be about?

CRAIG HARTLINE: Wow, that is a tough question. It would probably be about a puppy who grows up with two smart parents who try to teach him about the world around him. However, he is more interested in chasing butterflies and playing in mud puddles to listen. It’s only when he moves into the real world, that he discovers, he should have listened more. In the end, he finally achieves the life his parents wanted for him after remembering what lessons they tried to teach him.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: You were last seen onstage at Playhouse 615 in Sex Please, We’re Sixty, and now, just two months later, you’re back for your second production with the company. What is it about the company that brought you back so quickly?  

CRAIG HARTLINE: I have thoroughly enjoyed working with Playhouse 615. The Board Members are determined to achieve what actors in Nashville and the surrounding counties have been looking for, a place where actors can stretch their wings, so to speak and build on their craft. The actors I have had the privilege to work with are hard working and dedicated to their craft. I look forward to the chance to come back and work again with this production company.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: As Henry Lodge, you have two leading ladies. Anne Street-Kavanagh plays Henry’s wife, Linda, while Em Genovese plays…um…how shall I put this?..NOT his wife, Miss Wilkinson. How much fun are you having sharing the stage with these two?         

CRAIG HARTLINE: These two lovely ladies are a thrill to work with. Anne is a funny and talented lady who brings out the best in each and every role she is in. Her dedication to her craft inspires me to be better. Anne and I created a chemistry together in Sex Please, We’re Sixty, that brings a smile to my heart. I believe we bring the same chemistry on stage in Move Over, Mrs. Markham.

This is the first time I have worked with Em, but I surely hope it is not the last. She has been acting for many years, and despite her young age, she is a true professional. Her ability to understand the character, taking the words written on the page and bringing it to life, is a true testament to where I believe her career will go. If I were the audience, I would make a strong mental note of the name, Em Genovese, she well may be the next name you see on the “telly”.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: What is it about slamming doors and farcical comedy?

CRAIG HARTLINE: The action of slamming doors is a large part of the action in this comedy. The chaos of characters coming in and going out of each scene adds to the rapid fire action from the actors. The timing of those opening and slamming doors is crucial to the play. Without that action, the play would be rather tame and loose that rapid fire of lines between the actors.

RAPID FIRE WITH ERIC CRAWFORD, MOVE OVER MRS. MARKHAM’S PHILLIP MARKHAM

JHPENTERTAINMENT: What do we need to know about Phillip Markham?

ERIC CRAWFORD: Philip is the antithesis of farce.  He would be totally appalled at the thought of being involved in any shenanigans. 

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Move Over Mrs. Markham marks your Playhouse 615 debut. Was it the role or the company that prompted your interest in auditioning for the role of Phillip?…Or a combination of the two?

ERIC CRAWFORD: A bit of both. I’m in an online theatre group and a couple of folks had been in different productions and all had a blast. I’m new to this theatre company but Nashville is a pretty small acting community so I already knew a couple of folks that were auditioning and had done multiple performances with 615. 

JHPENTERTAINMENT: The show is set in a posh top floor London flat, so let’s talk about accents and dialect. One of my pet peeves as a theatre reviewer is when the accents don’t ring true. Was a dialect coach brought in to assist the cast with honing their accents?

ERIC CRAWFORD: Yes, we were very fortunate to have a wonderful dialogue coach. A first for me. We had some online group and private coaching sessions. I like performing with accents, so a coach was a real treat. 

JHPENTERTAINMENT: What is it about a farce that keeps audiences interested?

ERIC CRAWFORD: Two things. Never a dull moment and the unpredictability of where the wrong turns will lead you. 

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Has there ever been an occurrence in your own life that you think might make for a good farcical comedy?

ERIC CRAWFORD: Well it started at birth…. I grew up thinking Lucy Ricardo had the right idea attitude towards life so I think all of the ironies of growing up in the Missouri boot-heel, getting a doctorate in genetics, and  having a deep seated need to perform is somewhat farcical in itself. 

RAPID FIRE WITH LINDSEY PATRICK-WRIGHT, MOVE OVER MRS. MARKHAM’S JOANNA MARKHAM

JHPENTERTAINMENT: What is your favorite aspect of Joanna as a character?

LINDSEY PATRICK-WRIGHT: Joanna has been so much fun to play because she has truly been thrown into the madness of this evening through no fault of her own and she continues to just roll with the punches. I think Joanna is a genuinely caring person and wants the best for the people around her even when their behavior is less than admirable. Also, Joanna’s willingness to lie for her friends while being really lousy at it, has been a particularly juicy part of the role!

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Move Over Mrs. Markham is set in the late sixties/early seventies, which usually indicates some groovy fashions. Who’s the costumer for the show and do you have a favorite look, whether it be your own or that of a fellow cast mate?

LINDSEY PATRICK-WRIGHT: I think we were all so excited about costuming, we all just dove into finding costumes for our characters. Denese Evans helped us fill in any gaps for hard-to-find items. Since I spend most of the show in various stages of undress, I would have to say that Alistair’s (Jonathan Wilbur) suit is “really with it” as Joanna says in the show, so it is probably my favorite!  I personally LOVE this time period and would say that at least half the set is made up of furniture and decor from my own home – including the Big Eye Girl painting in Joanna’s bedroom.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: I have a confession…I had never heard of this play before Joel told me it was coming to Playhouse 615, but I had heard of Ray Cooney, who, along with John Chapman wrote the script. Cooney having written nearly twenty plays including Run for Your Wife, which ran for many years on The West End. Were you familiar with the show before auditioning?

LINDSEY PATRICK-WRIGHT: No! Not at all! I was able to get my hands on a script before auditioning and I believe this is exactly what I said to Joel after reading it “This show is absolutely ridiculous. I love it!” 

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Typical for farces, the laughs usually run the gamut from subtle to outlandish. I’d imagine rehearsals have been quite fun. Who’s the biggest cut-up among the cast?

LINDSEY PATRICK-WRIGHT: While we all have our moments of cutting up, I think that Eric Crawford and Craig Hartline, playing best buds Phillip and Henry respectively, cut up the most. They have been known to continue on, in character, after the scenes end doing their own two-man improv show for us. I think even Ray Cooney himself would admit their behind-the-scenes, in-character antics are hilarious. Everyone in this cast has such great comedic chops that we have had a blast during rehearsals.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: What is it about farces, and Move Over Mrs. Markham in particular that you think will appeal most to Playhouse 615 audiences?

LINDSEY PATRICK-WRIGHT: Having just come from acting in Playhouse 615’s last show The Shadow Box (a moving play about death, dying, and the stages of grief) this play is a very different kind of catharsis. Move Over Mrs. Markham, like other farces, is fast-paced, energetic and just pure FUN. I told my family and friends to BYOT (bring your own tissues) to this show, too, because if they are anything like me in rehearsals, they will be crying from laughing.

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Move Over Mrs. Markham opens Friday, August 4 at Playhouse 615 (11920 Lebanon Road, Mt. Juliet, TN 37122). The show runs through Sunday, August 20 with 7:30pm performances Fridays and Saturdays and Sunday matinees at 2:30pm. Tickets are $18. Call the Box Office at 615.319.7031 to reverse tickets or CLICK HERE to purchase them via the company’s Eventbrite page. Tickets may also be purchased in person at the theatre just prior to showtime.

Next up at Playhouse 615 is The Sugar Bean Sisters, running September 8-24. For more on these shows and to keep up with Playhouse 615, check out their website or find them on Facebook.

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!

TPAC announces 2020-2021 Broadway Season; ‘Mean Girls’, ‘’The Prom’ and Temptations Musical among coming shows

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Rather than hosting patrons, members of the media and fans for their annual Season Announcement Party, Tennessee Performing Arts Center cut to the chase by announcing the coming 2020-2021 Broadway Season by sending out an early morning email and sharing the exciting line-up via social media.

In a prepared statement included in the press release,, TPAC President and CEO Jennifer Turner said, “This season is alive with a remarkable energy. TPAC’s creation 40 years ago was a catalyst for our performing arts community, and we’re excited to chart a new course for the future with a renewed commitment to providing high quality arts entertainment.” She continued, “We can’t think of a better way to launch our 40th anniversary than with a full year of fresh, spirit-lifting, thought-provoking Broadway productions. Truly, the best is yet to come.”

There are seven shows making their Music City debut in the coming season, including: Come From Away, Ain’t Too Proud -The Life and Times of The Temptations, Mean Girls, The Band’s Visit, The Prom, What the Constitution Means to Me and a special pre-Broadway engagement of 1776.

Returning favorites Les Miserables, Elton John and Tim Rice’s AIDA, The Vagina Monologues an extended Nashville run of the ever-popular Disney phenomenon, The Lion King round out the jam-packed ten-show season.

The 2020-2021 Broadway Season calendar looks like this: 

Come From Away – July 28-August 2, 2020 

Ain’t Too Proud – August 11-16, 2020 

1776 – November 3-8, 2020 

Mean Girls – November 17-22, 2020 

Disney’s The Lion King – February 3-27, 2021 

(With season subscriber priority ticketing – February 3-9, 2021) 

The Band’s Visit – March 2-7, 2021 

The Prom – May 25-31, 2021 

As usual, TPAC also offers a few Broadway Special Presentations peppered throughout the season. That calendar is as follows:

Elton John & Tim Rice’s AIDA – June 15-20, 2021 

What the Constitution Means to Me– July 14-19, 2020

The Vagina Monologues-August 18-23, 2020

Les Miserables – September 15-20, 2020

For those not familiar with the coming shows, TPAC’s email blast offered the following:

The 2020-21 season and special presentations feature the Nashville premieres of The New York Times Critics’ Pick, COME FROM AWAY; AIN’T TOO PROUD – THE LIFE AND TIMES OF THE TEMPTATIONS, the electrifying new musical that follows The Temptations’ extraordinary journey from the streets of Detroit to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame; a re-imagining of the Tony Award®-winning musical 1776 prior to its Broadway engagement at Roundabout Theatre Company; MEAN GIRLS, the hilarious hit musical from the award-winning creative team of Tina Fey, Jeff Richmond, Nell Benjamin and Casey Nicholaw; THE BAND’S VISIT, the critically-acclaimed smash hit musical winner of 10 Tony Awards including Best Musical; the Drama Desk Award winner for Best Musical THE PROM, a new musical comedy about big Broadway stars on a mission to change the world, and WHAT THE CONSTITUTION MEANS TO ME, the 2019 Tony nominated Best Play and Pulitzer Prize finalist by famed writer Heidi Schreck. 

Back by popular demand are LES MISÉRABLES, the enthralling story of broken dreams and unrequited love, passion, sacrifice and redemption and Elton John and Tim Rice’s AIDA, a retelling of the passionate and timeless story for today’s audiences. 

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Further information on each show from the press release comes directly from each show’s publicity department:

COME FROM AWAY 

Nashville Premiere 

July 28 – August 2, 2020 

Broadway’s COME FROM AWAY is a Best Musical winner all across North America! This New York Times Critics’ Pick takes you into the heart of the remarkable true story of 7,000 stranded passengers and the small town in Newfoundland that welcomed them. Cultures clashed and nerves ran high, but uneasiness turned into trust, music soared into the night, and gratitude grew into enduring friendships. Don’t miss this breathtaking new musical written by Tony® nominees Irene Sankoff and David Hein and helmed by this year’s Tony-winning Best Director, Christopher Ashley. Newsweek cheers, “It takes you to a place you never want to leave!” On 9/11, the world stopped. On 9/12, their stories moved us all. 

AIN’T TOO PROUD – THE LIFE AND TIMES OF THE TEMPTATIONS 

Nashville Premiere 

August 11-16, 2020 

AIN’T TOO PROUD is the electrifying new smash-hit Broadway musical that follows The Temptations’ extraordinary journey from the streets of Detroit to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. The winner of the 2019 Tony Award for Best Choreography, it’s a thrilling story of brotherhood, family, loyalty, and betrayal during a decade of civil unrest in America. Set to the beat of the group’s treasured hits, including “My Girl,” “Just My Imagination,” “Get Ready,” “Papa Was a Rolling Stone,” AIN’T TOO PROUD tells the unforgettable story of the legendary quintet that Billboard Magazine named the greatest R&B group of all time. 

Get ready – ‘cause here they come! 

1776 

Nashville Premiere 

November 3-8, 2020

They knew they would make history, but not what history would make of them. Fed up with living under the tyranny of British rule, John Adams attempts to persuade his fellow members of the Continental Congress to vote in favor of American Independence and sign the Declaration. But how much is he willing to compromise in the pursuit of freedom? And to whom does that freedom belong? Direct from the American Repertory Theater at Harvard University, visionary director Diane Paulus reexamines a pivotal moment in American history in a re-imagining of the Tony Award®-winning musical 1776 prior to its Broadway engagement at Roundabout Theatre Company.

MEAN GIRLS

Nashville Premiere 

November 17-22, 2020 

Direct from Broadway, MEAN GIRLS is the hilarious hit musical from an award-winning creative team, including book writer Tina Fey (“30 Rock”), composer Jeff Richmond (“Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt”), lyricist Nell Benjamin (Legally Blonde) and director Casey Nicholaw (The Book of Mormon). Cady Heron may have grown up on an African savanna, but nothing prepared her for the vicious ways of her strange new home: suburban Illinois. Soon, this naïve newbie falls prey to a trio of lionized frenemies led by the charming but ruthless Regina George. But when Cady devises a plan to end Regina’s reign, she learns the hard way that you can’t cross a Queen Bee without getting stung. New York Magazine cheers, “MEAN GIRLS delivers with immense energy, a wicked sense of humor and joyful inside-jokery.” USA Today says, “We’ll let you in on a little secret, because we’re such good friends: Get Your Tickets Now!” 

Disney’s THE LION KING 

Back by Popular Demand 

February 3-27, 2021 

Disney’s The Lion King US North American Tour, Rafiki Tour cast: Brandon McCall (Simba)

More than 100 million people around the world have experienced the phenomenon of Disney’s THE LION KING, and now you can, too, when Nashville’s best-loved musical returns to Nashville. Winner of six Tony Awards®, including Best Musical, this landmark musical event brings together one of the most imaginative creative teams on Broadway. Tony Award®-winning director Julie Taymor brings to life a story filled with hope and adventure set against an amazing backdrop of stunning visuals. THE LION KING also features some of Broadway’s most recognizable music, crafted by Tony Award®-winning artists Elton John and Tim Rice. There is simply nothing else like THE LION KING. 

THE BAND’S VISIT 

Nashville Premiere 

March 2-7, 2021 

THE BAND’S VISIT is the winner of 10 Tony Awards, including Best Musical, making it one of the most Tony-winning musicals in history. In this joyously offbeat story, set in a town that’s way off the beaten path, a band of musicians arrive lost, out of the blue. Under the spell of the desert sky, and with beautiful music perfuming the air, the band brings the town to life in unexpected and tantalizing ways. Even the briefest visit can stay with you forever. With a Tony- and Grammy-winning score that seduces your soul and sweeps you off your feet, and featuring thrillingly talented onstage musicians, THE BAND’S VISIT rejoices in the way music makes us laugh, makes us cry, and ultimately, brings us together.   

THE PROM 

Nashville Premiere 

May 25-31, 2021 

Everyone’s invited to the joyous Broadway hit that New York Magazine hails as “smart and big-hearted” while The New York Times declares it “makes you believe in musical comedy again!” THE PROM is a new musical comedy about big Broadway stars on a mission to change the world and the love they discover that unites them all. THE PROM features direction and choreography by Tony Award winner Casey Nicholaw (Mean Girls, The Book of Mormon), a book by Tony Award winner Bob Martin (The Drowsy Chaperone) and Tony Award nominee Chad Beguelin (Aladdin), music by Tony Award nominee Matthew Sklar (Elf) and lyrics by Tony Award nominee Chad Beguelin. 

Elton John & Tim Rice’s AIDA  

Back by Popular Demand 

June 15-20, 2021 

A love story written in the stars. The New Yorker says, “Disney’s done it again!” The winner of four Tony® Awards returns to the stages of North America. With a Grammy® and Tony® Award-winning score by the legendary Elton John and Tim Rice, the hit Broadway musical AIDA returns to the stages of North America in a thrilling new production, reinterpreted for today’s audiences by the original Tony® Award-winning creative team. From the producers of The Lion King and Frozen, comes a compelling tale of star-crossed lovers belonging to feuding nations. Through the stirring contemporary score, and a timeless and powerful love story, AIDA reveals that we have the power to change history, but only when we make brave choices. 

BROADWAY SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS: 

WHAT THE CONSTITUTION MEANS TO ME 

Nashville Premiere 

July 14-19, 2020 

Direct from Broadway, the 2019 Tony® nominated Best Play and Pulitzer Prize finalist, WHAT THE CONSTITUTION MEANS TO ME, by famed writer Heidi Schreck, arrives in Nashville for a strictly limited engagement. This boundary-breaking play breathes new life into our Constitution and imagines how it will shape the next generation of Americans. Fifteen-year-old Heidi earned her college tuition by winning Constitutional debate competitions across the United States. In this hilarious, hopeful, and achingly human new play, she resurrects her teenage self in order to trace the profound relationship between four generations of women and the founding document that shaped their lives. Schreck’s timely and galvanizing play, directed by Oliver Butler, became a sensation off-Broadway last fall before transferring to Broadway where it received two Tony Award® nominations among countless other accolades. See the play The New York Times hails as “not just the best play on Broadway, but also the most important.” 

THE VAGINA MONOLOGUES

August 18-23, 2020

The show on everyone’s lips this year is The Vagina Monologues. Twenty years after first shocking and empowering audiences, Eve Ensler’s groundbreaking, wildly entertaining phenomenon is returning to the stage in a star-studded National Tour, reminding us all at this monumental time in our history how important it is to laugh, to cry, to come together, raise our voices, and speak out before it is too late. Don’t miss your opportunity to think inside the box – and to be a part of something truly revolutionary.

LES MISERABLES

September 15-20, 2020

By popular demand, Cameron Mackintosh’s acclaimed production of Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schönberg’s Tony Award-winning musical phenomenon, LES MISÉRABLES returns to TPAC. Set against the backdrop of 19th-century France, Les Misérables tells an unforgettable story of heartbreak, passion, and the resilience of the human spirit. Featuring the beloved songs “I Dreamed A Dream,” “On My Own,” “Stars,” “Bring Him Home,” “One Day More,” and many more, this epic and uplifting story has become one of the most celebrated musicals in theatrical history. With its glorious new staging and dazzlingly reimagined scenery inspired by the paintings of Victor Hugo, this breathtaking new production has left both audiences and critics awestruck, hailed as the “Les Miz for the 21st Century.” 

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Season ticket packages are available on Monday, Feb. 24 at 10 a.m. An eight-show season package for the 2020-21 HCA Healthcare / TriStar Health Broadway at TPAC Season series starts at $325. Season ticket holders receive the best seats at the best price compared to purchasing shows individually, and are entitled to additional exclusive benefits, such as easy exchange privileges, flexible payment plans, and savings on dining, hotels, and additional single tickets for any 2020-21 Broadway show at TPAC. 

For more information on the 2020-21 HCA Healthcare / TriStar Health Broadway at TPAC Season, visit TPAC.org/Broadway, where season tickets may be purchased, or call TPAC Patron Services at 615-782-6560. You also may visit the TPAC Box Office located at 505 Deaderick St. 

With all the excitement of the 2020-2021 Broadway Season at TPAC, let’s not forget that the current 2019-2020 Broadway Season is currently ongoing. Up next as TPAC’s current season continues is Jesus Christ Superstar, on stage March 3-8, followed by The Color Purple March 27-29, Escape to Margaritaville May 5-10 and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory June 9-14.

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 2019 Clash of the Playwrights winner Jenny Wallace and cast members Jenny Norris and Curtis Reed; Wallace’s original farce, ‘Schooled’ debuts at Chaffin’s Thursday and Friday, January 23 & 24

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As the venerable theatre has done since 2017, Chaffin’s Barn held their annual Clash of the Playwrights competition midway through last year and announced Jenny Wallace’s Schooled as the 2019 winner. Part of the prize being a full-scale production on-stage at The Barn. Directed by Joy Tilley-Perryman, Wallace’s winning play, Schooled, a comedy farce, centers ‘round high school Principal Ramonda Clark as she juggles a typical day overseeing  summer school with the nonstop visitors to her office. Cast in the lead Jenny Norris, a favorite amongst Chaffin’s patrons. Alongside Norris is Curtis Reed—another fan favorite at Chaffin’s—cast as not one, but two fellow faculty members, Yanis, the vaguely foreign science teacher and Crawford Broderick, the eclectic drama teacher. 

Not only is the aforementioned Perryman directing, she also appears as three separate characters within the show. Adam Burnett also plays a myriad of characters and Daniel Devault appears as the Dean of Students. Rounding out the cast are Mileah Milstead, Daniel Keith Bissell, Annie Magan, Reyna Troi, and Mike Scott cast as several students, janitors, Parents, delivery guys and more. Aside from his role as the dean,  Daniel DeVault is also the show’s lighting director. Other behind-the-scenes assists are courtesy stage manager, Addison Oelze and technical director, Robin Lawshe. 

Having grown up with a Mom who was the assistant librarian at my high school, Schooled seems like it might hit a bit too close to home for me not to enlist playwright Wallace and co-stars Norris and Reed for yet another addition of my recurring interview feature, Rapid Fire Q&A.

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RAPID FIRE WITH SCHOOLED PLAYWRIGHT, JENNY WALLACE

Playwright Jenny Wallace

JHP: How did you come to enter Chaffin’s Barn Dinner Theatre’s Clash of the Playwrights?

JENNY WALLACE: I had wanted to submit a play to Clash of the Playwrights in previous years, but I wasn’t paying close enough attention and missed the deadline two years in a row. This year I had my act together (as much as it can be) and submitted my script, although Schooled is not the script I was going to submit previously.

JHP: How did you find out you had won this year’s competition?

JENNY WALLACE: I think I was on vacation in Florida late in the summer when I got a text from Joy Tilley Perryman telling me I had won.

JHP: Where did the idea for Schooled come from?

JENNY WALLACE: When I teach playwriting to my students, I have them write short plays (5-7 pages) and insist that their plays be set in a school. Every time I teach the unit I vary my instructions just a bit. Each time they write a play I write my own play alongside them, following my own instructions. (To see if they make sense lol.) Some of the vignettes in Schooledwere born from this process, others have some roots in my own personal experience as an educator, and some of them are brand new. At the same time that I was putting the script together, I had the phrase “strong woman” rolling around in my head and it bothered me. That phrase implies that all women aren’t strong. All of the women I know are strong, their strengths just manifest themselves in different ways. So, I decided to make the story about a capable, confident woman just trying to do her job. But Ramonda, the high school principal and protagonist of the play, isn’t perfect. She tries to be all things to all people in her work life, but her relationships with her family sometimes suffer for it. I hope that the audience—especially women—will see some of themselves in her.

JHP: Having appeared in shows at Chaffin’s yourself, how does it feel to know your show is in such capable hands with director Joy Tilley Perryman and her cast?

JENNY WALLACE: I did my first show at Chaffin’s in 1994, and Joy came to the barn shortly thereafter. So, I have known her for a really long time! I am so excited that she is directing the play. She knows both the Barn “style” and my sense of humor, and I think she will marry the two well. The cast also contains quite a few of my friends, actors whom I have worked with, and who’s work I admire. As an actor myself, I tried to write characters that actors would be excited about playing. Joy has put together a fantastic cast and I can’t wait to see the show!

RAPID FIRE WITH SCHOOLED STAR, JENNY NORRIS

“Schooled” star Jenny Norris as Ramonda Clark

JHP: You’re cast in the lead role of Ramonda Clark in Schooled. What can you tell me about her?

JENNY NORRIS: She is like a lot of working moms. Dedicated to her work and the lives of the students she interacts with but sometimes has difficulty juggling it with her family  life. She is fair and caring, hardworking and kind. Deep down she is a little jealous of the drama teacher though.   

JHP: Many of your co-stars appear in multiple roles within the show. How chaotic does it get remembering who’s playing whom?

JENNY NORRIS: It was at first for sure! And so many people come in and out of my office there were plenty of times when I had no idea what scene was about to happen and just stared blankly at them. But I work with the best of the best and they were always good at saving me when they would see the terror in my eyes! 

JHP: What’s your favorite part of bringing a character to the stage from a new work, as opposed to playing a more well-known role with which the audience is already familiar?

JENNY NORRIS: Supporting new works is very important to me so I was thrilled to have the opportunity to be a part of it. And while I love bringing any character to life with my own version, starting from scratch really gives a unique freedom that I don’t get too often. It’s been fun to take hints from the text and my interactions with the characters my co actors have created to make a real person I feel people will relate to and sympathize with.

RAPID FIRE WITH SCHOOLED CO-STAR, CURTIS REED

“Schooled” co-star Curtis Reed

JHP: Is there a certain added sense of pride in being part of Schooled, considering you know the playwright?

CURTIS REED: The first show I ever did at Chaffin’s Barn was with Jenny Wallace. I have done several shows with her since. I have a special place in my heart for her and I love the fact that I get to be a part of the inaugural performance of her original play. It’s quite funny, and as someone who has taught in some capacity since the age of 17, I FULLY relate to what happens to the main character in this piece.

JHP: You’ve touched on this a little, but, how exciting is it to be part of a new play as it makes its Chaffin’s Barn debut?

CURTIS REED: VERY! No one has interpreted these characters yet so you get to be the pioneer in a way and trailblaze with how people will see these characters for the first time. You even get the chance to create something so iconic, that the writer might go back and add ad-libbed lines or nuances you created for the character into the script, so it is forever there. 

JHP: What can you tell me about the characters you play in Schooled?

CURIS REED: I am definitely a large part of the funny in this show, thanks to how my characters are written by Jenny Wallace. I play Yanis, the indeterminately foreign science teacher who thinks it’s in his best interest to warn the principal that the videos he is watching are of an educational nature….. I don’t want to give too much away. Then I play the very eccentric and out there drama teacher (Typecasting?) where I get to sing at the top of my lungs and be wild and crazy. It’s very freeing and what we have created on stage is sure to please. Of course, having Jenny Norris as your scene partner just makes everything that much easier to experiment and play around. 

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Chaffin’s is presenting the World Premiere of Schooled with a matinee performance Thursday, January 23 and an evening performance on Friday, January 24. The Thursday Matinee is a free performance to all industry people. CLICK HERE or Call 615.664.9977 for reservations, ticket prices and more information.

Next up at Chaffin’s is The Barn Dating Game, a live, local twist on the classic TV gameshow on stage for one night only on Saturday, February 1. CLICK HERE for tickets or more information. Then, from February 6-29 Chaffin’s will present Breaking Up Is Hard to Do, a musical featuring the songs of Neil Sedaka. 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.

If you’ve enjoyed this edition of Rapid Fire, CLICK HERE to check out previous conversations. 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.

Theatre Review: Act 1’s World Premiere ’The Nightmarium Incident’ a fun start the the Halloween season

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 A genuine life-long fan of spooky stories and horror movies,—seriously, Barnabas Collins, The Bell Witch and Michael Myers are among my favorite childhood memories. So when I heard Act 1 was presenting an original tale or terror, The Nighmarium Incident, written and directed by Eric Butler as a pre-Halloween offering at Darkhorse Theatre, I was all in.

Stage manager Katie Veglio, lighting designer Kristen Dubois and sound designer Kaitlin Barnett have created a ghoulishly perfect 1980s-era set that immediately put me in mind of Frankenstein’s lab, or, perhaps more accurately, the set of Sir Cecil Creep’s Creature Feature, a weekly Saturday night horror movie presentation—a Nashville television staple from my youth.

As the Nightmarium commences we are introduced to Maureen Henson (Natalie Stone) hosting W-KIL—gotta love those morbid call letters—Channel 9’s schlocky Friday night horror presentation, The Nightmarium Creature Double Feature as Mistress Twilight. It is quickly revealed that Maureen is simply biding her time as the Elvira wannabe while she patiently waits a more serious gig as co-anchor of the station’s evening news. Stone plays the duality of Maureen/Mistress Twilight with ease, vamping it up as the cheeky horror hostess, while alternately exploring Maureen’s career-driven seriousness.

As Mistress Twilight, Stone’s Maureen is surrounded by a perfectly stereotypical cast of characters including Jarvis Bynum as Maureen’s husband Wesley, who appears on the show-within-a-show as Papa Moreaux, a voodoo priest. Bynum, too manages to differentiate between the two characters he plays, presenting Wesley a devoted husband to Maureen, then switching gears to portray the creepy Papa Moreaux.

There’s also Beth Henderson as Dale, Channel 9’s mild-mannered weatherman who doubles on the horror fest as Dr. Solomon Wretch. In part because Henderson is playing Dale, which, given the unisex nature of the character’s name, could be a man or a woman, she’s a scene-stealer from the start. Whether the playwright originally envisioned Dale as a man or not is unclear, especially considering the inclusion of more than a few punchlines aimed directly at Dale’s masculinity. Nonetheless, Dale ends up being one of the best parts of the show thanks to Henderson’s comedic timing and her ability to deliver her lines with conviction, in spite of the silliness of the show.

Henderson, Stone and Bynum of Act 1’s “The Nightmarium Incident”

While they spend the majority of the play hidden behind two Voodoo hand-puppets, Tori Simpson and Elizabeth Turner provide the show with many laughs throughout.

TJ Koomen is featured as the TV show’s technical director, Sam, offering up equal parts Alan Brady and Rob Petrie as the harried director who also has a bit of a soft side for his colleague Maureen.

Steven Kraski is perfectly weird as Luke the station’s custodian who dreams of making the leap from waaaay behind the scenes to front and center as one of the horror show’s cast members. He plays the creep factor so well in fact, I wasn’t convinced till the very end that all the trouble wasn’t simply Luke’s elaborate audition gone awry.

Stealing every single scene he’s in is Joseph Hudson as The Nightmarium’s cameraman, Joe. Hudson’s Joe is the good ole boy to end all good ole boys. Having grown up i a relatively small country town just west of Nashville, I definitely know the type and Hudson has it down to a science, rising above the predictable to riotous results.

Rounding out the show-within-a-show cast are Emmanuelle Loyer as Floor Manager Rhonda, Alyssa Borg as Sherri Peterson, the stations new seemingly vapid anchorwoman, Maureen’s main obstacle in her pursuit of being an news anchor and Matt Smith as Bill Haig, the station’s star anchor. Smith, always a joy to watch onstage, is another reason this show works. Dressed in wardrobe courtesy costumer Brooklyn Hughes reminiscent The Mary Tyler Moore Show’s self-important anchor, Ted Baxter, as played by Ted Knight or Will Ferrell’s Anchorman, Ron Burgundy—with an ego and toupee to match, Smith elicits laughter simply by standing there.

While the plot gets as murky as The Munsters’ moat…the infighting and interpersonal relationships between Maureen, her horror show co-stars and crew and her rivals at the news desk…plus the real plot of The Nightmarium Incident, when an accidental incantation brings murder and mayhem to the station…all in all, The Nightmarium Incident provides more than enough laughs, and a few frights, the perfect precursor to Halloween. With only an all-too-brief two-week run, here’s hoping Music City gets another chance to visit W-KIL and The Nightmarium Incident next season.

Act 1’s The Nightmarium Incident concludes its run with one final show Saturday, November 19 at 7:30p.m. CLICK HERE to purchase tickets in advance for $15, or purchase them at the door for $18.

Up next at Act 1 is playwright Lisa Loomer’s Distracted directed by Elizabeth Hayes, on stage November 15-17 and 21-23. CLICK HERE for more information.

To keep up with Act 1, follow them on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Theatre Review: Neil Simon’s ‘God’s Favorite’ provides retro laughs and surprising thoughtfulness; at Chaffin’s Barn Dinner Theatre thru June 22

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John Mauldin, Scott Stewart (center) and Jenny Wallace lead the hilarious cast of Neil Simon’s “God’s Favorite” at Chaffin’s Barn Dinner Theatre thru June 22. (photo courtesy Chaffin’s Barn Dinner Theatre)

God’s Favorite, now onstage at Chaffin’s Barn thru June 22 may not be as widely known as  legendary playwright Neil Simon’s other works like The Odd Couple or his somewhat autobiographical Brighton Beach Memoirs, Biloxi Blues and Broadway Bound, but when presented by one of Nashville’s favorite theatre companies, especially when under the direction of Joy Tilley Perryman and featuring several Music City favorites among the cast, rest assured the laughs are heaven-sent.

With a plot that heavily borrows from THE Good Book’s story of Job, God’s Favorite swaps the biblical leading man’s name from Job to Joe, Joe Benjamin at that, perhaps a wink to the $100 bill, for you see, Joe is a wealthy cardboard box magnate who’s trust in God and love of his family has showered him with success and happiness.

Set in the 1970s, complete with a perfectly retro wardrobe courtesy Miriam Creighton and a simplistic but groovy set, lighting and overall look from Perryman’s technical team including stage manager Catherine Forman, sound engineer Stephen Platea, lighting designer Austin Olive, set construction by Robin Lawshe and production assistance from Delaying Rizer, the play begins at the stroke of midnight when a mysterious stranger arrives at Joe’s home and reveals that he is indeed God’s Favorite, but that his trust in the lord will be tested unless he renounces him.

While this may not read like the stuff of which a Neil Simon comedy is made, you just have to have a little faith in Perryman and company to deliver the goods. Resplendent with seventies references including nods to The Exorcist, Robert Redford, a hilarious bit of schtick involving a rotary phone and such, the script may seem dated at times, but Perryman takes full advantage, even having her sound guy play a bit of The Exorcist theme between scenes just when things start to go awry for Joe and family.

Leading the cast is John Mauldin, who in the last few years has indeed become a Chaffin’s favorite. As Joe, Mauldin is the perfect embodiment of the ‘everyman’. Jolly and pleased with his happy life, Mauldin’s Joe brings to mind Archie Bunker…if Archie were ever in a great mood. Even when tested with the loss of his business, plagued with aches and pains and the destruction of his home, Maudlin’s Joe keeps his positivity, an aspect I suspect the actor himself maintains in his real life.

Cast opposite Mauldin is yet another Barn Dinner favorite, Jenny Wallace as Joe’s wife, Rose. Having made her Chaffin’s debut three decades ago, Wallace has appeared in some three dozen plays at The Barn. As Rose, Wallace at first seems the typical well-bred, well-off woman, first appearing oblivious to any and all slightly uncomfortable situations around her, but as Joe’s faith is tested, Wallace’s Rose seems to have a bit of a metamorphosis as she comes to also value the importance of familial love over material belongings.

Speaking of familiar love, The Benjamin’s are blessed with three young offspring. Returning for his third and most significant role to date at Chaffin’s is Elijah Wallace as David Benjamin, the family’s eldest son and a bit of a seemingly lost cause. Having enjoyed Wallace in his campily flamboyant portrayal as Charles Nelson Reilly in The Barn’s The Game Show Show during the holiday season, I was happy to see him take on this role. Though peppered with easy-target drunk jokes and pratfalls, the role of David provides some of the show’s most poignant moments and Wallace handles the range of his character with ease and conviction.

Marking his debut performance at The Barn is Ben Woods as Ben Benjamin. Most of Wood’s on-stage time is shared Annika Burley as Sarah Benjamin, Ben’s twin sister. You’d never know these two weren’t longstanding members of the Chaffin’s family, as they fit easily into the comfortable, fun atmosphere. At the top of the show there’s a running gag of young Sarah repeating every line spoken by her father and brother. Under the direction of a less-confident director, this scene—heck, this entire play—could easily play a bit droll and reaching for obvious laughs, but with Perryman at the helm, it’s truly charming and unexpectedly though-provoking.

Speaking of Perryman, in addition to directing, she also appears in the show, playing Mady, one of The Benjamins’ servants. Like Mauldin and Wallace and Wood and Burley, Perryman is also paired with a recurring scene partner throughout the show in the form of yet another Chaffin’s favorite, Charlie Winton as Morris, The Benjamin’s butler. Perryman and Winton are relegated to brief scenes, but as seasoned performers, they make the most of their time on stage and are always a delight.

Rounding out the cast is Scott Stewart as Sidney Lipton, the aforementioned mysterious guest who…Spoiler Alert…is actually a messenger from God…or maybe Satan…I”m still not 100% clear on that. Nonetheless, Stewart, yes, another Barn favorite, is an absolute joy to watch. It’s funny that I mentioned Charles Nelson Reilly earlier in this review…interesting because Reilly created the role of Sidney Lipton in the original 1974 Broadway production of God’s Favorite. For Scott’s Sidney, he goes the nebbish nerdy route, and he does so perfectly, affecting his normally commanding voice to come across a bit more uncertain and nervous. But you gotta love when Sidney is pushed and needs to be a bit more assertive, Stewart belts out a booming line or two that are divine indeed.

As is typical for a Neil Simon play, the jokes come at you at lightning speed, one-liner after one-liner, typically served with a heavy dose of sarcasm and wit, but it’s the not-so-hidden message behind the laughs, the message of faith and family that makes this little charmer worth the watch.

While the plot is outrageous at times and the resolution a bit unbelievable and ever-so neatly packaged within the show’s two-hour run-time, as presented by director Perryman and stars Mauldin, Stewart and company, God’s Favorite will surely be a favorite amongst Chaffin’s patrons.

God’s Favorite continues at Chaffin’s Barn Dinner Theatre with shows through June 22.  Showtimes are Thursdays at 12 noon, Friday and Saturday evenings at 7:30p.m. and a Sunday, June 16 matinee at 2 p.m. Tickets range in price from $13 for Children 12 and under and $20 for  Youth/Student tickets to $35 for Adults. CLICK HERE to purchase tickets.

Being Nashville oldest continuing dinner theatre, Chaffin’s also offers a few dining options in addition to the show ticket pricing. As always, there’s the buffet option, or patrons can also choose items from an a la carte dinner menu with a full range of starters, small plates and desserts. CLICK HERE to check out the menu.

Up next at Chaffin’s Barn Dinner Theatre will be the family favorite, Annie, on the MainStage from July 11-August 3. CLICK HERE for tickets or for 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.

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.