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Linda Speir

Rapid Fire 20Q with playwright and cast of ‘Aunt Sally’s Wild Ride’; World Premiere presentation on stage at Playhouse 615 Friday, September 13 thru Sunday, September 29

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On Friday, September 13, up-and-coming Nashville-based playwright Robert Coles’ Aunt Sally’s Wild Ride will mark its World Premiere with three weeks of performances at Playhouse 615 under the direction of Joel Meriwether. Earlier this week as the company prepared for Opening Night, I had the opportunity to chat with the playwright and members of the cast for my latest Rapid Fire 20Q.

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Rapid Fire 20Q with playwright and cast members of Aunt Sally’s Wild Ride

Rapid Fire Q&A with Aunt Sally’s Wild Ride star Linda Speir

JHPENTERTAINMENT: How excited are you to be the first actress to play the role of Sally Shavers?

LINDA SPEIR: I’m very excited to be the first to play Aunt Sally. I have created this character from what others say about me as well as my actions and dialogue given to me by the playwright. Then I throw in a dash of Linda and I have Aunt Sally! 

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Prior to chatting with you all, the playwright was kind enough to let me read the script to give me some idea of the characters. As I read, so many of the characters spoke to me, having been born and raised right here in Nashville. Is there anything about Aunt Sally that you found similar to any of your own relatives?

LINDA SPEIR: I love the characters in this play because I know some of them. I’m Southern to the core and so are these characters. Two of them remind me of some of my mother’s friends from church. Catherine reminds me a bit of my sister.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: What is your favorite Aunt Sally trait that you might consider incorporating into your own life?

LINDA SPEIR: I love that Aunt Sally is very forthright. I already have that trait. I wish I could be more like her in that, to an extent, she doesn’t care what others think. She’s living HER life. 

JHPENTERTAINMENT: You know you’re my favorite regional actress to have played some of my favorite southern women, including Daisy Werthan (Driving Miss Daisy) and Clairee Belcher (Steel Magnolias). When you think about it, there are similarities in these two iconic character with Aunt Sally, but what I want to know is…What in your estimation, makes Aunt Sally different from these two?

LINDA SPEIR: Aunt Sally is similar in some respects to both Daisy and Clairee.  Southern women  have traits in common with other southern women though they may not be of the same class.  Sally is different in that she is more flamboyant.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: I you could play any other character in Aunt Sally’s Wild Ride, who would it be and why?

LINDA SPEIR: I’d love to play either Rita Ruth or Tippy because they are so zany.         

Rapid Fire Q&A with Aunt Sally’s Wild Ride co-star Jeremy James Carmichael

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Describe Jim Halpren in five words.

JEREMY JAMES CARMICHAEL: Like. So. Super. Good. Looking. Hahahahahaha

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Um…ok…moving on…As Jim, most of your scenes are with Amber Boyer as Jim’s wife, Penny Pennabaker-Halpren and Ann Street Cavanagh as Jim’s sister, Catherine McMahan. What’s it like having these two talented regional favorites as scene partners?

JEREMY JAMES CARMICHAEL: I love learning from the actors I get to work with; I’m not the same performer I was a year ago, and I won’t be the same next year. I’ve been lucky enough since moving to Nashville to work with some of the biggest names in the local theater business, and I’ve tried to watch and emulate as much as I can from them. I always say it’s never me acting in a show; it’s a combination of hundreds of directors and fellow actors who have poured into me.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: How much freedom has your director given you in making Jim your own?

JEREMY JAMES CARMICHAEL: I think we’ve all had a lot of freedom in creating these characters, particularly since we’re originating the roles. We use whatever the script provides and then color the characters in ways we think stays true to the text but allows us as artists to infuse our own ideas and personality.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Playwright Robert Cole has written a script that presents a great balance between humor and heart. Without revealing any plot spoilers, do you have a favorite scene, whether funny, or sweet?

JEREMY JAMES CARMICHAEL: I absolutely have a favorite scene, but I can’t say anything about it. It’s near the end of act two between Jim’s wife (Amber Boyer) and his cousin Cat (Ann Street Kavanaugh). Just when you think it’s a comedy, it is not. It. Is. Not.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Because it’s my website and I can do what I want, I’m going to go off-script for your last question….After Aunt Sally’s Wild Ride, when no on-stage, you’ve got a charity event your heading coming up…tell me about Scarfapolooza.

JEREMY JAMES CARMICHAEL: Thank you for this question!! My family started a charity event the night before Thanksgiving each year; we gather as many friends as we can to collect winter clothing items, and then hit the streets of Nashville to deliver to those living on the streets. It’s a fantastic way to be a blessing to others during a holiday of gratitude, and I honestly think those participating are more blessed than those receiving the gifts. It’s all about showing up for people and letting them know they matter.

Rapid Fire Q&A with Aunt Sally’s Wild Ride co-star Amber Boyer

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Ok, I have to start my conversation with you by telling you how excited I was when I saw that you’d been cast in this show! You never disappoint on stage. That said, who is Penny Pennabaker-Halpren to you?

AMBER BOYER: That’s incredibly sweet of you to say. Thank you! 🤗 To me, Penny is the quintessential misunderstood/underestimated character in this script. Everyone judges her simply because of how she dresses, without taking the time to actually get to know her. She’s spunky, friendly, loyal, loving, and a bit ditsy sometimes, but is unabashedly herself, and will give her brutal honesty when provoked.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: I love that Penny Pennabaker-Halpren insists on the full hyphenated name. Lord knows being from the south myself, I know my share of folks who gotta make sure you know who they are and who they come from. So…a completely nonsensical question…if you could go by any made up hyphenated name yourself, what would it be?

AMBER BOYER: Huh. . . I’ve never thought about that before. I honestly don’t have an answer.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Penny Pennabaker-Halpren’s wardrobe choices are…interesting to say the least. Did you create your character’s look or does the show have a costumer that you worked with?

AMBER BOYER: We do have our wonderful costumer, Denese Evans, and it’s been kind of a collaborative effort between myself, the playwright, the director and customer. Penny is very sexy-tacky, if you can picture that.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: The script describes Penny Pennabaker-Halpren (YES, I’m going to honor her wishes and use her full hypenated name every time) as ‘ditsy’. Those that know you, even a little, know you’re anything but. How much fun are you having playing this character?

AMBER BOYER: I am having such a blast creating this character! Playing “the ditsy one” is always fun. I’ve admittedly been pulling personality traits from different TV characters and people I’ve met in my real life. There are deeper aspects to Penny than people care to see at first glance because of her clothes (or lack there of), and I’m really enjoying bringing some depth to the ditz, so to speak.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: As the story unfold, the audience finds out there’s more to Penny Pennabaker-Halpren that meets the eye. Is that part of the reason you chose to take on this role?

AMBER BOYER: I honestly hadn’t even read the full script until we received them at our first read-thru, so I was pleasantly surprised to see the character arc that she has in Act II. I accepted the role because I really do enjoy performing comedic shows, and the opportunity to bring a brand new script to life was too tempting to pass up (even if I am “scantily clad” at 41! 🤣)

Rapid Fire Q&A with Aunt Sally’s Wild Ride playwright Robert Coles

JHPENTERTAINMENT: First off, thank you, not only for taking the time to do this Q&A, but also for allowing me a sneak peek at the script in order to familiarize myself with the story and characters in preparation for these conversations with you and your cast. I couldn’t help but notice some seemingly obvious (to me anyway) nods to everything from Robert Harling’s Steel Magnolias to Del Shores’ Daddy’s Dying Who’s Got the Will and Sordid Lives. Where those nods conscious or subconscious?

ROBERT COLES: Absolutely! It’s always a pleasure to do these Q&As! I will always have a spot in my heart for Steel Magnolias. It was the first movie I saw in theaters when I was two (my babysitter canceled and my parents had to take me with them), and I’ve directed the show three times. I love strong female characters, so there are probably some nods in the script, though subconscious. As for Del Shores’ scripts, I’ll confess, I didn’t start reading his material until I was in Sordid Lives this past summer, but now I’m a huge fan. This script was written (at least the first draft) four years ago. 

JHPENTERTAINMENT: In the same vein, who are some of your favorite playwrights?

ROBERT COLES: That’s a good question! I’m currently loving the works of Isaac Byrne, who I’m also involved in Writer’s Block with. Writer’s Block is a playwriting creative group lead by the amazing Haley Rice, who was in a workshop of one of my other plays in New York City . I’m also a huge fan of Tennessee Williams. Cat on A Hot Tin Roof is probably one of my favorite scripts, and a bucket list production for me both as a director, and as an actor. Neil Simon will always be one of my writing heroes, and I’ll always have a love of anything by John Patrick (A Bad Year for Tomatoes, The Curious Savage, et al). 

JHPENTERTAINMENT: The story takes place in a spacious Belle Meade mansion, one of the Nashville area’s most affluent neighborhoods. In contrast, the venue chosen for the World Premiere presentation, Playhouse 615 is one of the more intimate theatre spaces in Nashville. Who’s your set director and how have they met the spacial challenge?

ROBERT COLES: To me, when trusting this production with a theatre company, Playhouse 615 was my first and only choice. I knew I wanted to try it in an intimate venue and the work they do is absolutely brilliant. They use the space so cleverly. The set designer, James Bealor, has done an amazing job at using every square inch of available space while still giving levels and building the grandeur of this estate. Eric Crawford and Abby Waddoups are a powerhouse set decorator and set painter team, and their work has blown me away. A special note about this set, Joel Meriwether, the director, allowed me to inject my family into the show. After all, this show IS my family. Aunt Sally is based on my grandmother, Catherine is my mom, Liam is me, and the rest of the characters are people I know and grew up with. So, they let me put my own family photos on the set, which has made this feel like a big family affair for me. 

JHPENTERTAINMENT: As you mention, Playhouse 615 co-founder, Joel Meriwether is directing. What is it about Joel’s directing style that has instilled confidence that he’ll handle your work with care?

ROBERT COLES: I love Joel and his work. He’s such a talented person and director, and he has a great ability to make brilliant casting choices and pull strong performances out of each of his actors. Additionally, Joel knows these characters. He went to Lipscomb, has lived in Nashville for years, and was so protective over my script and words throughout the whole process. 

JHPENTERTAINMENT: What do you hope audiences will take away after seeing this debut production of Aunt Sally’s Wild Ride? AND..what’s next for the show?

ROBERT COLES: I hope audiences will laugh and think. The show is funny, but it also deals with some pretty heavy themes. I hope audiences leave feeling the love of this family, my family. Next for this show, some minor rewrites, a possible new title, and licensing worldwide! I can speak too much on the licensing yet, but I’m very excited to see the future for this little project! 

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At the time these conversations were uploaded to JHPEntertainment.com, Opening Weekend of Aunt Sally’s Wild Ride is completely SOLD OUT, but there are still tickets available for the remainder of the run September 20-29. Tickets are $20 ($17 for Seniors and Military). CLICK HERE to purchase tickets. To keep up with what’s next for Aunt Sally’s Wild Ride, CLICK HERE to follow the show’s Facebook page.

Following Aunt Sally’s Wild Ride, Playhouse615 will present Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors just in time for the Halloween holiday with performances October 18-November 3. CLICK HERE for tickets or more information.

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 ‘The Sugar Bean Sisters’; opening Friday, September 8 at Playhouse 615

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Alien encounters, a reptile woman, a bird-lady, a little romance and a lot of laughs, playwright Nathan Sanders’ Southern Gothic comedy, The Sugar Bean Sisters has it all, and it’s all coming to Playhouse 615 (11920 Lebanon Road, Mt. Juliet) Friday, September 8 thru Sunday, September 24 under the direction of Diane Bearden-Enright. Earlier this week I had the chance to pose a few questions to four of the cast members of The Sugar Bean Sisters to delve a little deeper than the sensational headlines for my latest Rapid Fire 20Q.

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Rapid Fire 20Q with the cast of Playhouse 615’s The Sugar Bean Sisters

Rapid Fire Questions for Breonna Parker, The Sugar Bean Sisters’ Videllia

JHPENTERTAINMENT: What can you tell me about Videllia Sparks?

BREONNA PARKER: Videllia is quite the sneaky, manipulative type. She thinks she’s clever and smart but she’s really just goofy and not the sharpest tool in the shed. 

JHPENTERTAINMENT: This is your first show with Playhouse 615, right? What’s the experience been like so far?

BREONNA PARKER: Yes, this is my first show with Playhouse 615. This experience has been wonderful. It’s been a while since I’ve had the opportunity to be on stage, sometimes going into a community theatre is hard when you don’t know anyone. I was nervous going in wondering if I’d be accepted or if they may tend to stick with each other and not be welcoming. This group of people have been nothing but supportive, encouraging and loving. I really feel like I’ve found a home and look forward to future shows. I will for sure miss not being around my cast and crew everyday when the show ends. 

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Videllia’s wardrobe is, shall we say…interesting. What’s something in your own personal style that others might find questionable?

BREONNA PARKER: Videllia outfit has been fun, I love it. I’m pretty much a T-shirt and jeans kind of gal, and a cap so I don’t have to fix my hair…haha! I’m not very stylish or lavish. 

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Videllia has secrets. Are you good secret keeper or do you just need to tell somebody when you know some juicy tidbits?

BREONNA PARKER: I’m pretty good at being a person someone can confide in. I’m not going to spread anything that someone wants to be kept private. Now, I am terrible at keeping gifts a secret. Once I buy something for someone I want to immediately give it to them, it’s hard to keep that a secret. I guess a better word would be I’m not good at keeping surprises. 

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Your director, Diane Bearden-Enright actually starred as Videllia at The Hippodrome Theatre in Gainesville, Florida back in 1995 in the Southeastern premiere of The Sugar Bean Sisters, working with the playwright, Nathan Sanders. During the rehearsal process for this production, has Diane shared any insights from her time in the role or having worked alongside the playwright?

BREONNA PARKER: Great question. Diane has been a fantastic director, she has been really good at letting me connect with Videllia in my own way, I just want to make her proud of how I’

m portraying Videllia. It’s a little intimidating knowing that I’m playing a character that I know she mastered! One thing I love about Diane is she asks questions, she’ll say things like ‘why do you think Videllia does this or that.’ I like that it gets you to thinking on a deeper level of the character and helps connect more to Videllia. I’ve heard a couple of story of her working with Nathan Sanders. 

Rapid Fire Questions for Ann Street-Kavanagh, The Sugar Bean Sisters’ Faye Nettles

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Who is Faye Clementine Nettles to you?

ANN STREET-KAVANAGH: Faye is a simple woman who had an extraordinary thing happen to her. 

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Though presented as completely absurd and hilarious, at its core, The Sugar Bean Sisters is about just that…sisters. Is there anything more important that the bond of friends or family?

ANN STREET-KAVANAGH: No, there isn’t. The bond you have with family and friends is your true legacy. Their thoughts of you and, hopefully, sharing stories of you is the best way to live forever, so to speak. 

JHPENTERTAINMENT: In spite of her wacky ways, is there an aspect of Faye’s character that you might try to incorporate into your own life?

ANN STREET-KAVANAGH: I love how Faye puts it all out there and she doesn’t really care what other people think.  I find myself getting to be more that way as I grow older and I’m pretty darned happy about it!

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Faye’s alien encounters are some pretty tall tales. What’s something unbelievable that has happened to you or someone you know?

ANN STREET-KAVANAGH: First, Faye’s encounter isn’t a tall tale. It’s fact. I’ve had a lot of unbelievables, and, of course, I can’t think of anything good right now. When my daughter was about 2 years old, she would see people who’d passed on. They would speak with her and sometimes scare her a bit, though usually not. It was quite unnerving at first. Battery operated toys would sometimes start playing in the middle of the night, etc. 

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Of you and your costars, who’s most likely to be abducted by aliens…and who would be sent right back down to earth?

ANN STREET-KAVANAGH: I don’t think any of us would be abducted. But if we were, Linda Speir would be the first to be sent back. She is an absolutely lovely person, but she will tell it like is. If she wanted to go back, they’d have no choice. She would tell them what was what and what was about to be!

Rapid Fire Questions for Abby Waddoups, The Sugar Bean Sisters’ Willie Mae Nettles

JHPENTERTAINMENT: When I saw your name among those I’d be chatting with, it reminded me we’d chatted before…almost exactly a year ago when you appeared I the cast of Blithe Spirit at The Keeton. So, from ghosts to aliens, right?

ABBY WADDOUPS: There have been some things between the two- but yes. Doing shows close to Halloween is always fun. Ruth and Willie are very different characters, and I love a challenge.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Who is Willie to you?

ABBY WADDOUPS: Willie is a bit selfish, but overall strives to be a good person. She’s desperate to find a good Mormon husband and to get into the highest level of kingdoms in their heaven. She relies very heavily on her sister, Faye, and they are all each other have, and have known for quite some time. They are grown women who still live together in their childhood home. She isn’t who I ever expected to play onstage, but thanks to Diane’s vision and belief in me, here we are.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: What’s your favorite aspect of Willie Mae Nettles as a comedic character?

ABBY WADDOUPS: Willie Mae is very much a straight character in the comedic routine. Keeping a straight face sharing the stage with Ann and Bre will be a test for me. I’ve tried to find intricacies within her quarks to add more fun.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: I love that in the first scene, Willie Mae warns her sister Faye not to lie to her, likening lying to other sinful acts like stealing, fornicating and…drinking Coca-Cola! Growing up, were there things relatives warned you against as wrong that you now just laugh about?

ABBY WADDOUPS: My parents were pretty down to earth and we weren’t raised in a specific church. I was born and raised in Memphis in a very urban environment, so the southernisms and certain religious beliefs are pretty foreign to me. I always had family in the Nashville area and I’ve been in and out of middle Tennessee for a long time so I’ve picked up a little over the years, but not like this. This is Deep South Florida swamp and the culture is so different. Their tales and strong beliefs have a place on the stage, a way to tell their stories in other regions.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: The fact that Willie Mae wears an Eva Gabor wig is hilarious to me, having been a fan of the Gabor sisters since I was a tiny child. Were you familiar with the reference or did you have to google to get the joke?

ABBY WADDOUPS: I am older than I look, so I am familiar with the Gabor sisters and I love classic tv shows. It was definitely a reference that reminded me of my childhood. I also remember seeing the wig advertisement included in our faux Weekly World News cover. It’s a nice throwback to the 80’s. I am taken right back to seeing the tabloids on the magazine racks at the grocery stores as a kid.

Rapid Fire Questions for Linda Speir, The Sugar Bean Sisters’ Reptile Woman

JHPENTERTAINMENT: What can you tell me about The Reptile Woman, your role in The Sugar Bean Sisters?

LINDA SPEIR: It is bizarre to say the least. I’m only in two short scenes but I make the most of them. Reptile Woman in my mind is a swamp witch. She is also a seer and may speak in tongues!!

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Alright, I’m just gonna say it…you are among my “theatre crushes” in that I absolutely adore everything I’ve ever seen you do onstage. I’ve seen you in simply heart-wrenching performances like Steel Magnolias and Driving Miss Daisy and sinisterly charming as Arsenic and Old Lace’s Aunt Abby. Now you’re playing The Reptile Woman…is she the strangest character you’ve ever encountered? 

LINDA SPEIR: Thank  you!! This is definitely the strangest character I’ve ever played discounting my brief stint as a werewolf YEARS ago at Opryland during the Halloween season. Reptile Woman is definitely a strange and mystifying character.  Her babies are her gators and her snakes!

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Were you familiar with the script prior to auditioning for the show?

LINDA SPEIR: Yes I read it beforehand. I always read the script before I audition for a show. 

JHPENTERTAINMENT: While there’s mention of The Reptile Woman about midway through Act One, you don’t take to the stage until Act Two. So basically you’re the Special Guest Star, like you see as the last credit on tv shows. How fun is that?

LINDA SPEIR: This role has been a great deal of fun as our director gave me free rein to create this spooky character. 

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Is there a line or a scene, yours or someone else’s, that makes you giggle every time?

LINDA SPEIR: Many lines! This is a funny play with no socially redeeming qualities.  It’s a bit of deep South folklore. Faye (played to perfection by Ann Kavanaugh)  singing It’s a Small World always gets a laugh from me.   

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The Sugar Bean Sisters opens Friday, September 8 at (11920 Lebanon Road, Mt. Juliet) Friday, September 8 thru Sunday, September 24. Performances are Fridays/Saturdays at 7:30p.m. and Sundays at 2:30p.m. Tickets are $18 and are available for purchase through Eventbrite, by calling the box-office at 615.319.7031, or at the door an hour before each performance. CLICK HERE for tickets.

Next up at Playhouse 615 is the Middle Tennessee premiere of The Woman in Black, a spin-chiller touted as the scariest stage experience ever, running October 20-November 5. 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 ‘Arsenic and Old Lace’; Opening April 14 at Larry Keeton Dinner Theatre

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Since its Broadway debut back in 1941, and thanks largely to the 1944 film adaptation starring Cary Grant as directed by Frank Capra, playwright Joseph Kesselring’s Arsenic and Old Lace has been a fan favorite. While the Cary Grant film is indeed a classic, I gotta admit, I prefer the 1969 tv adaptation starring Bob Crane, but mostly because Helen Hayes and Lillian Gish co-starred as the hilariously murderous Brewster sisters in that one. When I heard The Larry Keeton Dinner Theatre was mounting a production of the show, I knew what I’d feature in the latest installment of my recurring interview feature, RAPID FIRE 20Q. To that end, what follows are chats with Matt Smith, Linda Speir, Adele Akin and Brad Morgan as the prepare for opening night of Arsenic and Old Lace, on stage at The Larry Keeton Dinner Theatre (108 Donelson Pike, Nashville, TN 37214) Friday, April 14 through Sunday, April 30.

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RAPID FIRE 20Q WITH CAST OF KEETON THEATRE’s ARSENIC AND OLD LACE

RAPID FIRE WITH MATT SMITH, ARSENIC AND OLD LACE’s MORTIMER BREWSTER

JHPENTERTAINMENT: What can you tell me about Mortimer, the character you play in The Keeton Theatre’s Arsenic and Old Lace?

MATT SMITH:  Mortimer was raised in Brooklyn by two elderly aunts who adore him and who he adores. But given his family’s checkered past and his view of Brooklyn as old-fashioned and stifling, he leaves for the excitement and possibility of New York City and eventually becomes a prominent theater critic. This is ironic, as he “loathes” the theater and considers it to be on its last legs. Still, it pays the bills much more handily than his passion for Henry David Thoreau ever could and lends him a bit of big-city arrogance when he returns to visit his humble hometown. When he falls for the local minister’s daughter, who lives next door to his Aunts, his visits become more frequent. He ultimately discovers that the Brewster family has more dark secrets than he could have possibly imagined, which sets him on a frantic but entirely earnest course of action to protect the ones he loves…and all manner of hilarity ensues!

 JHPENTERTAINMENT: Written by playwright Joseph Kesselring, the work became more widely known thanks to the 1944 film adaptation starring Cary Grant as Mortimer as directed by Frank Capra. In preparing for the role, did you revisit previous incarnations?

MATT SMITH:  Although I have seen the film, I try not to let any previous incarnation of any role inform my approach to creating a character. I find that especially important if the role is as iconic as this one. Meisner said, “Acting is behaving truthfully under imaginary circumstances,” and I believe that may be the best bit of acting advice I’ve ever heard. I think it’s impossible for any person to behave truthfully on stage while letting the choices another actor has made inform their own. It creates too many layers between you and the character if that makes sense. And besides, I don’t walk talk or look like Cary Grant, so there’s certainly no reason to try to!

JHPENTERTAINMENT: As mentioned above, the ’44 film adaptation was directed by Capra. Michael Welch is directing this production. How has it been working with him on this project?

MATT SMITH: Michael is a dear friend, but one of the things I admire about him is that once he arrives at the theater he’s there to work. Period. No wasted time, no messing around, no favoritism. We’re here to put on the best show we can for everyone who’s gracious enough to part with their hard-earned money to see it. This is my first time working with him as a director and I’ve been impressed with his commitment and clear vision for the project, his work ethic and his attention to quality and detail. 

JHPENTERTAINMENT: For a play that’s been produced around the world for some eighty years, what do you think keeps audiences dying to see it? (See what I did there?)

MATT SMITH: The simplest answer is, it’s really freakin’ funny. It’s well-written and plays like a freight-train on fire as it races to its hilarious climax. And while I’m no deep thinker or psychiatrist, I think it’s pretty clear that there’s a long-standing precedent in the history of human art-making that death and darkness make for the best and most popular comedy. Murder kills! (See what I did there?)

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Alright, since I won’t be chatting with Tim Bush, Let’s give a little shout out to him. After all, he plays Jonathan Brewster, and since the character shares my first name, and has been played by some pretty iconic actors including Boris Karloff, Raymond Massey and Fred Gwynne, and you yourself recently played Jonathan just last year in Playhouse 615’s production of Arsenic and Old Lace, I gotta ask…how does Tim’s take on the creepy character measure up?

MATT SMITH: I’ve had the opportunity to play different roles in the same play a few times before and it’s a fascinating experience to have “your” lines given to you, as I’m hearing Tim do in the current production. Jonathan Brewster is a role he is physically perfect for, as he towers over everyone else on the stage (and no Tim, I’m not implying that you look like Boris Karloff). I’m a pretty big Tim Bush fan. We were in “I Hate Hamlet” together several years ago and I’m sure it’s not hard to imagine how great he was as Barrymore. Beyond that, he’s a damn fine actor and a wonderful human being. As to his take on the role, I find his approach to Jonathan to be refreshingly non-one-dimensional, by which I mean that he’s not just menacing. He is that and I’m really enjoying the psychological warfare we’re engaging in during the show. But he’s also done a wonderful job of discovering the comic opportunities “hidden” in the role. I’m very much looking forward to our game of cat and mouse as well as the opportunity to finally face Mortimer’s fears in our standoff. I think his Jonathan is going to be a lot of fun for audiences to experience.

RAPID FIRE WITH LINDA SPEIR, ARSENIC AND OLD LACE’s ABBY BREWSTER

JHPENTERTAINMENT: When you and I chatted about me interviewing some of the cast, you noted that Abby is described a “plump little darling” in the character description in the script. You’re darling, but hardly plump…Was there ever any discussion of making your more dowdy in the role?

LINDA SPEIR: There was no discussion of how I would play the role.  I just looked to the script  for my character and played my version of Aunt Abby.  I may have played her a little stronger in spots than the script intended but I always play a bit of myself in all of my roles.  

JHPENTERTAINMENT: When I chatted with Matt, I mentioned the fact that Arsenic and Old Lace has been around for 80-plus years. In that time, some of Broadway and Hollywood’s greatest leading ladies have played the Brewster sisters, among them: Josephine Hull, who originated the role of Abby on Broadway and revisited the role for the Cary Grant 1944 film; Dorothy Stickney and Helen Hayes, who each played Abby in mid-century TV adaptations. Heck, even All in the Family’s Jean Stapleton stepped into the role in a late-80s national tour. How much fun are you having making her your own? 

LINDA SPEIR: I’m having a great deal of fun playing Aunt Abby.  We do have to remember she is  somewhat crazy!  She (in my interpretation) is just a wee bit flirtatious with her “gentlemen”.. Think the spider and the fly.  

JHPENTERTAINMENT: What’s your favorite aspect of playing Abby?

LINDA SPEIR: She is a lovely, gracious lady but underneath there’s a layer of insanity.  After all Arsenic is a dark comedy. 

JHPENTERTAINMENT:  I understand the show is being costumed by Donna Driver. What can you tell me about the wardrobe choices in the show?

LINDA SPEIR:  There were some difficulties in finding clothing that looked period; however, Donna did a good job. The Aunts are not very up to date or showy.   Of course I have my own “old lady shoes”  that I ordered sometime back as I have done other period shows.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: As one half of the Brewster sisters, you share much of your stage time alongside Adele Akin as Martha Brewster. I understand this isn’t your first time to appear onstage with her. How is she as a scene partner?

LINDA SPEIR: I’ve known Adele for perhaps 25 years.  We’ve been on stage together several times at several theatres including ACT 1, Boiler Room and more recently at Pull Tight Theatre.  We were in Waiting in the Wings at Pull Tight in January-February 2020 before the world shut down due to Covid.  We interact well with each other both on and off stage.  She is a delight as the slightly addled Aunt Martha. 

RAPID FIRE WITH ADELE AKIN, ARSENIC AND OLD LACE’s MARTHA BREWSTER

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Who is Martha Brewster to you?

ADELE AKIN: Martha is a sweet caring woman. She lives to do good for others.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Longtime Keeton patrons might recognize you from previous roles, including appearances in productions of The Spitfire Grill and A Scattered, Smothered & Covered Christmas and more. How much fun are you having being back on the Keeton stage?

ADELE AKIN: It’s like coming home! I was in the inaugural season which began with Nuncrackers in 2004. I know there are ticket holders who have seen every play in the last almost 20 years. It will be a great reunion!

JHPENTERTAINMENT: When I chatted with your fellow Brewster sister, Linda, I asked her about sharing scenes with you, so it’s only fair to get your response to sharing the stage with her. How is Linda as a scene partner?

ADELE AKIN: The best! We have known each other for probably 30 years and have been in several productions together but never opposite each other as we are in this show. I’ve been hoping for this for a long time. I respect Linda’s work immensely and I’m so happy to be working with her! The entire cast is terrific but Linda holds a special place in my acting heart. 

JHPENTERTAINMENT: For a show that features multiple murders, it’s dang funny. What’s your favorite line or scene whether it’s yours or someone else’s?

ADELE AKIN: Actually, my favorite line is spoken by Officer O’Hara played by Jenna Salb. She says “Where else would you eat?”  I will not explain that.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: In the spirit of the play, IF you were to do it, how would you get away with it?

ADELE AKIN: What a great question! I guess I’d have to live in a small cabin somewhere in the woods where the only witnesses would be the deer and the foxes with a couple of skunks thrown in there.

RAPID FIRE WITH BRAD MORGAN, ARSENIC AND OLD LACE’s TEDDY BREWSTER

JHPENTERTAINMENT: I understand you’re a recent Nashville transplant. What drew you to the area and how has your experience in Nashville and with the Keeton been thus far?

BRAD MORGAN: Yes, I just moved here in November. I had visited Nashville several times over the last two years to help a friend move to the area and found that I really liked Nashville. I am a musician and what better place to relocate to than Music City. Also, being involved in Theatre for the past 45 years, I thought auditioning for a local  theater group would help me acclimate to the area and make some new friends. The Larry Keeton Dinner Theatre is close to my house so I decided to audition and was lucky enough to get cast. I had never done Arsenic and Old Lace and so far it’s been a great deal of fun.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: You play Teddy Brewster, who thinks he’s Teddy Roosevelt. You’ve actually played Roosevelt before, having appeared in Cider Mills Playhouse’s Tintypes back in 2012. Did having played Roosevelt in the past influenced your character in Arsenic and Old Lace?

BRAD MORGAN: Not at all. Two very different characters. First of all Tintypes is a musical and an Ensemble cast that play multiple roles. Teddy Roosevelt was one of multiple characters I played, and was only in two or three scenes. Also, that character was more of a historical depiction of Teddy Roosevelt. Whereas, Teddy Brewster is more of an impersonation of Teddy Roosevelt. Teddy Brewster’s interpretation of Teddy Roosevelt, but still very much Teddy Brewster.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: On the subject of your previous acting experience, your credits include quite a few well-known shows, including The Rainmaker, Death of a Salesman, Man of La Mancha and more, but what caught my eye…you appeared in One Life to Live and Another World. I can’t lie, I still watch Days of Our Lives…so, its the soap credits for me…what do you recall from your appearances on those two classic soaps?

BRAD MORGAN: Well, at first, it was very exciting but ultimately it just turns into another job. I really don’t like camera and film work. It’s very tedious and boring. A great deal of waiting around for the technical aspects like lighting, camera angles, sound and reshooting of scenes. I much prefer acting on stage and the process of creating a character for a live audience.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Kevin Driver has designed the set. What can you tell me about the Brewster home as envisioned by Driver?

BRAD MORGAN: I am not a designer, so I have a great deal of admiration and respect for designers, scenic, lighting, costumes, etc.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: What do you hope audiences will recalling after having seen Arsenic and Old Lace?

BRAD MORGAN: That they had a good laugh at the crazy world of the Brewsters.

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Arsenic and Old Lace opens at The Larry Keeton Dinner Theatre Friday, April 14 with performances Friday-Sunday, April 14-16, Thursday, April 20-Sunday, April 23 and Thursday, April 27-Sunday, April 30. Thursdays are Show Only. Friday and Saturday evenings and Sunday matinees offer Dinner/Lunch and Show tickets, OR Show Only Tickets. CLICK HERE to purchase tickets or for more information.

Following Arsenic and Old Lace, The Keeton Theatre closes out their 2022/2023 Season with Memphis: An Original Story of Love, Soul & Rock ’N’ Roll onstage June 9-25, 2023. CLICK HERE for tickets or more info. Season Subscribers may purchase tickets to Memphis beginning April 13. General Public tickets available beginning April 20.

In the meantime, to keep up with the latest from The Larry 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.

Review: Keeton Theatre proves local audiences will never get enough of ‘Steel Magnolias’

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The cast of The Larry Keeton Theatre’s “Steel Magnolias” onstage thru Saturday, September 1. (photo by Jenny Steiner/courtesy The Keeton Theatre)

Steel Magnolias, Robert Harling’s sentimental stage play about six women who share life’s ups and downs during weekly visits to their local Louisiana beauty shop, has been an audience favorite since it’s debut in 1987. The subsequent 1989 film adaptation starring Dolly Parton and company only served to solidify the piece as a bonafide part of southern pop culture, so It should come as no surprised that nearly every theatrical season includes at least one theatre company in the Nashville area mounting a production of the stalwart southern favorite. This year, than honor/burden is in the hands of Donna Driver as she directs The Larry Keeton Theatre’s current production, continuing its three-week run with performances thru Saturday, September 1.

Appropriately, I chose to attend a Sunday matinee performance of The Larry Keeton Dinner Theatre’s Steel Magnolias. I literally came directly from church. As my friend and I arrived, we sat at a table of ladies, only adding to the magnolia mystique. Befitting any church social or as we call it, dinner on the ground, the delicious pre-show meal consisted of potato salad, mixed veggies, a healthy portion of sliced ham and a dinner roll. Pickup up on the much-lauded color scheme of Shelby Eatenton’s wedding, there was even a creamy jello-based delicious pink dessert, I’m just not sure if the dessert color was blush of bashful. If you’re familiar with Steel Magnolias—and why wouldn’t you be?—you’ll get the reference.

For this visit to Truvy’s Beauty Spot in the fictional town of Chinquepin Parish, Louisiana, director Donna Driver and her creative team offer a wonderfully detailed setting. While enjoying the meal, I had ample time to check out the set. Many previous incarnations of Steel Magnolias that I’ve attended have chosen to line three or four beauty stations side by side facing the audience, while this allows the actors to look towards the audience as they deliver their lines, it also basically ignores the rest of the space and stagnates the action to front and center. Luckily, Driver and company smartly utilize the entire stage, and in doing so, create a totally believable version of Truvy’s Beauty Spot. Instead of a row of beauty chairs, two beauty stations face each other center stage with a lighted, framed invisible mirror between them. Congratulations to Driver and her husband, Kevin Driver, who designed the set, as well as scenic construction team members Jessi Boyer and Randall Seymour for this more realistic placement of the beauty stations. Kudos also to the show’s director for keeping the actresses from looking straight through the non-existent mirror, but rather, leaning or walking around to address their co-stars positioned in the beauty station on the other side of the divider. Continuing the realness of the shop, the entrance to the shop is located in the back left corner of the stage, a wash station back center and an unseen kitchen, back left. The walls, adorned with family photos, an inspirational saying or two and an array of 80s-era decor, including the minute detail of wallpaper boarders running along the top of each wall, reinforces the 80s vibe. Also of note, design-wise, is the inclusion of a sprig of magnolia blossoms atop the shop’s waiting area. Not only a staple of design for the day, a nice wink to the show’s title. I had almost forgotten my own mom’s similar wall decor, which may or may not still be hanging in her living room (Note to self to notice next time I’m home for a visit).

On the subject of attention to detail, property mistress Melanie Ray and costumer Amy Slade deserve special mention for perfectly capturing the look and feel of the now-iconic late-80s. You gotta love the fact that following a casual reference to Cher, one of the ladies is seen thumbing through what appears to be a period-authentic copy of McCalls magazine with the Moonstruck star on the cover. Another nice atmospheric detail comes when the boom box plays Manic Monday and a few other late-80s tunes.

For the Keeton’s Steel Magnolias, director Diver has enlisted the talents of a great mix of actresses familiar to Keeton and Nashville’s theatrical community alongside a few Keeton newcomers.

Making her Keeton debut as Truvy (the Dolly Parton role for the unfortunately uninformed) is Kristian Dambrino. A former pageant girl herself, Dambrino looks and dresses more like the love-child of a younger, prettier Married with Children’s Peggy Bundy and Full House’s Kimmy Gibbler than the iconic portrayal Dolly gave the role of Truvy in the film, and that’s not exactly a bad thing. Dambrino brings the sass and sex appeal to the role that’s expected. What’s more, she does so without simply mimicking Dolly’s version of the character. Perhaps because of her own pageant history, Dambrino also seems to actually be able to ‘do’ hair, as she is seen taking down rollers, back-coming and creating a believable up-do all the while extolling words of wisdom and wise-crack as called-for in the show’s dialogue. Kudos also to Dambrino’s Truvy for being one of only a couple of the ladies to truly embrace the southern adage of “the bigger the hair, the closer to God”. After all, Steel Magnolias is, and always should be, a hair-raising dramedy.

Also making her Keeton debut is Meredith Daniel as Annelle Dupuy, Truvy’s quirkily shy new assistant. I’ll just say it…Daniel gives one of the most engaging and entertaining performances of the show. As written, the character undergoes the most changes throughout the show and Daniel embraces those transformations to the fullest. Even when she’s not the focus of the action, thanks to direction from Driver and what I can only assume is the actress’ own innate sense of being present in the action of the piece, Daniel turns in the most complete and thoroughly spellbinding performance of the show. From clutching her cross necklace or franticly flipping through her Bible for words of inspiration and solace during risqué conversation, to timidly attempting to hand a glass of water to an irritated Ouiser, I couldn’t take my eyes off Daniel’s Annelle.

Cast as Shelby Eatenton is Brianne Waters. Quite often Shelby is played with a penchant for over-exaggeration. I personally blame Julia Roberts’ gigantic mouth for that, as the image of her diabetic freak-out in the movie version is forever emblazoned in my mind. Refreshingly, Waters plays Shelby a little closer to the vest. When it comes time for the famed “drink your juice, Shelby” scene, her diabetic episode is played much more internally, only adding to the drama. The kindness Waters’ Shelby shows Daniel’s Annelle and the more serious tone of the scene with Shelby’s mother, nicely showcase Waters’ talents.

Speaking of Shelby’s mother, Kate Adams is fantastic as M’Lynn Eatenton. While her character’s hair/wig never quite achieves brown football helmet status, Adams embraces M’Lynn’s steel magnolia status to the fullest. In a classic scene, when M’Lynn and Shelby discuss Shelby’s medically ill-advised pregnancy, Adams exemplifies the unwavering emotion and immeasurable concern anyone who has a mother…or is a mother…can surely identity with. During the aforementioned “drink your juice, Shelby” scene, Adams’ M’Lynn is composed and in control. On a personal note, having had my share of medical issues as a child, and being blessed with an equally composed mom, this scene always makes my eyes sweat. Thanks to Adams’ nurturing but firm portrayal, this time was no exception.

Yet another quotable Steel Magnolia line “Here, hit Ouiser” comes late in the show when M’Lynn is dealing with the greatest loss any mother can endure. That line is delivered by Clairee Belcher, and is aimed towards Ouiser Boudreaux. The show’s odd couple, if you will, Clairee is the town’s former first lady, who just so happens to be best friends with Ouiser, the town’s grumpy old lady.

While Shirley MacLaine’s Ouiser is one of my favorite movie characters ever, it often seems lazy and uninspired for an actress to try to mimic her characterization for the stage. Thankfully, Deb Moore’s Ouiser doesn’t even try to duplicate MacLaine’s interpretation, instead offering a more realistic version. If you’re from the south,s surely you know more than one bitter old lady who’d rather hang with their dog than expose her true kindly nature. That, my friends is Moore’s Ouiser. One thing I love about her portrayal is that Moore’s Ouiser is unapologetically ill-tempted. Instead of simply being a bit of comic relief in her absurdity, as the character proudly boasts, “I’m not crazy, I’ve just been in a very bad mood for the past forty years”. I’ve never believed that line more and I can definitely relate.

Rounding out the cast is Linda Speir as Clairee, the actress’ fourth time in the role. I interviewed Speir for her second portrayal, and earlier this year, I interviewed and reviewed her third turn as Clairee. During that interview, I made the declaration that she should be cast as Clairee in all local productions going forward, so it was nice to see the Keeton agreed with me. Interestingly, when I interviewed her earlier this year, I asked her if her Clairee changes from production to production. She said it did and that the different casts and direction brought out something different to her portrayal. Having seen her interact with two casts now, and under the direction of Driver, I can absolutely attest to the fact that she spoke the gospel truth. Looking simply regal as Chinquepin Parish’s former first lady, Speir’s Clairee is the glorious personification of the well-bred southern woman. While Harling’s script never calls for Clairee to utter the classic “bless your heart”—you know, the ultimate dagger-shooting backhanded remark—Speir’s Clairee does get the chance to say some of the most outlandish things, but she does so in such a classy, molasses-laden way that should she actually slap Ouiser, Ouiser would likely thank her for it.

While the aforementioned accolades for the actresses’ portrayals are indeed warranted, enough can not be said for the director. Having witnessed more than my share of marginal Steel Magnolias performances over the years…even before the past decade of reviewing shows, I willingly attended productions of the show simply because I adore it…I’ve seen some doozies. Driver’s direction goes beyond duplicating the beloved film version. She returns the nuanced and quirky nature of Harling’s written word and thereby elevates the Keeton’s Steel Magnolias to the treasured status it deserves.

One final note. Between the action of the show’s final two scenes, he choice to include an audio snipped of Dolly Parton’s Eagle When She Flies, specifically the song’s third verse containing the lyrics: “Gentle as the sweet magnolia, strong as steel her faith and pride”, perfectly describes Harling’s beloved work…and Keeton’s faithful and moving presentation of Steel Magnolias.

Steel Magnolias wraps its three-week run at The Larry Keeton Dinner Theatre (108 Donelson Pike) with evening performances Thursday, August 30 thru Saturday, September 1 with dinner service at 6 p.m. and show  beginning at 7 p.m. Dinner and Show tickets are $30 for Adults, $20 for Children 12 and under OR Show Only tickets for $25 for Adults or $15 for Children 12 and Under. Thursday night’s show is SOLD OUT, as has been the majority of the run. Limited tickets are available for Friday and Saturday night performances. Call 615.883.8375 for tickets and availability.

Next up at The Larry Keeton Dinner Theatre from Thursday, October 11-Saturday, October 27 is The 25 Annual Putnam Country Spelling Bee directed by Suzanne Spooner-Faulk. CLICK HERE for tickets or more information.

To keep up with the latest from The Larry 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.