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Rapid Fire 20Q with cast of Studio Tenn’s ‘It’s A Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play’; onstage at Turner Theatre December 7- December 24

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I can’t get enough of this time of year when even my recurring interview feature, Rapid Fire 20Q gets into the holiday spirit. To that end, here’s another Christmas-themed Rapid Fire 20Q! This time I’m chatting with Geoff Davin, Caleb Shore, Mariah Parris and Gerold Oliver, cast members of Studio Tenn’s holiday offering It’s A Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play, opening this week at Studio Tenn’s recently renovated and renamed Turner Theatre located inside The Factory at Franklin (230 Franklin Road, Franklin, TN). Having first presented this unique adaptation of the familiar story of George Bailey and the folks from Bedford Falls in the winter of 2021, It’s A Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play will once again delight holiday audiences beginning Thursday, December 7 and continuing for an extended run through Christmas Eve, Sunday, December 24.

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RAPID FIRE 20Q WITH CAST OF STUDIO TENN’s IT’s A WONDERFUL LIFE: A LIVE RADIO PLAY

RAPID FIRE Q&A WITH IT’s A WONDERFUL LIFE’s GEOFF DAVIN

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Among the characters you portray in Studio Tenn’s It’s A Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play, you play radio station announcer Freddie Filmore. What’s one trait of Freddie’s personality that you’re enjoying exploring?  Side Note: Did you know Freddie Filmore is an apparent wink to I Love Lucy in that there was a recurring character with that name who was an announcer and TV game show host in several episode of the classic sitcom?

GEOFF DAVIN: First of all…NO I did not know that reference to I Love Lucy! I love that!!!

And secondly…what’s fun about Freddie is that there is something just so satisfying about leaning into that 1940’s radio announcer. There’s a warmth and home-iness to him that just brings to mind a family gathered around their radio, in front of their fireplace, the snow gently falling, the lights on the Christmas tree twinkling. While he is probably the character that I spend the least amount of time inhabiting, we come back to him every so often throughout the show. So he’s a wonderful reset button. A warm place to come home to after we’ve been all over Bedford Falls.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Presents on Christmas Eve or Christmas Morning?

GEOFF DAVIN: Definitely Christmas morning.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Rudolph or Frosty?

GEOFF DAVIN: That’s such a hard one. I love them both. But I’m going to say Frosty. Because while Rudolph leads the sleigh every year, and Santa couldn’t do it without him, old Frosty is around for only a short while. The magic in that old silk hat is fleeting. So we need to be a little extra grateful for the time that we have with him. 

JHPENTERTAINMENT: 1987’s A Muppet Family Christmas or 2002’s A Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie?

GEOFF DAVIN: Without a doubt, 1987’s A Muppet Family Christmas.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Favorite Christmas Memory?

GEOFF DAVIN: I was very fortunate in that my parents did many things right. But one thing they truly knocked out of the park was their ability to create Christmas magic. There are simply years and years of beautiful Christmas memories to sift through. The smell of the box of ornaments after a year in the attic, going door to door throughout our neighborhood to sing Christmas carols, the annual visit to the town center tree lighting ceremony/nativity viewing, running outside Christmas morning to find the bits of carrot that we left for the reindeer scattered around the yard, and of course the cookie crumbs that Santa left on his plate of cookies. And then, on Christmas morning, we couldn’t just run to the tree. Oh no! There was an order of business. We had to wait in the hallway. Then our parents would take us around to the room where our stockings were hung by the chimney with care…literally. And only after we were done there, could we enter the room with the tree. Even during the years when the family belt had to be tightened, the magic never wavered.

Then we would pile into the car to visit both sets of grandparents. But it wasn’t just the grandparents. Everyone in the family…aunts, uncles, cousins, would gather at those two houses. So we got to share the day with all of our extended family. The food. The conversation. The music. I’m actually getting emotional just typing this. I’m so grateful for the beautiful traditions that my parents created and gave to us. Because of them, Christmas will always be a magical time of year. 

RAPID FIRE Q&A WITH IT’s A WONDERFUL LIFE’s MARIAH PARRIS

JHPENTERTAINMENT: This year you and a couple of your cast mates are returning to the roles you portrayed when Studio Tenn debuted their production of It’s A Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play. You’re cast as radio personality Sally Applewhite who then voices Mary Bailey in the station’s presentation of It’s a Wonderful Life. What’s it like retuning to the role?

MARIAH PARRIS: It’s an absolute pleasure. Performing this show two years ago really surprised me in that this story has stuck with me and permanently altered my heart. It helped reframe my personal views on community and inspired me to live a more connected life all year long. I’m excited to return to the role to refresh this lesson and I hope the audience will have the same take away! 

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Shared names not swaying your answer, who’s the real Christmas Diva…Mariah Carey or Michael Bublé?

MARIAH PARRIS: I think we all know Christmas officially starts the first time we hear All I Want For Christmas is You….enough said 

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Do you prefer Santa in a full-length Victorian Robe or the more modern two-piece fur-trimmed suit? 

MARIAH PARRIS: Modern Santa all the way- you can’t tell me that the Victorian robe is practical for getting in and out of that sleigh! 

JHPENTERTAINMENT: The Santa Clause movies or Home Alone franchise?

MARIAH PARRIS: I grew up watching Home Improvement so it’s gotta be Tim Allen for me 

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Favorite Christmas Memory?

MARIAH PARRIS: One year when I was still in elementary school, my parents surprised me with a super cool bunk bed that had a futon couch on the bottom. We finished opening presents and they told me to put my gifts in my room. When I opened the door there it was: the most beautiful big kid bed I’d ever seen. I still have no idea how they set it up without me noticing. Total Christmas magic. Thanks mom and dad! 

RAPID FIRE Q&A WITH IT’s A WONDERFUL LIFE’s CALEB SHORE

JHPENTERTAINMENT: You’re back again having performed the dual roles of radio personality Jake Laurentis and It’s A Wonderful Life’s George Bailey. Revisitng George, are there aspects of his personality you are more conscious of in your portrayal this go-round?

CALEB SHORE: Finding George a second time means I get to pick up where I left off two years ago. Having Mariah Parris back as Mary and Gerold Oliver as Harry and Clarence make the process totally seamless. 

This time around I’ve peered deeper into George’s passions. His dreams are grand. His love runs deep. His willingness to go the extra mile wins the day every time. He’s smart and poetic, even when he lets his goofy side take the wheel. 

A character only gets to live as long as the actor inhabits them. We’ve now doubled George’s lifespan with me, so once I reacquainted myself with his voice and movement I got to let him walk around and see the world again. He gets more time to spend with his friends and his family.  He gets to fall in love, encounter heartbreaking loss, and discover himself more and more. Mariah and Gerold play characters George holds very dear. That they are back showing his world just as he remembers it makes the whole experience so rewarding.

Now I don’t know if any of this long-winded answer will be visible to audiences. They may come away thinking everything looks the same, and that’s okay. But for us, for me, every look and movement and sound carries more weight, because we’ve been around longer to live them. 

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Fruit Cake or Pumpkin Roll?

CALEB SHORE: Pumpkin Roll

JHPENTERTAINMENT: A Charlie Brown Christmas or The Nightmare Before Christmas?

CALEB SHORE: A Charlie Brown Christmas, but if we’re talking true favorites I have to mention Home Alone, The Preacher’s Wife, and Elf.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Old fashioned Christmas Tree decorations like strings of popcorn and paper chains or blinged out store bought fabulousness?

CALEB SHORE: Our tree is usually decorated with personal ornaments that remind us of times gone by. Anything we can find while traveling, we’ll buy to remember that trip.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Favorite Christmas Memory?

CALEB SHORE: One favorite Christmas memory I have is from the first Christmas after I got married back in 2015. My wife and I brought home our kitten, Cashew. I’d kept the secret for weeks and it was a terrific surprise.

RAPID FIRE Q&A WITH IT’s A WONDERFUL LIFE’s GEROLD OLIVER

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Like Mariah and Caleb you’re back at Studio Tenn, having debuted the role of Harry ‘Stacks’ Heywood in their 2021 production of It’s A Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play. What’s your favorite aspect of Stacks’ personality?

GEROLD OLIVER: The thing I like most about Stacks is that he’s a lot like me. He’s fun, he’s silly, and he doesn’t take himself too seriously.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: The classic stop-action animated Christmas special, The Year Without a Santa Claus features the Miser Brothers…Heat Miser and Snow Miser…which would you prefer to be?

GEROLD OLIVER: Snow Miser! Definitely!

JHPENTERTAINMENT: What one Christmas song truly embodies your thoughts of the holiday season?

GEROLD OLIVER: Any time you hear the first word of Mariah Carey’s All I Want for Christmas you know the song, the singer, and most importantly, you know the season!

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Baked Ham or Turkey and Dressing?

GEROLD OLIVER: Baked Ham. Especially with honey!

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Favorite Christmas Memory?

GEROLD OLIVER: I’ll never forget when I got both Pokémon Gold Version and Pokémon Silver Version for Christmas. Best day ever.

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With that, my conversations with the cast of Studio Tenn’s It’s A Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play drew to a close, but George Bailey’s life-altering adventures in Bedford Falls…and beyond, are just beginning as the show opens Thursday, December 7 at Studio Tenn’s Turner Theatre inside The Factory at Franklin. Showtimes are Thursday-Sunday evenings at 7:00p.m. with additional matinee performances at 2:00 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. (On Christmas Eve, Sunday, December 24, the final performances will take place at the 2:00p.m. matinee…even George Bailey needs to be home for Christmas Eve night). Tickets range in price from $35 to $70. CLICK HERE for tickets.

Up next for Studio Tenn, the current season continues with Driving Miss Daisy starring Emmy and Golden Globe winning actress Sally Struthers as Miss Daisy on stage at Turner Theatre March 7-17, 2024! Struthers of course starred as Gloria Bunker-Stivic in TV’s All In The Family and counts among her may stage credits, starring alongside Brenda Vaccaro in Neil Simon’s gender-flipped version of his hit Broadway play, The Odd Couple. Taking on the role of Miss Daisy won’t be Struthers‘ first appearance at Studio Tenn as she was last seen on Studio Tenn‘s stage during the 2021/2022 season when she appeared alongside John Schuck in a limited engagement of  the two-person play, Love Letters. For tickets or more information on Driving Miss Daisy, CLICK HERE for tickets or more information, then be sure to check out Studio Tenn online at StudioTenn.com or on social media at 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. Then #GoSeeTheShow!

Rapid Fire 20Q with director and cast of Nashville Repertory Theatre’s ‘A Christmas Carol’; onstage at TPAC’s James K. Polk Theatre December 1 thru 17

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Few Christmas classic have endured the test of time like Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. First published in novella form1843, by the following year, stage adaptations and public readings (by Dickens and others) solidified the now-familiar story of Ebenezer Scrooge and his attitude-adjusting otherworldly Christmas Eve visitors as a holiday tradition. To that end, Nashville Repertory Theatre’s own Artistic Director Micah-Shane Brewer will helm this year’s holiday offering of A Christmas Carol adapted by the director himself.

A couple weeks ago, I reached out to The Rep’s Director of Marketing and Communications, Amos Glass with the idea of chatting with four members of the cast and crew of A Christmas Carol for a Christmasy edition of my recurring interview feature, Rapid Fire 20Q. When Amos asked who I’d like to chat with, I immediately requested Micah-Shane  and the three actors playing the Three Christmas Spirits. What follows are those conversations.

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RAPID FIRE 20Q WITH CAST AND CREW OF NASHVILLE REP’s A CHRISTMAS CAROL

RAPID FIRE Q&A WITH A CHRISTMAS CAROL DIRECTOR MICAH-SHANE BREWER

JHPENTERTAINMENT: As the show’s director, what is it about A Christmas Carol, and this version in particular that drew you to the project? 

MICAH-SHANE BREWER: A Christmas Carol has always held a special place in my heart.  For as long as I can remember, this story has been a part of my holiday tradition.  When I was a kid, I had a VHS tape (yes, I’m that old) of Mickey’s Christmas Carol and I would watch it over and over.  Along the way, I’ve seen numerous film and tv adaptations and grown to love certain versions. (My favorite is The Muppets Christmas Carol!) I’ve also been in and directed probably 9 or 10 different stage adaptations.  I’ve spent most of my life revisiting these characters each and every year. And every time I come back to it, it always connects in a deeper and more meaningful way. 

I think as we get older, we look back at the past and think about touchstone moments, things that we did or didn’t do, choices that may have changed the trajectory of our path, but also, looking at where we are in this moment in time and where we are heading. The power of A Christmas Carol is that it speaks to one and all, both young and old.  Its universal themes can touch us all.  There’s a reason it’s one of the most popular stories in the world, even 180 years after it was written.  

When we decided we wanted to produce A Christmas Carol, I knew I wanted to make a special production that would be a holiday event for the entire family. It’s a traditional version of A Christmas Carol. Audiences can expect a beautiful, large-scale production with something for everyone and all ages.  It’s a brand-new script, and the production designs are breathtaking.  The scenic design is spectacular – the costumes are splendid – there are over 500 different pieces used in the production.  There are some really fantastic projections designs and special effects.  Music plays an integral role in the production.  We use numerous Old English carols from the period, as well as a couple of new songs in the production.

A Christmas Carol is far more than just a classic holiday story; it is a poignant and transformative reflection of our shared human experience and an enduring reminder of the power of empathy and connection. It’s a journey of healing and a story of redemption.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Eggnog or Hot Cocoa?

MICAH-SHANE BREWER: Hot Cocoa any day! 

JHPENTERTAINMENT: A White Christmas or Sunshine for Santa?

MICAH-SHANE BREWER: I’m going to have to say a WHITE CHRISTMAS! There’s something very peaceful about a snowy day. 

JHPENTERTAINMENT: What do you enjoy more, wrapping presents or decorating the tree?

MICAH-SHANE BREWER: That’s a no brainer for me. Decorating the trees! Every year, we put up multiple trees in our house.  I love to decorate for the holidays.  (And I’m not very good at wrapping gifts…)

JHPENTERTAINMENT: What’s your favorite Christmas memory?

MICAH-SHANE BREWER: How do I pick just one? A lot of my memories and Christmas traditions run together. I have so many memories of  Christmases when I was a kid: being with family; the rush of waking my sister up early Christmas morning and opening gifts; my grandmother’s Christmas lunch.

When you get older, Christmas changes in many ways. For many years, we hosted a huge Christmas party for our friends, and every year, the evening would conclude with friends gathering around the piano, singing Christmas carols (and sometimes showtunes). I love Christmas music, and being able to share that moment every year with friends is a special memory. 

I’m usually doing a show around the holiday season. When I was in grad school, I remember doing MANY school performances of A Christmas Carol, and one performance, a young girl stood up from her seat in the front row during the finale, all gooey eyed and mouth wide opened, and yelled “It’s SNOWING!” She really believed it was happening, and it was just one of those moments that was so special to see the magic of Christmas and theatre combined!  So every year, I think about that little girl and hope to recapture that magic for others!

RAPID FIRE Q&A WITH A CHRISTMAS CAROL’s GHOST OF CHRISTMAS PAST, KRIS SIDBERRY

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Among your roles in A Christmas Carol at Nashville Rep, you play The Ghost of Christmas Past. If you could live in a past time period, when would it be?

KRIS SIDBERRY: I was definitely not made for the modern time period. I love the Harlem Renaissance of the 1920s. 

JHPENTERTAINMENT: A Muppet Christmas Carol or Mickey’s Christmas Carol? 

KRIS SIDBERRY: Mickey’s. My Dad loved Mickey Mouse. 

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Gingerbread or Sugar Cookies?

KRIS SIDBERRY: I love both. Cookies are my fav, but I guess Gingerbread. 

JHPENTERTAINMENT: A Christmas Tree with clear lights or multicolor? 

KRIS SIDBERRY: Multicolor! White lights are so basic. 

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Favorite Christmas Memory?

KRIS SIDBERRY: Christmas was always very big deal in my house. My father was obsessed with Christmas. Sometimes he would decorate 3 different trees.  Like most young kids, every year I would set out homemade cookies and milk. I remember being about five years old, and I swear that I heard jingle bells and hooves on the roof when preparing for the visit from Santa. I’m pretty sure that my parents must’ve hooked up speakers somehow in the house and played a track, but I will never forget that memory. So magical. I believed in Santa until my pre-teens. I will always believe in magic.

RAPID FIRE Q&A WITH A CHRISTMAS CAROL’s GHOST OF CHRISTMAS FUTURE, BEN FRIESEN

JHPENTERTAINMENT: You’re cast as The Ghost of Christmas Future, among other roles in The Rep’s A Christmas Carol. If you could make a wish for the future, and I guess now that I’m asking, you can, What would it be?

BEN FRIESEN: I would wish for more opportunities like this one, where I get to do so many things that I love to do with so many wonderful people! I already feel blessed to be acting professionally, but when I get to add singing, dancing, fiddling, dialect work, and flying? Shows like this are my dream!

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Candy Canes or Peppermint Bark?

BEN FRIESEN: Nowadays I would probably go for peppermint bark, but the child in me still wants to lick one end of a candy cane until it becomes as sharp as a tack.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Favorite traditional Christmas Carol?

BEN FRIESEN: I love Mary Did You Know—the original carol already went surprisingly hard, but Pentatonix turned it into a certified bop.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Which do you think would keep you more in line…Elf on the Shelf or Krampus?

BEN FRIESEN: Something about the Elf on a Shelf’s beady little eyes say, “I know what you did”, which sends me into a spiral of, “What did I do this time?”—since Krampus is a physical threat, I feel like I could probably Home Alone-style defend myself against him if that situation arose.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Favorite Christmas Memory?

BEN FRIESEN: Throughout my childhood, my siblings and I were huge Lego fans (still are). Each year, we would often ask for one larger Lego set as our main gift, and our parents would save that for last—that way, when we tore open the wrapping paper, we would all immediately run downstairs and spend the next hour or two building our new sets together in our matching Christmas PJs.

RAPID FIRE Q&A WITH A CHRISTMAS CAROL’s GHOST OF CHRISTMAS PRESENT, BRIAN CHARLES ROONEY

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Among your roles in Nashville Rep’s A Christmas Carol, you play The Ghost of Christmas Present. What’s the most fun aspect of that character?

BRIAN CHARLES ROONEY: I love the idea that he ages over the course of 24 hours! There is a lot of fun to be mined in creating that idea, subtly, via voice pitch and tone, as well as via my movement as the character. I also love working in the costume at the designers created for this character. It’s grand, it’s beautiful, and it’s actually fun to wear!  But I think my favorite aspect of this character is his determined commitment to optimism, hope, and love.  He really does root for Scrooge; and he delights in seeing Scrooge find some happiness.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: A Charlie Brown Christmas or The Grinch Who Stole Christmas?

BRIAN CHARLES ROONEY: Definitely The Grinch!!!  I’m partial to anything campy, but what I love about The Grinch is that despite the comedic aspects of the story, the tale is unapologetically woven around the idea that love conquers hate.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Which pop Christmas tune is superior? Mariah’s All I Want for Christmas is You or Wham’s Last Christmas?

BRIAN CHARLES ROONEY: I think Mariah’s song is better written, but I will always love George Michael’s voice. Though, my friends and I play a game each year, that involves seeing which of us can avoid hearing Last Christmas before Christmas Eve. It only works if we all commit to the honor system of the game, but I almost won last year! They were only two of us left, but I heard it in Sprouts!!

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Crazy Christmas Sweater or Cozy Christmas pjs?

BRIAN CHARLES ROONEY: Definitely the PJ’s!!!

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Favorite Christmas memory?

BRIAN CHARLES ROONEY: My favorite Christmas memory, at least, from when I was a child, was the year I received a letter from Santa, on parchment paper, wrapped in a red velvet bow. It was such a wonderful, exciting, heartwarming experience! “He” had left it for me near the plate of cookies we’d left out the night before. I don’t think I’ll ever forget that morning and receiving that letter!

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With that the director and ghosts of Nashville Repertory’s A Christmas Carol vanished as if Ole Scrooge’s clock had struck its morning bell, but you can find them and the rest of the cast of this seasonal favorite on stage at TPAC’s James K. Polk Theatre beginning Friday, December 1 and continuing through Sunday, December 17. CLICK HERE for tickets or more information. Following a brief break in the new year, Nashville Repertory Theatre will present Paula Vogel’s Indecent on stage at TPAC’s Andrew Johnson Theatre as The Rep’s 2023/2024 season continues. CLICK HERE for tickets to this powerful play. In the meantime, check out Nashville Rep online HERE and follow them on Facebook,  Twitter,  YouTube and Instagram.

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

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 ‘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!

Theatre Review: ‘Here You Come Again’ new musical featuring Dolly Parton tunes, concludes Tennessee debut Memorial Day Weekend at The Franklin Theatre

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Written by Bruce Vilanch, Gabriel Barre and Tricia Paoluccio, Here You Come Again is a jukebox musical featuring songs written and made popular by National Treasure and Tennessee Goddess, Dolly Parton. Following a successful premiere in October of 2022 at the Deleware Theatre Company, and a popular December run in West Palm Beach, the musical comedy has come to Dolly’s home state for its Tennessee debut in collaboration with Studio Tenn at The Franklin Theatre with shows Wednesday, May 17 through Sunday, May 28.

As for the premise, it’s a clever, but simple plot. At the beginning of the pandemic, Kevin (played in this production by Zach Sutton), a well-meaning, but down-on-his-luck waiter/aspiring comic is forced to move into his parent’s upstate New York home to set quarantine when the world shuts down. Further complicating things, Kevin’s Mom, a bit of a germaphobe before there was such a thing, has  relegated her son to living in the attic, rather than in the main level of the house with his parents. She’s even devised a sort of makeshift dumbwaiter to deliver his food without contact by setting a tray on the drop-down attic stairs, which he retrieves by hooking to the end of a garden tool of some sort.

Further isolating Kevin, his parents are never seen in the play, and only his Mom’s voice is heard from off-stage from time to time. As the play begins, the audience gets their first glimpse at the show’s only set, the attic. Brilliantly created by Scenic Designer Anna Louizos with assistance from D. Craig M Napoliello, with lighting by Alessandra Docherty and assistant Isabella Gill-Gomez, the attic is easily recognized as both the family’s preferred storage area for seasonal decoration and Kevin’s former childhood playroom/teenage hangout. With pop culture relics from the far-distance 1980s, the attic set design is cleverly littered with things like a discarded GameBoy, an old Chineses Checkers boardgames and what appeared to be a single right Nike Air. But it’s the shrine to everyone’s favorite Country Music Songbird, Dolly Parton that’s most impressive…and I must admit relatable. I mean, switch all the Dolly posters, magazine pictures and photographs covering the walls for, say The Bionic Woman’s Lindsay Wagner, and you’d have my childhood bedroom.

As Sutton’s Kevin paces around the attic, he offers the audience a bit of exposition by breaking the fourth wall and explaining the above-mentioned romantic breakup and current living situation to kick things off. In an obvious state of depression, Kevin then walks over the a small tabletop record player, carefully takes out his vintage copy of Dolly Parton’s 1977 hit record, Here You Come Again, puts the needle on, then walks over to the twin bed across the room picks up a Costco-sized tub of Cheesy Puffs, lovingly caresses the tub and covers himself with the bed sheet.

As the light dims, the tune playing on the record swells and as if by divine intervention…or make that DIVA-ne intervention, the life-size image from the poster on the back of the attic door comes to life as Dolly herself steps forward into the room belting out a familiar tune. Here’s the thing, though. The song isn’t really playing on the record player. The familiar instrumentation is actually coming from backstage courtesy the show’s houseband featuring Miles Aubrey on Guitar, Jeff Cox on Bass, Jon Epcar on Drums and Eugene Gwozdz on Piano. As for the vocals, no Dolly didn’t drive across town from her nearby Brentwood home, instead is actress/singer and aforementioned co-writer of the show, Tricia Paoluccio as an apparition/vision/guardian angel in the form of the Double-D Diva herself.

Before seeing the show, I kept hearing from friends at Studio Tenn, including the company’s Artistic Director, Patrick Cassidy, that if you “close your eyes, you’d swear it was Dolly herself”. Now, here’s the thing, I’m a huge Dolly fan, and over the years I’ve had the absolute thrill and honor to meet her, chat with her a time or two and get to know her and a few of her siblings. Shoot, the night I saw Here You Come Again, Dolly’s youngest sister, Rachel was sitting at the table next to me and we chatted a bit. NO, that’s not a name-drop, ‘cause like I always say, “I never drop a name I can’t pick up”. It’s just a fact, a fact of living and working in Music City. You just never know who you’re gonna see or get to know.

Cassidy was right, she does indeed sound like Dolly when she sings. She’s got Dolly’s vocal infections down-pat, although with Paoluccio’s own musical theatre background (she’s appeared on Broadway in productions of Fiddler on the Roof, A View from the Bridge and The Green Bird) there are times when she makes the tunes her own by adding a bit more of a theatrical flourish, extending a note here, or revealing her talent with a run there. What’s more, thanks to Makeup Designer, Brian Strumwasser, Costume Designer, Bobby Pierce and other assets, whether God-given or man-enhanced, Paoluccio looks like Dolly…well, 70s/80s era Dolly at any rate. Yes, if you close your eyes, you can almost hear the Appalachian songstress, but in certain scenes, when Paoluccio turns just so in profile, that she looks the spitting image of Dolly, herself. But that’s not where Paoluccio’s Dolly transformation ends. She’s even got Dolly’s unique joy-filled speaking voice down! And I mean down…down to what I call Dolly’s “giggle squeak”. If a rhinestone could talk and sing, it’d sound just like Dolly, and so does Paoluccio!

A bit more about the wardrobe. When Paoluccio’s Dolly first steps forward from the door poster, she’s wearing a cocktail-length bedazzled number with billowing bell sleeves. I noticed almost immediately that the fabric of the dress was reminiscent of a butterfly’s markings and yes, when Paoluccio raised both arms at the crescendo of the opening song, the bell sleeves did mimic the silhouette of a butterfly in flight, a wonderful wink to Bob Mackie-designed dress Dolly wore. In fact, it was created for the 1979 tv special Dolly and Carol in Nashville, co-starring Carol Burnett. Considering that special was filmed right here in Nashville, the butterfly dress, while gorgeous, provided a fun little If You Know You Know moment for true Dolly nerds like myself.

Other costume choices, while not as obviously based on Dolly’s own wardrobe, all have that sparkle, that spirit, that gussied-up bigger-than-life 80s Dollyesque vibe. Which works perfectly considering the tunes featured in the show were all originally released between 1969 (the Jack Clement-penned Dolly and Porter Waggoner hit, Just Someone That I Used to Know) and 1989 (Why’d You Come in Here Lookin’ Like That from Dolly’s 1989 offering, White Limozeen).

While the full title of the show is Here You Come Again: How Dolly Parton Saved My Life in 12 Easy Songs, there’s actually a total of 15 toe-tappin’, finger-snappin’ Dolly favorites featured within the show. On the subject of tunes included in the show, like most jukebox musicals, the music helps move the story along or support the narrative. In the case of Here You Come Again, Music Director Gwozdz and the show’s writers have done a fantastic job of peppering Dolly hits throughout the show at just the right moments to accentuate or propel the storyline. Hush-A-Bye Hard Times, a sweet, but lesser-known tune originally included on Dolly’s 1980 crossover hit album 9 to 5 and Odd Jobs near the top of the show, perfectly expresses what I think we all felt during the early days of the pandemic. Same for Two Doors Down, another hit from Dolly’s Here You Come Again release. Included herein to parallel the FOMO we all experienced during isolation.

And Yes, megahits like Jolene, 9 to 5, as well as the bizarro Me and Little Andy and showstopper, I Will Always Love You also find there way into the show and each one is performed with enthusiasm and a touch of Dolly-worthy fun and excitement.

While most of the songs featured were written by Dolly, even the prolific singer/songwriter occasionally records tunes penned by others. Why’d You Come in Here Lookin Like That, Sing For the Common Man and the Dolly Parton/Kenny Rogers megahit, Islands in the Stream are all prefect placed and wonderfully sung. Interestingly, Islands, written by the Bee Gees, is followed by a funny, but very un-Dolly bit of snark courtesy Vilanch’s script.

Speaking of duets, Paoluccio’s Dolly gets a bit of help from time to time as Sutton’s Kevin joins her for a handful of songs throughout the show, showcasing his own talents as a singer.

As I mentioned above, Bruce Vilanch created the show alongside Paoluccio and Barre. Specifically, Vilanch is credited in the playbill as Book Writer, in layman’s terms, the spoken dialogue of the show, alongside director, Barre and star, Paoluccio. Whether you know Vilanch by name, or by sight, you’ve likely heard his work, as he’s a six-time Emmy-winning writer, having won two for writing special material for the Academy Awards and four for work on various television variety show specials. Over the years he’s written for the Academy Awards numerous times, as well as the Tonys, the People’s Choice Awards and many other awards shows. Bringing it all full-circle, Vilanch also wrote a handful of episodes of Dolly Parton’s late-80s variety series, Dolly, so who better to sprinkle a little Dolly dust into the lines of Here You Come Again?

With Paoluccio’s absolute near-perfect Dolly helping Sutton’s Kevin rediscover his own worth, refocus on his own life and reignite his passions through the comfortable familiarity of Dolly’s music, Here You Come Again is a joy from start to finish.

Studio Tenn’s special presentation of Here You Come Again wraps with a final show Sunday, May 28 at 2 p.m. Tickets range in price from $90 for cocktail table seating and the first few rows of theatre seats to $70 for the majority of theatre seats on to $55 for balcony. CLICK HERE for tickets. Didn’t make it to the Tennessee performances? Follow Here You Come Again on Instagram to see where Paoluccio and company are headed next.

Following Here You Come Again, Studio Tenn wraps their current season with a production of the Rodgers and Hammerstein classic, The Sound of Music co-presented by CPA Arts on stage at CPA’s Soli Deontaes Center from June 22- July 16. CLICK HERE for tickets or more information. Be sure to check out Studio Tenn online at StudioTenn.com or on social media at 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. Until then, #GoSeeTheShow!

 

Rapid Fire 20 Q with cast of Nashville Rep’s ‘The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time’ on stage at TPAC’s Johnson Theatre thru April 2

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Directed by Micah-Shane Brewer, Nashville Repertory Theatre’s inspired and inspiring production of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time moves into its second and final week with performances Friday, March 31 at 7:30p.m., Saturday, April 1 at 2p.m. and 7:30p.m. and Sunday, April 2 at 2:00p.m. at TPAC’s Johnson Theatre, I recently had the opportunity to chat with four the company’s incredible cast members for the latest installment of my recurring interview feature, Rapid Fire 20Q. Kindly taking time out of their performance schedules for these conversations are Lauren Berst, Nat McIntyre, Eric D. Pasto-Crosby and JR Robles. Berst and McIntyre play Judy and Ed Boone, parents of 15 year-old Christopher Boone, a young autistic math wiz who finds himself at the center of the titular mystery. Pasto-Crosby and JR Robles play a multitude of townsfolk who meet young Christopher along his journey. What follows are my conversations with the cast.

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RAPID FIRE 20Q WITH CAST MEMBERS OF THE CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG IN THE NIGHT-TIME

RAPID FIRE WITH THE CURIOUS INCIDENT’s NAT MCINTYRE

JHPENTERTAINMENT: You’re no stranger to Nashville Rep, having appeared in Good Monsters and Shakespeare in Love and having directed their production of A Streetcar Named Desire. What keeps brining your back to the company?

NAT McINTYRE: Since moving to Nashville, starting a family, and taking a full time professorship at Lipscomb I have had to be more intentional with the work I choose.  It’s very important to me that the work challenges and excites me and audiences.  The Rep has been doing that work.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: What can you tell me about Ed Boone?

NAT McINTYRE: He’s trying really hard

JHPENTERTAINMENT: I understand you had read Mark Haddon’s novel upon which the play is based. What’s most surprising about the way the story has been brought to the stage?

NAT McINTYRE: I read the book so long ago.  I mostly was surprised they would try to make it into a play because I thought it would be REALLY hard.  But, it turns out Simon Stephens and bunch of curious artists that don’t take themselves too seriously make it possible.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: In preparation of our chat, I discovered among your many credits, you appeared in a season 2 episode of Devious Maids, playing a police officer. Just gonna say it. I loved that series. Bringing the question back to Curious Incident…What’s an advantage of performing in theatre as opposed to film or television?

NAT McINTYRE: Film and TV is fun.  It also pays a lot of money.  But nothing can replace the pulse and breath of a live audience.  The best actors let them be an extra character in the play I think.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: How has your experience been working with Curious Incident director, Micah-Shane Brewer?

NAT McINTYRE: This play is hard. I had never worked with Micah-Shane.  I was nervous ;).  But, that dude has stepped up big time. He is a prepared artist who makes room for his actors, doesn’t need to have all the answers, and does not take himself too seriously.

RAPID FIRE WITH THE CURIOUS INCIDENT’s LAUREN BERST

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Last time I saw you onstage, you had invited me to attend a performance of Nashville Story Garden’s thought-provoking production of The Welkin. Now you’re playing Judy Boone in Nashville Rep’s The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time. Two vastly different shows, but with the common thread of drama. Do you find yourself typically drawn towards more dramatic roles?

LAUREN BERST: Thank you for supporting and promoting Nashville theater, Jonathan! I love comedy and drama equally and am jazzed by the challenges they each present. I am primarily lured to the story being told rather than the genre so if that’s in a comedy or drama, I want to go on the journey. For the The Welkin, we were compelled to tell that story, and getting to tell it with 12 amazing women on stage with me was a huge draw. For Curious Incident, I loved the book and the play and was excited about the idea of exploring the story as an ensemble. The opportunity to return to Nashville Rep was an added bonus so I jumped at the chance. I am grateful to get to do this show with this wonderful group of people.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: What is it about Judy Boone that attracted you to the role?

LAUREN BERST: I love Judy. And what’s interesting about this play is that most of what we learn about the characters comes from Christopher’s vantage point so finding a through line or heart of a character is a fun challenge. I enjoy finding the sweet, strong, rule-breaking parts of her and expanding or contracting from there. She is an ill-equipped force to be reckoned with.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: You mention the character of Christopher, which leads to my next question…How has it been sharing scenes with Ben Friesen, who’s at the center of the action playing young Christopher Boone?

LAUREN BERST: It’s wonderful to work with Ben. Ben is a champ! His exploration of Christopher is open, honest, and spot on. He’s a great collaborator. This show is a lot of responsibility and he handles it with confidence and excitement which is a testament to his ability. And his eagerness is infectious. Ben has created a well-rounded, and heart-wrenching character. Audiences will be rooting for Christopher.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Also at the center of the story is the titular dog. You yourself are a pet-owner, so I gotta ask…how’s Ms. Roxie? AND…I’ve seen a few rehearsal posts giving a first look at the puppy involved in the show. Has that pup become everyone’s emotional support dog, considering the seriousness of the piece?

LAUREN BERST: Oh thank you for asking about THE MOST important parts of my life and this play! First of all, Roxie is the spoiled rotten dachshund I adopted six years ago and she’s amazing. In fact, she is curled next to me as I type this so any spelling or grammar errors can be blamed on her.

Scottie, the sweet puppy in the play, (the *actual* star of the play – don’t worry Ben thinks so too) is precious, smart and adorable. When she comes into the room everyone melts a little bit, our shoulders relax, our dopamine and serotonin levels skyrocket. I have to sit on my hands sometimes because it’s all I can do not to put her in my bag and take her home with me. And I’m not exaggerating. You’ll see. She’s too cute. It is impossible that something so cute exists in real life.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: I’ve seen a few behind-the-scenes images of the set, designed by Cody Stockstill with lighting by Darren Levin and sound by Gregg Perry. What has impressed you most about the way the creative team has brought this production to Nashville Rep’s intimate stage at TPAC’s Johnson Theater?

LAUREN BERST: What HASN’T impressed me?! The creative team has pulled out all of the stops to make this show an intimate spectacle in the Johnson Theater. Cody, Darren, and Gregg tell this story in ways that go beyond the script. They have designed, composed, and programmed each moment of this play to enhance the story telling, conjure a little magic, and help us get a peek into Christopher’s mind. And they’re so dang good at what they do. It would be a very different play without their designs. I’m excited for audiences to experience the world they’ve created.

RAPID FIRE WITH THE CURIOUS INCIDENT’s ERIC D. PASTO-CROSBY

JHPENTERTAINMENT: As a member of the ensemble of Curious Incident, you take on a multitude of roles. What’s the most fun aspect of this as opposed to portraying a singular character?

ERIC D. PASTO-CROSBY: I thoroughly enjoy coming up with fully realized characters, and I get to do that for about six different people in the show. Both how they move how they talk how they interact with people. And also structuring just how they interact with the plot, do they influence the main characters for good things or bad things that’s always just a fun fantastic journey that we get to go on. If I’m being really honest, it’s the multiple different accents that I get to do for the show.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: On the flip side, what’s most challenging about playing more than one character in a piece?

ERIC D. PASTO-CROSBY: I would say the most challenging aspect of playing multiple characters is figuring out how they are different, but not distracting. It’s very easy to come up with different characters but sometimes those characters don’t work with the world of the play or help tell the story as well as other choices would. So making sure that you make the choices that helped tell this version of curious incident is the most important.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Who all do you play in Curious Incident?

ERIC D. PASTO-CROSBY: I play Roger Shears, the Duty Sergeant, Mr. Wise, man behind counter and Voice two.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Of your Curious Incident roles, do you have a particular favorite?

ERIC D. PASTO-CROSBY: It’s kind of a tie between Roger Shears and the Duty sSergeant. Roger Shears is pretty despicable and gross, which is kind of fun to play. I know that probably sounds wrong. But the Duty Sergeant is probably one of my favorite accents and characterizations, since he’s honestly stolen from a Guy Ritchie movie.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: In addition to your onstage duties, you’re also the show’s fight choreographer. You’re a member of the Society of American Fight Directors. What can you tell me about that organization and how you became involved in the art of fight choreography?

ERIC D. PASTO-CROSBY: yYou can join the SAFD by paying membership. It is a training organization that brings everyone up to speed on how to safely perform fights on stage. I thoroughly enjoy multiple aspects of this organization. I love what they have done to bring safety and realism to violent moments on stage. If you are looking for training there are  workshops, I will be teaching at the A Town Throwdown in Atlanta. The society has a workshop every other month all over the US for you to train in multiple weapon disciplines for three or two days.

RAPID FIRE WITH THE CURIOUS INCIDENT’s JR ROBLE

JHPENTERTAINMENT: I understand this is your first time working with Nashville Rep. How’s the experience been thus far?

JR ROBLES: I’ve had a blast! I’ve always wanted to do a show with Nashville Rep. This experience has been so gratifying and revelatory for me. I’ve had a chance to make some great new friends and work on an important piece of theatre with some of the most talented people around. In that process, I think I’ve grown a lot in my own artistic practices, and I’m so grateful for that. It’s been really challenging too—there’s a lot of movement and physicality in the show, and I’ve had to reactivate some of my choreography and dance training to remember how to do that. Mostly, I’ve felt so happy coming to work every day because I get to be part of this wonderful story with some amazing artists. It’s been wonderful.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Prior to our chat, I spoke with Eric Pasto-Crosby. Like Eric, you’re also playing numerous roles within the show. What roles are you playing?

JR ROBLES: So, I’m playing Voice Three, which includes a couple of policemen, a salty train passenger, a drunk train passenger (different guy), and Mr. Thompson, who is an oddball neighbor of Christopher’s (the play’s main character). Aside from that, I get to be a part of constructing the world of Christopher’s memory and mind where the play takes place. I really have fun with these kinds of roles because I can step into different people in different scenes, which is such a fun challenge. Much of that work, by the way, has been aided by Katie Cunningham, our dialects and accents coach. She’s worked very closely with us as we’ve made choices about these characters and giving them very specific voices that help color the world of Swindon and London that Christopher explores.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Is there a particular scene you’re involved in that you find most challenging?

JR ROBLES: Overall what has affected me most, and maybe what I love most about the play, is the very true-to-life depiction of how complicated family dynamics can be when there are flawed human beings trying to do their very best for themselves and each other in their lives. In general, the scenes I’m featured in are fun and help move the story along to get to the places where the challenging stuff in the play really is. The very dynamic relationships between Christopher, Ed, and Judy, and Christopher and Siobhan are the ones I think about the most. And most of those scenes I just get to sit and watch Ben, Nat, Lauren, and Sejal work magic on stage.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: What’s the most fun role you’re portraying and why?

JR ROBLES: I have the most fun with Mr. Thompson, the goofy neighbor Cristopher interacts with in Act 1. I’ve gone through about 7 different iterations of this guy, trying to figure out where he came from, what accents he has, what he is up to when he’s not in the play, and even what kind of glasses he wears. Honorable mention goes to a character called “Drunk 2” (Eric Pasto-Crosby is Drunk 1) who literally has two drunken lines of dialogue. Each rehearsal so far, Eric and I have tried to out-drunk each other, and it gets crazier every time.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: So much of the show seems to encourage audiences to step out of their comfort zone and take time to consider what life must be like for the central character. Do you think that’s a fair assessment? AND…what other themes of the show have you found yourself contemplating during this process?

JR ROBLES: Yes, I think that’s an appropriate way to frame the experience of the play and also the vision that Micah-Shane has for the show. From the beginning, Micah-Shane has shared with us the idea that when we are performing the show, we are welcoming the audience into the mind of Christopher and, as much as possible, creating for the audience a unique world of what Christopher’s experience is like. I hope that people who come to the show will appreciate the efforts we’ve made to celebrate Christopher’s curiosity, bravery, and desire to lead the life he wants. I think the theme that resonates with me even more is the importance of personal growth. I love how the play presents that not just with Christopher, but also with Ed and Judy. Each of these characters has their own journey that is really powerful and complicated. And where they end up is so poignant and true to life.

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Nashville Repertory Theatre’s The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time continues with performances at TPAC’s Johnson Theatre thru Sunday, April 2. CLICK HERE for tickets. Next up for The Rep as they close out their 2022/2023 Season it’s Violet with Book and Lyrics by Brian Crawley and Music by Jeanine Tesori, on stage at TPAC’s Johnson Theatre May 12-21. CLICK HERE for tickets or more information.

In the meantime, check out Nashville Rep online HERE and follow them on Facebook,  Twitter,  YouTube and Instagram.

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Theatre Review: Circle Players’ Agatha Christie’s ‘Murder on the Orient Express’

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When I learned that Circle Players was mounting a production of playwright Ken Ludwig’s stage adaptation of Murder on the Orient Express, on stage through January 29 at The Looby Theatre (2301 Rosa Parks Blvd), I was thrilled. In audience on opening weekend of Agatha Christie’s beloved mystery, I may have had higher expectation than some of the other theatre patrons in attendance. As I alluded when I chatted with the cast for one of my latest Rapid Fire 20Q interview, those higher expectations stem from the fact that I’m a bit of an Agatha Christie purist and nerd, having read my first of her works when I was probably no more than ten or eleven. My obsession didn’t stop there. I began to read her books thematically, in that when I’d travel with family on summer break vacations, I’d read such titles as Death in the Clouds (my first plane ride), The Floating Admiral (while on a boat) and The Blue Train (you get the idea). In October I’d read and reread Hallowe’en Party and darn it if December doesn’t still sees me revisit Hercule Porot’s Christmas. Heck, I’ve seen every film adaptation from Margaret Rutherford as Miss Marple in the 1960s to Kenneth Branagh’s portrayal of Hercule Poirot in last year’s Death on the Nile, so yes, you could say I’m a superfan.

I love that Christie’s Estate contacted Ken Ludwig to ask if he’d be interested in adapting one of her books for the stage. Ludwig, known for writing such plays as Lend Me A Tenor, Moon Over Buffalo and the musical Crazy for You. He has also adapted a number of works for the stage based on characters created by others. Among Ludwig’s adaptations there’s Baskerville: A Sherlock Holmes Mystery, Tiny Tim’s Christmas Carol and Sherwood: The Adventures of Robin Hood. Of course adapting Christie’s 250+ page tale for the stage required a bit of editing for Ludwig’s stage version. Most notably missing are about a third of the suspects. While Christie’s novel includes a very purposeful 12 suspects, Ludwig had narrowed that down to eight. Purist that I am I’m still wrestling with that, mostly because the reason behind Christie having 12 suspects in this particular story was sheer genius, just a very clever A Ha! moment during the final reveal. I get it through, twelve suspects plus Poirot, plus the victim and one other character who is seemingly above suspicion…that’s a lot of people on stage, especially since the entire play takes place aboard a train, therefore limited the physical staging of the show itself. Again, this is just my weird obsessive brain working overtime. Back to my review…

Elliott Robinson as Hercule Poirot

Elliott Robinson, who’s graced the stage of multiple shows, not only at Circle but all over Nashville, might not seem the obvious choice to play the seemingly uptight, no-nonsense Hercule Poirot, but Hillwig knew what he was doing when he cast him. Robinson might not have waxed his stache, but beyond that he perfectly personifies the quirky Belgian master sleuth. Aided by Ludwig’s cheekily written retorts…the script teeters very closely to full-on farce without completely crossing that line…Robinson’s Poirot becomes even more endearing and fun to watch. There’s even a scene or two in which Robinson delivers a bit of dialogue or a witty reply to a fellow actor, then with knowing look, a smile or pause, gives the audience time to process the snark.

Antonio Nappo as Monsieur Bouc is the perfect choice to share the stage with Robinson’s Poirot. In Christie’s novel, Monsieur Bouc is written as almost a younger, less perceptive Poirot, eager to assist the detective in his investigation, but coming up short when connecting the dots, or seeing the many clues to the identity of the guilty. Nappo plays the part with a joyful vigor. Give him a few years and time to train his facial follicles, and I could totally see Nappo taking on the role of Poirot himself one day in the near future.

Tim Bush as Ratchett, a gruff, assertive businessman, is just fantastic. Playing the part to the hilt, it’s easy to see why he ends up (Spoiler Alert!!!) dead in his bed. It’s funny, my companion for the Sunday matinee I attended, leaned over at one point and said she didn’t care for Bush as Ratchett. Knowing what was coming, I thought to myself,”then he’s playing it perfectly”. Shoot, even after the murder, Bush further shows his skills by lying there motionless while the rest of the cast buzz around his character’s berth looking for clues and discussing motive.

As for the suspects, Catherine McTamaney as Princess Dragomiroff is my new favorite. My friend and I both noticed that she was a fully committed to her role in that when she enters the stage, she does so in character. How can I explain it? Some actors walk ’to’ their scene, McTamaney walks ‘through’ hers if that makes sense. She is Princess Dragomiroff. Staunch, unimpressed and mostly unbothered.

Bailey Borders makes some interesting choices as Helen Hubbard. As I mentioned when I chatted with her for my Rapid Fire 20Q interview, the character of Mrs. Hubbard was brought to the screen first by Lauren Bacall, then by Michelle Pfeiffer. Both women played her with an air of refinement and class, coupled with a bit of sass. While Borders’ Hubbard provided plenty of laughs by her boldness, the choice to have her speak with a southern accent, rather than a dialect more fitting the character, put me in mind of Dixie Carter’s Julia Sugarbaker, rather than the aforementioned Mrs. Bogart.

Rounding out the cast are Claire Landers as Greta Ohlsson, Gary Miller as Hector McQueen, Kaleigh Ruiz as Countess Andrenyi, Nick Spencer as Colonel Arbuthnot, Emily Summers as Mary Debenham and Barrett Thomas in the dual role of Michel the Conductor and Marcel, the waiter, oh, and Michael Hutson as the voice of the announcer. Each member of the company plays well off each other and easily convince the audience not only are their on-stage relationships plausible, but so are their accents…for the most part. I mention this because this show is comprised of characters from all over the globe, from the US to Germany, with Russian, Hungary and other places of origin thrown in for good measure. That said, the cast pulls off a multitude of accents…almost as well as the culprit pulls of the murder.

On the technical side of things, not only is Hillwig directing Murder on the Orient Express, he also designed the set. While the majority of the action does indeed take place aboard a moving train, there are actually a few sets. First here’s a cafe at the train station, then the exterior of a smaller train, the exterior of the Orient Express, the sleeping berths and the dining car. There’s also scenes that take place in the rail’s communications room and the back rail of the caboose. I don’t know if my eyes were playing tricks on me or not, but I swear, by clever usage of lighting cues courtesy Daniel Default, the exterior or the trains took on a different look between being the Taurus Express (at least that’s the name of the connecting train in the novel) and the more exclusive Orient Express. While watching the cast of characters board the Orient Express, the thought did cross my mind that I wished the exterior of the Orient Express look a little more grand and stately. Those ideals were put to rest once later when the set rotated to reveal the interior dining car. Hillwig, his master carpenter, Tony Nappo and props courtesy Suzanne Spooner-Folk together, created a perfectly lush look for the dining car, complete with what appeared to be lacquered woodgrain panels, hanging sconces, a bar cart and the like.

Hillwig’s staging is also to be commended, even in the final scenes in which Poirot reveals the truth, and the entire cast (save the victim) are on stage, it never seems crowded or forced and Hillwig’s staging and direction allow the audience to witness even the most subtle of movements and reactions of the guilty as the beloved detective unravels the mystery once and for all.

Before wrapping up the cast of the theatre review, I should mention that during the intermission I overheard a group of friends in the row behind me discussing who they through the murderer might be. I can’t tell you how much it thrilled my Agatha-loving heart that of the four who weren’t familiar with the outcome of the play…a story that’s based on a book that’s nearly 90 years old, mind you…each had a different suspect in mind.

As a lover of all things Christie, I can say without hesitation that director Clay Hillwig and his cast, lead by Elliott Robinson bring Christie’s beloved story of mystery, deceit and murder to the stage with such finesse—and thanks to Ludwig having peppered the script with some punchy dialogue—a great deal of unexpected humor than even the most ardent fan will be happy they were along for the ride.

Circle Players’ Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express pulls out of the station for two more mystery-filled rides Saturday, January 28 at 7:30pm and Sunday, January 29 at 3pm. All tickets are $27 (including fees). CLICK HERE for tickets.

Next up for Circle Players is Peter and the Starcatcher, directed by Jim Manning with musical direction by Teal Davis, on stage at the Looby Theatre March 10-26. CLICK HERE for tickets. To keep up with the latest from Circle Players follow them on Facebook,  Instagram and Twitter.

If you’ve enjoyed this latest Rapid Fire 20 Q, be sure and CLICK HERE to check out previous conversations. 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,  Twitter and Facebook.

Rapid Fire 20Q with director and cast of Circle Players’ “Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express”; onstage at Looby theatre January 13-29

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Agatha Christie has long been my favorite mystery writer, having first discovered her by way of film adaptations when I was younger. With an introduction to her work via film versions of The Mirror Crack’d, Death on The Nile and Murder on the Orient Express, I was quickly obsessed. Heck, I even began reading Christie’s novels in a thematic manner…the first time I flew in an airplane, I read Death in the Air, at Halloween and Christmas I read stories featuring her most famous detective, Hercule Poirot that took place during those holidays. When I heard Circle Players was mounting Ken Ludwig’s stage adaptation of Murder on the Orient Express I hoped I’d kick off the new year by featuring some of the cast and crew for my latest Rapid Fire 20Q. In spite of the fact that they were in the throes of tech week, I was thrilled when director Clay Hillwig and cast members Elliott Robinson, Antonio Nappo and Bailey Borders graciously agreed to chat with me in the days just prior the show opening at Looby Theatre Friday, January 13. What follows are those conversations.

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RAPID FIRE 20Q WITH DIRECTOR AND CAST OF CIRCLE PLAYERS’ AGATHA CHRISTIE’s MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS

RAPID FIRE WITH MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS DIRECTOR CLAY HILLWIG

JHPENTERTAINMENT: How did directing Murder on the Orient Express for Circle come about?

CLAY HILLWIG: A little over a year ago, Circle Players reached out to me and asked if I would be interested in directing this show.  I could not type “Y-E-S” out quick enough in my response.  To be honest, it had not been on my list.  I am still questioning how it wasn’t.  I guess fortune placed it in front of me and I am very thankful to Circle Players that it did.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: This may seem a simple, obvious question, but having appeared both in shows, as well as being part of various productions’ crews, do you think that gives you an advantage as a director guiding actors?

CLAY HILLWIG: That is a good question.  I do not know if it necessarily gives me and advantage, but it definitely gives me a full understanding of the moving parts of a production.  In regards to guiding actors.  I have always approached directing style and my relationship with my cast, based my own desires as an actor.  How do I what to be directed?  How do I want to be treated during the process?  Am I being challenged to grow in my craft as an actor?  Do I trust my director to provide both positive and negative feedback in a constructive manner,  Is my director available, to guide me in defining the character I am playing and my relationships with the other characters within the story?  Most importantly, is my director providing a safe environment to work in?   I have been labeled as “an actors director”, which tells me that my approach is making a positive impression. Communication with my actors is crucial to me.  Making sure that I am listening to them and their ideas with the same patience and respect that I require from them.  That being said, I believe that it is also very important to strike a balance of directing through the process and knowing when to get out of the actors way.  My goal is always to provide a drama free, safe environment, for my actors to work and grow in their art.  If the production is flawless and receives rave reviews, but I have failed in this important part of the process, I cannot walk away with the satisfaction that is was a successful production.  I would like to take this opportunity to say that this cast had been a pure joy to work with.  They have showed up prepared from the very beginning of the process and have made my role as their leader as smooth as it could have possibly been.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: I myself am a lifelong Christie fan, heck I recently finished my annual holiday re-read of her seasonal mystery, Hercule Poirot’s Christmas, so suffice it to say I’m perhaps a tad more familiar with Christie than some of your audience might be. That said, Christie’s novel includes 12 suspects, but playwright Ken Ludwig opted to par down the suspect list to eight. How does this enhance the telling of the story of the stage play

CLAY HILLWIG: It is an interesting choice by Ludwig to reduce our suspects from 12 to 8. He took some license in the melding of characters from the original 12 to the 8 that we have here, without taking away from the original writing of Ms. Christie . The result is a very tight, fast paced, well written script.   Though Christie purist may not agree, I believe that the choice in this adaptation works very well for the stage. The strongest endorsement is from the Agatha Christie Limited, who personally requested he take on this adaptation.  Ludwig refers to this project as one of the highlights of his career. I think we can all understand why.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: In addition to directing, you’re doing double duty as the show’s set designer. As the title might suggest, the action takes place primarily aboard the infamous train. What’s the biggest advantage—aside from the assumed less number of sets—to directing a show that takes place in a relatively confined solitary space?

CLAY HILLWIG: Not easy!!! Yes, there are limited sets, but the size of the set and the limited space for our scenes to play out has been challenging.  When you research the original Orient Express, space is very tight throughout. It is important that we are telling our story from within the tight confines of the train and not the expanse of the theater stage.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: While the story is set in the confines of the legendary train, the cast of characters provide an international flare with travelers from England, France, Belgium, Russia, the US and more, so I gotta know…who’s the show’s dialect coach?

CLAY HILLWIG: Early in the production process I had reached out to candidates to join us as dialect coaches, Of course schedules and conflicts tend to alter our best laid plans as you get closer to the target date..  But, there is always a solution.  In this case I was very fortunate to cast two actors, Barrett Thomas and Kaleigh Ruiz, who have both a minor and major in French and Belgium.. They have worked closely with our  players in perfecting these accents.  As for our other dialects, the actors came prepared, some with accents already in place, others working very hard using various tools that are available.  YouTube is a wonderful thing!!

RAPID FIRE WITH MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS’s HERCULE POIROT, ELLIOTT ROBINSON

JHPENTERTAINMENT: As you reveal in your cast bio, Murder on the Orient Express marks your tenth time to appear onstage with Circle Players. I think I’ve seen you in each of the previous nine. Whenever an actor has such a longstanding relationship with a theatre company, I always like to ask…What is it that keeps you coming back?

ELLIOTT ROBINSON: Bottom line is, Circle Players always mounts quality productions. The rehearsal processes are drama-free, I always get to work with amazingly talented casts and crews, and the end result is something that all of us, and all of Nashville can be proud of: professional-quality live theatre productions, and a great variety of them, whether they be musicals or not.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Hercule Poirot and Miss Jane Marple, another of Christie’s best-known detectives, are among the most beloved literary detectives of all time. What’s it like portraying such an iconic character?

ELLIOTT ROBINSON: It’s a huge challenge because so many people know the character. When I mention the role, so many people have shared their recollections of Poirot, and sometimes ask me whether I am going to try to recreate this scene, or this mannerism, or whatever; simply, the answer is no. I am going to make the character my own. I wouldn’t dare watch a movie or anything like that involving a character I’m working on, for fear that – even subconsciously – I might imitate something that someone else did. So, I take all my cues from the words in the script, plus my director’s notes and my own research about the character.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Having just chatted with your show’s director, I brought up the subject of the variety of character dialects. As Poirot, your character is infamously from Belgium. If you were to teach a quick course in the Belgian dialect, what would your top two helpful hints?

ELLIOTT ROBINSON: I would NOT be able to teach a course! It is clear that, with all of the French phrases peppered into the script, that Poirot is from a part of Belgium that is French-influenced, as opposed to some Belgians that have more of a Dutch flavor to their speech (I learned that searching youtube clips!). I will say that a couple of fluent French-speakers in the cast have been tremendously helpful, guiding me through the French phrases, as well as helping me with the accent. Ultimately, I am more worried about the audience understanding what I’m saying than I am about being the “most French,” if that makes sense.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Do you think you’d be a good detective in real life?

ELLIOTT ROBINSON: I think I have some good detective-ish qualities, like attention to detail, and I feel that I’m a pretty observant person. What I don’t know is how much pleasure I could derive from it. Could I truly enjoy running headlong into brick wall after brick wall, figuring out new clues or ideas because the previous ones have not panned out? Also, I’m one that does not much go for the thrill of danger; I prefer a much calmer existence.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: What is your favorite aspect of Poirot’s personality?

ELLIOTT ROBINSON: His intelligence. He is very well-read, and very well-rounded. He speaks multiple languages, has a grasp of world history, he knows his Shakespeare, and he is somewhat of a psychologist (as well as a bit of a flirt). He is not swayed by false evidence, and his calculating manner gets to the exact way things went down. Brilliant man!

RAPID FIRE WITH MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS’s MONSIEUR BOUC, ANTONIO NAPPO

JHPENTERTAINMENT: What can you tell me about Monsieur Bouc?

ANTONIO NAPPO: He is larger than life.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Circle shared cast portraits on socials recently and the first thing I notice was that you’ve apparently cut your hair and trimmed your beard. The story takes place in the early 1930s. Was it a no-brainer to alter your appearance to better fit the aesthetic of the show?

ANTONIO NAPPO: Absolutely, Clay’s question to me at auditions was if I was married to the long hair/beard look. I said I’m not, but my wife is. She’s the one who took some convincing.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: In Christie’s original novel, Monsieur Constantine Bouc is a military man from Belgium. The 1974 film adaptation and playwright Ken Ludwig’s all but drop the character’s military background, instead focusing on his current position as a high-level employee of the rail company.As you’ve developed your portrayal of Bouc, have you created any backstory in your mind that you’d care to share?

ANTONIO NAPPO: His deep friendship with Poirot is paramount to me. It’s at the core of who Bouc is.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: When Christie’s novel was released, it was immediately apparent that the events that open the story were directly lifted from the now-historic 1932 kidnapping of Charles Lindbergh, Jr. Was that bit of trivial ever discussed during rehearsals or is that something you knew prior?

ANTONIO NAPPO: We did discuss it, at length. But I did know about it prior to going into this show.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: In keeping with the subject of the show…If you could get away with a crime…would you?

ANTONIO NAPPO: How do you know I haven’t already?

RAPID FIRE WITH MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS’s HELEN HUBBARD, BAILEY BORDERS

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Alright, as this show’s Circle Players newbie, I gotta ask…what’s the experience been like so far, working with Nashville’s oldest continuing theatre company?

BAILEY BORDERS: This has been the smoothest experience I’ve ever had in community theater and I’d like to thank our whole team for that! The cast has been so supportive and Clay is such a wonderful director to collaborate with. We’re leaving the drama for the stage for this one!

JHPENTERTAINMENT: While it’s your first show with Circle, you’re a Nashville native, having studied at Nashville School of the Arts. After school you relocated to Los Angeles to continue your pursuit of acting and recently relocated back to Music City. What’s your impression of the changes and growth of Nashville since you were last here?

BAILEY BORDERS: I’m loving the growth of the city, but I have to say I miss some of our local hangs that couldn’t withstand the rent increase. While there’s so much more to do and explore, I hope we’re able to keep the charm Nashville has always had!

JHPENTERTAINMENT: In Agatha Christie’s source material, as well as subsequent film adaptations and now this stage version, Helen Hubbard has always been portrayed with a certain air of elegance and a bit of initial arrogance. How much fun are you having playing her?

BAILEY BORDERS: Helen Hubbard has been an absolute blast to play! I love a strong, outspoken character. She has so many levels to explore. My favorite part of Mrs. Hubbard is her brashness. She’s somehow able to maintain an elegance while being the life of the party.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: From the legendary Lauren Bacall’s portrayal of Mrs. Hubbard in the 1974 film to the equally glamorous Michelle Pfeiffer in Kenneth Branagh’s 2017 remake, a huge part of the character’s mystique manifests itself in her fabulous wardrobe. For Circle’s production, Denese Evans is the show’s costumer. What can you tell me about your Mrs. Hubbard’s style?

BAILEY BORDERS: Denese has been outstanding at creating Mrs. Hubbard’s aesthetic. Collaborating together on her hair, makeup, and classic pieces has been one of the most fun elements of seeing Helen brought to life. Mrs. Hubbard is glamorous and does not shy away from a show stopping garment. She uses her wardrobe as her space to shine!

JHPENTERTAINMENT: So, whodunnit? Just kidding. What is it about Murder on the Orient Express that you think audiences will enjoy most?

BAILEY BORDERS: I think audiences will be pleasantly surprised at the amount of comic relief in our show! The tension is always there, as the mystery unfolds, but there are some wonderful moments in between that provide a certain lightness.

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To take a ride on the Orient Express, CLICK HERE to purchase tickets to Circle Players’ presentation of Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express. The show runs Friday, January 13 through Sunday, January 29 at Z. Alexander Looby Theatre (2301 Rosa Parks Blvd). Tickets are $20 for Thursday performances and $25 Fridays-Sundays. To keep up with the latest from Circle Players follow them on Facebook,  Instagram and Twitter.

If you’ve enjoyed this latest Rapid Fire 20 Q, be sure and CLICK HERE to check out previous conversations. 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,  Twitter and Facebook.

Theatre Review: ‘Blithe Spirit’ attempts to conjure laughter; Noel Coward farce continues at Larry Keeton Dinner Theatre thru October 30

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‘Blithe Spirit’ (all photos by Thomas Gentry/courtesy The Larry Keeton Dinner Theatre)

Just before chatting with members of the cast of the Larry Keeton Dinner Theatre’s current presentation of Blithe Spirit for my latest Rapid Fire 20Q, I rewatched the classic mid-40s film adaptation which I hadn’t seen in a decade or longer. Remembering it fondly, I again reveled in the quaintly nostalgic portrayal of an British novelist who finds himself in unlikely comedic trouble when he and his wife host a couple of friends and a kooky medium for a seance meant to inspire his next novel. What happens instead is the medium somehow summons the ghost of his first wife. Things get further complicated when an accident befalls his second wife and he finds himself doubly haunted by the ghosts of both wives past.

During my conversations with the cast for my latest Rapid Fire 20Q, I learned that the show’s director Donna Driver had opted to update the time and place of what is considered by many to be the playwright’s best work. I get it. The original having been set in the English countryside in the early 1940s, might seem a bit stale for a modern audience, and I’ll be honest. There’s little I despise more than a local theatre company attempting accents that end up being all over the place and inauthentic.

That said, you gotta wonder why then did the director opt to set the action in 1980s Texas, but only one cast member speaks with a decidedly Texan drawl? The set, however, designed and constructed by Kevin Driver, does indeed invoke visions of 80s abundant living, with ornate brocade furniture (I swear my Mom still has that sofa in her living room), bookcases filled with Reader’s Digest Book Club volumes and Encyclopedias and the occasional ginger jar. Heck, even the walls are painted in what can only be described as hints of Dark Rose and Forest Green. Donna Driver also serves as the show’s costumer, dressing her cast in some decidedly 80s trends with nods to the wrap-dress, the country club look and more. All in all, a nice representation of the 80s.

Seeing as how the show is about ghosts, I was curious how the special effects would be presented. What few there are are fun, but it seems a shame that they’re mostly left to near the end of the show, rather than being peppered throughout.

Abby Waddoups, Aaron Gray and Erin Grace Bailey in ‘Blithe Spirit’

Aaron Gray is cast as Charles Condomine, the aforementioned author. He does a fine job in the role, and as he revealed during our Rapid Fire 20 Q, he’s created the perfect backstory for his as he calls it ‘rock star’ look, but I feel compelled to mention, the constant, likely unconscious action of brushing his long tresses away from his face became quite distracting. Gray does present a perfectly flustered husband and his on-stage chemistry with both his leading ladies is enjoyable.

Abby Waddoups plays Charles’ current wife, Ruth. While she doesn’t speak with a traditional Texas accent—as mentioned earlier, only one character does, and we’ll get to her soon enough—Abby does approach Ruth with an air of sophistication. Again, a perfect reflection of that 80s-era new-money vibe. As Ruth, she brings a bit of caustic fire to her every line.

Then there’s Charles’ late wife, Elvira played by Erin Grace Bailey. OK, I know this is being super picky, but in every other stage production, film adaptation and televised presentation, Elvira isn’t pronounced like the Cassandra Peterson Mistress of the Dark character, it’s pronounced Elveeera, so this new pronunciation took me a minute to adjust. Newcomer to the Larry Keeton Theatre, Erin Grace Bailey is quite the scene-stealer as Elvira. While her name may now be pronounced like an 80s vampire, she’s just your above-average vampy ghost. She takes the tongue-in-cheek storyline and makes the most of it.

Drew Ann Borsos as Madame Arcati

Speaking of making the most of things, Drew Ann Borsos is simply perfect as Madame Arcati, the medium who helms the seance. Borsos peppers her Madame Arcati with equal parts  bumbling Aunt Clara from Bewitched and every blissfully quirky character Shirley MacLaine has played since the 80s. Every line, every movement seems both organic and spontaneous while you just know its all carefully crafted and executed brilliantly. Coward knew what he was doing when he created this character with his words and Borsos more than does it justice.

Rounding out the cast are Shelby Anderson as Edith, the maid, Michael Welch as Charles’ friend and doctor, Dr. George Bradman and Suzette Williamson as Mrs. Bradman. Anderson is quite fun as the scatterbrained, nervous maid and we even get to hear her sing a bit, which is a fun bonus. Welch and Willamson, who basically only appear in two scenes, one during the first act and one in Act 2, are amusing as marrieds, but seem to be a little overzealous in their portrayals and should perhaps reign in their reactions and facial-pulling just a bit. Then again, there’s no pulling attention from Borsos and Bailey, so why even try.

Blithe Spirit continues its three-week run onstage at The Larry Keeton Theatre (108 Donelson Pike, Nashville, TN 37214) now thru October 30. To Purchase Tickets, CLICK HERE or call the box office at 615.231.1231. Adult Dinner and Show tickets are $35. Child Dinner and Show tickets are $25. Show Only tickets are $30 and $20 respectively. During the run, the schedule is as follows: Thursdays-Doors at 6:30p.m./Show at 7p.m. (Thursdays are Show Only days). Fridays and Saturdays-Doors at 5:45p.m./Dinner at 6p.m. and Show at 7p.m. Sundays-Doors at 12:45p.m./Lunch at 1p.m. and show at 2p.m.

Following Blithe Spirit, the Larry Keeton Dinner Theatre ushers in the holidays with Irving Berlin’s White Christmas, onstage December 1-18. 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.

Theatre Review: Blue Man Group’s North American Tour at TPAC thru Sunday, February 16

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Blue Man Group, North American Tour on stage at TPAC’s Jackson Hall February 11-16/photo by Lindsey Best

Having seen Blue Man Group right here in Nashville at TPAC twice before, and once in Las Vegas, I wasn’t sure if I’d enjoy them as much a fourth time during their current North American Tour, at TPAC’s Jackson Hall now thru Sunday, February 16. Then again, each of the previous times I’ve seen them, the show’s been slightly different and the laughter and entertainment as ensured I left the theatre in anything but a blue mood, so I was game to check them out once again and Spoiler Alert: they’re just as fun the fourth time around.

Much like the three primary colors present throughout any Blue Man Group performance, their shows also contain three primary elements, sight, sound and happiness. As always, save a few pre-recorded audible proclamations that put the audience in mind of Big Brother, or perhaps an alien life form visiting we mere earthlings, Blue Man Group members never utter a single word. 

From the moment the audience enters the venue and gets a look at the futuristic set, featuring a wall of led screens, lights and a matrix of electronics, speakers and various other goodies, it’s evident they’re in for an evening of high-energy, high-decibel entertainment. 

Having celebrated their thirtieth anniversary back in 2017, Blue Man Group continues to blend fresh ideas and concepts with tried and true…or should I say tried-and-blue audience favorites that captivates audiences ranging in age from tikes to, well, blue hairs. OK, OK, I’ll stop with the blue puns…maybe.

For the current national tour (there’s also concurrent permanent shows in New York, Boston, Chicago, Vegas, Orlando and Berlin), the Boys in Blue (Meridian, Mike Brown, Steven Wendt and Adam Zuick—thought I’m not sure who’s who) began Music City’s Opening Night Tuesday, February 11 with a shower of confetti raining down on the stage from what looked like one of those air-propelled plexiglass drums used in picking lotto numbers. In true blue ‘did they mean to do that?’ fashion, the second drum full of confetti didn’t seem to work, as the spotlight shined on it revealing it was still full and hadn’t released it confetti contents, causing the Blue Man Group to examine it with perplexed looks, eventually giving up and addressing the plethora of confetti that littered the stage.

Taking full advantage of the current Standing Broomstick Challenge that’s been all the rage on social media the last few days, Blue Man Group goes for the obvious and uber-timely laugh by bringing on a bright yellow broom that, yes, stand on its own. Some clever pass-the-broom hijinks later and the odd man out sweeps up the mess.

If you’ve ever attended a Blue Man Group show before, you know that a good portion of the show involves audience reaction and interaction. 

To that end, when the audience erupts in laughter or thunderous applause, the members of Blue Man Group blankly stares out towards the audience with a dumbfounded expression…you know, like a puppy who can’t quite figure out if he should stay, sit or roll over. 

As far as audience interaction, the current Blue Man Group touring show is full of fun, and unpredictable moments. The night I attended, the first of which began with Blue Man Group venturing out into the audience to retrieve a volunteer who ends up being involved in a surprisingly rhythmic musical sequence of squeaks courtesy a rubber chicken.

As mentioned above, some tried-and-blue aspects of the show remain, including the whimsical, yet oddly melodic PVC woodwinds, paintball art and the always crowd-pleasing marshmallow sculpture. Seriously! How does he catch that many marshmallows in his mouth after having them tossed to him from across the stage?

Blue Man Group audience members get in on the act
Photo by Evan Zimmerman for MurphyMade

Another audience moment came when two mostly unsuspecting volunteers were selected. Once the two were seated on stage with Blue Man Group between them, they were each handed a telephone. When their respective phones rang, they, and the audience soon discovered that they were on each other’s line—and conveniently piping through the speaker system of the theatre. With silent, but understood encouragement from Blue Man Group, the two strangers were then encouraged to carry on a conversation. On Opening Night, one audience member seemed a little more excited to be on stage and part of the show than the other, leading to some hilarious interaction. As a reward for his enthusiasm, Blue Man Group posed for a group pic, and, perhaps as punishment for the other’s lack of enthusiasm, she was relegated to taking the photo. I’m sure this bit plays out similarly each night, but Blue Man Group has been at it so long, you’d think each night plays out in a completely different manner.

Paint Drumming
photo by Lindsey Best

Next, three members of Blue Man Group took center stage and proceeded to play what will remind audience members of a certain age of an old aerial tv antenna. Think a multi-tiered, larger than life menorah, which they preceded to strike in various places, playing it like a xylophone condominium. 

Always keeping up with the times, current events and our obsession with the latest technology, there’s a humorous bit involving the fickleness of social media likes/dislikes, as well as another audience participation gag centered ‘round electronic devices and facial recognition.

A little over halfway through the 90ish minute show, there was an all-in audience dance break when Blue Man Group motioned for everyone to get up on their feet and follow along with their dance moves. 

Another seemingly unplanned ‘mishap’ involved hundreds of ping pong balls. Sorry, not sorry. Dozens and dozens of ping pong balls bouncing all around the stage, much to the dismay of Blue Man Group will always be funny.

This was followed by yet another instrumental performance, this time, picture a box fan, with blades made from long PVC pipe. Anyone who’s ever talked into the whirling wings of an oscillating fan as a kid can relate, and enjoy this particular segment. As a matter of fact, I leaned over and whispered to my friend who was accompanying me Opening Night and commented on how the resulting tones would be a soothing ambient sleep noise option.

photo by Evan Zimmerman for MurphyMade

Near the end of the show Blue Man Group held up bight neon pieces of paper and again, without murmuring a single word, instructed the audience to open their programs and take out the neon paper insert, tear it up and at the appropriate time, throw them into the air. The result, a rave-tactic celebration. 

Blue Man Group closed the show with what is surely now their trademark, a colorific percussion extravaganza pounding three large drums center-stage as primary color lights stream down from above and coordinating primary color paint splashes with each beat of the drums. Oh, and if you go, don’t arrive late…or do…because you’ll be called out, spotlight, humorous proclamation and all.

Blue Man Group continues the Nashville leg of their current North American Tour with shows thru Sunday, February 16. CLICK HERE for tickets or for more information. Following the Music City dates, Blue Man Group continues on tour with shows in Chattanooga, Paducah, Evansville, Knoxville, Richmond, Atlanta, Muncie, West Lafayette, Springfield(s) (IL and OH)…and that’s just through March. So, if you’re not in Nashville but want to catch them on the road, CLICK HERE for dates and specifics in your area. You can always keep up with Blue Man Group by liking them on Facebook and following them on Instagram, Twitter and YouTube.

One of Blue Man Group’s most iconic moments
Photo by Evan Zimmerman for MurphyMade

Up next at TPAC’s Jackson Hall as their Broadway at TPAC season continues, is Jesus Christ Superstar, on stage March 3-8. 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.