Jonathan

Stephen Sondheim’s Assassins may not be as well-known, as some of his other works like Company, Sweeney Todd or Into the Woods, but it’s one of his most ambitious and though-provoking shows, and I definitely count it among my personal favorites. In the hands of Bucket List Productions’ Dave Davis as producer and Cat Eberwine as director, and with the killer cast they’ve assembled, I was quickly reminded why it’s among my favorites.

Now, anyone who knows me, knows I often have a bit of a twisted sense of what I find entertaining. My frequent viewing of everything from murder mysteries to serial killer docs stands as proof. That said, since it had been quite some time since I had seen a production of Assassins, I was excited to attend opening weekend. I was not disappointed.

From the moment the curtain rose of Darkhorse’s intimate stage and I took a little sinister delight in Jim Mannings evocative set design as I spotted a furry animal skin headdress draped over a government podium, a la the now infamous Qanon Shaman. Manning’s set also features a what appears to be a slightly off-balance marbled judge’s bench. Perhaps a nod to the ever-present imbalance of justice. Half of the stage floor is even covered with a very realistic looking enlarged pattern of the familiar stars of Old Glory against a field of blue. To me, a statement of the disrespect of the union we’ve all felt at some point or other, but most universally during our country’s history of assassinations and assassination attempts of our leaders, the subject of this musical.

In particular, Assassins gives a glimpse, however fictionalized for entertainment purposes, into those who attempted—some successfully, some not—to assassinate U.S. Presidents including Lincoln (by John Wilkes Booth), James Garfield (by Charles Guiteau), William McKinley (by Leon Czolgosz) and John F. Kennedy (by Lee Harvey Oswald). The unsuccessful attempts on the lives of Presidents Franklin D. Roosevelt (by Giuseppe Zangara), Richard Nixon (by Samuel Byck), Gerald Ford (by both Squeaky Fromme and Sara Jane Moore) and Ronald Reagan (by Joh Hincley, Jr).

Director Eberwine has indeed assembled a hot shot group of assassins. As their stories unfold, I was reminded of some sort of twisted representation of the Seven Deadly Sins, as each cast member, even when just being present on stage while others are the primary focus, embodied their characters fully, with the slightest of movements, twitches and ticks. That may sound far-reaching, but it was indeed my initial thought, as these characters before me possessed passionate emotions, jealousy, anger, even devotion and love and those emotions became the driving force of their seemingly unspeakable acts. Quite a feat, especially when you take into consideration this production is Eberwine’s first-ever musical. Heck, it’s only her second time to direct, her first being Way-Off Broadway Productions’ The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time in 2019.

As for the cast, I recognized some from having seen them in a number of shows around town. Still others seem new to me. Of the more familiar, Melissa Silengo is a stand-out as Lynette Squeaky Fromme the former Manson Family member who attempted to kill President Ford in 1975. In fact, aside from the show opening, Everybody’s Got the Right, it’s Silengo’s duet with Micheal Walley’s John Hinkley on the oddly poppy love ballad, Unworthy of Your Love, that’s among the show’s musical highlights. But it’s Silengo’s crazy eyes and sinister grin as Fromme that truly kept my attention. No matter what was happening on stage, or who was featured at the moment, I couldn’t stop glancing at Silengo to see what subtle and not so subtle scene-stealing she was up to.

A one-act with ten musical numbers, the majority of the remaining tunes are mostly forgettable, save the late-hour all-in Another National Anthem. That’s not to say anything disparaging of the this production’s musical director, Noah Rice, whose recently created original music for Tennessee Playwrights Studio’s That Woman: The Dance Show and who music directed Circle Players’ Priscilla Queen of the Desert. While Sondheim’s Assassins score may not contain the earworm of Company’s Ladies Who Lunch, with Rice at the helm, and in the moment, the score sets the perfect mood for the action at hand. It should be mentioned though that due to the limited space of the venue, the orchestra did overpower the vocals, especially near the top of the show, again, by no fault of Rice’s musical direction. Having known Rice and followed his career since seeing him as Archie in Circle Players’ 13: The Musical a decade ago…yes, he’s that young, it’s a joy to see him become a true force to watch in the Nashville theatre community.

Back to the on-stage action…Silengo’s aforementioned duet partner, Walley also kept me entertained with his nervous twitching. A testament to Eberwine’s direction and the actor’s abilities that even when not speaking, these characters are being developed. Shea Gordon, one of the stronger vocalist of the cast is enjoyable as both the show’s narrator, The Balladeer and Lee Harvey Oswald.

Among my other favorites in the cast, Dan Kevorkian’s Samuel Byck. Dressed in a disheveled Santa suit ad seated near the back of the stage during the majority of the show, Kevorkian’s Byck can be seen mumbled angrily into a tape recorder. These actions and this look are based on Byck’s having picketed the White House Christmas Eve 1973 dressed as Santa and carrying a sign that said “All I want for Christmas is my constitutional rights to peaceably my government for redress of grievances. In the following year, Byck attempted to hijack a plane in hopes of crashing it into the White House.

Dustin Davis, who I believe was a late addition to the cast, following a last-minute withdrawal of the actor originally cast, is near-perfection as John Wilkes Booth. As his story unfolds, you genuinely get the feeling he truly only assassinated Lincoln because his acting career never got noticed. Ah, the things we’ll do for fame and notoriety.

Anna Carroll’s Sara Jane Moore presents herself as a bumbling housewife of a women who just so happens to attempt to kill Gerald Ford. While Moore and Fromme’s attempts were historically separate, Assassins cleverly teams the two and under Eberwine’s direction, Carroll and Silengo’s ensuing bumbling scene, in which they nearly prematurely discharge their respective weapons, put me in mind of Carol Burnette and Vicki  Lawrence in a skit that could easily have come straight from Burnette’s classic 70s tv variety show.

Andy Kanies’ Charles Guiteau is perhaps the most subtly portrayed, for he seems so gentle and upbeat, until he isn’t. On the opposite scale, Teal Davis is brilliantly unhinged as FDR’s attempted assassin, Giuseppe Zangara. Zach William approaches Leon Czologsz with a quiet unassuming air.

Rounding out the cast are ensemble members Daniel Vincent, Will Lasley, Anthony Just, Jessica Heim, Cat Glidwell and Willem Bragg playing various citizenry throughout the history of presidential assassinations in our great country.

Following their opening night earlier this month, the show had to unexpectedly go dark. To assure the audiences of their cancelled shows got their shot to experience Assassins, once they returned to the stage, they added additional shows during this, their final week of performances. Assassins continues with 7pm performances Thursday, Friday and Saturday, July 21-23 at Darkhorse Theatre. CLICK HERE for tickets.

For more on Bucket List Production’s Assassins, CLICK HERE. To see what’s coming next to Darkhorse Theatre, including various presentations presented as part of Kindling Arts Festival, CLICK HERE.

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!

Everyone’s heard of Christmas in July, but what about a night of theatre celebrating the six month mark before the birth of The King? I didn’t say The King of Kings, just The King…you know, the one whose palace sits behind music-themed gates in the Whitehaven neighborhood of Memphis, TN. Now you’ve got it, and so does Playhouse 615 (11920 Lebanon Rd, Mt. Juliet, TN), for that’s where you can find Thank You Very Much: A halfway to Elvis’ Birthday Celebration featuring Graceland, a one-act play by Ellen Byron. Co-Directed by Playhouse 615’s Joel Meriwether and Ann Street-Kavanagh, Graceland stars Diane Bearden-Enright and Addison Myatt with performances continuing thru Sunday, July 17.

Enright, who’s currently an Adjunct Theatre instructor at MTSU, with an acting resume including stage appearances ranging from Nashville to New York and back again, whose recent theatre credits include Ouiser in Steel Magnolias and a fantastic turn as Rosie in a pre-pandemic run of Mamma Mia, stars as Bev Davies, a middle-aged, polyester-wearing, fiery redhead…or is she? Myatt, who recently assistant stage managed Playhouse 615’s production of Next to Normal, and was among the ensemble of their fabulous production of Dracula, plays Rootie, an attractive, thin, small-town girl on a mission. But there’s more to both these ladies as the show soon reveals. As an added bonus, following the one-act, Elvis Tribute Artist, Wess Aaron presents some of EP’s best-known hits, done…his way.

Graceland’s plot is simple, two seemingly polar-opposite Elvis fanatics, Bev Davies (Enright) and Rootie Mallert (Myatt) are both hoping to be the first devotee of the King of Rock and Roll to enter the hallowed halls of his former home on June 7, 1982 as it opens for the public for the very first time.

As Graceland begins, Enright’s Bev enters the small bare stage carrying with her a cooler, a folding lawn chair, a tote-bag (emblazoned with an image of Elvis, of course) and various pieces of what will eventually be a pop-up tent. Thus begins at least five minutes of Enright’s Bev in a silent struggle with said tent as she lays claim to her premium spot just outside the gates of Graceland. With not a single word of spoken dialogue, save the occasional frustrated swear-word under her breath as she fights the aluminum rods and nylon fabric to build herself a temporary shield from the elements, Enright’s Bev elicits howls of laughter from the audience as she awaits entrance to the sacred halls of Elvis’ former abode. What a way to start the show! Enright’s physicality during this scene pulls out all the stops, a true masterclass in conveying humor and exasperation without words.

As Bev gets things situated just as she wants them, and all seems calm, here comes Myatt’s Rootie wearing a midriff top and jeans and sporting a short curly blonde hairstyle reminiscent of any number of late 70s/early 80s pop culture icons. By their wardrobe alone, you just know they’re gotta butt heads, and they do. As I said previously…polar opposites.

That opposition takes center stage when Rootie throws down her blanket, and the proverbial gantlet as it were, proclaiming she was technically the first one there as her blanket touched the ground just before Bev unfolded her chair and sat.

As the two explain why they are the ultimate Elvis fan, and therefore should be the first to enter Graceland, Bev reveals that Elvis basically saved her marriage because any time she and her husband had any discord, she’d simply think of the joy Elvis and his music…and his pelvis, no doubt, had brought her, she’d just smile and find contentment. There’s even a funny line in which Bev reveals that her husband was ok with her crush on The King, stating that if she’s in love with another man, at least he’s dead.

Meanwhile, Rootie’s reasons for wanting to enter Graceland first are quite different. As she explains to Bev, she feels a spiritual connection to Elvis and to a lost friendship and it’s her hope that she could reach out to Elvis to have him then, in turn, reach out to her late friend as a way of expressing her gratitude for what he meant to her. She even mentions some hippie-dippy cosmic stuff about bringing Elvis back, citing the plot of Gene Kelly’s 1954 musical Brigadoon, in which he seemingly resurrects an entire town that only comes to life once every hundred years.

Byron’s script finds Bev the stronger character, both in her ability to find humor I life and in her resilience, devoting a bit more time to her development and in the hands of Enright, she’s nicely revealed.

By contrast, Myatt’s Rootie, though she has the more serious backstory, a story of being bullied and an abusive boyfriend who devalues her in front of others, falls a bit short. Perhaps a bit of direction to vocalize might have helped. Yes, the character is meek, but at the top of the show, several of her lines were missed during the performance I attended. Whether that was due a lack of projection or technical issues with the sound, the character and its development suffered.

Like any good formulaic script, or any mediocre sitcom, by then end of the half-hour+, our two Elvis fans find common ground, understanding for each other’s situation and an unexpected kinship. They even share a hilarious duet of Heartbreak Hotel.

Graceland has all the basics of a clever, often touching and funny show, too bad it’s limited to only about a 45 minute run-time. For were it fully fleshed out into a two-act play, this could definitely be something Elvis fans, and fans of sweet little theatrical productions would love. As it is, Playhouse 615 has found the best aspects and showcased them. Heck, they even have Peanut Butter and Banana sandwiches as part of the concessions…and of course the forethought to follow the all-too-brief one-act with their very own Elvis impersonator.

As for Wess Aaron‘s post-play Elvis tribute, right from the get, he revealed to the opening night audience that he’s usually backed by his full ensemble, billed as Wess Aaaron and The CC Riders, but is performing at Playhouse 615 with only pre-recorded backing tracks. Nonetheless, there are moments when the vocals are just right enough, the stage energy choreographed altogether appropriately for the situation and the cockiness of The King, personified. Now, it must be said, if you’re going in expecting a young Elvis, a la Austin Butler as seen in the current box-office smash hit film from Baz Luhrmann, you might wanna check out the movie. Think of later Elvis, a little tour-warn, a little over himself, but still hitting the stage. That’s the Elvis Wess Aaron showcases. With Aaron’s gusto, bravado and a few humorous quips between tunes, it’s somehow the perfect companion to Graceland.

As the show goes into the final weekend of performances, there’s three chances left to see Enright and Myatt make you shake, rattle and roll with laughs. Tickets are $18 and may be purchased online CLICK HERE or at the door. For details on upcoming shows at 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!

The Tennessee premiere of The Hiding Place, based on Corrie ten Boom’s inspirational work, and adapted for the stage by A.S. Peterson, not only marks the debut production of the newly formed Rabbit Room Theatre, but also the first presentation of Matt Logan Productions whose founder and namesake is one of our area’s most creative individuals. Both the playwright and producer Logan, who also serves as the show’s director, are well-known to Nashville area theaterati, having collaborated previously on a local production of the historical musical, The Battle of Franklin, as well as a visually stunning adaptation of Frankenstein—both for Studio Tenn, the Franklin-based theatre company Logan co-founded alongside Jake Speck. Speaking of Speck, it was during his time with A.D. Players in Houston that The Hiding Place made its world premiere just a couple years ago. But back to the current presentation…For their debut, Rabbit Room Theatre has taken residence in the beautiful Soli Dio Center on the campus of Christ Presbyterian Academy, as the show continues through July 23. It’s a full-circle mention that not only did Logan attend CPA, but he was also a member of the team who designed the gorgeous venue of Soli Did Center. Heck, he even created the initial sketches for the design of the theatre’s beautifully intricate proscenium.

As I revealed in the intro to my recent Rapid Fire 20 Q with cast members of A.S. Peterson’s adaptation of Corrie ten Boom’s The Hiding Place, other than my own childhood memory of somehow being aware of a mid-70s movie version, starring Julie Harris, Jeanette Clift and Arthur O’Connell, my knowledge of ten Boom’s book was strangely limited. I say strangely limited because virtually everyone I mentioned the show to, either they had read ten Boom’s work, or their parents and grandparents were devotees of her inspiring story.

While I may have only known the basics of ten Boom’s story—that of her Dutch Christian family aiding in the hiding and relocating of Jewish citizens during Germany’s Nazi invasion of Holland during the 1940s—I was indeed very familiar with many members of the creative team Logan assembled for this beautiful retelling.

As she had done in the above-mentioned World Premiere in Houston, Nan Gurley, a venerable presence of the Nashville theatre community leads the cast as Corrie ten Boom. Due to a brief illness, Gurley was unable to perform the role during the show’s opening weekend, so her understudy, Rona Carter, stepped in and stepped up. Having seen Carter in a number of shows over the years, most recently as Anne Marie in Nashville Repertory Theatre’s A Dolls House Part 2, I knew she would turn in a brilliant performance. I was not disappointed. As Logan said in his opening night speech when noting the cast change, “the theatre community could not work if we didn’t have understudies who are dynamite and are ready to go”. He was right. Carter’s portrayal of Corrie ten Boom as written by playwright Peterson, breathes a breathe of beautifully balanced confidence, faith, unconditional caring for her fellow man, and yes, even a touch of humor in times so desperately in need of all. Not being the biggest history buff myself, I have to admit I was apprehensive about reviewing this show because I don’t feel qualified to speak on things of which I’ve paid only the minimal attention, but Carter’s, and I’m certain, Gurley’s portrayal of ten Boom made me want to know more. From the opening scene, I was invested. It should be noted that Gurley returned to the production, assuming the lead role from the second weekend and will continue through the final performance, thus allowing Carter to assume a trio of supporting roles, covered opening weekend by swing cast member, Wesley Paine.

Even though the story takes place in the distant past, a past many would rather forget, there’s no denying recent events indicate we might not be so removed from the horrors as we’d like to be.

Lending magnificent support to the lead actress as the other members of the ten Boom family are Carrie Tillis as younger sister, Betsie ten Boom, John Schuck as the family patriarch, Casper ten Boom and Garris Wimmer as brother, Willem ten Boom.

Tillis’ Betsie is a constant reminder of something my parents used to tell me. No matter what you’re dealing with, there are others dealing with much worse. As Betsie, Tillis not only finds the light in even the darkest of situations, she radiates it. Some of that is acting, some of that is the actress herself. A joy to watch on stage and a joy to know in real life.

John Schuck was last seen onstage in Love Letters earlier this year. With an acting resume that ranges from film, TV and the stage with projects equally as varied, from a memorable role in Robert Altman’s award-winning film, M*A*S*H and appearing alongside Reba on Broadway in Annie Get Your Gun,(side note: Reba was there opening night supporting her former Broadway co-star) to equally versatile roles in TV classics like McMillan and Wife, The Golden Girls, and even a wonderfully fun, tongue-in-cheek turn as Herman Munster in a late 80s-early 90s The Munsters Today, rebooting the 60s horror/comedy family sitcom, The Munsters, John Schuck is, in every sense of the word, an actor’s actor.  His presence, his voice, his experience all influence and illuminate his performance whether starring in musical theatre, like my favorite, White Christmas, or, in this case, a heart-wrenching serious drama. In early scenes with real-life young sisters, Annabelle and Caroline Wolfe, playing pre-teen versions of Corrie and Betsie, Schuck is jovial but stern, caring, but authoritative. Once the sisters become adults, Schuck’s Casper grows with them, positioning and encouraging them to take their rightful places as the new generation of ten Booms.

Garris Wimmer, rounding out the ten Boom family as brother Willam, has more limited stage time, but makes the most of his portrayal as their kindhearted male sibling. He also appears later on in the production in a couple of minor roles including a jewish prisoner and a Red Cross worker.

The remaining members of the ensemble cast are a great mix of familiar faces to the Nashville  theatre community, as well as some impressive newcomers. Familiar faces in The Hiding Place include Chip Arnold, Ross Bolen and Matthew Carlton. With decades of stage experience between them, as always, all three actors a joy to watch. Then there’s Christi Dortch. Dortch falls somewhere between familiar and newcomer, only because since her return to Nashville a couple decades ago, she’s become more familiar behind the scenes, at TPAC, no less. This production marks a bit of a return to performing onstage. I’m here to tell you, her performance as The Beast, a female guard in the Nazi concentration camps, is eerily entertaining. Yes, I know how that sounds, given the subject matter, but she’s just so good at being bad.

Nathaniel McIntyre as Pickwick, one of the key figures in the underground network offering aide and solace to the jews, finds a wonderful balance between dedication to the cause and a much-needed occasional lightheartedness regarding Betsie. Also of note is Jonah M. Jackson as Otto, a seemingly stalwart young man who, early on, works closely with the ten Booms at their watch shop, but who later figures prominently in an altogether different manner. It’s his late interaction with Corrie that brings the primary theme of the show—the idea of unwavering forgiveness—home.

Quite different from the story structure of ten Boom’s original book, or the aforementioned 70s film, this stage iteration begins in the time just before the Nazi occupation of The Netherlands. As time passes, and Germany’s occupation of the Dutch countryside grows, the ten Booms learn of—and make the decision to become part of—the Dutch underground.

Thanks largely to require reading of The Diary of  a Young Girl by Anne Frank, this overall subject matter isn’t completely unfamiliar to even the less studious like myself. What makes the ten Booms story their own is their religious beliefs. As Christians, they felt it their faith, their fortune, their privilege and duty to help those in need, in spite of their religious differences.

On the subject of religion, given the fact that the production is about a Christian family, coupled with this presentation taking place on the campus of a Christian school, it should be no surprise that the spiritual overtones are plenty. In act two of the 2 1/2 hour-long production, there’s even a clever, if ever-so-mildly heavy-handed visual reference likening a restrained Jewish prisoner to Jesus on the Cross. In the more than capable hands of director, Logan, that scene actually works, for it is, after all, a story of faith and the basic practice of human kindness that ten Boom lived by example.

I’ve said for years that Logan is a master of his craft. Whether designing the perfect set, complete with the smallest of almost unnoticeable, but key, details, or directing with a keen eye, unmatched by most, Logan leaves nothing undone. A creative assist from Mitchell White, another of Logan’s longtime collaborators, working herein as Associate Scenic Designer and Scenic Construction, brings Logan’s vision of the ten Boom watch shop (on an impressive rotating stage designed by White). Later in the show, when the action turns to the more devastating locale of the Nazi camps, Logan proves he’s just as adept at creating a more somber environment outfitted by the sparseness of prison bunks of drab grey. Throughout the show, there’s a creative usage of translucent panels for the hint of walls, with the shadows on the other side simply amplifying the drama. Moss Lighting’s Stephen Moss is also key in focusing the audience’s eye on all the action with his keen expertise and astute attention to Logan’s vision as both set designer and director.

Mention should also be made of the show’s wig and makeup supervisor, Allison Hearn, and wardrobe supervisor, Lauren Terry for further manifesting both the playwright’s and the director’s visions. Adding to the realism, drama, intensity of the piece, Don Chaffer’s music score is precise and poignant. Light and joyful when needed, and dark and thoughtful during the more serious and intense moments. The musical score is purposefully and effectively underproduced, lending believability that it might have actually been composed during the time in which the play takes place and is the perfect companion to the story of faith, forgiveness and kindness.

The Hiding Place continues its run through July 23 at Christ Presbyterian Academy‘s The Soli Deo Center, with performances Thursday, July 14 thru Sunday, July 17 this week and Friday & Saturday, July 22 and 23, next week. For specific date and times or to purchase tickets, CLICK HERE. Check out The Rabbit Room online or follow them on Facebook 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!

Matt Logan, a founding partner of one of the area’s most prolific theatre companies, and one of my favorite theatre crushes in the Nashville theatre community, has not only formed a new production company, Matt Logan Productions, but is also teaming with Rabbit Room Theatre’s A.S. “Pete” Peterson, playwright extraordinare of 2016’s highly-praised The Battle of Franklin and 2018’s lavish adaptation of Frankenstein, to present another of the scribe’s noted works, The Hiding Place, opening Thursday, June 30 at Soli Deo Center on the campus of CPA.

Peterson’s stage play, making it’s Tennessee debut after having enjoyed a World Premiere in Texas just a couple years ago, expands upon Corrie ten Boom’s 1971 autobiographical account of her Dutch Christian family’s unlikely activism during the 1940s when Nazis invaded their homeland of Holland and the ten Boom family made the decision to hide Jews in their family home.

When I was a kid, I remember knowing there was a movie starring Julie Harris that was based on ten Boom’s book. Beyond that, I was mostly unfamiliar with the story, but knowing Logan is involved as this production’s producer, director and designer, then finding that among the cast are John Schuck, Nan Gurley and Carrie Tillis, three more of my theatre crushes, I knew I had to chat with them all for my latest Rapid Fire 20Q interview.

——————————

RAPID FIRE 20Q WITH DIRECTOR AND CAST OF THE HIDING PLACE

RAPID FIRE Q&A WITH THE HIDING PLACE PRODUCER, DESIGNER, DIRECTOR, MATT LOGAN

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Producer, director, designer…is there anything you can’t do? But seriously, what’s it been like to tackle so much with this inaugural production with The Rabbit Room Theatre? 

MATT LOGAN: It has been amazing to work with a company like Rabbit Room. The steadfast support for quality theater is strong. They understand that if we are gonna do this, we are doing everything to the best of our ability. Nothing will be halfway or cheap. That is empowering to a creator. Doing all the jobs I do is tough but it’s not worth it unless it is quality. Rabbit Room is quality, folks. 

JHPENTERTAINMENT:  As a designer, I understand you not only designed the set, but also the theatre space itself. I hear the set design is quite unique. What can you tell me about it?

MATT LOGAN: Yes! I was a lead on the committee that was formed for the theater. Then, I stopped in as the interior designer for most of the spaces as well. Being an alum of CPA (Christ Presbyterian Academy), it is truly an honor to have been a part of the process, but now to step in and produce in the space is a whole new level that I did not see coming. As we started developing the show one of the major themes was time and clocks. With that as our central theme, it struck me that a turntable that would allow us to go inside multiple rooms of the home was necessary. It would not only add a bit of spectacle but it would functionally take us swiftly through the interiors of the home. In Act II, it takes us through different places in the camp. Altogether it has been a very difficult set to pull together but thankfully Mitch White as my associate created something truly spectacular and gorgeous. As usual, he brings all of my designs to life in a spectacular way.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: The Hiding Place marks your first theatrical stage production since 2018. While I know you’ve kept busy with other aspects of your creativity, how excited are you to be back behind the scenes of a theatrical production?

MATT LOGAN: Honestly, I feel like I’m back where I belong. A sabbatical in my life has been a great blessing for me to plan for the future. This show has allowed me to change some aspects of my career but also continue the things that I feel like are a calling — or at least a passion. I love the theater so much and the artists that I get to collaborate with both onstage and off in Nashville are truly some of the best in the business. Their hearts, their passions and their talents humble me daily. You’re only as good as your team and the team that I’ve assembled over the last 18 years gives me the inspiration to find new opportunities for collaboration. Being back together feels so right! 

JHPENTERTAINMENT: That’s a perfect lead to my next question. The adage of the theatre community being a family seems prolifically evident when you consider a few behind the scenes aspects of this production of The Hiding Place…you, yourself attended Christ Presbyterian Academy, where this production is being presented. The Hiding Place playwright is the artistic director of Rabbit Room Theatre. Your former Studio Tenn co-founder, Jake Speck who recently returned from a few years in Texas where he worked with A.D. Players, was instrumental in securing the World Premiere of The Hiding Place at A.D. Players, and is now back in Nashville to helm CPA’s arts program…oh and one more, beloved Nashville-based actress Nan Gurley starred in that World Premiere production and is returning to the role of Corrie ten Boom in your presentation at The Rabbit Room Theatre. How fortunate do you feel that all these aspects have aligned for this staging of The Hiding Place?

MATT LOGAN: You are so right that it is wild to see all these circles intertwining in this production. I laughed with Jake saying that everybody’s gonna think that we planned this but truly it happened in an instant, and all of a sudden, it fell into place. I truly take that as a sign that it’s meant to be and a confirmation that the timing is right. It’s not anything that I was able to control but it is humbling to find yourself in the midst of it. And this cast is full of people that I have directed at all points in my life, including my directorial debut at 19 years old. It is incredible all the echoes and circles of life that are coming together in this one production.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: I’m about to chat with members of your cast, including the aforementioned Nan Gurley, as well as John Schuck and Carrie Tillis. What’s been your favorite aspect of working with these three mega-talents as you prepare to open the show?

MATT LOGAN: I’m their biggest fan. It’s entirely selfish to cast them and hold them together in one room. This work is stressful but my gratitude for the opportunity overshadows the stress. Also the rest of the cast too! Truly great artists! Thank you, Jonathan!!

RAPID FIRE Q&A WITH NAN GURLEY CORRIE TEN BOOM IN THE HIDING PLACE

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Nan, before we get into questions about the show itself, I just gotta say, whenever I’ve written about you in the past, I typically include the moniker, ‘Nashville’s Grande Dame of the Theatre’. How does it feel to be thought of in such regard?

NAN GURLEY: Well, first of all, let me thank you for using such a moniker for me! You are very kind. As to how it feels to be thought of that way, it’s very humbling. It also makes me want to live up to peoples’ expectations of me so there is a bit of pressure involved too. I want to bring everything I’ve got to every performance. I want to be honest and real and vulnerable in the roles I play and I want the audience to see authenticity in my performances. So I put a lot of pressure on myself. It’s very gratifying when people enjoy what I bring to the stage. I’m also very grateful to have played so many roles in my own hometown and to have audiences that know me. 

JHPENTERTAINMENT: What can you tell me about Corrie ten Boom, the character you play in The Hiding Place?

NAN GURLEY: Corrie was the first trained female watchmaker in Holland, so she was a pioneer of sorts. She and her sister and father lived in the rooms above the clock shop they owned and they were known all over Harlem, Holland, as people of great hospitality. They loved having people in their home. They also took in the children of missionaries who were serving in foreign countries and raised the kids while their parents were away. To me, this is extraordinary. But in many ways they were your ordinary, average, everyday people who did not seek fame and recognition. They did what they did without fanfare. If they had never been caught as part of the underground resistance, we would not know their story today because they would not have felt they needed recognition for doing the right thing. Corrie and her family are known because they got caught and went to Ravensbruck. Corrie is the only one who survived. When she left the camp and the war ended, she decided to go back to Germany and turn a concentration camp into a rehab center. She refused to be bitter. She learned to forgive the ones responsible for the deaths of her dad and sister and brother. She spent the rest of her life traveling to 60 countries around the world telling people of the power of God to enable you to forgive the unforgivable. This is what makes her so remarkable. Everywhere she went and shared her story, she told people that on her own she could never forgive, but that God’s power within her made it possible.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Earlier, I spoke with Matt Logan, the show’s director, producer and designer. I mentioned that you’re actually returning to this role, having originated it in the 2019 World Premiere. Having debuted the role in A.D. Players’ presentation, and now revisiting her, have you discovered anything new about Corrie ten Boom that you’re bringing to this production?

NAN GURLEY: Corrie is a deep well. There are always more things to discover about a character as rich as Corrie ten Boom. And Pete Peterson has added some very lovely monologues for Corrie that were not in the first production. He has crafted it so that Corrie is in the process of looking back on all that happened to her and is processing these memories and experiences out loud in front of the audience as she is trying to understand and figure out what to make of all that happened. So that device is helping me bring a new layer of vulnerability to Corrie. The tough thing about playing a person who has become a sort of sainted icon is that you’re tempted to play her as a fully developed saint from the very start of the play. If I did that, the audience would never see what the journey really cost her in terms of suffering. What I’m trying to do is show that Corrie was fully human and struggled with the tragedy that happened in their lives. I want my portrayal of her to have a journey, an arc of development so that she is changed and different by the end of the play. Her story needs a beginning, a middle and an end in terms of character development.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: The show’s subject matter is heavy and daunting as it centers around a WWII Christian family in Holland who offer to hid Jews from the Nazis. What do you do to both prepare for the role and to decompress afterwards?

NAN GURLEY: I’ve been preparing for months for this production, and memorizing the lines is ONLY the beginning. I’ve read books and researched and watched Corrie on YouTube and immersed myself in the abundant subject matter about her. I guess I’ve been preparing all my life in all my roles to play such a character as Corrie. Learning the Dutch accent has also been very helpful. I love to do accents and it always helps me lose myself in the character when the character doesn’t sound at all like me! I try to make some decisions about how Corrie would have felt in the moment and what thought processes she would have had. She was human. She’s not different from me in that way. She would have been scared and angry and would have wondered at times where God was in all this horror. Her faith may have been shaken at times. Mine would surely have been. So I just remember that we’re not different from each other in many ways. As far as decompressing, I go home to my husband and talk and relax with him. He’s amazing.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: What’s one line, one through, one scene or one theme included in The Hiding Place that you hope audiences will take with them after seeing the show?

NAN GURLEY: One of my favorite scenes is where Corrie visits her friend Fred Koornstra (played by Matt Carlton) at the food office. He is in charge of giving out ration cards. There are so many Jews going in and out of the ten Booms’ home that they are running out of food and she needs more cards in order to feed them. Jews are not able to get ration cards so Corrie goes to Fred for help. The Germans heavily monitored ration cards and Fred knows he is risking his life if he helps her. But Corrie is able to talk him into stealing 100 ration cards for her. It’s really a funny scene and I look forward to it every day. Plus, it helps that Matt and I have done dozens of shows together over the years so we have an instant connection onstage all the time.

I hope the audiences will walk away inspired and encouraged after seeing The Hiding Place. All of us have experienced loss. It’s how we handle it that will see us through to victory on the other side. The ten Booms were people of great faith. They trusted the sovereignty of God even when they could not understand what was happening all around them. They experienced horrific loss. But one thing Betsie said to Corrie while they were imprisoned that I hope the audience will remember is this: “There is no pit so deep, that God’s love is not deeper still.”

RAPID FIRE Q&A WITH JOHN SCHUCK, CASPER TEN BOOM IN THE HIDING PLACE

JHPENTERTAINMENT: First off, I’m so excited to be able to chat with you, having had the pleasure of getting to know you and your wonderful wife-even if just a little-the last several years. I’m sure I’ve gushed before, but I’ve been a fan since first seeing you in the human/robot buddy-cop sitcom, Holmes and Yoyo when I was a kid. Of course I also was a fan of your film debut in Robert Altman’s M*A*S*H and your many TV roles, including one of my favorite episodes of The Golden Girls. I’ve also been fortunate to see you onstage on tour, on Broadway and regionally, where you’ve performed in shows as Daddy Warbucks in Annie, Buffalo Bill in Annie Get Your Gun, General Waverly in White Christmas (my favorite stage musical of all time) and as a hospital administrator in Studio Tenn’s The Elephant Man. On the topic of your stage career, while researching to chat with you, I noticed your bio cites theatre as your preferred medium. What is it about performing live for an audience that draws you back time and time again?

JOHN SCHUCK: Well, there are a number of reasons for it. It’s what inspired me to become an actor. The film and television was wonderful for 20 or 30 years or so, but the time has passed me by now and the theater is what’s left. [Laughs] Which is fine. It’s not a problem; it’s just a reality of a career and so, I do as much theater as I possibly can. And after two years of COVID, of course, we all have been a little bit thirsty for some theater so I was thrilled when Matt asked me to do this.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: What drew you to the role of Casper ten Boom?

JOHN SCHUCK: Casper ten Boom is an interesting man. He’s very religious, very much a philosopher. He makes his living as a clockmaker so he understands mechanics and indeed in his philosophy, he’s fascinated with the mechanics of the world. So there are a lot of challenges there. Plus, his first skill is that of loving his daughters as a single parent. So there’s lots of gritty stuff to dig yourself into in terms of the story. In other words, the part is a challenge and I like challenges. 

JHPENTERTAINMENT: When preparing to portray a real-life person like ten Boom, is your approach different from a fictional character, or do you view each role as a character, regardless? 

JOHN SCHUCK: Well, I’ve only played a couple of “real” characters in my career that I know of. One was in a musical: Capt. Von Trapp. Daddy Warbucks was not a real character. [laughs] But this was definitely a real person. And to be honest, I have done no research into him whatsoever. I’ve relied solely on our author’s script to give me all the clues that I need for him. And that’s been more than enough. I think we have someone that’s true to the story but may not necessarily be an exact replica of the real man. 

JHPENTERTAINMENT: With the action of the play taking place in Holland, the native language being Dutch, have you and your fellow cast mates worked with a dialect coach during the rehearsal process?

JOHN SCHUCK: Yes. We have definitely worked with a wonderful dialect coach and she’s been terrific because she’s reduced it down — the Dutch part at least — to two or three, what she calls, “returning to your base.” And it’s simple. Everybody at home thinks I’m crazy because the only way to get it right is to talk like that all the time for the most part. So it doesn’t matter what you’re saying, you can say it in Dutch. But it’s been fun. A lot of fun.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Speaking of your cast mates, I chatted with Nan Gurley earlier and am about to interview Carrie Tillis. They play your character’s daughters, Corrie and Betsie respectively. Since my interview is called Rapid Fire, what one word would you use to describe Nan…and what one word would you use to describe Carrie?

JOHN SCHUCK: Oy! Well, for Nan, it’s definitely Powerful. And for Carrie, in this part, it’s Ethereal. 

RAPID FIRE Q&A WITH CARRIE TILLIS, BETSIE TEN BOOM IN THE HIDING PLACE

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Who is Betsie ten Boom to you?

CARRIE TILLIS: She has a perspective that is so fresh. She’s always looking for beauty and brightness, and not even in the bright and pretty places, but in the dark places. That is really wonderfully unique.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Prior to chatting with you, I began this Rapid Fire 20Q by posing a few questions to your director, Matt Logan. One thing I love about Matt is his attention to detail amongst his set design. Has he continued this within the ten Boom home set?

CARRIE TILLIS: I have always admired Matt. He does so many things well and his talent is all about the big picture, the whole piece. And he’s remarkable at condensing a massive piece into sometimes a smaller set, and it’s magic what he can do, the world he can create, with a very limited set. But then he dresses the set with such great detail and that comes in the set pieces and costumes. You have the big picture and then it has the finite detail. He’s brilliant.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Those that know you, know you come from a musical family. To that end, what can you tell me about the interstitial music that accompanies this show?

CARRIE TILLIS: I was so thrilled to find out that Don Chaffer was going to be writing the music for this. I had the luxury of working with Don on the Legacy series for Studio Tenn. And when I heard Don was on board, I thought, “Oh, we’ve got our A-Team together again.” But clearly this is a very different show, different time period, different feel, so I was very excited when I got to hear the music. It was like a movie score, and there were themes for the family. It’s just beautifully written. It’s poignant when it needs to be poignant and it’s scary when it needs to be scary. I knew he would write something wonderful and it just adds so much to this whole show.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: When speaking to your director and co-stars John and Nan, I keep thinking about the community of theatre. In addition to Nan and John, you’ve shared the stage with a number of the ensemble cast members in previous productions. I’m curious to know, in light of the past two years of isolation, coupled with the seriousness of this work, if there seems to have been more of an effort to connect behind the scenes and how that might effect your relationships on-stage?

CARRIE TILLIS: When we started doing readings for this show, we were still deep in the pandemic. So seeing each other’s faces again for the first time was just a gift and we just looked at each other in a way, like “We’re still here!” I would say that from those rehearsals up until the opening of the show, everyone has been so present and keenly connected because we’ve missed each other so much. We’re a very tight-knit community, but we missed our art as well. To work again with each other added this very palpable layer of gratitude. 

JHPENTERTAINMENT: While researching to chat with you, I kept noting the overall theme of Forgiveness, especially as it relates to Betsie ten Boom’s ability to forgive, in spite of everything she endures. What is forgiveness such an important attribute and why do you think forgiveness continues to be such a challenge for so many people?

CARRIE TILLIS: To me, forgiveness allows a person to move forward. The challenge is obvious — no one likes to be hurt personally, no one likes to have parts of the world hurt. It’s hard to feel it personally and I think the challenge for us individually or as a group is that we rarely see the big picture right at the hurt. We only feel the hurt. Betsie always had that resolve from the very beginning. She had forgiveness right at the very beginning. It was just her center. I think forgiveness does allow us to move forward.

——————————

The Hiding Place runs June 30-July 23. For more about the show, CLICK HERE. To purchase tickets, CLICK HERE. Check out The Rabbit Room online or follow them on Facebook 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!

Having worked in the book industry for nearly a decade back in my early post-college days, I had the great fortune of not only meeting Stephen King when my local bookstore (remember those?) hosted the celebrated author during a signing. I also saw him and fellow authors Amy Tan, Mitch Albom, Dave Barry, Matt Groening, Scott Turow and others perform their unique music talents under the band name Rock Bottom Remainders during that same time. Plus, who doesn’t love a good Stephen King story, so when I heard Playhouse 615 was presenting the Tennessee premiere of William Goldman’s stage adaptation of Misery, based on King’s 1987 bestseller that then became a hugely successful 1990 film, I was intrigued to say the least. Having opened earlier this month, the show wraps its run this weekend with performances Friday and Saturday evenings June 17 and 18 at 7:30p.m. and a final matinee at 2:30p.m. on Sunday, June 19.

I dare say if you’ve not read Misery, chances are you may have seen the movie. Full disclosure: while I absolutely devoured the book when it was release in ’87, I somehow never saw Kathy Bates’ Oscar-winning turn as Annie Wilkes opposite James Caan’s Paul Sheldon. I also had sort of forgotten that the stage version even existed, even though the 2015 Broadway run starred Bruce Willis and Laurie Metcalf. The latter of which received a Tony nomination for her performance.

Considering it has been thirty something years since I read the source material, when my friends and I attended a Playhouse 615’s Sunday matinee, I pretty much entered the theatre not knowing what to expect. I gotta admit, I was pleasantly surprised. Playhouse 615, located in a tiny strip of shops at 11920 Lebanon Road in Mt Juliet, TN, is a hidden jewel among the area’s theatre community. From its nondescript exterior, you’d never even know it’s theatre space, and once inside, you just have to marvel that artist director, Joel Meriwether and company are able to achieve what they do in this intimate space.

That’s the thing though, the intimacy of venue is absolutely perfect for this particular work, for all of the action of Misery takes place within the confines of a small farmhouse nestled in the western slope of the Rocky Mountains. As in the book and the film that preceded this adaptation, the story centers ‘round a famous writer, Paul Sheldon who’s known to retreat to Silver Creek, Colorado whenever he’s working on his next novel. Among those who know Sheldon’s penchant for getting away from it all to concentrate on his writing, is his self-professed biggest fan, the seemingly unassuming owner of said farmhouse. The set-up of how these two meet happens before the curtain rises, when Paul’s vehicle careens off the road and crashes near Annie’s farm. As the action begins Paul (played by Harry Marsh) is heard writhing and moaning in pain as he wakes in a strange bed. I’m just gonna say it, when I saw the show, at first I thought the painful cries a tad overdone, but luckily as the action continued, the wailing subsided, but I digress. We soon learn that Annie (played by Ann Street-Kavanagh) happened upon Paul, managed to get him out of the wreckage and brought him to her farmhouse to recover.

We also soon learn the reason she didn’t seek medical attention is that the roads are blocked from a snowstorm and the phone lines dead…or are they? Now, unless you’ve been living under a rock for the past three decades, you likely know a little more of the plot. Turns out Annie may or may not be completely obsessed with Paul, to the point of psychotic episodes as he regains his strength and begins to question their extended solitude.

Marsh’s Paul Sheldon is entertaining to watch, a looming presence of a man, confined and captive. But it’s Street-Cavanagh’s Annie that makes the show a truly sinisterly thrill-ride. She manages to find a perfect off-balance between meek, good-natured, christian woman literally and figuratively becoming the good samaritan to helpless Paul to vindictive, abusive captor. One note of concern, whenever Annie is headed into a fit of rage, Mitchell Miller, who’s credited in the show’s playbill as ‘lighting execution’ chooses to flash a strobe erratically. When this first occurred during the performance I attended, I initially thought there was some technical glitch and the lights were malfunctioning. This effect might be better served to begin when Annie starts to rage and the strobe continue throughout her fit, ending when she seemingly returns to her more calm self. Just an observation.

Speaking of technical aspects of the show, kudos to Meriwether, who also serves as the show’s ‘sound execution’….I guess that makes him ‘sound executioner’, befitting the gruesomeness of the piece. Throughout the show I noted time and time again the perfect accompanying interstitial music, from haunting versions of such known tunes as Amazing Grace, Every Breath You Take, I Will Always Love You, Hurt and more, plus a little Liberace for good measure (there’s motion of Lee in the script). These musical interludes quickly became another character for me.

In popular culture, there’s a term called ‘Easter eggs’. It refers to the inclusion of images, sight gags, jokes or other references that fans might recognize. King frequently includes Easter eggs in his work and Misery is no exception. It may contain the ultimate Easter egg. I mean, let’s face it, Paul Sheldon IS basically a fictionalized version of Stephen King, what with retreating to write, being the author of multiple bestsellers and all. So to further wink towards King, Meriwether and the show’s prop  and set departments have peppered the set with winks to the author and his other works. At one point, when the local sherif (Joe Russell) pays a visit, he sips coffee from a mug emblazoned with a graphic from IT, King’s ’86 horror classic that in recent years has become a hugely successful film franchise. There’s also a floor runner in the hallway, the pattern of which will conjure images of creepy twins for anyone who’s seen King’s 1980 masterpiece, The Shining, for it’s the same pattern as the hallways of the Overlook Hotel. Even the religious iconography throughout Annie’s farmhouse is a nod to King’s Carrie. Heck, I may be reaching, but you could even say there’s a bonus nod to Carrie coupled with Firestarter when things between Annie and Paul get a little…shall we say…heated. These little extras, while perhaps unnoticed by some casual audience members, were indeed appreciated by this King fan.

Street-Kavanagh and Marsh also deserve praise for the physicality of the show. From Marsh’s Sheldon attempts to escape while bound to a wheelchair to the height of the action when Street-Kavanagh renders Sheldon immobile by way of the now-classic mallet and woodblock scene, these two performers approach the physical aspects of their respective roles with gusto and visceral emotion. With only two performances left, if you’re looking for something to do this weekend, check out Playhouse 615’s Misery. Tickets are $18 and may be purchased online CLICK HERE or at the door. For details on upcoming shows at 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!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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