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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 CAST OF LARRY KEETON THEATRE’s ‘WHITE CHRISTMAS’

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If you know me at all, or you’ve read any of my holiday reviews over the last decade or so, you likely know Irving Berlin’s White Christmas is my hands-down favorite movie musical, in any incarnation.  Doesn’t matter whether we’re talking about the classic 1954 film, or the subsequent stage musical. I love all things White Christmas. Given that bit of insider info about myself, of course I had to chat with Kevin Raymond, Micheal Walley, Casey Cuba and Dani Haines for my latest Rapid Fire 20Q. The quartet of talented performers are starring in White Christmas directed by Keith Hardy at The Larry Keeton Dinner Theatre (108 Donelson Pike) beginning tonight, Thursday, December 1and continuing through Sunday, December 18.

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RAPID FIRE 20Q WITH THE CAST OF THE LARRY KEETON THEATRE’S WHITE CHRISTMAS

Kevin Raymond as Bob Wallace

RAPID FIRE WITH KEVIN RAYMOND, BOB WALLACE IN WHITE CHRISTMAS

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Tell me a little about Bob Wallace.

KEVIN RAYMOND: Bob Wallace is a lovable character but sometimes he appears to be a bit sarcastic because he’s missing something in his life. There’s no romance going on he doesn’t have anybody to love. Even his partner Phil points out that he should “add a little romance to his life“ and maybe he’d be happier. He spends most of his time working on business deals and the Wallace and Davis act on his entire life since the army. The transition of his character in White Christmas is truly a beautiful one through his rocky relationship with Betty Haynes. Hopefully, you’ll have a chance to see the love in his heart, his joy in his business and performing as well as his general love for his fellow mankind.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Taking on the role made famous by Bing Crosby…daunting,  a dream, or a combination of both?

KEVIN RAYMOND: I have to say, it is a daunting task! Bob sings a majority of the music in the show and appears in every scene except for two in the entire musical. One of the biggest things that I’ve enjoyed about this is the challenge set before me. But to be perfectly honest, this has been a dream role for my entire life. I feel as if I’m in an age right now to be the perfect Bob Wallace because 10 years ago I may have been too young and 10 years from now I’ll definitely be too old to play this character. 

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Your creative credits go beyond on-stage performing, you’ve also been involved in a number of productions at The Keeton and other theatre companies behind the scenes. Do you think that gives you an advantage when cast in a show?

KEVIN RAYMOND: I’m delighted to also be the choreographer for this production and one of the things that I generally always tell the cast is to think like a director or to think like a choreographer. I feel as if it’s a life learning lesson to have someone nurture you to the fact that if there’s an even number of people on stage, someone will split the center line when it comes to blocking a dance. If there’s an odd number of people on stage someone will always be on that center line. If you have thoughts like this in your head going in to a learning experience then it makes life so much more easy for you. Also, when you’re moving set pieces think about what might need to go off before some thing else comes on and vice versa. The knowledge that it takes to be able to pull things off like that is a vital life lesson for the arts. I think that my interaction with people and all of the previous artistic elements I’ve been involved in at the Keeton certainly help me to develop this and others as well. On top of that, because I generally think like a Director and Choreographer, blocking, staging and other elements come really easy for me and I can pour that natural instinct into a character. 

Kevin Raymond

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Speaking of other gigs, a couple years ago you released a Christmas cd. What can you tell me about that project?

KEVIN RAYMOND: Christmas music is and always will be my favorite! I love being in the studio and creating art on a recorded medium. It’s very different than live performing because you can do quite a few takes and pick the best one or splice things together very easily. The CD was basically a labor of love and a really fun project that one of my best friends, Gabe Wateski, recorded and produced for me. The title of the CD is called Christmas Is… and can be found on my website at kevinfraymond.com. It has 18 truly wonderful tracks, some old and familiar and some new material. 

JHPENTERTAINMENT: I’m about to chat with you costars, so I gotta ask…what’s it been like to share the stage with Micheal Walley’s Phil Davis to your Bob Wallace?

KEVIN RAYMOND: Micheal is an absolute joy! I’m so thankful that the director, Keith Hardy, cast him because if I was directing, he would’ve gotten my first vote as well! Filling the shoes of Phil Davis (not to mention having everyone always comparing you to Danny Kaye)  is not an easy one because he hast to be an absolute funny man. Every successful vaudeville act has to have two comedians where one is acting in the funny man capacity and the other as the straight man. Micheal is the perfect funny man for the show. He brings Phil to a light that I could’ve never even imagined. It is so easy to work off of him that I’m truly blessed to be on stage with Micheal. In real life, Micheal is a tremendously likable young man with a great personality and though I only met him when we started rehearsals for the show I feel as if I’ve known him forever already. I think at the Wallace and Davis combo along with the Haynes Sisters will leave you very pleased with White Christmas!

Micheal Walley as Phil Davis

RAPID FIRE WITH MICHEAL WALLEY, PHIL DAVIS IN WHITE CHRISTMAS

JHPENTERTAINMENT: I just interviewed your co-star, Kevin and asked about working with you, so turn about is fair play…how is Kevin as a scene partner?

MICHEAL WALLEY: Oh, Kevin! When I auditioned for the show and read a scene with Kevin, I thought to myself, “I really would love to play opposite that guy!” It’s been a dream. Kevin truly is the ideal song-and-dance man, and getting to feed off of his energy and stage presence is so much fun. He and I also accidentally showed up wearing matching shirts at rehearsal one day, so he has great style.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: I last saw you at the Darkhorse Theatre in Bucket List Productions’ Assassins earlier this year, but first saw you in Chaffin’s Barn Dinner Theatre’s Minnie Pearl: All the News from Grinder’s Switch. All very diverse roles. What draws you to a role?

MICHEAL WALLEY: It’s been so fun getting to bring to life all sorts of different characters. Honestly, I’m grateful to do any role that is offered- whatever the type of role! I went a long time without doing any sort of theatre, and am in awe that people have trusted me with some really wonderful roles. The incredible team at Chaffin’s Barn (gosh – I miss it!), the cast mates that became family in Assassins, and the new friends in White Christmas have made Nashville feel like home. Each role has pushed me to be a better performer, and I’m so grateful for the community here. I’d jump at any chance to work with the wonderful people that make up the Nashville theatre community! 

JHPENTERTAINMENT: If you could apply an aspect of Phil’s character into your real life, what would it be?

MICHEAL WALLEY: I love Phil’s optimism and glass-half-full nature. I’m usually an optimistic person, but man, the pandemic and the past few years have affected us all, and it’s a little harder to look on the bright side of things. I’m challenged to refocus and reconnect with my own optimism to ensure Phil’s joy is authentic onstage. 

Micheal Walley

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Snow is my favorite moment in the show…what’s yours?

MICHEAL WALLEY: I absolutely adore the Act 2 opener, I Love a Piano. While I’m sad that Choreography from the movie isn’t in the live stage show, this song is a pretty good substitute and a blast to perform. It’s such a big production number, and I’m really proud of what the cast has accomplished with it over the past few weeks. Plus – the costumes are fantastic! 

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Singing, dancing, comedy and a little bit of drama…White Christmas has it all. I understand you co-star, Kevin is also the show’s choreographer. What has rehearsal been like?

MICHEAL WALLEY: Yes, the choreographer is none other than our Bob Wallace, Kevin Raymond. Kevin has pushed us beyond what we thought was possible. At our first rehearsal, I said, “I hope people watch my face and not my feet” because I don’t consider myself a great dancer. But Kevin has been a fantastic, patient teacher and I’ve learned so much from him. He’s helped create something really impressive on the Keeton stage, and we can’t wait for the audience to see our tapping feet! In the words of Clark Griswold, “This will be the hap, hap, happpiest Christmas since Bing Crosby tap-danced with Danny…Kaye!”

Casey Cuba as Betty Haynes

RAPID FIRE WITH CASEY CUBA, BETTY HAYNES IN WHITE CHRISTMAS

JHPENTERTAINMENT: While preparing for the role of Betty Haynes, what or who have you drawn from to channel certain attributes?

CASEY CUBA: Looking the part of Betty during this time period, I focused on the elegance and poise of my grandmothers. I always loved looking at their old photographs from the 1940s and envied how glamorous life seemed. As for the character of Betty, I have drawn on my own raw emotions, vulnerability, and life experiences. Betty is very independent and strong willed, traits that sometimes cause her to sabotage her own happiness. I often recognize these traits in myself.   

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Of course there are parallels between the two featured couples…Betty and Bob share more serious traits while Phil and Judy are a bit more carefree. In real life are you more a Betty or a Judy?

CASEY CUBA: I am definitely more of a Judy in real life! I am the one finding humor in almost ANY situation. Who doesn’t enjoy laughing?  

JHPENTERTAINMENT: I’ve said it a hundred times…White Christmas isn’t just my favorite Christmas movie. Heck, it’s my favorite stage musical…of all-time. Aside from White Christmas, naturally…what’s your favorite holiday viewing?

CASEY CUBA: I can only choose one?!? Planes, Trains, and Automobiles is my favorite movie for Thanksgiving, but for Christmas…there are so many good ones! My top 2 favorites are probably It’s a Wonderful Life and Christmas Vacation.  

Casey Cuba

JHPENTERTAINMENT: The wardrobe…can we talk about the wardrobe? The show’s director, Keith Hardy is doing double duty as the costumer as well. Do you have a favorite look?

CASEY CUBA: Yes, Keith is also the costumer. How amazing is that? He has knocked it out of the park…per usual. The dresses for Sisters, the iconic blue dresses and fans, are UNREAL! They are just gorgeous. But my absolute favorite look in the show is the black velvet gown that Betty wears for her solo of Love, You Didn’t Do Right By Me. It was made to look just like the gown Rosemary Clooney wore in the film and it is just stunning. I feel so connected to Betty in that scene with the glamour and the raw emotion. It’s just beautiful.  

JHPENTERTAINMENT: If you hadn’t been cast as Betty, regardless of whether you’re the ‘type’, what other White Christmas role would you love to play?

CASEY CUBA: I would love to play Rita or Rhoda!  Haha I mean c’mon!  I think it would be so fun to play a ditzy, blonde bimbo!   Their lines are so ridiculously funny and their costumes are hysterical!  

Dani Haines as Judy Haynes

RAPID FIRE WITH DANI HAINES, JUDY HAYNES IN WHITE CHRISTMAS JHPENTERTAINMENT: I’ve heard playing Judy a dream role for you. What is is about Judy Haynes that drew you to the part?

DANI HAINES: I’ve always had a connection with Judy since I first saw the movie when I was younger. She was a charismatic and dynamic performer and I think that really influenced how I’ve approached all the roles I’ve gotten the chance to do throughout my stage career.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: I understand you’re a relative newcomer to Nashville and this is your first show at The Keeton. How’s your time in Music City been thus far and are you enjoying being part of the Keeton family?

DANI HAINES: I’ve lived in a lot of different places in my life, and Nashville has been one of my favorites! I’m excited to put down roots in a diverse, entertaining city. Joining a new theatre family will always come with unique challenges and barriers, but I’ve learned so much about myself and the community through the experience; and I’m extremely grateful for the love and support from my new friends.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: The role of Judy is dance-heavy, having first been portrayed on screen by the iconic Vera-Lynn. Do you have a dance background?

DANI HAINES: I’ve actually been a dancer most of my life! I started lessons at a young age in various genres of dance, and that was what created the gateway to my love for musical theatre. I’m so fortunate to have had the experiences I’ve been given and use them in this show.

Dani Haines

JHPENTERTAINMENT: A little online sleuthing revealed when you’re not on stage, you work at an escape room. If you could create a White Christmas-themed escape room, what would it consist of?

DANI HAINES: Hmmm… Without a doubt, there would have to be a lot of music! I’d probably create a puzzle involving the iconic songs of the movie and the show. The theme would be “backstage and get ready so the show can go on”!

JHPENTERTAINMENT: What do you hope audiences take with them after seeing White Christmas at The Keeton?

DANI HAINES: One of the biggest lessons this show teaches its viewers is that a kind heart and goodwill towards others never goes out of style. I hope that this show serves as a reminder to us all that compassion and generosity should be celebrated year round, not just during the holiday seasons. I also hope they take home fun memories and some tapping toes!

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Irving Berlin’s White Christmas celebrates the holidays at The Larry Keeton Dinner Theatre with performances December 1-18. At the time of this posting, it would appear the entire run has sold out, but you just never know…some Scrooge might have to cancel at the last minute. You might want to call 615.231.1231 and check on last-minute availability. Dinner and Show tickets are $35/Adult and $25/children. Show Only tickets are $30/$20. CLICK HERE for more information.

Up next at The Keeton Dinner Theatre is Newsies. February 10-26. CLICK HERE for tickets. 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.

Rapid Fire Q&A with actor/playwright/director David Alford; ‘A Holiday To Remember’ recitations of Truman Capote’s ‘The Thanksgiving Visitor’ and ‘A Christmas Memory’ at Belmont Mansion this holiday season

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You may know David Alford by way of his six-season role as Bucky Dawes, manager to Connie Britton’s Rayna Jaymes on the hugely popular CMT/ABC drama series Nashville, multiple tv and film roles including The Good Fight, The Blacklist and The Last Castle, his recent appearance alongside Laura Linney, Cynthia Nixon, Richard Thomas and Michael McKean in the 2017 revival of Lillian Hellman’s The Little Foxes on Broadway, or for having created Spirit: The Authentic Story of the Bell Witch, which recently celebrated its twentieth year in nearby Adams, TN. Either way, or even if you don’t know David, you’ll definitely want to check out A Holiday to Remember, Alford’s presentation of two of Truman Capote’s most-cherished stories, The Thanksgiving Visitor and A Christmas Memory, being presented in the Grand Salon of Nashville’s beautiful and historic Belmont Mansion with select performances November 23-December 17.

Having known David for years, not only by his aforementioned accolades, but through a mutual friend, as well as his tenure as Executive Artistic Director of Nashville Repertory Theatre a few years ago, when it was known as Tennessee Repertory Theatre, as soon as I learned he was returning to the Nashville theatre scene to perform this latest iteration of not one, but two Capote treasures, I knew I had to chat with him for my latest RAPID FIRE Q&A.

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RAPID FIRE Q&A WITH ‘A HOLIDAY TO REMEMBER’ STAR, DAVID ALFORD

JHPENTERTAINMENT: In preparing to chat with you, I rewatched the mid-60s television presentations of both The Thanksgiving Visitor and A Christmas Memory starring Geraldine Page as Sook. I remember seeing them on TV about a decade later when I was a kid. These stories were my introduction to Truman Capote. What was yours?

DAVID ALFORD: My first introduction to Capote, like many other people, was seeing him on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson. I was young. He struck me as a strange fellow with a funny voice that the adults seemed to find terribly amusing. I knew he had a reputation as being a bit of a provocateur, someone who liked pushing boundaries. It was many years later, shortly after graduating drama school and being cast in a stage adaptation of his holiday stories, that I learned that he was much more than his public persona. He was a true literary genius, with extraordinary range. The stories from his childhood featuring his eccentric cousin Miss Sook Faulk are beautifully written and deeply moving.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Speaking of introductions, ABC’s recent drama series, Nashville may have served as an introduction to you for millions of TV viewers, but those of us in the actual town of Nashville have known you through your theatrical works for years. In fact, just last month you celebrated the 20th anniversary of your play, Spirit: The Authentic Story of the Bell Witch of Tennessee. Before we get into A Holiday to Remember, What was it like to revisit Spirit as director again this year?

DAVID ALFORD: Rewarding and humbling. I wrote and directed the first production in 2002, and then directed a revision I did in 2008. Other than that, I have been involved only as an unofficial advisor from time to time until this year. The group behind the production, CSI (Community Spirit, Inc.) has not only kept the show going every year, but they’ve grown the play into a month-long festival. The show’s success is really a testament to their commitment and hard work.  Every performance this year was sold out. I’d look into the audience and see men in John Deere caps seated next to women in business attire with a few occultists thrown into the mix. It’s hard to describe the sense of gratitude I feel looking at an audience of people from wildly different backgrounds seated next to each other and experiencing the same story. It’s become its own unique phenomenon.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Now on to A Holiday to Remember. Over the years you’ve presented a variation of this show from time to time. If memory serves, I believe it’s been 30-some years since you performed A Southern Christmas Sampler and about a decade since the former iteration, Christmas Down Home was presented here in Music City. What prompted you to revisit and revise it this year at Belmont and to include not only A Christmas Memory, but also Capote’s other holiday offering, The Thanksgiving Visitor?

DAVID ALFORD: I stopped doing A Christmas Memory mainly because of my commitments to the TV show. Then I moved away for a while. I’m back home now and it felt like the time was right. I’m a little older and can bring a little more life-experience to it. Plus, I’ve missed doing the piece. I still feel very connected to it. As far as pairing it with The Thanksgiving Visitor, we actually did it before in 2004 when I was Artistic Director at Tennessee Rep (now Nashville Rep) in the Polk Theatre at TPAC. It went well, though I thought the show might have worked better in a more intimate space. This is a chance to try that. Plus, it’s an opportunity to work my memorization muscles a bit. With both pieces, it’s me doing Capote’s words for about an hour-and-a-half. I like the challenge.

Composer/Guitarist Paul Carroll Binkley’s music accompanies David Alford’s storytelling in “A Christmas Memory”

JHPENTERTAINMENT: As you have done in previous incarnations, you’ve once again enlisted the talents of your friend, Paul Carrol Binkley whose original music is featured. How did you and Paul first connect? 

DAVID ALFORD: I met Paul in 1985 at Austin Peay Statue University in Clarksville, where we were both students. He became the guitarist and band leader for a group I’d earlier formed with some high school friends called The Red River Boys. We gigged a lot together, and of course Paul was already composing and playing his own music at the time. Right before I went to Juilliard, he was the music director for a production of The Robber Bridegroom I was in at APSU, and he really knocked it out of the park. So I knew he had theatre chops. When I came back to Nashville in 1994 to start Mockingbird Theatre, Paul was one of the first people I called. He did the music for our second production, Tennessee Williams‘ The Glass Menagerie, and that started a long and successful working relationship. When I had the idea to do A Christmas Memory as the centerpiece for a potential Mockingbird holiday show (which became our Southern Christmas Sampler) I asked Paul to create some underscoring for it. He did, and it was perfect. Those original musical ideas have become an irreplaceable part of the performance for me. I can’t imagine doing the piece without Paul. I still get choked up every time I hear him play the opening phrase. 

JHPENTERTAINMENT: This isn’t the first time you’ve performed at Belmont Mansion in the Grand Salon. What makes it such an ideal venue for these stories?

DAVID ALFORD: Well, it’s an incredibly evocative space, and the acoustics are excellent. Both pieces are about Truman’s childhood and set in the early 1930s, and though Belmont Mansion was around long before that, there are still echoes of the past that help underscore the context. And while I love working in traditional theaters, sometimes matching content with an appropriate nontraditional performance space can really resonate with an audience. I think this show in the mansion does that pretty well.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: For those who may not have seen your previous presentations, what can the audience expect?

DAVID ALFORD: The show is me doing Capote’s text uncut from memory with Paul’s original underscoring. The Thanksgiving Visitor is first. It has a four-piece combo and is a little more energetic in feel with me mostly on my feet. For A Christmas Memory, we’re performing it the same way we have since the beginning: I’m seated on a stool, with Paul in a chair just behind. It’s me, Capote’s words, and Paul’s guitar.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Aside from Buddy, the young boy at the center of both The Thanksgiving Visitor and A Christmas Memory, both stories feature his Cousin, Sook, an eccentric relative, and Buddy’s best friend. Research also revealed that you once cited your grandmother as your voice inspiration for your Sook. What can you tell me about finding the voice for each of the characters? 

DAVID ALFORD: Good question! Thankfully the stories are mostly Capote’s narrative prose, so I don’t have to do a huge amount of vocal characterization. It’s mostly Sook and Buddy (her nickname for young Truman) with a handful of other characters sprinkled in. The challenge is to honor the text and what Capote’s trying to accomplish from a narrative perspective, while finding voices that stay true to the setting (a small town in the depression-era Deep South). And then within that framework, to find enough variation so the audience doesn’t get confused. Mostly it’s a lot of experimentation and trying to use as much of my vocal range as I can!

JHPENTERTAINMENT: On the subject of voices and characters, Capote, himself was quite a character and he possessed a very distinctive voice. I mentioned earlier the mid-60s teleplays. Capote served as narrator for those, so I gotta know…do you narrate in a Capote-esque voice?

DAVID ALFORD: I do not, for a couple of reasons. First, I think trying to replicate Truman’s voice calls too much attention to the performer and not enough to the words on the page. Instead, what I try to do in the narration is present Truman’s literary voice, his written voice, which is substantially more expressive and has greater range than his speaking voice ever did. His writing in these stories is masterful: funny, lyrical, and at times breathtakingly beautiful. I wouldn’t want any impression I did to get in the way of that. There’s definitely a specific southern flavor of course: accent, playfulness, and wit, but less affectation. But also, from a practical perspective, I think the more important voice is Sook’s and the other characters, and it’s hard to imagine someone with Truman’s voice being able to alter their tonality enough to make those voices convincing. So you’re either doing Truman all the way through (including the other character’s voices) or you’re finding the voices of the other characters and making the narration more neutral. I don’t think you can do both. So I do the latter.

Belmont Mansion’s Grand Salon 

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Oh, I knew we should have gone ahead and done a full Rapid Fire 20Q, but I didn’t want to take up too much of your time…so….Can you share a little about cherished holiday memories of your own?

DAVID ALFORD: Well, of course, I have many, most of them from my childhood and from people that are gone now. My dad rarely provided the things on our Christmas lists, but he always made it special. He was a pastor, and this was his favorite time of year. One of the things that brings people back to A Christmas Memory is that Capote acknowledges the full range of memories of the people we love who are no longer with us. Those memories can be funny, touching, sweet, warm, awkward, joyful: but they can also make us feel a keen sense of loss. Leave it to his genius to be able to encapsulate all that in a short story. But to answer your question directly, and at the risk of sounding schmaltzy, the truth is that many of my most treasured holiday experiences have been sharing this story with a roomful of fellow human beings.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: I usually end these chats with basically the same question…What do you hope audiences take away from seeing A Holiday to Remember?

DAVID ALFORD: That Truman Capote is an under-appreciated genius and one of the greatest writers of the 20th century. That all people, no matter how odd, eccentric, or marginalized, have value and can teach us something. That love always makes a difference.

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David Alford’s A Holiday to Remember begins Wednesday, November 23 with subsequent performances November 25 & 26 and December 1,3,15 and 16. All Performances begin at 7:30 p.m. and will take place in the Grand Salon on Belmont Mansion (On the campus of Belmont University at the corner of Acklen Avenue and Belmont Blvd- behind Freeman Hall, 1901 15th Ave S., Nashville, TN 37212) Tickets to each performance are $45 and include lite refreshments and a peek at the holiday decorations of the Mansion’s first floor. CLICK HERE to purchase tickets. For more about David Alford, CLICK HERE. If you’re interested in learning more about Belmont Mansion or perhaps scheduling a full tour during the holiday, 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 Facebook, Instagram  and 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 Cake’; regional premiere at Nashville Rep October 21-30

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Directed by Lauren Shouse, 0pening Friday, October 21 and running through Sunday, October 30, Nashville Repertory Theatre presents the regional premiere of Bekah Brunstetter’s The Cake at TPAC’s Andrew Johnson Theatre (505 Deadrick Street). While perhaps best known for her writing and producing duties on the popular NBC drama, This Is Us, which garnered her and her fellow producers three consecutive Emmys from 2017-2019, Brunstetter’s also enjoyed success as a playwright. Her previous stage plays include: F*cking Art, Miss Lilly Gets Boned and Be a Good Little Widow. From the titles alone, you might surmise that the playwright pulls no punches. The Cake, which premiered in Los Angeles in 2015 and featured That 70s Show’s Debra Jo Rupp, with is simple sweet title and all, just might follow suit, considering the play was inspired, in part by her own father’s opposition to same-sex marriage and the headline-making Supreme Court case of Masterpiece Cakeshop vs Colorado Civil Rights Commission. The Cake centers ‘round Della, a kind, but conservative North Carolina baker who finds herself at an unexpected conscience crossroads when her goddaughter returns to her small town to ask Della to bake her wedding cake…for the wedding to her fiancée.

When I learned that one of my theatre crushes, Megan Murphy Chambers was heading the cast, I knew I had to chat with her and her co-stars for the latest installment of my recurring interview feature, Rapid Fire 20 Q.

RAPID FIRE 20Q WITH CAST OF NASHVILLE REPERTORY THEATRE’s THE CAKE

RAPID FIRE WITH MEGAN MURPHY CHAMBERS, DELLA IN THE REP’S THE CAKE

JHPEntertainment:  Tell me everything we need to know about Della, the character you play in The Cake, The Rep’s latest production…

Megan Murphy Chambers: Della is a beautiful challenge.  There are elements of her personality that are so easy for me to access – she’s friendly, enthusiastic, authentically interested in people, and loving. The acting starts when her deeply ingrained but rarely examined belief system stops her from showing an adored friend the respect and love they deserve when they need it most.  There’s not an intentionally mean bone in Della’s body, but she’s short on backbone (mean or otherwise). I like to think about what might transpire in the 6 months after the play is over for her.  I have high hopes for her, and her capability to open her heart and mind.

JHPEntertainment: While researching the show to prepare these questions for you and your fellow cast mates, I found the opening monologue script on line. During which, Della explains that you must follow the recipe exactly to ensure the perfect cake. This seems to pretty much lay out the thought process behind her character’s way of life and decision-making. A a general rule, are you yourself a recipe follower, a recipe adapter or a recipe creator? Feel free to answer this as it relates to the kitchen, or life as a whole.

Megan Murphy Chambers: Oh I am a recipe adaptor for sure.  I’ll follow the directions enough to make sure whoever I’m feeding doesn’t end up with a plate of undercooked chicken, but in terms of the rest?  All bets are off!  I like cooking more than baking precisely because of the greater degree of freedom you have. And the greater degree of garlic.  In life, I tend to be a rule-follower and people-pleaser, but that tendency lessens every single day. Which feels wonderful, to be honest.

JHPEntertainment: Now, I know you graduated from the University of Missouri, which, depending on who you ask, is either the midwest, or the south, and you’ve been in Nashville for some time now. Have you met any real life Dellas and might we see hints of them in your performance?

Megan Murphy Chambers: First of all, MIDWEST. I will not be taking questions at this time 🙂   I’ve lived all over the country, and have met Della-ish people everywhere.  People with huge hearts that are coupled with years of a certain kind of shame and pressure.  I carry pieces of some of them on stage every night, all of which help make her colorful. This one’s unfailing politeness, that one’s hypervigilance about “outsiders”, another one’s casual affection.

JHPEntertainment: From what I know, Della, though she is staunchly faithful to her convictions, isn’t made to appear the villain in this piece, but rather a sympathetic product of her environment. Is that a fair assessment? Why or why not?

Megan Murphy Chambers: Definitely a fair assessment.  The brilliance of this writing means that throughout the play, we’re given reasons to root for every character, and reasons to feel disappointed in every character.  Della maybe most of all.  In my heart, I’m certain she’s making the wrong decision.  But the generations of voices that echo in her head all day every day make it challenging to blame her in any simple way.  We want to like her. We want her to do better.

JHPEntertainment: The show is titled The Cake, so I gotta know…do you have a sweet tooth? If so, what’s your favorite kind of cake? If not, what do you snack on instead?

Megan Murphy Chambers: I do indeed have a sweet tooth, but it’s not as powerful as my salt tooth. Cake is scrumptious, and it’s all I’ve thought about for the last month. I either want a spice cake with vanilla buttercream, or a classic Duncan Hines yellow cake from a box (don’t tell Della it’s not from scratch).

RAPID FIRE WITH CHRIS STRAND, TIM IN THE REP’S THE CAKE

JHPEntertainment: Alright, I tried not to gush while chatting with Megan, but just between us, how lucky are you to share the stage with one of my theatre crushes?

Christopher Strand: Very lucky! Megan is the heart and soul of this show and takes the audience on a hysterical and heartbreaking journey all at the same time- she can make you laugh out loud one minute and cry crocodile tears with her innate vulnerability the next- honored to share the stage with her!

JHPEntertainment: How would you describe Tim?

Christopher Strand: Tim is an amiable good ol boy who just happens to be a product of his upbringing and social environment- his beliefs have most likely been formed by his religious upbringing and casually soaking up Fox News and Incendiary right wing radio over the years- still he loves Della deeply and is a good hard working man who just happens to use food and humor as a substitute for the lack of  Intimacy in his marriage.

JHPEntertainment: In researching to chat with you and your cast mates, it seems to me The Cake playwright, Bekah Brunstetter’s approach of using humor to spotlight a rather serious topic might have roots going back to classic sitcoms like All in the Family and The Jeffersons. Am I anywhere near close in that comparison? And why do you think that works?

Christopher Strand: Yes I think you’re close! Because even though Della and Tim are rather rigid in their beliefs , they are lovable characters , which persuades the audience to go on a sometimes  difficult emotional journey with them- much like Archie Bunker , the audience is able to laugh at or with their imperfections and narrowminded-ness without necessarily agreeing with them!

JHPEntertainment: Are you a cake or pie guy in real life?

Christopher Strand: both unfortunately ! love most kinds although it may be somewhat unAmerican but I can’t do pumpkin pie sorry! banana cream, pecan pie, any kind of fruit pie- shoot I guess I am a pie guy!

JHPEntertainment: What’s one of your favorite lines in the show…yours or that of one of your fellow cast mates?

Christopher Strand: Jen says ” I don’t need you to make me a cake , I need you to LOVE me!”  to me that sums up the show as much as one line could if possible

RAPID FIRE WITH MARIAH PARRIS, JEN IN THE REP’S THE CAKE

JHPEntertainment: What was it about the role of Jen that moved you to audition?

Mariah Parris: I had seen Lauren’s work before and knew working with her would be awesome, if given the chance. I was also excited to potentially work on a script with such a contemporary voice. I’ve never had the pleasure of working on a character so close to myself and feeling like I could bring so much of my own “isms” to the performance.

JHPEntertainment: As Jen, you share scenes, and an on-stage relationship with Maya Riley. You both appeared in The Rep’s Ragtime earlier this year. What is she like as a scene partner?

Mariah Parris: Maya and I used to do theatre together when we were little kids at Metro Parks with Carolyn German, and reconnected as adults when we both worked on Ragtime. We discovered that we still get on like a house on fire, so the biggest challenge with working with Maya has been to not interrupt rehearsal by laughing too much. She is an awesome scene partner and friend.

JHPEntertainment: While the show touts a cast of only four characters, there’s really a fifth, isn’t there? Care to give me an exclusive…who’s providing the voice of George, the reality show judge who’s only heard in voice-over?

Mariah Parris: Jonah Jackson is brilliant as the voice of George. He is a very accomplished and talented stage performer (last seen in The Rep’s Mary Poppins) and I’m so glad he’s getting a chance to show off his voice acting chops!

JHPEntertainment: As a kid, my birthday cakes were always a thing to behold as Mom would get the craftiest cake decorator around to recreate thematic delights featuring whatever my current obsession was, including, but not limited to: Star Wars, a Grease (the movie, not the frying additive) logo cake, a sheet-cake featuring the likeness of Miss Piggy and in my later years, as I began collecting Lucille Ball memorabilia, more than one cake decorated with classic images of I Love Lucy…Did you have theme-decorated cakes? If so, what was your favorite?

Mariah Parris: My lovely mom and dad went all out when I was a little girl- one year Barbie, one year Barney, and I’m sure there were many others though the memory escapes me now.

JHPEntertainment: Is there a moment in the show you think audiences will remember after leaving the theatre?

Mariah Parris: there are several beautifully emotional moments in the show that will resonate with different people, and it is my hope that each person leaves feeling like there was a moment that resonated with them specifically that they’ll never forget. Personally, I’ll never forget MMC hand feeding me carrot cake on stage—what a treat.

RAPID FIRE WITH MAYA RILEY, MACY IN THE REP’S THE CAKE

JHPEntertainment: This has been quite a year for you. You’ve just wrapped your fabulous starring role as AIDA, a performance everyone was raving about. Of course you started the year in Nashville Rep’s Ragtime and now you’re back at The Rep in The Cake. How excited are you for this momentum in your career as a performer and how are you keeping it going while keeping yourself grounded?

Maya Riley: Thank you so much! It’s been quite an unexpected journey, because I had planned to stay in New York City after graduating from NYU. I was just starting my career there when COVID hit, and after the theatre world basically stopped I moved back down here. I’ve really just started to get back into performing, and I’m so grateful that things are opening up again. Being back in Nashville feels right. I’m surrounded by family and friends that I love. It blows my mind that I get to do this work. The little kid in me is squealing every day. Just in the past few months, I’ve gotten to work alongside people in this theatre community that have taught me most of what I know: how to act, how to sing, how to dance, how to be gracious, how to be hard working, how to be professional. Performing beside some of them as a colleague, as well as sharing the stage with Broadway stars in AIDA, is a great gift. And performing at TPAC twice in a row? That’s almost as good as Broadway. I’m learning so much about myself, the craft of performing, and the industry. I’m just trying to soak in everything and take it one day at a time.

JHPEntertainment: What was your reaction to first reading the script for The Cake?

Maya Riley: I read the script the night before my callback. I wasn’t familiar with the play, but I’d heard of the playwright because of her work on the TV series This Is Us. When I read it, I got excited immediately. It’s so smartly written. The words jumped right off the page and grabbed me. These are people you know, this is the way people talk, these are issues we’re dealing with right now. That is a beautiful challenge as an actor. Lauren’s visionary and supportive direction is making me a more focused and engaging performer. My castmates are such a joy. I’ve known Mariah since we were kids performing in community theatre productions. Chris is a superb actor and wonderful to work with. And Megan is Nashville theatre royalty and so much fun! Having the opportunity to present this play with this lovely group of people is an honor.

JHPEntertainment: You play Macy the fiancée of Parris’ Jen. Jen’s White, Macy’s Black, they’re lesbians. She’s from the south, Macy’s a northerner. How important is it for you as an actress to take the occasional role with a message, even if, as in the case of The Cake, those messages might be sugar-coated (see what I did there?) in humor?

Maya Riley: For me, it’s incredibly important to tell stories that deal with current events, things that are happening today. I think people need stories that are simply entertaining, and also stories that are somewhat difficult to process. You need both, I think. There are a lot of projects that are one or the other. Not many plays can do both. This is what I love about The Cake. It will entertain you and have you rolling on the floor laughing one minute, then questioning that one interaction with your odd relative the next. It allows for you to be entertained while also sitting in some discomfort. I relish the opportunity to tackle a play that splits this difference so effortlessly. I’m so excited to see how audiences respond.

JHPEntertainment: While you grew up here in Nashville, after high school, you relocated to to New York, more than a few parallels with Macy. Have those similarities helped you develop her as a character?

Maya Riley: I think they have. When I lived in New York, I definitely had to develop that thick-skin, no-nonsense, demeanor. I also know what it’s like to come back down south and have to, let’s say, “readjust” to how things are down here. Which is something I can immediately connect with Macy. Honestly, Macy wasn’t a stretch for me to understand because our experiences are so similar. We belong to the same demographic, in more ways than one. I definitely think that being a southerner who has lived in New York helped me understand her. But I think I would have understood her anyway just because of our similarities. I know what it’s like to be a Black, queer woman in America. In that way, I know her pains, her hesitations, her joys, her comforts. Playing this role, in a way, is like communing with my mirror image. We got each other’s back, as we go through this play every night. At least, that’s how I like to think of it.

JHPEntertainment: What do you hope audiences take away from The Cake?

Maya Riley: I hope audiences take away a slice of cake and have a layered experience (wink)! The foundation of this play is love, which is what makes the stakes so high and the conflict so tense. The Cake is really a conversation in the shape of a play. My wish is that audiences truly take a bite, ride the waves of anger, laughter, and sorrow with us, and leave the theater with love and a deeper understanding of themselves or someone they care about.

For tickets to The Cake, CLICK HERE. Following their presentation of The Cake October 21-30, Nashville Rep continues their season with Elf: The Musical December 21-January 1, August Wilson’s Fences March 3-5, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time March 24-April 2 and Violet May 12-21. Season Tickets just went on sale earlier this week. CLICK HERE to purchase Season Tickets or for more info. Check out Nashville Rep online HERE and follow them on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Instagram.

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

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: Nashville Story Garden’s US Premiere production of The Welkin wraps two week run Friday, September 30

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British playwright Lucy Kirkwood, whose previous works include NSFW, Bloody Wimmin, Chimerica and Mosquitos, can always be counted on to present through-provoking, female-centered, universally themed theatrical experiences. Her latest, The Welkin, is no exception. Having premiered across the pond in 2020, the US premiere, courtesy Nashville Story Garden, wraps its all-too-brief six performance this weekend with a final performance at 7p.m. Friday, September 30 at Riverside Revival (1600 Riverside Drive, East Nashville).

The Welkin seems somewhere between an all female 12 Angry Men, The Crucible and The Scarlet Letter, with maybe a little Handmaid’s Tale thrown in for good measure. While 12 Angry Men focuses on a group of men determining the guilt or innocence of a man accused of murder, Kirkwood’s The Welkin, set in 1759, presents 12 rural Suffolk UK women tasked to not determine a woman’s guilt or innocence, but rather to ascertain whether or not the already accused and convicted woman is with child or not. Their decision then establishing whether or not she be hanged in the public square or allowed to live…at least long enough to bring her child into the world. All this while the otherwise seemingly sleepy burg awaits the spectacle of Halley’s comet.

I was thrilled when Nashville Story Garden’s Lauren Berst reached out to me to ask me to attend opening night. A new play, in a new (for me) venue. That was enough, but add to that, the cast, many of whom I’ve seen in many of my favorite plays over the years, and a few I wasn’t familiar with…always a potential added bonus.

As the play begins, a title card is illuminated on stage reading simply ‘Housework’, while silhouetted images of the players performing various household chores are seen as shadows backlit on crisp white linens hanging across the stage like laundry on the line. The cast then, removes the draping fabric as the title card is changed to read ‘The Night In Question’ as we meet Ayla Williams as Sally Poppy as we witness a bit of what leads her to her eventual sentence. Williams is spectacular as the convicted murderess. She plays the role with spirit and a no-nonsense bite that also eventually reveals innocence lost, or rather, buried away inside her long before the night of the crime.

A later title card reading ‘The Empaneling’ is where we are first fully introduced to the rest of the cast. During the show’s opening week, assistant director Joe Mobley stepped in for Matthew Rose as Mr. Coombs, the jury-appointed liaison between the court and the women. He is at times humorous and a tad bullish as he wavers between being in the minority, but never forgetting he, as a man, is always in the majority.

As for the jury of matrons, director Halena Kays has assembled a who’s who and a who will be stellar cast including Destinee Monet, Melodie Madden Adams, Tamara Todress, Diego Gomez, Candace-Omnira Lafayette, Jennifer Whitcomb-Oliva, Rachel Agee, Jessica Anderson, Lauren Berst, Megan Murphy Chambers, Matthew Rose, Inez, Rona Carter, Melinda Sewak and the aforementioned Ayla Williams.  With Milly Mason and Jordan Bentley sharing the role of young Katy during the run and Brooke Ferguson understudy for all the women.

Nashville Story Garden’s co-artistic directors, Lauren Berst and Tamara Todress play Lizzy and Emma respectively. Lizzy is the neighborhood midwife, with ties to seemingly everyone, even the aforementioned Mr. Coombs. Berst’s Lizzy takes no guff from anyone and, in spite of her own demons and disappointments, seems to see the good in others. Meanwhile, Emma seems to reserve the majority of her interactions simply holding for disdain anyone she deems below her station. That said, Todress’ Emma is delightful in her disdain.

Of the women, many of them get their moment to shine thanks to the playwright’s clever unraveling of the story, and each and every woman’s background, character and involvement, therein. Perhaps none more than the aforementioned, Ayla Williams, who’s portrayal is at times subtle and at times so explosive she seems on the verge of madness, and who wouldn’t be, given the circumstances of her character’s predicament.

Rachel Agee is marvelous as Judith. She’s played as a bit boisterous and cheeky, perfectly aligning with Agee’s generous talents at both. Jennifer Whitcomb-Oliva is splendid as well. Her Helen seems meek and sweet, but there’s some fierceness fueled by sadness revealed as the play unfolds. Other standouts include Rona Carter as Sarah Smith, portraying the eldest member of the group and Melinda Sewak’s Sarah Hollis, who without uttering one word, provides insight to her character’s pain.

Once the verdict is in, and the action nears its end, there’s a post-show scene in which the women reappear in modern wardrobe performing those same household tasks seen in the opener. A jarring reminder that what the audience has witnessed, and what these character’s portray of a world three centuries ago, seems just as much at the forefront of society today. As the adage states, “a woman’s work is never done” and I’ll add, neither is her fight for herself, her body and her rights.

Off-stage, the team responsible for technical aspects of the play should also be celebrated. Jonathan Nicholson’s stark but effective set, Tony Nappo’s mood-enhancing lighting and Matt Logan, listed as costume consultant. Of the costumes, maybe I read more into it than I should…or should I say ‘red’ more into it, but I love that each women, save one, has a bit of red fabric accented somewhere on her wardrobe. To me this symbolized life’s blood, and with the subject matter revolving around whether or not a new life exists in the belly of the accused, that just made sense. Again, perhaps reading more into it than I should, as more and more was revealed about each woman, I wove my own story in my head as to the placement of the red fabric on each woman, and even the amount of it used in her costume. Without giving too much away, a few examples: Lizzy’s arms are both bound with red fabric wrapped ‘round them, perhaps symbolic of her ties to most of the women. Helen is wrapped in a shawl of red, a visual manifestation of the sadness and burden that envelopes her. Even Sarah Smith, who only has a tiny string of red around one finger…by chance suggesting something she need recall. As I said, maybe I read too much into the fabric and the placement, maybe it was just a nice wardrobe accent that created a constant of the otherwise mostly nondescript clothing of the time period.

The Welkin concludes its run with a final performance Friday, September 30. CLICK HERE for tickets.  For more from Nashville Story Garden, CLICK HERE to sign up for their newsletter or follow them on FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM and TWITTER.

Theatre Review: With talent paid in full, nothing left overdue in Nashville Rep’s ‘RENT’; Final performance Sunday, September 25 at 2pm at TPAC’s Jackson Hall

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The cast of Nashville Rep’s ‘RENT’

I’m just gonna be honest. Since seeing RENT during it’s original Broadway run, then on tour…twice and a handful of local and regional productions, it’s just not my favorite musical. I KNOW! I KNOW! Apparently I’m not alone though as it seems you either love it or you don’t. Heck, even before it hit the stage last week as the season opening for Nashville Repertory Theatre, I may or may not have joked with a friend or two that the brightly colored wardrobe choices seen in the company’s promotional images, looked, to me like Disney+’s version of Jonathan Larson’s look at late 80s/early 90s life in the time of AIDS in the Lower East Side.

That said, under the direction of Micah-Shane Brewer, with musical direction courtesy Randy Craft and choreography by Tosha Marie, coupled with a cast peppered with a mix of fresh young talent and some remarkable vocals, I’ll admit, The Rep’s RENT (on stage at TPAC‘s Polk Theatre thru Sunday, September 25) just might live in my head rent-free for quite some time.

Still a little skeptical as the show began on opening night, I’ll also admit that when there were some initial issues with the mics of some of the primary cast members, I did lean over to my friend who was my plus1 for the evening and whispered, “I don’t care if they don’t pay the rent, but they could at least pay the electric bill so the mics work.” But I’m here to tell you, once they got into the grove of the music, it was indeed an enjoyable evening of live theatre, something I think we’re all still getting use to after the two-year shutdown without it.

It’s well-known that RENT is based, in part, on Puccini’s opera, La Boheme, which, coincidentally or not, is also currently on stage at TPAC’s larger theatre, the Andrew Jackson Theatre as presented by Nashville Opera. In Puccini’s opera, the action begins in the cold dark apartment of two artists, one a painter, the other a writer, both struggling to make a living and pay their rent.  Larson’s RENT opens in a similar apartment, only this time the artists are an aspiring filmmaker and wannabe songwriter. Wood Van Meter plays Mark, the videographer, while Mike Sallee, Jr. appears as singer/songwriter, Roger.

Van Meter’s Mark is vibrant and full of hope, something not always seen in portrayals of this central character. A definite welcomed interpretation. Van Meter supports the soundtrack throughout, but it’s when he’s featured in numbers like ‘Tango Maureen’ (also featuring powerhouse vocals by Carli Hardon as Maureen’s current love interest, Joanne). Van Meter’s Act 2 solo, ‘Goodbye, Love’ also gives opportunity for his voice to be truly appreciated.

On the flip, Sallee’s Roger is played more introspective and thoughtful. His work on ‘Light My Candle’, ‘Will I’ and ‘Without You’, so rich with feeling.

Both Van Meter and Sallee possess strong vocals skills and a certain comfortability in their respective roles. They definitely play to their strength with this work.

Cast as their on-again-off-again love interests are Natalie Rankin as Maureen, who dumped Mark for a female lover and Marena Lucerno as Mimi, a drug-addicted lost soul who wonders into Mark and Roger’s apartment literally and figuratively looking for light. Rankin’s Maureen is ballsy and unafraid. Even my absolute least favorite musical number, ‘Over the Moon’ is hilariously enjoyable in the capable hands and voice of Rankin. As for Lucerno’s Mimi, she hides her insecurities behind a brash exterior. Both sides of her character are showcased in a couple of the show’s numbers. Her softer side shines bright alongside Sallee’s Roger in ‘Light My Candle’, while her more flamboyant exterior revs up the vibe in ‘Out Tonight’.

Then there’s Deonté Warren as Angel. Again, confession time. Whenever speaking about RENT, I typically recall a local theatrical production I attended about a decade ago, when, not even halfway through the show I leaned over and whispered to my companion, “I can’t wait till Angel dies”. Yes, I know….how dare I, right? Well, the reason for that comment at the time was that more often than not local productions tend to play Angel as a full-on stereotypical drag queen, whereas I’ve always felt the character was likely intended to represents a pre-transitioned trans woman. Yes, I realize Angel’s first scene shows him as a man, playing drums on the street, but the rest of the show, she’s seen in full hair and makeup and her friends refer to her as she/her. Well, in the fabulously capable hands of Warren, Angel is the absolute star of the show. Fierce, Fragile, Funny, Fabulous and Fucking Amazing…all the dang F Words!

Speaking of Fabulous, call it stunt casting, call it whatever you like, but including Lando Hawkins as Angel’s suitor, Tom Collins and Piper Jones as a frequently featured member of the ensemble, who, when together late in Act 2, duet on the reprise of ‘I’ll Cover You’’…simply the show’s best moment. Even my old cynical eyes began to sweat. Simply perfection. And yes…I’m once again a fan of RENT.

You didn’t think I was gonna review RENT without mentioning ‘Seasons of Love’, now did you? As expected, it’s glorious. Nashville Repertory Theatre’s RENT concludes its brief run at TPAC’s Polk Theatre with one final performance Sunday, September 25 at 2pm. CLICK HERE for tickets.

As The Rep’s season continues they’re presenting The Cake October 21-30, Elf: The Musical December 21-January 1, August Wilson’s Fences March 3-5, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time March 24-April 2 and Violet May 12-21. Season Tickets just went on sale earlier this week. CLICK HERE to purchase Season Tickets or for more info. Check out Nashville Rep online HERE and follow them on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Instagram.

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

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

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

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

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

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

The 2020-2021 Broadway Season calendar looks like this: 

Come From Away – July 28-August 2, 2020 

Ain’t Too Proud – August 11-16, 2020 

1776 – November 3-8, 2020 

Mean Girls – November 17-22, 2020 

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

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

The Band’s Visit – March 2-7, 2021 

The Prom – May 25-31, 2021 

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

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

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

The Vagina Monologues-August 18-23, 2020

Les Miserables – September 15-20, 2020

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

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

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

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

COME FROM AWAY 

Nashville Premiere 

July 28 – August 2, 2020 

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

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

Nashville Premiere 

August 11-16, 2020 

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

Get ready – ‘cause here they come! 

1776 

Nashville Premiere 

November 3-8, 2020

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

MEAN GIRLS

Nashville Premiere 

November 17-22, 2020 

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

Disney’s THE LION KING 

Back by Popular Demand 

February 3-27, 2021 

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

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

THE BAND’S VISIT 

Nashville Premiere 

March 2-7, 2021 

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

THE PROM 

Nashville Premiere 

May 25-31, 2021 

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

Elton John & Tim Rice’s AIDA  

Back by Popular Demand 

June 15-20, 2021 

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

BROADWAY SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS: 

WHAT THE CONSTITUTION MEANS TO ME 

Nashville Premiere 

July 14-19, 2020 

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

THE VAGINA MONOLOGUES

August 18-23, 2020

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

LES MISERABLES

September 15-20, 2020

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

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

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

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

Discover all the latest from TPAC by checking them out online or on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

As always, if you are interested in coverage for your latest entertaining endeavor, simply click the contact page and drop me a note. You can also follow JHP Entertainment on Instagram and Facebook.


RAPID FIRE Q&A with singer/songwriter Crystal Bowersox; starring in ‘Trauma Queen’, presented by Studio Tenn at historic Franklin Theatre

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At 7p.m. on Saturday, October 26, former American Idol season 9 favorite, singer/songwriter Chrystal Bowersox, who now calls Nashville home, will star in Trauma Queen a new musical theatre piece presented by Studio Tenn at The Franklin Theatre, just off the square in downtown Franklin, TN.

 Bowersox broke the Idol mold when she appeared on the original run of the wildly popular reality competition series porting dreads and tattoos instead of the typical teen pop look of many of her fellow Idol hopefuls. Finishing her Idol season as the runner-up, Bowersox is still marching and singing to her own beat and Trauma Queen proves it as she invites Saturday night’s audience to join her for an original night of theatre. Trauma Queen is indeed an original night of theatre in every sense of the term as she combines everything from a predominately one-woman-show and a concert along with heavy doses of musical theatre and even a touch of single-mom real talk.

Earlier this week, as Bowersox was preparing for this weekend’s show, I had the opportunity to pose a few questions to her for the latest in my recurring interview feature, Rapid Fire.

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RAPD FIRE Q&A WITH CRYSTAL BOWERSOX

 JHP: Having worked on Idol myself during the first two original seasons, I know a little about the behind-the-scenes. As a former Idol contestant, what do you look back at with fondness?

CRYSTAL BOWERSOX: Well, you know it’s a crazy ride, then!! Thanks for taking the time to do this interview. A lot of it was and still is a blur to me – it was a trying time in my personal life having just had a baby a few months prior to the audition. I struggled to find quality child care for my son during the process and my mind was way more focused on the well being of my child than on my participation in the competition. That dynamic made it difficult for me to just sit back and enjoy the trajectory our life was on. I was simultaneously struggling to afford my insulin and healthcare costs pertaining to my Type 1 Diabetes, but things got easier once I advanced past the top 10 stage of the competition. I fondly remember the moments on set with the crew and contestants – the jokes and conversations had with vocal coaches, hair and make-up personnel – visits from the well known celebrities and their families in the green rooms after show tapings – experiencing Los Angeles restaurants with a little bit of status – all of these things were new and incredibly unfamiliar to me having grown up poor on a farm in the midwest. It was all very strange and wonderful at the same time. I am especially grateful for the stability the show brought to the life of my son and I.

JHP: Alright, just gotta ask…what’s your oddest Idol memory?

CRYSTAL BOWERSOX: Ha! There were so many odd moments. One that was televised was right after a live performance of the song, People Get Ready. I had cried at the end of the song because I’d spotted my father in the audience wearing sunglasses (he only wears them indoors if he knows he’s going to cry). I was overwhelmed with gratitude in that moment for everything that was happening, for how far I’d come in just a few months. I went from crashing on my dad’s couch, basically homeless with a baby, to being carted around by drivers and covered in expensive clothes and make-up on prime time television. When Ryan Seacrest came over to talk to me after the performance, I saw a handkerchief peeking out of his breast pocket. I grabbed for it to dry my eyes, but it wouldn’t budge. So I pulled harder and when it ripped out of his pocket, I realized that it was only the corner of an actual handkerchief, just taped into place. I still have it. Laughing through tears, I said, “Ugh…. Hollywood!!” Nothing is quite as it seems there.

JHP: Oh, wow. I totally remember watching that. What was the genesis of Trauma Queen as a stage show?

CRYSTAL BOWERSOX: It’s been nearly 10 years since my time on American Idol. A LOT has happened in my personal and professional life since then. About 2 years ago, my mother lost her home to a devastating fire. The farm house that I grew up in burned to the foundation. It was a rough upbringing. I didn’t have a lot of fond memories in the house. So there were a lot of feelings to sort through with the loss of it, and emotions that I hadn’t yet sorted through regarding my past relationships, traumatic life experiences and issues with addiction. What better way to sort through them all of them but by creating a piece of art? My music has always existed that way – My pain put into words and music has been healing for not only myself, but also for my audiences. I wanted to continue that effort in a new, unique way.

JHP: I understand you’ve collaborated with two-time Pulitzer Prize nominee and Peabody winner, Willy Holtzman and singer/songwriter/producer Marty Dodson (who’s penned songs recorded by everyone from Plain White T’s to George Strait) on this project. How did you guys meet and come to work together?

CRYSTAL BOWERSOX: Willy Holtzman is an amazing human being. One of my absolute favorites. I’m so honored to work with him, and with Marty Dodson, who writes incredible songs for many well known artists. I met both Willy and Marty in New York City. I was reading for a part in another musical that they were both working on. Willy approached me one day and said, “I’m pretty sure your wikipedia page doesn’t do your story justice. Let’s write it out.” I resisted the idea at first – there were parts of my personal story that I wasn’t very proud of. The thought of putting it all out there was terrifying. As we went through the process of writing the script (which took about a year) Willy helped me realize that by talking openly about my mistakes, missteps and triumphs I could liberate myself from any guilt or shame I held. He convinced me that by sharing my story, I could possibly help others heal and do the same. I’m grateful he kept pushing me out of my miserably comfortable zone. Ha!

JHP: How did you get connected with Studio Tenn to collaborate on Trauma Queen?

CRYSTAL BOWERSOX: The first mention to me of Studio Tenn was from Bob and Merle Higdon, just about a year before I actually connected with Studio Tenn. Bob and Merle had mentioned to me then that Melinda Doolittle worked with Studio Tenn frequently and suggested she and I connect. When Willy Holtzman and I finished our script, he reached out to Benji Kern who he had worked with years prior and suggested we all work together on our new show Trauma Queen. Studio Tenn has been trying to reach me through the cosmos for a while! I feel as though it has been the intention of the universe for quite some time that we should all come to know one other.

JHP: As you mentioned, my pal Benji Kern, Studio Tenn’s interim artistic director is producing. How has it been working with him on this project?

CRYSTAL BOWERSOX: Oh my goodness, I LOVE working with Benji. He is a man of big, wonderful ideas, and has the determination to bring them to fruition. He has been so inspiring to watch and learn from. I admire his talent and work ethic. He’s not the kind of person who sits and simply wonders, “It would be cool if this happened”. He makes it happen! Benji is my spirit animal.

JHP: Gotta admit, Trauma Queen is indeed an intriguing show title. Was it immediately the title, or were there other contenders?

CRYSTAL BOWERSOX: Initially, the title, Trauma Queen was a little ha-ha joke of an idea. But I spent a lot of time with it and the phrase developed into a much deeper title in my heart. Women (and men, especially) are often told not to be so dramatic… We are taught from a young age to harden the emotional parts of ourselves – that our feelings should be squelched and minimized so as to not ruffle any feathers and make others around us more comfortable. I do not agree with this. I believe that the practice of hiding parts of our hearts does more damage than good. I prefer to be open and honest with my feelings. A Trauma Queen is defined in my opinion as a woman, a person, who has the courage to truly conquer their demons. Someone who has learned from their mistakes and chooses to rule over them like battle scars, replacing shame and guilt with a sense of accomplishment and pride, rather then letting negativity take control of their psyche – which will cause all sorts of other disfunction in life. A Trauma Queen is anyone who has been to hell and back emotionally but decides to rise like a phoenix from the ash of their past.

JHP: What can audiences expect from Trauma Queen?

CRYSTAL BOWERSOX: Bring your Hollywood hankies! We’ve been calling this a “Theatrical Rock Concert” rather than a musical, because the majority of songs included in the show are ones that I’ve released previously on past albums. Some of the songs are brand new and help support the characters and stories. I explain the genesis of each song as if I’m in that moment of my life, in real time. Actors play out the different characters in each story, as the music plays on. We shine a spotlight on the generational cycle of abuse and disfunction in families, with the triumphant realization that history doesn’t have to be repeated. There will be tears; however, there will be a lot of laughs, too. I’ve managed to cope with my past through a lens of humor despite the darkness of some of the stories.

JHP: One of the aspects of your life you touch on in Trauma Queen is being a single mom. Has that experience affect you in regard to presenting your authentic self as a performer?

CRYSTAL BOWERSOX: I haven’t spoken publicly about my son’s father. Trauma Queen will change that. I’ve written songs about the loneliness of it all, for myself and from my son’s perspective, but have never really touched on any of the details surrounding that chapter in our lives. American Idol was adamant that I not publicly share that story as it didn’t fall in line with the “America’s Sweetheart” persona. There is such a stigma surrounding the phrase, “Single Mother”. I am determined to change someone’s mind about it. I didn’t want to be a single mom. That was my son’s father’s choice. I knew it would be the most difficult road to travel. While that remains true, I am so grateful that my life has played out this way. Every ounce of strength I’ve ever had has come from my love and devotion to my son, and from my determination to give him a better life than I ever had before him. He will never have to question how loved he is. I try to teach him that living authentically and honestly is important, and that you absolutely can make a living doing something you’re passionate about every day of your life if you’re determined to work hard and make it a reality.

JHP: Following this weekend’s presentation of Trauma Queen, what’s next for you…and the show?

CRYSTAL BOWERSOX: I can’t predict the future, but my hope is that people will have been inspired by it enough that interest will grow in the production, and the show will be able travel to different cities and theaters. After the show this weekend, I will be launching a KickStarter crowd sourcing campaign to hopefully fund my next independent album release. The record will include a few of the songs from Trauma Queen. I’ll continue to tour in November and release the new record sometime in the spring of 2020.

And I think I’ll finally be due for a real vacation with my boy. I haven’t taken a single one in ten years. Yeah, I think it’s time. He and I deserve it.

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Crystal Bowersox’s Trauma Queen will be presented by Studio Tenn at 7p.m. Saturday, October 26 at The Franklin Theatre (419 Main Street, Franklin, TN). At the time of this interview, a select number of tickets remain. CLICK HERE to purchase tickets. To keep up with the latest from Crystal, CLICK HERE or follow her on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Twitter.

Up next at Studio Tenn is Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella on stage at Jamison Hall at The Factory at Franklin from December 6-29. CLICK HERE  for tickets or more information. You can always check out Studio Tenn online at StudioTenn.com or follow their socials at Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Wanna check out previous Rapid Fire conversations? CLICK HERE. Interested in coverage for your latest entertaining endeavor? Click the contact page and drop me a note. You can also follow JHP Entertainment on Instagram and Facebook.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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