Theare

Rapid Fire 20 Q with Director and Cast of The Gift of Song’s ‘Footloose: The Musical’; onstage March 19-22

March 17, 2026 by Jonathan

High-energy, heartfelt, and packed with ‘80s nostalgia, The Gift of Song ‘s Footloose: the Musical is ready to cut loose with performances Thursday, March 19 thru Sunday, March 22. With a dynamic cast led by Jonny Child & Claire Billingsley, with Steven Kraski and more, under the direction of the youth-oriented company’s longtime creative force Leslie Berra, this production promises to bring the beloved story of rebellion, healing, and the power of music to life in a fresh and electrifying way at Shelby Theatre at Freedom Middle School (1000 Excellence Way, Franklin, TN 37064). For my latest Rapid Fire 20Q, I recent posed questions to the aforementioned cast and director, diving into everything from iconic roles and behind-the-scenes insights to the nostalgia inherent in a show like Footloose.

———-

RAPID FIRE WITH FOOTLOOSE‘s REN, JONNY CHILD

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Ren McCormack arrives in Bomont as the ultimate outsider. What was your way into understanding this character and the frustration he feels walking into a town with a ban on dancing?

JONNY CHILD: I believe dancing serves as Ren’s escape from the emotional pain he experiences after his father leaves him and his mother. When he arrives in a place where dancing is banned, he realizes that the one outlet he has for coping with that trauma is suddenly taken away. Because of this, it makes sense that he would strongly speak out against the rule. I connected with this idea through music. Music is my own escape from reality, so if I were told that I was not allowed to sing, play, or even listen to music, it would be very difficult for me to simply accept that.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: At 18, you’ve been involved in theatre for more than half your life and have already stepped into directing and composing. How have those behind-the-scenes interests and experiences influenced the way you approach a role like Ren?

JONNY CHILD: Through my experience working both on stage and behind the scenes, I have developed a process for approaching characters. I begin by looking at the character from a broad perspective, considering their backstory and the events that may have shaped them before the story begins, as well as what their life might look like after the events of the show. This helps me understand why they behave and react the way they do. Next, I try to connect the character’s experiences with moments or emotions from my own life. Finding those personal connections allows me to step into the character’s perspective and better understand what they might be thinking or feeling with each line they deliver. Finally, I bring all of these elements together to build a character that feels complete and fully understood from my point of view.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: is there a trait that Ren possesses that you might adapt in your own life after the show closes?

JONNY CHILD: Yes, Ren is a very observant character. Personally, I am not always as observant as he is. I tend to focus on one thing at a time rather than allowing my attention to wander and simply observe what is happening around me. However, I think being observant is a very valuable trait. It allows someone to better understand the people and situations around them, which ultimately leads to a deeper awareness of others.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Footloose is famous for its electrifying dance numbers. What’s the most physically demanding moment in the show for you?

JONNY CHILD: The most physically demanding moment in the show for me is the song “I Can’t Stand Still.” As the title suggests, I am moving for nearly the entire number. In addition to the constant movement, the vocals are also quite challenging. Because the choreography includes breakdancing and I still have to deliver several longer vocal lines, it requires a lot of stamina. By the end of the song, I am pretty out of breath.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Of course the 80s feature prominently in the Footloose score. If Ren McCormack could pick one modern song——to blast in his Walkman headphones while dancing around Bomont, what would it be?

JONNY CHILD: I’ve got to say, I think “Uptown Funk” by Mark Ronson (featuring Bruno Mars) is a song Ren would have a blast dancing to.

RAPID FIRE WITH FOOTLOOSE‘s ARIEL, CLAIRE BILLINGSLEY

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Ariel Moore is bold, rebellious, and fiercely independent. What do you find most compelling about stepping into her shoes?CLAIRE BILLINGSLEY: I find her confident nature and sense of self extremely compelling. I love her determination to achieve more that what others expect of her, and it feels great to be able to perform the role of an independent and intelligent woman.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: How has exploring Ariel inspired you outside the show?

CLAIRE BILLINGSLEY: Exploring Ariel has inspired me to look into what we do for ourselves and what we are really only doing for others. Ariel has many moments throughout the show where she is pretending to be something she is not just to gain recognition from another person. After taking a deeper look into my own habits, I have found myself being more genuine in day to day life.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Ariel and Ren share a spark that pushes the story forward. What’s been the most fun part of building that onstage chemistry with Jonny Child?

CLAIRE BILLINGSLEY: Being love interests with someone in a musical can be both awkward and really fun. It means that even in the more intense one on one scenes, there is someone else who is feeling exactly what you are, which creates more genuine connections offstage as well. The whole cast has become very close over the past few weeks and I am definitely going to miss being in this show.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Ariel has some unforgettable musical moments. Which song in the show do you think will be part of your playlist long after the final curtain?

CLAIRE BILLINGSLEY: “Holding Out for a Hero” will forever me part of my playlist. It is just a fun song with an all too familiar storyline and deeper meaning. Not to mention that both the broadway and Bonnie Tyler versions are fantastically done.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: You’re a senior planning to study musical theatre and law after graduation—quite the combination! Is there a lesson within Footloose that might shaped those ambitions?

CLAIRE BILLINGSLEY: In Footloose, the teens of the town realize that it is their responsibility to invoke the change they would like to see. This has contributed to my ambitions by confirming the fact that I want to be one of those change makers in the world. Whether it is through storytelling or new bill proposals, I want to help those around me and make the world a better place.

RAPID FIRE WITH FOOTLOOSE‘s REVEREND MOORE, STEPHEN KRASKI

JHPENTERTAINMENT: You actually played Ren in your high school production of Footloose over 20 years ago. What was your reaction when you realized you’d now be stepping into the role of Reverend Shaw Moore?

STEVEN KRASKI: It has definitely been a full circle kind of moment for me, that’s for sure. I had a lot of fun channeling my inner Kevin Bacon in my senior year, and I have so many great memories from it. Now having the opportunity, two decades later, to be this group’s Shaw for their go around feels pretty cool. There may have also been a part of me that got a little bit too excited about the character’s baked-in lack of choreography.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Reverend Moore is often seen as the antagonist, but he’s also a grieving father trying to protect his community. How do you humanize him for the audience?

STEVEN KRASKI: Some of the best antagonists are ones who believe they’re doing the right thing. Shaw, motivated by grief-driven fear to protect his child, very much fits that mold so that alone humanizes him in a tragic way for me. His actions, particularly against his family, will make it hard for the audience to like him throughout but the shame he feels by the end is what finally lets us see him for what he is…lost.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Where does Reverend Moore fall on the spectrum of roles you’ve played?

STEVEN KRASKI: This role falls into a very unique category for me. I haven’t had many opportunities to play the antagonist before, let alone one with such a sad arc tucked into an otherwise light-hearted romp. It’s been an interesting journey and one I will cherish as I do my previous run with this show.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: The relationship between Reverend Moore and Ariel sits at the emotional heart of the story. What has it been like building that dynamic with Claire Billingsley?

STEVEN KRASKI: I think one of the hardest things I have ever had to do in all my years on stage is to be so mean to Claire Billingsley! She’s such a sweet and talented person, an amazing singer, and so easy to work with, but when I have to raise my voice (or hand) to her, it breaks my heart every time. Otherwise, it has been an absolute joy!

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Having once been the rebellious teen at the center of the story and now portraying the authority figure—has your perspective on Footloose changed? AND…What do you hope audiences take with them after experiencing The Gift of Song’s Footloose?

STEVEN KRASKI: Oh most certainly! I must admit, as a teenager I don’t feel like I had quite the respect for the depth of Shaw’s arc and the greater story it tells about unhealed trauma and the pain it can cause the ones we love. So that is absolutely something I will personally be taking home with me. As for the audience, deeper themes aside, I just hope everyone has as much fun watching it as we have had putting it on!

RAPID FIRE WITH FOOTLOOSE DIRECTOR, LESLIE BERRA

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Before we get into talking about your current production of Footloose, what can you tell me about The Gift of Song, the youth-oriented theater company you found it in 2007?

LESLIE BERRA: The Gift of Song began as a way to reward kids who, when they were unable to land a role at our local community theater in Santa Clarita, would often serve as crew instead. The original vision was to provide one night where these kids could perform whatever they wanted, without having to fit a role, without any restrictions as to content, and without any cost involved. After gifting these kids that one night, my husband and I realized we could keep the group going, offering more kids a chance to shine. We continued with the Santa Clarita group through 2013 (and I still fly back to do two projects a year there, even now).

Fast forward to 2015, about 18 months after I moved here, and the group was resurrected to provide the same opportunities to youth here, with one change: all ticket proceeds would benefit the non-profit theater company where we were performing (we spent two years helping Towne Centre Theatre, and in 2019 we worked closely with Street Theatre Company) .

Fast forward again, and we are now an official non-profit, enabling us to receive grants and fundraise. I returned to my first love: producing and directing full-length musicals, initially just for teens. Starting in 2024, we expanded our programming to include two adult/mixed generation musicals, three youth musicals and two teen musicals. And the group has always had a focus on community service, conducting a minimum of three charity drives a year to help the homeless, kids in foster care and house-bound, low-income seniors.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: What is it about Footloose that makes it a perfect fit as The Gift of Song‘s latest offering?

LESLIE BERRA: The Gift of Song’s mission is to provide performance opportunities, especially where they are few and far between. Surprisingly, Williamson County doesn’t offer a lot of mixed-generation community theater, it’s mostly all-adult or all-youth casts . Footloose is a perfect fit because we have some incredibly seasoned adult actors performing alongside a dozen enthusiastic teens with varying degrees of experience. I’m a firm believer that we can all learn from each other, old (er) and young, and that we need more theater that includes all generations working side-by-side.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: For a show that tells the story of a town that outlaws dancing there there’s a lot of dancing in Footloose. To that end, you’ve enlisted choreographer Schuyler Phoenix. What’s it been like collaborating on this project with Schuyler?

LESLIE BERRA: This is my eighth collaboration with Schuyler in less than three years. We first worked together on Cabaret at Pull-Tight in 2023 and discovered that we really clicked creatively, often finishing each other’s sentences as our vision of a production number naturally aligns. Schuyler is so good at always incorporating the characters and their storylines into the dance, and has a way of bringing out the best in each performer, ensuring that everyone looks good and is comfortable with what they are doing. She’s also not afraid to take risks creatively, which is something I greatly value in a production team member.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: On the subject of collaborators, in addition to directing you’re also divvying up the vocal direction tasks with Lauren Case. How had sharing this responsibility affected rehearsals?

LESLIE BERRA: I’ve almost always handled the vocals for the shows I’ve directed, so I’ve come up with a pretty smooth process to handle both that and the direction of the show (as the founder of this organization, I’ve worn many, many hats over the years).

I’ve been working with Lauren for 11 years now. She was one of the first young performers I worked with here in Tennessee after moving here from Santa Clarita. I’ve had the privilege of directing her in countless musical variety shows and A Taffetas Christmas. I’ve watched her grow up, go off to college, and return with several degrees from Eastman School of Music. Lauren truly “gets me,” knowing how to help out wherever I might need it. For Footloose, having Lauren co-vocal direct meant we were able to accomplish everything in half the time, as we would divide and conquer the parts to each song. It’s a deceptively difficult score, so Lauren’s expertise brought tremendous value to Footloose, and her assistance freed me up to focus on other things.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: With an ‘80s score packed with recognizable hits, what moment in this production do you think audiences will be talking about most on the drive home?

LESLIE BERRA: I’m pretty sure it will be “Holding Out for a Hero”, it’s an out-of-this-world experience, and unlike the traditional staging people are accustomed to seeing.

———-

Ready to cut loose? Whether you’re an ‘80s superfan or just looking for an evening of high-energy entertainment with heart, you won’t want to miss The Gift of Song’s production of Footloose: the Musical, running Thursday through Saturday, March 19–21 at 7:30 PM, with matinee performances on Saturday and Sunday, March 21 and 22 at 2:00 PM at the Shelby Theater inside Freedom Middle School. CLICK HERE for tickets. To keep up with the latest from The Gift of Song, CLICK HERE or check them out on Facebook.

As always, if you wanna follow JHPEntertainment to find out who I’m chatting with for my next Rapid Fire Q&A, or for my take on the latest local and national theatre, music and movie offerings, visit JHPENTERTAINMENT.com or find us on Facebook, Insta and Twitter. In the meantime… #GoSeeTheShow!

Theatre Review: A Historic Anniversary and a Bit of Local Influence Add to the Fire of Nashville Premiere as National Tour of ‘Suffs: The Musical’ Marches Across Stage at TPAC’s Jackson Hall

March 4, 2026 by Jonathan

Members of the cast of ‘Suffs’ First National Tour (all photo by Joan Marcus courtesy suffsmusical.com)

There are opening nights… and then there are opening nights that feel cosmically aligned with history. On March 3, 2026, the national tour of Suffs unfurled its banners at TPAC’s Jackson Hall in Nashville—and not just on any date. Music City’s first performance landed on the 113th anniversary of the 1913 Women’s March organized by young activist Alice Paul, when more than 5,000 women paraded down Pennsylvania Avenue demanding the right to vote, led by the indomitable Inez Milholland astride a white horse. History echoed loudly inside Jackson Hall that night.

From the opening strains of the period-perfect ragtime-syncopated “Let Mother Vote,” maternally led by Mary Grandy‘s Carrie Chapman Catt and backed by a vocally powerful ensemble, Suffs makes it clear: this isn’t a museum piece. It’s a movement. The storytelling feels urgent, strong, and emotionally immediate—never preachy, always human.

At the center stands Maya Keleher as Alice Paul—focused, flinty, and fiercely principled. Her “Finish the Fight” functions as both rallying cry and mission statement, delivered with unwavering conviction. Later, in “Insane,” Keleher reveals the psychological toll of imprisonment with a performance that is raw without losing control. Opposite her, Grandy’s Carrie Chapman Catt brings seasoned authority and strategic patience to the aforementioned “Let Mother Vote.” Their Act II duet, “She and I,” beautifully captures the tension—and eventual respect—between two women fighting for the same goal through different methods. Grandy’s “This Girl” adds reflective depth, grounding the generational divide in lived experience.

As Ida B. Wells, Danyel Fulton commands attention with moral clarity, emotional precision and powerhouse vocals to rival a certain recent Broadway Gypsy. “Wait My Turn” simmers with justified frustration, and when she returns in “I Was Here,” alongside Mary Church Terrell (Trisha Jeffrey) and Phyllis Terrell (Victoria Pekel), the moment lands as a declaration of presence that resonates well beyond the period setting. Speaking of Fulton’s co-stars, Jeffrey brings elegance and resolve to Mary Church Terrell, particularly in “Hold It Together,” serving as an emotional anchor amid political fractures. Meanwhile, Pekel’s Phyllis as well as a later turn as Robin, reinforce the vitality of youthful exuberance necessary for any movement to continue into the next generation. Whenever any of these three talented performers are on stage, the audience is mesmerized and treated to stunning vocals.

Monica Tulia Ramirez’s Inez Milholland radiates charisma in “The March (We Demand Equality),” which she leads alongside Fulton’s Ida and the ensemble in one of the production’s most visually arresting sequences. Act I’s “Show Them Who You Are” showcases Ramirez’s sass while Act II’s reprise flips the script to haunting results. Milholland’s personal life and sacrifices poignantly reveal the true dedication these powerful, but often unsung heroes of the moment possessed.

As Lucy Burns, Gwynne Wood delivers a blazing “Lucy’s Song,” electrifying the audience with defiance, while Livvy Marcus injects Doris Stevens with sharp wit, youthful urgency and to borrow a descriptive of Mary Tyler Moore’s Mary Richards…spunk, particularly in “The Young Are at the Gates,” which propels Act II forward with fire.

Laura Stracko‘s Alva Belmont is boisterously brilliant. Gotta love a socialist socialite. Act I’s “Alva Belmont” introduces the character in a big way. With another period-nod, “Alva Belmont” is presented as a toe-tappin’ Tin Pan Alley-style ditty complete with playful, yet pointed lyrics: “I divorced my husband for philandering. Now I’ve got his millions for philanthropy.” Flawlessly introducing the character. Interestingly, while not really relevant to the plot, I discovered while researching to interview some of the cast that the real Alva Belmont, a native of Alabama, has ties-by-association to Tennessee. Her maternal grandfather, Robert Desha was a U.S. House of Representatives for the state of Tennessee. In the years before her political activism, she was first married to William Kissam Vanderbilt, the grandson of Commodore Cornelius Vanderbilt (for whom Nashville’s Vanderbilt University was named).

As President Woodrow Wilson, Jenny Ashman offers a sharply drawn portrayal. “Ladies” drips with calculated condescension (and sadly echoes a little too closely our current administration’s views on the arguably stronger sex, but I digress). Later in the show, Ashman’s Wilson attemps to placate with “Let Mother Vote (reprise)”, which lands with pointed irony. On Opening Night in Nashville, Ariana Burks stepped into the role of President Wilson’s Third Assistant Secretary of State Dudley Malone, a role usually played by Brandi Portert. Covering the role, Burks shines in “Respectfully Yours, Dudley Malone,” blending romantic sincerity with political awakening. Her chemistry with Marcus’ Doris in “If We Were Married” and its reprise adds warmth and texture to the broader narrative. Just one of a handful of relationships, while not at the center of the narrative, a wonderful aside. Other notable personal relationships alluded to within Suffs include sorority sisters Ida B. Wells and Mary Church Terrell, friends Alice Paul and Lucy Burns and longtime partners Carrie Chapman Catt and Mollie Hay.

The ensemble numbers—“Find a Way,” “The Convention Part 1 & 2,” “The Campaign,” and “August 26th, 1920”—surge with collective momentum, creating stage pictures that feel both intimate and epic. Act I builds to the layered and emotionally charged “How Long?,” leaving the audience suspended in uncertainty before intermission. Act II escalates quickly with the explosive “Fire & Tea,” a collision of ideology and impatience that crackles with tension. Side Note: I love that during my Rapid Fire 20Q, Marya Grandy noted that the effigy to Woodrow Wilson seen in “Fire & Tea” is made of kitchen utensils! Giving me a little insider info that I’m happy to pass along to my readers.

Across the board, the vocals are exceptional. Touring companies frequently fall victim to the occasional technical issue inherent in the logistics of setting up in a new venue each week—but not Suffs thanks to Jason Crystal‘s sound design and the impeccable vocals skills of the entire cast. From the first notes of “Let Mother Vote” to the powerful final bars of “Keep Marching,” the vocals—both individual and united—were crisp, clear, and strong. Harmonies were tight. Lyrics were fully intelligible. Not a single mic felt unbalanced, and the orchestra never overpowered the storytelling. The sound mixing and design were remarkably polished for an opening night in a new city, allowing the emotional weight of each lyric to land cleanly and confidently. Considering even though I was there to review the show, yet relegated to the back of the theatre in seats Ida B. Wells herself would reject, the sound throughout the show was simply perfect. Every lyric, every note delivered and received with precision and clarity.

Visually, the touring production is both strong and fluid. Based on Riccardo Hernandez‘ Broadway scenic designs, Christine Peters has adapted ever-moving walls and platforms, unfurling drapes and banners suggesting both protest staging and democracy under construction, while seamless transitions allow rallies, jail cells, convention halls, and the Tennessee State House to materialize with cinematic efficiency. Hair and wig design by Charles G. LaPointe and Paul Tazwell‘s period-authentic costuming clearly delineates factions, with the crisp whites of the National Woman’s Party glowing under strategic lighting in “The March (We Demand Equality).” Lap Chi Chu‘s lighting design proves especially effective in “Insane,” where stark isolation heightens emotional impact. Add to that choreographer Mayte Natalio‘s movement choices from the opening number and throughout the show…what I’ve dubbed marchography. It’s succinct and effective without being too rigid, further conveying the forward-momentum and motivation of the cause. On the lighter side, there’s a segment about halfway through the show that takes place at a bar when Natalio’s genius draws the eye to a couple patrons in the background who raise their beers and clink their drinks in rhythm to the song being performed that caused me to make a mental note: drinkography. The absolute attention to everything from period references in wardrobe and music styles to sets, lighting and movement throughout Suffs, a multitude of reasons this show is so enjoyable.

Earlier, I made reference to Tennessee’s connection to the subject matter. While “Down at the State House” sets the stage, it’s “A Letter From Harry’s Mother”, featuring Laura Stracko, Jenna Lee Rosen and Maya Keheler, that transforms the evening into something deeply local for those of us from The Volunteer State. As mentioned in my recent Rapid Fire 20Q with members of the cast, this moment recounts Tennessee’s pivotal role in ratifying the 19th Amendment, when, in August 1920, Tennessee became the 36th and final state needed for ratification.

When Stracko’s Phoebe, Rosen’s Harry, and Keheler’s Alice bring that story to life onstage, it hits differently in Tennessee. The reaction inside Jackson Hall was immediate and thunderous—very possibly the most sustained applause the company has received on tour during that particular sequence. It wasn’t simply appreciation. It was pride. It was recognition. It was a state seeing itself in the story of progress. Something, sadly we as a state are lacking these days. (An aside: Dubbed in the press of the day as “War of the Roses,” saw pro-suffrage lawmakers wearing yellow roses while opponents donned red. So naturally, yours truly donned a yellow lapel flower while attending Music City’s Opening Night.)

By the time “Keep Marching” swelled in the finale, led by Alice and the full ensemble, it no longer felt like the end of a performance. It felt like a charge forward. After all, as Suffs reiterates time and time again, progress is not inevitable. It is organized. On opening night at TPAC, Nashville didn’t just witness history. It gratefully recognized its role in it.

———-

Created by Shaina Taub, this thrilling and emotionally charged musical shines a spotlight on the brilliant, passionate, and often divided women who fought tirelessly for the right to vote. Beyond the accolades lies a story that feels especially resonant here in Tennessee — the final battleground that secured ratification of the 19th Amendment. More than a century after Tennessee cast the deciding vote, Suffs reminds us that history is not just something we inherit — it’s something we shape. And sometimes, it only takes one voice to tip the balance.

The national tour plays TPAC’s Jackson Hall March 3–8 with the following performances: Tuesday, March 3 – Friday, March 6 with 7:30pm curtain, Saturday, March 7 – 2:00pm & 7:30pm, Sunday, March 8 – 1:00pm* & 6:30pm.

*Sunday’s 1pm performance includes ASL interpretation, Open Captioning, Audio Description, and Large Print and Braille programs.

To purchase tickets to Suffs at TPAC, CLICK HERE. Following Suffs, Broadway at TPAC‘s 2025-2026 Season continues with another Music City debut as Back to the Future takes to the stage March 17-22. CLICK HERE for tickets or more info. Follow TPAC on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube & TikTok.

Not in Nashville? Catch Suffs in a city near you as the National Tour continues with stops in Charlotte, Boston, Dayton, Minneapolis, Detriot and more through summer of 2026. CLICK HERE for upcoming tour stops. Keep up with all things Suffs via the show’s socials on Facebook, Insta, X , TikTok and YouTube.

In case you missed it, CLICK HERE to read my Rapid Fire 20Q with members of the Suffs cast. 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, visit JHPENTERTAINMENT.com or find us on Facebook, Insta and Twitter. In the meantime… #GoSeeTheShow!

Rapid Fire 20Q with ‘Suffs: The Musical’ Cast Members; National Tour at TPAC March 3-8

March 3, 2026 by Jonathan

Members of the cast of ‘Suffs: The Musical’. (Photo by Joan Marcus courtesy musical.com)

There are few places in America where Sufffs lands with more historical weight than Tennessee — proudly known as the “Mother of the 19th Amendment.” In August 1920, it was the Volunteer State that became the 36th — and final — state needed to ratify the amendment, officially granting American women the right to vote. The dramatic showdown, later dubbed the “War of the Roses” — named for the yellow roses worn by pro-suffrage lawmakers and the red roses sported by those opposed — came down to a razor-thin margin and a 24-year-old East Tennessee lawmaker, Harry Burn, who famously changed his vote to “yes” after receiving a note from his mother urging him to “be a good boy” and support ratification. In that moment, Tennessee didn’t just make history — it sealed it.

More than a century later, the Tony Award-winning musical Suffs marches into TPAC’s Jackson Hall March 3–8, telling the story of the brilliant, relentless, and often divided women who made that historic victory possible. Created by Shaina Taub, this exciting new work doesn’t simply revisit the fight for suffrage — it underscores how fragile progress can be, and how much courage it takes to defend it.

Before the national tour takes the Nashville stage, JHPEntertainment caught up with Suffs cast members Marya Grandy, Trisha Jeffrey, Victoria Pekel and Tami Dahbura for an abbreviated Rapid Fire Q&A conversation about legacy, love, activism, and why this story feels anything but confined to the past.

———-

RAPID FIRE 20Q WITH MEMBERS OF THE CAST OF SUFFS: THE MUSICAL

RAPID FIRE WITH SUFFS‘ Carrie Chapman Catt, ACTRESS MARYA GRANDY

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Carrie Chapman Catt was a strategic architect of the suffrage movement — how do you approach portraying such a politically savvy woman?

MARYA GRANDY: Carrie sets the tone at the very top of the show with the opening number. When we started rehearsals, our director Leigh Silverman said, “This is Carrie’s party. She is the host.” By the time the show begins, Carrie has been involved in the suffrage movement for over 25 years, learning from Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton. I have been lucky enough to have had some incredible mentors in my life, so I draw upon that. It doesn’t matter that I personally do not have a background in politics; being a female-identified individual in America is political all on its own.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: The show doesn’t shy away from ideological clashes within the movement. How do those tensions play out in your performance?

MARYA GRANDY: Shaina has written Suffs so well that she has done most of the heavy lifting for me. All I have to do is sing or speak the words on the page. The way it plays out for me is that Carrie gets increasingly isolated and off-message as her fixation and anger at Alice grows. Fear has a way of cutting people of from one another, and Carrie’s fear that Alice is jeopardizing her life’s work leaves her very much alone for a while.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: I love the tagline that’s used in association with Suffs, “Behind every powerful woman…are more powerful women”…Who are the powerful women behind Marya?

MARYA GRANDY: I am lucky to have had an incredible group of powerful women I went to college with, and we are all still very much in each other’s lives. My mom instilled in me the importance of female friendships when I was very young, and I honestly do not know where I would be without them.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Set designer Christine Peters adapted Ricardo Hernandez’s original Broadway scenic design for the tour. Is there a detail-however grand or minute-that makes you smile?

MARYA GRANDY: I love that the effigy of Woodrow Wilson is made primarily of kitchen utensils. It makes complete sense; when they were constructing it, women had to use what was at their disposal.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: This may seem obvious, but why do you think Carrie’s story resonates so strongly with audiences?

MARYA GRANDY: Carrie was an extremely driven individual. In Suffs, she loses perspective and gets bogged down in the idea of her way being the only way, even when it’s to her detriment, and to the detriment of the movement itself. Everyone has felt that way at one point or another in their lives, of being so focussed on being right that it renders you immovable. It is such a human reaction

RAPID FIRE WITH SUFFS‘ Mary Church Terrell, ACTRESS TRISHA JEFFREY

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Mary Church Terrell fought for both suffrage and racial equality — what has been most eye-opening about learning her history?

TRISHA JEFFREY: Suffs makes you want to do a serious deep dive into history to learn the facts on who these women were and what they really did. Mary Church Terrell was one of the first Black women to graduate college, a pioneering activist and educator who spoke four languages. She was the co-founder of the NACW — their acting president for three terms — as well as a co-founder of the NAACP. Mary fought tirelessly for racial and gender equality and her many victories proved that racism and sexism could be crushed simultaneously.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: How does Suffs handle the complicated intersections of race and feminism within the movement?

TRISHA JEFFREY: Racism within the movement was no secret and Mary was determined to confront it head-on, fighting for everything she believed in. When white suffragists chose to ignore and sideline the needs of Black women, telling them to march at the back of the line, Mary Church Terrell staged a coup, mobilizing Howard’s Delta Sigma Theta sorority to integrate the parade, igniting headlines. Mary still spoke on behalf of suffragists despite the obstacles within the movement for Black women.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Is there a particular element of the show that feels especially powerful from your perspective onstage?

TRISHA JEFFREY: Paul Tazewell’s amazing costume designs perfectly inform the era, the pride and regality of who Mary Church Terrell was, which is probably what my most favorite thing is about all her costumes. The details in Paul’s work are impeccable. As the artist, I can effortlessly slip into who Mary was, bringing me closer to how she must’ve felt and what her true vision was for the world. The hardest part is probably how hot I can get on stage from wearing so many genuine wool layers!

JHPENTERTAINMENT: What do you hope audiences take away about Mary Church Terrell after seeing the show?

TRISHA JEFFREY: Truth be told, Mary Church Terrell was a trailblazer. Instead of using her wealth to live an easy life, she chose to stand up for civil rights and women’s rights, fighting inexhaustibly until the day she died. Mary helped create significant change, leaving behind a legacy that deserves to be known worldwide.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Having performed in productions as varied as Rent and Motown, how does the musical style of Suffs compare?

TRISHA JEFFREY: Suffs is a musical unlike any other. It beautifully emulates what the women experienced in their lifetimes, set to gorgeous, riveting music that moves your soul and makes you want to jump out of your seat.

RAPID FIRE WITH SUFFS‘ Phyllis Terrell and Robin, ACTRESS VICTORIA PEKEL

JHPENTERTAINMENT: As a recent Yale grad who studied Political Science and Theater major, you just might have landed in the perfect show. Do you agree?

VICTORIA PEKEL: Absolutely! It genuinely feels like the perfect combination of my interests. I studied both Political Science and Theater Studies because I’ve always been passionate about storytelling and social change, and Suffs lives right at that intersection. Especially in this current political climate, getting to be part of a show that sparks conversations about progress and civic engagement feels incredibly meaningful. Art has always been a very powerful way to hold a lens up to our world, and Suffs reminds us that the right to vote exists because of people who decided it was worth fighting for and refused to give up.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Phyllis Terrell represents the younger generation observing the fight — what resonates most with you about her?

VICTORIA PEKEL: What resonates most with me is that she isn’t just observing the fight – she’s helping to finish it (reflected in the song “Finish the Fight” in the show). As a young person and someone who cares deeply about activism, it means a lot to represent the moment when the younger generation steps into a movement and realizes the fight now belongs to them. I love getting to talk with students at talkbacks or young people at the stage door who feel inspired by the story or relate to the character, especially young Black women. Both Phyllis and the other character I play, Robin, share this incredible determination and fire, and I really connect with that spirit.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: What has surprised you most about making your national tour debut with this production?

VICTORIA PEKEL: What has surprised me most is just how deeply the show impacts audiences. People cry every night, and getting to talk with them after the show is really special. I recently met two women in their seventies who had spent their life advocating for women’s rights, and they told me this show came at a moment when they were starting to feel discouraged. Hearing them and others talk about how hopeful the story made them feel, and how much they learned about this history, was incredibly moving. And of course, life on the road has been a bit of an adjustment — it’s definitely very different from my college dorm room!

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Mayte Natalio choreographed Suffs. Her work resulted in her receiving a Critics Choice Chita Rivera Award. Not exactly your typical Broadway musical dance-heavy show, how would you describe the choreo in Suffs?

VICTORIA PEKEL: Working with Mayte Natalio has been phenomenal. She’s not only a brilliant choreographer, but also such a thoughtful artist who brought the best energy to the rehearsal room. The choreography in Suffs feels very grounded in humanity and real movement. There are moments with more restrained, almost “ladylike” choreography that I believe reflects how women were expected to present themselves at the time, particularly with characters like Carrie Chapman Catt. But then there are songs like “The March” and “How Long” where the movement grows more passionate and expansive. My personal favorite is “Fire and Tea”, where the women protest at the White House gates by burning an effigy of Woodrow Wilson. The choreography leaves me out of breath in the best way. It feels earthy, powerful, and almost witchy. Sharp and yet fluid. It just captures Shaina Taub’s music beautifully.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Within your show bio, you dedicate this role to the memory of your mother. What aspect of this show, and your character in particular, do you think your mother would most-relate to?

VICTORIA PEKEL: There are many things about this show that I believe would have meant a lot to my mother, Tanya. One of the things I love about playing Phyllis, the daughter of Mary Church Terrell, is the connection to the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, one of the nine historic Black Greek-letter organizations. Mary Church Terrell was the sorority’s first honorary member and helped shape some of its founding principles. My mom was a proud Delta, along with my late grandmother and my aunts, so I come from a family of Deltas — a group deeply dedicated to activism and service in our communities. Every night we get to reference the Deltas showing up to the 1913 March even while Black women were being marginalized and excluded within the suffrage movement. That moment means a lot to me personally. My mother was a trailblazer and an incredibly strong woman, and I think about her every night when we honor the women who paved the way.

RAPID FIRE WITH SUFFS‘ Mollie Hay, ACTRESS TAMI DAHBURA

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Mollie Hay was one of the younger, more radical suffragists — what excites you most about stepping into her fire?

TAMI DAHBURA: I was excited to delve into finding out more about Mollie since we are so completely different. Her devotion to the causes she believed in was very inspiring to me, yet somewhat intimidating because I’ve never been a particularly political person. Mollie’s energy and devotion to the causes she believed in — women’s suffrage and the Temperance Movement — were seemingly endless. Mollie’s life, as well as being a part of Suffs, is really motivating me to become more involved in politics.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: You also cover powerhouse Alva Belmont. How different is it playing a street-level activist versus a major financial force behind the movement?

TAMI DAHBURA: Well, Alva seemed to be able to delegate people to do the hard work for her. All she had to do was write a check — or have someone write a check for her. Mollie was definitely “feet on the ground” involved in all her causes.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Suffs’ creator Shaina Taub has spoken about including Mollie’s relationship with Carrie Chapman Catt within the structure of the musical. Do you think it’s vital to highlight their relationship, even if just as a notable aside?

TAMI DAHBURA: It is definitely very important and vital to this piece, and any recounting of this era in history. We need to normalize love in ALL its forms, and we need to let people know that love IS love IS love. Whether it be for a cause or another person. Mollie and Carrie loved their causes and they loved each other deeply. They were together for well over 30 years — a lot longer than a lot of marriages and relationships. They were a true testimony to a wonderful partnership in life and love. This is something that I feel is important to show and share with audiences everywhere.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: As Mollie, you’re a part Act 2’s “Fire & Tea” number. What’s your favorite aspect of this particular moment in the show?

TAMI DAHBURA: Well, Mollie does not say a lot in this scene, but she is listening and reacting very intensely, and I thought it was very important for me to focus on these two actions. Even though Carrie is doing most of the talking, Mollie is actively behind her supporting her in that unspoken way that partners do for each other. You can see everything both women are fighting for in this moment in my face and my physicality. I don’t really need to say anything in order for the audience to see and feel everything I am feeling in that moment.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: What do you hope audiences take with them after experiencing Suffs?

TAMI DAHBURA: I really hope that audiences learn how important it is for all of us to continue to fight for human rights — especially for women. We are in a time in history that these rights are being threatened, and it is incumbent on all of us to be vigilant and active in ensuring that our human rights are not stripped away. I also hope that audiences learn that even though things are hard to do, they can still be achieved through hard work and persistence — and LOVE!

———-

Direct from Broadway, Suffs arrives in Nashville fresh off its Tony Award wins and widespread critical acclaim. Created by Shaina Taub, this thrilling and emotionally charged musical shines a spotlight on the brilliant, passionate, and often divided women who fought tirelessly for the right to vote. Beyond the accolades lies a story that feels especially resonant here in Tennessee — the final battleground that secured ratification of the 19th Amendment. More than a century after Tennessee cast the deciding vote, Suffs reminds us that history is not just something we inherit — it’s something we shape. And sometimes, it only takes one voice to tip the balance.

*Sunday’s 1pm performance includes ASL interpretation, Open Captioning, Audio Description, and Large Print and Braille programs.

Theatre Review: Nashville Rep’s Collab with Nashville Shakes Serves Up ‘Fat Ham’ with Sauce and Soul and We’re All Invited to the Cookout; On Stage at TPAC’s Johnson Theatre thru February 22

February 18, 2026 by Jonathan

Okay, okay, I’ll admit it. When I was assigned to read Shakespeare‘s Hamlet in high school and again in college, I read the Cliff’s Notes instead of diving in to the full text. Even if I had read the play, nothing could have prepared me for just how relatable and uniquely enjoyable playwright James Ijames‘ take, Fat Ham is, especially in the hands of Nashville Rep‘s current production directed by Mikael Burke, featuring a truly stellar cast and co-presented by Nashville Shakespeare Festival; on stage at TPAC‘s Johnson Theatre thru Sunday, February 22.

Yes, I know the basic themes: familial strife, loyalty, deceit, treachery and death, but my Hamlet knowledge lies more in that episode of Gilligan’s Island in which the castaways turn The Bard’s classic into an unintentionally comedic musical than in the original text. Here’s the cool thing though…you don’t have to be a literary elitist to understand or fully revel in this Pulitzer Prize-winning adaptation.

Over the past 400 years or so, Hamlet has been presented in settings from war zones to psychiatric wards. IJames’ Fat Ham, not only modernizes it, but takes some brilliant liberties . Flipping the script by peppering the dialogue with quick comebacks, modern references and hot topics while also including clever nods to familiar soliloquies. Nashville Repertory Theatre’s co-production with Nashville Shakespeare Festival brings the story to vibrant life for the regional premiere.

The Bard’s Elsinore Castle now replaced by the everyman kingdom of a backyard cookout in the American South. There’s a grill smoking, table and chairs set for an impromptu wedding celebration, and the low hum of family history hanging in the air. At the center is Juicy—a young, Black man haunted not only by the ghost of his recently deceased father, but also a few internal battles ranging from his own sexuality and what his future holds to protective feelings towards his mother and disdain of his uncle. Early on, The ghost insists he was murdered by Juicy’s uncle, who is now celebrating his engagement to Juicy’s mother. The parallels to Hamlet are unmistakable—but the lens is entirely new.

While I myself as probably considered as white as Wonder Bread, so many of Ijames’ themes, ideals and plot devices resonate with me in the best, most unexpected ways. Through that unmistakable Southern family bond, the familiar rhythms of a backyard gathering, Ijames reframes the story not as a tragedy of indecision, but as a meditation on inherited trauma and the radical act of choosing something different, all with a darkly comedic twist.

The production leans into that communal spirit. The humor lands with knowing precision, the shade draws audible reactions, and the audience feels invited into the rhythm of the gathering.

As Juicy, this retelling’s Hamlet, Julian “Joolz” Stroop delivers a performance that is instantly mesmerizing. Dressed in black, but with flare that lets us know they’re their own person deep down, Stroop’s Juicy is a stark contrast to the bright, bustling energy around them, Stroop embodies what it means to feel different within your own family. Their Juicy is wickedly sarcastic, deeply unsure of themself, yet painfully self-aware. Where Shakespeare’s Hamlet spirals toward destruction, Juicy wrestles with whether violence is the only inheritance available. Stroop captures the tension between rage and restraint with remarkable control. You can see the weight of expectation pressing in—the desire to prove themself to a father who was cruel in life and demanding in death. Stroop’s performance reflects the universal burden of feeling unseen, and when ultimately questioning the necessity of revenge, it lands with emotional clarity. Whether performing a telling karaoke number at the BBQ, sharing a laugh with friends, a more intimate moment with a lifelong crush or tense scenes with parental figures, Stroop steps up and shows out in a memorable Nashville Rep debut performance.

Tamiko Robinson Steele’s Tedra, the Queen Gertrude counterpart, is a sheer joy to behold from her first entrance on. She exudes sensual confidence and the unapologetic energy of a woman determined to find happiness on her own terms. One of my longtime favorite regional actresses, Robinson Steele masterfully reveals the emotional compromises beneath that surface. Like Gertrude, Tedra aligns herself with the new man quickly—but here, the choice feels rooted in survival and stability rather than simple obliviousness. Robinson Steele balances humor and depth beautifully, embodying a mother navigating grief, desire, and the societal pressures that center men in her world. And did I spot a bit of gold in that megawatt smile? A fun nod to Queen Gertrude and Tedra’s own status at the Queen of her castle. Nice touch.

Speaking of royalty, the aptly named Bakari J. King indeed commands the stage in the dual roles of Rev (Claudius) and Pap’s ghost (the Ghost of King Hamlet). As Rev, he radiates the swaggering authority of a man who believes the world revolves around him. Think George Jefferson…on steroids. As Pap, he shifts into something sharper and more unsettling. Gotta love that toothbrush shiv sticking out of his neck. King’s ability to transition between the earthly manipulator and the glittering, vengeful apparition is a testament to his range. In scenes with Stroop, the tension between the two is a thick as the accompanying fog machine—he generational trauma thickening the air like the aroma of pork shoulder on the grill. King grounds both roles in recognizable patriarchal power, avoiding caricature while leaning fully into the characters’ egos.

As Larry, the Laertes counterpart, Michael A. McAllister-Spurgeon initially leans into bravado and expected masculinity. But as the story unfolds, he allows vulnerability to seep through the cracks. Like Laertes, Larry is poised to embrace retaliation—but McAllister-Spurgeon reveals the insecurity driving that impulse. His performance underscores how young men inherit scripts of aggression without ever being asked whether they want them. The nuance he brings elevates Larry from stereotype to fully realized human being. And that finale reveal….YAAAAAAS!

Candace-Omnira reimagines Ophelia through Opal with warmth, wit, and agency. Unlike Shakespeare’s more fragile Ophelia, this Opal is emotionally grounded and self-aware. She perfectly balances buoyancy with sincerity, creating a character who feels refreshingly modern. Her chemistry with Stroop is honest and believable, offering Juicy a glimpse of something healthier than the violent expectations placed upon him. Candace-Omnira’s comedic timing shines in ensemble scenes, but it’s her emotional steadiness that leaves a lasting impression.

Persephone Felder-Fentress steps into a gender-switched Polonius role as Rabby, Larry and Opal’s mother, with sharp comedic precision. While Shakespeare’s Polonius is verbose and meddlesome, Rabby feels more direct and grounded. Felder-Fentress handles the humor effortlessly, but she also brings a relatable maternal complexity to the role. You know that female relative who always pinched your cheeks as a kid and inevitable asks “when are you getting yourself a girlfriend?” That’s Felder-Fentress’ Rabby. The dynamic between Rabby, Larry, and Opal textbook good christian family facade masking those things we don’t talk about beneath the surface. Y’all, during Rev’s pre-feast prayer, when I noticed Felder-Fentress’s Rabby clicking her bejeweled heels together in prayerful agreement to each thing Rev mentioned, I knew I longed for an invitation to the cookout!

Rounding out the players is Gerold Oliver’s Tio, the Horatio character. Though his stage-time is limited, he is a delight as usual. His comedic timing, pulled facial expressions and overall demeanor a joy to watch. Yet Oliver ensures Tio is more than comic relief. In a climactic, albeit alter-state-induced monologue that begins like a muchie-fueled rambling, but soon climaxes into something unexpectedly profound. Oliver lands the humor and the wisdom with equal finesse as Tio reminds the audience of the play’s core truth: “Far as we know, we are in the only place in the cosmos that welcomes our particular brand of life. Why waste it trying to be miserable cause it’s gonna make somebody else happy?”

Behind the scenes, the crew of Fat Ham is just as stacked. From the beginning, it’s evident that director Mikael Burke understands the world of this play down to its bones. There’s an easy authenticity to the staging that makes the backyard feel lived-in and immediate. Director Burtke’s stage direction keeps the audience’s attention and the action moving, while never becoming too chaotic. The show’s more intimate moments are perfectly choreographed down to the most dramatic sneer or the subtlest caress.

Once again Nashville Rep’s resident Scenic Designer Gary C. Hoff’ has created a set I could live in. With what appears to be a modular home set on a brick-o-block basement—complete with grill, patio furniture, and a sliding glass door (complete with time-worn smudges) offering a glimpse into the house, and even the inclusion of fallen leaves on the rooftop— it feels less like a theatrical construct and more like an actual family gathering you’ve stumbled into. I absolutely loved the little detail of the “Happy” half of an old “Happy Birthday” banner hanging with balloons as the last-minute party decor, while the “Birthday” half of the banner is visible discarded in the trash can by the basement door, just another way in which this set looks lived in and real, not simply constructed for the show. Ijames’ script heightens the immersive aspect by including a few fourth-wall breaking lines like “what are you telling them” as actors nod toward the audience in acknowledgement. The echoes of real-life cookouts: home-cooked food and fun with a side order of judgment from elders, unlocking palpable memories.

Amber Whatley’s lighting brilliantly shifts from warm afternoon glow to something cooler and more spectral when Pap’s ghost appears, then changing throughout from the familiarity of a family gather to the intensity of truths revealed. Nivedhan Singh’s sound design underscores both the humor and the haunting without overwhelming the text and lifting the mood when called for.

Melissa K. Durmon’s costume, hair, and makeup design ground each character in specificity—these are people you recognize, rendered with care and intention. Gotta love Durmon’s attention to detail fully on display in the color palate of each cast member’s wardrobe. Tedra and Rev are regal and grounded in traditions of marriage and conformity in shades of red and earth tones, while Tedra’s more animalistic urgers are represented in the addition of an animal print. Juicy’s uncertainty is isolation visually present in his monochromatic wardrobe, but his love of his mother, a message literally emblazoned across his chest, while his sarcasm and flair evident in an added accessory. Rabby’s family ties are representing in all three members in shades of blue, a symbol of loyalty and nobility. Durmon again highlights individuality among these three from Larry’s rigid uniform and Opal’s subtle defiance pairing a forced dress with combat boots, while the matriarch presents authority and perceived (or hoped-for) regality in her royal blue ensemble complete with matching church lady hat, purse and bejeweled heels. Then there’s Tio, whose casual colorful style remind us all that there is lightness around, we just have to be willing to see it.

What makes Fat Ham so powerful, and ultimately relatable to modern audiences is its refusal to follow Shakespeare to the grave. Where Hamlet ends in bloodshed, Fat Ham asks whether that ending is inevitable—or merely inherited. By centering Black culture, queer identity, and the specificity of a backyard cookout, Ijames expands the original rather than replicating it.

Fat Ham treats Shakespeare as a blueprint, a playbook—ripe for reinterpretation, reclamation, and joy. A great reminder that the themes of revenge, masculinity, grief, and identity are universal, whether played out in Danish castles, Elizabethan stages or right in our own back yard. Themes that are found in every backyard, every family, every life. Like I told my friend who accompanied me to Nashville Rep’s Opening Night of Fat Ham, “Who knew Willie Shakes could be so fun?”

Nashville Rep‘ and Nashville Shakes‘ co-production of FAT HAM continues with performances through Sunday, February 22. CLICK HERE for tickets. Next up at Nashville Rep will be SISTER ACT April 10-19. Closing out the season will be Amy Tofte‘s BLOOD SUCKING LEECH, as part of Nashville Rep‘s New Works: Next Stage, after having presented a staged reading of Tofte’s work just last season. CLICK HERE to purchase tickets.

As always, check out Nashville Rep online and follow them on Facebook, X, YouTube and Instagram.

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

Rapid Fire 20Q with the Storytellers of ‘Big Fish’; on stage at The Keeton February 6-22

February 5, 2026 by Jonathan

Few musicals capture the space between truth and imagination quite like BIG FISH, the 2014 Drama Desk–nominated musical by Andrew Lippa with a book by John August. Based on Daniel Wallace’s novel Big Fish: A Novel of Mythic Proportions and the 2003 film written by John August and directed by Tim Burton, the story explores the myths we create, the legacies we leave behind, and the love that binds families together.

Now swimming onto the stage at The Keeton beginning Friday, February 6, Big Fish blends soaring music, theatrical spectacle, and deeply human storytelling as it follows Edward Bloom — a man whose life is told through towering tales — and his son Will, who must learn how to listen beyond facts to understand the heart of his father’s stories. JHPENTERTAINMENT sat down with the artists bringing this mythic journey to life for a Rapid Fire 20Q conversation about imagination, family, and the power of storytelling.

RAPID FIRE 20Q WITH CAST AND DIRECTOR OF THE KEETON’s BIG FISH

RAPID FIRE WITH MICHAEL WALLEY, EDWARD BLOOM IN BIG FISH

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Edward Bloom is a man of myth, magic, and tall tales—what excited you most about stepping into his larger-than-life shoes?

MICHEAL WALLEY: The music of BIG FISH is absolutely gorgeous. This past fall, I was driving when Fight the Dragons came on the SiriusXM Broadway channel, and it completely stopped me in my tracks. I already knew BIG FISH was in The Keeton’s season, and I made plans to audition immediately. I’d describe myself as more of an “actor who sings” than a traditional vocalist, and Edward’s music stretches across haunting ballads, twangy pop, and everything in between. Bringing his character to life through that musical range has been both thrilling and demanding. Truthfully, I feel like I’ve been training for a marathon. My hope is that through every note, Edward’s larger-than-life heart and spirit come through loud and clear.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: A quick perusal of your theatre credits reveals your previous Keeton roles as Singin’ in the Rain’s Cosmo Brown and White Christmas’ Phil Davis share the common thread of being the comic foil to those show’s leading men—what sets Edward apart from roles you’ve played before?

MICHEAL WALLEY: At the end of our run of Singin’ in the Rain, my good friend Matthew Roberts, who played Don Lockwood, said something like, “I think you need the chance to play a leading man with some substance.” While I absolutely loved playing comic sidekicks like Phil and Cosmo (and I’d happily play either role again! Hint hint to any theatre company who needs a comic-dancer-goofball), Edward’s journey is overflowing with depth and meaning. I still get the chance to make ’em laugh, but this time I also get to take The Keeton audience on a much deeper emotional journey. Truly, I’ve never played a character anything like Edward.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Edward’s stories often say more about love than facts. What do you think Edward is really trying to pass on?

MICHEAL WALLEY: Without giving too much away, a character near the end of the show realizes that Edward’s tall tales were always meant to inspire. I grew up in a small town in Mississippi, much like Edward’s Alabama hometown, and I always had this sense that there was something bigger out there. I wasn’t satisfied unless I was chasing it, and even now, in my 30s, that feeling hasn’t gone away. Edward is the same because he’s always chasing the next big dream, and his stories become a way to invite others into that sense of possibility. Facts may fade (and we live in 2026, does anyone really care about facts?), but inspiration is what lasts.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: As a writer, puppeteer, and voiceover artist, how have your many creative hats informed your approach to this role?

MICHEAL WALLEY: This role has flexed creative muscles I didn’t even know I had. I get to play Edward at multiple stages of his life, moving from wide-eyed teenage heartthrob to cranky old man. Jumping between different voices, physicality, and energy levels is something all my creative side-quests have really prepared me for. It also helped me better understand what John August was trying to convey. Edward evolves throughout his life, but his spirit stays consistent even as his body and circumstances change.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: If Edward Bloom were telling your life story, what detail would he absolutely exaggerate?

MICHEAL WALLEY: First of all, I’m 100% positive Edward would describe me as six-foot tall, wildly muscular, rich enough to buy a tall-and-skinny in 12 South, and effortlessly hitting every high note in Andrew Lippa’s score. But for real, I like to think he’d tell the story of a small-town Mississippi boy who loved theatre, set it aside during college and early adulthood to focus on what mattered, and then realized in his late 20s that his dreams and passions really mattered too. He’d talk about Micheal jumping into the Nashville theatre scene, making meaningful art, building lasting relationships, and getting to tell stories that truly matter, like Edward Bloom’s.

RAPID FIRE WITH CLAIRE YANCEY, SANDRA BLOOM IN BIG FISH

JHPENTERTAINMENT: This marks your Keeton debut—what made Big Fish the perfect first dive into this community?

CLAIRE YANCEY: The Keeton has been such a positive space from day one. Even at auditions, I felt immediately welcomed and comfortable, and it was clear how much heart and dedication everyone brings to make this not only a great production but a great experience for everyone involved. I feel deeply connected to this cast and genuinely look forward to coming to the Keeton for every rehearsal. This community has welcomed me with open arms, and I could not have asked for a better first show at this theatre.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: With a background in classical piano and voice, how does Lippa’s score speak to you as a musician?

CLAIRE YANCEY: As a musician, learning Lippa’s score has been one of my favorite parts of this process. There is something really special about working through the more intricate and challenging moments of the music together as a cast and watching it all click. Hearing songs you have listened to countless times come to life in the room with the people around you is incredibly satisfying. I love the rich harmonies and the wide range of musical styles throughout the show, which makes the score both exciting and deeply rewarding to perform.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: What’s one moment in the show where you feel Sandra’s heart most clearly?

CLAIRE YANCEY: This may feel like an obvious answer, but it is definitely during I Don’t Need a Roof. This is the moment where Sandra is seen most clearly and vulnerably. Throughout the show, she works hard to be strong for Edward and their family, often hiding how deeply his illness is affecting her.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Sandra’s love story spans a lifetime—what do you find most beautiful about her journey?

CLAIRE YANCEY: From the very first moment they see each other, there is something magical about the way Sandra and Edward recognize something special in one another. Throughout the show, you can see that their relationship never loses its youthful spirit, even as the magic and adventure settle into the reality of growing old together. They remain deeply in love, still carrying that sense of playfulness and joy with each other.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Sandra is the emotional anchor of Edward’s wild imagination. How do you ground her while still letting the magic exist?

CLAIRE YANCEY: I think Sandra is grounded because she is fully present and deeply attentive to the people she loves. She allows Edward, with his wild imagination, and Will, who is more grounded, to be fully themselves. Sandra has a beautiful ability to meet people exactly where they are and offer them steady love and support. While she still carries that same sense of wonder and adventure that connects her to Edward, she is also able to see the world clearly and hold space for both perspectives.

RAPID FIRE WITH JACOB HINNEN, WILL BLOOM IN BIG FISH

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Will Bloom is caught between frustration and wonder—what’s been the biggest challenge in telling his story?

JACOB HINNEN: The biggest challenge has been living in the tension between frustration and hope, especially as Will wrestles with what it means to be a father himself. He’s demanding truth from Edward, but underneath that is a deep need to understand the man behind the stories before he becomes a father himself. That tension drives every interaction. Hope is always present, but it’s tested, stretched, and reshaped as Will tries to reconcile who his father is with who he needs to be.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: You’ve played romantic leads and comedic roles—how does Will stretch you differently as a performer?

JACOB HINNEN: Playing Will stretches me differently because his confidence is paired with constant questioning. Unlike roles where the character’s path is clear or emotions are outwardly expressed, Will is always wrestling with what it means to be a son and a future father. I’ve had to channel that drive, balancing certainty with curiosity, so the audience can feel both his boldness and the weight of his internal journey.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: The father–son relationship is the emotional spine of BIG FISH. What has portraying Will taught you about listening?

JACOB HINNEN: Will has taught me that listening isn’t just about extracting answers and simply responding; it’s about recognizing intention. Edward is telling the truth in his own way, and Will has to learn that fatherhood isn’t always taught through facts, but through meaning. Playing this role has reminded me that listening sometimes means setting aside your expectations long enough to hear what someone is really trying to convey.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: This performance is dedicated to your dad. How does that personal connection shape the way you step onstage each night?

JACOB HINNEN: My dad always believed in me, even when we didn’t fully understand each other. I carry his presence with me onstage, feeling the push and pull of tension, hope, and love in every moment. It’s shaped how I tell this story: a story of love conquering death, of listening to understand rather than listening to simply respond, and of never giving up hope. Every night, stepping into Will’s shoes feels like honoring him while exploring what it truly means to be a son and eventually, a father.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: If Will could rewrite one of Edward’s stories, which moment would he finally see differently?

JACOB HINNEN: Will wouldn’t change the events themselves; he’d change the way he sees them. He’d recognize that Edward’s stories weren’t just embellishments, but expressions of love, courage, adventure and guidance. They were a father’s way of teaching him how to live fully, love boldly, and carry hope even in uncertainty.

RAPID FIRE WITH AARON GRAY, DIRECTOR OF BIG FISH

JHPENTERTAINMENT: What was the very first image or moment from BIG FISH that made you say, “I have to direct this show”?

AARON GRAY: The first time I saw BIG FISH, there were several moments that brought me to that realization, but they all came back to the father–son relationship at the heart of the show. As a father of a six year old son, that dynamic hit me in a very immediate way, especially the moment when Will realizes he’s about to become a father himself, and suddenly his relationship with his own dad begins to change. That felt incredibly honest and personal to me.

I was also deeply moved by the love story. The way Edward loves Sandra, with imagination, devotion, and unwavering certainty, is something I think every romantic partnership should strive for. It’s romantic, but it’s also rooted in commitment and choice.

What ultimately made me say I had to direct this show is that it truly has everything! Romance, comedy, drama, and moments of theatrical magic, but at its core, it’s just a beautifully told story about family, love, and how we come to understand one another.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: BIG FISH lives in the space between reality and imagination—how did you approach balancing spectacle with emotional truth onstage?

AARON GRAY: The magic in BIG FISH only works if it’s grounded in emotional truth. We always let the relationships lead, and allowed the spectacle to grow out of what the characters are feeling, rather than the other way around.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: What can you tell me about your creative discussions with Ian Mannino, this production’s musical director, in regard to bringing Andrew Lippa’s whimsical score to life?

AARON GRAY: John August includes a note to the director in the script that points to a video Andrew Lippa created, where he dives deeply into the score, showing how the songs function dramatically and emotionally. Having that level of insight directly from the composer was an incredible resource, and it became a foundational tool in my conversations with Ian.

From there, our discussions were really grounded in respect for Andrew Lippa’s writing. Our shared goal was to keep the music true and honest to what he wrote. The score already contains so much whimsy, warmth, and emotional clarity that we never felt the need to overcomplicate it. Instead, Ian focused on letting the music breathe and supporting the storytelling, while I concentrated on how the songs live inside the characters and the moment.

What emerged from that collaboration is a score that feels both playful and deeply sincere. When the music is treated with that kind of care, its beauty really speaks for itself, and it becomes a powerful emotional guide for the audience throughout the show.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: In your show bio you describe this as a dream project. What part of your own storytelling sensibility feels most at home in BIG FISH?

AARON GRAY: At its heart, BIG FISH asks two questions that feel very personal to me: “What makes a good father?” and “How do heroes live on?” As a father, I connect deeply to the first question. The show shows us that being a good father isn’t about perfection, it’s about listening, showing up, and creating a space where your children can grow into themselves. Watching Will navigate his relationship with Edward while stepping into fatherhood himself felt incredibly real to me, and it’s a story I wanted to bring to life onstage.

The second theme, how heroes live on, is really about memory and storytelling. Edward becomes a hero not because he’s flawless, but because of the way his stories shape Will’s understanding of him and, in turn, the person Will becomes. That idea, that our loved ones live on through the stories we carry, is central to the show, and it resonates deeply with my own sense of storytelling. I’ve always been drawn to stories that exist somewhere between reality and imagination, where emotion comes first and spectacle serves the heart of the story.

For me, BIG FISH perfectly blends those elements: family, love, myth, and imagination. It allows wonder and sincerity to coexist, and that balance is exactly why it feels like a dream project, it’s a story that is both fantastical and deeply human, and it’s a story I truly love.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: What do you hope audiences carry with them long after they leave The Keeton and the curtain comes down on BIG FISH?

AARON GRAY: I hope audiences leave remembering the power of storytelling and the people they love. Big Fish reminds us that family and connection aren’t perfect, but they’re profound, and that our stories keep those we care about alive. I want them to feel the magic, the wonder, and the joy in seeing life, and love, through a lens of imagination, and to carry that feeling with them long after they leave the theatre.

BIG FISH opens at The Keeton on Friday, February 6 and continues through Sunday, February 22. Thursday performances are show only with Doors at 6:30pm and Show at 7pm. Friday & Saturday Doors at 5:45pm/Dinner at 6pm and Show at 7pm. Sunday matinee Doors at 12:45pm/Meal at 1pm and Show at 2pm. Show Only Tickets: $30.00 (Thursday performances), Adult Dinner and Show: $40.00, Child Dinner and Show: $35.00. CLICK HERE for tickets.

Following BIG FISH, The Keeton will present The Play That Goes Wrong with performances April 10-26. So you don’t miss out on upcoming shows at The Keeton Dinner Theatre, follow them on Facebook, X and Instagram.

Interested in coverage for your latest entertaining endeavor? Click the contact page and drop me a note. You can also follow JHP Entertainment on Instagram and Facebook. In the meantime, #GoSeeTheShow!

Rapid Fire 20Q with SIX MUSICAL’s Four Alternate Queens; National Tour at TPAC February 3 thru 8

February 3, 2026 by Jonathan

It’s been almost three years to the date since Music City theatre goers were first privy to experience a live audience with the Queens of SIX, the two-time Tony-winning musical that explores the stories of the women behind that morbidly fun sing-songy rhyme “Divorced, Beheaded, Died, Divorced, Beheaded, Survived”. As of Tuesday, February 3, that all changes as the Queens return to Nashville to hold court at Tennessee Performing Arts Center’s Andrew Jackson Hall with eight performances the through Sunday, February 8.

As expected, an audience with the Queen is an almost impossible task, let alone six of them, and let’s face it—without the use of a guillotine, 20 Questions don’t exactly divide by six evenly, so rather than interviewing the leads, I had the unique opportunity to chat with four members of the royal court known as The Alternates (more about that below in my first question) as the regal company of SIX prepared for their Music City reign.

——-

RAPID FIRE 20Q WITH SIX’s FOUR ALTERNATE QUEENS

RAPID FIRE WITH SIX ALTERNATE REESE CAMERON

JHPENTERTAINMENT: To start, while I’m pretty certain I know, for those who might not, What’s the basic difference between an alternate, understudy, swing and standby?

REESE CAMERON: An “alternate” is typically an on or off-stage cast member who will have weekly guaranteed performances to take over for a principal role— usually one that is very physically or vocally demanding (e.g. Tina Turner, Elphaba, Fanny Brice every Thursday is played by an “Alternate”). But in the SIX world, an Alternate means an off-stage cast member who understudies 3-4 Queens (our union caps us at 4 in the U.S., anywhere from 3-6 in the U.K. and elsewhere) The reasoning behind making us called “Alternates” instead of “Standbys” “Swings” or “Understudies” was because the team wanted us to feel just as important as our on-stage Queens. They emphasized that the reason we are off-stage is not because we are inferior or less talented, but rather that we have the capability of playing 1 or more On-stage Queens if we wanted to, therefore they wanted to give us a title with more respect. Oftentimes understudies, swings, and standbys are not given the same treatment or careful attention as onstage cast members and that’s something we’re constantly fighting for more rights about with other shows.

Understudies are on-stage cast members who play a character every night and also cover a principal role

Swings are typically off-stage members who cover several or all of the ensemble members — sometimes divided by gender and sometimes not. Swings can also be on-stage but it’s far more rare, usually because two of the swings are Dance Captain and Assistant Dance Captain and need to watch the show every week to note it and make sure the choreography upholds the integrity of the choreographer.

Standby’s are hired to be specifically off-stage but ready at a moments notice to go on for a principal role. I like to call standby’s the principal swings haha. If a principal calls out of a show, either the standby or the understudy will go on. It depends on the show which one is chosen.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: A quick perusal of your socials in preparation of our chat revealed you debuted as three of the queens within three weeks of each other— whose boots were the hardest to step into that first time?

REESE CAMERON: The hardest was most definitely Aragon because I learned her 2nd. I had a month of rehearsals with Cleves, 2-3 weeks with Boleyn, and only 5 days with Aragon and she has the most lines in the show and fires out of a cannon with her aerobic song and dance number right after an exciting and dynamic almost 6 minute opening of Ex-Wives which is a huge challenge of stamina.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: What has been the most gratifying aspect of tackling these roles on tour?

REESE CAMERON: I am simply so proud of myself and my Alternate family for having the mental professionalism and preparedness required to memorize 3 different principal characters for an 80 minute non-stop show. There is no time to check your notes for the next number like a swing might be able to do with a few song and dance numbers in between their next onstage moment, but for us? This 80 minute train doesn’t stop. And being prepared and CONFIDENT is such a huge accomplishment not just for 1 Queen, but for 3!!! I’ve loved playing 3 completely different characters and have unlocked parts of myself and my inner child that I have never gotten before with any other show.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Which do you admire most? Aragon’s power or Cleves’ confidence?

REESE CAMERON: Aragon’s power for sure! Cleve’s confidence is something I definitely need and aspire to have, but Aragon historically endured starvation and abuse from Henry’s father even before her marriage to Henry the VIII, and then after 24 years of marriage when Henry cheated on her, she had the strength to do what no woman at this time had ever done which was 1) speak in court 2) make her own court case and 3) represent herself in court against his misinterpretation and manipulation of Biblical word to prove the marriage was just and 4) WIN! And even after he abusively sends her away and separates her from her daughter, she remained emotionally strong, devoted to justice, a role model for the people of England, and remained the beloved Queen for many decades after her death. She endured some of the hardest trials and tribulations a person can go through and she did it with grace. I highly recommend reading more about her life. Aragon is a powerhouse of a human being and an outstanding woman.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: As a non-binary performer, what would you say to the queer kid sitting in the balcony?

REESE CAMERON: As I say in my bio “to the queer non-binary kid in the audience: you belong here”. In a hateful and divisive world, trans children need to know they have an accepting and loving family in the theatre community and especially in major cities like New York and LA. Trans actors belong in theatre, tv, and film just as much as cis actors. Theatre is a safe space for queer and trans people and there are so many roles and opportunities to be had in our industry that don’t require you to change yourself in order to fit into a show or a role. Theatre does not have to be gender dysphoric. My biggest recommendation is that trans and queer people start writing our own stories and musicals and films and TV shows and share it with the world because there are so many people who don’t know that they are queer or trans yet that watch media on Netflix and Spotify and go to see a Broadway show, and that may be the moment that they find themselves and discover who they are. Just look at how The L Word became a Sapphic Bible, or how Heated Rivalry is opening doors for athletes to come out or even for their stories to be heard. Trans and queer media changes the world and spreads love and Empathy. We need more trans and queer media.

RAPID FIRE WITH SIX ALTERNATE & DANCE CAPTAIN CARLINA PARKER

JHPENTERTAINMENT: You’re not only a performer in SIX, but also the tour’s Dance Captain. What does that added responsibility entail?

CARLINA PARKER: As Dance Captain, it’s my job to be a point person for choreography team while we’re on tour. I watch the show once or twice a week and write notes to make sure both the movements and the story behind them are being executed. I’m also available should anyone have any questions or concerns. We have an amazing choreography team based in New York that I’m in constant communication with, and the original choreographer will even pop in from London from time to time!

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Of the SIX, only one survived King Henry VIII. How would you describe Catherine Parr’s energy as portrayed in the musical in six words?

CARLINA PARKER: Honest, Kind, Intelligent, Empathetic, Inspiring, Powerful.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: SIX is resplendent with clever lyrics courtesy Book and Music collaborators Toby Marlow & Lucy Moss. What’s among your personal favorites?

CARLINA PARKER: Some of the script is written how some people text, and the audience would never know, but there’s one Parr line that’s written “R U 4 real?”and it’s SO funny. Also, “Okay ladies, lets get in reformation” -Cleves

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Touring perk you didn’t expect to love?

CARLINA PARKER: I expected to love the travel, I expected to love meeting the different fans from all over, but what surprised me is probably really silly. Since we don’t always have kitchens, I never have to feel guilty for ordering DoorDash.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Beyond the inherent closeness of a touring company, have you also developed an extra bond with your fellow alternates?

CARLINA PARKER: Yes! Arguably, the alternates are spending the most time together, between weekly rehearsals and (more often than not) sharing a dressing room with each other. The support you get from another alt is unmatched. We all know the joys and struggles of being an offstage cover in this show, covering multiple Queens, and we can be there for each other in the highs and the lows. It’s also so nice that we get along. I adopted the term “swing siblings” from another contract of mine, and it couldn’t be more true.

RAPID FIRE WITH SIX ALTERNATE ANNA HERTEL

JHPENTERTAINMENT: National Tour debut…how does that feel?

ANNA HERTEL: This tour is an absolute BLESSING! It truly feels like a pinch-me moment—this is my dream show, and getting to tell this story around the country is such a gift. I’m also so grateful for the opportunity to explore so many incredible cities along the way.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Is it just me? Or does Boleyn’s costume include a couple Easter eggs in its design? I mean…the neckline has what looks like a dotted line, as in ‘cut here’. Is that a reference to her demise by way of beheading or am I just overthinking it? AND…What’s your personal favorite detail in costumer Gabriella Slade ‘s Tony-winning creations?

ANNA HERTEL: There are so many Easter eggs woven into Anne Boleyn’s costume. My favorite is her iconic “B” necklace, symbolizing her pride in her family name. She wore it openly in court—something no woman had ever done at the time. After her execution, the “B” became a powerful symbol of strength, defiance, and legacy. I also love how Gabriella Slade incorporated Anne’s green sleeves into the design, a subtle nod to a love poem Henry VIII once wrote for her.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: You’re a Jimmy Awards Best Dancer honoree— how much did it mean to you to be honored for your talent in high school AND did that shape the way you approach each role in the time since?

ANNA HERTEL: The Jimmy Awards will always be one of the most meaningful moments in my career. Being able to perform on a Broadway stage alongside so many passionate, aspiring artists was truly unforgettable. The relationships I formed that week are still thriving, and I’m constantly reminded of how supportive and uplifting that community is. That experience gave me the confidence, perspective, and tools I needed to continue chasing this dream.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Researching to pose questions to you and your cast mates, I discovered you’re a bit of a newlywed, and will be celebrating your wedding anniversary in a few months. Your husband has come to see you on tour a few times, right? What’s been the most challenging aspect of touring while simultaneously starting such an exciting chapter in your personal life?

ANNA HERTEL: My husband, Brendan Coulter, is truly the biggest blessing in my life. We’ll be celebrating our 2-year wedding anniversary on March 23rd, and I’m feeling extra grateful reflecting on our journey. We met in college at Elon University studying Musical Theatre, and not long after, moved to NYC to chase our shared love for performance.

A year later, we became an acoustic duo called Honey I Duo, performing all around Manhattan — some of my favorite memories. He has been the most supportive husband throughout this tour (and has seen the show 10 times already). Long distance was hard at first, but then he joined the tour, working remotely and pouring his heart into writing his own music.

His music is truly incredible and is out now on all platforms — go listen.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: What’s one word that defines SIX for you?

ANNA HERTEL: ELECTRIC!

RAPID FIRE WITH SIX ALTERNATE ABIGAIL SPARROW

JHPENTERTAINMENT: First time I heard about SIX was from friends who saw it during its pre-Broadway trial run aboard a cruise ship. My research in anticipation of chatting with you and your costars revealed you first performed in SIX on the high seas as Katherine Howard in Norwegian Cruise Line’s production of SIX aboard the Breakaway luxury ship — so, I gotta know — performing a Broadway musical at sea — wild or wonderful?

ABIGAIL SPARROW: You’ve done your research! It was BOTH: wild AND wonderful. Working on SIX with Norwegian was my first professional job straight out of college. I learned a LOT about being a working professional actor and there was absolutely a learning curve of living on a floating vessel for 9 months. Doing performances on a rocky boat during the stormy weather patches was certainly an experience I will not forget, haha. I met some of my closest friends to this day on that cruise ship, and am very grateful that I have been able to stay in the SIX family for years to follow.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: After seeing SIX for the first time a couple of years ago during the first national tour, I described it as American Idol meets Spice Girls meets The Tudors. Fair assessment? AND How do you describe it?

ABIGAIL SPARROW: You’re definitely hitting the nail on the head with that assessment, totally! I’d add a little bit of K-POP flair into that description too, for my two cents. It’s certainly not your average Broadway musical, that’s for sure. A 90 minute high energy pop concert with killer costumes, lighting, and choreography that everyone is sure to enjoy no matter their background or connection to Tudor history.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: In addition to your current SIX responsibilities, you’re also working an album — what can you tell me about that?

ABIGAIL SPARROW: Thank you for asking! Yes, I am currently working on my first full length album set for release in Fall 2026. Back in March of 2025 I was incredibly honored to be awarded a $30,000 dollar grant from the Posthumous Prodigy Productions Fellowship for the album. Being on the road has allowed me lots of free time to write music and work with different producers across the country. Actually, I’m meeting with a producer right here in Nashville, the Music City! Which felt very fitting. I’m very excited to share it with the world this year. I also recently released my first EP on December 5th, 2025 called Jacaranda Trees. My music style is indie pop, think Muna meets Gracie Abrams meets The 1975. My music is available on all streaming platforms! I hope you check it out.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Since you have a bit of history with her — Katherine Howard — misunderstood or simply iconic?

ABIGAIL SPARROW: Oh, K Howie. Certainly misunderstood, and definitely iconic. The real Katherine Howard was known as the most promiscuous Queen back in her day, which feels like an unfair assessment given she was only 13 when the King took notice of her (ew). Her story is very reminiscent of the victim blaming stories of the modern day, where we look for errors in the victim rather than condemn the perpetrators of abuse and violence towards them. Of course we will never know for certain without asking her directly, but I feel she never had ill intentions towards the people she was involved with, and was taken advantage of by much older and more powerful men. In our show, Katherine takes back her power and changes the narrative to prove her intelligence and strength in her femininity. Which I definitely would say is… simply iconic.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: What do you hope audiences take with them after seeing the show for the first time?

ABIGAIL SPARROW: I hope that audiences leave with a new sense of empowerment to stand up to the Henry‘s in their own lives! We all have come across someone who has tried their hardest to make us small and powerless. And we all need to find that power within ourselves to rise up and fight back against those people. I hope people leave feeling inspired, and perhaps humming our songs on the way home with a little extra pep in their step.

——-

Whether they’re commanding the stage or waiting to rule from just offstage, these four Alternates prove that SIX isn’t just about crowns and costumes—it’s about resilience, community, and unapologetic power. Their own stories add yet another layer to an already exhilarating night at the theatre, reminding us that every Queen has a voice, whether they’re front and center or just off-stage ready to step into a regal role. Catch SIX as it storms back into Nashville at TPAC’s Andrew Jackson Hall Tuesday through Sunday, February 3-8, and come ready to cheer, sing along, and maybe leave feeling a little more emboldened than when you arrived. After all, these Queens aren’t loosing heads, they’re dropping mics! CLICK HERE to purchase tickets. Not in Nashville? No problem. You can catch these royals as their empowering processional continues its U.S. takeover with upcoming tour stops in Fort Worth, Los Angeles and a couple dozen more cities as the National Tour continues through early 2027. CLICK HERE for the full tour schedule or follow SIX on Facebook, X, YouTube, Instagram & TikTok.

Following SIX, next up at TPAC, it’s SUFFS: The Musical with shows March 3 thru 8. CLICK HERE for more info and follow TPAC on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube & TikTok.

Rachel Potter and Friends Return to Analog at The Hutton January 23 for Latest ‘Off Broadway’, Promising a Night of Magical Music

January 22, 2026 by Jonathan

Rachel Potter at Analog at The Hutton’s ‘Off Broadway’ series debut. (Photo by JHPEntertainment)

Following the success of its inaugural installments in 2025, Off Broadway returns to Analog at The Hutton on January 23, 2026, with a brand-new theme and an all-star lineup. Hosted once again by Broadway favorite (and Nashville resident) Rachel Potter, Off Broadway: An Evening of Magic will spotlight beloved songs from iconic animated films, celebrating the musical storytelling that has defined generations.

The Off Broadway series kicked off in October with Witch, Please, a Wicked– and Oz-inspired evening that packed Analog with Broadway powerhouses and theatrical flair. That one-night-only event set the tone for what has quickly become a must-see series—intimate, artist-driven concerts featuring top-tier performers in one of Nashville’s most distinctive venues.

This latest installment leans fully into nostalgia, fantasy, and heart, bringing Broadway-caliber talent together for a night of unforgettable music in Analog’s up-close setting.

A CAST WORTHY OF THE MAGIC KINGDOM

Leading the evening is Rachel Potter, whose career began at Walt Disney World before taking her to Broadway in Wicked, The Addams Family, and Evita. From viral vocal performances to her recent symphonic album Stages, Potter’s blend of powerhouse vocals and personal storytelling makes her the ideal host for a night centered on musical magic.

Joining Potter is an impressive roster of guest performers, including:

- Susan Egan, Tony-nominated Broadway icon and the original Belle in Beauty and the Beast, whose voice is forever etched into Disney history as Meg in Hercules.
- Caroline Bowman, celebrated for her on-stage turns as Wicked’s Elphaba, Frozen’s Elsa, Evita’s Eva Perón, and Sunset Boulevard’s Norma Desmond, bringing fearless vocals and commanding presence.
- Corey Mach, currently appearing in the film adaptation of Merrily We Roll Along, with Broadway and touring credits that span Kinky Boots, Wicked, and & Juliet.
- E.J. Cardona, Disney and VOCTAVE favorite, whose versatility spans a cappella, musical theater, and pop performance.
- Lauren Paley, viral creator turned Disney collaborator, known for her modern reimaginings of princess favorites.
- MORGXN, genre-defying singer-songwriter—and native Nashvillian—whose emotionally charged vocals add a contemporary edge to the evening.
- JADA, powerhouse vocalist and actress with pop, theatrical, and cinematic credentials.
- Matt Bloyd, acclaimed vocalist stepping into the spotlight with his own country-rooted original music.
- Wil Merrell, a soul-infused vocalist whose jazz-forward sound brings timeless elegance to the stage.
- Piper Jones, a Nashville native, recording artist, and commercial voice instructor at Belmont University. Known for her work in area productions such as Waitress, RENT, Violet, and The Little Mermaid, Jones blends theatrical storytelling with rich musicality. Currently working on her debut jazz album, she brings both local roots and Broadway sensibility to the Off Broadway stage.

Music direction for the evening is provided by Chris Brent Davis, whose Broadway, touring, and regional credits ensure a cohesive, high-level musical experience.

WHAT TO EXPECT

Audiences can expect a mix of iconic ballads, ensemble moments, and reimagined favorites performed by artists who have lived these stories onstage, at the Parks and beyond. With intimate staging and cozy seating , Analog offers a concert experience that feels personal, immediate, and perfectly tailored for a night you’ll not soon forget.

Ticket holders can also take advantage of:

• $10 flat-rate parking in the on-site garage

• 15% off dinner at Evelyn’s, the Hutton Hotel’s elevated American restaurant, perfect for a pre-show stop

TICKETS & DETAILS

General Admission / Standing Room: $35

Reserved Seating: $60

Tickets are available now! CLICK HERE to purchase.

Off Broadway: An Evening of Magic

January 23, 2026 at 8pm

Analog at Hutton Hotel

1808 West End Avenue, 2nd Floor

Nashville, TN 37203

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, visit JHPENTERTAINMENT.com or find us on Facebook, Insta and Twitter.

Behind the Barricade: Rapid Fire 20Q with ‘Les Misérables’ National Tour Cast Members

January 15, 2026 by Jonathan

Few shows in Broadway history carry the emotional weight, cultural legacy, and sheer endurance of Les Misérables. Following its 1980 Paris debut and a subsequent London premiere, Les Mis first stormed Broadway in 1987. Since then, the musical has lived many lives: record-breaking original runs, celebrated revivals, concert spectaculars, a current 40th Anniversary National Tour and an upcoming 2026 Les Mis Concert engagement at Radio City in New York, all proof that this story still hits just as hard.

Two years after Les Mis’ Broadway debut, Nashville theatre goers got their first chance to witness the spectacle when the National Tour made its TPAC debut at Jackson Hall during the spring of ‘89. Over the years, TPAC has presented subsequent tours nearly half a dozen times. As Les Misérables prepares to return to TPAC next week with eight shows over five days from January 20-25, we sat down with members of the current tour for our signature Rapid Fire 20Q. From Broadway debuts and tour firsts to deeply personal connections with Fantine, Marius, Éponine and Cosette, cast members Lindsay Heather Pearce, Peter Neureuther, Jaedynn Latter and Alexa Lopez share what it means to step into a show that has shaped musical theater history—and continues to change lives as the tour continues.

⸻

RAPID FIRE 20Q WITH MEMBERS OF LES MISÉRABLES NATIONAL TOUR

RAPID FIRE WITH LES MIS’ FANTINE, LINDSAY HEATHER PEARCE

JHPENTERTAINMENT: From The Glee Project to belting it out as Elphaba in your Wicked Broadway debut in 2020 to touring with Mean Girls and now Fantine in the 40th Anniversary Tour of Les Misérables, your entire career (so far) feels full of pinch me moments. With all these great roles already, do you even have a bucket list?

LINDSAY HEATHER PEARCE: It HAS been full of pinch me moments. The fact that I have yet to wake up from this dream is a good sign that it’s all real and actually happening. I have definitely been very lucky in the last five years of my life to play so many wonderful roles, but the bucket for my list is deep and my actual list is long. A lot of the roles I want to play the most are out of my age range right now (I would need a few more years under my belt), but my biggest dream is to originate or revive a show!

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Across Broadway, tours, and television, which role has most profoundly shaped you as an artist?

LINDSAY HEATHER PEARCE: I don’t know if I can pick just one! Each role I’ve been lucky to play has been so crucial to who I am today and was so important for who I was then.

If I had to choose, I would say Rebecca in Recovery Road on FreeForm and Elphaba in Wicked on Broadway.

Recovery Road was such a special experience, and to show up to set almost every day, to learn how to use those on camera skills we well as grow the skills of how to be a good team member on a set were some of the most important ones.

Elphaba was like taking a masterclass in self-care, self-understanding, bravery, humility, curiosity, and steadfastness. That’s on TOP of the lessons in leading a Broadway company, learning how to do 8 shows a week, and the excitement of joining such an incredible arena. Huge lessons, huge huge huge life changing lessons.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: How do you emotionally prepare to sing I Dreamed a Dream night after night?

LINDSAY HEATHER PEARCE: I’ll be honest, the show does it for me. Fantine has an entire factory scene before I Dreamed A Dream that is filled with character exposition. So much happens in that ten-minute scene that by the time I get thrown into the streets, I am emotionally there and ready to sing my heart out. That’s a testament to how well Les Misérables is written and structured. Even if it’s a tired day and I don’t know if I am mentally or emotionally there, the show will get me there.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: This tour cast features a great mix of actors making their tour debuts and folks like Nick Cartell (Jean Valjean) who have history with their roles, having appeared in prior productions. It’s often said that a touring company truly becomes family. Do you feel that with Les Mis?

LINDSAY HEATHER PEARCE: Absolutely, yes. More so than any other company I have ever been a part of (and I’ve been in some of the best companies). These are GOOD people, with good hearts and open arms. When you’re on the road, away from home and family and all that is familiar, being in a company with good, gracious and FUNNY people is truly a balm.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Fantine’s story is brief but devastating — what do you hope audiences take with them after your final moment?

LINDSAY HEATHER PEARCE: We all know someone with Fantine’s story, or some aspect of it. Know that one kind act, or one good decision can change someone’s life. Without Fantine’s tragedy and sacrifice, the story doesn’t move forward.

Valjean is given the incredible opportunity to become a father to little Cosette, through whom he learns to love and look beyond himself in service of someone else. How beautiful is that?

I hope people can take away the idea that there are opportunities around every corner to be good to someone else, to be of service, to help or save however they can. Even small stones make ripples.

RAPID FIRE WITH LES MIS’ MARIUS, PETER NEUREUTHE

JHPENTERTAINMENT: You first stepped into the role of Marius at The MUNY back in June of 2024, since first taking on the role, has anything changed or deepened in the way you portray him?

PETER NEUREUTHER: When I played Marius for the first time, rehearsals were so fast that I had to put this character together in just 10 days! Now being on the tour being over 100 shows in, I have learned so much more about Marius — the immense joy and hope he feels at the beginning of his story preparing for the revolution, and falling in love, to his deep trauma and maturity as he watches friends die on the barricade, and learning how to overcome this grief. I feel like now I really have been able to understand his story being on this tour alongside these incredibly talented storyteller castmates!

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Making your national tour debut on the barricade — after already having lived in this world at MUNY, is there a moment that still gives you full-body chills each night?

PETER NEUREUTHER: I truly do have to shoutout, and thank The MUNY for honestly, giving me my start into the business! I got such chills every night at that stage going out and performing for 11,000 people every night. We perform for massive stages everywhere in the country, but the MUNY’s venue will always hold a special place in my heart. Every night, from the MUNY to the dozens of cities we have been to, going out and singing Empty Chairs at Empty Tables always gives me full-body chills, as I know the weight this song holds, and how it is almost cathartic for Marius.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: You graduated high school in 2020 — fast forward to spring 2025 and you’re making your Broadway debut in Stephen Sondheim’s Old Friends alongside Bernadette Peters and Lea Salonga. How do you even begin to process a leap like that?

PETER NEUREUTHER: It definitely still doesn’t feel real! I honestly sometimes just try to take a minute when I’m feeling overwhelmed and stressed about auditions or the show, even just life, and remind my self how proud high school me would be to see me up on these stages, sharing the stage with legends, and talent I could’ve only ever dreamed of. I am truly so lucky to have had the opportunities that I have had, but it has come with lots of hard work in college, in and out of the classroom. I am so grateful for the experiences I’ve had thus far, and I know my hard work and work ethic will keep serving me. I’m never satisfied (in the best way!).

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Having performed Les Misérables in The MUNY’s massive outdoor amphitheater — how does that experience compare to setting up shop in a new indoor venue with each stop on the national tour?

PETER NEUREUTHER: The MUNY’s massive stage is truly like performing at a football stadium! I definitely feel like I had to emote more on that stage so even the people all the way in the back rows who looked like they were on the moon could understand the story! These indoor venues are a whole different beast. Setting up shop in a new theater almost every week and seeing how our show fits in every venue so perfectly is awesome! I love getting to perform for a new crowd and new theatre every week!

JHPENTERTAINMENT: If Marius could send one modern-day text message, who’s it to — Cosette or the revolution group chat? AND What might it say?

PETER NEUREUTHER: Well lucky for me, Alexa Lopez our Cosette in the show is also my partner outside of Les Mis. So, if it was Peter sending a message it would be “What’re we getting to eat after the show? I’m starving.” But as Marius to Cosette it would be “Dearest Cosette, I’ll come find you I promise. It doesn’t matter if you’re here or across the sea. My love for you makes any distance crossable. I love you endlessly”.

RAPID FIRE WITH LES MIS’ ÉPONINE, JAEDYNN LATTER

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Fresh out of Baldwin Wallace Conservatory of Music and straight into Les Misérables 40th Anniversary Tour. Not a bad way to jumpstart your professional career, huh? — when did it finally feel real?

JAEDYNN LATTER: When I put on the iconic red hat for the first time. That’s when I thought, “Oh, wow, I’m actually doing this for real.” It was like the physical embodiment of a legacy, and especially when I was first wearing it, I could feel the weight it had.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Éponine’s journey is heartbreak, bravery, and resilience all at once — which lyric is the hardest to sing eight times a week?

JAEDYNN LATTER: “A world that’s full of happiness that I have never known.” Yes, it is vocally challenging, but I think one of the most tragic parts of Éponine is that she’s not really mad at Marius or Cosette because they fell in love. She’s grieving that she was born into her circumstances and thinks more than anything, “If things were different.” Seeing Cosette, (and in turn, Marius), reap the benefits of a life that she could have lived hurts most of all. Seeing their privilege and their ability to fall in love in such an innocent, ideal way, knowing that she will never experience that is so incredibly painful. I think coming to that realization every night is the most excruciating thing to enact eight times a week.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: You’ve played roles from Waitress’ Jenna to Into The Woods’ Little Red — how did those experiences prepare you for Éponine?

JAEDYNN LATTER: Waitress was the first show that I ever played the leading role in, and I barely left the stage. I think that experience taught me to trust my body’s own stamina, and to sort of be okay with not being able to second guess myself once we got going. Into the Woods had an eight-show week, so it definitely showed me what that schedule feels like. But actually, I think Little Red really prepared me for Éponine in the sense that they’re both younger than I am. In both cases, I had to mentally travel back to adolescence and think, “How does a teenager view love, or grief, or power, etc.?” It taught me to really listen to what I was actually hearing rather than acting based off of my own gained maturity and pre-conceived notions of her journey.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Pre-show routine: quiet focus, vocal warm-ups, or hyping yourself up backstage?

JAEDYNN LATTER: It’s definitely more of a mid-show routine for me—mostly consisting of Jolly Ranchers and reminding myself to breathe. In a voice lesson, a coach had told me to remember I have toes (as a way to say, “be aware of your body as a whole”). So a lot of the time before On My Own, I’m telling myself, “You have toes.”

JHPENTERTAINMENT: If Les Mis were to go the route of some other musicals who use pop tunes to tell the story, what might Éponine’s pop counterpart to On My Own be?

JAEDYNN LATTER: I literally have an Éponine playlist that’s nearly six hours long. Some of my favorite fits for her are Waiting Room by Phoebe Bridgers and David by Lorde. If we’re talking old-school, I think the most literal counterpart would be All By Myself by Celine Dion.

RAPID FIRE WITH LES MIS’ COSETTE, ALEXA LOPEZ

JHPENTERTAINMENT: National tour debut and Cosette — what was the very first thought that hit you when you got the call welcoming you to the tour?

ALEXA LOPEZ: My heart literally burst out of my chest! I actually got the call as I was about to clock into my hostessing job at the time. It was one of those pinch me moments every performer in NYC dreams of having. I simply just couldn’t wait to be on stage sharing this story with thousands of people, bringing life to it and trying to do it justice every night. I could barely even concentrate that night as I was working – my mind was reeling with so many thoughts of the future, tour, excitement, gratitude, and the list goes on.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Cosette is often described as gentle — what strength do you love most about her that audiences sometimes overlook?

ALEXA LOPEZ: Cosette is definitely a gentle force of light and goodness in our show. However, and moreover, she is strong, determined, and has depth to her. She fights to learn the truth about her life, she fights to be there for the people that she loves in their hardest times. She could sit back and live the life that Valjean has built for her, no questions asked. But instead, she pushes to learn the truth and have her father know that she has grown into a woman–a woman with agency, a woman with desires, and a woman who deserves and can handle the truth. So, definitely her strength and determination.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: What is it about Cosette that challenges you most as a performer?

ALEXA LOPEZ: The track itself can be challenging at times from a technical standpoint. I have to be careful about when I warm up so that my voice can be ready for certain moments in the show after not being on-stage for a good amount of time. Cosette’s big vocal moments come fast and furious, so being dropped in and prepared when the time comes has been a learning curve for me.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Quick pick: sweeping romantic ballads or emotionally charged duets?

ALEXA LOPEZ: Emotionally charged duets!

JHPENTERTAINMENT: When audiences see this tour, what do you hope stays with them after the curtain call?

ALEXA LOPEZ: This is a story that is timeless and that everyone, to some degree, can resonate with. I hope audiences feel a sense of hope as they walk out of the theater. Our show is about unconditional love, the strength of the human spirit, and the fact that redemption and light are possible, even through the darkest and most impossible times.

⸻

Celebrating 40 years since Les Misérables first arrived on Broadway, the revolution returns once more. This 40th Anniversary Tour honors every chapter of the show’s extraordinary life while proving its message remains as urgent as ever. Les Misérables plays TPAC’s Jackson Hall January 20–25, 2026. Tickets are on sale now at TPAC.org, starting at $72.55. Whether it’s your first barricade or your fiftieth, this is a dream worth dreaming—again.

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, visit JHPENTERTAINMENT.com or find us on Facebook, Insta and Twitter.

Theatre Review: Nashville Rep’s It’s A Wonderful Life’ Delivers A Heartfelt triumph for the Holiday Season

December 10, 2025 by Jonathan

Nashville Repertory Theatre rings in the season with a warmly nostalgic, creatively staged production of It’s A Wonderful Life, directed by Alicia Lark Fuss and running now through December 22 at TPAC’s Polk Theater. With a stellar cast led by Brian Charles Rooney as George Bailey, Tamiko Robinson Steele as Mary Hatch Bailey, Jennifer Whitcomb-Oliva as Clarence and Matthew Carlton doing double duty as both Joseph, the supervising angel and as Potter, the beloved Frank Capra holiday classic, adapted for the stage by playwright Catherine Bush, is reimagined with theatrical magic.

This production leans into nostalgia while embracing a distinctly theatrical vocabulary with inventive movement, actors portraying multiple roles throughout and a visually stunning pop-up vintage Christmas card aesthetic —resulting in a version of Bedford Falls that feels both timeless and newly alive, all adding fresh dimension to a story generations know by heart.

Before a single line is spoken, the audience is transported by Gary C. Hoff’s breathtaking set design: a larger-than-life, die-cut, layered pop-up tableau rendered like a mid-century Christmas card cut from heavy white cardstock. It’s whimsical without being precious—an intricate snowy sculpture of Bedford Falls, with tiny cut-out doorways and windows glowing from within. Peer closely and you’ll catch vintage cyanotype portrait photos, representing the “everyday people” of the town, those whose quiet lives shape George Bailey’s world in ways he often forgets to see. It’s the perfect conceptual anchor for a story about taking note of what truly matters.

Playwright Bush seems to have taken inspiration from such classic theatre pieces as Our Town, in employing the above-mentioned practice of having actors portray multiple roles. Another of this production’s most enchanting elements is its use of movement. Thanks to movement coordinator Megan Castleberry, the ensemble shifts with a near-balletic grace—actors gracefully glide set pieces to and fro, and when called for, they physically personify snow gusts, swirling wind and fateful cracks across an icy pond. They mime-like movements echo emotional beats, and embody natural forces, adding a magical, abstract layer to the storytelling. It’s a bold directorial choice that works beautifully, enhancing the narrative without ever distracting from it. Especially effective in the more dramatic scenes, offering them up in an almost dreamlike vision.

At the center is Brian Charles Rooney, who’s made quite a name for himself, not only on the local level, but for his work in New York on Broadway, is well-known for his vocal prowess as a musical theatre powerhouse. Rooney captures the full breadth of George’s life journey—from mischievous boy to wide-eyed dreamer to the exhausted, cornered adult wondering where everything went wrong. Remarkably, he accomplishes this not through drastic physical transformation but through subtle, sharply observed choices: a shift in vocal pitch, a slight change in posture, the weight of responsibility settling into the shoulders. These gradations make his downward spiral heartbreaking and his redemption cathartic. As George Bailey, it’s his sincere believability as the multi-faceted depth he brings to the stage that holds the audience’s attention from that first appearance of a man defeated to the much-loved ringing of that angelic bell signifying all is well with the world. His performance as George Bailey is nothing short of revelatory. And YES…though this production is not a musical, the audiences is indeed treated to just a bit of Rooney’s pitch-perfect multi-octave voice for a quick little verse of Buffalo Gals, the beloved tune featured in the 1946 film classic.

As Mary Hatch Bailey, Tamiko Robinson Steele radiates warmth, quiet confidence, and fierce devotion. Her Mary is not simply the supportive spouse—she’s the emotional compass of the story, grounding George even when he’s flailing hardest. Steele’s effortless sincerity elevates every scene she touches. From their scenes depicting George and Mary’s childhood friendship to their teenage flirtation, Steele’s sweet embodiment of Mary is palpable. The scene at the drugstore soda fountain when Mary leans over to George and whispers in his bad ear her devotion, I couldn’t help but have a little eye sweat. With Steele in the role, it’s no wonder George offers Mary the moon.

A standout among the ensemble, Matthew Carlton impressively toggles between two primary characters, the compassionate, celestial Joseph and the acerbic, conniving Mr. Potter. The contrasts are stark yet fully realized. Particularly striking is a small but brilliant acting detail: Carlton’s decision to have the wheelchair-bound Potter occasionally rub his leg, as if easing a persistent ache. As someone with mobility and neuromuscular pain myself, that gesture resonated deeply—an understated physical cue that hints at the discomfort and bitterness fueling Potter’s worldview. Carlton’s scenes with apprentice angel, Clarence are equally as lovely.

To that end, Jennifer Whitcomb-Oliva, who I readily admit is one of my longtime theatre crushes, shines brilliantly as the eager-to-earn-his-wings Clarence. Ever-hopeful and constantly assuming its his time to get to work helping George as Carlton’s Joseph guides him through George’s journey thus far, Witcomb-Oliva is simply joyous to behold. Also tasked with also presenting the bumbling but big-hearted Uncle Billy, Witcomb-Oliva os equally at ease. Where physical choices and minute nuances in characterization are concerned, Witcomb-Oliva is astutely adept. From Clarence’s nervous excitement to not only help George, but to also earn is wings–to Uncle Billy’s blissful befuddlement, Witcomb-Oliva delivers performances indeed worthy the presentation of angel wings.

Among the remaining company members, Matthew Benenson Cruz offers charm and humor as Harry Bailey, Burt the Cop, and more. Garris Wimmer deftly give the ole “Hee-haw!” to his Sam Wainwright, offers a bit kindness with his Mr. Gower and is the perfect companion to Cruz’s Burt as Ernie the cabbie. (Side Note: As I do every time I have the chance to review It’s A Wonderful Life, YES, I will point out the fact that Jim Henson and Company got the names for two of Sesame Street’s best pals from the characters of Bert and Ernie in the Capra classic), but I digress. Back to the ensemble, as expected, Eve Petty gives a spirited turn as Violet Bick, injecting just the right note of vulnerability beneath the flirtation. She’s also ridiculously fun in her role as one of the Bailey children.

Among the remaining ensemble are Eric D. Pasto Crosby, who is first seen in a brief appearance as Mr. Bailey and a little more stage time as Nick the barkeep (question…did they really have Sports Bars called as such in the 1940s? It’s rhetorical. Sports Bars weren’t a thing until the 1960s, thus my only complaint about the set, for when Clarences shows George what life would have been like had he not been born, they visit the bar formerly owned by Martini, now emblazoned with a mirror-etched sign reading Nick’s Sports Bar). Aleia Eagleton and Darci Nalepa Elam appear throughout portraying various townspeople. Among their standout turns, Elam’s Ma Bailey is motherly perfection while her Tilley is flirty and fun. Then there’s the small in stature, but big in energetic presence of Eagleton as she is fabulously convincing and utterly enjoyable in the tiny, but pivotal role of Zuzu.

Each member of the company, whether featured on ensemble beautifully adding texture, warmth, and an essential presence throughout, rounding out the world of Bedford Falls with the perfect blend of authenticity, heart and the occasional wink to cleverness of the minimal approach to the piece.

Behind the scenes, the talent runs as deep. Melisa K. Durmon’s costumes, hair, and makeup perfectly capture the era while allowing each actor to glide seamlessly between roles and meet those quick change cues in time for their next character’s appearance. Dalton Hamilton’s lighting design bathes the stage in comforting holiday hues one moment and stark emotional shadows the next, guiding the audience through George’s shifting state of mind, but never over-dramatizing it. Kevin O’Donnell’s sound design subtly enhances the production’s magical realism—gentle chimes, rustling winds, and atmospheric underscoring that support without overwhelming.

Nashville Rep’s It’s A Wonderful Life is more than a nostalgic retelling; it’s a reminder—tender, inventive, and beautifully crafted—of the impact one life can have on an entire community. With its inventive staging, standout performances, and thoughtful direction, this production radiates the very heart of the holidays. Whether you’re revisiting Bedford Falls or discovering it for the first time, this beautifully crafted production is a heartfelt story of community, compassion, gratitude, connection, and the timeless belief that no one is a failure who has friends and the reminder of the difference one life can make.

The Rep‘s It’s A Wonderful Life continues its run through December 21, with performances at 7:30pm Thursday, December 18 and Fridays and Saturdays, and 2pm matinees Saturdays and Sundays. Truly a heartfelt, artfully realized gift to Nashville theatergoers, so grab your tickets, your Bevin Silver Bell, and maybe a tissue or two and get ready to head to TPAC‘s Polk Theatre to celebrate this Wonderful piece of American holiday history. CLICK HERE to purchase tickets.

Before you go, in case you missed it, CLICK HERE to check out my recent Rapid Fire 20Q with the director and cast members of the show.

Following It’s A Wonderful Life, Nashville Rep’s season continues in the new year with FAT HAM, James Ijames‘ Pulitzer Prize-winning reinvention of Hamlet, a co-production alongside Nashville Shakespeare Festival, onstage February 13-22, followed by the audience favorite SISTER ACT April 10-19. Closing out the season will be Amy Tofte‘s BLOOD SUCKING LEECH, as part of Nashville Rep‘s New Works: Next Stage, after having presented a staged reading of Tofte’s work just last season. CLICK HERE to purchase Season Tickets.

As always, check out Nashville Rep online and follow them on Facebook, X, YouTube and Instagram.

Theatre Review: The Keeton’s ‘She Loves Me’; a Love Letter for the Holiday Season

December 8, 2025 by Jonathan

Romance, wit, and a dash of musical magic have drifted into Donelson as She Loves Me opened at The Keeton Dinner Theatre this past Thursday evening with the show continuing with Thursday thru Sunday shows until December 21. With its intimate space, casual dinner-theatre setting, and a cast obviously invested in the show’s nearly century-long legacy, The Keeton proves an ideal home for this sweet classic midcentury musical.

Based on Miklós László’s 1937 play Parfumerie—the source material for later films, The Shop Around the Corner, In the Good Old Summertime, and, spiritually, You’ve Got Mail—She Loves Me remains one of musical theatre’s most charming “quiet classics.” Its central “enemies-to-lovers through anonymous letters” premise still sparkles, especially when placed in the hands of performers who understand just how human, funny, and tender these characters truly are.

While Jimmy Stewart’s Alfred from 1940’s The Shop Around the Corner presented the male counterpart of the story as a bit of a prickly nay-sayer, the musical adaptation’s male lead Georg Now, played in The Keeton’s She Loves Me by Jayden Murphy, who was last seen on The Keeton stage as Coalhouse in Ragtime, once again brings a youthful warm and layered and hopeful presence beneath the character’s famously cantankerous exterior. When we chatted with Murphy for our recent Rapid Fire 20Q, he admitted to being a bit of a “hopeless romantic” much like Georg. On stage Murphy channels that vulnerability to sweet success in the bittersweet Tonight at Eight and especially in the show’s title tune, She Loves Me. His smoothly rich voice—flexible, grounded, and carefully guided under Music Director Roger Hutson—honors the show’s more classical, operetta-leaning score while still feeling contemporary and honest. Murphy’s understanding of the show’s history is in full view throughout: this is a Georg who feels fully lived-in, not mimicked from past productions.

As Amalia Balash, Jiana Kevilus is radiant—sharp-tongued in the workplace to comedic delight when pitted again Georg one moment and achingly vulnerable when speaking (or singing) of her unidentified letter-writing love the next. Her interpretation honors Amalia’s insecurities, especially those revealed in Will He Like Me?, while infusing her with modern emotional clarity. As anticipated, Kevilus’ Vanilla Ice Cream—approached as a pivotal moment where Amalia subconsciously begins to realize Georg’s true identity—bubbles with joy, confusion, and discovery. It is one of the highlights of the evening: vocally agile and acted with specificity. In an admirable way, Kevilus’ performance of the song put me in mind of Olivia Newton-John’s Hopelessly Devoted Grease moment.

The chemistry between Murphy and Kevilus is strong and believable. Their banter often borders on playful chaos.That ease pays off—this Amalia and Georg disagree ferociously, but they always feel tethered by something deeper, and the much-anticipated revelation of their true identities and mutual feelings all the more sweet because of it.

Kimberly Wolff, who seems to have become a full-fledge member of the Keeton company of frequently seen actors, is a standout as Ilona Ritter. Wolff gives the role the perfect blend of glamour, vulnerability, no-nonsense practicality and emotional intelligence. Her work in the number I Resolve is especially effective—Ilona’s attempt at independence is tinged with hope, frustration, and surprising strength.

Her scenes with Tommy Anglim’s Kodaly are super-charged with electrically playful tension. Anglim’s Kodaly is smooth, sly, and charming in all the most infuriating ways. During their shared musical numbers—particularly Ilona, Anglim’s Kodaly delivers a somewhat bawdy, yet perfectly comedically timed riotous performance. Anglim’s delightfully narcissistic Kodaly and Wolff’s tough-but-tender Ilona feel like they walked straight out of a Golden Age film.

Director Morgan Robertson, making her directorial debut, does so with charm and an obvious admiration for the musical, having music directed a previous production across town. There are a few instances when blocking seems a bit awkward and clunky (sorry, but why are we seeing the backs of actors in scenes throughout?). The overall look and feel of the show is a success and the actors each seem to have been directed to make the characters their own in the most enjoyable way possible.

Once again, The Keeton’s in-house scenic designer, Kevin Driver delivers a triumph and his She Loves Me set should be one of the most-talked-about elements of the production. Inspired by the 2016 Tony-winning Broadway revival’s transformative shop design, Driver creates an only slightly scaled-down Maraczek’s Parfumerie that feels timeless, elegant, and tactile. The mobile units shift the space effortlessly, inviting the audience directly into the warmth of the 1930s Budapest shop.

Denese René Evans’ costumes reinforce that old-world charm—smart, flattering silhouettes and texture-rich fabrics that reflect class, profession, and personality without ever feeling like caricature. Loved the small detail of all the shop employees wearing an “M” initial lapel pin. If a couple suggestions could be offered…invest in a steamer to relieve a bit of static cling on those silk pjs and suspenders should take care of a few of the male performers’ pant legs dragging the floor.

Sound designer Steve Love and lighting designer Brooke Sanders work together to create seamless transitions between bustling shop scenes, intimate revelations, and the cozy glow of the story’s romantic scenes. Especially of note, following a particularly jarring event, flooding the interior of the shop with crimson light might have been my favorite lighting effect.

The supporting roles are filled with memorable performances. Brian Best, last seen as William Frawley in The Keeton’s Lucy Loves Desi, lends Mr. Maraczek gravitas and returns Best to the typical bravado roles for which he’s come to be known. His solo of Act 1’s Days Gone By and its Act 2 reprise are unexpectedly hauntingly touching. Sipos, a role often played as gentle and understated, in the hands of Victor Davis, creates a charmer with soulful presence and hilarious comedic timing. Making his Keeton debut, Samuel Boggs brings youthful earnestness to Arpad, his Try Me full of plucky determination. Boggs’ performances should be remembered as he’s definitely poised to be one to watch with a sure-fire future in Nashville’s theatre community.

As for the rest of the cast, Brenda Brannon (always a personal favorite) is snooty perfection as the sever in the upscale restaurant where our two fated lovers attempt their first face-to-face, Rich Moses, and the ensemble—Chloe Beehm, Hazen Lawson, Kathleen McClanahan, and Amanda Noss—bring humor, color, and a bit of extra fun to each moment they touch. Again, particularly enjoyable is the restaurant scene, from the physical comedy to flirtation abounding.

All in all, She Loves Me is “cozy theatre.” It looks to present heart, honesty, and fun rather than spectacle—and The Keeton delivers all three. Robertson’s production is grounded in affection for the material, executed by a cast that understands the charm and underlying fragility of the story they’re telling. The result is a She Loves Me that feels warm, human, and full of light—exactly the kind of theatre Nashville audiences crave during the holiday season.

Ready to take a trip to Maraczek’s shop around the corner and check out the goods yourself? Dear Friend, you’re in for a treat as She Loves Me continues its run at The Keeton (108 Donelson Pike, Nashville, TN 37214) thru December 21 with evening diner and show performances Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays and additional matinees Saturdays and Sundays. Tickets range from $35–$47. CLICK HERE to purchase before the run sells out, and visit thekeeton.org for more information.

In case you missed it, CLICK HERE to read my recent Rapid Fire 20Q with the director and four principal actors. So you don’t miss out on upcoming shows at The Keeton Dinner Theatre, follow them on Facebook, X and Instagram.