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Theatre Review: Don’t Piss off God, Go See Nashville Rep’s ‘The Color Purple’, A Majestic Celebration of the Importance of Self

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Before some folks get all bent out of shape, that headline is a nod to one of the most famous lines from Alice Walker’s emotional novel, The Color Purple, in which juke-joint singer Shug Avery says, “I think it pisses God off if you walk by the color purple in a field somewhere and don’t notice it. Thanks to Nashville Repertory Theatre’s moving presentation of the musical based on Walker’s novel, you can’t help but notice the brilliance and beauty of the work.

As I mentioned in my recent double-shot Rapid Fire 20Qs featuring Nashville Rep’s The Color Purple guest director Reggie Law and seven primary members of the cast, I’ve been a fan of the 1982 Pulitzer Prize-winning source material since first read it when I was in high school. The subsequent Spielberg-directed film adaptation, the Tony-winning 2005 Broadway musical and 2023’s musical film rejuvenating my love of the story time and time again. Directed by Law and featuring a truly star-filled cast headed by Carli Hardon, Nashville Repertory Theatre’s The Color Purple continues that legacy, reminding us all that there’s beauty in everything…and everyone, you just have to take the time to notice it.

When the curtain rose on Opening Night of Nashville Rep’s The Color Purple, I was immediately struck by the starkness of the set. Director Law, scenic director, Joonhee Park and lighting designer Dalton Hamilton obviously opted for a minimalist approach in that the set consists seemingly simply of a massive wall constructed of wooden beams spaced just far enough apart to allow light to filter in. I say seemly simple, because it’s ultimately effective, especially when a multitude of hues of light are used at various times to seamlessly convey emotion appropriate for each scene.

As Celie, the story’s downtrodden central character, Carli Hardon doesn’t waste any time drawing the audience in with her multifaceted portrayal. In fact, for the first time since seeing The Color Purple musical nearly twenty years ago, I actually heard this song. I mean I really heard it. Aided by Maya Riley, one of the Nashville theatre community’s brightest rising stars as Celie’s sister, Nettie. The duo of Celie and Nettie set the pace for the entire show with the elementary, but theme-establishing Huckleberry Pie. A quick singsongy nursery rhyme of a tune Huckleberry Pie gives the audience the first glimpse of the overall message of hope for better things to come with the simple lyric, “Sure ‘nuf sun gon’ shine, Gon’ be grown ladies of the marryin’ kind. Sure ‘nun moon gon rise, like a huckleberry pie in the middle of the sky.”

During this opening sequence I was immediately moved by these lyrics like never before. Here are two young Black girls dealing with unspeakable struggles, but who nevertheless keep focusing on the positive…the future. Yes, these themes from a novel written some forty years ago, about a time in history a century ago are still prevalent today and are key to why this story still resonates. And Yes, minutes in and my eyes were already sweating. I was also struck by both Hardon and Riley’s physicality in this scene. Both actress, though young in real life, completely transformed themselves by their movement, their speech patterns and expressions, into young girls, young sisters.

Then comes the entire company for Mysterious Ways, a hymn of a song, set in the local church (effectively indicated as such by a singular light source casting the shape of a illuminated cross onto the wall behind the action) where the entire community sings of God watching over them no matter. Nia Safari Banks’ costumes are a highlight of this number, for if you’ve ever had the great fortune to attend a Black Church, you KNOW the way you present yourself before the Lord IN the Lord’s House is of utmost importance! Which leads me to the Church Ladies, Darlene, Doris and Jarene, a snooping, truth-tellin’ trio who pop up now and again throughout the show to fill the audience in on the latest happening. Lindsay Kay Pace, Yolanda Treece and Meggan Utech a divine trio indeed as the Church Ladies. Characters I know all too well, for you see, growing up, there were two ladies in the church my family attended who I lovingly referred to as my very own ‘Church Ladies’. They were always there to stick their noses in and offer advice, unsolicited though it may have been. I can’t be the only one who kind of wishes Pace, Treece and Utech would develop their own show around these three characters. Not only do they provide intel, but plenty of smiles as the absurdity of their insertion into every situation.

Giving the Church Ladies something to talk about…enter Mister, as played by Elliott Winston Robinson. As Robinson alluded in my Rapid Fire 20Q, Mister is a chance for the every-smiling, always kind and friendly Robinson to play against type. Mister is just mean, and Robinson approaches the role with perfectly menacing aplomb. Those familiar with the story know that Mister initially has designs on the younger Nettie, but settles for Celie. Then vengefully vows to separate the two sisters forever. Physically torn apart, Nettie promises to write her sister every day. Law’s extraordinary acumen as a director is never more evident that in his choices during the scene when Mister tells Celie she is never to go near the mailbox. I won’t spoil it here, but y’all! I didn’t know I was gonna need to invest in Kleenex for this entire show.

The Color Purple is peppered throughout with memorable moments courtesy music and lyrics by Brenda Russell, Allie Willis and Stephen Bray and book by Marsha Norman. The aforementioned Church Ladies being a prime example. There’s another trio worth watching, as well. Ensemble members Justin Boyd, Jaylan Downes and Richard J. Harrison Jr. as field workers remind Celie that Mister is the boss during the pounding Big Dog number, Joi Ware’s choreography herein, a strong nod the the original Broadway presentation.

Speaking of memorable men, Gerold Oliver is just sooooo good as Harpo, Mister’s ne’er do well son. He get’s his moment to really shine alongside the men during Brown Betty, a song praising the beauty of Black women, Raven Buntyn’s Squeak, in particular. Speaking of Squeak, thank goodness Buntyn vocally pays homage to the character’s name by occasionally hitting a pitch so high that she actually squeaks when she talks, something the recent film adaptation opted not the do. I also loved the quick pop-in appearances by some of the female ensemble during this one, too. Oliver’s Harpo offers not only comedic levity from time to time, but also becomes the first man in the story to break the cycle of violence towards women.

Of course Harpo has a bit of assistance in breaking that cycle in the form of his no-bullshit-taking wife, Sofia, played to the absolute hilt by the gloriously talented Shinnerie Jackson. It was everything I could do to remain in my seat at the end of her anthemic Hell No number. The thunderous applause that followed was evidence I was not alone in my appreciation of the number and Jackson’s performance. Cause here the thing, Jackson’s portrayal of Sofia hits all the notes, not just musically, but emotionally. When she’s strong and defiant, the audience feels that defiance and empowering presence. When Sofia is temporarily defeated, we feel that too. An exemplary performance all ‘round!

A little over midway through Act 1 and it’s time for another of my favorite musical moments, Shug Avery Comin’ to Town’ it’s an all-in for the entire company. Law’s direction, Ware’s choreography and the show’s musical director, Dion Treece, along with the entire company pull out all the stops for this one, creating the perfect buzz befitting the arrival of Tamica Nicole as Shug Avery, the singer who opens up a whole new world to Celie, and in the process teaches Celie that she’s worthy the happiness she longs for. To that end, Too Beautiful for Words is…just that! Nicole’s approach to Shug is stronger than any I’ve seen in other theatrical performances of the musical. Frequently portrayed a little too drunk, a little too messy, Nicole’s Shug has a strength that’s palpable. Her confidence in the role makes it all the more evident why Celie should fall under her spell, as we all do.

Nicole continues to command the spotlight with Push Da Button another all-in up-tempo number. If Mysterious Ways exemplifies the relationship the Black community has with God, Push Da Button provides the other end of the spectrum. With The Color Purple set in the South of the early-to-mid 1900s, Push Da Button serves to remind us that those who work hard deserve to play hard. It’s a sexy, rollicking good time. If only Shug’s wardrobe for the number matched the excitement. Yes, that is my one and only slight disappointment with the entire show. I was just hoping for a show-stopping BAM! of an outfit for this one number. But again, when the material and the performances bring it, a minor thing like a missed wardrobe opportunity is insignificant.

The chemistry between Nicole’s Shug and Hardon’s Celie is simply magical. You truly believe these two women have discovered a love and bond like never before.The progression of this relationship is perfidy paced and played out not doubt by way of the director’s precise instruction, but also these two actors’ understanding a care for the characters.

In the same way, when Nettie returns, there’s an overwhelming joy that radiates from the actors through the entire theatre when Riley’s Nettie returns near show’s end to reunite with Hardon’s Celie. Dressed in patterned African clothes, Nettie looks regal indeed. Again, I was struck by her mannerisms, posture and way of speaking, all extraordinarily representing the passage of time and aging of her character. Just another reminder of the top-notch theatrical experiences you can always count on Nashville Repertory Theatre to provide.

The heartache, troubles, triumphs, joy and love examined and presented throughout The Color Purple are the heartbeat of the piece. So do your spirit a favor and go see this masterful example of theatrical bliss while you can.

Nashville Rep’s The Color Purple continues at TPAC’s Polk Theatre through Sunday, April 14. CLICK HERE for tickets. In the meantime, check out Nashville Rep online and follow them on Facebook, X, YouTube and Instagram.

In case you missed my TWO Rapid Fire 20Q interviews with the director and cast, CLICK HERE…and HERE to check them out!

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

Theatre Review: National Tour of ‘Funny Girl’ playing Jackson Hall now thru January 7 as TPAC says “Hello Gorgeous” to second half of their 23/24 Broadway Season

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Telling the highly fictionalized story of vaudeville queen Fanny Brice, the National Tour of recent Broadway revival musical Funny Girl opened the Nashville tour stop Tuesday night at Tennessee Performing Art Center’s Jackson Hall, not only kicking off the new year, but also the second half of TPAC’s 23/24 HCA/TriStar Broadway at TPAC season.

While there’s definitely a percentage of the audience who are no-doubt devotees of the original 1964 Broadway debut of Funny Girl, it’s subsequent 1968 film and Barbara Streisand, who starred in both, it’s been more than half a century since Streisand laid claim to Fanny Brice. There’s likely just as many who are experiencing this show for the very first time, thanks to 2022’s Broadway revival that features a reworking by Harvey Fierstein of Isobel Lennart’s original book of the musical. I count myself among the latter. At the risk of having certain ‘memberships’ revoked, I’m just gonna admit it from the get…I’ve never been the biggest Streisand fan. There. I said it. Heck, I wasn’t even 100% sure I’d ever seen the film adaptation of Funny Girl and I’d certainly never seen Funny Girl on stage. Being a fan of Brice’s era of vaudeville, in particular Ziegfeld and his follies—mostly because of my obsession with Lucille Ball and the comedic similarities between Ball and Brice—I have fallen down more than one internet rabbit hole searching out the few rare clips of Brice, so I was familiar with her story and  I knew the songs from Funny Girl. I mean how can you be a theatre nerd and not know the music of Jule Styne and lyrics of Bob Merrill featured in one of the most beloved musicals of all time, right? Here’s the thing though. None of that mattered once the familiar notes of the Overture began to swell from the orchestra pit as conducted by Elaine Davidson. With each note, my anticipation grew and I somehow instinctively knew I was in for a grand night of musical theatre.

From the moment Katerina McCrimmon takes the stage, she IS Fanny Brice. She’s got the period-authentic New York dialect, the exaggerated facial expressions, but most of all, she’s got the voice. Ok, so the voice might be more what audiences expect thanks to the aforementioned Streisand portrayal, but I’m here to tell you McCrimmon makes the character her own while carefully maneuvering through, and well beyond what could easily be brushed off as an impression. Throughout the show, including more familiar territory of musical moments like I’m the Greatest Star, Don’t Rain on My Parade and People, and my personal favorite, His Love Makes Me Beautiful, McCrimmon vocal range, strength and ability prove time and time again she’s the perfect powerhouse to introduce Fanny Brice to a whole new generation of musical theatre fans.

It’s not just McCrimmon’s talents as a singer that reels you in, as she equally adept showcasing the funny and the girl. When scenes call for McCrimmon to honor Brice’s physicality as a comedic entertainer, her facial expressions and body language rival those of greats of the craft like Ball and Carol Burnett. When the plot goes deeper, McCrimmon steps it up and evokes emotion, not only in her performance, but in the audience reaction. Case in point, at the end of Act 1, when McCrimmon exquisitely belts out the show-stopping Don’t Rain on My Parade, I was frankly surprised the entire audience didn’t bound to their feet for a pre-intermission Standing O.

While I would be satisfied to sit in a theatre and just witness McCrimmon in a solo performance and be completely satisfied, of course she isn’t alone. Guess what? The entire company is quite brilliant. While the real Fanny Brice was thrice married (I told you I’ve been down my share of Fanny Brice rabbit holes) Funny Girl takes place after husband number one and focuses on Brice’s life and tumultuous relationship and ultimate marriage to husband number two, Nicky Arnstein, played handsomely by Stephen Mark Lukas. I say handsomely because…have you seen his social media? Thanks largely to the way Funny Girl is written, and the ‘character’ of Nicky, in particular, we are to believe that Arnstein was matinee-idol good-looking, giving dual meaning to the infamous line, “Hello, Gorgeous”. In reality, Arnstein was tall, lanky and not what you’d call traditionally handsome. But back to Lukas and his matinee looks. Like his leading lady, he’s also go talent to back it up. Under the show’s director, Michael Mayer’s watchful eye, I thoroughly enjoyed every aspect of Lukas’ portrayal of Arnstein. Not only does he look like an Old Hollywood movie star, he even sounds like one. His vocal delivery, in speaking and in song, sound as though you’re hearing him through a megaphone, with a deep, pure and enchanting vibrato.

Izaiah Montague Harris plays the always in-step and dependable Eddie Ryan, a dancer/choreographer friend of Fanny’s who’s always there to help her with her career and pick up the pieces when Nicky is out of step. When I say Harris’ Eddie is in-step, I mean it. One of the best non-Fanny-centric moments of the show features Harris in a tap-tactic dance sequence. Which reminds me, kudos to the show’s costume designer, Susan Hilferty. Yes, all of Fanny’s period-perfect costumes are fabulous, but it was during Harris’ tap number that I notice a wonderfully clever costuming detail. Hiferty has sewn the occasional rhinestone throughout the pant legs of Harris costume, which catch the light of his fancy footwork and draw the eye throughout the dancer’s entire body, allowing those of us who picked up on this seemingly random detail the joy of watching the full mechanics, precision and skill of the dance.

While the entire ensemble is simply marvelous, other stand-out performances come courtesy a trio playing slightly older characters: Mrs. Brice, Mrs. Strakosh and Mrs. Meeker, played respectively by Barbara Tirrell, Eileen T’Kaye and Christine Bunuan. Tirrell, (who’s stepped into the role of Mrs. Brice while original tour cast member Melissa Manchester recuperates from recent surgery) is the perfect mensch of a mom to McCrimmon’s Fanny. She gets her comedic time to shine in scenes with T’Kaye’s Mrs. Strakosh and Bunuan’s Mrs. Meeker as three old-neighborhood friends who spend their time playing cards, gossiping and bragging about their children’s accomplishments. In their memorable stage-time, T’Kaye and Bunuan charm the audience with their relatable portrayals of ladies everyone grew up knowing. The trio get their own musical moment early on with the mother-knows-best, albeit antiquated tune, If A Girl Isn’t Pretty.

Walter Coopage as Florenz Ziegfeld and David Foley, Jr. as Tom Keeney, two men instrumental in Fanny’s stage success each show different sides of men in power, Foley’s Kenney presented as a bit hard-nosed and doubting Fanny’s appeal, while Coopage’s Ziegfeld is seen as the nurturing father figure Fanny seemed to be missing. More potentially useless/useful rabbit hole info…Fanny’s father was a good provider, they didn’t live on seemingly downtrodden Henry Street as one tune suggests, but he was a bit of a drunk and her mother ran the family saloon businesses. What’s more…the notoriously hilarious Follies scene in which Fanny’s bride apparently got the marriage and family order confused…never happened. As I previously admitted being a Lucille Ball fan, something tells me that sequence was created more for laughs a la the I Love Lucy ‘showgirl’ sequence, than based in reality, but I digress.

In addition to the showgirl bridal number, the ensemble proves their mettle as they tap their way to thunderous applause, with another comedic turn by McCrimmon in yet another tap number, the all-in Rat-Tat-Tat-Tat midway through Act 2. Who are You Now and You’re a Funny Girl see Lukas’s Nicky in a more mature light than the devil-may-care flamboyant gambler he’s playing earlier on, and his voice is up to the challenge.

McCrimmon also gets the chance to show her character’s maturity in the show’s closing number, The Music That Makes Me Dance, during which we get another chance to witness McCrimmon’s vocal goddessness. That lasting final note! Wow…just wow!

Sorry to end my review with a bit of a Spoiler Alert, but during the curtain call, the whole company breaks out into one last chorus of People, and as they gesture towards themselves and then the audience during the lyrics “People who need people are the luckiest people in the world”, they reveal an all new meaning to those words…as performers, they need the audience, and therefore feel lucky to have us there. Guess what, Funny Girl? We, the audience are the lucky ones.

The National Tour of  Funny Girl at TPAC’s Jackson Hall continues with shows through Sunday, January 7. CLICK HERE for tickets or more information. You can also follow Funny Girl on Instagram, X (Twitter) and Facebook or visit The Official Funny Girl site for more info on the show or future tour stop details.

Following Funny Girl’s January 2-7 Nashville tour stop, next up for Broadway at TPAC is a limited two-night engagement of the National Tour of The Cher Show with performances January 19 and 20. CLICK HERE for tickets or more info. Be sure to check out TPAC online and on socials by clicking any of the following:  TPAC.org,  TPAC on Instagram,  TPAC on Facebook, TPAC on Twitter and TPAC on YouTube.

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

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

 

Theatre Review: With a new adaptation of ‘A Christmas Carol’, The Rep presents what could easily be Nashville’s newest holiday tradition

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For years Nashville Repertory Theatre presented the modern holiday favorite, A Christmas Story as their annual seasonal offering and it was a delight. This year they’re going a more traditional route, but with a twist as they present a newly adapted version of A Christmas Carol. When you think of classic Christmas stories, Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol is likely to be among the first that comes to mind. Since first being gifted to the public by way of a novella published back in 1843, Dickens’ now-familiar story of miserly miserable Ebenezer Scrooge has delighted audiences for nearly two centuries. While audiences witness Scrooge being visited by three Christmas Spirits, they’re reminded that the true spirit of Christmas is simply kindness towards others. Thanks to Nashville Repertory Theatre’s Broadway-worthy presentation, adapted by The Rep’s Artistic Director Micah-Shane Brewer, Nashville audiences are getting the chance to see this timeless story and the ever-present reminder that good will is the greatest gift as A Christmas Carol continues at TPAC’s James K. Polk Theatre through Sunday, December 17.

Those familiar with A Christmas Carol, and let’s face it, who isn’t?, might recall that the story is rather brief. After all, a synopsis might go something like this…Scrooge is mean. Scrooge sees the ghost of his former partner. He has a sleepless but eventful night. He has a change of heart. Scrooge is nice again…To that end, the play. in its standard form, is rather brief. To flesh it out and make it the gorgeous, enchanting and emotional spectacle it is in it’s current iteration with The Rep, in addition to directing this production, Brewer also adapted the classic story, extending a few scenes and adding a choir of townsfolk performing musical interludes between scenes—some classic carols—and some newly written by Brewer and arranged by The Rep’s Musical Director/Arranger Gregg Perry. It’s those musical moments and extended scenes that help The Rep’s A Christmas Carol stand out, and, if you ask me, should make it The Rep’s new annual holiday tradition.

One such musical interlude opens the show. As the curtain rises on Scenic Designer Gary C. Hoff’s idyllic London Town, ensemble members are seen bustling about shopping and readying for the coming holiday. A group of carolers forward and begin to sing Almost Christmas Day, one of the handful of new works written by Brewer and arranged by Perry. I gotta be honest, as soon as the first musical interlude began, I knew I had to reach out to Brewer to get a little insight. Of this opening carol, Brewer revealed, “I wanted a song that helped to establish time and location, and to introduce the people of London (as well as Scrooge). I looked for a carol that would fit and everything I found just felt forced. So one day, early on in the process, I said “well, maybe I’ll just write a song,” somewhat joking. But then I started jotting some lyrics down and thought that this might be the best way to effectively achieve what I needed for the opening. So the lyrics came first, and then when it was time to set the lyrics to music, the tune and lyrics did not fit. Back to the drawing board, I wrote a melody, used a few of the original lyrics, but ended up writing a lot of new lyrics to fit. Songwriting for the theatre is MUCH harder! I broke up dialogue between the verses to help begin setting the story.”

Brewer’s plan worked perfectly as the audience is immediately transported back in time and invited to experience the familiar story once again. Among those features throughout as carolers are Christine Toole, Ivory Bodnar, Shelby Talbert, Ben Friesen, Galen Fott and Brian Charles Rooney. While most of the ensemble sing at one point or another, let me be clear…this isn’t a full-on musical, the carols are simply perfectly peppered throughout to fill the gap between scene changes and to add a bit of punch to the progression of the story. It’s not like Scrooge breaks into song mid-sentence or anything like that. Instead, The inclusion of the occasional carols, old and new, is as welcomed and soothing as a cup of Hot Cocoa on a brisk winter’s morn.

Among the traditional carols included: The First Noel, Deck the Halls, I Saw Three Ships, In The Bleak Midwinter, We Wish You a Merry Christmas and more.

In addition to the opening tune penned by Brewer and Perry, Act One also features a song titled Blessing, performed by Jennifer Whitcomb-Oliva and the Cratchit family. Of this tune, Brewer said, “I knew I wanted to may the prayer a song but didn’t want it to be long. So, I wrote the lyrics as I was writing the script, and then a few months later came back to it and gave it a melody. It’s simple, which is exactly what I wanted.”

Act Two features another original written by Brewer and arranged by Perry, It’s Christmastime Again, with includes a solo by Scrooge himself. Brewer explained, “I wanted a song that established the feeling of Christmas Day, the hopes and the happiness one feels at the time. As I started writing the melody, I realized some of my original lyrics didn’t work. I wanted the song to feel and sound like it could be from the period, so the melody sounds very traditional. As I was revising the second verse of lyrics, I thought why not give Scrooge a solo here? He can sing about how his heart has been transformed. I’m really happy with the number, and I must admit, even I go around singing and humming it, so I guess it’s an earworm.”

Speaking of Scrooge, Matthew Carlton is simply brilliant in the role, and it’s a bit of a full-circle moment! His bio reveals his first foray into A Christmas Carol at The Rep came in 1990 when he was cast as Scrooge’s young nephew, Fred. Over the years, Carlton says he’s played a dozen or more characters in eleven different production. I’m here to tell you though, he better free up his winter calendar going forward because it’s official, Matthew Carlton now ranks among my favorites to have ever taken on the role. He’s in good company, too, considering Sir Michael Caine’s Scrooge from The Muppet Christmas Carol tops the list! What’s interesting about Carlton’s performance is, it’s all-encompassing. Yes, he can mean-mug with the best of them, but the scene that struck me most, and may or may not have made my eyes sweat takes place during a party when Scrooge is transported back in time by Kris Sidberry’s beautiful Ghost of Christmas Past. In the scene, Carlton’s Scrooge sees his beloved Belle (Ivory Bodnar) enjoying the merriment of a dance with fellow holiday revelers. Caught up in the moment, but forgetting that he’s only a shadow presence, Scrooge attempts to join in the fun, getting caught at one point in the center of a quartet of dancers. Of course unseen because he isn’t actually there in his present form, he’s ignored as the dancers continue moving about without him. Within just a few minutes as this scene plays out, Carlton, under the keen direction of Brewer, runs the gamut of emotion from excitement to regret and sadness. Being a self-confessed Scrooge myself, I was a puddle.

The show–and its cast of beloved Nashville actors including such theatrical luminaries as Galen Fott and Denice Hicks as Mr. and Mrs. Fezziwig–is filled with the nuanced, but brilliant moments. After seeing Hicks and Fott bubble and giggle about as the Fezziwig’s, their’s is a party I’d gladly attend.

You know you’re a great actor when just a projection of your face can elicit an internal squee. That’s the exact reaction when another longtime Nashville favorite, Brian Webb Russell’s face appeared on Scrooge’s door as the “dead to begin with” Jacob Marley. In an early scene, when Marley visits Scrooge to warn him of the coming visitors, Russell’s Marley rattles his chains as he floats about the room. More fanciful than frightening, a joy to watch. He’s equally enjoyable when paired with Deb Meeks (making her Rep debut) as a rather boisterous party-goer who’s husband (Russell) is partaking of a few too many Christmas ‘spirits’ of his own. These two need to be paired together more!

Still more of my favorites, Eric D. Pasto-Crosby and Jennifer Whitcomb-Oliva are featured as Bob Cratchit and his wife, Emily. Pasto-Crosby plays the kindly Cratchit with sweet conviction. Whitcomb-Oliva proves her range, and her acumen as Bob’s devoted wife, Emily, but my favorite scene comes when she’s about to give Scrooge a bit of fiery what for, only to realize he’s seen the error of his ways and quickly turn on that megawatt charm once again. God, thank you for the gift that is Jennifer Whitcomb-Oliva on stage, even in a supporting role, she’s a scene-stealing delight.

Can’t talk about A Christmas Carol without talking about the Spirits. Mentioned above, Kris Sidberry, making her Nashville Rep debut, is simply magical as Ghost of Christmas Past. Delightful, sweet and fun…all the things we think of most when we remember the past are personified in Sidberry’s performance. She doesn’t just shine in her performance, she sparkles. In part, thanks to Costumer Designer, Melissa Durmon’s literally and figuratively glowing gown!

Brian Charles Rooney, seen last holiday season as Buddy the Elf in Nashville Rep’s Elf, is larger than life as Ghost of Christmas Present, and what a present his performance is. Towering above Carlton’s Scrooge (did I see light-up disco platforms under Rooney’s velvet robe?) Rooney’s Ghost of Christmas Present is cheeky, loud and bossy. Everything you could wish for in a ghost guide. Again, kudos to Durmon, and added kudos to her and her wig department team for transforming Rooney into an almost unrecognizable bacchanalian party god with flowing ginger locks and beard. Didn’t think I was into scruffy gingers, but you never know. As mentioned previously, Rooney is among those featured throughout the action as a caroler. I have it on good authority he had been dealing with a bit of laryngitis during the opening days of the show. All I know is, if that’s Rooney with laryngitis, belting out and hitting those unfathomable soprano-high notes, the rest of the run the audiences were in for a treat.

Round out the ghostly trio is Ben Friesen as Ghost of Christmas Future. Even though the show is about to enter its final week at the time of this review being posted, I’m a staunch believer that spoilers do just that…they spoil aspects of shows that are meant to surprise and entertain. To that end, Friesen’s Ghost of Christmas Future definitely delivers. Visually hauntingly brilliant and looming large, Friesen’s appearance is definitely a powerful one. Suffice it to say, his performances a Ghost of Christmas Future would no doubt make Jim Henson proud..and that’s as much of a spoiler as you’ll get from me. Not to fret though, he’s also featured throughout the show, most notably as Dick Wilkins, a friend and colleague of younger Scrooge.

Speaking of younger Scrooge, Evan Fenne is making his debut as Scrooge in his younger days. His scenes with Ivory Bodnar’s Belle are perfectly sweet and though we know their fate, the hopefulness of their performances together is joyous and further illustrates Scrooge’s hidden, but still-present redeemable qualities.

The entire cast is filled with great supporting performances. Mention should be made of Max Fleischhacker as Scrooge’s Nephew Fred, Ethan H. Jones as Mr. Blakeley, Abby Hopper as Alice Cratchit, Alex Hillaker as Henry Cratchit, David Long III as Peter Cratchit, Shelby Talbert as Martha Cratchit, Elle Wesley as Belinda Cratchit, Caroline Henry as Alice Cratchit and Emily Hooper and David Matthew Clark (on alternate nights) each sharing the role as Tiny Tim.

Nashville Repertory Theatre’s A Christmas Carol on stage at TPAC’s James K. Polk Theatre continues through Sunday, December 17. CLICK HERE for tickets or more information. Following a brief break in the new year, Nashville Repertory Theatre will present Paula Vogel’s Indecent on stage at TPAC’s Andrew Johnson Theatre as The Rep’s 2023/2024 season continues. CLICK HERE for tickets to this powerful play. In the meantime, check out Nashville Rep online HERE and follow them on Facebook,  Twitter,  YouTube and Instagram.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

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

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

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

Elliott Robinson as Hercule Poirot

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

If you’ve enjoyed this latest Rapid Fire 20 Q, be sure and CLICK HERE to check out previous conversations. if you are interested in coverage for your latest entertaining endeavor, simply click the contact page and drop me a note. You can also follow JHP Entertainment on Instagram,  Twitter and Facebook.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Drew Ann Borsos as Madame Arcati

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

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

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

Following Blithe Spirit, the Larry Keeton Dinner Theatre ushers in the holidays with Irving Berlin’s White Christmas, onstage December 1-18. CLICK HERE for tickets or more information.

To keep up with the latest from The Larry Keeton Dinner Theatre, follow them on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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The cast of Nashville Rep’s ‘RENT’

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Paint Drumming
photo by Lindsey Best

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

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

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

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

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

photo by Evan Zimmerman for MurphyMade

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

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

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

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

Up next at TPAC’s Jackson Hall as their Broadway at TPAC season continues, is Jesus Christ Superstar, on stage March 3-8. Discover all the latest from TPAC by checking them out online or on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

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

Theatre Review: Circle Players’ ‘La Cage aux Folles’; three-week run wraps this weekend

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Macon Kimbrough (center) and members of the cast of “La Cage aux Folles” (all photos by Ashleigh Eve Newnes/courtesy Circle Players)

After making its Nashville debut as part of Circle Players’ 50th Anniversary season some twenty years ago, La Cage aux Folles is back at Circle as part of their history-making 70th season. What’s more, Music City’s exalted theatre critic-cum-director, Jef Ellis—who helmed that first local presentation in 1999—is back at the helm as director for this special anniversary mounting; currently at Z Alexander Looby Theatre, with shows thru Sunday, February 2.

When I featured Ellis and members of the cast of Circle Players’ current production of La Cage aux Folles in a recent Rapid Fire 20 Q, I mentioned him being the perfect choice to direct the beloved musical—in which Jerry Herman and his collaborator Harvey Fierstein examine what makes a family—not only because Ellis directed the aforementioned area debut, but also because of his adoration of classic modern musicals. 

What I failed to mention was another of Ellis’ unique qualifications, for you see, Ellis has been a longtime constant advocate for gay rights, having founded DARE (later rechristened Query), Tennessee’s first-ever LGBT newspaper. With that in mind when I arrived at Z Alexander Looby Theatre for an opening weekend performance of La Cage aux Folles, I already knew I was in for quite a night.

Upon entering the theatre, Ellis set the perfect early 1980s Saint-Tropez vibe by adding a row of cocktail tables between the venue’s stage and theatre seating for a select few patrons.

Before the show began, there was a little pre-show entertainment (courtesy Nate Paul, the show’s musical director) followed by an introduction from Simone, the Maitre d’hotel played by Steve Raimo, better known to fans of Nashville drag as Veronika Electronika. 

One of the first things I noticed was the placement of Paul and the live band, rather than the usual spot stage left, the band (Matt McNeil, Logan Scarbrough, Tom D’Angelo, Kelly Hogan, Daniel Johnson, Michael Luttrell and Raymond Ridley) was seated on the stage, just as any orchestra would likely be at most high-profile nightspots of the time. This was a genius move on Ellis’ part in another way, for many many times when I’ve attended shows at Looby Theatre, the band–usually positioned to the right of the audience–frequently overpowers the actors’ voices. Not this time. By placing the band behind the action,, Ellis achieves a perfect blend of sound.

After a few welcoming remarks from Simone that teetered ever so dangerously near a bit too bawdy, the show began with Macon Kimbrough as Georges, the emcee and owner of La Cage aux Folles. Initially, Kimbrough, a longtime favorite in the Nashville theatre community, seemed a tad subdued, but read on…

The show’s energy quickly accelerated with the opening number, We Are What We Are as performed by Les Cagelles (Kayne Dayton, Konnor Davis, Alex Van Buren, Jacob Brashar, Becky Charlton, Ashley Wheeler, Poem Atkinson and Schuyler Phoenix), a bevy of beauties of indeterminate sexual identity. Side Note: Having seen La Cage a few times over the decades, not to mention my own appreciation of the art of drag, this was the first time I’d seen more than one cis female among the troupe. At first it was a little off-putting, but then the idea of ‘what does it matter who’s male and who’s female?’, a prime plot point of the piece, kind of began to ring true. Besides, I completely understand you can only cast a show with whomever shows up for auditions.

Following this number, Kimbrough’s Georges returned and as his performance continued, it was clear it wasn’t opening night nerves or a lack of enthusiasm driving him, but rather, pure raw emotion for the role and the importance of the work. Throughout the show, and in particular during With You on My Arm and Song on the Sand, Kimbrough’s impassioned performance was among the show’s most heart-felt.

Michael Baird as ZaZa

With his own share of heart-felt moments, balanced perfectly with a flamboyance that nowadays could have easily devolve into stereotype was Nashville theatre newcomer, Michael Baird. New to Music City, but with a strong resume of theatrical turns in St. Louis, Baird is definitely one to watch. As Albin, who also stars at the club as ZaZa, he’s Georges’ partner in life and in work. Baird is charming, witty and knowns the difference between ham and cheese; hamming it up just enough to get the laugh, without being so cheesy as to have the laugh be followed by a groan. As expected, Baird’s strongest moments come with two of the show’s most beloved tunes, Mascara and the Act 1 show-stopper, I Am What I Am. Speaking of mascara, if ever there’s a reason to wear waterproof mascara, I Am What I Am is it, for there wasn’t a dry eye in the house as the lights came up on intermission. Landing every laugh and coaxing every tear, Baird excelled in the role.

The show’s other strongest performances happens all too infrequently for my taste in the form of Kristian Dambrino as Jacqueline, Georges’ and Albin’s favorite gal-pal and French restauranteur. The accent, the hair, the devil-may-care demeanor, plus Dambrino’s comedic timing and lovely vocal skills add up to a scene-stealing performance. Her performance during The Best of Times, is, well, among the best of times during the show.

Cast as Georges and Albin’s butler, who insists on being referred to as the maid is Russell Forbes. Seemingly borrowing heavily from Hank Azaria’s turn in The Birdcage, the Robin Williams film based upon the original French film, upon which La Cage aux Folles the musical is based, for me, Forbes’ performance fell kinda flat . Appropriate, considering the character literally falls flat on his face during the show’s closing number…a scripted fall, mind you, but had I seen the show in reverse it would seem to have been a bit of foreshadowing to his performance. I say this with tongue planted firmly in cheek for I realize the role is written in such a way that Forbes’ interpretation is very much inline to the over-the-top characterization presented in the original in 1984, and most certainly in Azaria’s take in the more recent film adaptation. It’s just one of the aspects of the show that doesn’t necessarily stand the test of time.

What is relatable, regardless of the passage of time, is at the crux of the piece–the relationships between parents and their children. To that end, Callum Ammons is Jean-Michel, Albin and Georges’ son (by way of a former hetero relationship between Georges and the much-discussed, but unseen Sybill). Ammons’ Jean-Michel returns home with news of his pending engagement to the daughter of a prominent—and conservative—political figure. Which sets up the premise of the show. 

Ammons’ strong suit comes in his vocal performance. Meanwhile, there just doesn’t seem to be chemistry between him and his on-stage love interest, Anne, played by Alvia Dupree. Nonetheless, heir dream dance duet during With Anne on My Arm is a sweet moment. 

The dinner party gone awry

Appearing as Anne’s parents Eduard and Marie Dindon are Jonathan Wilburn and Anne Street-Kavanagh. Of the duo, Street-Kavanagh catches the eye most. During a hopefully proper dinner at Jacqueline’s restaurant, I couldn’t help but notice Street-Kavanagh’s Marie as she slowly but surely enjoys a bit too much champaign. Wilburn’s Eduard is played straight and strait-laced, but in a show with so many flamboyant characters, he basically gets lost in the mix. I’m not even going to talk about his bearded lady look at the close of the show.

In small but enjoyable roles, Ellis bridges the gap by casting another Nashville favorite, Howard Snyder opposite another Music City newcomer, Caroline Dawson as M. And Mme. Renaud, owners of a local bistro frequented by Georges and Albin. Yes, there’s a bit of an age difference, but what the heck, it’s Saint-Tropez in the 80s, where anything goes, right?

Austin Jeffrey Smith, an Ellis favorite, does a brief (emphasis on brief, as in scantily clad) turn as Etinne, rounding out the cast with Joseph Bosse as Francis, Lauren Duarte as Colette, Hillary Mead as Suzette and Brad Hunter as Tabarro.

As expected in a show from Harvey Fierstein and the legendary Jerry Herman, La Cage aux Folles is mostly upbeat, with a message of positivity and an ever-present hopeful outlook for the future, resplendent with memorable tunes, driving the focus to the words and the music. To that end, the set is limited. That said, you gotta love Ellis’ inclusion of an oversized painting as a primary set piece in Georges’ home, an interpretation of Michelangelo’s The Creation of Adam. A clever wink, for within the story, Albin is forced to forego ZaZa’s penchant for drag and dress more manly in order to meet his future uptight in-laws.

Also enhancing the music, the show’s choreography, most enjoyable when it involves the entire cast of Les Cagelles. Kudos to the show’s choreographer, Kelvin Amburgey-Walton, who interestingly enough, played the role of Albin/Zaza in Ellis’ previous production of La Cage aux Folles.

While some characterizations in the script seem overdone, and may not have stood the test of time, the primary message of love, being who you are, being proud of who you are and being accepted for who you are are as relevant now as they were when the show premiered.

La Cage aux Folles wraps it’s three-week run with a final matinee at 3pm Sunday, February 2. CLICK HERE for tickets, or purchase them in person at Z. Alexander Loopy Theatre (2301 Rosa Parks Blvd. Nashville TN) one hour before curtain.

Up next at Circle Players as their 70th season continues is A Raisin in the Sun directed by Clay Hillwig, onstage at The Looby, March 20-April 5. CLICK HERE for tickets or more information. To keep up with the latest from Circle Players follow them on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter 

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