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As I mentioned when I chatted with the cast of We Need a Lot of Christmas for my latest Rapid Fire 20Q, the show’s title is 100% accurate. We DO indeed need a Lot of Christmas, especially after the past months we’ve all endured. What’s more, after attending an opening weekend performance of Fiddle Dee Farms’ current dinner show (on stage through December 31 at the farm’s beautifully decorated Barn, located at 7526 Swift Road, Greenbrier, TN 37073) I can certainly attest that the eight-member ensemble and resident magician do indeed deliver the goods. 

With a delicious meal kicking off the night and more than three dozen musical numbers, dancing, singing, sketches—both comedic and heart-tugging—and magic tricks peppered throughout, Fiddle Dee Farms’ We Need a Lot of Christmas is a holiday gift so big even that Jolly Ole Elf couldn’t fit it in his sack.

Upon arriving at Fiddle Dee Farms (located just about 25 minutes from Downtown Nashville), I first noticed the Christmas lights decorating the entrance. Closer inspection revealed a couple of festively trimmed trees and a bench perfect for that impromptu Christmas card photo op while you waiting in the late-fall air to be escorted inside The Barn at Fiddle Dee Farms to your table. 

Anyone who knows me, knows that 1954’s White Christmas starring Bing Crosby, Rosemary Clooney, Danny Kaye  and Vera-Ellen is my absolute favorite holiday film. It’s more recent stage adaptation, my favorite holiday stage musical, so you can image my giddiness when I entered The Barn at Fiddle Dee Farms to see it completely covered in garland, lights, evergreens, trees flocked with snow and glitter and gorgeously a breathtaking resplendence of Christmas, just like the final scene in the film.

Once seated, we were directed to the buffet where the staff of The Bakery Box, caterers of the dinner portion of the evening, buzz around like elves in Santa’s Toy Shop making sure the guests get their choice of Apple Chutney-glazed Smoked Pork Tenderloin or Spinach Stuffed Chicken with sides of Au Gratin Potatoes, Green Beans with Almonds, a Salad and Dinner Roll. I opted for the Chicken and after the meal, it wasn’t the only thing that was stuffed. Huge portions, and so tasty, too. After dinner, guests are invited to visit the dessert bar which contains a selection sweets. I chose the Chocolate Chess Pie and never regretted it for a moment.

Following the dinner hour, it’s time to settle in for the show, and what a show it wis. Produced by husband and wife team, Barry and Dari Anne Amato, who are also among the cast of talented singer, dancers and performers, the show also features a bevy of talented folks including: Curtis Reed, Charlynn Grace Carter-Lotto, Billy Ditty, Jenny Norris, Jordan Long, Amanda Disney and Magician Bruce Amato. We Need a Lot of Christmas rivals anything you see at Radio City Music Hall, on a National Tour, or, to put it in terms to which we locals can definitely relate, Dollywood, Pigeon Forge…or for those who remember it, Opryland USA. That last reference should be no real surprise for those who know the Amatos, as the two actually met while appearing at Opryland and they’ve also mounted many shows in Pigeon Forge.

As mentioned earlier, the show features more than three dozen musical numbers, a list of which might be as lengthy as Santa’s Naughty and Nice tallies. That said, part of the fun of seeing this all-new production during its inaugural season is not knowing exactly what all songs to expect. To that end, I won’t give you my usual track-by-track rundown of the show. Instead, here’s a few of my personal favorite moments.

Of course the opening sequence is spectacular. Outfitted in festive attire ,the entire cast takes to the stage for a medley including a slightly altered version of We Need a Little Christmas. For this show, and this world we’re living in, the lyrical switch reiterates the fact that We Need a Lot of Christmas. The all-in medley continues with Man With the Bag, Most Wonderful Time of the Year and concludes with a titular reprise. Of course the tune, in its original form is from my other favorite holiday movie, Lucille Ball’s Mame. Don’t come for me with “It’s not really a Christmas movie” or “Auntie Mame, starring Rosalind Russell is the far superior version of that story”. Them’s fighting words, but I digress. 

While I’ve mentioned the set decoration, the food and the talent, I must also mention the wardrobe. We Need a Lot of Christmas is chocked full of costume changes. More than half a dozen different looks for each cast member. Each of them perfectly mirroring the moment, from the craziness clothing choices of a Zoom call to Christmas toys come to life. But the most spectacular of the costuming are showcased when the entire cast is on stage in coordinating looks. Everything from Christmas bling to Buffalo Plaid, from Winter White to Tuxes & Tails, Evening Gowns and more.

A couple more mood-setting tunes and the show’s first magic trick of the evening. Of Bruce Amato’s magic tricks, they’re just complicated enough to have the audience guessing how he does it. Amato proves himself a seasoned showman. His presentation, engaging smile and movement, thoroughly engaging.

Next up, a bit of relatable levity by way of the night’s first sketch, centering ‘round the now all-too-familiar, and aforementioned Zoom call. Barry Amato is seen checking in on everyone at his laptop while the rest of the cast appears onstage holding black frames, replicating the look of being on a computer screen. Anyone who’s participating in a video conference during these last several months will surely chuckle at the sight of some attendees wearing pajama bottoms, while others struggle with the mute button, noisy kids in the background, and even sleep deprivation due to taking on an addition gig. Of course there’s also that one guy who’s fully dressed—tie and everything—and still another who has opted to not share their camera view. 

That unseen participant in the Zoom skit just happened to be cast member Amanda Disney, making her professional debut after a lifetime of being onstage in school show, regional productions and community theatre, and what a debut it is, for she’s the night’s first soloist as she performs Underneath the Tree. Aptly named, Disney look like…well…a Disney Princess to come life. Snow White to be specific, with her raven locks, bright eyes and ruby red lips, and a voice to match.

Disney’s solo leads into the show’s next segment, for you see, each grouping of songs is carefully thought out and presenting with cohesive themes. This next section is all about snow. It also features most of the remaining cast members in stand-out solo vocals, as do most segments throughout the night. This seems like a good time to delve further into this. All too often I’ve seen ensemble shows that don’t hold up the true ideal of an ensemble cast, but rather feature one or two performers heavily and relegate the remainder to backing vocals. This is not the case with We Need a Lot of Christmas. Perhaps because of their Opryland roots and the inherent ensemble nature of those shows, the Amatos do a remarkable job of highlighting each and every member of the cast’s strength as a performer while seemingly effortlessly also bringing them all together for some truly beautiful moments. 

Case in point, the Snow Section includes an all-in version of Snow, a tune from my festive film favorite, White Christmas.I don’t know what it is about this simple little tune that includes some great harmonies, but it makes my cold, dark heart simply melt, just as it did when I heard this cast perform it.

On the topic of solos, Billy Ditty’s Winter Wonderland was another bright spot in the snow segment. As fabulous a dancer as he is a singer, Ditty can croon a tune while tripping the light fantastic in a manner reminiscent of Gene Kelly and the like. 

If Ditty stirs visions of Gene Kelly, Jordan Long might easily be compared to more contemporary crooners like Harry Connick, Jr. or Michael Buble as he warms up the chill in the air with Let It Snow. 

Keeping the snowy theme going, Jenny Norris gets in on the action with Do You Wanna Build a Snowman. Full Confession: Yes, I know it’s from Frozen, but I’ve still never seen it, not the sequel, or even the Olaf shorts and specials. But let me say this…after hearing Norris’ inviting take, I just might have to see the film this holiday season. 

Also featured as a solo vocalist in this segment is Curtis Reed, another skilled singer and dancer. He’s also quite the comedian, as witnessed in strangely fitting 90s rap, Ice Ice Baby…complete with a frosty wig, shimmering wardrobe and minor adjustments to the lyrics befitting the holiday season.

Charlynn Grace Carter-Lotto gets in on the fun with the show’s next sketch, as she presents a befuddled Mom trying her hand at Christmas crafting. This leads into the Toy Section of the show. Magician Bruce Amato, with the help of Jenny Norris invites the audience into a world of Pure Imagination dressed as a cross between Rainbow Bright and a marionette. This section features a few expected elements, everyone in on a rendition of Toyland, namely, but there’s also a few surprises and in the interest of keeping them that way, all I can say is Charlynn Grace Carter-Lotto gives us Toy Story Cowgirl Jesse realness, Jordan Long is super, Curtis Reed is plum fantastic, nobody’s gonna wanna keep the Amatos on the shelf and fans of the mid-century animated holiday classics by Rankin-Bass are sure to get a smile from the Isle.

Yet another magical moment courtesy Bruce Amato transitions the audience to the Hollywood Movie Musical Section of the show, and Yes, checking something off my personal Christmas wish list, they all sing White Christmas and The Best Things Happen While Your Dancing from White Christmas during this section. I can’t help it! Lotto and Long take the lead vocally during this song, while the remaining cast of Disney, Reed, Norris, Ditty, and the Amatos gracefully glide across the floor proving the best things do indeed happen while you dance.

Dari Anne Amato’s Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas is yet another highlight during this section as she pays perfect musical homage to Judy Garland’s who’s 1944 version introduced the world to the now-classic holiday tune in the film Meet Me in St. Louis. What’s more, Amato looks like a dream singing it. 

Channeling yet another modern crooner, Jordan Long makes the audience feel all warm and fuzzy inside with his version of Josh Groban’s Believe from the film Polar Express. Bringing the Polar Express into the station, albeit only temporarily for the show’s intermission, Barry Amato, dressed in full train conductor regalia, recreates the Hot Chocolate scene from the film as legions of servers bring a sampling of Hot Chocolate to each and everyone in attendance. A little taste was all I needed to convince me to visit the concessions area for a full service of Hot Chocolate. Both beverages and others items were available in the gift shop for an additional minimal fee.

Post-intermission its time to Swing Into Christmas with Barry Amato leading things off with a swingin’ take on Gettin’ in the Mood for Christmas, a rockin holiday tune from Brian Setzer adapted from the classic Glen Miller. Christmas keeps on swingin’ with selections by Carter-Lotto, Reed and Ditty, with another magical interlude by Bruce Amato.

A humorous road trip sketch comes next with Reed once again stealing the show, and once again, I’m not gonna reveal all, but Reed as the youngest of three boys—Ditty and Long playing his older siblings—make a holiday drive challenging for Dad, Amato.

From humor to heart, Reed is once again at the helm with the help of the guys in the cast as he takes the lead on a heart-felt salute to our military by way of a moving rendition of the holiday classic, I’ll Be Home For Christmas.

Continuing the mood of gratitude, the night ends with a selection of traditional Christmas Carols based in faith and honoring the true reason for the season. As is the case throughout, this segment features each and every cast member in all their musical glory. The perfect end to a perfect holiday night of music, dancing, merriment that will surely leave audiences with a warmed heart and an appreciation for family, friends, and a renewed sense of appreciation for what we have, what we’ve lost and what we hope for the future.

Speaking of hopes for the future, I sincerely hope Fiddle Dee Farms continues to present the occasional dinner and a show throughout the year. If I may be so bold, might I suggest presenting the much-mentioned White Christmas musical stage version next holiday season. I’d be happy with any combination of the incredibly talented folks featured in We Need a Lot of Christmas taking it on for Christmas 2022.

In the meantime, We Need a Lot of Christmas continues it’s run with performances Dinner Shows December 4,10, 11, 14, 15, 17, 18, 19, 21, 22, 23 and a special New Year’s Eve performance December 31. As well as additional Matinee performances December 4, 10, 11, 14, 17, 18 and 23.

Doors open for Matinees performances at 11:30am with a Gourmet Box Lunch served from 11:55am until 12:55pm and the Show beginning at 1pm. Matinee performances are $49.95, and include a gourmet box lunch.

Doors open for evening performances at 5:30pm with Buffet served from 5:45pm until 7:15pm and the Show beginning at 7:30pm. Evening performances begin at 7:30p.m. and prices range from $69.95 to $74.95 (for VIP seating) and include the above mentioned gourmet buffet with choice of entree. 

Tickets are also available for a special New Year’s Eve performance beginning at 8p.m. for $110.00. The New Year’s Eve celebration includes the above-mentioned holiday buffet plus a meet and greet with the cast and producers, fun and games, party favors, noisemakers, post-show dancing with music provided by a DJ, dance lessons courtesy the cast, more magic from Bruce Amato, post-show hors d’oeuvres and holiday desserts and of course, champagne at midnight. CLICK HERE for tickets. For more, check out We Need a Lot of Christmas on Facebook and Instagram.

As always, if you wanna follow JHPEntertainment for my take on the latest local and national theatre, music and movie offerings, find us at JHPEntertainment on Facebook, JHP Entertainment 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!

https://www.fiddledeefarms.com/

Rapid Fire 20 Q with cast and creators of ‘We Need a Lot of Christmas’; opening November 26 at Fiddle Dee Farms in Greenbriar

https://fiddledeefarms.ticketspice.com/we-need-a-lot-of-christmas-2021

https://www.christmasdinnershow.com/

One year, seven month…and 45 minutes (if you know, you know). That’s how long I waited to once again be seated in the audience at TPAC to witness the unmatched joy of live theatre. Thanks to The Band’s Visit, the 10-time Tony Award-winning musical, with book by Itamar Moses and music and lyrics by David Yazbek, which opened its Nashville tour stop Tuesday night at TPAC’s Jackson Hall, it was worth the wait.

With a show open taken directly from the musical’s source material—2007’s beloved Israeli film of the same name—a screen displays simple intertitles that read, “Once, not long ago, a small Egyptian police band arrived in Israel.” The intertitles continue, “Not many remember this, it was not that important.” This simple setup leads into the show’s first musical number, “Waiting”, (a bit of extra irony for TPAC’s opening night crowd). “Waiting” is a surprisingly poignant tune in which the inhabitants of Bet Hatikva lament the doldrums of life in their small town with lyrics like “We’re experts at waiting” and “you keep looking off into the distance even though you know the view is never going to change”. But change and a bit of excitement come when you least expect it.

Enter Egypt’s eight-piece Alexandria Ceremonial Police Orchestra, who’ve been booked to play an Arab culture center in Petah Tikva, but who’ve mistakenly traveled to the similarly pronounced Bet Hatikva. “Welcome to Nowhere”, features cast members Janet Dacal as Dina, owner of a small cafe, Clay Singer as Itzik, an out of work, happy-go-lucky guy, inspire of an often troubled marriage and Coby Getzug as Papi, a young man who just wants to fit in an find love. The theme of being stuck in your own surroundings is amplified in “Welcome to Nowhere” as Dina and company inform the band they’ve ended up in Bet Hatikva, with a B… “like in boring…like in barren…like in bullshit…like in bland” and as Dina lyrically succinctly puts it, “like in basically bleak and beige and blah, blah, blah”. With Broadway credits ranging from The Full Monty, Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown, Tootsie and Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (and awards an accolades to match), it’s no wonder the lyrics to this and the entire soundtrack are B like in brilliant.

As for the band, they’re lead by Sasson Gabay as Colonel Tewfiq. A fan of the 2007 film, I have to say, what a thrill to see Gabay in the role, considering the fact he originated it in the movie. Joe Joseph appears as Haled, a young flirtatious musician who idolizes Chet Baker. James Rana plays Simon, the band’s clarinetist and aspiring composer who’s unfinished concerto perfectly reiterates themes of longing prevalent throughout. While the remaining members of the band don’t figure as prominently in the subplots of the show, their expertise as musicians during the interstitial musical interludes perfectly weave the story together. To that end, Yoni Avi Battat, Roger Kashou, Brian Krock, Kane Mathis and Wick Simmons round out The Band. Spoiler Alert: Do NOT leave after the initial curtain call, or you’ll miss a thrilling musical performance by all.

On the subject of The Band, they’re dressed in power blue military uniforms (designed for the original Broadway production by Sarah Laux), surely representative of the breath of fresh air The Band’s Visit becomes to this small burg. The clever book even makes reference to their uniforms. One such mention by one of the band members himself, likening them to Michael Jackson, who had a penchant for military costumes; another jokingly referring to The Band as Sgt. Pepper’s. Coincidentally, my weird pop culture brain did indeed think of The Beatles when I saw the uniforms, but not because of their Sgt. Pepper’s uniforms, rather due the fact that two of the Fab Four, George Harrison and John Lennon once famously owned matching Fender Stratocasters powder coated in a similar Sonic Blue, but I digress.

When Dina informs The Band that the next bus to their intended destination doesn’t depart until the morning, she offers them a meal and arranges accommodations with herself and her friends. Tewfiq and Haled join Dina at her apartment. Along the way, Haled inquires about a payphone, in hopes of contacting the Egyptian embassy to inform them of their travel snafu. Dina points towards the only payphone in town, which is guarded day and night by a young man (Joseph Grosso, credited simply as Telephone Guy in the playbill) who waits for a call from his girlfriend, even though it’s been months since she left their small town.

Once inside Dina’s apartment Tewfig inquires about her relationship status. “It Is What It Is” matter -f factly reveals her husband has abandoned her, but she does’t seem too bothered. As for Tewfiq, he’s not so free opening up, only acknowledging the existence of a wife and son.

The action then shifts to Itzik’s where he, his wife, Iris (Kendal Hartse) their infant son and his wife’s father, Avrum (David Studwell) are joined by  band member Simon. During dinner the wine flows freely, especially noticeable for discontented wife, Iris,. It’s subtle stage direction like this that truly sets this show apart. It’s the small, intimate actions, interactions and reactions that make The Band’s Visit such a charmer. Curious about his hosts, Simon asks Iris’ father about his wife. This leads Studwell’s Avrum to respond with one of the show’s most beautiful, figurative, literal and most heart-felt musical moments, “The Beat of Your Heart”. The tune contains still more clever lyrics courtesy Yazbek infectious score, including “love sparks on the upbeat, igniting on a minor 9th, resolving to a major 6th, then something clicks and everything starts”–be still my inner band-geek’s heart. Later in the evening, Iris storms out, but Itzik informs Simon that this is a frequent occurrence and she always returns. Even later, just as the baby has been put to bed by a sweet lullaby from Itzik, he awakens and begins to cry. Simon asks if he can play the baby back to sleep, but just as he enters the baby’s room, Isis returns. Upset that a stranger is in with the baby she rushes to the room in time to witness Simon’s solo lulling the crying baby to a restful hush. Rethinking her actions of the evening, she then embraces her husband in a lengthy and well-intentioned hug.

Elsewhere that evening, The Band and their momentary hosts all embark on varying but ultimately similar journeys of self-discovery and unexpected, but welcomed growth. Dina and Tewfiq enjoy getting to know each other over dinner and share a common interest in music and movies as expressed in another gentle musical moment, “Omar Sharif”. Not gonna lie, maybe it was the fact that this show marked my return to the audience after such a long global intermission, maybe it’s the fact that I’ll shed a tear at the drop of a hat, or maybe it’s that as a child, movies, music and theatre were my escape from reality, but my eyes began to ‘sweat’ as Janet Dacal sang this one. Side Note: those currently required face masks serve a dual purpose as they quickly absorbed the tears as they trickled down my face.

Moving on to an equally sweet, but slightly less somber event of an evening out on the town in Bet Hatikva, Haled joins Papi and friends as the fifth wheel of a double date at the skating rink. On the way he stops by the payphone as it is ringing and leaps in front of Telephone Guy to answer it. It is the embassy confirming they’re indeed stuck till the morning bus. During his conversation, Telephone Guy is seen nervously rolling the hem of his sweater between his finger and thumb and tugging at it anxiously. Another almost unnoticeable stage direction that, if it drew your eye, you’ll understand and appreciate a later revelation all the more. At the rink, Papi expresses his anxieties of romance to Haled courtesy the tune “Papi Hears the Ocean”. Ever the romantic, Haled encourages Papi with “Haled’s Song About Love”. 

As the scene shifts back to Dina and Tewfiq, an ill-fated current romance temporarily and accidentally interrupts their evening, but all is not lost as they take a walk to the park. Not actually a park, but a solitary bench, Dina paints the picture of a park with her imagination, a perfect symbol for survival in a nowhere town. A pivotal moment in their burgeoning relationship comes by way of “Itgara’a”, a song Tewfiq sang to his wife in his native language. As he sings, Dina, who doesn’t understand his language, wonders aloud by way of another song, “Something Different” in which she questions if his accidental visit to her town might have been fate stepping in.

Just as Tewfiq begins to open up to Dina and she begins to see perhaps a future with him beyond their change night together, Haled interrupts with news that the bus will indeed pick them up in the morning. The news instantly returns Tewfiq to his role as Colonel and he rushes off without even a goodbye. Dina then examines the meaning of their budding relationship with a Reprise of “Something Different”, after which, if by instinct of simply pent-up romantic tension of her night out with Tewfig, she kisses Haled after he offers a patented, but meaningless compliment of her eyes.

Having provided a bit of comic relief throughout the show as he’s seen looming over the payphone, Joshua Grosso’s moment to shine comes front and center as the show’s 11th hour tune, “Answer Me” during which he questions his devotion as he is joined by his friends and neighbor, all longing for answers. Some long questioning like Itzik and Iris, others seeking answers to the evening’s events like Dina, Papi and Haled.

When I first saw the film, I remember being touched by the smallness of it, the intimate nature of it. Having grown up in a small town myself, I not only related, but relished in it. In preparation of my recent Rapid Fire Q&A with Kendal Hartse (check it out HERE), I watched the film again and checked out a few items online about the Broadway adaptation. I noticed a few nay-sayers who felt the intimacy of the piece was lost between it’s off-Broadway small capacity venue and Broadway or the National Tour, but in the audience last night, I felt none of that. The touring company, while small in number compared to some of the blockbuster, effects-heavy, crowd-pleasers that contain full-on show-stopping grandiose mega-numbers, complete with pyrotechnics, have absolutely nothing on the heart, warmth and charm of The Band’s Visit. From it’s fast-paced, quickly established and fully fleshed-out storylines and characters to the much-praised—and rightly so—score and poignant and clever dialogue, The Band’s Visit is a visit you’ll not soon forget.

The Band’s Visit continues the Nashville leg of its National Tour with shows at TPAC’s Jackson Hall Wednesday, October 20 thru Sunday, October 24. To purchase tickets, CLICK HERE.

As a reminder, as TPAC reopens its doors for their Broadway series, their commitment to their patron’s safety is key. To that end, attendees age 12+will be required to show proof of vaccination or a negative COVID test dated within 72 hours of their selected performance. All patrons age 6+ must wear masks inside the venue. CLICK HERE for more on TPAC‘s Patron Health initiative.

Not in Nashville or can’t make it to TPAC for The Band’s Visit? Be sure and check out The Band’s Visit website for details on upcoming tour stops in Pittsburgh, Buffalo, Worcester, Hartford, Los Angeles, Portland, San Francisco and more, throughout cities across the US through Summer 2022.

For the latest on TPAC and their upcoming Broadway Season and Special Presentations, including Disney’s The Lion King, Mean Girls, The Prom, Dear Evan Hansen, Summer: The Donna Summer Musical, What the Constitution Means to Me, Come From Away, Oklahoma! and May We All, 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.

For more about The Band’s Visit, check them out on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and 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, JHP Entertainment 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, Welcome back live performances and #GoSeeTheShow!

Even though I myself had only seen one or two random episodes of Spongebob Squarepants over the last twenty years, my subconscious had absorbed—if you will—some basic facts about the  jaundiced, angular, happy-go-lucky sea-dwelling sponge and his fellow Bikini Bottom inhabitants. That said, when I first heard about The Spongebob Musical on Broadway, I envisioned something akin to one of those live touring shows based on kiddie tv with actors parading around on stage in larger than life character costumes. Of course I soon learned that director Tina Landau opted to forgo the expected cartoony look of the characters as created by the late, great Stephen Hillenburg, instead representing the majority of residents of Bikini Bottom in human form with clever wardrobe, hair and makeup nods to their animated aquatic selves. What I hadn’t expected, until I arrived at TPAC’s Jackson Hall earlier this week for Opening Night in Nashville of SpongeBob’s first-ever National Tour, continuing here in Music City through Sunday, November 10, was a neon rainbow of color, light and sound that magically bridges the gap of ridiculous cartoon goofiness with some genuinely lovely musical theatre moments.

Having kicked off the tour just last month, it would seem the company is still working out being in a new venue each week as there was a slight delay to opening the theatre to patrons for the show’s Nashville premiere. That said, once the eager audience gained entry, I was immediately struck at the the instantaneous lift in spirit and presence of joy. Perhaps in an effort to buy more time to work out some rumored opening night tech glitches, as the audience took their seats, a few members of the company casually gathered on the edge of the stage and began an impromptu jam sesh. Once the anxious audience had filtered in, and assumably, the technical issue resolved, the show began. 

Even the most casual of SpongeBob fans will surely marvel at what lighting designer Kevin Adams, projection designer Peter Nigrini,  sound designer Walter Trarbach and costumer and set designer David Zinn, together with director and co-conceiver Landau have created, for the visual and audio results do indeed transform the venue into an entrancing and inviting underwater land of laughter, fun and friendship.

Of course what makes The SpongeBob Musical even more enchanting is, well, the music. The soundtrack boasts tunes by an undeniable who’s who from virtually every genre of music and I do mean EVERY genre…throughout the show the audience is treated to tunes by everyone from Cyndi Lauper, Plain White T’s and Aerosmith’s Joe Perry and Steven Tyler to Yolanda Adams, Panic! At the Disco, Lady Antebellum and more. In addition to all the new music written specifically for the musical, there’s even a reworking of David Bowie’s No Control from his 1995 Outside release that reunited him with Brian Eno. When I say this musical has something for everyone, I mean it, and that’s largely thanks to original SpongeBob Broadway music director Patrick Hoagland, arranger Tom Kitt, music coordinator John Mezzio, music supervisor Julie McBride and touring music supervisor Timothy Hanson.

Speaking of the show’s music, the opening number, Bikini Bottom Day (by indie/folk singer/songwriter Jonathan Coulton) as performed by SpongeBob and company perfectly sets up the feel of the show. As SpongeBob (Lorenzo Pugliese) awakens and prepares to head to his job as a fry cook at The Krusty Krab, Bikini Bottom’s most popular eatery, he sings this cheery wake-up. As he passes by his best pal, a rather large pink starfish named Patrick Star (Beau Bradshaw), Patrick questions if it’s morning already, to which SpongeBob replies, “It sure is and I’m singing the opening number.” That hilarious lyric serves to let the audience know that the lines are indeed blurred between fantasy and reality, between cartoon and human, between Bikini Bottom and the rest of the world. The remainder of the opening also introduces us to SpongeBob’s other bestie, Sandy Cheeks (Daria Pilar Redus), a science-lovin’, karate-choppin’ squirrel who lives underwater thanks to a diving suit and helmet.

This seems as good a time as any to further elaborate on the look of the characters. As alluded earlier, rather than SpongeBob and company looking like a furry fetish convention has converged upon the town, goofy oversized amusement park or sportsball mascot costumes are nowhere to be found. Instead of Pugliese being confined to a giant yellow square spongy costume, as SpongeBob, he’s the human personification of the character dressed in a short-sleeved yellow button-down with a red tie, suspenders and brown checked pants. He plays the plucky sponge with a childlike excitement reminiscent of Paul Rubens’ Pee Wee Herman, making you feel he is truly excited to be in this show.

Meanwhile, Bradshaw’s Patrick, rather than being covered in pink makeup from head to toe, is simply dressed in loud green board shorts, a pale pink Hawaiian floral shirt, bright pink socks and sneaks, all topped off with a pink fauxhawk. He’s the perfect Hardy to Pugliese’s Laurel, bringing a simplistic, good-natured kindness to the role. 

As Sandy, Redus wears a simple white science-y-looking jumpsuit and in place of her bubble helmet, hair and wig designer Charles G. LaPointe has opted to have her wear an afro, accented, of course with Sandy’s signature pink hibiscus bloom. Redus’s Sandy is smart and reserved when needed and her over-the-top southern accent—Sandy’s from Texas, after all—fit right in here in Nashville. 

While there are several other costume highlights featuring all the colors of a box of crayons, including Sheldon Plankton & his robot wife, Karen (Tristan McIntyre & Caitlin Ort), Mr. Krabs (Zach Kononov), Pearl (Miami Maszewski), Mrs. Puff (Natalie L. Chapman) and the Sardines, it’s Larry the Lobster (Dorian O’Brien) and Squidward (Cody Cooley) who get the biggest reception from the audience due to the cleverness of their costumes.

As I said at the beginning of this review, while you don’t have to be a fan of the animated series, I’ve been told if you are, there’s tons of Easter eggs peppered throughout. While I hadn’t seen more than a few episodes of the series prior to attending the stage musical, I must admit, in the days since, I’ve set my dvr to record SpongeBob and as I’ve found myself staying up late to bingewatch ‘just one more episode’, I’ve picked up on a few things. One example…late in the show, when the residents of Bikini Bottom are celebrating their survival of the volcano, Patrick asks if mayonnaise is an instrument…for those of us in the know…that’s a reference to a 2001 episode title Band Geeks in which Patrick poses the now famous question (famous at least to the legions of fans who’ve tuned into the animated series for two decades now).

I love that the stage version includes a foley artist, credited as Foley Fish. It’s also pretty cool that said foley artist is Ryan Blihovde is a graduate from Nashville’s own Belmont University! As the on-stage Foley Fish, Blihovde provides live sound affects like the spongy squish of SpongeBob as he walks across the stage or the thud of Pearl’s footsteps. She’s a whale in the animated show, thus explaining yet another inside joke that viewers will no doubt appreciate, when she mentions she and her father, Mr. Krabs are different species. 

Which reminds me…if you’re thinking SpongeBob The Musical is only for kids, think again…in addition to the plethora of hummable tunes, gorgeous set design and overall visually stunning look of the show, there’s more than a few levels of humor for all ages. Yes, some jokes are obvious and the kids in the audience were loving it, but there were a few moments peppered in just for the adults. One in particular that resulted in an audible guffaw from yours truly happens when Sandy is explaining how she can stop the volcano. During her presentation, she taps a wipeboard with a pointer as detailed drawings of her theory appear. In the last slide as she explains how her Eruptor Interruptor will save Bikini Bottom, the illustration on the board looks suspiciously like a lady’s bikini area…pre-wax. I about spit out my limited edition Seanut Butter and Jellyfish Goo Goo Cluster! And yes, you read that right…Goo Goo, one of Nashville’s most famous confectioners has teamed with TPAC to create a special chocolate covered peanutty treat, with a sea of surprises inside, available exclusively in the concessions area during the run of SpongeBob The Musical, but I digress.

With a story concerning the possible end of days for the residents of Bikini Bottom, thanks to the pending eruption of a volcano, Kyle Jarrow’s book of the musical is simple…SpongeBob and friends must overcome their insecurities to band together to save the day. To that end, the story broaches lessons in relationships, good vs. evil and never underestimating ones own self-worth. That’s just one aspect of the show that does a brilliant job of playing to both the youth and the older members of its audience, for what’s a show based on a cartoon worth, if there’s not at least a few morals to the story cleverly hidden among the laughter and songs?

On that note, musical highlights are a plenty in SpongeBob The Musical. BFF features Pugliese and Bradshaw’s SpongeBob and Patrick in an all-out declaration of their bond. The catchy tune penned by Plain White T’s is simply joyous. 

Pugliese gets his show-stopping moment as SpongeBob with (Just A) Simple Sponge, Panic! At the Disco’s contribution to the score. During this number, Pugliese’s SpongeBob defies the expectation and label put upon him by his boss, Mr. Krabs as he announces he is NOT A Simple Sponge. The visuals of this song heightened by the use of blacklight and ensemble members dressed in black blending into the background behind SpongeBob while neon yellow sponge squares dance behind him forming everything from musical notes as he plays his trademark noseflute, to taking shape of a superhero cape, a bit of foreshadowing for the audience of SpongeBob’s inevitable hero status by show’s end.

Daddy Knows Best, featuring Kononov and Maszewski as Mr. Krabs and his daughter, Pearl, showcases both actors vocal skills in a tune that’s neatly nestled somewhere between Streisand’s Papa Can You Hear Me from Yentl and Minnelli and Grey’s Money Makes the World Go ‘Round from Cabaret.

Hero Is My Middle Name, penned by Cyndi Lauper and Rob Hyman, and performed herein by Pugliese, Bradshaw and Redus is another inspiring anthem during which our trio convince each other they can indeed save Bikini Bottom. 

Super Sea Star Saviour, Yolanda Adams’ addition to the score, features Bradshaw’s Patrick surrounded by adoring sardine followers that just might put you in mind of JC Superstar mixed with a little Sister Act.

As he does with his four-tentacled wardrobe, Cooley’s Squidward also steals the show musically with his long-anticipated Act 2 epic number, I’m Not a Loser that kicks off with an almost unseen quick-change into a sparkly tux and continues with some of the show’s most tap-tastic footwork, including a Busby Berkley-inspired kickline featuring ensemble dancers backing. Christopher Gattelli’s choreography is showcased here, but shines throughout the entirety of the musical. Executed so effortlessly by the entire ensemble, it’s easy to forget the hours they must put into it to make it seem so simple.

A few reprisals—more great original numbers like John Legend’s sweet (I Guess) I Miss You and Chop to the Top, from Nashville’s own Lady Antebellum, which includes some impressive physicality from Pugliese as he and Redus climb the volcano to thwart its erupting—and the story wraps neatly with the expected outcome of SpongeBob and friends saving the day, and their beloved Bikini Bottom. But don’t rush out of the theatre in hopes of beating the crowd to the valet or your’ll miss a post-script all-in of the entire company (and it’s grateful uplifted and joyous audience) as the night ends with a rousing rendition of that earworm of a theme song from the original animated series!

The SpongeBob Musical continues its Music City stop with shows at TPAC through Sunday, November 10. Friday & Saturday evening performances are at 8p.m. Saturday and Sunday matinees are at 2p.m. and 1p.m. respectively and the show wraps with a final Sunday evening performance at 6:30p.m. Tickets range in price from $45-$90. CLICK HERE to purchase tickets or from more information.

Not in Nashville? The SpongeBob Musical continues its National Tour with dates across the US and Canada including stops in Oklahoma City, Dayton, BrookVille, New Brunswick, Philly, Toronto, Detroit, Wilmington, Morgantown, Lexington and more through July 2020. CLICK HERE to purchase tickets in your area or to see the full tour schedule.

To keep up SpongeBob and the entire Bikini Bottom gang, follow SpongeBob The Musical on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube.

Up next at TPAC, it’s the beloved favorite, CATS, followed by the highly anticipated Hamilton as their 2019-2020 Broadway Season continues. CLICK HERE for tickets or more info. You can also follow  TPAC on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Wanna check out previous Rapid Fire conversation

As I mentioned in my recent Rapid Fire 20 Q with the cast and director of Annie—currently on stage at Chaffin’s Barn Dinner Theatre now through Saturday, August 3—for nearly 100 years, we’ve had a soft spot for the precocious yet lovable ginger-haired orphan. From Harold Gray’s 1924 comic strip to the mid-70s stage musical, to film an TV adaptations in the 80s, 90s and 2000’s, Annie is engrained in our pop culture conscious. With director Joy Tilley Perryman taking charge of bringing Annie back on stage at The Barn (the show last played the legendary dinner theatre back in 2011), I had no doubt this production would be an enjoyable one. After all, who doesn’t love a rags-to-riches story set to a few toe-tappin’ tunes? Even as the show’s musical director, Rollie Mains and musicians Daniel Kozlowski, Luke Easterling and Raymond Ridley begin the Overture, I was reminded of just how many memorable songs are amongst the Annie soundtrack…each and every one of them as hummable and memorable as the next.

The combination of Perryman’s knack for directing comedy, paired with some stellar adult casting choices and a cavalcade of undeniably charming youth come together to surpass all expectations, resulting in not only what is easily the best production of Annie I’ve seen since the aforementioned 80s film, but…and I can’t believe I’m saying this…one of the best productions of a show I’ve ever seen at Chaffin’s Barn Dinner Theatre. That’s a statement not to be taken lightly, because The Barn has a 50-plus year reputation for putting on some of the most enjoyable and talent-filled dinner theatre experiences around.

As is customary when a show involves a number of younger cast members, Chaffin’s Annie actually has two separate youth casts. When I attended opening weekend, Ava Rivera was playing Annie, alongside Lilah Benjamin, Daisy Urbanowicz, Olivia Harper, Adriana Rivera, Annalaura Lyon and Abigail Levy as her fellow orphans. Rivera, making her Chaffin’s debut, plays Annie with impish spunk. Visually, Rivera is reminiscent of Ashley Johnson, the young actress who played Annie opposite Joan Collins’ baddie in the 1995 direct-to-video iteration (what can I say? I’m a fan of both the American orphan and the British legend). For a Barn first-timer, Rivera certainly embodies her precocious character, establishing her character’s plucky optimism from the beginning with the show opening Maybe and continuing to present a believable performance of a young girl longing for a better Tomorrow going toe-to-toe with her adult co-stars as well as holding her own with scene stealers like the aforementioned Benjamin, who plays youngest orphan, Molly. (I’m just going to make a prediction right now…Annie 2025 at Chaffin’s starring Lilah Benjamin).

Can’t mention the orphans without praising the show’s choreographer, Lauri Dismuke. While watching the kids perform what I”ll dub Dismuke’s Orphanography—the succinct and precisely performed choreography during It’s a Hard Knock Life—I had a revelation. THIS number just might be my all-time favorite musical theatre number in all of musical theatre. I mean…down-trodden kids forcibly performing domestic chores for a haggard, drunken marm…come on!

Speaking of the other orphans, each of the young girls playing Annie’s fellow orphans posses a stage presence that, at one point or another during the show, draws you eye to them, Perryman’s direction, coupled with the young girls’ own inimitable charm working perfectly in tandem to achieve this. As indicated above, there are two youth casts for this production of Annie. Rivera leading one, which plays certain performances, while Elle Wesley, also making her Chaffin’s debut, leads the other at alternativing performances, with Aubrey Rogers, Samantha McWright, Demetrius Knowles II, Hailey Ridgeway, Grayson Caughey and Adison Rodgers rounding out Wesley’s fellow orphans. Word has it both sets of orphans and both Annie’s turn in equally enjoyable performances, so I’m just gonna go ahead and suggest seeing the show twice.

 On the subject of enjoyable performances, the adult cast isn’t too shabby either. Galen Fott, whose recently shaved head shines like the top of the Chrysler Building (sorry, couldn’t resist) is absolutely perfect as the initially gruff but eventually loving Daddy Warbucks. A longtime member of the Nashville theatre community, Fott’s Daddy Warbucks marks a long-overdue return to The Barn, having last appeared at the dinner theater in the late 80s. From appearances in Nashville Opera’s The Cradle Will Rock and Nashville Repertory Theatre’s A Doll’s House, Part 2, to Nashville Children’s Theatre’s The Little Mermaid—and just last week, during Annie’s run, an invite-only table read for a new work presented as an immersive theatre pop-up courtesy Studio Tenn—recently, it seems I can’t see a show without Fott being amongst the cast…and that’s a great thing. With every role, Fott brings a powerful presences and unmistakable talent, and his Warbucks is no different. He’s ultimately charming as Annie’s future father, their shared stage time perfectly believable as the loving father/daughter dynamic unfolds.

While Annie is indeed the lead, Molly,the scene-stealer and Daddy Warbucks, the most-changed among the characters, Miss Hannigan, Rooster and Lily easily provide the most laughs as the scheming, yet ultimately unsuccessful villains. To that end, and to her advantage as a director, Perryman has enlisted the aide of three familiar faces to Chaffin’s audiences.

Jenny Norris is a dream—or is it devilishly delicious nightmare—as the drunken and deceitful orphanage caretaker, Miss Hannigan. Whether seductively sidling up to Daddy Warbucks or drunkenly devising a plan to scheme, Norris’ Hannigan is comedy gold. Her Act 1 highpoint, Little Girls, which she performs while simultaneously sipping from a flask and casually ripping the head off a doll, is equal parts frighting and delighting. Plus, you gotta love that ever-present flask throughout the show resulting in Hannigan appearing more and more inebriated, thus allowing her true colors to show through as the show goes on. A not-so-subtle, but absolutely brilliant bit of direction and characterization.

Aiding and abetting Norris’ Miss Hannigan in her schemes are Curtis LeMoine and Christina Candilora as Rooster Haningan and Lily St. Regis. LeMoine, fresh off a show-stooping turn in Studio Tenn’s Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, returns to The Barn having turned up the heat with his Too Darn Hot number during Chaffin’s recent Kiss Me, Kate. Candilora, who will forever be my favorite Gypsy Rose Lee, returns to The Barn having stolen hearts as Jovie in their holiday production of Elf. Together, and alongside Norris, these three dastardly villains make a life of crime seems a viable alternative. Just as the kids wow during the previously noted Hard Knock Life sequence, Norris, LeMoine and Candilora bring the audience to rousing applause during Easy Street, making Dismuke’s villainography look…well…easy.

It’s not just the orphans and the main adults who make Chaffin’s Annie look easy though. The supporting cast is also simply spectacular. Natalie Rankin’s Grace is everything sweet and wonderful a potential new mom for Annie and new love interest for Daddy Warbucks should be. Daron Bruce turns in a truly presidential (well, what the term use to mean) performance as FDR. Hannah Clark, Delaney Jackson and Katie Yeomans are pitch-perfect as the melodious Boylan Sisters. J. Robert Lindsey is sure to make you smile as charming radio announcer, Bert Healey. Vicki White and the rest of the ensemble, including Gerold Oliver, Kelsey Brodeur, David Benjamin Perry, Seth Brown, Emma Puerta, Morgan Riggs, Austin Jeffrey Smith and Scott Stewart are all a joy to behold, most notably, during the all-in—and surprisingly eerily timely—We’d Like to Thank You, Herbert Hoover. Not only does this particular number sadly resonate with current political and social events of the day, but thanks to the sheer magnitude of the talented cast, with everyone singing, it’s hauntingly beautiful. Gotta love a musical in Music City. I’m from here and I’m still constantly blown away by the talent in this town.

Then there’s Annie’s faithful pup Sandy. Played by breakout star, Rufus. While his diva tendencies tend to show through, some scenes you just wanna lay on the stage and ignore the cute little curly-top who’s belting out Tomorrow, you gotta love a dog in a show and Rufus’ Sandy gets two paws up from this reviewer.

When I noted earlier that this production of Annie may well be my favorite Chaffin’s show ever, I really meant it. From the implausible, yet ultimately yearned-for story of an orphan girl seemingly randomly chosen to spend the holidays with a less-than-warm billionaire, that involves literally cartoonish villains and an audience with President FDR, to a soundtrack peppered with memorable tune after memorable tune, to Perryman’s skill at directing a laugh-filled show in the square (God, I love Chaffin’s still-functioning descending stage!), and a cast with not a misstep in the bunch, to paraphrase yet another Annie song, I Think YOU’RE Gonna Like It Here!

Chaffin’s Barn Dinner Theatre’s Annie runs through August 3 with performances Thursday-Sunday. Thursday matinees begin at 12 noon (doors at 11a.m.), while Thursday, Friday and Saturday evening performances begin at 7:30p.m. (doors at 5:30). There will be a 2 p.m. (doors at noon) Sunday matinee on July 21. The Thursday, July 25 noon matinee will featuring signing for the hearing impaired, and there will be a Wednesday matinee on July 31 at noon (doors at 11a.m.). 

Thursday matinee tickets are $19 for show only or $27.50 for show and a Box Lunch. (Wednesday matinee will also offer the Box Lunch option). Evening show tickets are $13 for children 12 and under, $20 for youth/students and $35 for adults. Living up to their Barn Dinner Theatre name, Chaffin’s also offers a full buffet option or a la carte menu items for their evening and Sunday lunch matinee performances. Chaffin’s delicious buffet, featuring a choice of entrees (including a veggie option), and a number of side items is available for an additional (but completely worth it) $15.95, while the a la carte menu items (also quite tastily) range in price from $6.95 to $10.95, plus there’s a wide array of desert options to choose from $2.50 to $5.00. CLICK HERE to check out the menu.  CLICK HERE to purchase tickets or call 615.646.9977 to make reservations with the box office. To keep up with the latest from Chaffin’s Barn Dinner Theatre, find them online at ChaffinsBarnTheatre.com, ’like’ them on Facebook and follow them on Instagram and Twitter.

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