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Rapid Fire 20Q with Director Jef Ellis and Cast of ‘Beautiful: the Carole King Musical’; at Center for the Arts in Murfreesboro November 8-24

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When I heard that Jef Ellis was directing BEAUTIFUL: The CAROLE KING MUSICAL Nov. 8-24 at Center for the Arts (110 West College Street, Murfreesboro, TN 37130), I knew I wanted to chat with Ellis and members of his cast for the latest installment of my recurring interview feature. Having seen the National Tour of the show back in 2017, and being somewhat familiar with Carole King’s contributions to the world of music, thanks to my favorite Aunt, I was truly drawn in from the start. Not only is the music one of those “soundtracks of our lives” as the saying goes, but the story is actually interesting.

Obvious reasons aside, I also knew I wanted to feature Ellis and company because just as King has made innumerable contributions to music, Ellis is himself legendary within the Tennessee theatre community. With the announcement that Ellis was helming the project, came the news that this will be the last time Ellis directs a show. After devoting his life and life’s work to lifting up the Middle Tennessee theatre community as a director, critic and all-round patron saint of the performing arts, Ellis has recently made the difficult decision to step away from active duty within the theatre world to focus some much-deserved attention on himself and his health. In light of that news, I wanted to feature Ellis and the cast of BEAUTIFUL for my latest Rapid Fire 20Q. What follows are those conversations.

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Rapid Fire 20Q with director and cast of BEAUTIFUL: THE CAROLE KING MUSICAL

Rapid Fire with BEAUTIFUL: THE CAROLE KING MUSICAL director, Jef Ellis

JHPENTERTAINMENT: How did directing BEAUTIFUL: THE CAROLE KING MUSICAL come about?

JEF ELLIS: I have to give credit to my friend Allison Hall (who was my musical director for both SINGIN’ IN THE RAIN and for LITTLE WOMEN), who mentioned in the course of a conversation that Center for the Arts had announced their 2024 season and if I had any desire to direct again. I really had no plans to direct anything at that time, but when I saw BEAUTIFUL on their season, I knew I would throw my hat in the ring. It’s probably my favorite of all the so-called “jukebox musicals” due to my deep respect for Carole King and my love, in particular, for her Tapestry album.

 JHPENTERTAINMENT: What’s your earliest memory of truly grasping what an iconic songwriter Carole King is?

JEF ELLIS: When I turned 13, my big sister Charlotte gave me Tapestry for my birthday – it was my first-ever album (heretofore I had only owned 45s) and I played it all the time. It remains my favorite album of all-time and cemented my fanatical love of everything written by Carole King. In fact, when I was a senior in high school, I wrote a musical based on her 1974 album Wrap Around Joy, which has never been produced (did I mention my script was awful?). I’ve followed her career since I was 13 and as I have discovered more and more about her, I have realized how much there is to admire about Carole King.

One of my favorite Carole King-centric memories is when she was a Kennedy Center Honoree in 2023. During the telecast, you could see how absolutely thrilled she was to be there and how her delight was apparent when each performer came onstage to perform for her. I’ve never witnessed a Kennedy Center Honoree as exhilarating as her in the audience!

 

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Is there a scene or song in the musical that speaks to you on a personal level?

JEF ELLIS: There are two moments in the show that make me more emotional than others: (1) During the performance of You’ve Got A Friend, I am taken back to my childhood home, listening to that song all through high school, knowing that someday I would find my people who would elicit in my own heart in that spirit of camaraderie and belonging expressed in the song. (2) The climactic performance of Beautiful in the show, part of Carole’s 1971 concert at Carnegie Hall, is an electrifying moment that every audience member will share in each performance. Emily Summer’s performance is breathtaking.

And it’s not a song, but there is a scene backstage at Carnegie Hall that is heartbreakingly genuine and never fails to land in my heart – Ross Canales delivers an emotional wallop you’ll think about for days to come.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: As he is with most productions at Center for the Arts’ Royce Phillips is music director. How has working with Royce been during the rehearsal process for BEAUTIFUL?

JEF ELLIS: Royce and I previously worked together on THE SECRET GARDEN, so even before I submitted my proposal to direct BEAUTIFUL, he was the first person I asked to join my production team. I knew he would be respectful of Carole and her music, and of Gerry Goffin, Cynthia Weil and Barry Mann and he would honor their legacies and the legacies of all the tremendous musical performers to whom we pay tribute in the show. Royce is a great collaborator and he helps every performer achieve their very best, which is our goal in bringing BEAUTIFUL to life.      

JHPENTERTAINMENT: I’m about to chat with three of your lead actors, Emily Summers, Kelly Cline and Ross Canales. What can you tell me about these three talented individuals?

JEF ELLIS: I first saw Emily in Circle Players’ IF/THEN and was gobsmacked by her talent and her unerring ability to be totally authentic and believable onstage. Subsequently, I’ve seen her take on other characters with the same intensity. I think I knew she should play Carole King a long time ago and she provides the very heart of our production. I am honored to direct her in my final show.

Kelly walked into auditions and performed her song and Royce and I looked at each other and said, “I think we have our Cynthia!” She has so much stage presence and absolutely commands you to watch her – and she is such a lovely presence in any room, with so much grace radiating from her. She has a perfectly droll sense of humor and her comic timing is impeccable.

I first saw Ross earlier this year in IS Productions’ CLOSER and I was impressed by his ability to play a challenging character with such focus (at that first introduction, I was seating maybe a foot away from him in his initial appearance onstage) and such an amazing range. When he came in to claim the role of Gerry Goffin, he possessed everything necessary to bring Gerry to life with a complete understanding of his character’s dramatic arc. He also possesses that indefinable quality all actors strive for: you believe everything he says onstage.

Rapid Fire with Kelly Cline, Cynthia Weil in BEAUTIFUL: THE CAROLE KING MUSICAL

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Who is Cynthia Weil to you?

KELLY CLINE: Confident. Timeless. Sharp-Witted. Loyal friend. I feel so honored to have the opportunity to portray such a strong, confident character who was such a pioneer for women in the music industry. The songs she wrote in partnership with her husband, Barry Mann, have shaped our American Songbook. What a legacy she’s left us all. 

JHPENTERTAINMENT: This show marks director Jef Ellis’ self-proclaimed ’Swan Song’ as a director after decades of not only presenting memorable theatrical productions but of course also covering theatre as a critic. Were you aware of Jef’s status in the theatrical community prior to auditioning? AND…What’s been the most beautiful aspect of working with Jef during BEAUTIFUL?

KELLY CLINE: Prior to auditioning I didn’t know Jef, but quickly learned about him as I was preparing to audition. What an incredible opportunity to be cast by him – especially in a show that is the grand finale to such a fantastic career. I’m truly honored. Jef is a passionate director – what a gift it is to be in the room with someone who cares so deeply about creating beautiful work onstage. He encourages us to remember the magic of theatre, and how transformative and transportive the craft is. In addition, Jef challenges you as the actor to continue to find instincts, intentionality, and aspects of your character throughout the rehearsal process. I’ve loved working with him!

JHPENTERTAINMENT: A bit of a subplot of BEAUTIFUL presents the initial competitive nature of Carole King’s relationship with Cynthia Weil. In real life, as in the show, their relationship eventually morphed into a close friendship. To that end, how is Emily Summers, this production’s Carole King, as a scene partner?

KELLY CLINE: Oh my word! How long do you have? What a talent. I count myself so lucky to share the stage with Emily. The scenes we have together are some of my favorites in the entire show. She’s incredibly generous as a scene partner – what she brings to every moment is so natural and authentic. There’s such an ease in doing scenes with her. Additionally, I think the friendship our characters develop onstage has a lot to do with the friendship we’ve been able to cultivate off the stage. If I ever get the opportunity to work with her again, I’d say “Yes” in a heartbeat! 

JHPENTERTAINMENT: When I saw the National Tour of BEAUTIFUL a few years back, I was surprised my favorite Cynthia Weil song, I’m Gonna Be Strong isn’t part of the show (of course it’s NOT the Cynthia Weil story per se, but still). The song, originally recorded by Frankie Laine in 1963, but familiar to me because of Cyndi Lauper’s 1980 cover. While preparing to portray Cynthia Weil, have you discovered any songs she wrote that you particularly enjoy?

KELLY CLINE: Dolly Parton’s Here You Come Again is a song I grew up listening to, but I had no idea Cynthia Weil had a hand in writing it! That was a fun discovery and connection point. 

JHPENTERTAINMENT: This show is jam-packed with not only tunes written by King and Weil, but a number of other hits from 60s/early 70s era. Is there a musical moment, whether it be yours or that of one of your co-stars that you particularly enjoy?

KELLY CLINE: Oh goodness, forgive me but I can’t pick just one! Every time our amazingly, talented ensemble sings You’ve Lost That Loving Feeling I have to stop and take it in. They do this timeless song justice and are just so fun to listen to– I think Barry and Cynthia would be proud. When Aaron Johnson (our Barry Mann) sings We Gotta Get Out of This Place it’s going to tear the roof off the theatre. Aaron makes rock n’ roll look easy and has one of the most sensational voices. Lastly, You’ve Got a Friend will forever be one of my favorite moments in the show. This song is all heart and I love sharing it with Emily and Aaron. It’s a moment I look forward to every time we do the show.

Rapid Fire with Ross Canales, Jerry Goffin in BEAUTIFUL: THE CAROLE KING MUSICAL

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Before seeing the show, is there anything audiences might need to know about Gerry Goffin, the role you play in BEAUTIFUL: THE CAROLE KING MUSICAL?

ROSS CANALES: Gerry Goffin is a lovable, yet complicated, and troubled individual. All he wants is to get the most out of his life and to seize opportunities as they come. He unfortunately has a hard time maintaining a good moral compass in his pursuit of life fulfillment. 

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Alongside Carole King, Gerry Goffin wrote some of the most beautiful songs of their era. Do you have a favorite that you get to sing alongside your Carole, Emily Summers?

ROSS CANALES: One of my favorites from the show is Some Kind of Wonderful. In the show Gerry and Carole only sing part of the song, but they sing it in a very heartfelt part of the show. It is sung as a conversation between two lovers that finishes with beautiful harmonies. 

JHPENTERTAINMENT: As Gerry, you’re tasked with some of the show’s more dramatic moments. How do you mentally prepare for these scenes and what helps you come back out of them to a more peaceful mindset?

ROSS CANALES: Gerry definitely has some dark places he reaches in his life. Preparing for those moments, I tend to need silent reflection of prior events in my life that can bring out similar emotions. I try to focus on my senses in those moments. What I heard, what it physically felt like, what I might have smelled, or saw in the moment. The more I can feel those senses again, the better I can portray those emotions and connect to the audience. Coming out of it is easy when you have such an amazing, fun, and supportive cast that can make you smile. All the inside jokes and laughs you have during the rehearsal process carry over in the performances and create easy avenues to make lighthearted jokes when they are needed. 

JHPENTERTAINMENT: BEAUTIFUL marks Jef Ellis’ self-announced final directorial effort. What do you admire most about Jef’s directing style?

ROSS CANALES: With Jef being one of the biggest theater lovers I know and a critic for decades he has a unique perspective of where a show could be lacking. Being able to identify those missing elements early gives him the ability to change what is needed. That could be something as small as where actors are placed on stage, to an emotional feel of a scene. An average theater goer might not be able to identify those elements, but they can feel the difference between a performance that has taken care of the lack and ones that haven’t. I admire Jef’s ability to spot those elements and find a change to make the performance better. 

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Carole King has always recognized the importance of Gerry Goffin’s presence in her early life, both professionally and personally. Is there someone who has been in your corner since the beginning and what does that sort of support mean to you?

ROSS CANALES: I took 10 years off of theater during college and started back in summer of 2022. My wife Zoe has been along for the ride since my comeback to theater. She has observed the commitment, hard work, and dedication it takes to be in a show. Although the time away from home is difficult, as most people in relationships can understand, the support she gives is truly heartwarming. I can’t express my gratitude for her understanding and love through the process. She keeps me grounded and gives me encouragement when rehearsals get tough. She means the world to me! I couldn’t follow my pursuit of acting without her. 

Rapid Fire with Emily Summers, Carole King in BEAUTIFUL: THE CAROLE KING MUSICAL

JHPENTERTAINMENT: You, like Carole King, are a singer/songwriter. Has that helped you tap into how you’re playing the famed songwriter in BEAUTIFUL: THE CAROLE KING MUSICAL?

EMILY SUMMERS: Absolutely. I remember being sixteen with all that passion and drive, when all I wanted to do with my spare time was sit in my room with my guitar and write songs. There’s a moment in the show when Carole says, “When I hear a good song, I feel like someone understands me. […] I want to do that for people!” I feel that line deeply.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Continuing on that built-in kinship with Carole, is there a scene to which you particularly relate?

EMILY SUMMERS: Without giving away any spoilers, there’s a scene in act two in which Carole’s heart is especially broken. She goes to the piano and sings a verse of an old song, with lyrics that are fitting and poignant for the pain she’s feeling. There’s a real catharsis that comes from putting all your emotion into a song like that. I’m always moved by that scene, and I pull emotion from similar moments of heartbreak I’ve experienced in my own life.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Does portraying a real-life person, as opposed to a fully fictional character influence your performance?

EMILY SUMMERS: It’s definitely a challenge. I want to honor Carole in my performance and avoid putting too much of my own spin on the character. Typically when I have trouble connecting with part of a script, I step back and ask myself, “How would I say this in the context of my real life?” This time, I’m watching interviews, studying her cadence and her mannerisms, and asking myself, “How might Carole say this in the context of her life?”

JHPENTERTAINMENT: On the subject of icons, there’s been much buzz about the Middle Tennessee theatre community surrounding the fact that this show will mark Jef Ellis’ final directorial effort. How has your experience with Jef as a director been thus far?

EMILY SUMMERS: It has been a joyful experience! Jef has so much passion, and he’s putting his whole heart into this show. That’s motivating, not only because I want him to be proud of his directorial swan song but also because he is so endeared toward this story and this music, and that sentiment is contagious. 

JHPENTERTAINMENT: What do you hope audiences take with them after seeing BEAUTIFUL: THE CAROLE KING MUSICAL?

EMILY SUMMERS: By the end of the show, audiences undoubtedly will have learned something about Carole’s life and the story of how she became the legend she is. And while that story is moving and important, more than that, I hope audiences leave with a new appreciation for who she is. I hope my performance does justice to her heart, her humility, and the guts it must have taken to achieve so much, at such a young age, as a woman in an industry ruled by men. 

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BEAUTIFUL: THE CAROLE KING MUSICAL opens at Center for the Arts on Friday, November 7 and continues weekends through Sunday, November 24. Friday and Saturday evening performances are at 7:30p.m. Saturday and Sunday matinees are at 2p.m. Tickets are $22 for Adults ($20 for Seniors/Military/Students/Children). CLICK HERE to purchase tickets. To follow Center for the Arts, check them out at their Official Site or follow them on Facebook, Instagram, X and TikTok.

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, follow us on Facebook, Insta and X.

Rapid Fire Q&A with ‘What the World Needs Now: The Music of Burt Bacharach’ cast; on stage at WCPAC at Academy Park beginning November 1

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Last November, Williamson County Performing Arts Center debuted the World Premiere production of What the World Needs Now: The Music of Burt Bacharach, a musical tribute to the iconic songwriter. Written, directed and staged by WCPAC’s Director of Performing Arts, Victoria Reed, the show was so well-received they’re bringing it back for four performances Friday, November 1-Sunday, November 3. This year, returning cast members Craig Robinson, Justin Boyd and Miracle Ham will be joined by newcomer (to the show) Francesca Noe. All backed by an equally talented musical quartet featuring Andrew Carney on Trumpet and Flugelhorn, Eric Coveney on Bass, Neil Tufano on Drums and Trevor Willoughby on Piano. Willoughby will also lend his talents as vocalist as well as serving as the show’s bandleader. With vocal arrangements by Ricki Holmes, choreography by Alison Little, stage management by Susan Gaw and musical direction by Kelsi Fulton, this production promises to be What the World Needs Now, just as the show title suggests.

As the company readied for the show for its limited run, I had the chance to pose a few questions to two of the returning performer, Justin Boyd and Miracle Ham for the latest installment of my recurring interview feature, Rapid Fire Q&A. What follows are those conversations.

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Rapid Fire Q&A with members of the cast of WCPAC’s What the World Needs Now: The Music of Burt Bacharach

Rapid Fire Q&A with What the World Needs Now cast member Miracle Ham

JHPENTERTAINMENT:  You were part of last year’s debut of this show. Your co-stars Justin Boyd and Craig Robinson are also returning for this year’s production. As far as camaraderie and fitting together, did the company pick up right where you all left off last year?

MIRACLE HAM: I definitely believe so. It’s like we never closed the show and we’ve always gotten along so well. It’s literally like a family reunion. Constant laughs and such a good time.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: New to the cast this year is Franchesca Noe. How has it been sharing the stage and this show with her?

MIRACLE HAM: It’s been great. She’s picked up the show so fast in such a short amount of time. Such a sweet spirit and a huge talent. To be so small she has a big voice! I mean she lets the people have it. I’m happy she’s a part of the show. 

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Aside from What the World Needs Now, you previously appeared onstage at WCPAC in their 2022 production of Nunsense. What is it about this gem of a venue and theatre company that keeps you coming back?

MIRACLE HAM: Honestly, the director Victoria is what keeps me coming back. She is such a pleasure to work with and has a different but wonderful approach to her directing style, and I love it. She really knows how to help you bring your character to life in ways that you might not have thought of on your own, and she is a true visionary. 

JHPENTERTAINMENT: In What the World Need Now, you get to perform, not just one of my favorite Bacharach-written songs, but one of my all-time favorite tunes, Say a Little Prayer, made famous by Dionne Warwick in 1967 and arguably equally as relevant to its popularity, as recorded by Aretha Franklin the following year. While I’m not old enough to have remembered those initial releases, I’ll date myself my admitting I first remember it when Dionne and Aretha performed it on a 1981 episode of Solid Gold. What’s your first memory of this classic song AND How much fun are you having performing it?

MIRACLE HAM: I remember hearing this song when I was really young. It was the Aretha Franklin version. I want to say the first time I heard it, my Mom was watching a movie and it was playing in the background. I can’t remember for sure but I literally heard this song all the time during my childhood. It was just one of those songs that was always playing somewhere – in the grocery store, at the mall, in commercials, everywhere. I definitely enjoy that section of the show. It’s so much fun performing it, and I mean who doesn’t love this song??? It’s such a classic and I’m so honored to get to perform it again. 

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Is there a particular song in What the World Needs Now, whether you’re featured in it or simply watching your fellow cast-mates, that you ‘really’ feel each time you hear it?

MIRACLE HAM: Dionne Warwick’s Don’t Make Me Over has to be my favorite. The message of the song so powerful and really speaks to me. Don’t try to change who I am. Just accept me and all my flaws. Also, the overall instrumentation of the song and the way it was written specifically for Dionne’s voice is absolutely perfect. I get to perform this song and really make a statement every time I sing it. 

My second favorite song would have to be Any Day Now. It takes me back to the music that my Mom used to play growing up and reminds me of the classic biopics that we would keep on repeat on our TVs at home. Craig does an excellent job with taking you back to that time and I love his voice on that song. 

Rapid Fire Q&A with What the World Needs Now cast member Justin Boyd

JHPENTERTAINMENT: When I chatted with Miracle, I noted that several of the cast and crew were part of last year’s World Premiere presentation of What the World Needs Now: The Music of Burt Bacharach. You, too are part of that returning company. How’s it feel to be back for this year’s production?

JUSTIN BOYD: It feels like a homecoming since there are so many familiar faces returning! We had an abbreviated rehearsal process since we mainly just had to shake off the rust. At our first tech rehearsal earlier this week, everything clicked back into place, and we knew we had another great show on our hands. Special shout out to the new members of our production that came right in and didn’t miss a beat!

JHPENTERTAINMENT: This musical review is written, directed and staged by Victoria Reed. What’s it like to work with someone so involved in a show like this?

JUSTIN BOYD: It’s quite convenient having the writer, producer, dramaturge, and director at every rehearsal in case we have any questions or need guidance. She’s done an incredible amount of research into Burt’s life and career that we never really have to second guess anything she tells us about what he’s done.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: When you were first preparing to perform in this show, were there any Bacharach-penned tunes that you were surprised to learn were his?

JUSTIN BOYD: There were a great many of them! A few of the more popular ones were Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head, What’s New Pussycat, and Always Something There To Remind Me. One of the deeper cuts for me personally was the Perry Como version of Magic Moments. I only knew that song from a very brief moment in the show Forever Plaid, and it was a nice moment for me to realize Burt  and Hal David wrote it and that it was in this show!

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Kelsi Fulton serves as musical director for this production. If memory serves, you’ve worked alongside her in a number of shows in the past, right? What’s the most rewarding aspect of working with Kelsi as music director?

JUSTIN BOYD: Yes, I’ve worked with her on multiple shows including Dreamgirls, West Side Story, American Idiot and Little Mermaid just to name a few! I would say the familiarity since we’ve known each other for over a decade now! She’s also very precise with the sound she wants, and she is meticulous with the score to ensure she gets it perfect.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: What do you hope audiences remember after having attended a performance of What the World Needs Now?

JUSTIN BOYD: Music comes in all forms, shapes, and sizes. The music of today is drastically different than the music Burt would compose. I want people to either remember the beauty and elegance of Pop music from Burt’s generation, and for people in my generation and younger, to learn the history of a musical icon that shaped and led the way for what we hear on the radio today. As for the titular tune, I’m sure we can all agree that the world could use some more love!

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Williamson Country Performing Arts Center’s What the World Needs Now: The Music of Burt Bacharach returns to WCPAC at Academy Park (112 Everbright Ave. Franklin, TN 37064) from Friday, November 1 through Sunday, November 3. Performances are as follows: 2p.m. matinee Friday, November 1, 7p.m. Evening Performances Friday and Saturday, November 1&2 and a final 2p.m. matinee on Sunday, November 3. Tickets are $30 ($27.50 for Seniors and Students). All Seats are Reserved Seating. CLICK HERE to purchase tickets. Next up onstage at WCPAC, The Music Man Kids, November 8-10. Presented by STAR (Student Theatrical Arts Resource), there will be a total of six performances, showcasing three young groups of kids from three area STAR programs. Franklin Rec Cast will perform Friday, November 8th at 6:30p.m. and Saturday, November 9th at 1:30p.m. Enrichment Center Cast will take to the stage Saturday, November 9th at 4:00p.m. and Saturday, November 9th at 6:30p.m. Then, the College Grove Cast will round out the performances Sunday, November 10th at 1:30p.m. and Sunday, November 10th at 4:00p.m. Tickets are $10. CLICK HERE to purchase tickets or more information. To learn more about WCPAC‘s STAR Program, CLICK HERE. To keep up with all things WCPAC, CLICK HERE to check them out online and follow them on Insta, Facebook and X.

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, follow us on Facebook, Insta and Twitter.

Rapid Fire 20Q with cast of ‘Waitress’; Opening Nashville Rep’s 40th season with shows at TPAC’s Polk Theatre thru Sunday, September 22

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Following last weekend’s hugely successful opening, Nashville Repertory Theatre continues celebrating their 40th season opener as the sweet treat that is Waitress: The Musical resumes with its second and final week on stage at TPAC’s Polk Theatre with performances Thursday-Sunday, September 19-22. Based on the 2007 film of the same name, the stage musical, with music and lyrics by Sara Bareilles and a book by Jessie Nelson, made its Broadway debut in 2016, garnering four Tony nominations during the show’s initial run.  As the 2024/2025 season opening at Nashville Rep, their presentation is directed by Lauren Shouse and features a cast lead by Sarah Aili, Annabelle Fox and Piper Jones. Last week, while the cast was readying for Opening Night, I had the chance to chat with these four talented individuals for my latest Rapid Fire 20Q interview feature. What follows are those conversations.

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Rapid Fire 20 Q with cast members and director of Nashville Rep’s Waitress: The Musical

Rapid Fire with Waitress star, Sarah Aili

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Who is Jenna to you?

SARAH AILI: Jenna is life unfolding. Jenna is a dreamer and someone who doesn’t know that she’s allowed to believe in herself. Jenna is a remarkable woman and human who gets stuck in the folds of what her small town would call “normal”, or at least what the webs of her family patterns would call “normal” and she, through relationships and her own will to breathe in life, overcomes the weight of her circumstances. She is a raw, radiant and real woman. 

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Among you co-stars is Dustin Davis, who plays Jenna’s domineering husband, Earl. There are some volatile scenes between the two. How do you prepare for those moments and what helps you put those tense feelings aside afterwards? 

SARAH AILI: Wow, that’s a big question! Honestly, I’m so grateful for the rehearsal process—that’s where I find my truth in the emotions and circumstances of each scene. When it comes to high-stakes moments like the ones between Jenna and Earl, I like to draw from my own life experiences. I connect to something real that I’ve felt, something similar to the emotions in the scene, and allow myself to fully feel it. From there, I make decisions as an actor about what will best serve both my scene partner and the show. It’s a bit like choosing the right spices for a pie! To let it all go, to the best of my ability, I put my attention on what is in front of me and with this show, there is so much joy, on and off stage!

JHPENTERTAINMENT: What is it about the character of Jenna, or the story of Waitress that you find relatable?

SARAH AILI: Jenna and I share a lot in common as women—we dream, we doubt, we love fiercely, we crave, we bake, we love our mamas, we have complex relationships, we face our fears, we rely on the important women around us, and above all, we are human. What resonates most with me about Jenna, and the show as a whole, is its genuine humanity. None of us are perfect, and all of us are deserving of the life we want to live, surrounded by the people we call family.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Just between us…pie or cake?

SARAH AILI: PIE!! With berries and a little vanilla bean ice cream please! Throw in pecans and I’m a happy camper! Although, if we are talking about Guava Cake, that’s truly IT for me. Guava Cake above all else! 

JHPENTERTAINMENT: A Soft Place to Land, which Jenna performs alongside Dawn and Becky, is among my personal favorites in the show. How much fun are you having with Annabelle Fox and Piper Jones, who play Dawn and Becky?

SARAH AILI: Piper Jones and Annabelle Fox are the icing on the cake for me in this show. I absolutely love sharing the stage with them, and we’ve had such a blast exploring these roles and relationships together. Offstage, it’s just as special. I genuinely look forward to spending time with these two amazing, talented people every day. Honestly, I feel that way about the entire cast!

Rapid Fire with Waitress co-star, Piper Jones

JHPENTERTAINMENT: What’s your favorite aspect of Becky, the character you play in Waitress?

PIPER JONES: I’ve really enjoyed getting to know Becky and finding the very human, relatable parts about her. She’s funny and real. She’s the friend who isn’t afraid to hold the mirror up to your face and call you in instead of out. I’ve loved playing against the “sassy” trope (don’t get me wrong, she’s still got the fire) and digging into her other layers. 

JHPENTERTAINMENT: In Act 2, you get your solo chance to truly shine with I Didn’t Plan It. Having known you for years, I cannot wait for this moment. Have you been given the opportunity to offer input collaborating with Sarah Michele Bailey, the show’s musical director?

PIPER JONES: Sarah Bailey (SMB) is truly fantastic. It’s been a joy working with her on this show! We’ve gotten to see many iterations of each other— her as MD, me as MD, being in a cast together, singing in the studio. It’s always a blast to create with Sarah. Jenna, Dawn, and Becky sing several trio numbers together and SMB has given me the opportunity to sort of act as a bit of a vocal captain with the girls. I appreciate the vote of confidence and I’ve enjoyed getting to pull some vocal nuances out of our trio. I’m excited about I Didn’t Plan It, too. It’s definitely an in-your-face way to start Act 2.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Within the context of the show, Jenna chooses Becky and Dawn to be godmothers to her daughter, Lulu (played by Rosemary ‘Roxy’ Delger. As an educator in your off-stage life, you’re used to working with kids, right? How has that aided you in your on-stage time with Roxy (and perhaps even some of your more childlike co-stars )?

PIPER JONES: I haven’t really had to wear my educator hat much during this process. You know, Roxy is already an old pro and my goodness she’s a cutie pie! Roxy is always on her mark (honestly, more than I am most of the time haha!).

JHPENTERTAINMENT: I saw on your Facebook that you, in another media moment promoting Waitress, cited your Mama’s Chess Pie as your all-time favorite. Heck, I think you and I might hold the record for most Chess Pie-related Facebook posts. So, a two-parter… 1) What is it about your Mama’s Chess Pie? AND…2) I think you might like my Mama’s Chess Pie, too, so when are we gonna trade recipes?

PIPER JONES: Ha! I do post about her Chess Pies a lot. It’s probably because she only makes the around the holidays, so it’s a special little treat that only comes around once a year. And honestly, I’m not even sure why I love her pies as much as I do. I know she’s particular about what brands of sugar (which must be a freshly opened bag), butter (you gotta buy the good stuff), and flour (which also must be freshly opened)…see what I did there? Anyway, I think her Chess Pie is the right balance of gooey sweetness, where you can kinda see that layer of sugar in the middle and the texture is always just right. Most of the time I can manage to sneak a piece right out of the oven (she hates that, though. They’re supposed to set up as they cool). But I mostly think I love them because of the nostalgia they hold. I bet your mama makes a great chess pie! And swapping recipes? You’d have to ask Dr. Jones if she’d part with hers 😉

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Oh, I see what you did there, and I italicized accordingly! Which leads perfectly to my final question for you…Waitess’ opening number, What’s Inside begins with the hypnotically repetitive mantra-like lyrics ‘Sugar, Butter, Flour’. In keeping with the recipe theme…what ‘ingredients’ make up What’s Inside you on your best days?

PIPER JONES: My best days are coffee, music, naps.

Rapid Fire with Waitress co-star, Annabelle Fox

JHPENTERTAINMENT: How familiar were you with Waitress prior to auditioning for the role of Dawn?

ANNABELLE FOX: I was lucky enough to see the original cast of Waitress on Broadway back in 2015! My friend impulsively bought us tickets and I didn’t know much about the show other than the fact that the music was written by Sara Bareilles. Sitting in the audience that evening, I realized then and there that Dawn would soon become a dream role of mine; one I would chase… until now. 

JHPENTERTAINMENT: How would you describe Dawn?

ANNABELLE FOX: Dawn is particular, organized, controlled, and incredibly sweet. She is a little awkward but I think that’s what makes her so lovable! 

JHPENTERTAINMENT: About midway through Act 1, you’re tasked with performing When He Sees Me, arguably one of the show’s most memorable musical moments. I love that it ranges from comedic to heartfelt. What’s it like performing this song and have you found a personal connection to the lyrics?

ANNABELLE FOX: Performing When He Sees Me is SUCH a gift. It is such a well written song and takes Dawn along with the audience on a beautiful journey of self discovery and assuredness. I love getting to embody her quirks, spunk, and dance with my wonderful cast mates! I loved the song instantly when I saw the show on Broadway and have sung the song in many concerts and for numerous auditions. I’m so excited to get to share my version of the song with Nashville!

JHPENTERTAINMENT: On the subject personal connections, among your cast mates is your real-life husband, Douglas Waterbury-Tieman who plays Dawn’s latest suitor, Ogie. Of course this isn’t the first time the two of you have shared the stage, having first met while you both were attending Belmont. What’s your favorite aspect of being on stage together?

ANNABELLE FOX: Getting to perform with Douglas is always so fun. The last time we performed together was in his original musical Johnny & the Devil’s Box at the Cumberland County Playhouse in December 2022. Playing opposite each other in a show we have loved for many years is a dream. The biggest advantage is our comfortability with each other. Ogie and Dawn are such heightened silly personalities so it’s super fun just being goofy with my husband! He is so wonderful and SO FUNNY so it’s quite the challenge to not break character! 

JHPENTERTAINMENT: The show is choreographed by Joi Ware. How is Joi as a choreographer AND…What’s a typical choreo rehearsal been like?

ANNABELLE FOX: Joi is absolutely wonderful and the choreography in our production is so moving, story centric, and engaging. She has done such a wonderful job of bridging dance and transition and helping each moment flow seamlessly, backed by our incredible ensemble and leads. A typical choreo rehearsal looks like learning, Joi breaking down the choreography for us, workshopping the movement, figuring out spacing, running the choreography a few times, and then filming it to keep on file to go back to and review with. With such a quick rehearsal process this has been essential! The whole creative team has been so warm, supportive, and passionate during this process and I feel so grateful for the ways they have empowered our whole cast to rise up to tell the very best version of this story. Enjoy! 

Rapid Fire with Waitress director, Lauren Shouse

JHPENTERTAINMENT: How did you come to direct Waitress for Nashville Rep?

LAUREN SHOUSE: This is the third show with baked goods I have directed for the Rep after Superior Donuts and The Cake, so clearly I love sweet plays. This musical had been on my list for some time as I love a heart-centered story and I am a huge Sara Bareillis fan, so when Micah-Shane Brewer told me they were programming it, I jumped at the opportunity. I have been so lucky to be able to call Nashville Rep an artistic home over the years – this is my 10th production with the company as director.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: What is it about the show that drew you to the project?

LAUREN SHOUSE: Besides being a fan of the music, I love to tell stories about women and transformation. This is a story about how we get unstuck and the resilience it takes to break a cycle and start a new life. There is a beautiful core of female friendship in this play and the way we need our fellow women to help us break free. While it is a musical comedy, I love the mess we see in this play and how authentic it feels to our real lives — when we feel stuck, we often make a bunch of hasty choices to shake things up. The characters in this play are no different and are driven by this core question of: what if I will never be more than what I have already become? I relate to that question at this point in my own life and I imagine many of our audience members will as well.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: The publicity photos seem very straight-forward and could easily be direct from the Broadway production. How have you found balance as a director in presenting the basics of what fans of the show expect, while putting your (and your talented cast’s) own stamp on it?

LAUREN SHOUSE: As someone who teaches directing students to always find their own unique point of view on a production, it is especially challenging when there is a wonderful pro-shot of the Broadway production that many people have recently seen. But from the beginning of this process, we talked about keeping some of the iconic moments that fans expect, but really making it our own intimate story. One of the things we have tried to do is deepen the backstory of Jenna and her mother – I wanted to add her to the song Soft Place to Land to show the story of where Jenna got her dreams and that she can be a good mother because she had a good mom, but she will need the support of her chosen family in Becky and Dawn to keep her going. We also wanted to lean more into the struggle of the waitresses’ everyday routine at the top of show — the women find refuge in each other, but not necessarily the work and the patrons. That way we see a real change in the final number as they have had to fight to make change. And in collaboration with our amazing choreographer Joi Ware, we have really tried to put our own stamp on the movement of the ensemble throughout the play and in the specifics of the big production numbers. 

JHPENTERTAINMENT: When I chatted with members of your cast, I touched on their thoughts on working with some of the behind the scenes folks including your musical director and choreographer, so I’ll continue with another vital piece of the pie (pun fully intended). What sort of discussions did you have with scenic designer, Gary Hoff concerning the set design and overall look of the show?

LAUREN SHOUSE: We wanted it to feel intimate and in a bigger space like the Polk that really meant pulling the action as close to the audience as possible. We talked about how much we loved the style of the original Adrienne Shelly movie and used that for inspiration of making it feel like we are looking inside a cherry pie… extending the metaphor that Jenna hides in her baking and part of her journey is breaking through the crust to make peace with what’s inside. We wanted the band to be on stage as an expression of her inner self (similar to the ensemble) and we wanted the structure of the diner to always be there as it is such a fixture in Jenna’s life and ultimately transforms at the end as she does.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: I always like to end these conversations by asking a variation on the following…What do you hope audiences remember long after seeing Waitress at Nashville Rep?

LAUREN SHOUSE: That everything changes and we all have the power within ourselves to make that change. We all deserve a slice of that pie. 

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Nashville Repertory Theatre’s Waitress continues at TPAC’s Polk Theatre with performances Thursday-Sunday. Thursday-Saturday evenings at 7:30p.m. & Saturday and Sunday matinees at 2p.m. CLICK HERE for tickets or more info.

Following Waitress, Nashville Rep’s 40th Anniversary Season continues with Our Town onstage at TPAC’s Johnson Theatre October 25-November 3 CLICK HERE for tickets. In the meantime, check out Nashville Rep online and follow them on Facebook, X, 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!

Rapid Fire 20Q with cast members of ‘Footloose: The Musical’; onstage at The Keeton beginning August 9

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Some 25 years after its Broadway debut, and 40 years after the source material’s film premiere, The Keeton Theatre (108 Donelson Pike, Nashville, TN 37214) is ready to cut loose as they present Footloose: The Musical. Just days before their Friday, August 9 opening, I recently had the chance to chat with the show’s stars Konnor Dolberry and Bryli Evans, who play Ren McCormack and Ariel Moore, as well as Kevin Driver (The Reverend Moore) and Laura Amond (Ethel McCormack) for my latest Rapid Fire 20Q. What follows are those conversations.

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RAPID FIRE 20Q WITH CAST OF THE KEETON DINNER THEATRE’S FOOTLOOSE: THE MUSICAL

RAPID FIRE WITH FOOTLOOSE’s REN McCORMACK, KONNOR DOLBERRY

JHPENTERTAINMENT: I understand getting the chance to perform in Footloose on stage has been a longtime coming, as you were to have played Ren McCormack in your high school production back in 2020, but the world had other plans. How excited are you to be getting the chance now?

KONNOR DOLBERRY: It’s literally a dream come true. Ever since I was cast for this role the first time, I felt a real connection to the character, and it almost became a part of me after it was cancelled. Now finally getting to revisit it 4 years later, It’s allowed me to see the whole story through a different lens, and I think it was definitely worth the wait!

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Not only will this be your debut as Ren, it’s also your debut with The Keeton, the only dinner theatre in the Nashville area. What’s your Keeton experience been like thus far?

KONNOR DOLBERRY: The Keeton has been nothing but welcoming throughout this whole process. Those who have been around the Keeton for a while have really brought me into the family!

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Who is Ren McCormack to you?

KONNOR DOLBERRY: Ren is a High School kid who is wildly misunderstood by just about everyone except for his Mom Ethel, his best friend Willard, and his new girlfriend Ariel. He’s charming, witty, and doesn’t care about what anyone thinks of him, but after his Dad left and he was forced to move from Chicago to Bomont, it leaves him wounded in ways that are revealed to him throughout the show.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Roger Hutson serves as Music Director for The Keeton’s Footloose. A musician yourself, how has it been working with him in this capacity?

KONNOR DOLBERRY: It has been wonderful working with Roger! He always brings the jokes to rehearsals which is always fun, and he is always willing to go the extra mile to help you with parts!

JHPENTERTAINMENT: As alluded above, when not pursuing your acting career, you’re frequently onstage in another capacity, as frontman for The Band Light. What similarities do you find between these two seemingly different styles of performing?

KONNOR DOLBERRY: Theatre has always been at the heart of what I do with The Band Light, as we all met through our high school’s theatre program. It’s a defining part of who we each are as individuals, and as a band. Any time I step out on stage, my number one goal is to entertain the audience, but when performing in a musical, It allows me to completely escape into this other world, and get to express myself in a new way. It has been almost 2 years since I have done Theatre in any capacity, so this show has definitely reminded me of my love for it!

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RAPID FIRE WITH FOOTLOOSE’s ARIEL MOORE, BRYLI EVANS

JHPENTERTAINMENT: You play Ariel Moore in The Keeton’s Footloose. How are you most like the character you’re playing?

BRYLI EVANS: Ariel is very headstrong and independent and I would like to think I share those qualities with her. I feel like as soon as I was cast, I could instantly relate to her in many ways, but those are the two biggest similarities. 

JHPENTERTAINMENT: On the flip, what is it about Ariel’s persona that is farthest away from your own personality?

BRYLI EVANS: There’s a song in the show called The Girl Get’s Around… which I would think is pretty self explanatory. To keep it simple, this girl doesn’t really get around. 

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Anyone who’s seen the original Kevin Bacon/Lori Singer film or the musical adaptation knows there’s plenty of choreo. I mean it IS the story of a small town that outlawed dancing and the kid who challenges that. To that end, Heidi Buyck is the show’s choreographer. How has it been to work with Heidi and what’s your favorite choreo moment in the show, whether it be your own, or that of your co-stars?

BRYLI EVANS: I cannot even begin to explain how incredible Heidi is – she is a GENIUS!! Working with her has been a dream come true. She has been so patient with me (I’m really not much of a dancer) and has pushed me to be the best version of my character in a way that no one has ever really pushed me before. I absolutely adore her. And the choreography in Let’s Hear it for the Boy HAS to be my favorite! 

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Ariel’s best friends are Rusty, Wendy Jo and Urleen, played by T-Cat Ledo, Julia Mowry and Abby Webb respectively. Can you give me one word each to describe these besties?

BRYLI EVANS: It’s so hard to just pick one word for each of them, I feel like I could write three whole paragraphs on how incredible they are. Julia has one of the kindest hearts I’ve ever known, Abby was an instant friend to me and has done nothing but make me smile during every interaction we’ve ever had, and T-Cat has this electric energy that you can’t help but gravitate towards. I have had the BEST time working with these wildly talented ladies!!

RAPID FIRE WITH FOOTLOOSE’s REVEREND MOORE, KEVIN DRIVER

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Who is the Reverend Moore to you?

KEVIN DRIVER: Reverend Moore is the minister of the church most of the residents of the small town of Bomont attend. I think Moore’s caring boundaries are extensive, but they center around his family. He’s overly protective of his remaining child. He would like to keep her in bubble wrap if he could to keep her safe. Ultimately, he knows he can’t control everything she does, so he is worried all the time.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Keeton patron’s no doubt know you not only for recent on-stage roles in recent productions of Memphis, Songwriter Night and Evita, but also for having designed and built each and every set for the past three Keeton seasons. In fact, in addition to playing Reverend Moore, you’re also tasked with the behind-the-scenes gig of the show’s Technical Director. For the uninitiated, what all does that job entail?

KEVIN DRIVER: My goal is to make sure the director’s vision is met with regards to the set design and build to the best of my ability and stay in budget. I help the stage managers with organization backstage so that they can run the smoothest show possible. I also work closely with the lighting and sound designers to make sure they have what they need. I try to prioritize the set at the very beginning of the rehearsal period to get it built and usable as soon as possible. Being an actor in this show, I want to give both my roles as Technical Director and actor all of my attention, so I try to focus more on the technical end at the beginning so I can flip the switch and put my focus on my acting. It’s difficult to schedule it all, especially because I have a full-time job during the weekdays, and it’s why I don’t perform in the shows that often.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Another little fun BTS bit of info…as Reverend Moore, you’re leading lady, Vi Moore is being played by your real-life leading lady, your wife, Donna Driver who’s also Keeton’s Managing Administrator. What’s the advantage of playing opposite your wife? 

KEVIN DRIVER: Being the real-life husband of the woman who plays my wife on stage does have a lot of benefits. We can rehearse on our own time and work on our scenes. I can tap into her acting knowledge and advice. In the scenes, my acting choices feel more genuine instead of staged. We’ve also raised our three combined daughters through their teenage years into adulthood. Discussions about their behavior and choices aren’t new to us, so we are able to tap into those memories and feelings.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: The Reverend is pegged as the show’s antagonist. Heck, did you know the character even has his own entry on Villains Wiki? Convince me he’s NOT the villain of the piece?

KEVIN DRIVER: I don’t believe you can be a villain if you have good intentions behind your actions. The whole town suffered after the Potawney Bridge accident that killed four teens, including his son. Reverend Moore strove to help everyone and himself through the grieving by trying to prevent this kind of pain from happening again. He’s convinced that dancing leads to dangerous behaviors, and the adults of the town agree with him. He’s holding too tightly to his pain and has to learn, through Ren and his daughter Ariel, to change and grow. Yes, he’s an antagonist for Ren, but he’s not a villain. 

JHPENTERTAINMENT: I’m guessing you were familiar with the source material. Now, fast-forward 40 years since the film’s debut and you’re father to two daughters yourself. Has your personal perception of the Reverend changed since first viewing the film back in 1984.

KEVIN DRIVER: When the movie came out, I was twenty years old. I grew up here in Tennessee, so the setting of a small rural town was familiar to me. I definitely sided more with Ren, the teens, and their rebellious need to find fun things to do. Now, forty years later, I am more able to see Reverend Moore’s side of the story better. As I mentioned, I have two daughters and have raised my step-daughter most of her life. Sometimes their choices have made me angry, frustrated, or scared, and sometimes I’ve felt powerless to help. It’s difficult to judge when to step in and when to back off. I still think Ren should get his dance, but I better understand now why Reverend Moore is so set against it.

RAPID FIRE WITH FOOTLOOSE’s ETHEL McCORMICK, LAURA AMOND

JHPENTERTAINMENT: What is it about the role of Ethel that made you want to audition?

LAURA AMOND: As a single mom myself, I can really identify with Ethel. She is navigating the uncertainty and challenges of life as a single mom, while trying to remain strong for her son. She says at the top of the show that she’s not one of those “strong single mothers”, but truly, her heart and spirit are. She is Ren’s consummate cheerleader in the face of diversity, and pillar of wisdom who lifts him up when he needs reminded of his own strength. Ethel reminds me that I am also stronger than I sometimes believe and that in the end, love is all we need.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: You mention in your bio that you’re among the few cast members who remembers the original film version. It’s a little mind-blowing that it’s been 40 years since Kevin Bacon danced across the screen as Ren McCormick, now here you are playing Konnor Dolberry’s Ren’s Mom. As a Mom in real life, what motherly advice would you offer the younger costars?

LAURA AMOND: Honestly, Jonathan, I think I learn from my younger costars every day. They remind me to embrace every opportunity, to take constructive criticism as an opportunity to grow, to show kindness and relentless support for one another, and to practice gratitude in all things. Most of all, they remind me about the importance of community and just how much my extended theatre family has shaped my life in the very best way possible.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: For those of us of a certain age, there’s just something about the beginning beat of the title tune made famous by Kenny Loggins when it was included on the movie soundtrack. Of course as musical, the score has been expanded to include familiar tunes and material written specifically for the stage adaptation. What’s your favorite musical moment in the show, and why?

LAURA AMOND: Oh goodness, it’s so tough to choose just one! Footloose was absolutely one of the soundtracks of my teenage years, so the songs bring back a ton of personal memories. Was there any high school prom in 1984 that didn’t have an Almost Paradise theme?!

Specific to this production, there are so many brilliant moments given the stellar vocals of the entire cast.  Familiar tunes from the soundtrack, Almost Paradise (performed to perfection by Konnor Dolberry and Bryli Evans); Let’s Hear it for the Boy (Takiah Ledo SLAYS!), and two songs performed by the trio of Takiah Ledo, Julia Mowry and Abby Webb, Somebody’s Eyes and I Need A Hero are even better than the original with these gals at the helm. Trust me, they are FIRE! 

With respect to the songs written specifically for the stage adaptation, there are numbers which bring levity and reflection. Mama Says brings down the house as performed by Riley Morris and the trio of Jack Forte, William Richardson, and Levi Carter. More sentimental moments come from the adult cast.  Learning to Be Silent (Donna Driver, Bryli Evans and myself) reflects on the patriarchal suppression of women’s voices, Heaven Help Me (Kevin Driver at his absolute best) shows the Reverend’s internal struggle with being the moral leader of the town amidst a personal struggle, and Donna Driver’s poignant Can You Find it in Your Heart depicts the loyal wife trying to help her family find balance again after tragedy.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Footloose is being directed by Susan Walsworth. You both first shared the stage back in 2012 in Circle Players’ production of Titanic. How’s Susan as a director?

LAURA AMOND: I can’t say enough about Susan! You’re right, we shared the stage in 2012 and many times since, most recently (if 2018 can be considered recent) in Circle Players’ The Full Monty where she was absolutely brilliant as Jeannette. To know Susan is to love her – on and off stage. She is kind, generous with her time and talent, and passionate about everything she does. I know Susan as a mom, a friend, a castmate and now a director, and I can honestly say she leads with her heart in every role she plays.

For the people who come to see the show, it’s clear that Susan is equally talented as a director as she is on the stage. Her eye for casting is evident with the talent she has assembled in this production. Her attention to detail with blocking, transitions and sharing her vision take an already stellar performance to the next level. She treats every individual with kindness and respect and in so doing, brings out the best in every artist. She makes you feel safe to make bold choices and knows when to reel you in. And because Susan’s humility is second-to-none, I know she would want me to say that she is made better by her production team for bringing her vision to life (Heidi Buyck/choreographer, Roger Hutson/music director, Dylan Kim/stage manager, Madison Soper/assistant stage manager, Kevin Driver/set design, Megan Whitney/costumes, Tabby Ragland/props).

I have been proud to share the stage with Susan many times and it has been inspiring to see my friend shine as director. I will not hesitate to audition for any production in the future with her at the helm, because her passion breeds joy throughout the process. This show has been a gift to me in so many ways, and I have Susan to thank for that.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: I like to end these chats by asking a variation of this question, so since you’re my final chat today, it’s all you…What do you hope audiences come away remembering after seeing The Keeton’s production of Footloose?

LAURA AMOND: In this time of division in our society, I think Footloose is a great reminder of the power of the collective to affect change. It celebrates the human spirit and the idea that some norms need to be challenged in order to evolve. The true champions of the show are the young people who help to lead their community to a more joyful future. Every day the young cast inspires me with their wisdom, passion, and commitment to this theme, and I am reminded that our collective future is in good hands with the younger generation today. Perhaps we should follow the lead of Reverend Shaw by listening more often so that we can realize a future of acceptance, joy, celebration and harmony. 

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Footloose: The Musical opens at The Keeton Friday, August 9 thru Sunday, August 25. Dinner and Show tickets are $40 for Adults and $35 for Children*. Show Only tickets are $30. CLICK HERE to purchase tickets. Next up at The Keeton is William Inge’s Bus Stop, with performances October 11- 27.  WATCH THIS LINK for tickets or more information soon.

To keep up with the latest from The 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. In the meantime, #GoSeeTheShow!

*at the time of this article, most of the performances of Footloose: The Musical had already SOLD OUT, but don’t put away your dancing shoes just yet. Check the schedule and if there’s a show date you want to attend, give the box office a call to see if there’s any tickets available.

 

Rapid Fire 20Q with ‘Hairspray’ National Tour Cast: Coming to Nashville’s TPAC June 11 thru 16

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Based on John Waters’ 1988 cult classic film, Hairspray made its way to the musical stage in 2002 with music by Marc Shaiman and lyrics by Shaiman and Scott Wittman, book by Mark O’Donnell and Thomas Meehan. The original Broadway production was directed by Jack O’Brien with choreography by Jerry Mitchell. Hairspray set out on its first national tour in 2003, playing Nashville’s TPAC near the end of that initial tour back in 2006. In 2021, O’Brien and Mitchell came together once again to helm the show’s second-ever US tour. Now it its third year, Hairspray once again returns to TPAC’s Jackson Hall with shows Tuesday, June 11 through Sunday, June 16.

WIth just days before the show returns to Music City, I recently had the opportunity to chat with members of the company for my latest Rapid Fire 20Q. What follows are those conversations.

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RAPID FIRE 20Q WITH CAST OF HAIRSPRAY NATIONAL TOUR

RAPID FIRE WITH HAIRSPRAY’s LINK LARKIN, SKYLER SHIELDS

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Who is Link Larkin to you?

SKYLER SHIELDS: Link Larkin is a golden retriever. To me, Link is the perfect balance of boy next door meets Danny Zuko. I think he’s the shiny “It” boy, but he’s a bit aloof which is what makes him so endearing when he meets Tracy. He’s never met someone quite like her and she pushes the boundaries and norms that he’s never had the courage to question.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: A quick perusal of your socials seems to indicate that you and your Hairspray costar, Caroline Eiseman, who plays Tracy Turnblad, get along off-stage as well as on. What’s your favorite thing about your work wife’s performance as Tracy?

SKYLER SHIELDS: Working with Caroline has been the biggest gift and blessing. It’s so empowering to be able to go on stage and know that someone truly has your back. We have laughed, cried, and accomplished so many goals this year, it’s been incredible having a partner like Caroline by my side. One of my favorite things we do is when, during Without Love while Seaweed is breaking Penny out of her house, we are supposed to be frozen at the jail cell, and we just talk and talk and pretend like the audience can’t see or hear us. It’s just a great reminder to me how lucky I am to be able to share this whole experience, let alone one of the best songs in musical theater, with one of my best friends.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: A couple months ago you celebrated your one-year anniversary with the show, having joined the company near the end of the latest tour’s second season. In that time, have you discovered aspects of Link that you didn’t really explore in your performance early on?

SKYLER SHIELDS: It’s been fun to play into different aspects of the role depending on how I’m feeling that day. Link has qualities of aloofness and being perhaps a little dull but also could be played as entitled, cocky, and overly confident. I’ve enjoyed stepping into these different sides of him all while trying to maintain a sense of likability and tenderness. I think one thing I learned from this experience over the year is truly to make Link a successful character, he has to be in service to Tracy’s story. Dramatically all the characters are in service of Tracy’s story and how they affect her life. If I approached every scene thinking about how funny I’m gonna be or how great my songs are the role would fall very flat. “The material is funny, you are not” is something our wonderful director Matt Lenz would often say. Trusting the incredible score and script we are given and being a vessel for the material has made embodying this character truly pivotal.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Prior to being cast as Link, you spent some time at sea…as a cast member of Saturday Night Fever aboard Royal Caribbean cruise lines. What was the best part of your time with that show and life afloat?

SKYLER SHIELDS: Working with Royal Caribbean has been one of the craziest experiences of my life. I met some of the most amazing people from all over the world and performing such a fun show for over a year was wonderful. It was definitely tough being on the ship for so long but absolutely worth it. The best part by far was meeting some of my dearest friends from the UK and New Zealand.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: OK, I gotta ask…why is #gaylink not trending? But seriously, what does being a part of a show that shines light on equality and acceptance mean to you as an out gay actor?

SKYLER SHIELDS: I think at times I take for granted how lucky I am to have such an accepting family and a wonderful community around me. Being a part of a show that inspires its audiences to think deeper and embrace acceptance and love is why we do theater. Shows like Hairspray meant the world to me growing up and it’s been amazing being able to be a part of something that can bring that same joy to so many others while also spreading the narrative of acceptance, especially in the political climate we are in today.

RAPID FIRE WITH HAIRSPRAY’s LITTLE INEZ, KAILA SYMONE CROWDER 

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Can you describe Little Inez in FIVE words?

KAILA SYMONE CROWDER: I would describe a Little Inez as bold, optimistic, light, courageous, and resilient.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: I understand Hairspray is your first National Tour. How much fun are you having, not only being in the show, but bringing its message to audiences across the country?

KAILA SYMONE CROWDER: Every day is a new experience! I have found that Little Inez truly brings out something within me that is so powerful. It’s truly been a blessing to share with the world, the gift that God has given me.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: You’re from Monroe, North Carolina, right? For whatever reason, one of the only things I know about Monroe is that one of its most famous…or infamous…natives was ultra-conservative politician Jesse Helms. How excited are you to change that statistic as your career flourishes and YOU become Monroe’s most famous citizen?

KAILA SYMONE CROWDER: I come from a family of history. My grandfather, Roy Lee Crowder, was a civil rights activist leader, along with the amazing Robert F. Williams, who was also known for his courageous stance on Black people and their freedom (Negros with Guns). It does me great joy to implement the things that my grandfather and the women in my family (Rhonda Crowder, my mother and Revonda Crowder, my grandmother) have gone through. Now I can take it to another level to truly bring a light into how we can move forward as nation through the theatrical aspect.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Speaking of your home state, Hairspray’s costume designer, William Ivy Long hails from Raleigh, North Caroline. He’s designed costumes for more than 60 Broadway show, having won the Tony for Hairspray in 2003. Do you have a favorite costume in the show, whether it be your’s or that of one of your co-stars?

KAILA SYMONE CROWDER: Absolutely, I actually have two favorite costumes. The first one is the multicolored polka-dotted dress that is shown during Run and Tell That, and the other is the gold and off-white finale dress that is shown during You Can’t Stop the Beat. Although these are my favorite outfits, each outfit reminds me of when I was a little girl and how my mom would dress me in colorful dresses with white lace socks and Keds, which is exactly what I wear in the beginning of the show.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: In Hairspray, you share scenes—and a storyline familial bond—with Deidre Lang and Josiah Rogers who play Little Inez’s Mother and Brother, Motormouth Maybelle and Seeweed J. Stubbs, respectively. Do you have a favorite moment that involves one or both of them?

KAILA SYMONE CROWDER: During Run and Tell That, when Seaweed, played by the amazing Josiah Rogers, does the handshake, that moment signifies our close brother and sister relationship throughout the show and how he’s rooting for his sister Little Inez because he understand the talent has continued to pass down through another generation. Alongside my mother Motormouth Maybelle, who is played by the amazing Deidre Lang – during the song I Know Where I’ve Been, there’s a particular moment where she grabs my hand and then eventually let’s go of it, so that I can walk my own path and continue to be the light through darkness. It’s as if she’s passing on the torch to another generation to change the world in a positive way. This also supports how powerful the bond of a mother and daughter can be.

RAPID FIRE WITH HAIRSPRAY’s VELMA VON TUSSLE, SARAH HAYES

JHPENTERTAINMENT: What can you tell me about Velma Von Tussle, the character you play in Hairspray’s current National Tour?

SARAH HAYES: There are some people who, as the world changes, walk forward with arms open wide, ready to embrace any and all changes the future holds. Then there are some people who struggle with change and have a hard time adjusting. Velma Von Tussle is someone who needs to be dragged kicking and screaming into the future! She is a woman who has worked very hard to get herself into a position of power as producer of The Corny Collins Show, which is especially impressive in 1960s Baltimore. And to top it all off, she’s made her daughter, Amber, the star of the show. So Velma is having a great day when the show starts! Then Tracy shows up ready to “eat some breakfast and change the world,” and it all goes wrong for Velma.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: I must admit I’m a Hairspray fan since the OG 1988 John Waters film, so I gotta ask…How excited are you to be playing a role that was first brought to life by Blondie lead singer, Debbie Harry and has since been played by everyone from Susan Anton and Belinda Carlisle to Michelle Pfeiffer and Kristin Chenoweth.

SARAH HAYES: It’s a little intimidating because those are some big yellow heels to fill, but excitement still wins out, because that’s a pretty cool list to be on! I feel like my entire Hairspray adventure has been a series of “pinch me” moments, and one of those moments happened in Tulsa, when I got to perform for and meet Linda Hart, the OG Broadway Velma! Absolutely surreal. I also love that I get to say I share a resume credit with Catwoman. Haha!

JHPENTERTAINMENT: In preparing to chat with you, I did a little internet sleuthing and discovered your theatre background is highlighted by several performances at Myers Dinner Theatre in Hillsboro, Indiana. I do love a sweet little dinner theatre! How has your background working with such a small, intimate company helped you adjust to your first-ever National Tour?

SARAH HAYES: I know I wouldn’t be on this tour without the opportunities I had at Myers. Jeremy Littlejohn was the Artistic Director during my time there, and he created this little artistic oasis in the middle of rural Indiana. He gave me roles that challenged me and helped me overcome insecurities and nerves I’d battled for years, which then helped me be more successful in future auditions, including my Hairspray callback in New York.

The audiences at Myers were pretty small but they were mighty…in fact, right before the Covid shutdowns, we were doing Run For Your Wife which was a cast of 8. There were 7 people in the audience the night before the theatre closed. We asked if they still wanted us to do the show. They enthusiastically told us yes and those 7 people made thunder that night! That was such a beautiful night for everyone involved and a reminder of how important theatre is, and how lucky I am to get to do it for a living right now.

I’m really grateful for the twists and turns my career has taken, including several years in my late 20s and early 30s when I wasn’t getting much acting work. It’s easier to take something for granted if you’ve never gone without it. I’ve been hungry for work, and will probably be hungry for work again. That makes me appreciate the work I do get so much more.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Again, while doing my homework prior to our chat, I fell down the proverbial Velma Von Tussle internet rabbit hole where I saw that fabulous Velma has an entry on Villains Wiki!!! So, a two-part question…1) How much fun are you having playing Velma and 2) Why is she NOT a villain?

SARAH HAYES: 1) That’s hilarious! I didn’t even know that she was on Villains Wiki! I understand why though…she’s so brilliantly written, which makes her a blast to play. I’m a peacemaker by nature, and struggle to communicate when I’m upset. Velma has no problem saying (or screaming or cackling!) exactly what she’s thinking, so that’s part of the fun of it for me, getting to play someone so completely opposite of me. Plus, singing Miss Baltimore Crabs every night is a dream!

2) Velma is not a villain if you dig a little deeper and look at why she does and says the things she does. I don’t think her motivation is actually hate. It’s fear. Velma is a widow raising her daughter on her own, while working full time in a changing world. She’s scared of losing her power and the empire she’s built for herself and her daughter, and as we know, fear can make people say and do some pretty nasty things. One of the most beautiful messages of Hairspray is that no one is beyond redemption. If the world is truly going to change it has to mean that no one gets left behind and (spoiler alert) even Velma and Amber finally get on board and shake and shimmy it!

JHPENTERTAINMENT: I love that the original Broadway director Jack O’Brien and original choreographer Jerry Mitchell are at the helm of this tour. What does it mean to you and the cast that they’re behind this tour?

SARAH HAYES: It’s incredible. I think it speaks to what a special show Hairspray is, that the original director and choreographer still want to take care of Baltimore and all of its residents. I know that gives me motivation on even the toughest days to dig deeper and give each audience the best show I’m capable of every single time I step onstage.

RAPID FIRE WITH HAIRSPRAY’s PENNY PINGLETON, SCARLETT JACQUES

JHPENTERTAINMENT: What do we need to know about Penny Pingleton before seeing the current National Tour of Hairspray?

SCARLETT JACQUES: Although Penny may not be the brightest, she always has the best intentions. She loves nothing more than to follow around Tracy and encourage all her endeavours, being the most supportive best friend whilst only living in a fantasy life in terms of her own desire to feel wanted. Throughout the story, Penny starts to find herself when she meets her love interest, Seaweed J. Stubbs, and is finally being noticed in a way she never expected. Her

character arc is one that is so beautiful and admirable, as she goes from being content following her best friend, to falling in love and gaining the confidence to stand up to her strict, racist mother Prudy.
JHPENTERTAINMENT: How does the role of Penny Pingleton resonate with you personally?
SCARLETT JACQUES: Penny Pingleton is the most wonderful character, and I truly am so lucky to spend every day stepping into the shoes of such a fun-loving, goofy and caring person. I have so much love for her, and this role will always have a special place in my heart. She has so many amazing qualities that I admire, and it makes me so happy that I get to put a smile on so many faces.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Within the storyline, Edna is reticent to encourage Tracy to pursue her dreams of being a featured dancer on The Corny Collins Show, but Penny, being her loyal friend, encourages her to go after what she wants in life. In your own life, has there been someone who’s reminded you that You Can’t Stop the Beat?

SCARLETT JACQUES: Being from the small country of New Zealand, moving to the USA was a huge decision and one that I couldn’t do without my amazing support system that has continued to believe in me and my abilities. There are so many people I could talk about forever, but specifically I’d like to talk about Hamish Mouat. He is one of the top directors/choreographers in NZ. We first worked together when I was only 8 years old. He went on to provide me with many opportunities to grow as a performer. I have been involved in 14 productions with him. Earlier this year, Hairspray performed in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and as Hamish was travelling to the states to perform, he decided to stop in Tulsa just to see me perform in my first national tour and professional theatre job in the USA.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Why do you think Without Love is such an important moment in the show?

SCARLETT JACQUES: Without Love follows the blossoming of relationships between Tracy and Link and Seaweed and Penny. In both circumstances, they are found in tough situations. As both couples work together to overcome these situations, the audience gets to witness innocent, young love forming between people who were not considered appropriate or fully acceptable to be together at the time. I love how Hairspray allows audiences to see the importance of love and how it has the power to go against what is expected of us, which is something that is definitely still valid in today’s society.

With the ongoing movement of the LGBTQ+ community feeling more comfortable and safer being out and honest about who they are publicly, I think Hairspray as a whole, but specifically Without Love, definitely still holds a huge amount of power. It is showing the whole audience, but particularly the younger generations, that love is a strong force, and no one should have to feel pressured to follow what anyone else says. Unfortunately, we still have a way to go in terms of accepting and loving people unconditionally.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: What do you hope audiences take with them after having seen Hairspray?

SCARLETT JACQUES: I hope that audiences take with them the knowledge of how far we have come as a society, but how there is still more we need to change. Being based in the ’60s, Hairspray expresses the important message about the racial inequality and segregation that was present at the time, as well as size-discrimination and bullying others simply due to their appearance.

A lot of the younger characters, Penny and Tracy included, are just wanting to have fun dancing together, and don’t understand why something that is seemingly so simple and easy, could be so unacceptable and difficult to achieve. It helps the audience to understand that there is this beautiful innocence that children have, and a lot of the time it comes down to nurture over nature. Tracy is blessed with wonderful parents, Edna and Wilbur Turnblad, who teach her to lead with kindness and love, which is something truly important that she shares with the other characters in the show and the audience.

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Closing out their 2023/2024 Broadway at TPAC season, Hairspray plays Jackson Hall with shows Tuesday, June 11-Sunday, June 16. Performances time are as follows: Tuesday thru Thursday at 7:30p.m., Friday and Saturday evening performances at 8p.m., Saturday matinee at 2p.m. and Sunday matinee and early evening performances at 1p.m. and 6:30p.m. Tickets range in price from $50.90 to $164.50. CLICK HERE for Tickets.

Not in Nashville? Hairspray continues it’s current tour with a stop in Dallas June 18-30. CLICK HERE for tickets. You can also follow Hairspray on X, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and TikTok.

Next up at TPAC, Mark Morris Dance Group presents The Look of Love: An Evening of Dance to the music of Burt Bacharach, onstage at TPAC’s James K. Polk Theatre June 28-29 CLICK HERE for tickets. With numerous special engagements and performances filling their summer calendar, TPAC’s 2024/2025 Broadway at TPAC season kicks off September 10 thru 15 with the Music City debut performance of Broadway’s Clue: A New Musical. CLICK HERE for tickets. For further details on these and more entertainment headed to TPAC, CLICK HERE or follow TPAC on Instagram, X, YouTube and Facebook.

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

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

Rapid Fire Q&A with Disney’s Frozen National Tour’s Olaf and Kristoff, Broadway stars Jeremy Davis and Nicholas Edwards; at TPAC May 7 thru May 18

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Since the 2013 release of Disney’s Frozen, Anna, Elsa, Kristoff, Olaf and the rest of the residents of Arendelle have become an undeniable part of a world-wide pop culture phenomenon. The box-office-breaking original prompted a film sequel (with two more film entries coming). There’s been a televised holiday special, a line of character costumes, hundreds of toys, books and board games, video games, even a Frozen-themed Disney on Ice…heck, you name it and it probably exists in the Frozen universe. Fans just won’t Let it Go! Of all the Frozen tie-ins, Frozen: The Broadway Musical has proven just as beloved as the original film. Frozen debuted on Broadway in March 2018 and enjoyed a popular run until March 2020 due to the pandemic. Midway through the Broadway run, a North American National Tour and several international tours began. Following a brief hiatus in 2020, the US National Tour began again in September 2021. Earlier this year, the US tour celebrated its 1000th performance.

On May 7, For the First Time in Forever, Music City will get the chance to experience Frozen: The Broadway Musical when the National Tour descends on TPAC’s Jackson Hall for performances through May 18. For the latest installment of my recurring Rapid Fire interview feature, in advance of Frozen: The Broadway Musical’s Nashville tour stop, I recently had the chance to chat with two of the show’s stars, Jeremy Davis and Nicholas Edwards, who play Olaf and Kristoff, respectively, What follows are those conversations.

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RAPID FIRE Q&A WITH DISNEY’s FROZEN NATIONAL TOUR’s JEREMY DAVIS and NICHOLAS EDWARDS

RAPID FIRE WITH FROZEN’s OLAF, JEREMY DAVIS

JHPENTERTAINMENT: A quick peek at your show bio reveals you’ve been part of Frozen since the show was workshopped prior to its Broadway debut. Then you were initially part of the Broadway ensemble and understudy for Olaf. When did you first take the stage as Olaf and what do you remember most about that night?

JEREMY DAVIS: I first went on about two months after we opened. It was planned, so there was a lot of rehearsal and build-up to it. For weeks, the whole company worked to help me get ready. When the day finally came, I was on stage doing my first scene, and I looked offstage to find the whole company packed in the wings watching me. It was so galvanizing to feel such immense support, and it made my debut a very special experience.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: For those who’ve not seen the Broadway adaptation, rather than have you in a giant Olaf costume, Olaf is presented as a puppet with you dressed in winter wear controlling his movement and providing his voice. I understand you’d never worked with puppetry prior to taking on this role. What was your rehearsal period like prior to taking on the role?

JERMEY DAVIS: Since I started as an understudy, I had the advantage of watching and learning from Greg Hildreth, the original Olaf in the Broadway production. Greg is a true artist and comedian, and I was very lucky to be able to have him as a role model. And he was so good with the puppet! The first time I worked with Olaf in rehearsal, I couldn’t believe how hard it was. Greg made it look so easy, but I felt like I was trying to push a pile of rocks around. But like everything else, the more I did it, the easier it got. After a couple of weeks of practice, it started to feel like the puppet and I were dancing. Now, after all this time, we waltz around the stage like we were meant to be together.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Frozen wasn’t your first Broadway show… Heck, that count’s up to 10 Broadway shows if my research serves me right, 2005’s Dirty Rotten Scoundrels marking your Broadway debut. What do you remember most about taking to the Broadway stage for the very first time?

JERMEY DAVIS: The thing I remember most from that night was the curtain call. I went out to take my bow, and as I looked out over the applauding audience, I was thrown back in time to my childhood bedroom where I was having a daydream that one day I would be a Broadway actor. I started crying as I took my bow for Scoundrels because I realized that a childhood dream had come true.

Jeremy Davis as Olaf (photo by Matthew Murphy/courtesy frozenthemusical.com)

JHPENTERTAINMENT: OK, I have to admit something. I’ve never seen Frozen, Frozen II, or even the made-for-tv holiday special, Olaf’s Frozen Adventure! I KNOW, I KNOW!!! But what can I say? I don’t have kids and my nieces were all grown with their own kids by the time the movies came out. That said, I’ve not been living under a rock, so of course I have soaked up some knowledge of the characters and basics of the storyline. All that to ask…what’s it like being part of such an iconic pop culture phenomenon?

JERMEY DAVIS: First of all, WATCH FROZEN! It’s a great film, and it’s not just for kids. I’m a full grown adult (allegedly), and I love it!

As for what it’s like to be a part of this amazing phenomenon, it’s awesome! Every night, I walk out on stage to a crowd that’s already in love with Olaf, and it’s an amazing feeling to be at the center of all that love. It makes the job so easy and fun!

JHPENTERTAINMENT: If you could incorporate one aspect of Olaf’s personality or ideology, what would it be?

JERMEY DAVIS: The thing I love most about Olaf is his perspective on the world. He sees everything that happens, every moment, as an opportunity for joy. He meets a new person, and they’re his best friend. He walks into a new place, and he sees it as a theme park. He falls to pieces, and he rolls all his parts on the ground in glee. After all this time playing Olaf, his outlook has started to become part of my real life perspective, and I can’t really put into words how much better it’s made my life to look at the world in that way.

RAPID FIRE Q&A WITH FROZEN’s KRISTOFF, NICHOLAS EDWARDS

JHPENTERTAINMENT: I admitted when I chatted with your Frozen co-star, Jeremy Davis earlier that I’ve never seen any of the Frozen universe of movies, tv specials or short films. So, for the uninitiated, who is Kristoff and how much fun are you having playing him?

NICHOLAS EDWARDS: Kristoff is a local Arendellian ice harvester mountain man who alongside his best friend Sven (who happens to be a reindeer), gets swept up in this majestic quest to help princess Anna climb the North Mountain and save Arendelle from the eternal winter brought on by the ice queen Elsa! I am having the time of my life! I get to help save Arendelle 8x a week!

JHPENTERTAINMENT: For the stage version, Kristoff’s role has been amped up a bit, including being featured in a few new musical numbers. Do you have a favorite musical moment in the show, whether it’s one you’re featured in, or one you just enjoy from the wings?

NICHOLAS EDWARDS: I mean Let it Go is truly one of the most magical theatrical moments in a musical ever, but I really love the two sister’s duet I Can’t Lose You. It’s a new song written for the tour and it really helps flesh out the relationship between the two sisters, and of course the song itself is just thrilling! The vocals are insane!

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Like Jeremy you also come to the tour after having appeared in the Broadway production. With a National Tour, you’re performing on a different stage each week. To that end, I’m curious how much rehearsal or run-though you all get in each city, or do you simply adapt to each venue as you go?

NICHOLAS EDWARDS: Each city we do a sound check and quick spacing rehearsal that lasts around 3 hours the day of the first show. Outside of that we do a few lift and fight calls as a check in throughout the week, but yes- we adapt and stay on our toes as learn the ins and outs of each venue. Safety first!

Nicholas Edwards as Kristoff @nickedwardsnyc Instagram

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Between your time with Frozen on Broadway and the current National Tour, you also appeared on Broadway in & Juliet as Lord Capulet and Sly. Have your found any similarities between these characters?

NICHOLAS EDWARDS: Definitely not! Lord Capulet is a powerful father figure who sentences his daughter to life in a nunnery- Kristoff would never do that!

JHPENTERTAINMENT: I like to end my interviews by asking a variation of the following…What do you hope audiences come away remembering long after seeing Frozen?

NICHOLAS EDWARDS: A lot of families who come to see Disney shows are experiencing their first Broadway musical- I can only hope that this sparks something inside them to continue to want to come back and experience more of the magic that live theatre brings to audiences.

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Disney’s Frozen: The Broadway Musical comes to TPAC’s Jackson Hall with the following performance schedule: Tuesday-Sunday, May 7-12 and Tuesday thru Saturday, May 14-18. Tuesday-Saturday evening performances begin at 7:30p.m. with Saturday matinee’s at 2p.m. and Sunday performances at 1p.m. and 6:30 p.m. Tickets range in price from $53 to $198. CLICK HERE to purchase tickets or for more information. Follow Frozen on Facebook, YouTube, Instagram and TikTok. Or check out their official Frozen On Tour Site.

Not in Nashville? Not to worry. As the tour continues, Frozen: The Broadway Musical is headed to Majestic Theatre in San Antonio, TX May 22-June 2, Austin, TX’s Bass Concert Hall at University of Texas at APAC June 5-16, Buell Theatre in Denver, CO June 19-July 3, Vancouver, BC’s Queen Elizabeth Theatre July 9-July 21, First Interstate Center for the Arts in Spokane, WA July 24-August 4, Boise, ID’s Morrison Center for the Performing Arts August 7-18 and San Jose Center for the Performing Arts in San Jose, CA August 21-September 1 with more dates expected to be added soon as the tour continues.

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

Rapid Fire 20Q with cast of ‘YES! The Musical’; Based on popular reality series ’Say Yes to the Dress’, new musical premieres in Nashville, April 26

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The cast of ‘YES!’ (photos by MA2LA/courtesy ‘YES! The Musical’)

A few years ago major media outlets reported the news…Nashville, Tennessee is the new official unofficial Bachelorette destination in the country. That’s right, more than Vegas, New York and Miami, it seems future brides and their entourage of woo girls discovered the fun to be had in Music City. With that statistic in mind, premiering a new musical comedy combining the two elements Nashville is now best known for makes perfect sense. To that end, YES! THE MUSICAL will be premiering in Music City at Dirty Little Secret , a popular nightlife destination inside the Dream Hotel (210 Printers Alley, Nashville, TN 37201) with shows each Thursday thru Saturday beginning April 26 and continuing through July 13.

Drawing inspiration from Say Yes to the Dress, the long-running (335 episodes and counting) bridal reality series in which future married ladies bring their Mom’s and gal pals along for the adventure of picking out the perfect wedding gown, YES! THE MUSICAL co-created by Joel Waggoner (cast member of Broadway’s Be More Chill and School of Rock) and features book and lyrics by Blaine Hopkins (co-producer of Say Yes to the Dress: Atlanta, A Wedding Story and more), music and lyrics by Garrett Kotecki (singer/songwriter who’s credits include Surf’s Up from Disney‘s Teen Beach Movie), and direction and choreography by Shea Sullivan (Pageant: The Musical,Last of the Red Hot Mamas).

YES! THE MUSICAL features Bradley Gale as Mister Jimmy, the bridal gown expert, Maya Kaempf as Ashley, the bride-to-be, Erin McCracken as mother of the bride and Emma Teixeira as the bride’s bestie. As the cast put the finishing touches on the show in preparation of their Friday, April 26 opening night, I recently had the opportunity to chat with them for my latest Rapid Fire 20Q. So check out those conversations, then #GoSeeTheShow!

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RAPID FIRE 20 Q WITH THE CAST OF YES! THE MUSICAL

RAPID FIRE WITH YES! THE MUSICAL’s MISTER JIMMY, BRADLEY GALE

JHPENTERTAINMENT: First things first. YES! The Musical isn’t about a certain 70s rock band, but instead, draws its title and inspiration from TLC’s uber-popular, long-running bridal reality series, Say Yes to the Dress. How familiar were you with the source material prior to auditioning for the show?

BRADLEY GALE: Are you kidding me?! Beyond familiar! I used to beg my friends who were recently engaged to apply for the show!

JHPENTERTAINMENT: In YES!, you play Mister Jimmy. Who is Mister Jimmy to you?

BRADLEY GALE:  Mister Jimmy is a lot like the person I always wanted to be comfortable being when I grew up: he’s confident, he’s funny, and he’s snarky but he has a heart. He’s a Sour Patch Kid if they were sassy, then sweet.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Just between us, how much of Say Yes to the Dress’ Randy Finoli is there In Mister Jimmy?

BRADLEY GALE: Randy is incredibly stylish and also INCREDIBLY handsome…you should expect the same from Mister Jimmy.  

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Prior to saying YES!, you’ve enjoyed success on stage as part of the original company of Chicago’s The Book of Mormon, as well as numerous theatrical productions right here in Nashville, including roles in Beauty and the Beast, Avenue Q and Evita. How does being part of the World Premiere company of YES! compare?

BRADLEY GALE: There is really no way to compare the experiences however, Mister Jimmy is as fabulous as Lumiere in Beauty & the Beast, as sweaty as Princeton in Avenue Q, and I spend the exact opposite amount of time on stage as I did in Evita…. Also Mister Jimmy does NOT make out with Eva Peron.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: In addition to Mister Jimmy, you also portray other characters in the show. What can you tell me about them?

BRADLEY GALE: I don’t want to give any spoilers, But let’s just say you’ll see me play multiple characters…sometimes all at once.

RAPID FIRE WITH YES! THE MUSICAL’s ASHLEY, MAYA KAEMPF

JHPENTERTAINMENT: In YES!, you’re cast as Ashley, the bride who’s in search of that perfect wedding dress. What’s your favorite aspect of the character?

MAYA KAEMPF: Ashley begins the show being as people-pleasing as they come. She is often ignored, overshadowed, and overlooked, especially when it comes to the BIG personalities—Linda and Kayley—that are close to her in her life. However, what I love the most about Ashley is that she has this deep desire to take the reins in her own life, particularly at such a pivotal time in her life (approaching marriage). Without spoiling anything, I will say that Ashley’s journey is inspiring and encouraging to not only the people pleasing bride, but anyone who wishes to take charge of their own life. 

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Being part of the debut company of YES!, you basically get to set the tone of the character. How much freedom have the creators of the musical given you in developing Ashley as a character?

MAYA KAEMPF: While there have been a lot of changes to the show throughout the process (what with rewrites, cuts, new additions, etc.), what is incredible is that the essence of the characters and the message of the story has never wavered. While I was given liberties to make Ashley what I believe her to be, it was almost unnecessary because of of clarity and mutual understand between the performers and the creative team. 

JHPENTERTAINMENT: You recently won rave reviews for your portrayal of Jane Doe in Street Theatre Company’s Ride the Cyclone. In that show, you play a character who lost her head in a cyclone and therefore can’t remember who she is in the afterlife. A far cry from Ashley, but I’m wondering if you’ve found any similarities between the two?

MAYA KAEMPF: Now that is a thought that hasn’t occurred to me! I typically like to make each project completely separate in my mind, as each character is different from any other I played before. However, these two are very, very different. I think the common thread I see between Jane Doe and Ashley is that their stories both heavily center around identity and how important that is for a person to establish. 

JHPENTERTAINMENT: I understand part of your creative process in getting into your current character often involves creating a playlist of songs you think that character might listen to. What’s on Ashley’s playlist?

MAYA KAEMPF: My Ashley playlist is still underway… First though is Mirrorball by Taylor Swift. Ashley and Kayley were definitely at the Eras Tour together. 

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Award-winning Chadd McMillan serves as the costume designer for YES!, so I gotta know, is there a dress, wedding or otherwise that Chadd has created for the show that you would indeed say yes to?

MAYA KAEMPF: Yes, any and all. I would have an impossible time choosing. There is one dress (again, I am trying not to spoil!) at the end of the show that is perhaps the winner for me… I cannot stress how mindblowingly stunning and gorgeous (or purposefully tragic and hysterical) Chadd’s costumes are. The costume rack itself looks like a work of art. We are so lucky to have him and our wonderful wardrobe supervisor, Maryn Reader. You just have to come see these costumes yourself! 

RAPID FIRE WITH YES! THE MUSICAL’s LINDA, ERIN McCRACKEN

JHPENTERTAINMENT: You’re cast as Linda, mother of the bride in YES!. How would you describe her?

ERIN McCRACKEN: Linda is…crazy & hilarious. She has been waiting her daughters whole life for this wedding and it is finally her- Linda’s- time to shine!! 

JHPENTERTAINMENT: As Linda, you’re sharing time on stage with Maya Kaempf as your daughter. How much fun are you having working with Maya and the rest of the cast?

ERIN McCRACKEN: Maya is a powerhouse talent. She and Emma Teixeira—both Belmont University students (!!!)—were perfectly cast. Emma really takes the maid of honor role to another level…and they both sing their faces off!  Bradley Gale is a dream. He and I are holding it down as the seasoned actors in the show and I am so happy to be acting along side him! 

JHPENTERTAINMENT: So, is Linda a ‘Momzilla’?

ERIN McCRACKEN: 100%.  Absolutely. But you’ll have to come see the show to find out why! She really does mean well!

JHPENTERTAINMENT: A quick perusal of your social media revealed that you said Yes just over a year ago! That dress was gorgeous, by the way. So, I’m guessing if any of the cast can relate to the trials and tribulations of the subject at hand, it’s you. How many dresses did you look at before you found the perfect one?

ERIN McCRACKEN: Thank you! I wanted something both bridal & show-stopping! I did A LOT of looking online first. I‘m actually a pretty decisive person- I think I only tried on 6 dresses. Two dress shops, one day, done & done! 

JHPENTERTAINMENT: The show features all new music courtesy Blaine Hopkins, Garrett Kotecki and Blaine Hopkins. Do you have a favorite among the tunes, whether it’s one you perform, or that of another cast member?

ERIN McCRACKEN: Oh don’t make me pick! Okay, fine- Linda’s song, Perfectly Perfect. And then Brilliant Bridal Whisperer, the opening number. It’s fun and sassy and the perfect way to set up the show! 

RAPID FIRE WITH YES! THE MUSICAL’s KAYLEY, EMMA TEIXEIRA

JHPENTERTAINMENT: You’re playing Kayley, the maid of honor in YES!. How would you describe her to someone who’s about to meet her?

EMMA TEIXEIRA: Kayley is an unhinged maid of honor! She is fun and has absolutely zero filter! She a is a love child of Melissa McCarthy and Amy Schumer!

JHPENTERTAINMENT: The show’s being directed by Shea Sullivan, while Joel Waggoner serves as co-creator. In developing the character of Kayley, is there a particular piece of advice or guidance that Sea or Joel has offered to you that really stuck?

EMMA TEIXEIRA: Shae and Joel have been so fun to work with! When developing Kayley’s character it’s been fun to bounce ideas off of them! They have helped me ground Kayley and also find her contained unhinged moments. 

JHPENTERTAINMENT: In addition to the role of Kayley, you, like your fellow cast mates, also portray what we native Music City residents have not so lovingly dubbed Woo Girls. Not gonna lie, they’re frequently the bane of my existence when I venture downtown. That said, sell me on why I should learn to love and appreciate woo girls?

EMMA TEIXEIRA: You should love and appreciate the Woo Girls because we play a pretty hysterical version of our Nashville bridal party neighbors! My Woo Girl may or may not pass out in the bushes behind the Ryman- but….you’ll have to come see to find out!

JHPENTERTAINMENT: I have to admit, of the character shots photographed by the always brilliant MA2LA, your Kayley image is my favorite! Did you enjoy your photoshoot day, and would you wear Kayley’s fit IRL?

EMMA TEIXEIRA: Ah! The photo shoot was the most fun I’ve ever had doing a shoot!!! I love Chadd’s costume vision for Kayley and I think in the summer you could catch me in Kayley’s fierce tube top & shorts fit!

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Long after the YES! has been said, what do you think audiences will remember most about the show?

EMMA TEIXEIRA: I think audiences will remember the fun and heart of this show! Weddings can be such a stressful time and bringing life to the process through multi genre of songs, comedy, & dinosaurs?! What’s not to remember?

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The World Premiere engagement of YES! THE MUSICAL opens at Dirty Little Secret inside the Dream Hotel on Friday, April 26. Tickets range in price from $25 to $54. Ticket options are as follows: Bar Seating/$25, General Admission/$33, Preferential Admission/$42, Premium Table/$49 and Sofa/$54. For specifics on each ticket level, more information or to purchase tickets, CLICK HERE.

Be sure and check out YES! THE MUSICAL online and follow them on Facebook and Instagram.

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

Rapid Fire 20Q (2 of 2) with cast and director of Nashville Rep’s ‘The Color Purple’ onstage at TPAC’s Polk Theatre April 5-14

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As I indicated in my first Rapid Fire 20Q featuring the director and cast of Nashville Repertory Theatre announced that The Color Purple, I’m such a fan of the show that I decided to go all in and do two Rapid Fire 20Qs to feature as many cast members as I could. Hey, my name’s on the site, so I can do what I want, right? So…here’s Part 2 of my conversations with the cast of The Color Purple. This time around, I’m chatting with Shinnerrie Jackson (Sofia), Elliott Winston Robinson (Mister), Raven Buntyn (Squeak) and Gerold Oliver (Harpo). In case you missed Part 1, CLICK HERE to check out my chats with The Color Purple’s director, Reggie Law as well as Carli Hardon (Celie), Tamica Nicole (Shug) and  Maya Riley (Nettie). Nashville Rep’s The Color Purple opens at TPAC’s Polk Theatre for performances Friday, April 5 thru Sunday, April 14.

RAPID FIRE 20Q WITH CAST OF NASHVILLE REP’S THE COLOR PURPLE (2 of 2)

RAPID FIRE WITH THE COLOR PURPLE’s SOFIA, SHINNERRIE JACKSON

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Before we talk The Color Purple, while researching to chat with you, I learned you are an Assistant Professor of Theatre at UT Knoxville, and you’re also a company member of Knoxville’s Clarence Brown Theatre. Because I truly love connecting the dots when folks I know, know folks I know, I’m gonna name drop…I’ve known Carol Mayo Jenkins for ages. She is the cousin of one of my dearest friends. Carol was Artist in Residence at UTK until her recent retirement. Do you have a favorite memory of working alongside the legendary actress?

SHINNERRIE JACKSON:  She taught me how to live in the truth of who I am and to be grand. I never thought of myself as grand and she gave me that lesson during a scene she taught from Heartbreak House (Shaw play). She is a phenomenal actress and teacher. I’m still learning from her.  

JHPENTERTAINMENT: You play Sofia in Nashville Rep’s The Color Purple. When I spoke with Carli, I mentioned the impressive list of actresses associated with her role. The same can be said of Sofia. From Oprah to my friend Pam Trotter, Miss Sofia is without a doubt one of the most memorable characters ever to grace the pages of a book, the stage and screen. Would you consider Sofia a ‘bucket list’ role?

SHINNERRIE JACKSON: Yes! I’ve wanted to play this version of Sofia since Felicia P. Fields originated the role in 2005. I was just waiting for my regional theatre turn. I audtioned for NashRep last year and thought it would pass me by, but fate had other plans and here I am!

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Like many of the characters in The Color Purple, Sofia undergoes a transformation. Is there an aspect of Sofia and her transformation that you might consider adopting in your own life long after the show closes?

SHINNERRIE JACKSON: I think we all love Sofia because, despite the difficult systemic violence she’s forced to endure, Sofia is able to come back to herself. Her inner strength, her love and her joy. That’s the lesson for me. 

JHPENTERTAINMENT: A catalyst for the above-mentioned transformation is Sofia finally having enough of certain situations. How do you prepare for the seriousness of such scenes?

SHINNERRIE JACKSON: The script and the book (by Alice Walker) give you everything you need. As soon as the words come out of my mouth the feeling and her personality is there, the words are that powerful. I just have to maintain my stamina throughout the run. I also am invoking the spirit of my grandmother Ernestine Jackson, a woman who never let the violence of the system deter her from her dreams. 

JHPENTERTAINMENT: We touched on your Knoxville connections. Of course The Color Purple’s director, Reggie Law also hails from Knoxville as does Nashville Rep’s Artistic Director, Micah-Shane Brewer. Did one of them reach out to you and urge you to audition?

SHINNERRIE JACKSON: While it has been great to work with Reggie Law, my direct connection is with Micha-Shane Brewer. We are both alumns of the MFA program at The University of Tennessee. I saw the advert for auditions and here I am.

RAPID FIRE WITH THE COLOR PURPLE’s MISTER, ELLIOTT WINSTON ROBINSON

JHPENTERTAINMENT: How would you describe Mister, the role you are playing in Nashville Rep’s The Color Purple?

ELLIOTT WINSTON ROBINSON: It will be evident fairly quickly how horrible a person Mister is when you see the show. My challenge in portraying him is to figure out why he is this way, so I can make choices on stage that show the audience very clearly who he is. Mister is the kind of man that wants to project this great sense of strength & dominance, but he is really not very strong at all; he is just a big ol’ bully. I don’t want to give too much away, but when the people he rules over begin to question his power (Celie, Harpo), even they start to realize what the real man is all about.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Doing a little digging prior to chatting with you, I discovered this is your Nashville Rep mainstage debut. Not gonna lie, that factoid was a huge surprise to me, as I consider you to be one of Nashville’s most gifted actors. While it’s your Rep mainstage debut, you indeed wowed audiences as part of Nashville Rep’s recent stage reading Narrative of the Life of Cedric Bartholomew. What was the experience of bringing that story to life for Nashville audiences?  

ELLIOTT WINSTON ROBINSON: Thank you, Sir, for the kind words; that means a lot! Yes, it’s my first time for the mainstage. I was welcomed into the REP family at last summer’s Broadway Brunch, then had the pleasure of being involved in REPAloud readings of The Christians and Stick Fly, as well as The Narrative of the Life of Cedric Bartholomew, in the New Works Series. Bartholomew was so powerful because it was new, but also because of the incredibly rich historical nature of the story. The process was amazing; having the dramaturg and the writer in the room while we dug into the script was fantastic! We were able to really get deep into the language, and the history. The performances were great, too, but the process was so fast, I still had questions about the story and my character even after we finished the public readings.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: During the rehearsal process, did your director, Reggie Law offer any notes on finding your Mister?

ELLIOTT WINSTON ROBINSON: Reggie has been the greatest! He detected my nice, easy-going nature very early on (many people who know me wonder how I’ll possibly be able to play this role!), so he has [gently] pushed me and pushed me to commit to being Mister. He is my favorite kind of director, the one that will pull you aside from time to time just to give you another subtle layer to think about while building your character, encouraging all the while. I have seen him do it with each and every cast member! I feel like that keeps me more and more invested in the role, knowing he has confidence in me to make the character come to life.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: And now to be taking on the role of Mister in The Color Purple. I imagine the anger and violence exhibited by Mister would be difficult to play night after night. How do you prepare for those scenes and do you need time to compress after such a daunting performance?

ELLIOTT WINSTON ROBINSON: There are definitely some very difficult moments, none that I’ll give away here. But, like I’ve done with other characters before (Troy Maxson in FENCES comes to mind), I’m pretty good about NOT taking Mister home with me. I know who Elliott is, and the rest of the cast understands the kind of person I am. They are very influential in propping me up, encouraging me to be as Mister as Mister can be. Only on stage, though!

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Mister isn’t all anger and rage. He has his lighter moment’s too. How much are you enjoying playing opposite Carli Hardon, specifically during the Miss Celie’s Pants segment?

ELLIOTT WINSTON ROBINSON: Carli is absolutely amazing as Celie! She weathers this terrible storm of a relationship, but when she starts to realize her self-worth and her value, she confidently gives back just as much as she takes. We have a few really powerful moments on stage, and she’s great at pushing me to create more and more tension in those moments. Again, I don’t want to give away too much, but those “lighter” moments come after Mister makes a stark realization about himself, one that changes the entire course of his life.

RAPID FIRE WITH THE COLOR PURPLE’S SQUEAK, RAVEN BYNTYN

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Your portrayal of Squeak in Nashville Rep’s The Color Purple marks not only your return to the stage after a ten-year hiatus, but also your Nashville Rep debut. What prompted you to audition for this show?

RAVEN BUNTYN: My love for the original movie is what prompted me to audition. I grew up watching The Color Purple nonstop with my grandmother when she didn’t have cable. It taught me life lessons and was filled with so much beauty. That movie helped shape me in ways I’m still learning about today. It’s very dear to my heart. 

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Are you enjoying your time with Nashville Rep?

RAVEN BUNTYN: Absolutely! It’s been so much fun being apart of this show. It’s not everyday that I get to be around people who love to burst into random song and dance as much as I do. It’s so refreshing! 

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Squeak might have limited stage time, but she’s certainly memorable. Who is Squeak to you?

RAVEN BUNTYN: Squeak is a rebel! She’s loud and slightly annoying but full of heart and passion. She really just wants to be loved and seen.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Quite often, when a character doesn’t get a lot of exposition within the contest of the play, I find that actors frequently create their own backstories as they delve into the character. Have you done this with Squeak?

RAVEN BUNTYN: Squeak has always had a secret desire to sing, she emulates the likes of Shug Avery and wants to be a star. Her father walked out on her and her mother when she was very young, but her mother never failed to instill confidence in Squeak. And even though she’s very naive and inexperienced, because of her mother’s love, she won’t let anyone walk all over her.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: I love the scenes when Squeak asserts herself with Sofia. How much fun are you having in this scenes?

RAVEN BUNTYN: That is my absolute favorite scene! I get to be boisterous and tap into Squeak’s fire. Squeak may not be the one to beat Sophia but she still stands up for herself and I love that about her. 

RAPID FIRE WITH THE COLOR PURPLE’S HARPO, GEROLD OLIVER

JHPENTERTAINMENT: How would you describe Harpo, the role you play in Nashville Rep’s The Color Purple?

GEROLD OLIVER: Harpo was thrust in to a cycle of violent lifestyles. Men in that time period were innately rougher, due to the conditions they grew up with. Harpo is doing his best to slip past the tendency to fall into the same behavior perpetuated by that cycle, but that isn’t to say he’s an unflawed character.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: I read The Color Purple when the book first came out, and of course I was obsessed with the original film adaptation. When do you first recall being cognizant of The Color Purple?

GEROLD OLIVER: I was young when I first saw the original film, albeit I didn’t watch the film in its entirety until I was much older. It wasn’t until I was a young adult that I was made aware that there was a novel from which the film was based.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: What’s it like having Elliott Winston Robinson play your on-stage father?

GEROLD OLIVER: Elliot is a really nice dude in real life. I’ve been lucky enough to have shared the stage with him before. It’s been a fun experience watching him push to find the places he has to go to so he can honestly portray a dark character such as Mister.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Harpo seems trapped between being bullied by his father and longing to be assertive in his relationships with Sofia and Squeak. How have you tapped into those emotions and what have you learned during the process?

GEROLD OLIVER: Harpo is lost throughout the play. He’s lost because he grew up watching a very poor representation of what marriage should look like. Though I’ve not been exactly where Harpo is, I have been lost due to the dissonance between expectations of what life should be vs what life truly is.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Over the last few years, you’ve been a frequent presence in the Nashville theatre community, having done shows at virtually every major theatre company. Any advice for those considering auditioning in and around the Nashville area?

GEROLD OLIVER: A good attitude and a friendly demeanor will get you in far more rooms than mountains of talent. That’s not to say, slack off and goof around. Do your work, and try to enter the space ready to play. Things will usually happen fo you.

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Nashville Rep’s The Color Purple opens at TPAC’s Polk Theatre Friday, April 5. CLICK HERE for tickets. The beloved musical based on Alice Walker’s classic novel will run April 5-14.  In the meantime, check out Nashville Rep online and follow them on Facebook, X, 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!

Rapid Fire 20Q with cast and director of Nashville Rep’s ‘The Color Purple’ onstage at TPAC’s Polk Theatre April 5-14

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Last year when Nashville Repertory Theatre announced that The Color Purple would be part of their 2023-2024 Season, Alice Walker’s original source material being not only one of my absolute favorite books, but also completely being mesmerized and touched each time I’ve seen the original Steven Spielberg film adaptation and the incredibly moving Tony-winning stage musical, I knew I’d have to chat with members of their cast and crew for one of my Rapid Fire 20Q interview features. When I learned that their entire cast was comprised of some of my theatre crushes, plus a handful of new (to me) but equally gifted performers, I had a difficult time of narrowing down who I wanted to chat with. Then I got to thinking…what would Shug Avery do? Lemme tell you. She’d have them all, so that’s exactly what I did.

Instead of my usual posing of 20 questions amongst four company members, I decided to give Nashville Rep’s The Color Purple the royal treatment it deserves. To that end, as the cast and crew ready to open the show at TPAC’s Polk Theatre for performances Friday, April 5 thru Sunday, April 14, please enjoy the first of TWO Rapid Fire 20Qs!

First up, I’m chatting with The Color Purple’s director, Reggie Law as well as Carli Hardon (Celie), Tamica Nicole (Shug) and  Maya Riley (Nettie), then CLICK HERE to check out my interview with The Color Purple’s Shinnerrie Jackson (Sofia), Elliott Winston Robinson (Mister), Raven Buntyn (Squeak) and Gerold Oliver (Harpo).

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RAPID FIRE 20Q WITH DIRECTOR AND CAST OF NASHVILLE REP’S THE COLOR PURPLE (1 of 2)

RAPID FIRE WITH THE COLOR PURPLE’s DIRECTOR, REGGIE LAW

JHPENTERTAINMENT: While directing The Color Purple marks your Nashville Rep debut, you have a lengthy background in the performing arts, most notably as Executive Artistic Director at Oak Ridge Playhouse. I’m guessing East Tennessee is what connects you to Nashville Rep’s Artistic Director, Micah-Shane Brewer. How long have you known Micah Shane and how did directing The Color Purple come about?

REGGIE LAW: I have know Micah-Shane since about 2008 or 2009. We were both Artistic Directors for small East Tennessee theatre companies. We often attended each others productions but had not worked together until now. 

Micah-Shane approached me about directing the show and I said yes without even thinking.  Then had to see if my schedule would even allow it. Luckily the rehearsal period and opening fell at just the right time. 

JHPENTERTAINMENT: I understand you didn’t initially set out to have a career in the theatre, first studying architecture at UTKnoxville?

REGGIE LAW: Boy, you have done your research! How did you know that?  Yes, I came to the state of Tennessee because I had been accepted into the school of Architecture at UT-Knoxville. I had an advisor who had grown up in New York, going to Broadway shows. We used to sit in his office for hours talking about theatre. He made me realize I loved it more than architecture. I had to have the difficult conversation with my mother that was changing from a reliable major to one with little to no job security.  But she was, and still remains, very supportive. 

JHPENTERTAINMENT: How has your background and interest in architecture aided you as a director?

REGGIE LAW: When I left architecture I made the most common sense transition into set design and had planned to become a set and costume designer. But eventually that shifted to stage management and ultimately directing.  I guess the biggest benefit is that architecture trains you to think about systems and planning while exploring creativity.  I think it has allowed me to “speak the language” when collaborating with designers. 

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Anyone who reads my Rapid Fire interviews with any regularity knows I love to include a little six degrees of separation whenever I can. We have a mutual acquaintance in Dolly Parton’s Creative Director, Steve Sommers, you yourself having served as Assistant Creative Director for Dollywood Entertainment. What’s a favorite memory of your time at Dollywood?

REGGIE LAW: Steve is a great. I am so happy for his success. He was one of the most popular singer/dancers at the park while I was there. I started as a stage manager and ended up being an assistant and right hand to Michael Padgett who was creative director at the time, directing some of the productions and some writing of shows.

One of my favorite memories was when i was a stage manager. Dolly made a special appearance and was on a balcony taking to a crowd. It was so windy I had to hold on you her to help her keep her balance. But remain hidden the whole time. I was virtually lying face down while holding the hem of her skirt. 

JHPENTERTAINMENT: What do you hope audiences remember most after seeing Nashville Rep’s The Color Purple?

REGGIE LAW: I want people to leave with the thought that with clarity and goodness, we can overcome anything.  

RAPID FIRE WITH THE COLOR PURPLE’s CELIE, CARLI HARDON

JHPENTERTAINMENT: You’re playing Celie. I can’t imagine anyone not being familiar with The Color Purple, but just in case…who is Celie to you?

CARLI HARDON: Celie is a who goes through so many trials and tribulations and is able to find her voice, strength and power through the women she meets in her life. But she is more than that. She is also deeply loving and able to find faith through the people she meets. She is a survivor. She is highly intelligent both mentally and emotionally. She is a talented seamstress, incredibly loyal, and I think she loves to laugh. Even if the forces in her life make it difficult to do so.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Nashville Rep audiences will no doubt recognize you having previous appeared in as Joanne in Rent and as Mercy in their production of School Girls; Or the African Mean Girls Play. Have you discovered any similarities between Celie, Joanne and Mercy or are they truly unique in their individuality?

CARLI HARDON: That’s a really cool question! I think there are similarities in all 3 characters. For each one there is a level of insecurity they face as they move through the world as black women. For Mercy, it is her skin tone and hair while for Joanne there is this need to be successful and striving. Celie’s is in her worth and beauty in this world. When I play roles, I try to find similarities in my life so as to bring as much honesty to the characters as possible. These attributes may not be inherent in each character but they were things I found that helped me ground myself in the characters. 

Another thing they all have in common is their capacity and desire to love and be loved. 

JHPENTERTAINMENT: What keeps you coming back to Nashville Rep?

CARLI HARDON: The people. Every show I have worked on has been full of supportive, kind hearted, creative people who will build you up and make you feel limitless. From the administration to the cast to the costume shop to Cece DeCorte and everywhere in between, these people are all-stars.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: The role of Celie has been played by some of the most legendary actresses including my friend LaChanze, as well as Whoopi Goldberg, Fantasia Barrino and Cynthia Erivo. What’s it like to join this iconic group of women?

CARLI HARDON: Woof. Ya know? Honored doesn’t really capture how I feel. It crazy because each of those women shaped my early life in different ways. LaChanze has been one of my role models from a very early age and made me believe I could also blaze a trail in this field as a dark skinned black woman. Whoopi Goldberg is a woman who finds a way to be effortlessly hilarious and switch to being so authentically moving in drama. Fantasia Barrino is a vocal powerhouse who sings from the very depths of her soul and takes each and every one of us on a journey with her as she does so. And Cynthia Erivo? I saw her play this role on Broadway and it was the only time I have ever seen a show come to a full stop for a standing ovation. She is so phenomenal and a dazzling force this world will not easily forget. My goodness these women are goddesses and I am so incredibly grateful to have had them as my guides throughout my life. I’d love to say that I have joined their group but I feel like I have so much more to learn before I’m even close. My only wish is to take what I have learned from them and let it continue to guide me on my journey. 

JHPENTERTAINMENT: As Celie, you get to perform some of the most gorgeous songs, not just in this show, but to my estimation, in all of modern musical theatre. Who are the musical director and choreographer for Nashville Rep’s The Color Purple and what have rehearsals been like?

CARLI HARDON: Our marvelous musical director is Dion Treece and our tremendous choreographer is Joi Ware. Rehearsals have truly been a collaborative process. 

Dion, truly feels the soul of the music and allows the freedom of your expression to help motivate how the music flows. He has this way of seeing the music and coloring it in such a creative and  beautiful way. Not only that, he is one of the BEST cheerleaders in the world. He encouraged me to feel what the moments call for and then takes those same moments to a whole new level based off of what he sees and feels from me.

Joi is truly a wonder to work with. She is able to see what is already being brought to the table and finesse it to being a stunning work of art. From the incredible dance numbers to small moments in scenes that make all the difference in further expanding the world that we are in. She has such a stunning eye for detail. She is such a skilled teacher. She will continue to find ways to help with getting concepts or movement until one sticks. 

Working with both of these titans (go football) has been such a pleasure.

RAPID FIRE WITH THE COLOR PURPLE’s SHUG AVERY, TAMICA NICOLE 

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Shug Avery…Shug Avery! Dang, do I love that character! How much fun are you having playing her?

TAMICA NICOLE: I am having the most amazing time playing Shug Avery. She represents many aspects I see in myself, such as self-determination, self-love, and free spiritedness. She also represents things that one may not want to associate with, such as selfishness and arrogance. What I love about her character, be it positive or negative attributes, she allows the audience,

as well as the actress to embody what it means to be human; not perfect, but real, relatable, aiming towards being a better person.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: In the 1985 film, when asked where her much younger male companion is, Shug slyly grins and says, “He went to college”. It’s been a while since I’ve seen the musical, but I can’t recall if that line made it into the stage adaptation. Nonetheless, the show is full of quick quips. Do you have a favorite line, yours or someone else’s, that makes you giggle every time you hear it?

TAMICA NICOLE: My favorite line/scene is when Shug is trying on a pair of Miss Celie’s pants, overhearing a phone conversation of which Celie is being told her Pa died and left her the store and house he owned. She finds out the man she thought was her Pa was actually her step-Pa, who had been raping her from the time she was 12 in that house. Because of this, Celie did not want the house. Shug cannot believe what she is hearing. She feels Celie should be happy her step-Pa is dead, and her real Pa left her everything. The sassy Shug snaps at Celie and says, “What you talkin’ bout you don’t want a house? Your real Daddy left it for you. That dog of a step-Pa just a bad odor passing through. Gimme that.” (Shug snatches the phone from Celie and says), “Celie want that house. And the store too! And she comin’ home tomorrow to sign the papers. (Shug hangs up the phone and says to Celie) Come on. Get Packed. You get there in time, you can make it to the funeral. Maybe you like him better dead!” This scene cracks me up, and the audience laughs every time they hear it. Shugs no-nonsense attitude towards Celie is so funny. She practically tells her what she is going to do. And the last line, about liking her step-Pa better dead, followed with my sinister laugh, makes for a great chuckle moment.    

JHPENTERTAINMENT: You, like myself, are a Nashville native…we’re rare unicorns, you and I. People love to grumble about ‘New Nashville’, but what I want to know is…what’s your favorite aspect of the changes you’ve seen in your hometown in recent years?

TAMICA NICOLE: I LOOOOOOOVE my city! Nashville is one of a kind. It has that good old home feel about it. I particularly love the growth in population. Now, I know some may think I’m strange for saying that, as I’ve heard many say the opposite. Let me explain. I believe growth indicates life, evolution, progression, and transformation. When things are stagnant they become lifeless, stale, dead. Growth is part of being a living, breathing organism in the world we live in. We must learn to embrace it, as we have been equipped as human beings with a natural, innate intelligence to adapt to new situations. So, I welcome growth in my life, in Nashville, in population, new experiences, love, opportunities, good health, in my bank account lol, etc.    

JHPENTERTAINMENT: It would seem you’ve fully embraced Nashville’s Music City moniker, considering you’re a singer/songwriter, an artist with Nashville Opera and a member of the W. Crimm Singers, TSU’s Big Blue Opera Initiatives’ ensemble in residence. How vital is it to you to showcase the fact that Nashville being referred to as Music City reaches far beyond country and Americana music?

TAMICA NICOLE: Well, I would have to say I go through life relying on a phrase I heard some time ago, “life takes care of life.” All things are life, including the music we create. For me, I feel things happen in perfect timing. Regardless of the style and genre of the creative works, I think music gets to the listeners in a naturally, perfected way. Through the many avenues of technology music is able to be received all over the world. Music City, in my opinion, is more and more being known for the diversity in music from its creators. 

JHPENTERTAINMENT: As Shug, you no doubt get to wear some fabulous wardrobe pieces. Who’s the show’s costumer and do you have a favorite Shug look?

TAMICA NICOLE: The costume designer is Nia Safarr Banks. She is amazing! Her concepts and ideas for how to portray each character are so detailed and precise. My favorite Shug piece is the costume for Push the Button. It is the dress she wears at the juke joint. The colors are so vibrant and beautiful. The dress makes me feel sexy, yet it’s tasteful. Shug has style honey! Lol! And let’s not forget about the head piece Nia designed for this look. It is simply stunning.

I won’t give away too many details. The people will have to come to the show to see it. But I will say it truly is a statement look, and I am definitely going to give a Shug Avery kind of performance in it! Hope to see you there!

RAPID FIRE WITH THE COLOR PURPLE’s NETTIE, MAYA RILEY

JHPENTERTAINMENT: The last few years continue to be MAYA’S YEARS…how many show’s have you been involved in since returning to Nashville and how much are you loving this time in your life?

MAYA ANTOINETTE RILEY: Haha yes! Performing for my Nashville theatre family is my favorite thing, and I’ve had the privilege to work with all the professional theatre companies that I admired growing up. I’ve done around 10 shows (a mix of full productions and staged readings) with Nashville Repertory Theatre, Studio Tenn, Nashville Shakespeare Festival, Nashville Children’s Theatre, and I most recently did a cabaret with Street Theatre Company. I’m having a great time sharing amazing stories with the community that raised me, and I’m so excited for what’s to come!

JHPENTERTAINMENT: How would you describe Nettie?

MAYA ANTOINETTE RILEY: Nettie is a vivacious and bright person. She’s deeply curious about the world, and has been afforded the opportunity to go to school and pursue education. Mostly due to Celie’s protection and sacrifices. I think Nettie serves as a pillar of faith for Celie throughout the show. When Nettie is gone, hope seems lost. When her letters are found, hope is renewed. She is sunlight on a stormy day. And a righteous, upstanding, educated woman. Which of course, in the world of The Color Purple, could be seen as very threatening. But she remains hopeful, optimistic and brave despite this.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Some of the show’s most beautiful moment typically involve the reading of Nettie’s letters. To that end, who’s the show’s set designer and is there a particular moment audiences should look forward to involving the set, whether one including Nettie or another moment you witness from the wings?

MAYA ANTOINETTE RILEY: Our fabulous set designer is Joonhee Park! She’s worked with the Rep before. Actually, I had the pleasure of working with her on The Cake in 2022. The set immediately immerses the audience in a rustic, grounded experience. I think the most unique aspect of the set for this production is the spareness. It forces the audience to really engage with the subject matter of the story. No frills, no distractions. Just the bones – reckoning with the full weight of the story. And what’s great about that for an actor is that it really gives you the opportunity to imagine these spaces/places and rely on your senses and emotional instincts to breathe the world to life.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Speaking of Nettie’s letters. You, yourself are a writer, having shared some of your poetry during your recent cabaret performance. Have you been working on any new material lately and when can we expect to see or hear more from you?

MAYA ANTOINETTE RILEY: Yes! I’m trying to practice writing at least 3 times a week. I have plans to publish some of my poems, so I’ll be submitting those to literary magazines and things in the next couple months. And I’ve been doing a lot of dramatic writing as well. I hope to have a reading later this summer for a project I’ve been working on. I want to hear it aloud to help me continue editing it. Hopefully, you’ll see some of my written work onstage or on screen somewhere soon!

JHPENTERTAINMENT: What themes explored within The Color Purple do you think audiences will contemplate long after the final curtain call?

MAYA ANTOINETTE RILEY: Some of the biggest themes of The Color Purple are resilience, spirituality and love. Alice Walker has spoken in interviews and writings about Celie’s journey with faith. Not in the sense of religion, but the unnamable sense of a higher power, a higher meaning. I hope that people leave feeling empowered by Celie’s resilience and revelations. Empowered to have highs and lows, to live the full range of the human experience, to make mistakes, and love themselves throughout all that. Empowered to discover their own greatness and the sanctity of all people and things around them.

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Nashville Rep’s The Color Purple opens at TPAC’s Polk Theatre Friday, April 5. CLICK HERE for tickets. The beloved musical based on Alice Walker’s classic novel will run April 5-14.  In the meantime, check out Nashville Rep online and follow them on Facebook, X, 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!

Rapid Fire Q&A with Rainey Trevino, Stefanie Londino, Charlotte Woertler and Christopher Swan from National Tour of ‘Annie’; Limited Engagement at TPAC March 27-30

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March 27 is World Theatre Day and I can’t think of any better way to celebrate than chatting with members of the cast and crew of the current National Tour of Annie, one of theatre’s most beloved and enduring musicals. As the company readied for their March 27-30 Music City tour stop at TPAC‘s Jackson Hall, I recently had a chance to pose a few questions to members of the company including: Rainey Trevino, who stars as Annie, Stefanie Londino, the show’s deliciously villainous Miss Hannigan, Sandy’s handler, Charlotte Woertler and Christopher Swan, who plays Oliver Warbucks for the latest installment of my recurring interview feature, Rapid Fire 20Q.
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RAPID FIRE Q&A WITH ANNIE NATIONAL TOUR CAST AND CREW

RAPID FIRE WITH ANNIE STAR, RAINEY TREVINO

JHPENTERTAINMENT: You’ve been with the current tour since it began in the fall of 2023. How did you find out you would be playing the title role in Annie?

RAINEY TREVINO: The audition process was fairly long. I sent an audition tape in March 2023 and was called to an in-person callback in NYC in the middle of June. A couple of days later I was visiting family in Washington State and my manager called to tell me that I had booked the title role. That was the best moment of my life and I think I was in shock. This has been a dream of mine as long as I can remember. I had the summer off to get everything in order like switching to homeschooling, hanging out with and saying goodbye to friends and my younger sister, and I even had to get my braces removed after only having them on for four months. Then on Labor Day we started a month of rehearsals before hitting the road.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: I love that the current National Tour of Annie is being directed by Jenn Thompson, who at age ten, appeared as Pepper in the original Broadway production of Annie. During rehearsals, did Jenn tell you and the other young actors anything about her experience with the show back then? AND…did she offer any advice on doing the work, but enjoying yourselves in the process?

RAINEY TREVINO: Jenn is such an amazing director and she has a unique perspective on the show having worked with Martin Charnin, lyricists and the original director of Annie! She shared a lot of insights and advice with the entire cast and a lot of the history of the show and history of the time period that Annie is set. She emphasized the significance of hard work and dedication while also encouraging us to have fun and find joy in the work.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Speaking of the original Broadway production, as your time with the tour began, you received a video message from Andrea McArdle, who originated the role of Annie on Broadway back in 1977, How cool was that?

RAINEY TREVINO: The message from Andrea McArdle had me star-struck. I have listened to her Broadway version of the Annie soundtrack a million times and it was crazy that she was talking to me! I still watch the video every week when we sit in a new city to get ready to play this iconic character.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: As Annie you share the stage with several other young actors who play Annie’s pals and fellow orphans. I’d imagine you’ve all become very close, celebrating birthdays on the road and exploring cities together when there’s an off-day. Are you enjoying getting to know your fellow young cast members?

RAINEY TREVINO: The other girls on this tour are my best friends and I can’t imagine what this tour would be like without them. We are like one big family. We do almost everything together. We are so close in age 10 and 11 and we are doing this unique thing of traveling the U.S. playing in over 50 cities for more than 200 performances this year, and being with other kids who have similar experiences makes this crazy life seem more normal, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Not only do you share the stage with several young actors, you also share several scenes with Seamus and Kevin, the two pups who alternate in the role of Sandy. I’d imagine they each have their own personalities. What’s your favorite thing about getting to work with the two of them.

RAINEY TREVINO: Working with the two dogs that play Sandy is a dream come true. I am an animal lover and have three dogs and so many other animals at home. Seamus and Kevin are the most professional actors on the stage and they do have very different personalities. You might even be able to see some of those differences on stage if you come to the show on different nights as they each have a slightly different take on their version of Sandy. I love that I get to rehearse their scenes when I first arrive at the theatre and get to cuddle and play with them. I have some moderately quick changes and hair fixes where I get to have bonding moments in the wings with them before heading back on stage. I really love this part of the job.

RAPID FIRE WITH ANNIE’s SANDY BY WAY OF TRAINER, CHARLOTTE WOERTLER

JHPENTERTAINMENT: First off, thanks, Charlotte for interpreting Seamus and Kevin’s answers. I understand this is your first national tour, after more than two decades of training animals for the stage. When did you first know this was the career for you and how did you yourself ‘train’ for this gig?

CHARLOTTE WOERTLER: I knew I wanted to be an animal trainer when I was about 8yrs old. I grew up in Los Angeles going to live tappings of tv shows and was enthralled by the incredible animals on I’d see on set. They always connect so strongly with the audience. To prepare for Annie I familiarized myself with the show both from an audience and backstage perspective so that I could begin breaking down the behaviors that would be necessary to deliver each scene. Next it was about acclimating both myself and our wonderful dogs to the sights and sounds of a live theater environment. 

 

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Charlotte, what are some of the challenges working with Seamus and Kevin on tour as opposed to being on a movie or TV set or at one venue for a stage show?

CHARLOTTE WOERTLER: Tour is an exciting new challenge! Both Seamus and Kevin have been so adaptive and assured in navigating this new chapter. The biggest difference is how we’re able to communicate with the dogs as trainers. In a live theater setting you don’t want to see or hear the trainer cueing the dogs so we’ve had to be creative in developing new subtle ways to work with them. We also spend lots of quality time with the actresses who play Annie. This helps to foster a strong relationship between them and allows them to step into the role of “trainer” while onstage with the dogs. They make a great team!

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Seamus is a Wheaten Terrier mix, while Kevin is a labradoodle. Aside from breed, what’s another distinct difference between these two dog stars?

CHARLOTTE WOERTLER: They each definitely have their own personality. Kevin is more of the class clown and loves to play ball while Seamus is the consummate professional and his favorite game is tug-o-war. 

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Are there particular scenes that Seamus and Kevin each seem to enjoy performing in more than others?

CHARLOTTE WOERTLER: They both really look forward to taking their bows. The whole cast has a great relationship with the dogs and they get so excited to run out on stage with all their friends. Waiting in the wings they’ll see Annie coming down the stairs for her bow and the dogs simply light up with excitement and can’t wait to get out there and soak it all in. 

JHPENTERTAINMENT: What’s your favorite aspect of life on tour with Annie?

CHARLOTTE WOERTLER: Meeting so many kind people and getting to experience so many new places has been an absolute treat. The dogs and I will go explore local sights and everyone always loves meeting Sandy.

RAPID FIRE WITH ANNIE’s MISS HANNIGAN, STEFANIE LONDINO

JHPENTERTAINMENT: You are back as Miss Hannigan after having toured with the show during its 2022 season. This time around you’ve got Rainey as Annie. How much fun are you having being back in the role and back on tour?

STEFANIE LONDINO: Yes, it’s my pleasure to be back with a whole new batch of chickens in the orphanage. I’m honored to step back into those snakeskin pumps for a second season of Annie!

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Researching to chat with you, I discovered that in addition to your work in theatre, you’re also a personal trainer. While I’d imagine the show itself is quite the workout, do you try to work in a workout during your downtime?

STEFANIE LONDINO: Yes, definitely. Workouts are a regular part of staying healthy on the road— I’m so glad for my training and time as a CPT, for all it brought into my life and all I was able to share with my clients.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Vaudeville comedian W.C. Fields famously said ‘never work with children or animals’, yet here you are…I won’t ask the worst, but what’s the best part of working with the young actresses who play the orphans and the dogs who play Sandy?

STEFANIE LONDINO: Well I don’t know about Mr. Fields, but kids and dogs are some of the best coworkers I’ve ever had. They bring an incredible authenticity and an infectiously joyfulness to our tour family. I’m so grateful for the pups and my chickens every day!

JHPENTERTAINMENT: I think it’s safe to say audiences have a love/hate relationship with Miss Hannigan. She’s just so terrible, but it’s terribly fun to watch her. Over the years, she’s been played on stage and screen by everyone from Dorothy Loudon, Nell Carter and Jane Lynch to Carol Burnett, Kathy Bates and Cameron Diaz. How are you putting your on spin on such an enjoyably wicked character?

STEFANIE LONDINO: Oh, she’s the best. It’s an honor to stand in this line of legends and give new life to such an iconic character. I knew from the beginning that I wanted to play her real, a human, not a caricature. Her struggle is real, her rage comes from that pain. And the comedy hits harder for that balance, the dark justifying the light. It’s been humbling to have the response be that she’s deeply relatable.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Among your adult co-stars are Christopher Swan as Oliver Warbucks, Julia Nicole Hunter as Grace Farrell, Jeffrey T. Kelly as Rooster Hannigan and Samantha Stevens as Lily St. Regis. Using one word for each, describe your co-stars. 

STEFANIE LONDINO: That’s an impossible distillation! All I can say is that I’m honored to share the stage and the road with them. I learn from them each every day. Tour life has made us family.

RAPID FIRE WITH CHRISTOPHER SWAN, OLIVER WARBUCKS IN ANNIE

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Just prior to chatting with you, I had the chance to pose a few questions to your Annie co-star, Stefanie Londino. Both you and Stefanie are on your second season of the Annie tour, so I’ll start by asking you a similar question to one I asked Stefanie. What is it about Warbucks that prompted you to come back for another National Tour? AND…how much fun are you having with Stefanie back as well?

CHRISTOPHER SWAN: Simply…it’s a great job. Singing, dancing, acting…Warbucks has it all. And as you get older in this business, you don’t get as many opportunities to stretch ALL your skills in one role like that.  And a chance to spend this much time with a character is rare. Three months in and you suddenly have a new thought or a take on moment, and that would never happen on a three week regional contract. And having a lot of principles return has really strengthened the frame of the show; given us confidence that we know it so well that we can just be in the moment as real people. Steph and I have shared a wish that Warbucks and Hannigan had more stage time together. We pretty much have separate shows. But I enjoying hearing her performance every night as I’m getting ready in the dressing room. She brings such life to this show. Really embraces this role and the audience and they absolutely love her. Glad she’s back.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: On the subject of previous roles…I gotta ask…how was it sharing the stage with Nina West during the Hairspray 20th Anniversary Tour?

CHRISTOPHER SWAN: A highlight of my touring life. Nina…Andrew Levitt in real life..is truly a magical being. I hadn’t followed Drag Race before Hairspray and was a little nervous about working opposite a popular drag queen in their first big touring role. How do you address them? Will they be demanding? But Andrew was the sweetest. Kind, humble and nervous.  He was so thrilled and honored to be playing Edna and nobody in the cast was more committed to working hard and doing their best than he was. He LOVED performing the show. We had so much fun together doing the love duet, You’re Timeless to Me; Andrew’s joy and energy leapt off the stage every night. Nina/Andrew are the real deal and I’m honored to call them a friend.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Annie debuted as a comic strip in 1924…What’s it like to think you’re part of an American institution that’s celebrating its 100th anniversary this year?

CHRISTOPHER SWAN: Well, needless to say it’s an honor. The musical will be celebrating it’s 50th anniversary next year and love for the show is as strong as ever. I can’t think of any musical from that era that has had this kind of staying power. But you feel it every night on the road. And I’m so happy that I’m part of it.  We met Annie’s composer Charles Strouse when he saw the show in New Haven, and that really brought it all home for me. The time, the talent, the history behind this show is immeasurable.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Obviously Warbucks has chanced a bit over the last 100 years. For one, I’ve noticed he’s no longer referred to as Daddy Warbucks, but rather, simply Warbucks. On a more personal note, are there aspects of your portrayal of Warbucks that have morphed or changed since you first stepped into the role?

CHRISTOPHER SWAN: Well, he has to earn the title of “Daddy” Warbucks, as he does over the course of the show. But when we meet him he is Oliver Warbucks, dissatisfied multi-millionaire. His journey through the show is very moving for me. He would never have predicted what ends up happening to him or how it would make him feel. Annie has a strong sense of self from the very beginning, but Warbucks changes. He doesn’t really know who he is until he meets Annie. And working on this role hasn’t actually been a straight, steady line. It’s strangely cyclical. Some weeks he’s the gruff business man who fights against his own feelings and then there’s some weeks where I find he’s more eager to change but doesn’t know how. It’s probably only a subtle difference that may not be noticed by most, but for me it helps keep my performance fresh.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: What theme, idea or sentiment seen within Annie do you hope audiences reflect on long after seeing the show?

CHRISTOPHER SWAN: There’s so many wonderful elements to Annie. I would say, pick your favorite. Family, openness, optimism, perseverance, love. And cooperation. Whether it’s political cooperation in FDR and Warbucks working together, or Warbucks’ staff all pitching in to help Annie. Look for the helpers in Annie; they’re there.

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The National Tour of Annie begins its Nashville tour dates on Wednesday, March 27 with a 7:30p.m. curtain at TPAC’s Jackson Hall and continues with 7:30p.m. performances Thursday, Friday and Saturday. March 28-30. On Saturday, March 30, there’s also a 2p.m. matinee. Tickets for Annie at TPAC begin at $50.90. CLICK HERE to purchase tickets.

For more information on Annie, or to catch the show in another city during the tour, CLICK HERE. Upcoming tour stops include: Pensacola, FL, Orange, TX, New Orleans, LA, Sacramento, CA, Bozeman, MT, Casper, WY and more. You can also follow the tour on their official socials: Instagram, X and Facebook.

Following Annie, TPAC plays host to a full slate of entertainment for the whole family including Nashville Opera’s upcoming performance of The Magic Flute, Nashville Repertory Theatre’s The Color Purple and Nashville Ballet’s Romeo and Juliet. TPAC will also serve as the venue for a number of acts hitting Music City as part of Nashville Comedy Festival. April will also see TPAC hosting three Arts Adventure youth workshops: one featuring Moana (for ages 7-12), one featuring Beetlejuice (ages 13-17) and the third, an all ages (9-17) titled Let’s Dance, featuring choreography from shows in this season’s Broadway at TPAC series. Speaking of Broadway at TPAC, next up is Disney’s Frozen, taking to the stage at Jackson Hall May 7-18. For further details on these and more entertainment headed to TPAC, CLICK HERE or follow TPAC on Instagram, X, YouTube and Facebook.

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

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