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Rapid Fire 20Q with Director and Cast of Nashville Rep’s ‘Indecent’; onstage at TPAC’s Johnson Theatre February 2-11

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I love it when our local theatre companies take risks and present something other than the expected. With Nashville Repertory Theatre’s production of Paul Vogel’s Indecent, at TPAC’s Johnson Theatre February 2-11, they’re taking just such a risk. Vogel’s Indecent first debuted in winter of 2015 as a co-production between Yale Repertory Theatre and La Jolla Playhouse before opening Off-Broadway in 2016 and eventually playing Broadway in 2017. Examining the true story of the brief 1923 two-week Broadway run of playwright Sholem Asch’s The God of Vengeance, Indecent delves into the controversies surround The God of Vengeance, including the fact that the entire cast, the producer and the theatre owner all eventually faced prosecution for violating obscenity laws. I’ll save more on that for my review after I attend an opening weened performance.

For now, what follows are my conversations with Indecent’s current director and members of Nashville Rep’s cast for the latest installment of my recurring interview feature, Rapid Fire 20Q. First up is Nashville Rep Artistic Director, Micah-Shane Brewer who’s at the helm of this production, then it’s on to my chats with cast members Thomas DeMarcus, Sarah Aili and Eric Sorrels.

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RAPID FIRE 20Q WITH DIRECTOR AND CAST OF NASHVILLE REP’S INDECENT

RAPID FIRE WITH INDECENT DIRECTOR, MICAH-SHANE BREWER

JHPENTERTAINMENT: As I mention in my intro, one thing I love about Nashville Repertory Theatre is you guys aren’t afraid to mix it up and present shows your audiences may never have had the chance to see. Indecent, on stage at TPAC’s Johnson Theatre February 2-11, is a perfect example. How did Indecent come to be selected as part of the current season? 

MICAH-SHANE BREWER: I saw the Broadway production of Indecent about 7 years ago. I went in not really knowing anything about the play. I left the theatre in awe of the experience I had received. It blended so many theatrical conventions into one – the style of storytelling and the passage of time, the music, the ensemble work, the stagecraft. It was compelling, moving and beyond anything I had witnessed in the theatre. I thought about the play for days. 

A couple of years ago, we were discussing plays and Indecent came up as an option. Last year, as we were finalizing decisions for this season, I picked it back up and read through it again. I was struck at how timely it is. Here we are today fighting the same battles as the characters are in this play: censorship, antisemitism, gay rights, women’s rights. We’re in the midst of so much strife in our country, and the voices of hate have been given a larger and louder platform over the last few years. We’re seeing history repeat itself in so many ways, and sometimes, it feels like we’re going backwards as a society. It felt right and it felt like it was time for us to tell this story. But it did (and does) scare me – in all the good ways a challenging piece of theatre should. It’s not easy, and there are so many moving parts to this production. 

JHPENTERTAINMENT: A bit of a follow-up…as Nashville Rep’s Artistic Director, do you automatically get first choice of the show’s you direct each season, or is there a process followed by eligible candidates interested in directing?

MICAH-SHANE BREWER: I suppose the answer to this question is yes; however, I give a great deal of thought to the needs of each production, especially for directors. For example, it was important to me to have female directors for both 9 to 5 and POTUS. It was very important to have a black director for The Color Purple. The programming of the season ALWAYS comes first, and then directors are chosen after. I chose to direct Indecent because this story and subject matter mean a great deal to me.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: When I first heard Nashville Rep was presenting Indecent, I gotta be honest. I knew next to nothing about the show. Researching to chat with you and some of your cast, I’ve learned a bit, but for those unfamiliar, can you tell me what it’s about?

MICAH-SHANE BREWER: Indecent is based on actual events. The play follows a troupe of Jewish artists who risked their lives to perform a work deemed “indecent.” It’s the story of Sholem Asch, a Jewish playwright, who, in 1906, wrote a play called The God of Vengeance. It was produced in Yiddish and had successful productions all over Europe. In 1922, there was a production on the Lower East Side in New York City and it was translated into English. The show then transferred to the Apollo Theatre on Broadway in 1923. It was promptly shut down and the cast and producer were arrested for obscenity and put on trial. Indecent is a love letter to the power of theatre, a cautionary tale of the consequences of censorship, and a reminder that love always triumphs over hate.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Representation matters. It’s a phrase…and practice… you hear more and more as people become increasingly aware of sensitivity towards others. To that end, as the director was there concern that certain stereotypes, whether in speech or mannerism be avoided? Did the cast work with a dialect coach or a Yiddish consultant in an effort to represent the Jewish characters as authentically as possible? 

MICAH-SHANE BREWER: Of course, representation does matter, and it’s important that all of us do the work to be authentic, truthful storytellers. The actors play a wide range of characters and use varying types of dialects and accents throughout the play. Although some of the characters are Yiddish, the majority of the time they are speaking in English. There are some Yiddish phrases and songs used throughout. Luckily, we’ve had a great team to give assistance to our actors. Nettie Craft is our Dialect and Voice coach and has been doing excellent work with each cast member crafting the correct sounds of each dialect. There’s a lot of technique when it comes to dialect and accents, and it takes a good ear, understanding of the vocal instrument and placement, and repetition for each actor to achieve the muscle memory of creating the exact sounds that are unique and authentic. We’ve also had the good fortune of having Howard Snyder as our dramaturg. Howard has been invaluable to this process by providing excellent research for so many areas of our production. Whenever you’re working with a story based on real people and events, it’s imperative to understand the historical context of the culture and the people you’re representing. Indecent spans almost 50 years, so there’s a lot to unpack: world events, Jewish culture, the political and social implications of the times, theatre history. Being a theatre artist means being an excavator; you have to dig for the details. You have to be a lover of learning. This cast has put in the time and attention to understanding and honoring every person, culture and moment in this story. 

JHPENTERTAINMENT: What about casting Jewish actors? Was there a consciences effort to include Jewish actors among the cast of Indecent? 

MICAH-SHANE BREWER: The goal was to have as many Jewish actors as possible. Part of the callback process is getting to know more about the actors and their background and connection to the material. Some of our actors are Jewish, and some descend from Jewish (and even Yiddish) cultures. On the first day of rehearsal, we had a lot of time to share about our history and backgrounds, and I was very moved at some of the personal stories shared. Some spoke of their grandparents and family members who immigrated to the United States. One of cast members shared that their grandmother was turned away at Ellis Island and had to return. Another cast member’s father grew up speaking Yiddish and provided assistance to the actor. 

As a director, I’ve always said that the biggest success of a show is its casting, and sometimes you just know when you see the actor who’s right for a certain role, and we struck a wonderful balance of actors for this production. This ensemble is one of the most thoughtful, caring, hard working, respectful, talented ensembles I’ve had the pleasure to work with. A lot of care has been given to the work throughout this process. Everyone holds this story close to their hearts. We honor the ones who are represented in this play who sacrificed their work, their reputations and even their lives. What’s great about the casting is that I feel everyone in this ensemble was MEANT to be in this cast; it was somewhat serendipitous how this casting came together so perfectly. I’m a lucky guy to be working with such a fantastic team.  

RAPID FIRE WITH INDECENT’s THOMAS DeMARCUS

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Last time we chatted you were appearing as Mrs. Trunchbull in a local production of Matilda back in 2019. You’ve appeared in a number of productions since, and now you’re about to take the stage at TPAC’s Johnson Theatre as Lemml, The Stage Manager in Nashville Rep’s Indecent. What can you tell me about Lemml?

THOMAS DeMARCUS: Oh, sweet sweet Agatha Trunchbull…you are about as far away from Lemml as one can get! I’m so thrilled to make my Nashville Rep debut with Indecent! There are many real people referenced in the play but Lemml is a fictional creation of the genius of playwright Paula Vogel. This play begs for the intimacy that the Johnson Theatre can provide. Lemml is a tailor from a small village who happens to attend the first reading of The God of Vengeance with his cousin and it will change the entire course of his life. He believes in the play. He wants to see it thrive. He tackles the role of stage manager with the utmost respect and reverence. He comes through Ellis Island with a dream like so many others. Lemml personifies hope.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Indecent touches on so many themes of injustice, acceptance and equality that are as relevant today as they were when The God of Vengeance, the play within the play was first written in 1906, then later mounted on Broadway in 1923. Here we are 100 years later and this play is still frequently described as ‘controversial’. What’s so controversial about equality?

THOMAS DeMARCUS: It has long been confusing to me that when underserved groups ask for equal rights, that the message twists into a loss of rights for others. That the balance of freedom for all has to come at a cost of losing the freedoms for some. It is never about having more rights than you, but having the same as you. The controversy, to some extent, must be that people hate the idea of losing their foothold on power and control. If one group can use the water fountain while another group can’t, and then one day everyone can use the water fountain, what has the first group truly lost? It doesn’t feel controversial, and yet oppression and suppression still linger.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: I noticed on Nashville Rep’s socials where they intro the cast, you cite that this performance is dedicated to your son, Leo. How important is it that audiences truly take in the messages presented in Indecent?

THOMAS DeMARCUS: I think it’s always noteworthy to self-evaluate how you might respond in a crisis or when your back is up against the wall, but perhaps it’s more important to evaluate your behavior when the thing fighting for its life is someone else, or some group, or some cause. How do you respond then? Indifference? Ignorance? Assistance? I want my son to grow up in a fair and loving household and I want that extended to a fair and loving world. To teach him right and wrong and to know how to use his voice but also his eyes and ears. I say this with no hyperbole, Leo is the greatest human who has ever lived, but I want the audience to fight for him just as hard as he will fight for them.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: What aspect of Lemml and his circumstances has been most challenging/gratifying to play? 

THOMAS DeMARCUS: After nearly 30 years of acting, I finally get to play a narrator! This show spans multiple countries, languages, and time periods so the challenge with Lemml is that he’s the audience’s through-line for the entire show. He introduces the troupe and he’s with the show all over Europe and when it comes to New York. Lemml is solid in his beliefs. He’s certainly naive and innocent when we first meet Lemml, but as the world around him consistently disappoints, he’s tasked with finding these fleeting pockets of hope. The gratifying part is I only have to play Lemml, while the rest of the cast has to switch characters multiple times. Thank goodness they are talented!

JHPENTERTAINMENT: This may seem an obvious question, but what is it about a 2015 play examining the circumstances surrounding a 1923 play that will pique audiences’ interest?

THOMAS DeMARCUS: There are two lines in the show where the audience can easily draw a connection to today: “it won’t happen here” and “these things happen”. In the play, they refer to anti-Semitism but isn’t this the same back and forth with gun-control debates? with hate-crimes? with domestic terror? with natural disasters? We have a tendency to assume that a nightmare cannot happen to us in our own community. Then it happens and we shrug our shoulders when the people in power fail to protect us. This play is telling you to not just fight for what you believe, but to defend those that cannot always fight back.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Indecent, not only examines the controversies of The God of Vengeance, but the closeness of community. I frequently ask actors I’m interviewing to speak of the community of actors as it relates to their current show. Do you feel a closeness to those you’re sharing the stage with?

THOMAS DeMARCUS: I have been extremely impressed by Nashville Rep‘s professionalism throughout this rehearsal process. Not just the immediate company, but this extends to our brilliant designers, our hard-working crew, and to our very thoughtful dialect coach and our very thorough dramaturg. Our director, Micah-Shane Brewer comes to each rehearsal with new ideas and new questions for us to ponder. I’ve known him for 12 years and it has been an honor to work with him on Indecent. It feels like everyone is taking this material with the seriousness that it deserves and we all want to make an important show. I’d like to believe that Nashville’s theatre community is loving and supportive, and this group has not changed that opinion. I have worked with only one member of this company before (Garris Wimmer; Spamalot; Studio Tenn; 2017) but I’d heard of so many others. And I would get texts from friends saying “oh you will LOVE Rona Carter” or “so many great people in this company!” and yes…they’re right. This show demands an ensemble that is on the same page, and thankfully that’s what this show has!

RAPID FIRE WITH INDECENT’s SARAH AILI

JHPENTERTAINMENT: A quick look at Indecent’s character list reveals you play Halina, among others. Can you speak a little about the process of creating differentiality between the roles you’re presenting in a single work?

SARAH AILI: Yes! Apart from portraying Halina in “The Middle,” I also take on roles like Manke, Immigrant, Freida, Dorothee Nelson/Dine, Dr. Hornig, and one of the Bagelman Sisters. Playing these characters consecutively provides a profound lesson in staying completely present. Once the initial challenge of getting my lines, blocking, choreo, quick change moments etc… right, immersing myself in the storyline becomes more seamless. In terms of character development, I prefer starting with physicality, tone, and melody. Exploring how my characters walk, move, shape vowels, hold themselves etc…leads to discovering the character’s essence. It’s akin to slipping in and out of a well-fitted coat. Making specific choices helps me swiftly embody these characters, crucial in a fast-paced show like this!

JHPENTERTAINMENT: If memory serves, the last time I saw you onstage at Nashville Rep was their 2018 production of Avenue Q. There’s been a few chances in staff at Nashville Rep since your last involvement. Are you enjoying being back and working with the current staff and creatives?

SARAH AILI: Oh yes, VERY much! Every experience I’ve had with Nashville Rep has been stellar. I adore Micah-Shane Brewer, working with him has been a true delight! 

JHPENTERTAINMENT: What can you tell me about Halina, the primary character you play in Indecent?

SARAH AILI: Halina, a woman in the prime of her life, a woman who has been through love and loss, pain and celebration, embraces the opportunity to portray compelling and juicy roles in Indecent. Immersed in playing a female character with tenacity in her soul, the experience of bringing her to life is genuinely fulfilling for me!

JHPENTERTAINMENT: While Indecent isn’t a musical, it incorporates music, dance and song as part of the full experiences. What’s the typical rehearsal schedule like incorporating all those elements?

SARAH AILI: From the initial rehearsal day of Indecent, our musicians have been integral members of the troupe, seated at the table with us. The seamless intertwining of music and dialogue is paramount to the poignant essence of the show. Without this precise harmony between story and song, I couldn’t envision Indecent coming to life in such a profound way. Our synchronization with the music is in perfect rhythm, and the music effortlessly aligns with the scenes in every instance.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Without revealing too much, do you have a favorite moment in the show? 

SARAH AILI: The entire show captivates me – its fluid movement, effortless exploration of profound depths, and the inherent ease and beauty it carries. The ensemble, a vital part of the narrative, is what I cherish the most. Sharing the stage with this group of immensely passionate and talented performers is my favorite aspect.

RAPID FIRE WITH INDECENT‘s ERIC SORRELS

JHPENTERTAINMENT: When I spoke with your cast mate, Thomas DeMarcus earlier, he revealed that Indecent will be his first Nashville Rep show. I understand it also marks your debut with the company. What’s the experience been like thus far?

ERIC SORRELS: It continues to be a wonderful experience. I grew up outside of Nashville in Lebanon, so being here feels a little bit like a homecoming. It’s also been a reunion with Micah-Shane Brewer, with whom I shared the stage in Knoxville several times at the Clarence Brown Theatre. In my experience, the way a particular theatre company feels hinges on the leadership of the director. From day one with Indecent, Micah-Shane fostered a room that allowed us to bond as an ensemble, put us all on the same foot as equals, and motivated me to bring my very best self to rehearsal each day. The only issue with the rehearsal process was that insane arctic weather we had for about a week. But even then, that was just a chance for me to see how dedicated Nashville Rep is to its people; Micah-Shane and our stage manager Isaac Krispin would go out of their way to pick up actors on the way to rehearsal to ensure everybody could make it there safely. Needless to say, I’d come back to work with Nashville Rep anytime they’ll have me.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: While it may be your Nashville Rep debut, you’ve got quite the career resume. Your credits reveal you were among the cast of North Carolina Theatre’s production of Beautiful: The Carole King Musical where you were not only part of the ensemble, but also appeared as Neil Sedaka, Lou Adler and half of the music duo, The Righteous Brothers. What was your favorite aspect of that production?

ERIC SORRELS: One of the reasons I love Beautiful is because even though Carole is obviously at the center, every cast member has a chance to shine. As the Righteous Brothers, we would get entrance applause before we even started singing — that’s how excited the audience was to hear You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feeling. But to bring the question back to this production: there’s a moment in Indecent when the characters talk about how they gather at the wings of the theatre to watch a very special scene take place night after night. In Beautiful, I was that actor gathering at the wings to watch our Carole (Elena Ricardo) perform Some Kind of Wonderful, It’s Too Late and You’ve Got a Friend. Watching her shine never got old.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Back to Indecent, you play Moriz Godowsky. What can you tell me about him?

ERIC SORRELS: The musicians don’t actually have any lines in the play, so I’m really free to bring a lot of myself to Moriz. To that end, he’s a pretty mild-mannered guy, self-taught on the accordion and ukulele, and he gets a lot of joy out of watching his actor companions tell this beautiful story and transform into so many different characters. One fun detail we discovered is that Otto the Elder (played by Garris Wimmer) and Moriz share the same last name in the script. We’re not really sure why, and it doesn’t affect the storytelling all that much, but we’ve agreed that Otto and Moriz must be family.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: As you mentioned, Moriz plays the accordion during interwoven musical segments featuring Klezmer music. Here’s a two-parter for you…For the uninformed, what is Klezmer and is it true you just first picked up the accordion just over a year ago for a production of The Great Comet of 1812? 

ERIC SORRELS: Klezmer is a musical tradition originated by the Ashkenazi Jews of Central and Eastern Europe. It’s a really expressive and dramatic musical style, with melodies that evoke big human emotions. The instrumentation is key too — klezmer music typically includes violin, accordion, clarinet, and percussion, as is the case for Indecent. I first encountered klezmer music as a member of the professional choir at Temple Emanu-El in New York City (a synagogue which Indecent references at one point!). I think it speaks to the unique experience of the Jewish diaspora that klezmer has made its way across time and space from centuries ago in Europe to Music City, USA in 2024. 

Yes! I have a background as a piano player, but the first time I ever held an accordion was October 2022 for Theatre Raleigh’s production of The Great Comet. The versatility of this instrument continues to amaze me. It’s kind of like walking around with a pipe organ strapped to your chest. The score of Indecent has been an opportunity for me to take my accordion-playing to the next level, and learning some of the trickier passages of this score has been extremely rewarding.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Lately, I’ve ended my interviews by asking the last person I speak with a variation on this same question…What do you hope audiences take with them after having experienced Indecent at Nashville Rep?

ERIC SORRELS: I think for me, Indecent is a reminder of why we make theatre, why we attend the theatre, and why theatre will always be a vital part of human expression. The theatre is a sacred space where we can hold and examine our collective memory. I’m reminded of a classic Arthur Miller line from Death of a Salesman: “Attention must be paid.” We go to the theatre to pay attention; to remember parts of human history that would otherwise be forgotten; to find ourselves in a character who appears to have totally different experience from us. This play also reminds us that as long as there have been artists willing to show all the facets of humanity, from innocence to depravity, there have been those wishing to censor what they judge to be unsavory, immoral, or — yes, I’m going to say it — indecent. To that end, I hope audiences leave with a renewed appetite to see, support, and make more daring theatre.

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Nashville Repertory Theatre’s Indecent plays TPAC’s Johnson Theatre Thursday, February 2 thru Sunday, February 11. CLICK HERE for tickets to this powerful play. Following Indecent, Nashville Rep will host two nights of staged readings of playwright Lydia R. Diamond’s Stick Fly at Nashville Public Television’s Rains Avenue studio as part of their REPaloud series. Visit nashvillerep.org to secure your FREE spots for either night. Next up, The Rep will continue their regular season with The Color Purple on stage at TPAC’s Polk Theatre. 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 ‘Funny Girl’ National Tour Stars Katerina McCrimmon & Stephen Mark Lukas; at TPAC’s Jackson Hall January 2-7

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Tennessee Performing Arts Center is kicking off the new year and the second half of their 23/24 HCA/TriStar Broadway at TPAC season with the Broadway hit musical Funny Girl. Based in part on the true-life story of popular vaudeville-era superstar, Fanny Brice and her oft-tumultuous relationship with charming but unsavory gambler, Nicky Arnstein, the National Tour of Funny Girl stars Katerina McCrimmon as Fanny and Stephen Mark Lukas as Nicky. Taking a break from their holiday time off, McCrimmon and Lukas kindly agreed to answer a few questions for my latest Rapid Fire Q&A before the show opens at TPAC’s Jackson Hall Tuesday January 2 with a run through Sunday, January 7. What follows are those conversations:

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Rapid Fire Q&A with Funny Girl stars Katerina McCrimmon and Stephen Mark Lucas

Rapid Fire Q&A with Katerina McCrimmon, Fanny Brice in Funny Girl

JHPENTERTAINMENT: You’re currently starring in the national tour of Funny Girl. Prior to being cast, how familiar were you with Fanny Brice, the multi-talented performer upon whom the musical is loosely based, AND…did you do any further research on her after being cast?

KATERINA McCRIMMON: Besides dialect work and learning the material, becoming Fanny came quite easily to me. We both have this drive and zest for life and we know that our purpose on this Earth is to share our gift in artistry and make people feel something. During the rehearsal process, I strived to always have fun like I know Fanny would and connect to the emotional life of Fanny through her fears and desires. I did research on her scanning through her videos and her biography, but I knew at the end of the day I had to trust in my essence and try not to be a carbon copy of her – especially since the show is so loosely based on her life. 

JHPENTERTAINMENT: What’s one aspect of the character of Fanny Brice that you hope to adapt in your own life long after the tour is over?

KATERINA McCRIMMON: Fanny Brice is one of, if not the hardest role in the musical theatre canon and I’m so grateful our creative team has entrusted me to portray her. She’s funny, powerful, wears her heart on her sleeve, and through playing her I’ve definitely learned to champion these things about myself.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Funny Girl features songs by Bob Merrill & Jule Stine. Among the tunes is Don’t Rain on My Parade. What’s the easiest way someone can rain on your parade?

KATERINA McCRIMMON: I’d rather focus on the positive – I think someone can easily make my parade through joy and laughter. It takes a lot to upset me – I just don’t think it’s worth my energy. 

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Within the plot, Fanny finds love with Nick Arnstein. In real-life, you’ve found it with your musician husband Matias Sanes, whom you married in 2021, so basically you’re still honeymooners as far as I’m concerned. While on tour, does Matias get the chance to occasionally fly to you? How are you staying connected?

KATERINA McCRIMMON: Matias and I are both artists in our own right and so we both stay quite busy and fulfilled in our own creative projects. He’s the bass player in many bands and one called Kore Rozzik has been consistently opening for Ace Frehley of KISS. We give each other space to explore our own artistic pathways and then once we’re aching for each other, we book a flight to reunite. I would say that happens every two to three weeks. It’s been challenging, but a huge opportunity for growth and I’m grateful for that. 

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Speaking of connections, your on-stage scene-partner Stephen Mark Lucas who’s playing Nicky, Fanny’s most infamous husband. I’m about to chat with him, so I’ll end my time with you by asking…what’s your favorite aspect of sharing the stage with Stephen?

KATERINA McCRIMMON: Stephen is such a dear scene partner. He’s always so sensitive and kind. We love to sneak jokes to each other onstage and we’ll always check in to see how our spirits are holding up. There was one day during tech rehearsal when he made me laugh harder than anyone else has during this entire process. I think it was a mix of the fact that he caught me off guard (Stephen is usually pretty serious) and that we were so delirious from a 10 hour day in the theater. I was still laughing at his joke the next morning. 

Rapid Fire Q&A with Stephen Mark Lukas, Funny Girl’s Nicky Arnstein

JHPENTERTAINMENT: I just chatted with Katerina and ended my questions for her asking her about having you as a scene partner, so I’ll start our conversation by asking you what you appreciate most about Katerina as your character Nick Arnstein’s tumultuous love interest?

STEPHEN MARK LUKAS: I’ve absolutely loved having Kat as a scene partner. Her vocal prowess and musicianship are unmatched- listening to her sing this score every night is heaven. In addition, she has a very raw vulnerability underneath all of that power that is so endearing. She is so connected onstage, and we always have each other’s backs.  It’s impossible not to fall in love with her. 

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Who is Nick Arnstein to you?

STEPHEN MARK LUKAS: I’ve really grown very fond of Nicky! He, like Fanny, is ambitious and hell- bent on succeeding at all costs. He is charming, funny, and very much a romantic. There is also a dark side to him and a rage simmering just below the surface of his polished exterior. It’s fun to play with that dichotomy. 

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Having understudied the role of Nicky on Broadway, are there nuances of the character that you’re enjoying discovering and developing as the tour continues?

STEPHEN MARK LUKAS: I have had a great time finding the humor in the scenes with Fanny. I guess my continued exploration is how to connect with his vulnerability in the second act as we see him start to unravel. I think it’s always interesting to find the humanity in a character who may be troubled- what drives someone to make mistakes when they’re humiliated or desperate? It’s finding that empathy again and again, as well as deepening the onstage marriage between Nick and Fanny that drives the story. 

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Is there a line, a scene or a song in the show that resonates with you personally?

STEPHEN MARK LUKAS: I love hearing the song People every night. It’s a very intimate moment between Nick and Fanny, and you can just hear the audience sigh with delight when she begins singing it. It’s really a beautiful moment. 

JHPENTERTAINMENT: What do you hope audiences come away remembering about Funny Girl?

STEPHEN MARK LUKAS: I hope that audiences can really enjoy the beautiful score by Jule Styne and a show that is an unapologetic love letter to the grandeur of Broadway. I hope they’ll take a heartfelt emotional journey with us. There is a lot that resonates today in this classic that everyone thinks they know-  Fanny’s journey is inspiring to anyone who has ever been told that they can’t or shouldn’t try to pursue their dreams. 

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With not a cloud in the sky an no chance of any rain on the parade of Funny Girl‘s Music City Opening Night, the people of Nashville are invited to find out they lyrical answer to What Do Happy People Do? when Funny Girl sets up shop at TPAC’s Jackson Hall Tuesday, January 2 through Sunday, January 7. CLICK HERE for tickets or more information. You can also follow Funny Girl on Instagram, X (Twitter) and Facebook or visit The Official Funny Girl site for more info on the show or future tour stop details.

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

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

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

Rapid Fire Q&A with Theatre of Gadsden’s ‘Sordid Lives’ cast members; onstage at The Ritz in Gadsden, Alabama September 8 thru 17

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When I heard my friend Joy Tilley Perryman was once again portraying Sordid Lives’ Noleta Nethercott—this time in Theatre of Gadsden’s production at The Ritz (310 North 27th Street, Gadsden, Alabama)—I knew I had to chat with her, having seen (and loved) her previous turn as Noleta in Nashville back in 2013. It was a nice added surprise when I learned that one of her costars this go-round is Billy Jenkins as Brother Boy, having gotten the chance to chat with him recently for a previous Rapid Fire 20Q. Add to that the chance to get to speak to Kathleen Jensen, who’s playing Juanita Bartlett, one of my all-time favorite characters, and I was fully in!

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Rapid Fire with Theatre of Gadsden’s Sordid Lives’ stars Billy Jenkins, Kathleen Jensen and Joy Tilley Perryman

Rapid Fire with Billy Jenkins, Brother Boy in Theatre of Gadsden’s Sordid Lives

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Who is Earl “Brother Boy” Ingram?

BILLY JENKINS: Brother Boy Ingram is a gay, cross dressing, Tammy Wynette female impersonator, who was wrongly put into a mental institution by his mother because he was beaten up for being gay. Brother Boy represents what all gay men have experienced: bullying, defamation, a search for identity, and a search for belongingness in a world where being bullied for being gay isn’t a crime, where defamation of a gay person is not considered taboo, where our search for identity seems like a never-ending process, and where our search for belongingness, if we are lucky, ends in a place of happiness.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Billy, I gotta admit, when Joy and I first talked about me doing a Rapid Fire 20Q with you Sordid Lives folks, I was excited to get to chat with you again, having previously featured you in conversation about your participation in Joy’s Jubilations presentation of Listen to Your Mother. In that interview you talked about your late mother a bit. Gotta ask. What would your Mom make of Brother Boy?

BILLY JENKINS: Well, first of all, my mom never saw me in any production (unless you count my first grade play where I was a funny valentine), because she passed away when I was 21 and it wasn’t until after her passing that I got involved in theater. As far as what she would think about Brother Boy….. first of all, she’d be impressed that her baseball playing, high school football playing son could walk and run in stiletto heels. Secondly, I think she’d be proud of my character because Brother Boy’s character is NOT how I act in real life. I had to study his mannerisms very hard and dig a little to find this character. And lastly, I think she’d be like Latrelle in the show, where she always knew that I was gay since I was a little boy. You see, I was my mom’s favorite of her six children, and like Ty and Latrelle in the show, I think her knowing that I was different was what bonded us.

 JHPENTERTAINMENT: Of course I can’t take about Brother Boy without thinking of Leslie Jordan, who created the role on stage, the big screen and in the Sordid Lives tv series. I was fortunate to have gotten to know Leslie over the years. Knowing that role is such an iconic role, particularly to the LGBTQIA+ community, is there an extra sense of getting the balance of humor and heart just right?

BILLY JENKINS: OMG!!! So much pressure! When I first watched the movie, I fell in love with Leslie Jordan and his talent.  I have always wanted to do this role. Many guys in theater dream of being Jan Val Jean or The Phantom, but I remember seeing Leslie Jordan’s genius and setting my goal of playing this role at least once in my life. I am PROUD to play this role as a member of the LGBTQIA+ community. This role not only personifies what gay people had to endure 25 years ago, it solidifies the idea that being gay doesn’t mean we need to be locked up in a looney bin. This role is significant because it represents a “stereotype” of what people think being gay means, but in reality, we come in all shapes, sizes, attitudes, and mannerisms and accepting those differences (even within the gay community) leads to a more unified and coherent community. Getting the balance between what needs to be funny and what audiences need to take seriously is tricky, but doable.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Brother Boy is a legend (in his own mind at least) for this portrayals of his Country Queens, Tammy, Loretta and Dolly. If you were to do a music tribute yourself, who would you honor and why?

BILLY JENKINS: I am finding out very quickly that I was NEVER meant to do drag. My feet hurt in heels, makeup takes too long, and my undergarments are extremely uncomfortable. With that being said, I don’t think I could ever do a female musical tribute (I might make an exception for Dolly, though) but if I had to pick, I’d say Johnny Cash. He was a musical genius, down to earth, and his music is still going strong. I do have to mention that I’m like a fifth cousin to Conway Twitty (Harold Jenkins), so I hope he doesn’t roll over in his grave because I picked Johnny Cash.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Aside from a smile on their faces and side-splitting laughter, what theme, idea or thought do you hope audiences take away after seeing Theatre of Gadsden’s Sordid Lives?

BILLY JENKINS: I hope all mommas who have gay sons walk away from the show as a proud momma of a gay son. I hope all gay men who are ashamed of who they are walk away from the show being proud of who they are. I hope all bullies who have ever bullied someone because they are gay walk away from the show with regret of having ever done so. I hope all fathers who have told their sons that real men don’t cry walk away from the show knowing that crying doesn’t make you less of a man. And, I hope all people walk away from the show realizing that family is family and no matter what our differences are, families need to love each other.

Rapid Fire with Kathleen Jensen, Juanita Bartlett in Theatre of Gadsden’s Sordid Lives

JHPENTERTAINMENT: I understand this is your first time doing a show with Theatre of Gadsden. How much fun are you having so far?

KATHLEEN JENSEN: I am having a blast! It’s been since 2020 that I’ve been on stage. Wow, have I missed it!

JHPENTERTAINMENT: While this is your first time playing Juanita and your first show with Theatre of Gadsden, this isn’t your first foray into the world of Del Shores. Having met Del a time or two, was there anything he’s said that you’ve now put into practice as you approach the role of Juanita?

KATHLEEN JENSEN: I have worked with Del on a few occasions at TNT with his one man show. He also saw a production of “Daddy’s Dyin’ Who’s Got The Will”. The one thing that he has always stressed is that these are real people, not just characters. 

JHPENTERTAINMENT: One of my favorite of Juanita’s scenes involves a story about a particular childhood craft project, “Ol Cock-a-doodle”. Were you a crafty kid and is there any evidence anywhere around or did your crafts go the way of Juanita’s beloved rooster art?

KATHLEEN JENSEN: I was a very crafty kid! Some of it went the way of ol cockadoodle, but when I cleaned out my mom’s house I was surprised to find more than a few pieces still in existence. One was a framed paint by number of a horse. I have it in my home now. 

JHPENTERTAINMENT: The tagline for Sordid Lives is: “A black comedy about white trash”. There’s something a little white trash in all of us. What about you? What’s the most unashamed white trash thing about yourself?

KATHLEEN JENSEN: Just because I like PBR draft don’t mean I’m white trash! LOL

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Another great Juanita scene involves the art of reapplying her lipstick while never removing the cigarette from her lips. Have you mastered this unique ability as well?

KATHLEEN JENSEN: I’ve spent time working on it. I guess you’ll have to come to the show to find out! 

Rapid Fire with Joy Tilley Perryman, Noleta Nethercott in Theatre of Gadsden’s Sordid Lives

JHPENTERTAINMENT: You have a bit of history with Sordid Lives, having played Noleta in a production in Nashville that I was thrilled to have seen. Between that production and this iteration, are there aspects of Noleta’s character that you’ve discovered, or things that you’ve expanded upon in your portrayal of her?

JOY TILLEY PERRYMAN: That is a loaded one JHP. Between my last Noleta and this one I have lost the love of my life and I suppose that makes me even more aware of marriages. What makes good ones and what makes bad ones and why some people should never even try! G.W. and Noleta don’t have a good marriage but there was something there once upon a time. I think Noleta is grieving the demise of her marriage and I understand that grief all too well. This Noleta is sad in a way that I had not thought of in 2013.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: In addition to playing Noleta, you’ve also worked behind the scenes on costumes and wigs, right?

JOY TILLEY PERRYMAN: And props and set dressing. I made all the faux food that is on Sissy’s table and gathered all the 1 million lighters, compacts, and hankies that are in this show. I cannot however, take credit for Sissy’s fabulous wig. That would be the creation of my immensely talent friend, Molly Page.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: You likely know that I’ve known Sordid Lives’ creator, Del Shores for a couple decades now. You’ve also had the chance to meet him. What is it about Del and his writing that is so perfect?

JOY TILLEY PERRYMAN: I did know! And I have met him while taking one of his comedy masterclasses in Nashville. First, he, himself is so hysterically funny and just a Texas boy at heart. For me, his writing is so perfect because it so relatable. Now, you may not have left your two wooden legs in the middle of a hotel room floor and caused your lover’s demise, but we all have done things we deeply regret and wish we could take back. Or like Latrelle we are all living in a bit of denial. These are real people that we all know.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Del fully admits many of his characters are based on his actual family and friends from his days as a boy growing up in Winters, TX. If you were to write a play about your relatives, what would it be called and who would be the main character?

JOY TILLEY PERRYMAN: You know that I have already started this very thing. It’s working title is Granny’s Girls and a character very loosely based on my maternal Grandmother, Mildred Smith, is at the heart of it. In this her name is Granny Griggs.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Is Theatre of Gadsden ready for Sordid Lives?

JOY TILLEY PERRYMAN: They better question is, is Sordid Lives ready for Theatre of Gadsden? LOL! No, seriously, maybe so? I hope so? Or as Billy Ditty’s Grandmother used to say, “this is going to happen, whether they want it to or not”!

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Theatre of Gadsden’s Sordid Lives opens Friday, September 8 at The Ritz Theatre (310 North 27th Street, Gadsden, Alabama, 35904), and running through Sunday, September 17. Performances are Fridays and Saturdays at 7p.m. and Sundays at 2p.m. Door open 45 minutes before curtain. Tickets are $20/Adults, $18/Seniors/Students/Military. Groups of 10 or more $15/each. Groups of 20 or more $13/each. CLCK HERE to purchase tickets. For more info call 256.547.7469.

Up next at Theatre of Gadsden is Anne of Green Gables with shows October 7 at 2p.m. and 7p.m. and October 8 at 2p.m. Follow Theatre of Gadsden on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for more details.

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 Ballet Hispánico dancers Amanda del Valle and Chris Bloom; the company’s ‘Doña Perón’ on stage at TPAC’s Polk Theatre April 28-29

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On Friday, April 28 and Saturday, April 29, Tennessee Performing Arts Center will host Ballet Hispánico’s Doña Perón as part of TPAC’s inaugural International Dance Series. Based out of New York and founded in 1970, Ballet Hispánico is the largest Latinx/Latine/Hispanic culture organization in the US and widely recognized as a leader in bringing the message of cultural history and inclusivity through dance.

As the company prepares to bring Doña Perón, the story of iconic Argentine First Lady, Eva Perón to Nashville for the Music City debut at TPAC’s Polk Theatre, I’ve had the incredible opportunity to chat with two of the company’s lead dancers, Miami Native, Amanda del Valle, who’s dancing the titular role of Eva Perón and Virginia-born Chris Bloom, the ballet’s Juan Perón for the latest installment of my recurring interview feature, Rapid Fire Q&A.

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RAPID FIRE Q&A WITH DOÑA PERÓN’s AMANDA del VALLE AND CHRIS BLOOM

RAPID FIRE Q&A WITH AMANDA DEL VALLE, EVITA in BALLET HISPÁNICO’s DOÑA PERÓN

JHPENTERTAINMENT: I just have to begin by saying I’ve been a wee bit obsessed with all things Eva Perón since I was a kid and my favorite aunt took me to see the Broadway musical based on her life. Prior to taking one the role of Evita, how familiar were you with her story?

AMANDA DEL VALLE: I actually had not heard of Evita Perón until a few weeks before the choreographic process. I remember when we found out we would be performing a new work based on Eva’s life; I called my family to tell them and they informed me a little bit about who she was and what she was so famous for. 

JHPENTERTAINMENT: From what I know, you first became interested in ballet at a very young age. What memories do you have of your time training with Marielena Mencia and Yanis Pikieris at Miami Youth Ballet?

AMANDA DEL VALLE: I was about 10 years old when I took my first ballet class, and it’s where all my dreams began.  My favorite memories are the ones where we would be in the studio rehearsing until 10 o’clock at night, sometimes later, because we were so focused and driven that we would lose track of time. Our moms would have to come upstairs to get us out of the studio. It was home and we never wanted to leave. 

JHPENTERTAINMENT: I understand this is your second season with Ballet Hispánico. How did you come to join the company?

AMANDA DEL VALLE: I was introduced to Ballet Hispánico through my mentor and role model Melissa Verdecía. I watched her dance with Ballet Hispánico and knew I wanted to be a part of an organization that allowed me to not only grow in my artistry but also allowed me to grow closer to my roots and culture with dance.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: What can you tell me about working with Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, the show’s choreographer?

AMANDA DEL VALLE: Working with Annabelle Lopez Ochoa was very exciting. I love how she caters to each dancer and what they are capable of, and pushes you to go further than what you think you are capable of. I have always admired her work and individuality as a choreographer and person. Also working with a female choreographer on a piece about a female icon is a very empowering experience.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Speaking of the creative team behind Doña Perón, costumer Mark Eric has created dozens of costumes for the show. Exactly how many costume changes do you have, and what are your favorite costumes among them?

AMANDA DEL VALLE: The role of Evita Perón consists of exactly seven costume changes that happen on and off stage, with a total of 6 costumes. It’s hard to pick a favorite costume because they are all so beautiful and show the many different parts of Evita but I would have to pick the last dress that she changes into on stage for her final duet before her death. I love how it combines the classy, business, and strong regal essence of Evita. 

 

RAPID FIRE Q&A WITH CHRIS BLOOM, JUAN PERÓN in BALLET HISPÁNICO’s DOÑA PERÓN

JHPENTERTAINMENT: As I mentioned when I chatted with Amanda earlier, I’ve been interested in Evia Perón story since I was a kid. In Ballet Hispánico’s Doña Perón you play Juan Perón. What can you tell me about the character and how you prepared to portray him in movement?

CHRIS BLOOM: This character is interesting because he is a mix of things. Annabelle wasn’t interested in telling fairy tales but the stories of actual people. Real people are flawed and complex and that makes rich ground for storytelling. Juan Perón was many things and not nearly all of them were good but I do believe he loved Eva genuinely. I try my best to play him like a real person. The real man had many political ideas in common with the fascist governments/leaders of the day but he cared about helping Argentina’s disadvantaged people. He came from wealth and was driven in his pursuit of power to the point of ordering the hostile takeover of his country’s newspapers and is known to have ordered the imprisonment of journalists and other people that opposed his agenda. Was Evita a conduit for gaining power? She was. Did he love that about her? I imagine he did. But I also imagine he loved her as a person as well. I try to play all of this each time I perform in Doña Perón. 

JHPENTERTAINMENT: This year marks your tenth season Ballet Hispánico. What is it about this dance company that keeps you excited to perform?

CHRIS BLOOM: It is the stories we tell and how we tell them on stage that keeps me coming back year after year. 

JHPENTERTAINMENT: I asked Amanda about her early ballet interest. How old were you when you discovered ballet and began considering it as a career path?

CHRIS BLOOM: I was 15 years old when I took my first ballet class. I had always known it was a possible career as there was a great deal of art in my home growing up. I fell in love with the aspirational rigor of the art form and honestly never looked back. 

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Near the end of 2022, Doña Perón was presented at The Kennedy Center and just earlier this month, on Friday, April 14, PBS aired one of those performances as part of their series Next at the Kennedy Center. So a two-part question for you: What’s it like to dance at the famed performing arts venue and how do you feel about being part of a broadcast that will allow people who might not otherwise get the chance, to see such a spectacular piece?

CHRIS BLOOM: Performing at the Kennedy Center is always an incredible experience! I grew up about 60 miles due west of DC in Frederick Co, VA so I can remember seeing many dance companies there as a kid. Performing there is evidence of a dream fulfilled. The chance to reach a larger audience through the broadcast of our work on PBS is as exciting as it gets. There is nothing better than getting a text from a friend saying “Hey! I saw you on TV!”

JHPENTERTAINMENT: For those who do get the chance to see Ballet Hispánico’s Doña Perón, whether via the PBS special, or live as the tour continues, what do you hope audiences take from the experience?

CHRIS BLOOM: I hope that audiences take culture away from the experience of seeing the company in action. Latinx cultures are a multiplicity not a monolith and through our performances audiences get to see complexity and authenticity rather than stereotypes. My greatest hope as a performer is to leave audiences with a sense of curiosity and an appreciation of beauty. 

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Ballet Hispánico’s Doña Perón can be see live onstage at TPAC’s Polk Theatre Friday and Saturday, April 28 and 29 at 8p.m. each evening. Tickets rang in price from $45 to $95. CLICK HERE to purchase tickets. To learn more about Doña Perón, Ballet Hispánico, del Valle, Bloom and the rest of the company’s dancers and creatives, CLICK HERE or follow them on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram and Vimeo.  Not in Nashville? CLICK HERE to see where Ballet Hispánico will be performing next.

Doña Perón marks the second in three productions visiting TPAC as part of their first-ever International Dance Series, MOMIX Alice being the first. In case you missed my chat with members of MOMIX dance company, CLICK HERE to check out those conversations.

Next up for TPAC’s International Dance Series is Scottish Ballet’s The Crucible, onstage at TPAC’s Jackson Hall May 19 and 20. CLICK HERE for more info. Be sure to check out TPAC online and on socials by clicking any of the following:  TPAC.org,  TPAC on Instagram,  TPAC on Facebook, TPAC on Twitter and TPAC on YouTube.

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

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

RAPID FIRE 20 Q WITH DIRECTOR AND CAST OF PIEDMONT PLAYERS THEATRE’S ‘KINKY BOOTS’; on stage at Meroney Theatre in Salisbury, North Carolina April 21-May 7

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While I typically feature productions originating from-or National Tours visiting-the area near JHPEntertainment’s home base of Nashville, Tennessee, for the latest installment of my recurring interview feature, Rapid Fire 20Q, I’m thrilled to venture a little further out to feature the Salisbury, North Carolina-based theatre company, Piedmont Players Theatre as they prepare for their April 21 Opening Night of the regional theatrical premier of Kinky Boots at the Meroney Theatre (213 S. Main St, Salisbury, NC). There’s a couple reasons I wanted to feature this particular company and this show. One, I absolutely love Kinky Boots, and Two, it’s being directed by PPT’s Executive Director, Bradley Moore, who just so happens to be one of my favorite humans! What follows are my conversations with Bradley, as well as Kinky Boots’ cast members Nick Culp, Michael Fargas and Taylor Kroop, who play Charlie, Lola and Lauren, respectively.

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RAPID FIRE 20Q WITH DIRECTOR AND CAST OF PIEDMONT PLAYERS THEATRE’s KINKY BOOTS

RAPID FIRE WITH KINKY BOOTS DIRECTOR BRADLEY MOORE

JHPENTERTAINMENT: As I’m sure you know, Kinky Boots is based on a true story. In fact, years before it was a Broadway sensation, it was a non-musical film. I myself saw the movie back in 2006. When were you first aware of the Kinky Boots story? AND…What was it about the show that piqued your interest as a director?

BRADLEY MOORE: Man, you were on top of it! I actually never saw the film when it was first released, but was very aware of the musical from its inception. I mean, Harvey Fierstein, Cyndi Lauper, and Jerry Mitchell?!? That combination is going to make any Broadway baby’s ears perk up. I was also very aware of Stark Sands (Charlie in the Broadway debut) because of his previous involvement with the Broadway production of American Idiot. I was living in Nashville when the first Broadway tour came through in 2015, which is when I saw Kinky Boots for the very first time. It was an instant love affair. Between the killer music, the positive messaging, and the choreography – it was all just incredible. It immediately went on my “MUST DIRECT ONE DAY” list. I am very happy that we have reached that day. 

JHPENTERTAINMENT: In the time since the show was chosen to be included in your current season, the subject of drag has become quite controversial, especially in your former home state of Tennessee. I’d imagine that’s been on your mind from time to time as you’ve rehearsed your cast?

BRADLEY MOORE: Absolutely. At one of our first rehearsals, we all sat around and dissected the show – discussing characters and connections and themes. The collective “us” already believed that this show was more important than ever, but even more so because of the current political and hate-fueled climate. In fact, that rehearsal was just days after Tennessee Governor Bill Lee signed the bill that would restrict drag performances all over the state. I even remember saying – “I am not sure this show could be performed in Nashville right now.” Of course now, a month or so later, we know a little differently and thankfully Judge Thomas Parker has put a delay on the bill going into effect. However, artistic expression is under fire, in many ways. Kinky Boots IS more important than ever. It’s a show that boasts the message – JUST BE; that can be hard to do when some people feel they need to get in the way of the First Amendment. Artists need to unite now, more than ever, to secure their freedoms. And we are much stronger together.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Since the 2013 Broadway debut of the musical adaptation, Lola’s boots have becoming an instantly recognizable bit of musical theatre iconography. Who’s your costumer and what can you tell me about Lola’s looks and the infamous thigh-high footwear that’ll be seen in production?

BRADLEY MOORE: Our costumer Colleen Smiley is just fantastic. She and I have worked in conjunction to secure all the boots for the show from a large variety of sources. From purchasing a few to utilizing our theatre friends whose theatres have performed the show recently, we have used our resources very wisely. A big shout-out to Heather Levinson and Theatre Alliance in Winston-Salem, who have allowed us to borrow an array of footwear from their production from last summer. Several cast members have also contributed by purchasing their own boots. I never thought I would say “it takes a village” about boots, but it did take a whole big village to make it happen. And honestly, they are all pretty fabulous. It is definitely Bootapalooza.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: What’s been the most challenging aspect of bringing Kinky Boots to life on stage with Piedmont Players?

BRADLEY MOORE: I think there is always a level of pressure when you get to do something first. As far as the Charlotte area goes, this is the first fully-staged production of Kinky Boots that the local community will have the opportunity to see. I actually don’t mind that pressure. I love being the first to do things. It is also a show filled with a million logistics, which has been interesting to navigate. Thankfully, I have an incredible crew around me that are helping to make all the magic happen. To me, as with any show, we have to make sure that we are all honest storytellers who embrace the heart of the story. As long as we are doing that, I believe audiences will really love what we are putting on that stage. 

JHPENTERTAINMENT: I’m about to chat with members of your cast. What’s been the biggest/best surprise about working with this particular cast and crew?

BRADLEY MOORE: This cast has not only wildly embraced the material, but also each other. With so many elements of drag and acceptance within the show, it has been wonderful to see how much love and support is present at every rehearsal. We are an honest-to-goodness Kinky family. It is a smaller cast than would usually be needed to bring Kinky Boots alive. We have 16 cast members, whereas the show usually requires anywhere from 22 to 28. Therefore, everyone has had to work a little harder to bring it all together, and they are WERKING.

Nick Culp, who plays Charlie, is a freak of nature. One of the most talented humans I have ever worked with. This is our 6th show together and I hope we have many more in our future. Michael Fargas, who plays Lola, is making his Piedmont Players debut. When he walked through the door at auditions, I knew he had many special gifts that only in a role such as Lola could be fully appreciated. Taylor Kroop and Caroline Forrester, as Lauren and Nicola, respectively, are powerhouse vocalists with an attack and energy that is unmatched by most. The rest of the cast – Kristina Blake, Dakotah Chelgren, Austin Dantzler, Jonathan Lodgek, Keilen McNeil, Aidan Melton, Johnathon Stribling, Kristin Swilley, Dale Waters, and Wendy Weant have all settled into their roles beautifully. There are truly 16 superb performances in this production And if you come for nothing else, Thierry Agnant, as Young Lola, and Asher Pethel, as Young Charlie, are pure theatrical excellence. And I would be nothing without the brilliance of our choreographer, David T. Loudermilk, and our Music Director, John Stafford. They have been my rocks throughout this entire journey. I am just beyond grateful for all the humans involved with this production, including Colleen Welday and Tara Melton who make some surprise appearances throughout the show. 

RAPID FIRE WITH KINKY BOOTS’ CHARLIE, NICK CULP

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Area theater patrons will no doubt recognize you from multiple shows with PPT. What can you tell me about Kinky Boots’ Charlie and what drew you to this role?

NICK CULP: The script’s character breakdown describes Charlie better than I ever could: he’s “a bit confused, a bit unfocused, a hero hiding under a victim’s mantle.” When we first meet Charlie, he’s pretty aimless and doesn’t know what he wants out of life – the only thing he knows for certain is that he doesn’t want to run a shoe factory the rest of his life, like his father. But after some plot twists and turns, Charlie finally finds his purpose in the last place he ever thought he’d find it – that factory, his home, the very place from which he’d been trying to escape. Not only that, he finds his passion thanks to the help of a very unlikely source: a drag queen in need of some heels that won’t break! It’s that classic Odd Couple relationship that just works so well in any comedy. 

I was drawn to the role because I see a lot of myself in Charlie. His father dies in the first ten minutes of the play; my dad passed away unexpectedly about 4 months ago. So art is quite literally imitating life at the moment. I used to think that the show’s central themes were love and acceptance. And while that’s still true, I’ve found that what resonates with me the most after losing my dad are the themes of grief and finding joy, healing and purpose through loss. Both of the central characters have lost their fathers in different ways, yet they both deal with this balancing act of honoring the life their fathers built for them while forging their own path. That common ground is really the foundation of their friendship, as well as the catalyst for Charlie’s journey to a more purposeful life. To put a finer point on it, I was drawn to the role because when Charlie heals, I get to heal a little bit too. This experience has been very cathartic.      

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Earlier, I spoke with the show’s Director, Bradley Moore. I’ve known Bradley for years, from his time in Nashville. How is Bradley as a director and in particular, what’s been the best aspect of having Bradley direct you in Kinky Boots?

NICK CULP: Bradley has been with PPT for a little over a year now and in that time, I think I’ve been involved in all but two productions that he has directed. So I like to think I’ve got a pretty good understanding of how he works and vice versa. As an actor himself, he knows how to give his actors the space and freedom to make their own choices without micromanaging, which I’ve always appreciated. He also cares about how you’re doing in regards to the show. I can recall moments in every production we’ve worked on together where he pulls me aside to ask how I’m feeling about everything and to check if there’s anything I need. He wants everyone to succeed and do their best. The best aspect of having him direct me in Kinky Boots, aside from everything I’ve already mentioned, is that this show feels personal for him. He’s put a lot of heart into this particular production and treated it with the care it deserves. This story is more important now than ever and so I think that’s a responsibility he takes seriously.    

JHPENTERTAINMENT: With words and music by legendary 80s Pop Goddess, Cyndi Lauper, Kinky Boots’ soundtrack is filled with such great music. Among my favorites…and not just because I’m talking to you…is Charlie’s Step One. Are there certain musical moments in the show, whether yours or someone else’s that just ‘get you’ every time?

NICK CULP: There really is some fantastic music in this show and I agree – Step One is definitely a bop! So two songs come to mind that “get me” every time. The first is singing Soul of a Man. It’s the lowest point for Charlie: that overwhelming feeling of not being enough; the culmination of all of this frustration, stress and unexpressed grief. I’ve been there. Like, recently. So it feels good to release those feelings every night when I sing it. If I look emotionally drained afterward, it’s because I am! The second song that comes to mind is Not My Father’s Son. It’s impossible to listen to Michael Fargas (our Lola) sing that song and not feel something. So the fact that I get to have a front row seat to it every night has been very special and my tears are real every night. I’m so proud of what he’s done with that song and getting to join him for a little duet at the end of it is the cherry on the top. Bring tissues.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: For those unfamiliar with the show, it takes place in Northampton in the East Midlands region of England. To that end, the majority, if not all the characters speak with an English accent. Did the cast have a dialect coach working with you all to fine-tune your accents?

NICK CULP: Yes, Bradley had a contact that he made available to us for dialect coaching and I believe some cast members worked with them. I have actually been using an English accent off and on for the better part of a year with other shows I’ve worked on so it wasn’t much different than what I’ve already been doing. But this dialect is definitely less proper than the received pronunciation I’ve been using. More Beatles and less Royal Family. I think the most challenging part for me was finding my own voice within the accent, finding the cadence and inflection that worked for my Charlie. What helped me the most was memorizing my lines as soon as possible, so I spent the first couple of weeks doing that, speaking the lines slowly out-loud and figuring out the placement of my mouth to shape those words. 

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Another vital aspect of this show is the choreography. I understand David Loudermilk is choreographing Kinky Boots. For those unfamiliar with the behind-the-scenes of theatre, what’s an average rehearsal like, compared to choreo rehearsal?

NICK CULP: Well, at an average rehearsal, I don’t sweat. At a David Loudermilk choreo rehearsal, I do sweat. In all seriousness, a choreo rehearsal is focused on learning the dance for any given song. In an average rehearsal, we learn the blocking of a scene – where we stand onstage, where we cross and when, etc. We also learn the music – the correct notes, rhythms, etc. So when we get to choreography rehearsals, we are using the things we’ve learned from blocking/music and adding dance into the mix. We learn it in pieces and/or there are some songs that feature smaller groups of the cast, so we each learn our own part and then combine it all together to get the final look of the dance. In a nutshell, choreography rehearsal is really a matter of becoming a moving puzzle piece. We have numbers that run along the edge of the stage so we can glance down and know where we’re standing. It’s important to be standing on the correct number so you aren’t out of place with the overall formation that David has created. David’s choreography is high energy and all about telling a story. 

RAPID FIRE WITH KINKY BOOTS’ SIMON/LOLA, MICHAEL FARGAS

JHPENTERTAINMENT: I understand Kinky Boots marks your PPT debut. I guess if you’re gonna make an entrance into the Salisbury Theatre community, THIS is THE role to do it, right?

MICHAEL FARGAS: Absolutely! I feel like this role, it’s such a powerhouse role and it’s the best way to make an entrance back into the world of theater. Especially given our current climate and the issues that have arisen. It’s a statement being made for sure.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: While this marks your PPT debut, you’re definitely no stranger to performing arts having done community theatre, worked at theme parks and as a performer with Carnival Cruises. What’s your favorite part of doing community theatre?

MICHAEL FARGAS: Yes, I’m no stranger in the performing arts world, but community theater brings a new element that is sometimes forgotten and that is EDUCATION. My favorite part has been the educational standpoint;. Being able to meet other people that are new to the arts, and come together and deliver a message of acceptance, authenticity and love has been amazing. That’s including providing some sort of education to the audience and the actors themselves. Compared to a lot of traditional other source of entertainment, community theater allows you to push the boundaries of perception and ideas in a local level.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: I admit it, I did a little social media stalk in preparation of chatting with you. To that end, what can you tell me about Summer Camp with the Peanuts Gang during your time at Valleyfair Amusement Park? (I can’t help it, I’m a Snoopy nerd from way back)

MICHAEL FARGAS: It always tickles me because I get asked about this frequently. There is definitely a childlike excitement when it comes to being able to stand on stage with Some of your friends that you have watched since you were a kid. From watching Charlie Brown’s Thanksgiving as a kid, to spending the summer with the Peanuts and bringing the same happiness to other children is an irreplaceable feeling. Memories that I will carry forever.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Your promo photo as Lola is just flawless. So much so, I suspected this might not be your first time in drag. Further Insta stalking/research proved my suspicions correct. Who is Sassi and how much of her can we see in Lola?

MICHAEL FARGAS: You’ve done some really great research. This is not my first time in drag but it is my first time combining something that I love such as theater and drag in one setting, which was hard to do based on being a queer Afro Latino male in the world of performing arts. Sassi is an Afro Latina Theatre queen who loves attention but also authentically lives her life unapologetically and she encourages others to do so. Lola and Sassi have so much in common. They both find happiness in bringing joy to other people laugh and bravery. Lola is as much Sassi as I am to Simon (Lola’s male presenting persona). Many of the experiences that Lola/Simon face, I relate to in my own life. Obviously not the same exact storyline but similar lessons, such as parent expectation and living authentically and in peace.

JHPENTERTAINMENT: RuPaul famously says, “We’re all born naked and the rest is drag”. Do you agree? AND what’s a quote you, yourself reflect on from time to time?

MICHAEL FARGAS: I agree and disagree. In this world we are raised to fit into the societal norms. Though some people conform, others venture outside that realm. Drag is an art form that allows you to express certain areas of yourself that you normally wouldn’t get to in an everyday routine, and can teach you so much about who you are. It allows you to step in someone else’s shoes and understand and admire what it is to be a queen or king in our world. But the goal is to apply what you learn in drag and implement it outside of your drag persona to live authentically. Sassi will always be part of me and I’m grateful for her, but she allowed me to learn to love who Michael is, no matter his past. And I don’t want to be anyone else but me, without “the glitter, the feathers and the hot glue gun…” (a line from the show). I think my favorite quote that I go back to is what my mom said to me one time and that was, “Be the best you that you can be and do it to your full capacity”.

RAPID FIRE WITH KINNKY BOOTS’ LAUREN, TAYLOR KROOP

JHPENTERTAINMENT: This is your second show with PPT, having been a member of the ensemble of their production of A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder in the fall. In that production you played a myriad of supporting characters throughout the show, now you’re playing Lauren, a factory worker who develops a close relationship with Nick Culp’s Charlie. How is Nick as a scene partner? 

TAYLOR KROOP: Nick is an awesome scene partner. We actually go way back to when we performed Little Women together back in 2018. He was Laurie and I was Jo so we already had some established chemistry. It’s so fun to be back on the stage with him and getting to just play!

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Who walks better in heels, you or Michael?

TAYLOR KROOP: As much as I would love to say me, it’s probably Michael! Haha 

JHPENTERTAINMENT: Much of the action of Kinky Boots takes place at the factory. I understand your director, Bradley and Jennifer O’Kelly designed the set for PPT’s production. What’s your favorite aspect of it?

TAYLOR KROOP: Yes, Bradley Moore and Jennifer O’Kelly designed the set! My favorite aspect of the set is all the visible staircases and the exposed brick at the back of the stage. I think it really adds to the factory aesthetic. 

JHPENTERTAINMENT: As Lauren, your big musical number is The History of Wrong Guys. So spill it…Do you have a history of wrong dates, too?

TAYLOR KROOP: To be honest, my history of wrong guys is a pretty short story because I’m getting married in 2 months…to my college sweetheart! 

JHPENTERTAINMENT: I often like to end my chats with the same basic question, and since you’re the last of your costars I’m chatting with, this time, it falls to you…What do you hope audiences come away remembering after having seen Kinky Boots?

TAYLOR KROOP: I hope the audience walks away seeing that people who do drag or people who are involved in the arts are just people trying to make it like the rest of us. It’s a form expression that gives them joy. I hope everyone can see the humanity in what we do and through our acting, especially in todays political climate. To quote our finale song, “Just be who you wanna be

Never let ’em tell you who you ought to be. Just be with dignity. Celebrate yourself triumphantly. You’ll see…Just be.” 

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Piedmont Players Theatre’s Kinky Boots opens Friday, April 21 and runs through Sunday, May 7 at the Meroney Theatre with a 7:30p.m. showtime Fridays and Saturdays and Sunday Matinees at 2:30p.m. CLICK HERE for tickets or more information. Check out Piedmont Players Theatre 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.  Then #GoSeeTheShow!

Rapid Fire 20Q with cast of the Larry Keeton Theatre’s ‘Blithe Spirit’; Noel Coward classic onstage October 14-30

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It’s been quite some time since I’ve attended a show at The Larry Keeton Theatre, one of Nashville’s only, if not the only remaining Dinner Theatre, so you can imagine my delight when a friend, who just so happens to be one of the theatre’s board members, reached out extending an invitation to come see their upcoming production of Noel Coward’s high-spirited classic, Blithe Spirit. I then inquired if they’d be willing to have some of the cast take part in the latest installment of my recurring interview feature, Rapid Fire 20 Q. Given the fact that even before I began writing about theatre more than a decade ago, I was a season subscriber at the Keeton and have always enjoyed their productions, I’m thrilled to be writing about them again.  To that end, what follows are my conversations with Erin-Grace Bailey, Abby Waddoups, Aaron Gray and Drew Ann Davis Borsos, just days before they open at the Keeton Theatre in Blithe Spirit.

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RAPID FIRE 20Q WITH CAST OF THE KEETON THEATRE’s BLITHE SPIRIT

RAPID FIRE WITH ERIN-GRACE BAILEY, ELVIRA IN BLITHE SPIRIT

JHPEntertainment: What can you tell me about Elvira, the character you’re playing in The Larry Keeton Theatre’s production of Noel Coward’s Blithe Spirit?

Erin-Grace Bailey: Charles refers to Elvira as “rather light and irresponsible,” which I think is a great way to describe her. She’s just a joy to play. To me, in her life, she would have been the person to arrive fashionably late at a party and just completely light up the room. She’s witty, feminine, and she isn’t afraid to say whatever comes to her mind.

JHPEntertainment: Playing Elvira and apparitions in general aren’t a new phenomenon to you are they? Tell me a bit about your side gig as a Ghost Tour guide? 

Erin-Grace Bailey: Indeed. It’s kind of funny. I applied to be a tour guide with the ghost tours because I am a huge history nerd and always thought being a tour guide would be fun (and it is). I lead walking tours of some haunted historical sites and get to share Nashville history and ghost stories a couple times a week. The gig has sort of led me into getting involved in a lot of entertainment on the spookier side as well, including murder mysteries, a show based on the works of Edgar Allen Poe, and now Blithe Spirit. Ironically, I scare very easily, and if you’d have told me five years ago that a lot of my current work would look like it does now, I would have said you are dead wrong! 

JHPEntertainment: What’s been the most fun aspect of playing a ghostly figure?

Erin-Grace Bailey: Elvira is unapologetically who she is. She gets to do and say whatever she wants, and, aside from her husband, no one else witnesses it. Playing a ghost takes away these life or death stakes we see so often in plays, and she really gets to let loose. It’s not very often we get to do something like that as actors. 

JHPEntertainment: I understand this is your first show with the Keeton Theatre. What’s the experience been like so far?

Erin-Grace Bailey: It has been so lovely, and I’ve been so grateful to get to know and work with these people. I’m thankful to Donna for trusting me to take on this role and perform this text. Everyone on this team has been so supportive since the beginning. I can’t wait for the audience to see all of the love that’s been put into every aspect of this project – from the acting, to the set, to the sound design, and more.

JHPEntertainment: While it’s your first Keeton show, this isn’t your first time appearing in a work written by the great Noel Coward, having played Julia in a production of Fallen Angels. Prior to our chat you indicated Coward is your favorite playwright. What is it about his style that you enjoy?

Erin-Grace Bailey: The first time I was exposed to Noel Coward, I was in an acting class in undergrad. I was assigned a scene from Blithe Spirit, playing Madame Arcati actually, and I had a terrible time of it at first. Coward writes like you’re on a racetrack, and you don’t stop unless it’s absolutely necessary to change the tires. I had several acting classes end in tears, but once it clicked with me, I felt like it really clicked. I’ve adored him ever since. Coward’s scripts are written very intentionally. The wit in his dialogue is unmatched, and he leaves enough of his scripts up to interpretation that his works have remained relevant for the past hundred years. One of my favorite things about Blithe Spirit specifically has to do with the way he has written the female characters, particularly Ruth and Elvira. They completely juxtapose one another, yet neither of them are perfect. There aren’t these unrealistic expectations of perfect beauty or manners in either of them. I love getting to play a character who is incredibly light and feminine but also quick-witted, confrontational, and outright funny. Female identifying characters from the time period this play was written are often meant to be one thing or another, and part of why I think Coward’s works are still so cherished is that a great deal of his characters don’t fall into this trap.

RAPID FIRE WITH ABBY WADDOUPS, RUTH IN BLITHE SPIRIT

JHPEntertainment: In the Larry Keeton Theatre’s production of Noel Coward’s Blithe Spirit, you play Ruth. How would you describe her?

Abby Waddoups: Ruth is a devoted wife to Charles and considers her position of wealth and managing their household very important. Her whole world is shook when Charles believes he sees the ghost of his first wife, which continues to live with them for several days. She is naturally upset and emotional about the whole ordeal.

JHPEntertainment: As Ruth, you get the fun opportunity to play two aspects of the same character, one–her earthly human form, the other–her ghostly incarnation. Are there subtle differences in the way you play her in each of the two configurations?

Abby Waddoups: Yes, Ruth definitely has a range of emotions throughout the show and those are the best characters to play. The difference in live Ruth and spirit Ruth are great. Our director, Donna Driver, has pushed the spirits to be fun and light. I take this as the worries in the real world have been lifted from Ruth’s shoulders in death. By accepting her death, she is able to be more carefree. 

JHPEntertainment: The original script sets the action in the English countryside. Accents can always be an issue with local productions, so I’m wondering…Did the cast work with a dialect coach Or has the setting been changed?

Abby Waddoups: The Keeton theatre decided to change the setting and time period of this production. They apparently have other British farces set at the same time and thought their audience would get tired of it. The setting has been changed to 1980s Dallas. It is still in keeping with the British humor, but with small changes of locations.

JHPEntertainment: Like Erin, this is also your first time doing a Keeton show, so I’ll ask you the same question I asked her. What’s it been like thus far?

Abby Waddoups: Working at Keeton has been great! The people are all very nice and professional. The stage is on the larger side and deep for a community theatre, so that’s fun. The theatre itself has a good reputation around town and is an important part of their community. Audiences should be large and I’m sure they will enjoy the show!

JHPEntertainment: Since Blithe Spirit features a couple of séances…If you could summon the ghost of any famous person, who would it be and what would you asked of them?

Abby Waddoups: Wow, that’s an interesting question that I’ve never thought of before… of course their are multiple classic actors who would make my list, but my first instinct goes to a specific rock star, David Bowie, and I’d ask him to play a duet with me.

RAPID FIRE WITH AARON GRAY, CHARLES IN BLITHE SPIRIT

JHPEntertainment: You play Charles, a man who’s visited by not one, but two ghosts, both of whom were married to him. Describe each of your two leading ladies in three words each.

Aaron Gray: Well to begin with these two ladies are great to share the stage with. Their performances counter and compliment one another comedically. It has been awesome to work with them.

Abby Waddoups, who plays Ruth, is powerful, surprising, and engaging on and off stage. Erin-Grace Bailey as Elvira is fierce, exciting, and witty in everything she does. 

JHPEntertainment: Blithe Spirit is typically set in 40s, the time period during which it was first presented on stage. A quick look at rehearsal images reveals your longer hairstyle isn’t exactly period-authentic. I was going to ask you about that, but while chatting with one of your costars, the aforementioned Abby, about whether or not there was a dialect coach to aide with the British accents, she revealed that your production is no longer set in England, nor the 1940s. So instead I’ll ask…what do you think of the director’s decision to update the timeframe and the locale?

Aaron Gray: Great question. Our director had the idea to set the play in 1980s Dallas before we even had auditions. This is a cool spin on the play and gives it a new unique style. Charles only has a few published books, but i see him as if he thinks he is some sort of new celebrity. His recent success inspires him to keep his hair long as he likes to think he is living the 80s “rockstar” lifestyle. I was willing to cut my hair for the role if needed, but after some character development and the vision of Donna, I think the hair fits the show we are going to portray.

JHPEntertainment: Keeton patrons will no doubt recognize you as you’ve been in a few shows there. What is it about the Keeton that keeps you coming back?

Aaron Gray: After graduating from MTSU with a bachelors in theatre in 2019, the Keeton was the first theatre I auditioned for. I was cast in Mamma Mia just before the pandemic hit. When that production finally opened after being on hold for over a year, I found a family and community here that I fell in love with. For me, the Keeton isn’t just about the shows we build onstage, its about the friendships we build backstage, too.

JHPEntertainment: What’s your favorite characteristic of Charles?

Aaron Gray: Charles is an interesting character because although he is funny and relatable, he also has selfish and unlikable qualities. I personally aspire to live as a generous and good person, so to play a character like Charles has been a fun change of pace. Playing Charles’s more selfish and indignant motivations throughout the play is what makes playing him so interesting and fun. 

JHPEntertainment: Charles is a novelist struggling for inspiration for his next work. If you were to write a novel, what would it be titled and what would it be about?

Aaron Gray: I used to love creative writing in school, so portraying a novelist has reminded me of those days. I would have to say that I would write a children’s story. I have a 3 year old son that means everything to me. He inspires me to tell stories and create art that means something. So, to create a story that he’d love would mean a lot to me. It would be about growing up and embracing who you are no matter what life throws at you. I would call it The You That You Are. I would want my son to know that no matter what anyone says, the best thing he can be is himself. 

RAPID FIRE WITH DREW ANN DAVIS BORSOS, MADAME ARCATI IN BLITHE SPIRIT

JHPEntertainment: You’ve got the scene-stealing plum role of Madame Arcati, a role originated on the stage and in the classic 1945 film adaptation by Margaret Rutherford and subsequently by everyone from Geraldine Page and Angela Lansbury to Jennifer Saunders and, in the current 2022 film, Judi Dench. Those are some big turbans to fill. How do you feel you’ve made her your own?

Drew Ann Davis Borsos: I am tickled pink to play Madame Arcadi! I love physical comedy and playing eccentric, quirky characters. My last role was Daisy in Driving Miss Daisy. Her character was sedate, dignified, and reserved. My director, Vickie Bailey, had to reign me in constantly! I am thrilled to be able to go all out for Madame Arcadi! Our director, Donna Driver, has given me room to make Madame Arcadi bigger than life. Is she an act, or is she the real deal? She is passionate, boisterous, and self assured. Margaret Rutherford’s own personal characteristics along with Noel Coward’s words, made that part comical for which she earned an Oscar. But, I can’t imagine her, or Judi Dench, jumping, running, and throwing themselves on the furniture, or Angela Lansbury being overly melodramatic. I was sorry to hear that Angela Lansbury passed over this week.

JHPEntertainment: Since you play a medium, What are your thoughts on ghosts and such, and Have you ever attended a seance?

Drew Ann Davis Borsos: I would never be part of a real life seance, or go to a Fortune Teller, or seek out someone who talks to your deceased loved ones. My character talks to the dead! I have learned that there are different kinds of ghosts in the spirit world…Poltergeists, Emanations, Elementals, etc! My personal belief is that the spirit world is very powerful, very real, and not something to be mocked. Ghosts stories, movies, and plays can be entertaining, but let’s not forget that there is a dark power at work in the world, and it is deceptive. But, as far as participating in Halloween is concerned, it is about opening your doors to your neighbors and getting candy!

JHPEntertainment: As mentioned above, Madame Arcati is easily the most-desired role in Blithe Spirit. Had you not been cast as her, is there another role, regardless of whether you fit the ‘type’ or not, that you’d love to also play?

Drew Ann Davis Borsos: If I had not been cast as Madame Arcadi, I would love to play the role of “Edith”. Edith can be any age, and any gender. I love the the awkwardness and naivety of the character. Also, there are less lines to memorize!

JHPEntertainment: Has it really been a decade since you starred in the Keeton Theatre’s production of Lend Me a Tenor? The theatre has gone through a number of changes since then. What do you think is the best aspect of the current support system and crew at the Keeton?

Drew Ann Davis Borsos: There are a lot of improvements in the building and the theater, which had to be a joint venture with the staff and volunteers over the years. It is more secure and we now have a bathroom backstage!! I noticed right away that there is more organization and communication between the Staff, Board Members, Director, and Crew. It is not everywhere that an actor can walk into the first rehearsal and have a set already done, and costumes and props already provided. That gives us time to learn lines and to deliver a well rehearsed performance. I’m pleased to see in the last few years, there have been more staged plays, and not just musicals. The Larry Keeton Theatre is not just the community theatre hidden behind the Senior Center, but it is now a prime Nashville attraction.

JHPEntertainment: Blithe Spirit is celebrating its eighth decade since it was first staged. What is it about the show, and Noel Coward’s brand of comedy hijinks that makes it just as enjoyable today as ever?

Drew Ann Davis Borsos: Words, Words, Words! It is rich in vocabulary and every sentence is full of little gems. There is a beauty and art form in the way he constructed sentences. Most of us these days don’t know how to talk so eloquently. Or, is that just a British thing! The audience feels for the leading man and lady who gradually lose control of the situation, and has to rely on a bumbling clairvoyant, who got them into this mess in the first place, try to get them out of it. And who wouldn’t love to see the special effects and portrayal of ghosts on screen or in live theater?

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As Borsos’ Madame Arcadi’s says, Who wouldn’t love to see it. To catch Blithe Spirit during its three-week run onstage at The Larry Keeton Theatre (108 Donelson Pike, Nashville, TN 37214).For more information or to Purchase Tickets, CLICK HERE or call the box office at 615.231.1231. Adult Dinner and Show tickets are $35. Child Dinner and Show tickets are $25. Show Only tickets are $30 and $20 respectively. There is a special Pay What You Can Industry Night for fellow actors and crew who might not be able to make the weekend performances due to their own shows about town. For Blithe Spirit, Industry Night is Wednesday, October 12 with doors at 6:30p.m. and curtain at 7p.m. Industry Night show only tickets are a suggested $15. During the run, the schedule is as follows: Thursdays-Doors at 6:30p.m./Show at 7p.m. (Thursdays are Show Only days). Fridays and Saturdays-Doors at 5:45p.m./Dinner at 6p.m. and Show at 7p.m. Sundays-Doors at 12:45p.m./Lunch at 1p.m. and show at 2p.m.

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

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

Rapid Fire 20 Q with director and cast of ‘Breaking Up Is Hard To Do’; at Chaffin’s Barn February 6-29 with a special Valentine’s Day performance February 14.

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Jukebox musicals—a theatrical piece that features songs from one particular artist, era or genre—are hugely popular. Such shows as Mamma Mia, Jersey Boys and Smokey Joe’s Cafe frequently find their way among the favorites of local and regional theatre companies’ go-to offerings, but leave it to Chaffin’s Barn Dinner Theatre to reach a little deeper into the jukebox musical genre as they present Breaking Up Is Hard To Do, onstage at Chaffin’s from Thursday, February 6-29. If you’re like me, you may never have heard of this particular show which features the music of Neil Sedaka, as it tells a 1960s tale of Marge Gelman (played by Melissa Silengo) a young woman who, after being left at the alter, decides to take her best girlfriend Lois Warner (Jenny Norris) along on what would have been her honeymoon trip to the Catskills at the end of summer, where they encounter locals Del Delmonico, (Liam Searcy) a good looking up-and-coming crooner, his friend, Gabe Green (Curtis Reed) who just so happens to be the force behind his music, Harvey Feldman (Scott Stewart) a stand-up comedian and Esther Simowitz (Vicki White) the owner of a popular nightspot.The fact that Chaffin’s is presenting a show that’s completely new to me, coupled with the fact that once I began researching the music included, I realized I knew virtually all of the tunes (I just didn’t necessarily know they were penned by Sedaka) and I knew I had to chat with director Joy Tilley-Perryman and members of her cast for my latest Rapid Fire 20 Q.

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Rapid Fire 20 Q with Breaking Up Is Hard To Do director and cast members

Rapid Fire with Breaking Up is Hard to Do director, Joy Tilley-Perryman

JHP: I understand the show takes place in The Catskills during the 60s, a little Dirty Dancing romance with a dose of Cyrano de Bergerac and even a tad Bye Bye Birdie…is that a fair assessment?

JOY TILLEY-PERRYMAN: That is a fair assessment, with a great deal of zippy zingers, some awesome dance lifts and juggling thrown in for good measure.

JHP: The Catskills, in their prime, seem like a dream vacation. What’s your favorite vacation spot?

JOY TILLEY-PERRYMAN: My favorite vacation spot is Kauai, Hawaii. It is paradise and it has been far too long since I have been to the Waimea Falls. It is the island that Elvis made famous in Blue Hawaii and the island that Hurricane Iniki almost wiped out in 1992. I love the rhythm of  island time and the blissful energy of the Hawaiian islands. If you have never been, do yourself a favor and go!

JHP: I haven’t but it’s definitely on my To Do List. So, what is it about this show that makes it the perfect addition to Chaffin’s current season?

JOY TILLEY-PERRYMAN: This show is truly a love story for everyone. We have couples of all ages included here. And for people of a certain age (ie me), this music is so familiar and comfortable and just plain fun. Fun fact, I had a baton routine to Love Will Keep Us Together when I was 10 or 11 and if pressed, I can still remember parts of it. Just don’t ask me to do any double elbow rolls or two hand spins into an aerial release. I would fall and quite possibly break a hip these days. 

JHP: What can you tell me about your cast?  

JOY TILLEY-PERRYMAN: This cast is full of my loves and and also a fresh face making his Barn debut. I love working with Scott, Vicki, Jenny, Curtis and Melissa and have found working with Liam to be an absolute delight. You would be hard pressed to find 6 more beautiful voices. They just make me smile! Also, this show has tons of audience participation, so come on out and see if you are in Mrs. Futternick’s chair or Mr. Weinblatt’s seat or are you the lucky lady who gets to come on stage and be serenaded by Del.

Rapid Fire with Breaking Up Is Hard To Do choreographer and co-star, Curtis Reed

JHP: When I chatted with Joy, I noted a bit of a comparison in one of the show’s plots to Cyrano, in that your character Gabe Greene, is basically the guy behind the success of popular Catskills performer Del Delmonico, making you Cyrano to Liam’s Christian.  Does that sound about right?

CURTIS REED: I believe so. Liam plays Del who is oozing with charm but in all actuality is not that nice. And he is also only pretending to like Marge to get to Marge’s father, who Del thinks is a big Music Manager. My character is the nerdy, behind-the-scenes type who pines for the girl who goes unnoticed by most, but who is number one in his eyes. Gabe has the passion and the heart for music, while Del only has the looks and the voice.

JHP: Speaking of Searcy, while this is his first Chaffin’s show, you two shared the stage during Studio Tenn’s recent mounting of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, right?

CURTIS REED: This is Liam’s first Barn show and we are so excited to have him as part of this cast. I loved working with Liam on Joseph at Studio Tenn. He is a great performer and always willing to learn and better himself. I challenged him on a few dance moves both solo and with Jenny and he is a total team player. 

JHP: As I mentioned in my intro, you’re not only playing Gabe Greene, but you’re also the show’s choreographer. The 60s were such a fun time for iconic dance moves, have you had fun incorporating some of them into the show?

CURTIS REED: You will definitely see some nods from Dirty Dancing and from a lot of the background singers/dancers of the DoWop groups that were popular in that time period. Super cute, nothing too crazy (except for Liam and Jenny’s fast-paced Stupid Cupid duet so be on the lookout for that one!)

JHP: What’s your favorite musical number in the show and why?

CURTIS REED: For me it’s a toss up. I love Laughter in the Rain because it’s the duet I share with Melissa’s Marge, where Gabe, in his own way, professes his affection for her. It’s super touching and still has that nerdy 16 Candles vibe that is so heartwarming. My other favorite is the only number in the entire show where you hear all six actors at once and that is the finale, Love Will Keep Us Together. I mean how can you not love that feel-good song made popular by The Captain and Tennille?! I’m almost certain we will have audience members singing along with us throughout the show with so many memorable songs by Neil Sedaka!

Rapid Fire with Breaking Up Is Hard To Do’s Harvey, Scott Stewart

JHP: How would you describe Harvey Feldman?

SCOTT STEWART: Harvey is a veteran comic and long time performer at a Catskills resort in The Borscht Belt. His roots are in Vaudeville. Harvey still loves what he does but is lonely- and ready to open up about it.

JHP: What’s your favorite aspect of playing Harvey?

SCOTT STEWART: 

My father had a lot of comedy albums and I grew up listening to the likes of Stiller & Meara, Mel Brooks, Carl Reiner, Fanny Brice, etc… many whom started in the Catskills. To get to pretend to be among those in a blast! And I’ve always been intrigued by the whole Catskills era of America. Getting to spend an entire summer in the mountains playing?! Wow!

JHP: The show features an all-Neil Sedaka songbook. Would you say you were a fan of his music prior to being cast in this show?

SCOTT STEWART: I am a fan of Neil Sedaka!  I really didn’t learn who he was til, as a preteen, I heard The Captain & Tennille sing Love Will Keep Us Together and in the fade out of that song they sing “Sedaka is back”. I think it was Casey Kasem that explained who that was one week, and then I started to learn more about him. But this show has some songs with which I was not familiar.

JHP: As Harvey, you share scenes with Vicki White’s Esther. You’ve done several shows together. How much fun is she as a co-star?

SCOTT STEWART: Oh man, she is the best!  Vicki has a unique way of rehearsing her characters and she puts so much thought into them, but it’s often not til late in the process when I see what she’s doing, and understand how to interact and play with her character. I love it! Keeps me from getting lazy.

Rapid Fire with Breaking Up Is Hard To Do’s Esther, Vicki White 

JHP: What is your favorite aspect of playing Esther?

VICKI WHITE: Nothing keeps Esther down. She is fun, feisty, and a survivor. 

JHP: When I chatted with Scott, I mentioned that you two share scenes. You’ve done a few shows together, right? Isn’t he just fantastic?

VICKI WHITE: Yes! I am lucky enough to have done many shows with the talented Scott Stewart.  He is funny, down to earth, and has a beautiful voice. This has been my first opportunity to play opposite of Scott as a romantic interest and it has been a blast!

JHP: The 60s, the Catskills…if you could go back in time and experience that in real life, what do you think you’d enjoy most?

VICKI WHITE: Fancy clothes and cocktails. Everything was such an event, from the different activities to dinner and shows. They made a vacation last an entire summer. I am a huge fan of Mrs. Maisel and Dirty Dancing. I would LOVE to time travel with my family for a vacation in the Catskills!

JHP: Looking at the songs included in the show, I gotta admit, even though I have always loved The Captain and Tennille’s Love Will Keep Us Together, I didn’t realize it was a Neil Sedaka song. (In case you’re keeping up, yes, that makes four for four with mention of this particular tune, but I digress) Are there any songs in the show you were surprised to learn he had written?

VICKI WHITE: I was so surprised to find out that he had written Where the Boys Are. I knew it as this iconic song from the sixties that I had always associated with Connie Francis.

Rapid Fire with Breaking Up Is Hard To Do’s Lois, Jenny Norris

JHP: You play Lois Warner. How is the character most like yourself?

JENNY NORRIS: She is loyal and would do anything for those she loves. I would say those are two big parts of who I am. 

JHP: As Lois, you’re best pals with Marge Gelman played by Melissa Silengo. Marge has been left at the altar and decided to bring her bestie Lois on the honeymoon instead. What’s the advantage of taking a girlfriend on your honeymoon?

JENNY NORRIS: Having a shopping buddy! 

JHP: Chaffin’s resident costumer, Miariam Creighton is providing the wardrobe for the show. What’s your favorite 60s aesthetic as seen in the show, whether it be part of Lois’ wardrobe or that of one of your co-stars?

JENNY NORRIS: I have enjoyed the high waisted look in shorts and pants for ladies. It has inspired several of my recent Poshmark purchases. Plus big volume hair is always a favorite of mine! 

JHP: Sedaka’s titular lyrics suggest that reconciliation is the solution. What do you think?

JENNY NORRIS: Well although he says breaking up is hard to do, I say sometimes being with the wrong one is harder. You’ll have to come see if Marge realizes it or not! 

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Melissa Selingo, Liam Searcy and Jenny Norris in a scene from “Breaking Up Is Hard To Do”

As Norris suggests, audience members will have their chance to see how Marge deals with her breakup as Breaking Up Is Hard To Do plays Chaffin’s Barn Dinner Theatre Thursday, February 6 thru Saturday, February 29. CLICK HERE or call 615.646.9977 for reservations. Thursday matinees begin at 12 noon (doors at 11a.m.), while Thursday, Friday and Saturday evening performances begin at 7:30p.m. (doors at 5:30). Sunday matinees begin at 2 p.m. (with doors at noon for lunch service.

Thursday matinee tickets are $20 for show only or $28.50 for show and a Box Lunch. Evening show tickets are $18 for children 12 and under, $25 for youth/students and $47 for adults. 

Of course, being Chaffin’s Barn Dinner Theatre, they also offer a full buffet option or a la carte menu items for their evening and Sunday lunch matinee performances. Chaffin’s delicious buffet, featuring a choice of entrees (including a veggie option), and a number of side items is available for an additional $15.95, while the ‘a la carte menu items (also quite tastily) range in price from $6.95 to $10.95. Plus there’s a wide array of dessert options to choose from $2.50 to $5.00. CLICK HERE to check out the menu. 

On Friday, February 14, Chaffin’s will host a special Valentine’s Day performance of Breaking Up Is Hard To Do which will feature a special Valentine’s Day menu and three ticket level options. First, for $150 per couple, patrons can enjoy the show, buffet dinner, a bottle of champaign or sparkling cider, a special dessert plate with chocolate strawberries and cheesecake, a rose for that special someone and a chance to win some fabulous prizes. For $220, you can secure a private four-top table for two, plus all of the above-listed amenities. For $330, two couples can enjoy a private six-top table for four with all the above amenities. CLICK HERE to view the special Valentine’s Day Menu. Please call the box office to book these special reservations. 

To keep up with the latest from Chaffin’s Barn Dinner Theatre, find them online at ChaffinsBarnTheatre.com, ’like’ them on Facebook and follow them on Instagram and Twitter.

If you’ve enjoyed this edition of Rapid Fire, CLICK HERE to check out previous conversations. Interested in coverage for your latest entertaining endeavor? Click the contact page and drop me a note. You can also follow JHP Entertainment on Instagram and Facebook.


Rapid Fire 20 Q: Conversations from The Emerald City as The Larry Keeton Theatre celebrates Opening Weekend of ‘The Wizard of Oz’ directed by Jef Ellis

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When you consider the fact that L. Frank Baum’s beloved The Wizard of Oz was originally released in book form in 1900 and the equally-iconic MGM musical movie adaptation itself is celebrating it’s 80th anniversary this year, it’s really no surprise that all things Oz continue to be just as mesmerizing all these years later. Proof that the story of young dreamer Dorothy Gale’s first visit to the enchanted Land of Oz is still an audience favorite is evident in the fact that The Larry Keeton Theatre opened their production of the stage adaptation earlier this week with shows continuing at the popular Nashville area dinner theatre, with performances continuing through June 29.

To celebrate Opening Weekend, I recently had an opportunity to chat with the show’s director, Jef Ellis as well as four members of his cast including Emma Brown, who plays Dorothy, J. Robert Lindsey, who’s cast as The Tin Man, The Cowardly Lion’s Sara Kistner and Thomas Gentry, who’ll be performing the role of The Scarecrow for an All-In, All-Oz Rapid Fire 20 Q.

Sara Kistner, J. Robert Lindsey, Thomas Gentry and Emma Brown in The Keeton Theatre’s “The Wizard of Oz”

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RAPID FIRE 20 Q WITH DIRECTOR & CAST OF THE LARRY KEETON THEATRE’S THE WIZARD OF OZ

RAPID FIRE WITH THE WIZARD OF OZ DIRECTOR, JEF ELLIS

JHP: What’s your first memory of The Wizard of Oz?

JEF ELLIS: I grew up as part of a generation who watched the movie on TV once a year and my earliest memory is being scared to death of those flying monkeys. In fact, we’d have to switch off the TV every time they made an appearance. I don’t think I ever saw the entire film until I was well into adulthood and could manage my flying monkey phobia with grace.

JHP: Having interviewed you in the past, I’ve noted that whenever you direct a piece that’s as beloved for its cinematic adaptation as it is its stage version, you always manage to pay homage to the Hollywood incarnation. Can you reveal, or at least tease, how you’ve achieved this with this production of Oz?

JEF ELLIS: The script is very much like the screenplay, down to the stage directions. But because I love classic films of this particular era, I have chosen to honor the golden age of Hollywood — specifically 1939 — with some of the expected tropes of moviemaking of that time and when I’ve talked about it with my cast members, I’ve often used references to the stars of that era and we’ve attempted to give the Kansas scenes a sense of classic black-and-white filmmaking and acting for the camera. It is subtle, but it’s there and it helps inspire my talented cast.

JHP: What aspect of this production has brought you the most joy as a director?

JEF ELLIS: Believe it or not, it’s working with young actors, particularly the very young actors who play a variety of roles from Munchkins to Ozians to the Wicked Witch of the West’s flying monkeys. Introducing this beloved film to a new generation is both an awesome and daunting experience. When we first started, I felt rather at sea insofar as what I was striving to do with this particular show, but one day during rehearsal, I restaged the Act One finale (the approach to the Emerald City after the experience in the field of poppies) and it suddenly dawned on me what the show is actually about and how impactful it can be on audiences, whether they are veterans like me of seeing the movie annually for years and years or if they are only just now being exposed to it.

JHP: Why does The Wizard of Oz endure?

JEF ELLIS: To my way of thinking, it’s a uniquely American fairy tale — the story of one young girl’s search for who she really is and what is most important to a life well-lived, told in a distinctly American way. I think far too often The Wizard of Oz becomes the focus of academics who try to foist their own meaning upon the story — and lord knows, I love that kind of stuff — but when I read more about L. Frank Baum and what he was trying to do, it opened up vast new vistas for me as far as storytelling is concerned. To me, the best thing about live theater is its ability to transport and to transform and there is perhaps no show I’ve directed in my career that better subscribes to that belief. The Wizard of Oz is the quintessential American fairy tale that instantly whisks audiences away to a vividly imagine world quite unlike any you might imagine on your own. Because of that, the story is timeless and we can all find something about it with which we might identify.

RAPID FIRE WITH EMMA BROWN, DOROTHY GALE IN THE WIZARD OF OZ 

JHP: Frank Baum’s The Wizard of Oz is easily one of the most beloved stories ever. What’s it like to be cast as Dorothy Gale?

EMMA BROWN: If you play an iconic character, comparisons to the original are inevitable. That kind of pressure is an exciting challenge because it’s all about bringing some of the magic from the classic to the stage. A little magic and a lot of dog treats.

JHP: Arguably, the 1939 film adaptation is just as popular, if not more so, than the classic novel. Were you a fan of either incarnation before auditioning for this production?

EMMA BROWN: We had The Wizard of Oz movie on VHS when I was little, and I used to rewind the scenes and act them out alongside the TV. One of my favorites was throwing myself off our couches to reenact when Judy Garland falls into the pig pen. Unfortunately, the stage version does not have that scene, because I would have been thoroughly prepared.

JHP: While researching to chat with you and your fellow Ozians, I ran across a recent Oz-related post on your social media in regards to your recent birthday. Care to share what your parents did to celebrate your birthday and you being cast as Dorothy?

EMMA BROWN: My mom labeled yellow napkins with letters that said, “Follow the Yellow Brick Road,” and she put them on the floor leading to the kitchen, where my Dad hung a Wizard of Oz poster that he drew himself. It had the Lion, Scarecrow, Dorothy, Tin Man, the Emerald City, apple trees, rainbows, it was incredible. The thoughtfulness of those two almost made up for the fact that Dad used up all my markers.

JHP: Somewhere Over the Rainbow is simply iconic. Do you have a favorite phrase amongst the lyrics that kind of gets you every time you sing it?

EMMA BROWN: “…And the dreams that you dare to dream, really do come true…” I love that lyric for two reasons: it speaks to anyone with passion, ambition, and hope, and it’s the only place in the song where I get to breathe.

RAPID FIRE WITH THOMAS GENTRY, THE SCARECROW IN THE WIZARD OF OZ

JHP: Which of The Scarecrow’s characteristics do you share—or would you love to adopt?

THOMAS GENTRY: Oh man, The Scarecrow and I have more in common than I ever realized. Perhaps the most obvious might be my general absent-mindedness (yeah yeah, pun-intended). Ask anyone who’s ever tried to leave the house with me; I can NEVER find my keys, wallet, phone, etc. Also, like the Scarecrow, I’m an external processor so I often put my foot in my mouth by spewing unfiltered babble or asking questions with obvious answers. I will say however, that I admire the Scarecrow’s unwavering and selfless love and support of Dorothy. To me that’s a very endearing characteristic of the Scarecrow and something that I’d like to demonstrate in any friendship.

JHP: Alright, I just gotta say…with your hair, did you initially audition for The Cowardly Lion? Because your mane is epic! But on to my real question….The Scarecrow is surprisingly a very physically demanding role. Do you have a dance background?

THOMAS GENTRY: Haha, ya know, I didn’t. But it’s been brought to my attention that I perhaps should have. Maybe I’ll lop it off for Sara, our Lion, to make a wig out of. Anyway, you are not lying about the Scarecrow being a physically demanding role. After being cast, I began watching so many different performances where the Scarecrow was doing full splits and jazz pirouettes. I thought, “uh oh.” But I do have a background of basic ballroom dancing and a shameless enthusiasm to brave any dance-based aerobics class no matter how outnumbered I am by middle-aged moms. Throw that in with a history of various board sports that have taught me how to roll and fall and I’d say I’ve attempted to adapt the part to the floppiest, most energetic version of my skill-set. Knee pads help a lot too.

JHP: One of my absolute favorite Scarecrow lines is, “Some people without brains do an awful lot of talking, don’t you think?” Given today’s social and political climate, do you expect to get big reactions from that line?

THOMAS GENTRY: I know, right? When I first read the script I thought “Oh my gosh, how did they know?” It just seemed perfectly timed. A little more research led me to the fact that the L. Frank Baum’s 1900 novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz was always intended to be somewhat of a political allegory. Much of the allegorical structure remained in tact in the beloved 1939 film which popularized the line in question. The genius of this line is that it will always be relevant no matter who’s doing a lot of talking or who’s in power at any given time. That said, I, like every person who has heard this line since 1939, do think it seems most applicable considering today’s social and political climate and I certainly hope for big reactions from that line.

JHP: While this interpretation of The Wizard of Oz follows the 1939 film adaptation very closely, one sequence that was cut from the film, The Jitterbug, was added back to this stage version when it was first produced by the Royal Shakespeare Company In 1987. What can you tell me about this number and the show’s choreography as a whole?

THOMAS GENTRY: Initially, it seemed that much of the cast had a love/hate relationship with this number. Ya know, no one’s really heard it, it’s not exactly a crowd favorite upon first listen, and it’s certainly not the 80’s Wham hit that I first think of when I hear Jitterbug. That said, it’s one of only two instances where the leads get to sing and dance with the entire ensemble, so The Jitterbug is actually key during the second act to give the audience a little something spicy and fun featuring almost the entire cast. And ya know what? It’s actually become a pretty cool number. Our choreographer, Kevin Raymond, has really turned it in to something nice. He’s done a great job of adapting the film’s choreography to the stage, while still maintaining the look and feel of the film’s original dance numbers that the audience expects to see.

RAPID FIRE WITH SARA KISTNER, THE COWARDLY LION IN THE WIZARD OF OZ 

JHP: The Cowardly Lion is typically played by a male, so…are you playing the role as a gender-flip? non-binary? or in male drag?

SARA KISTNER: The best way to describe the way I am playing the Cowardly Lion is a mix of gender flipping and non-binary factors. I know it is difficult to technically do both, but we changed words like him to her and king to queen, but I am trying to remain true to the Cowardly Lion as everyone knows “him”. I play the Lion with a deeper voice but Queen of The Forest may catch you by surprise. I am using that gender battle of Men are tough and Women are gentle and trying to place myself amongst the other characters to really play up each of the Lion’s hurdles with courage.

JHP: When playwright John Kane and the Royal Shakespeare Company revisited the story of Oz for this iteration’s debut in 1987, the costumes were based on a combination of both the original illustrations by William Wallace Denslow from the 1900 1st edition of Baum’s book and Adrian Adolph Greenberg’s legendary costumes designed for the 1939 film adaptation. Who designed the costumes for The Keeton’s production and what’s your favorite aspect of them?

SARA KISTNER: Our costume designer Cary Street, is recreating Glinda, Dorothy, Tinman, Scarecrow, and Lion as we all remember them whether it is the film or the stage adaptation, while taking our ensemble and giving them some flare and originality. My favorite aspect of our costumes would have to be the color scheme for our ensemble members, everyone pops in their own way on stage!

JHP: Earlier this year you worked with Jef as a member of his cast of Singin in the Rain and now in Oz. While composing questions to ask you and your fellow Yellow Brick Roadies, it dawned on me, Jef is a bit like the Wizard isn’t he? I’m curious…in the spirit of Oz, what’s something surprising you’ve learned about Jef…behind the magic curtain?

SARA KISTNER: Jef is in fact a lot like Oz, he goes wherever the wind takes his balloon. We all know Oz as this big scary spectacle of a being that no one really knows much about other than the obvious, I believe that is true for Jef as well, to a degree. The way Jef directs is very much straight to the point, and we as his cast are to follow his instructions in order to reap our rewards. The difference between Jef and Oz is, Oz is pretending to be something he is not, Jef remains true to himself and his demands are for the best of the production he is working on at the time. Once the cast has completed their tasks and we begin the run of our show, that is when Jef comes out behind the curtain we receive our motivational speech and the wind takes him on to his next adventure.

JHP: The Cowardly Lion seeks courage. What does courage mean to you?

SARA KISTNER: I believe Courage is not defined by one specific thing. Courage can be as simple as facing the day when all you feel is dread, it is going out and walking with the masses whether you are a feminist, a member of LGBTQ, Black Lives Matter, or even serving the United States Military. You never know what each day may bring you, but facing each day with everything you have in your soul not knowing what may be waiting for you, that is true courage.

RAPID FIRE WITH J. ROBERT LINDSEY, THE TIN MAN IN THE WIZARD OF OZ

JHP: Prior to being cast as The Tin Man, how familiar with this particular adaptation, which debuted on stage in 1987, and more closely follows the classic film than other stagings?

J. ROBERT LINDSEY: I had the opportunity to play The Tin Man (and his farmhand counterpart, Hickory) in college.  We did this adaptation as well, so I was pretty familiar with this particular version.  As a child, I was obsessed with the movie, so having the chance to play this role in a version that so closely follows the film not only once — but twice — has been such an honor.

JHP: This mounting of The Wizard of Oz marks how many times you’ve worked under the direction of Jef? What keeps you coming back to audition when he’s at the helm?

J. ROBERT LINDSEY: Wizard is the fourth time I have worked under Jef’s direction.  I first met Jef when I played Cliff Bradshaw in his production of Cabaret followed by My Fair Lady (as Freddy Eynsford-Hill) and The Boys in the Band (as Larry). What I love about Jef as a director is that he comes into the rehearsal process with a very clear vision. As an actor, it’s great working with a director who knows exactly what he wants out of you. Jef also does a wonderful job of recreating classic films on stage. In this particular show, he pays homage to the 1939 film as well as the original novel while simultaneously adding some twists and turns along that way that audiences have never seen before.

JHP: Among the lyrics of The Tin Man’s famed If I Only Had a Heart is the line, “Just to register emotion, jealousy, devotion and really feel the part”. At what point during the rehearsal process did you ‘really feel the part’ as far as finding YOUR The Tin Man?

J. ROBERT LINDSEY: Having played this role before, I didn’t want to cop out and recreate the same exact performance. The stage version dives into some of The Tin Man’s backstory. For The Tin Man, a heart represents the life he knew before the Wicked Witch enchanted his axe and subsequently turned him into tin. During one of our rehearsals, we were running the scene where the Tin Man shares his story with Dorothy and the Scarecrow. As the words were coming out of my mouth,  I really thought about how heartbreaking (no pun intended) his story is and how that fuels this journey he goes on. For me, that’s when this incarnation of the Tin Man started to evolve.

JHP: Among the many themes of Oz, Family is key, whether it’s the family we’re born into or the family we choose. I hear actors say over and over that their casts become family. Why do you suppose that is?

J. ROBERT LINDSEY: So many of the stories we tell in theatre are centered around relationships. As the cast dives into creating their own characters and developing the relationships they have with the other characters in the show, it’s hard to completely separate yourself as an actor. It’s an emotional journey and requires a lot of energy, and the only people who can relate are the ones in the show alongside you. It truly fosters a sense of family – which is one of my favorite aspects of theatre.

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The Wizard of Oz at The Larry Keeton Theatre continues with shows thru Saturday, June 29. Thursday-Saturday shows begin at 7p.m. with Sunday matinee curtain at 2p.m. Dinner and Show tickets are available for $30 for Adults and $20 for Children 12 and Under. Show Only Tickets are available for $25 for Adults or $15 for Children 12 and Under. Unlike Dorothy, you don’t need a flying house, a bubble-hopping good witch, a hot air balloon or even ruby slippers to visit, but you do need to CLICK (just one time)….CLICK HERE for tickets.

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

If you’ve enjoyed this installment of my recurring interview feature,be sure and check out previous conversations at Rapid Fire 20 Q. Interested in coverage for your latest entertaining endeavor? Click the contact page and drop me a note. You can also follow JHP Entertainment on Instagram and Facebook.

Rapid Fire Q&A with ‘Miss Saigon’ cast members Anthony Festa and Stacie Bono; at TPAC’s Jackson Hall thru Sunday, June 9

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Earlier this week as the National Tour of Miss Saigon prepared for their current stint in Nashville at TPAC’s Jackson Hall Tuesday, June 4 through Sunday, June 9, I had the chance to pose a few questions to two of the show’s lead actors for the latest installment of my recurring interview segment, Rapid Fire Q&A. Up first is my conversation with Anthony Festa, who plays fresh-faced U.S. soldier, Chris, who, while stationed in Vietnam, meets and falls in love with a local Vietnamese teenager name Kim. Following my conversation with Festa, I had the opportunity to chat with Stacie Bono who plays Ellen. Ellen is the young American woman Chris marries following his return to the U.S. after the war.

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RAPID FIRE Q&A WITH MISS SAIGON’S ANTHONY FESTA

 JHP:  What can you tell me about Chris, the character you play in the current National Tour of Miss Saigon?

ANTHONY FESTA: Chris is an American G.I during the fall of the Vietnam war who falls in love with Kim a young girl orphaned by the war. The story of our show takes you through his life leading up to the evacuation and the impact of the war’s trauma after.

JHP: While researching to chat with you, I ran across a promo clip in which you say Miss Saigon taught you musical theatre. What do you recall about your first knowledge of this piece?

ANTHONY FESTA: The first time I ever saw this show I was 14 and my father, who has since passed away, pointed up on stage and said “this is a role for you, Anthony”. I find it full circle to be playing it now. In high school I had a CD (remember those?) that I played in my car that had half Rent songs and half Miss Saigon songs on it. I sang the songs on my way to school every day.

JHP: For those who may or may not be familiar with the show, what’s new and different about this production?

ANTHONY FESTA: Our director, Laurence Connor has re-imagined this production completely. From minor script changes to a new helicopter design that really blows the audience away ever single night. Working directly with the entire creative team and Cameron Mackintosh (the show’s original creator) himself has been an amazing experience. The entire team has brought nuance to the piece and really allowed our cast to breath a whole new life into it.

JHP: From what I know, this isn’t your first National Tour, having been part of 2016’s Wicked tour, but this is your first visit to Nashville, right? Is there anything you hope to visit and share with your current cast while here in Music City?

ANTHONY FESTA: The Wicked tour launched in 2009 and just celebrated its 10th year on the road, I wasn’t a part of it until 2016! I didn’t experience Nashville but I’m extremely excited to for the first time now. I enjoy the food and culture in all the cities we visit and I hear Nashville has quite a lot of both!

JHP: If there were a ‘Seven Wonders of Musical Theatre’ list, alongside the chandelier from Phantom, surely the helicopter from Miss Saigon would take its rightful place among the top marvels. You mentioned it above, but I’m curious…it’s  always a thrilling scene for the audience, what’s it like to play that scene night after night from city to city?

ANTHONY FESTA: It’s in a word “iconic”. The helicopter is a multi-million dollar set piece that moves on many different axis points and shutter effects. I marvel at how brilliant the design is every single night and yes it’s right up there with Elphaba flying and the chandelier falling. The audience will feel the wind of this chopper blowing their hair back and the evacuation scene, most commonly, will result in them picking their jaws up off the floor.

JHP: As Chris, you get the joy of not one, but two on-stage romances, first there’s Emily Bautista as Kim, the young local girl Chris falls in love with while stationed in Vietnam. Then there’s Stacie Bono as Ellen, the American girl Chris marries stateside. What’s your favorite aspect of sharing the stage with these two beautiful and talented actresses?

ANTHONY FESTA: Ahh man, I mean you sum it up right there. Beautiful and talented. Emily and Stacie are two amazing and empowering women in a time that I think we need that the most. The strength and journey of their characters is truly beautiful. As Kim, Emily takes on motherhood at such a young age and as Ellen, Stacie cares for an American GI with nothing but complete empathy for his war torn past and trauma.

RAPID FIRE Q&A WITH MISS SAIGON’S STACIE BONO

JHP: Having just chased with Anthony, I asked his favorite aspect of sharing the stage with you, so I’ll start our conversation by asking you…what do you enjoy most about sharing scenes with Anthony?

STACIE BONO: Anthony is so open onstage and we have built strong trust together. I’m confident that whichever direction I go in a scene, he will follow me and have my back. He’s also a super silly, lovable guy offstage and that helps to lighten up all the drama we have to endure onstage.

JHP: While Ellen is central to the action of the story of Miss Saigon, the audience doesn’t really get much backstory on her. I always find it interesting to ask actors what backstory they’ve created for their character that helps them bring a depth to the role. With that in mind…who is Ellen?

STACIE BONO: It is true that there is very little text about Ellen in the script, so I’ve had to use a lot of imagination to flush her out. It fascinated me how this woman was so tolerant of her husband’s outbursts and lack of communication – and she was dealing with this before the discovery of PTSD in 1980. My instinct was that Ellen had experienced this kind of trauma before with someone else she had loved deeply, her father, which gave her understanding and patience for her husband’s suffering. Ellen was very much against the war and went to several protests while in college and so when she falls in love with Chris, she feels it is almost her duty to heal him from what the Vietnam war did to him. Her immense compassion, warmth and empathy in dealing with Kim and Tam leads me to believe she has a career in social work or psychology. She knows how to handle people in stressful situations and keep her own emotions out of it… for the most part.

JHP: Even though the action of the piece takes place in the 1970s, there are so many elements of the story that are relevant today. What’s one aspect of the plot that you find most rewarding to shine a light to?

STACIE BONO: I fear we’ve reached a dangerous place of tribalism and isolationism in our country. We are obsessed with “Us vs. Them” and there is a lack of compassion for humans of other races and cultures. The central story of Miss Saigon is a mother’s sacrifice for her child. That is truly a binding commonality of the human condition that anyone can understand. My hope is that this story can open people’s hearts and inspire a little more tolerance and compassion for others.

JHP:  With so many gorgeous sets, costumes and scenes, what’s among your favorites? Whether you’re part of those scenes of simply admiring from side-stage?

STACIE BONO: My favorite scene is the nightmare. Now you may think it’s because of the awesome 3 ton helicopter in that scene – which is super cool – but it’s really my favorite scene because every single cast member is so committed to transporting the audience to this heartbreaking and epic moment in history. The music, lyrics and our company’s passion and devotion makes the scene so palpable. It makes me weep every time I watch it.

JHP: How’s life on the road been thus far during this tour?

STACIE BONO: Technology has definitely changed the touring life. It’s much easier to explore new cities with google maps and Uber in your back pocket and to stay in touch with your loved ones via FaceTime.

JHP: What’s the most rewarding aspect of being part of the newest chapter of such a beloved piece of musical theatre history?

STACIE BONO: It has been a dream come true to work and collaborate with the creatives of this show. These men are musical theater gods! I remember at one point in the rehearsal room, Claude-Michel Schönberg rewriting the opening of Maybe for me. That was pretty spectacular. It’s been an honor to put my little stamp on a character who has largely been maligned and misunderstood in the past. I hope my portrayal of Ellen has helped show that she is not a villain at all, but another victim of this story.

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With that my conversations with Festa and Bono came to a close, but it’s just the beginning of Miss Saigon’s Nashville tour stop as the famed helicopter lands on TPAC’s Jackson Hall stage in just a few short hours as the National Tour calls Music City home thru Sunday, June 9.

Showtimes are Tuesday-Thursday at 7:30p.m., Friday and Saturday at 8p.m. with matinees Saturday at 2p.m. and Sunday at 1p.m. with a final performances Sunday evening at 6:30p.m. Tickets range in price from $40 to $100. CLICK HERE to Purchase tickets or for more information.

Earlier today, TPAC announced the limited availability of $30 rush tickets for all performances. For a chance to purchase select seats at this special price, you must arrive at TPAC’s lobby box office 90 minutes prior to showtime, where you can enter to a ticket lottery drawing. Limit two per person while supplies last. 

If you’ve enjoyed this Rapid Fire Q&A, CLICK HERE to peruse previous conversations. Be sure and check back for my review of the show after tonight’s Nashville opening night performance.

Not in Nashville? CLICK HERE to see where Miss Saigon plays as the tour continues across the U.S. with dates announced through June of next year. For more from the National Tour of Miss Saigon, follow the company of Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. To keep up with what’s happening at TPAC, follow them on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram as well.

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

Rapid Fire Q&A with director and cast of Expression City’s ‘Matilda’; regional premiere March 29 & 30

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It’s been three years since Nashville theatre audiences had the opportunity to see Matilda: The Musical when the National Tour came through Music City. Thanks to Curtis Reed and the team at Expression City, all that’s about to change this weekend as Bradley Moore directs the regional theatrical premiere of the beloved Roald Dahl story of a precocious young girl with a penchant for elaborate stories and a touch of telekinesis; at Expression City’s gorgeous new Roy E. Barberi Theatre (1724b Gen George Patton Drive Brentwood, TN) for three shows only, Friday and Saturday, March 29 and 30. Matilda stars Audrey Rowels in the title role and features a mix of professional actors, adults and student performers. As the cast prepared for Opening Night, I recently chatted with director, Moore and a few members of his cast, including Reed, who’s playing Agatha Trunchbull; Elizabeth Turner, cast as Mrs. Wormwood; John Mauldin, appearing as Mr. Wormwood, for the latest in my recurring interview feature, Rapid Fire Q&A.

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RAPID FIRE WITH MATILDA’S CURTIS REED

JHP: In addition to being the company’s Musical Theatre Program Director, you’re also choreographing and appearing in Matilda as Agatha Trunchbull. What can you tell me about Agatha?

CURTIS REED: Yes, I have been with the company since its start and have helped build their musical theatre program into what it is today. I have a secret love for playing the villain. It’s always a bigger stretch, and with this particular character having so much comedy built in, it has been a dream come true. I may not be 6 feet tall or taller like those who played her on Broadway, but I have a very large personality that i think makes up for what I lack in stature. 

JHP: Aside from the National Tour that played TPAC a few years back, this marks the regional theatrical debut of Matilda. How did mounting it at Expression City come about?

CURTIS REED: Allison Barberi, the owner and founder of Expression City and I have talked about it for a while now and we both said, the second it becomes available let’s apply. We were fortunate enough to be able to stage the first premiere of the show here in Nashville and that is huge for us! Especially is a growing company only 3 years old.

JHP: What is it about Matilda that makes it a perfect fit for Expression City’s current season?

CURTIS REED: These kids that are part of our program are crazy talented. We have a lot of girls and a good handful of boys. We knew this would be the next challenge that they could definitely take on. With close to 20 kids having to learn British accents and pull them off—along with a style of choreography they aren’t used to and a story that is a bit darker in nature,—they have all risen to the expectation. 

JHP: You’ve worked alongside Bradley Moore in a number of shows over the years, but this is his first time directing for Expression City. What’s been the best aspect of having him direct this show?

CURTIS REED: Not only is he a dear friend, he is a respected and admired colleague. I was so happy that I could bring him in and we could finally collaborate on a show on the same side of the table. The kids love him and we have a stellar adult cast as well. We are so looking forward to sharing this project with Nashville. Bradley’s direction keeps it fresh and constantly moving. This show is a beast!

RAPID FIRE WITH MATILDA’S BRADLEY MOORE

JHP: When I chatted with Curtis, I asked him about working with you as a director, so I’ll start by asking you about directing Curtis. How has it been working with him and the rest of the cast of Matilda?

BRADLEY MOORE: This is actually the fourth show that I have directed Curtis in and I am always so lucky to have that opportunity. He is always a team player and one of the most talented, committed performers I know. The difference on this show was that he was not only playing one of the main characters, but also the Choreographer & Music Director. So we finally had the opportunity to collaborate on all things creative. That was a gift! We have been close friends for years and always talked about working together in different capacities and it finally happened! We were both clamoring to do Matilda so this was definitely kismet. And the cast is incredible. Such a ridiculously talented group of kids and professional actors. And I get to work with Cecilia Lighthall as my Stage Manager! I could not have asked for a better situation to present this Tennessee Premiere!

JHP: This is your first time directing a show at Expression City. What was behind your decision to join the team in this capacity?

BRADLEY MOORE: The short answer: Curtis. For the past year, he had been very adamant about bringing me into the Expression City family. And for that, I am super grateful. Friends who go to bat for you and try to help you achieve your dreams are extremely rare. Then back in December, he had cast me in Newsies at Expression City, which was my first experience with the studio. I loved every minute. The kid’s passion and energy is infectious. The environment at Expression City is very positive, encouraging, and warm. I couldn’t think of a better place to create art.

JHP: What do you hope audiences come away feeling after experiencing Matilda?

BRADLEY MOORE: Matilda is one of those shows that has all the feels; It’s hilarious, heartwarming, heartbreaking, sad, scary, and a million other emotions. I think that each audience member will take something different away from the show. As long as they leave with a smile and maybe a tear in their eye, then we have definitely done our job as artists.

JHP: I understand your cast includes 18 student performers. What’s the most exciting aspect of directing theatre kids?

BRADLEY MOORE: Remembering that I was them. I think back to when I was their age and realize how much I learned from my directors and the seasoned actors I was lucky enough to work with. To possibly be that person in these kids’ lives is a powerful thing. Kids are sponges and they are so eager to learn and better their craft. And I keep saying kids, but these “young actors” are a level of professional that I don’t even think I was at their age. The whole experience has been beyond rewarding for me. 

RAPID FIRE WITH MATILDA’S ELIZABETH TURNER

JHP: You play Mrs. Wormwood. What’s your favorite thing about her?

ELIZABETH TURNER: Boy, I wish I had one ounce of her self-confidence! She literally dances like EVERYONE’S watching. 

JHP: This is your first time being in a show at Expression City. Are you having fun?

ELIZABETH TURNER: I am having a great time!  I was on a bit of a self-imposed theatre sabbatical after having my daughter Eleanor in 2017, and I am really happy this was the show that got me out of my “mom cave.” The cast is extraordinary with great chemistry. And of course, I always enjoy working with Bradley.

JHP: As Matilda’s mother, you share scenes with both Audrey Rowles, who’s playing Matilda, Braden Wahl, who plays Matilda’s brother, Michael and John Mauldin, who’s playing your on-stage husband, Mr. Wormwood. What’s it been like being part of this particular family?

ELIZABETH TURNER: Oh, you know, we’re just your typical Norman Rockwell family, with a hint of John Waters mixed in for variety!  Audrey is such a sweet, talented, and grounded young actor. She carries the lion’s share of the show’s lines and songs, and I’m so impressed with her abilities. Braden and I graduated from the same theatre program at Tennessee Tech a few years apart from one another, so it’s been a lot of fun talking about productions and mutual friends back in Cookeville. 

John has been an absolute pleasure to work with. He’s such a nice guy that it’s tricky to constantly be yelling in his face and slapping him around onstage.

JHP: A big theme behind Matilda seems to be marching to your own drum, changing your own story. I understand you have a young daughter yourself. While she’s still a toddler, have you given any thoughts of how you’ll instill that attitude in her?

ELIZABETH TURNER: Great question!  My husband (Toby Turner) and I have had many talks about what we think Eleanor will be like when she’s older. I often joke that, it’d be just our luck that the two actor parents would have a child who is only interested in sports. But, of course, we will support her interests whatever they may be, and in the end, what really matters to us is that she’s happy with who she is, both inside and out, and that she is not afraid of being her 100% authentic self. To quote Kacey Musgraves, “just follow your arrow wherever it points!”

RAPID FIRE WITH MATILDA’S JOHN MAULDIN

JHP: What can you tell me about Mr. Wormwood?

JOHN MAULDIN: He is probably an example of one of the worst parents in the world in the sense that he is not compassionate to his youngest child, Matilda, who he wished was a boy.  He is a used car salesman who has grand schemes that aren’t fully thought out which have disastrous results for the family.  Ironically, his blunderings lead to one of the most heartwarming stories in Matilda.

JHP: Matilda tells the story of a precocious 5-year old who takes refuge among the library. As a kid, what was your escape?

JOHN MAULDIN:  My imagination was my escape. I would create narratives for my G.I. Joes; ya know secret rescue missions and what not.

JHP: For this who may not be familiar with the story, Mr. Wormwood is Matilda’s father. Audrey Rowles is playing the title role. What can you tell me about your young co-star?

JOHN MAULDIN: She is an amazing kid with oodles of talent. The audience is going to love her. She has been a real treat to work with.

JHP: This is your second show with Expression City, having appeared in their recent Newsies production. What’s the most gratifying aspect of working with a theatre company focused on younger actors and audiences?

JOHN MAULDIN: It is a joy to work with these kids.  Their commitment to honing their craft is inspiring.  The performance level these kids reach is a testament to the training they receive at Expression City.  I am pleased that I may have a small part in mentoring tomorrow’s theatre artists.  It is so rewarding to be a part of the process.

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Expression City’s Matilda plays the Roy E. Barberi Theatre for  only three shows, opening Friday, March 29 at 7:00p.m. then continuing Saturday, March 30 with a 2p.m. matinee and a final performance Saturday night at 7 p.m. At the time of this article, a very limited number of tickets remained, but you can always hope for a Miracle or get a little Naughty and CLICK HERE to purchase tickets. Next up for Expression City, the company will present a Music Recital on May 11, then Thoroughly Modern Millie, Junior performances May 31-June 1, followed by a Mary Poppins Theatre Camp and performance in July. To learn more about Expression City’s Programs, Classes and more, CLICK HERE. You can also find them on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

If you’ve enjoyed this Rapid Fire, CLICK HERE to check out previous conversations with the who’s who of Nashville’s theatre scene.

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.