GOOD MORNING, THEATERATI for May 24, 2017
By: Jeffrey Ellis May. 24, 2017
GOOD MORNING, THEATERATI! It's Wednesday, May 24, 2017! How do we know this, you might ask? Well, we spent last evening at TPAC'S Andrew Jackson Hall, soaking up every possible bit of Carole King: The Beautiful Musical - wait, it's the other way around - Beautiful: The Carole King Musical and despite the earworm known as "One Fine Day," we are still floating on the high of opening night (and we don't even have a headache!). It was swell, I tell ya, swell! Of course, later this morning, you'll be able to read all about it when we post our review, but let me just share with you this one, pertinent take-away from my experience: Thanks to costume designer Alejo Vietti, we now totally get the difference between skinny jeans and tight jeans and are happy to report that the latter are far sexier. You can take it from me on that one, should you so desire to Live life dramatically!
Another memory from opening night of Beautiful was our splendid conversation with our longtime and dear friend Christi Dortch who was standing upright despite the fact that she was in New York all last week for The Broadway League's Spring Road Conference and she has a wedding (she's getting' hitched to Tim Bush on June 3) upcoming. We've known Christi forever, it seems - dating back to her fresh-out-of-college days from Western Kentucky, when she was kicking up her heels in Nashville theater; did you know she was a Cagelle in La Cage Aux Folles, the first show I ever directed - and so we are well aware that she's very organized and amazingly detail-oriented. Therefore, we weren't surprised to see her smiling and carrying on conversations with various individuals despite everything she's currently got going on. She even pointed out that her mom, the lovely Gloria Dortch, was busy texting her with photos of dresses she's considering wearing for the big day! The fact is, we think Christi and Tim make a perfect couple and we couldn't be happier for them as their wedding day approaches. They are, quite simply, good people and how heartening is it that they found their way to each other?
Here's the newly added link to our review at 11 a.m. (DST): /national-tours/article/BWW-Review-BEAUTIFUL-THE-CAROLE-KING-MUSICAL-Captivates-Nashville-20170524
Speaking of The Broadway League's Spring Road Conference, we asked several people who attended to share their impressions of the 2017 gathering of arts people from all over America and to offer up some show recommendations and to tell us a place to grab a bite to eat next time we're in the Big Apple. First up is TPAC's own PR wunderkind Lisa Kennedy: "My favorite shows included War Paint (bow down to the amazing Patti LuPone and Christine Ebersole for some absolutely divine rivalry on the stage) and Waitress (where Sara Bareilles absolutely exceeded my expectations). Other favorites included crowd pleaser Anastasia and the somewhat minimalist but still endearing Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Fun fact about Charlie: Ben Crawford, who played Che in Studio Tenn/TPAC's Evita back in September, is back on Broadway as Mr. Salt in the show. Christian Borle is perfectly cast as Willy Wonka.
"My favorite panel was the Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812 with Josh Groban, and Sara Bareilles as the moderator, and I can't go to NYC and see a show without visiting Patzeria for a slice of pizza next to the Lunt-Fontanne (which is now the home of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory). I did not get to see Dear Evan Hansen or Comet, but I heard amazing things about them."
We are happy to report that, in addition to Christi, Lisa Kennedy and Tony Marks both appeared hale and hearty after their crazy week on Broadway.
QUERY: Why does no one ever do Victor/Victoria?
Weslie Webster in A Second Helping
Coming up this week in local theater: Beau Jest wraps up its run at Chaffin's Barn Dinner Theatre; Woven Theatre's production of Neil LaBute's Reasons to Be Pretty continues at Belmont's Little Theatre; Smoke on the Mountain, starring Quintin Burlingame, David Baggett, Nina Allbert, Taft McNeal, Lexie Cline, Drew Holley and Abigail Haggard, opens Thursday night at the Bibb-White Bluff Civic Center in White Bluff (a gorgeous facility if you've never seen it!); ACT 1's Noises Off concludes its three-weekend run at the Darkhorse Theatre; and the drunken sods from Inebriated Shakespeare will be at City Winery Friday night; Lakewood Theatre's Second Annual Tennessee Playwright Festival is onstage in Old Hickory this weekend; and in Crossville, Cumberland County Playhouse's production of A Second Helping concludes its run in the Adventure Theatre, while Million Dollar Quartet plays the mainstage through June 9.
Some reviews that might help you make your theater-going decisions this weekend:
/nashville/article/BWW-Review-A-SECOND-HELPING-at-Cumberland-County-Playhouse-20170523
/nashville/article/BWW-Review-Angels-in-England-or-rather-ACT-1s-NOISES-OFF-20170513
/nashville/article/BWW-Review-BEAU-JEST-is-Back-At-Chaffins-Barn-20170512
Coming up on Saturday, ACT 1 interviews directors for their 2017-18 Season, so an announcement on what to expect should be ready by the time Jason Lewis/Rollie Mains/Stephanie Jones-Benton's production of Reefer Madness closes out the current season at the Darkhorse in June!
Sending out wishes of "Happy Birthday" to: actor-singer Steven Luboniecki (ACT 1's The Mikado, Nashville Opera chorus); musician and music director Jeff Lisenby; and soprano Brenda Frye, who has the sweetest voice this side of Memphis. They share their extra-special day with actors Lilli Palmer, Alfred Molina, Kristin Scott Thomas, John C. Reilly and Leslie Kritzer.
From the BWW Nashville archives:
/nashville/article/Hey-Jef-Heres-My-Headshot-BRAD-OXNAM-20120524
/nashville/article/BWW-Review-Verge-Theater-Companys-Beautifully-Acted-SKINLESS-20160524
/nashville/article/Nashville-Area-Auditions-Calendar-52416-20160524
From our "Theater Journal" comes these celebrated and we daresay historic events from this date in time: In 1966, Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee begin their collaboration with Jerry Herman to create a musical based on their 1956 play - and PatRick Dennis' book about his Auntie Mame - which results in the musical classic known as Mame. It ran for more than 1,500 performances at Broadway's Winter Garden and Broadway Theatres, starring the legendary Angela Lansbury. What with the overwhelming success of Hello, Dolly! starring Bette Midler this season, we can't help but wonder when Mame will be given the luxe treatment in revival? In 2013, a revival of Athol Fugard's My Children! My Africa! opened off-Broadway, directed by Ruben Santiago-Hudson.
That's it for today, gentle readers, but we'll greet you tomorrow morning with all the latest news and gossip. Until then, be sure to CELEBRATE THE MAGIC OF LIVE THEATER!
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