Lisa Gillespie

Experience Verdi's impeccable musical genius at its most voluptuous when Pacific Symphony delivers the concert opera, "Aida, " recounting the doomed love triangle of an Egyptian princess, a young Nubian slave girl and the soldier they both love! For three grand nights, the orchestra comes out of the pit and onto the stage for this semi-staged presentation of Verdi's most popular and heartbreaking opera.

2013 First Night Honoree Jamey Green leads the cast of Act Too Pro's production of Roald Dahl's Willy Wonka, opening Tuesday night, October 18, at the historic Franklin Theatre. Running through October 23, Willy Wonka follows the critically acclaimed Act Too Pro debut production of Mary Poppins, which played to capacity crowds in 2015.

Under the direction of Lee Blakeley at Lyric Opera (who originally staged this production for Paris's Theatre du Chatelet in 2014), Rodgers and Hammerstein's classic musical THE KING AND I is heightened to the lavish and beautiful spectacle it deserves. This story of British school teacher Anna Leonowens who arrives in Siam to instruct the many children of the King has moments of sweeping grandiosity but also many of emotional intimacy-the Lyric's production makes the full emotional arc a delight to watch. Visually, the creative team captures every inch of the musical's opulence. Sue Blane's costume designs are breathtakingly elaborate and incorporate an inspiring display of color; Anna's magnificent hoop skirts are definitely a highlight. Jean-March Puissant's set design also captures the grandiosity of a royal palace with many intricate details, while also giving the performers the space they need to execute Peggy Hickey's choreography, and Rick Fisher's lighting adds to the decadent atmosphere.

Sometimes it seems there is so much theater happening that it's difficult to keep track of it all. From personal experience, despite all the datebooks, smart phones, tablets, desktop computers and laptops...it's hard to keep everything straight in this wacky business of the show.

Sometimes it seems there is so much theater happening that it's difficult to keep track of it all. From personal experience, despite all the datebooks, smart phones, tablets, desktop computers and laptops...it's hard to keep everything straight in this wacky business of the show. Thus, we are happy to present a new feature: The Nashville Theater Calendar, a comprehensive - maybe even exhaustive (lord knows we're exhausted from putting it together, gathering all the info from all over the interwebs!) - listing of theatrical openings for the 2015/16 season. We'll update the calendar every Monday, clearing out the shows that have closed and adding additional information on the shows still to come. Something's missing? That's an easy fix: just send us a message here, on Facebook, or by email at jeffreyellis37215@att.com.

Sometimes it seems there is so much theater happening that it's difficult to keep track of it all. From personal experience, despite all the datebooks, smart phones, tablets, desktop computers and laptops...it's hard to keep everything straight in this wacky business of the show.

Sometimes it seems there is so much theater happening that it's difficult to keep track of it all. From personal experience, despite all the datebooks, smart phones, tablets, desktop computers and laptops...it's hard to keep everything straight in this wacky business of the show.

Sometimes it seems there is so much theater happening that it's difficult to keep track of it all. From personal experience, despite all the datebooks, smart phones, tablets, desktop computers and laptops...it's hard to keep everything straight in this wacky business of the show.

Sometimes it seems there is so much theater happening that it's difficult to keep track of it all. From personal experience, despite all the datebooks, smart phones, tablets, desktop computers and laptops...it's hard to keep everything straight in this wacky business of the show.

It's already heating up in Nashville and it's not even summer yet! But Nashville area theater companies are hard at work to ensure that audiences have a lot to choose from in the way of live theater presented in cool, darkened theaters. Here are our suggestions for the most eagerly anticipated shows of the sultry summer season…

The Act Too Players (ATP), Williamson County's premier training program for all youths interested in the performing arts is introducing a new program called AT Pro (Act Too Pro) will be dedicated to providing live professional theatre by utilizing the talents of Act Too Players teachers, alumni, and current students to create an experience that inspires, challenges, and educates the children of Williamson County.

The Boiler Room Theatre (BRT), Williamson County's original and longest-running professional theatre company, is excited to announce that it will stage Leslie Brisscue's Scrooge the Musical featuring a classic score and everyone's favorite holiday skinflint. This charming musical will have audiences singing each night as they leave the theatre. This production will run from December 6th until December 22nd with shows on Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sundays.

Music Theatre of Wichita continues its 42nd summer season with a new production of Rodgers and Hammerstein's classic The King and I, starring Broadway veterans Kim Huber as Anna, Thom Sesma as The King, and Alan Ariano as The Kralahome. Directed by Mark Madama (25th season at MTWichita) and choreographed by Peggy Hickey (A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder), the production plays July 10 - 14 at the Century II Performing Arts Center in Wichita, Kansas. XuZheng He is set designer, David Neville is lighting designer, and Thomas W. Douglas is musical director. Check out a first look below!

The Boiler Room Theatre, Williamson County's original and longest-running professional theatre company, will stage Dumb and Dumber star Jeff Daniels' hilarious comedy, Escanaba in da Moonlight. The production will run from tonight, May 31st through June 15th at the theatre's iconic namesake venue in the historic Factory at Franklin, 230 Franklin Rd., Building Six, in Franklin, Tennessee.

The Boiler Room Theatre, Williamson County's original and longest-running professional theatre company, will stage Dumb and Dumber star Jeff Daniels' hilarious comedy, Escanaba in da Moonlight. The production will run from May 31st through June 15th at the theatre's iconic namesake venue in the historic Factory at Franklin, 230 Franklin Rd., Building Six, in Franklin, Tennessee.

The Boiler Room Theatre, Williamson County's original and longest-running professional theatre company, will stage acclaimed American musical, Floyd Collins. The production will run from tonight, April 19th through May 4th at the theatre's iconic namesake venue in the historic Factory at Franklin, 230 Franklin Rd., Building Six, in Franklin, Tennessee.

The Boiler Room Theatre, Williamson County's original and longest-running professional theatre company, will stage acclaimed American musical, Floyd Collins. The production will run from April 19th through May 4th at the theatre's iconic namesake venue in the historic Factory at Franklin, 230 Franklin Rd., Building Six, in Franklin, Tennessee.

Boiler Room Theatre celebrates the upcoming holiday season with not one, but two productions sure to delight audiences-the beloved children's classic A Year With Frog and Toad and Christopher Durang's loopy comedy Mrs. Bob Cratchit's Wild Christmas Binge.

The Boiler Room Theatre (BRT), Williamson County's original and longest-running professional theatre company, will celebrate this holiday season with not one, but two productions sure to delight audiences - the beloved children's classic A YEAR WITH FROG AND TOAD and Christopher Durang's loopy comedy MRS. BOB CRATCHIT'S WILD CHRISTMAS BINGE. The productions will both be performed through the holiday season, running from November 24th through December 23rd. It is all happening at the theatre's iconic namesake venue in the historic Factory at Franklin, 230 Franklin Rd., Building Six, in Franklin, Tennessee.