Ryan King

Ghostlight Players will present “The Apple Tree,” a musical from the creators of “Fiddler on the Roof” and “She Loves Me,” from October 13 - 16 at Hemsley Hall. “The Apple Tree” features a book and score by Jerry Bock and Sheldon Harnick, with additional material by Jerome Coopersmith.

Set in 1962, the show tells the fictional story of two West Virginia brothers and their friends, who are jolted by news that the mine where their fathers were killed a decade earlier will be reopened.

Ragtime opened last night, featuring a cast of Nashville stage veterans and a sizable coterie of performers, heretofore unknown to local audiences, who are certain to become fast favorites. Taking a brief respite from their hectic schedules of rehearsals, fittings, photo calls, more rehearsals and getting to know one another, four of those newcomers – Shelby Denise Smith, Wood Van Meter, Kortney Ballenger and Steven McCoy – took the time to answer our questions to tell you why you need to score those tickets for Ragtime now if you haven’t already.

Ragtime, the Tony Award-winning musical about life in these United States during the very early years of the 20th century, is a richly drawn and evocatively told rumination on the pursuit of the American dream seen from the perspective of a diverse, multi-ethnic cast of characters. Now onstage through Sunday at the Tennessee Performing Arts Center’s James K. Polk Theatre, in a glittering and sumptuous revival from Nashville Repertory Theatre, Ragtime proves an ambitious choice for the company’s return to live performance after more than 18 months of darkness due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Opening Thursday night, November 11 and continuing for five performances through Sunday, November 14, Ragtime – the musical by Stephen Flaherty (music), Lynn Ahrens (lyrics) and Terrance McNally (book) which, in turn, is based upon E.L. Doctorow’s 1975 novel of the same name – promises to be a grand undertaking, which hopefully will blow away the cobwebs and the dust that’s collected in the past year-and-a-half during which the theater was dark and the company strived to remain relevant and productive amidst all the challenges that ensued.

F*It Club, the New York Innovative Award-winning film and theatre company, will complete ten years of its annual series of short, commissioned world-premiere plays at the IRT Theater as part of their 3B Development Series in Manhattan's West Village with The Spring Fling: Happily Ever After.

Nashville Repertory Theatre  unveiled its 2021-22 season Tuesday night at Kimpton Aertson Hotel’s rooftop patio, featuring a plethora of Nashville theater’s brightest stars, who charmed and entertained everyone in their audience (each of whom were fairly adither with anticipation of what’s to come and the joy of watching live performance).

Hong Kong theatre company, Aurora Theatre used the down time during the pandemic to go global and create the third volume of their C&C project titled COVID & Cigarettes.

Thornhill Theatre Space announced the first part of their 2021 Season on New Year's Day rounding up a new season that includes events from around the world.

After Coffee & Cigarettes (2011) and Champagne & Cigarettes (2012), Aurora Theatre will is proud to present C&C vol. 3: COVID & Cigarettes, A collection of virtual 10-minute plays 13 original plays, 30 actors, 13 playwrights and 10 directors from all around the world (including Hong Kong, New York, Zurich, Sydney and more) have joined together to bring back the magic of the theatre – in the comfort of your home! To celebrate Aurora Theatre's ten-year anniversary, we are proud to present our first virtual- and global- production.

The All Genders, Lifestyles, and Identities Film Festival (aGLIFF) announces 'Platonic & Plates', a virtual evening including dinner, music and the web series P L A T O N I C with director Erin Buckley and musician Tina G on Wednesday, September 30 at 7:00 pm. Recipes, cocktails, and conversation by Tina G will accompany Buckley's mini-episodes.

F*It Club, the New York Innovative Award-winning film and theatre company, will complete ten years of its annual series of short, commissioned world-premiere plays at the IRT Theater as part of their 3B Development Series in Manhattan's West Village with The Spring Fling: Happily Ever After, ten new short plays by Bekah Brunstetter (NBC's This Is Us, The Cake), Matthew Lee Erlbach (Showtime's Masters of Sex, The Doppelganger), Monet Hurst-Mendoza (NBC's Law and Order: SVU ), Daniel K. Isaac (Fullerton), Chelsea Marcantel (Airness), Gregory S. Moss (Indian Summer, punkplay), Leah Nanako Winkler (NBC's New Amsterdam, Kentucky, God Says This), Larry Powell (Lost Dog), Daniel Talbott (ABC's The Conners), & Pia Wilson (National Geographic's Genius).

There's just a few weeks left to make your voice heard and submit your votes for the 2019 BroadwayWorld Nashville Awards, brought to you by TodayTix! The people have spoken nominations are set, and now you can vote to make sure your favorite local theatre's achievements and performers are recognized!

There is something about Hatty Ryan King a?" the young woman playing Alice Murphy in Lipscomb University Theatre's superb production of Bright Star (the recent Broadway musical by Steve Martin and Edie Brickell) now onstage at Collins Alumni Auditorium through November 10 a?" that sets her apart from her peers, that makes her seem destined for greatness and which ensures that every role she takes on is elevated by her unerring instincts, her palpable presence and her inestimable talent.

The Ojai Film Festival honors the late Bill Paxton with a new award named after him for best locally produced film. An accomplished actor/director and Ojai local, Paxton appeared in many films including The Terminator and Apollo 13. Paxton's son James will present the award, dubbed the Bill Paxton Award for Best Gold Coast Film, at the Awards Brunch on Sunday, November 3 in the Ojai Art Center courtyard. James Paxton, born and raised in Ojai, also works as an actor and producer.

Five-time Obie Award-winning theater company Clubbed Thumb (Maria Striar, Producing Artistic Director; Michael Bulger, Associate Artistic Director; Quinn Metal Corbin, Advancement Director) is proud to announce the return of Will Arbery's PLANO, directed by Taylor Reynolds. First seen last year in the 23rd SUMMERWORKS season, PLANO returns beginning April 8 for a limited engagement through May 11. Opening night is set for April 13 at the Connelly Theatre (220 East 4th Street). Tickets are now on sale at: https://www.artful.ly/clubbedthumb/store/events.

Before Broadway comes calling for Hatty Ryan King, the young Nashville actress with an enviable resume (the Lipscomb University sophomore is a Spotlight Award winner, was a finalist for The Jimmy Award, has worked with theater companies both community-oriented and professional and has proven herself a capable leading player along the way), you might want to get your tickets to see her onstage in Studio Tenn's ambitious, if woefully uneven, holiday season offering of Beauty and The Beast. In a role that could have been written for her, King shines as Belle, the ambitious and eager to learn and to embrace change young woman who is the heroine of the musical which features a score by Alan Menken, lyrics by Howard Ashman and Tim Rice and a book by Linda Woolverton.

In anticipation of the gala 30th anniversary celebration of The First Night Awards, Tennessee's best and brightest in live theater were revealed tonight as First Night's Top Ten of 2018 - reviewer and critic Jeffrey Ellis' annual recognition for theater in the Volunteer State - were announced during a Facebook Live presentation from Nashville.

Looking ahead, you'll find a number of new productions on tap for your entertainment pleasure, including a number of holiday season offerings to put you in the Christmas spirit, thanks to the efforts of theater companies all over Middle Tennessee. Here's our calendar for December 3, 2018, to help you plot your course through the first few weeks of 2019...

Five-time Obie Award-winning theater company Clubbed Thumb (Maria Striar, Producing Artistic Director; Michael Bulger, Associate Artistic Director) is proud to announce initial casting for SUMMERWORKS, its annual series of new plays.