Brian Russell News

Investigation Discovery enters the 2012-13 upfront season with another record year of success, maintaining its title as the fastest-growing network in television1 and capitalizing on that momentum with the largest slate of original programming in network history.

Today, we continue our special series of Onstage at The Barn: Memories from The First 45 Years, with actor/director/playwright Chambers Stevens, still known as "Steve Chambers" to many of his Nashville followers, who before moving to Los Angeles had appeared on practically every stage in Music City USA, including the magical descending stage at The Barn. Now known throughout the world for his work with aspiring actors and for the many critically acclaimed plays he has written, he gives credit where credit is due: His Barn experiences helped him achieve his dreams.

In recognition of The Barn's 45 years of bringing the magic of live theater to the stage, we continue our special series of Onstage at The Barn: Memories from The First 45 Years, with actor Brian Russell, who is one of the region's favorite actors despite the recurring rumor that he was in the cast of Our American Cousin on the night that Lincoln was shot. Today, Brian, who just concluded a critically lauded (which means I gave him a glowing review) run in Tennessee Repertory Theatre's Superior Donuts, adds the memories of her Barn experiences to the ones that we've been sharing of late to celebrate the 45th anniversary…

In recognition of The Barn's 45 years of bringing the magic of live theater to the stage, we continue our special series of Onstage at The Barn: Memories from The First 45 Years, with actress/music director/singer/songwriter/new mom Jaclyn Brown, who is one of the most accomplished multi-hyphenates to be found in Nashville, taking on a wide range of roles and responsibilities at Chaffin's Barn (she served as music director for Too Old For the Chorus (But Not Too Old To Be A Star), the show now onstage in West Nashville. Today, Jaclyn adds the memories of her Barn experiences to the ones that we've been sharing for two weeks to celebrate the 45th anniversary…

In recognition of The Barn's 45 years of bringing the magic of live theater to the stage, we continue our special series of Onstage at The Barn: Memories from The First 45 Years, with actor extraordinaire Eric Tichenor, who made his debut at the Barn in the hit 1990 musical comedy A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, and who has provided Nashville theater audiences a whole slew of theater memories since…

The musical play telling the story of legendary country singer Patsy Cline and her most devoted fan, ALWAYS... PATSY CLINE kicks off Theatre at the Center's 2012 season. Based on a true story of this unparalleled pioneer for female performers and a fan from Houston she befriended in a Texas honky-tonk, the production previews February 23, opens February 26 and runs through April 1. ALWAYS...PATSY CLINE will be directed by Brian Russell. Russell, making his Theatre at the Center debut, is the former Artistic Director of American Theater Company and Director of the 1996 Chicago Premiere of ALWAYS...PATSY CLINE which transferred from Northlight Theatre in Evanston to a lengthy commercial run at Chicago's Apollo Theater. Also making her Theatre at the Center debut, newcomer Heather Beck will star as 'Patsy Cline'. Check out the production photos below!

Despite their best efforts, director Lauren Shouse and her amazingly talented cast just can't give Tracy Lett's Superior Donuts the emotional heft-the literary gravitas-that the playwright so mightily struggles for in his sitcomesque script which pales in comparison to his supposed masterpiece, August: Osage County. Clearly, it's the success of that earlier, heavily-decorated and awarded, Pulitzer Prize-winning play that most theatre companies are invoking as they attempt to sell tickets to this decidedly lesser work, hoping to capitalize on its success in hoodwinking an unsuspecting audience.

In recognition of The Barn's 45 years of bringing the magic of live theater to the stage, we continue our special series of Onstage at The Barn: Memories from The First 45 Years, with actress Joy Tilley Perryman, who this past holiday season starred in It's A Country Christmas, Carol. Today, Joy shares her memories of her Barn experiences to the ones that we've been sharing for two weeks to celebrate the 45th anniversary…

In recognition of The Barn's 45 years of bringing the magic of live theater to the stage, we continue our special series of Onstage at The Barn: Memories from The First 45 Years, with actror Daron Bruce, who is one of the most accomplished thespians to be found in Nashville, taking on a wide range of roles that have showcased his talents to perfection, while helping to prepare actors of future generations as head of the theater department at Nashville's historic Hume-Fogg Academic High School, considered one of the top providers of secondary education in the nation. Today, Daron adds his memories of his Barn experiences to the ones that we've been sharing for two weeks to celebrate the 45th anniversary…

The musical play telling the story of legendary country singer Patsy Cline and her most devoted fan, ALWAYS... PATSY CLINE kicks off Theatre at the Center's 2012 season. Based on a true story of this unparalleled pioneer for female performers and a fan from Houston she befriended in a Texas honky-tonk, the production previewed February 23, opened February 26 and runs through April 1.

Gradually emerging as a work for the theater from casual beginnings in Houston in 1988, expanded for productions in Atlanta and Nashville (starring Mandy Barnett) in the mid-1990s, then to off-Broadway, to Chicago and beyond, "Always…Patsy Cline" was created to frame the immortal songs and voice of Patsy Cline in a theatrical context.

The hugely popular musical play telling the story of legendary country singer Patsy Cline and her most devoted fan, ALWAYS... PATSY CLINE kicks off Theatre at the Center's 2012 season. Based on a true story of this unparalleled pioneer for female performers and a fan from Houston she befriended in a Texas honky-tonk, the production previews February 23, opens February 26 and runs through April 1.

ALWAYS… PATSY CLINE kicks off Theatre at the Center's 2012 season.

The musical play telling the story of legendary country singer Patsy Cline and her most devoted fan, ALWAYS... PATSY CLINE kicks off Theatre at the Center's 2012 season. Based on a true story of this unparalleled pioneer for female performers and a fan from Houston she befriended in a Texas honky-tonk, the production previews February 23, opens February 26 and runs through April 1. ALWAYS...PATSY CLINE will be directed by Brian Russell. Russell, making his Theatre at the Center debut, is the former Artistic Director of American Theater Company and Director of the 1996 Chicago Premiere of ALWAYS...PATSY CLINE which transferred from Northlight Theatre in Evanston to a lengthy commercial run at Chicago's Apollo Theater. Also making her Theatre at the Center debut, newcomer Heather Beck will star as 'Patsy Cline'. Check out the production photos below!

The hugely popular musical play about legendary country singer Patsy Cline and her most devoted fan, ALWAYS… PATSY CLINE kicks off Theatre at the Center's 2012 season. Based on 'a true story of this unparalleled pioneer for female performers and a fan from Houston she befriended in a Texas honky-tonk,' the production previews February 23, opens February 26 and runs through April 1.

The hugely popular musical play about legendary country singer Patsy Cline and her most devoted fan, ALWAYS… PATSY CLINE kicks off Theatre at the Center's 2012 season. Based on a true story of this unparalleled pioneer for female performers and a fan from Houston she befriended in a Texas honky-tonk, the production previews February 23, opens February 26 and runs through April 1.

The hugely popular musical play about legendary country singer Patsy Cline and her most devoted fan, ALWAYS… PATSY CLINE kicks off Theatre at the Center's 2012 season. Based on 'a true story of this unparalleled pioneer for female performers and a fan from Houston she befriended in a Texas honky-tonk,' the production previews February 23, opens February 26 and runs through April 1.

The latest in unauthorized gossip and buzz from the heart of Chicago's showtune video bars, and musical theater news from Chicago to Broadway. Doyle and Debbie and Patsy Cline, an opera company 'Oklahoma!,' 'The Hunchback Variations Opera,' 'A Catered Affair,' 'Beyond The Fringe,' a Candlelight reunion and more....

ALWAYS… PATSY CLINE kicks off Theatre at the Center's 2012 season.