David Alford News

Write this down in your journals, post it on your Facebook, tweet it to your tens of followers, theaterati: Kevin Thornton and Enoch Porch are ridiculously talented! And there's no better way to celebrate the festive Halloween season than with these two-and their gorgeous and versatile cohort/partner-in-theatrical crime Jennifer Richmond-in a performance of Into the Darkness: A Vampire Musical, now onstage at Chaffin's Backstage at the Barn through October 27.

Now, ABC is banking on Music City, putting big bucks behind the promotion and the production of Nashville, the soapy new television series written by Academy Award winner Callie Khouri (Thelma and Louise) that debuted last night, right after the Emmy Award-winning comedy juggernaut that is Modern Family.

In the premiere episode of NASHVILLE, Rayna learns that her record label wants her to tour as the opening act for newcomer Juliette Barnes, and when she refuses, the stage is set for the ultimate power struggle for popularity. Get a sneak peek of the new series below!

Hulu has posted the pilot episode of the new ABC drama series NASHVILLE ahead of its scheduled premiere on Wednesday, Oct. 10 at 10/9c. To watch the episode in full, click here!

One of this fall's most anticipated and critically-acclaimed series, NASHVILLE debuts WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 10 (10:00-11:00 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network, starring Emmy nominee Connie Britton ('American Horror Story) and Hayden Panettiere ('Heroes'), and created by Oscar-winning screenwriter Callie Khouri ('Thelma & Louise'). Get a sneak peek below!

Just when you thought it was safe to go to the theater once again, we welcome you to the debut installment of Music City Confidential, all the news that's fit to print (or not-depending on your perspective) from Nashville's ever-growing, ever-fascinating (okay, so we obviously don't have enough to occupy ourselves) live theater industry (we're trying that out-does it work? Let us know, theaterati!) Here amid the florid prose and flowery praise, you'll find all the stories that don't quite fit elsewhere, some of 'em kind of gossipy, some of 'em stone-cold serious, some of 'em just lists of names you need to know. You'll also find photos from our new "Intermission@" series, details about the latest cast parties and various and sundry minutiae-the veritable flotsam and jetsam-from backstage, onstage, offstage and beyond…

Tennessee Repertory Theatre has announced its schedule for the Martha R. Ingram New Works Festival. The festival will be held May 30 - June 9 and will feature staged readings of new plays from four regional playwrights as well as nationally-renowned playwright Steven Dietz. Dietz is this year's recipient of the Ingram New Works Fellowship.

Tennessee Repertory Theatre will present the Tennessee premiere of God of Carnage, winner of the 2009 Tony Award for Best Play. Written by Yasmina Reza and translated by Christopher Hampton, this scathing comedy is a recent major motion picture release (Carnage, directed by Roman Polanski and starring Jodie Foster and Kate Winslet). God of Carnage runs February 4 - 18 at TPAC's Johnson Theater (with preview performances February 2 - 3).

Starring a quartet of fine Nashville actors-Shelean Newman, Jeff Boyet and Shannon Hoppe welcome David Alford back to Tennessee Rep's stage to complete their not-so-genial foursome-Reza's darkly comic script comes to life with seemingly effortless ease, thanks to Copeland's direction, the aforementioned cadre of actors and the playwright's razor sharp dialogue.

Tennessee Repertory Theatre will present the Tennessee premiere of God of Carnage, winner of the 2009 Tony Award for Best Play. Written by Yasmina Reza and translated by Christopher Hampton, this scathing comedy is a recent major motion picture release (Carnage, directed by Roman Polanski and starring Jodie Foster and Kate Winslet). God of Carnage runs February 4 - 18 at TPAC's Johnson Theater (with preview performances February 2 - 3).

Tennessee Repertory Theatre will present the Tennessee premiere of God of Carnage, winner of the 2009 Tony Award for Best Play. Written by Yasmina Reza and translated by Christopher Hampton, this scathing comedy is a recent major motion picture release (Carnage, directed by Roman Polanski and starring Jodie Foster and Kate Winslet). God of Carnage runs February 4 - 18 at TPAC's Johnson Theater (with preview performances February 2 - 3).

This holiday season, Tennessee Repertory Theatre will present the David Alford's Christmas Down Home featuring Truman Capote's "A Christmas Memory."

This holiday season, Tennessee Repertory Theatre will present the David Alford's Christmas Down Home featuring Truman Capote's "A Christmas Memory."

Tennessee Rep Offers Holiday Favorite The Santaland Diaries, with Matt Chiorini returning to Nashville to Don the Ears of the Elf.

Directed by David Alford, who certainly knows his way around the breakroom (what with his own experiences playing Crumpet the elf, Sedaris' velvet smock/candy can tights-wearing doppelganger), The Santaland Diaries is the perfect seasonal antidote for the countless, treacly-sweet productions of A Christmas Carol that will dominate the Nashville theatrical landscape over the coming weeks.

Tennessee Rep Offers Holiday Favorite The Santaland Diaries, with Matt Chiorini returning to Nashville to Don the Ears of the Elf.

Directed by David Alford (who first wore Crumpet the elf's turned-up slippers for Tennessee Rep) and starring audience favorite Matt Chiorini, who returns to Nashville to take on the festive mantle of the acerbic, take no prisoners, would-be actor and serious One Life to Live fan (wonder how he's doing in wake of the soap opera's demise), The Santaland Diaries opens Saturday night, November 19 at the Andrew Johnson Theatre at the Tennessee Performing Arts Center and runs through December 3.