Jeffrey Ellis News

Today the spotlight falls on Kim Thorton Nygren, who just recently ended a critically acclaimed run in Chaffin's Barn Dinner Theatre's Dixie Swim Club, in which she played the randy, sexy Lexie. Kim's a fixture at ye olde dinner barn-not only because of her onstage performances in such shows as Rumors and 'Til Beth Do Us Part-but also because she works in the venerable venue's box office, dealing with audience members, inquisitive callers and the errant door-to-door salesman. In fact, she's so much a part of Chaffin's Barn that it's hard to imagine one without the other.

Lakewood Theatre Company, voted "Best Community Theatre Company" in BroadwayWorld.com's 2012 Nashville awards, presents William Gibson's The Miracle Worker beginning Friday, October 19 and running through Sunday, November 4.

It's that time of year again: So dig out your fishnet stockings and sharpen your stilettos ...that sweet transvestite and his motley crew are back on the stage of Clarkville's Roxy Regional Theatre as the company brings back its revival of The Rocky Horror Show, opening Friday, October 19 at 8 p.m.

In this week's edition of Around BWW: Regional Highlights of the Week', we bring you the most-read stories for the week of October 8! From reviews to interviews, videos and photos, catch up on all the latest regional happenings around the Broadway World!

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.

Now onstage in a thoroughly effective production directed by Sondra Morton at Franklin's Boiler Room Theatre, Parade is not your mama's or your granddaddy's musical comedy, to be certain.

Ten years after its debut on a Nashville stage-which led to an off-Broadway run-Jay Kholos' A Stoop on Orchard Street this weekend returns to the stage in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, kicking off a three-month run that will take the company, including many of Nashville's best and brightest, to Philadelphia, New York and other points northeastward.

Now onstage at Dickson's Renaissance Center, in a professional production at The Gaslight Dinner Theatre helmed by Pacer Harp, and featuring a cast of winning performers, 9 to 5: The Musical has Dolly's unmistakably sunny outlook-exemplified by her tuneful score for the show-and Patricia Resnick's sharply drawn characters and situations which are sure to please even the film's most ardent admirers.

Engrossing and compelling, John Logan's Red-which features a pair of tour-de-force performances from Ronnie Meek and Justin Boccitto under the focused and sure-handed direction of Mike Fernandez-is an altogether impressive third season opener for Nashville's Blackbird Theatre, the company that has firmly established itself as one of the region's most ambitious and most confident purveyors of quality theatricality.

Another Friday, another recap of news making the rounds in the Broadway World! Nominations have been tallied and voting is now open for the 2012 BWW UK Awards so get your vote in today! The 2012 BWW Regional Awards are also underway with nominations being accepted in 30 regions for your favorite stars and productions. October 26 is the deadline for submitting a nomination so have your say on who should win in your region!

For Tennessee theater audiences, this weekend presents a bounty of theatrical riches, with six shows opening: Blackbird Theatre's Red, Sideshow's Crumble (Lay Me Down, Justin Timberlake), Chaffin's Barn Dinner Theatre's Spreading it Around, Boiler Room Theatre's Parade, Tennessee Women's Theater Project's Shooting Star and Street Theatre Company's latest incarnation of Macabaret.

New BroadwayWorld.com Poll - What show are you most excited about seeing in the coming days?

Renowned soprano Jee Hyun Lim sings the pivotal role of Cio-Cio San in Nashville's 2012-13 season opening production of Giacomo Puccini's Madame Butterfly, with tenor Cody Austin as Lieutenant Pinkerton and baritone Levi Hernandez as Sharpless.

Franklin's Historic Williamson County Courthouse will provide the unique and totally apropos setting as Studio Tenn Theatre Company's 2012-13 season continues with Twelve Angry Men, the classic courtroom drama, running October 18-27.

David McGinnis makes his ACT 1 directorial debut with the upcoming production of Michael Cristofer's Pultizer Prize-winning play The Shadow Box, running October 12-27 at Nashville's Darkhorse Theater.

Austin Price and Horace Smith star as Cumberland County Playhouse brings one of the most popular-and most frequently requested-titles its almost 50-year history back to the with an exciting new production of Big River, directed by BWW Nashville Theatre Awards winner Britt Hancock. Big River runs through November 2 in Crossville.

What made news around the world this week? Check out our regional roundup for the week of September 24! Browse over to your favorite far-away city/country to see what's making news, see out productions are playing around the country and overseas and get to know new performers! Enjoy this virtual trek around the globe and stay tuned for next week's recap of regional not-to-be-missed news!

Boiler Room Theatre revives its award-winning production of The Rocky Horror Show for six performances in October, running October 26 through November 3, including two midnight shows and a special Halloween performance.

Dance Theatre of Tennessee launches its Ballet in the Park performance series September 28-October 1, with performances of Carmen at the Centennial Park Bandshell, in partnership with Metro Parks and Recreation.

Ronnie Meek and Justin Boccitto star in John Logan's Red, to be presented by Blackbird Theater October 18-November 3 at the Shamblin Theatre on the Lipscomb University campus.