Jeffrey Ellis News

Nashville's Blackbird Theater, fresh off its successful, critically lauded premiere season, is offering two rarely produced shows for audiences in the company's eagerly anticipated second season - G.K. Chesterton's Magic (running August 12-27) and Stephen Sondheim's Tony Award-winning Pacific Overtures (February 9-19, 2012) - creating a buzz that other theater companies can only envy and hope to create for their own season announcments.

First Night: The Tony Concert, presented by Keeping Scores Concerts at Franklin's Boiler Room Theatre on Monday, June 6, at 7:30 p.m. Featuring some of Nashville's biggest and brightest theater stars performing songs from Tony Award-winning musicals, the concert is the kick-off of the 2011 First Night Season, culminating with First Night, The Nashville Theatre Honors, which will be presented at Belmont University's Troutt Theatre on Sunday, September 4.

Over the past few years, I've often referred to Kate Adams-Johnson as the busiest director/choreographer in Nashville and, clearly, she has the resume and press clippings to claim that title without reservation. In January, she was recognized at Midwinter's First Night as one of the best theatrical choreographers in 2010, for her work on both Swing! and Titanic.

Director Kate Adams-Johnson, aka Nashville's busiest choreographer, is putting yet another cast through its paces in preparation for yet another opening night (this one's fast approaching on Thursday, June 9). Only this time, she's serious. Very serious. The show she's helming for this particular opening night, you see, is every dancer's holy grail: A Chorus Line. In the cast, there's a blend familiar faces from local theater productions and a whole slew of newcomers. During the run-up to the show's June 9 opening night, we've introduced you to members of Kate's cast - and next up is a relatively new actor on the Nashville theater scene, where he made quite the statement in Circle Players' recent 13 The Musical, the confident, composed Ryan Garrett...

Darkly comic and deathly serious - with moments of lyrical, poetic power intermingled with the jarring realities of missed opportunities and regret - John Patrick Shanley's Sailor's Song is given an artfully mounted, superbly acted and inspiringly directed production from Actors Bridge Ensemble, continuing through June 12 at Belmont University's Black Box Theatre.

Saving Old Smokey, a new play from Ron Osborne, the playwright of First Baptist of Ivy Gap and Showtime at First Baptist, playing at Barter Theatre June 9 through August 13. The plot for the world premiere production of the play? According to a press release, 'When a group of women from East Tennessee set their hearts on reopening Old Smokey a mountain-top country store, they are determined that plotting strangers and even the forces of nature cannot come between them and their dream.'

First up is First Night: The Tony Concert, presented by Keeping Scores Concerts at Franklin's Boiler Room Theatre on Monday, June 6, at 7:30 p.m. Featuring some of Nashville's biggest and brightest theater stars performing songs from Tony Award-winning musicals, the concert is the kick-off of the 2011 First Night Season, culminating with First Night, The Nashville Theatre Honors, which will be presented at Belmont University's Troutt Theatre on Sunday, September 4.

Director Kate Adams-Johnson, aka Nashville's busiest choreographer, is putting yet another cast through its paces in preparation for yet another opening night (this one's fast approaching on Thursday, June 9). Only this time, she's serious. Very serious. The show she's helming for this particular opening night, you see, is every dancer's holy grail: A Chorus Line.In the cast, there's a blend familiar faces from local theater productions and a whole slew of newcomers. During the run-up to the show's June 9 opening night, we've introduced you to members of Kate's cast - and next up is relatively new face (although she's already made her mark on Nashville stages), the bright, lovely and clever Kathryn Clubb...

Director Kate Adams-Johnson, aka Nashville's busiest choreographer, is putting yet another cast through its paces in preparation for yet another opening night (this one's fast approaching on Thursday, June 9). Only this time, she's serious. Very serious. The show she's helming for this particular opening night, you see, is every dancer's holy grail: A Chorus Line. In the cast, there's a blend familiar faces from local theater productions and a whole slew of newcomers. During the run-up to the show's June 9 opening night, we've introduced you to members of Kate's cast - and next up is an actor who might be a new face to you: Adam Henry, smart, talented, charming and good-looking - and he gives good quote.

Since his arrival in Nashville, talented Jeffrey Williams has made quite the name for himself on local stages, winning over directors, producers, other actors, audience members and critics alike with his charm, dedication and remarkable talent. Seriously, he's got the goods and Nashville theater has claimed its fair share (most recently, he's been seen in Street Theatre Company's acclaimed staging of Chess in Concert, in which he sang the role of the spoiled American chess champion, and in Tennessee Repertory Theatre's hit revival of Pump Boys and Dinettes, in which he tap-danced, played an accordion and sang his heart out, surrounded by a cast of Tennessee Rep veterans), it would seem, and now young Mr. Williams is heading northeastward to check things out in New York City.

Director Kate Adams-Johnson, aka Nashville's busiest choreographer, is putting yet another cast through its paces in preparation for yet another opening night. Only this time, she's serious. Very serious. The show she's helming this time, you see, seems to be every dancer's holy grail: A Chorus Line. In the cast, you'll find a blending of familiar faces and newcomers. During the run-up to the show's June 9 opening night, we'll introduce you to Kate's cast - and next up is a relative Nashville theater newbie: Abby Horrell, who is so young (she's a rising senior at University School of Nashville) that even the movie version of A Chorus Line was out before she was born. But she's obviously talented and has a good head on her shoulders - plus she already knows how to answer the difficult questions...

Little Rhoda Penmark, sweet, charming and full of old-fashion grace, and she may have the 'prettiest mother,' and be loved by her devoted parents and admired by all her elders. However, if you delve deeper into Rhoda's psyche, you might find something darker and far more sinister. And when one of Rhoda's schoolmates is mysteriously drowned at a picnic, her mother Christine Penmark (played by Lisa Marie Wright) is alarmed. For the boy who was drowned won the penmanship medal that Rhoda (played by Lucy Turner) felt she deserved.

Don Griffiths directs a cast of the region's finest actors in the Nashville premiere of John Patrick Shanley's Sailor's Song, running June 3-12 at Belmont University's Black Box Theatre, as Actors Bridge Ensemble - named First Night's Outstanding Theatre Company for 2010 - continues its 2011 season.

One of Broadway's biggest musical hits ever - Hello, Dolly! - winner of 10 Tony Awards, is next onstage at Dickson's Renaissance Center as The Renaissance Players present the musical comedy by Jerry Herman, known to many as 'the king of showtunes,' running June 10-26.

First up is First Night: The Tony Concert, to be presented by Keeping Scores Concerts at Franklin's Boiler Room Theatre on Monday, June 6, at 7:30 p.m. Featuring some of Nashville's biggest and brightest theater stars performing songs from Tony Award-winning musicals, the concert serves as the kick-off of the 2011 First Night Season in Nashville, culminating with First Night, The Nashville Theatre Honors, which will be presented at Belmont University's Troutt Theatre on Sunday, September 4.

Disney's Beauty and The Beast is now 'like you've never seen it before,' according to Richard Rose, producing artistic director at Barter Theatre, where the award-winning musical is onstage through August 13.

'Friendships can last a lifetime if you tend to them' - that's the message of The Dixie Swim Club -latest southern-fried comedy from Jessie Jones, Nicholas Hope and Jamie Wooten onstage June 3-18 at Woodbury's Arts Center of Cannon County.

Director Kate Adams-Johnson, aka Nashville's busiest choreographer, is putting yet another cast through its paces in preparation for yet another opening night. Only this time, she's serious. Very serious. The show she's helming this time, you see, is every dancer's holy grail: A Chorus Line. In the cast, you'll find a blending of familiar faces and newcomers. During the run-up to the show's June 9 opening night, we'll introduce you to Kate's cast - and next up is her longtime collaborator, the fearless actor/director/choreographer/raconteur Tim Larson, with whom she's worked on numerous musicals of the past few years, including the critically acclaimed Titanic, in which Larson and company sunk a ship.

Christopher Butler is one of the stars of Nashville Ballet, taking on some of the most challenging roles to be found for men in the canon of classical ballet and contemporary dance. He's also a critical and audience favorite, veritably dancing his way into the hearts of dance devotees during his career in Nashville.

Little Rhoda Penmark may have the 'prettiest mother,' she might be sweet, charming, and full of old-fashioned graces, loved by her parents, admired by all her elders. Delve deeper into Rhoda's psyche, however, and you might find something darker and far more sinister. And when one of Rhoda's schoolmates is mysteriously drowned at a picnic, her mother Christine Penmark (played by Lisa Marie Wright) is alarmed. For the boy who was drowned won the penmanship medal that Rhoda (played by Lucy Turner) felt she deserved.