Shelean Newman News

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…

This weekend will be a homecoming of sorts for award-winning writer Laura Harrington, as she returns to the Nashville for the first time since 1996, in support of her new book Alice Bliss and a reunion with some of the city's best-known and best-loved theater artists who worked with her on the creation and production of The Perfect 36, an original musical staged by Mac Pirkle and Tennessee Repertory Theatre to celebrate the Volunteer State's Bicentennial.

With a cast led by Broadway veterans Jessica Grove (who ideally captures the spirit and charm of Maria in her thoroughly captivating performance) and Ben Davis (tall and commanding as the naval captain torn by conflicting loyalties and social upheaval), Logan presents The Sound of Music you would expect from him, although in no way can you call it predictable or expected. To the contrary, Logan excels at delivering the unexpected and while The Sound of Music is probably the one show you would expect to be played out in the traditional, often-seen manner you've encountered in numerous other productions, he manages to surprise and delight you with his vision, his concept and his daring.

Broadway veterans Jessica Grove and Ben Davis will star as Maria Rainer and Captain Georg Von Trapp in Studio Tenn Theatre Company's upcoming production of Rodgers and Hammerstein's The Sound of Music, playing at the historic Franklin Theatre tonight, May 31 through June 17.

Broadway veteran Jessica Grove will star as Maria Rainer in Studio Tenn Theatre Company's upcoming production of Rodgers and Hammerstein's The Sound of Music, playing at the historic Franklin Theatre May 31-June 17.

Broadway veterans Jessica Grove and Ben Davis will star as Maria Rainer and Captain Georg Von Trapp in Studio Tenn Theatre Company's upcoming production of Rodgers and Hammerstein's The Sound of Music, playing at the historic Franklin Theatre May 31-June 17.

For Jessica Grove, playing Maria Rainer in Studio Tenn's production of the classic Rodgers and Hammerstein musical The Sound of Music is, quite simply, a part of the natural evolution of theater. After all, she's already played Marta, Brigitta and Liesl-so playing the young novitiate who comes into the Austrian home of the Von Trapps to become governess to the seven children of the imperious Georg Von Trapp just makes sense.

Broadway veterans Jessica Grove and Ben Davis will star as Maria Rainer and Captain Georg Von Trapp in Studio Tenn Theatre Company's upcoming production of Rodgers and Hammerstein's The Sound of Music, playing at the historic Franklin Theatre May 31-June 17.

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.

Tennessee Repertory Theatre will present the Middle Tennessee premiere of Superior Donuts by Tracy Letts, who won the 2008 Tony Award for his play August: Osage County. Superior Donuts runs March 17 - 31 at TPAC's Johnson Theater (with preview performances March 15 - 16).

Superior Donuts runs March 17-31 at TPAC's Johnson Theater (with preview performances March 15 -16). Superior Donuts tells the story of how an unlikely friendship can emerge in the most unexpected places as a downtrodden donut shop owner hires a street-savvy, aspiring young writer with hustle and bright ideas. Filled with humor and humanity, Superior Donuts stirs up the challenges of embracing the past, the untold dangers of hope, and the redemptive power of friendship while analyzing the American dream...and how living in America can affect it.

Superior Donuts runs March 17-31 at TPAC's Johnson Theater (with preview performances March 15 -16).Superior Donuts tells the story of how an unlikely friendship can emerge in the most unexpected places as a downtrodden donut shop owner hires a street-savvy, aspiring young writer with hustle and bright ideas. Filled with humor and humanity,Superior Donuts stirs up the challenges of embracing the past, the untold dangers of hope, and the redemptive power of friendship while analyzing the American dream... and how living in America can affect it.

Tennessee Repertory Theatre will present the Middle Tennessee premiere of Superior Donuts by Tracy Letts, who won the 2008 Tony Award for his play August: Osage County. Superior Donuts runs March 17 - 31 at TPAC's Johnson Theater (with preview performances March 15 - 16).

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).

Matt Logan could easily have rested on his laurels and simply re-staged the second offering of showHOPE's Cinderella, the Enchanted Edition in exactly the same manner as he did in 2010 - it was a magical evening, at the very least, and it would certainly be easier, acceptable even to his most loyal fans, to have done so. Instead, as expected, Logan, one of the region's finest and most inventive stage directors, chose to re-imagine his vision for Cinderella, giving it a more sophisticated presentation and breathing new vigor into the project while tapping heretofore unknown reserves of creativity among his cast and crew - and even himself.