THE FRIDAY FIVE: Playwright/director Myra Stephens of BEING EBENEZER

Myra Stephens has had a busy week, as is wont to happen when tech week descends upon a production, so she can be forgiven for not completely understanding the five questions that comprise our Friday Five, a regular feature designed to introduce members of Tennessee's theater community to the world at-large. However,she worried needlessly about her answer, since she's able to come up with some interesting, perhaps even eye-opening, responses to our five questions.

For tonight, Stephens' latest play for GroundWorks Theatre-Being Ebenezer: One Family's Christmas Carol-opens for a two weekend run at Nashville's Darkhorse Theater, featuring a cast that includes Sam Dalton, Beth Woodruff, Adele Akin, Jerry Henderson, Morgan Robertson, Sara Dhom, Jayla Palmer, Brooke Gronemeyer, Glancy Piper-Osborne, Kadence Riggs, Heather Rutherford Edwards and Jonathan Stephens.

"Experience the love, forgiveness and redemption of Christmas as you watch a cast of actors rehearse for Dickens' classic Christmas Carol," reads a press release from Groundworks Theatre, for which Myra serves as artistic director, with her husband Jonathan Stephens as executive director. "This is a completely different take on the much loved tale and it's one you won't want to miss."

Curtain for Being Ebenezer is at 7:30 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays, with 2:30 p.m. matinees on December 13, 14 and 20, and at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, December 18, at Darkhorse Theatre, 4610 Charlotte Avenue. Tickets are $12 and $10 for seniors ages 60 and older and students. Reservations are recommended. For further information, go to www.groundworkstheatre.com.

What was your first "live onstage" taste of theater? Not sure regarding your reference to first "live onstage" taste of theatre, so I'll give you three answers and you can take your pick. (A) Jesus Christ Superstar in the 1976 touring company was the first real Broadway show I'd ever seen. (B) The Cemetery Club at Lakewood Theatre in 1999-I was cast as Lucille after auditioning for the first time since high school. (C) In the second grade I was cast as a doll under the Christmas tree in the school pageant. I had to sit at the edge of the stage in my patent leather shoes and red-and-white dotted Swiss dress with my arms and legs sticking straight out, and staring straight ahead, just like a brand new doll on Christmas morning. I nailed it.

What is your favorite pre-show ritual? My favorite pre-show ritual is sitting in a quiet place, if even for one moment and centering myself. Most often that place turns out to be the ladies room, because it's the only place I can find that has solitude and quiet.

Do you have an especially memorable "the show must go on" memory? Last year when GroundWorks was doing Menopause Maidens, Drew Ann Borsos tripped as she was going down the stairs on the last night of dress rehearsal and slammed her face into a plaster wall. She required stitches and both her eyes were swollen nearly shut and black & blue for nearly a week. I had to go on in her place as the menopausal Sleeping Beauty. Additionally, her gown didn't fit, so I was up all night creating something out of my closet, while at the same time learning the part. It was a pity that the therapist, Dr. Grimm couldn't really dispense any drugs.

What's your dream role? My dream role has changed as I've aged. I think I would like to play the role of Vivian in Wit.

Who's your theater crush? If I had crushes, which I don't, I guess I would have to choose Mandy Patinkin.

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