THE SAD TRUTH ABOUT COUNTRY SONGS to Premiere as Staged Reading at the Tom Kane Theatre

The world premiere of The Sad Truth About Country Songs, a Southern Gothic drama by Stephen Gracia, featuring Ashlie Atkinson and Dan Jameson, will premiere as a special one-night-only staged reading. The event will feature a live band and original music, on Saturday, November 14, 2026, at the Tom Kane Theatre. Tickets are $25 and can be purchased now.

The evening will combine a staged reading of the play with live performances of its original music, bringing together an established creative team and musicians for an intimate theatrical experience.

Set in a house just outside Coalmont, Tennessee, The Sad Truth About Country Songs follows Amos Bartow, a man in his late 20s who has escaped custody and returned home to see his dying mother, Darla, one last time. Over the course of their final night together, mother and son confront family, faith, addiction, poverty, regret, and the choices that have shaped their lives. Their shared love of country music becomes a way of communicating the memories and emotions they struggle to express.

The piece is not a traditional musical, but rather a play with songs. Its original compositions are written by Stephen Gracia, Michael LoPorto, and Joseph Millazzo of the psychedelic dark-folk trio GreenLady. Millazzo will perform with the live band during the reading.