Jeffrey Ellis - Page 128

The award-winning play Circumference of a Squirrel rolls onto Barter Stage II on April 30: 'Round and 'round it goes, where it stops, even Chester doesn't know and the results are laugh-out-loud moments of comedy and discovery, plus heartfelt moments of revelation.

Dance Theatre of Tennessee brings the magic and beauty of Cinderella to life through dance in celebration of the Mother's Day weekend at Middle Tennessee State University's Tucker Theatre in Murfreesboro.

In the upcoming concert version of Funny Girl, set for April 29-May 1 at Franklin's Boiler Room Theatre, director Scott Logsdon has cast 12 very different, very funny and somehow uniquely qualified women to take on the iconic role of Fanny Brice, first brought to national, then worldwide, acclaim by the inimitable Barbra Streisand. For the past several months, we've been giving you a chance to get to know each of Nashville's Funny Fannys, one by one, and today's interview features my very favorite Fanny, of course, the gorgeous and oh-so-talented Erica Haines Cantrell (please don't tell any of the other Fannys I said that, okay? I'm already looking over my shoulder every step I take...)...Get to know her better, gentle readers...

Bringing more than 20 years of professional experience to back her up, Grammy Award-winning country music recording artist Linda Davis will lead two Stage Performance 101 Workshops for aspiring entertainers at The Renaissance Center in Dickson on Thursday, April 28.

In the upcoming concert version of Funny Girl, set for April 29-May 1 at Franklin's Boiler Room Theatre, director Scott Logsdon has cast 12 very different, very funny and somehow uniquely qualified women to take on the iconic role of Fanny Brice, first brought to national, then worldwide, acclaim by the inimitable Barbra Streisand. We're giving you a chance to get to know all of Nashville's Funny Fannys, one by one, and today we were forced to sit down with Laura Thomas Sonn, the very personification of diva - as everyone in town knows, she's so demanding and rude (that gracious, kind and sweet act is just that: an act! I have the bruises from the phone she threw at me when last I saw her - and she was onstage at the time and I was in the audience, but didn't have my eyes cast downward when she looked in my direction) and not at all one of the most beautiful women you've ever seen! (I bet that'll get those Fannys in an uproar, just in time for our final two interviews this week). So, read on, gentle readers...oh, yes, she is most definitely my favorite. Well, today.

Popular Nashville actor Sam Whited makes his Chaffin's Barn Dinner Theatre directorial debut with the revival of N. Richard Nash's The Rainmaker, running May 5-June 11. Elizabeth Walsh and Bryce Conner lead the cast of the revival in the pivotal roles of 'Lizzie' and 'Starbuck,' the rainmaker of the play's title.

Murder, music and fun? Sounds like the perfect spring recipe for Street Theatre Company's newest murder mystery musical event - Murder: It's No Day at the Beach - set for Friday and Saturday, May 13 and 14 at Nashville's Tulip Street Methodist Church, 522 Russell Street.

Over the years, Rene Dunshee Copeland, Pam Atha and Martha Wilkinson have collaborated numerous times on all sorts of musicals - and among them, they have garnered the lion's share of First Night Awards presented for achievement in musical theater in Nashville - and so it's pretty damn exciting for the three of them (along with musical director Paul Carrol Binkley) to be on-board for Tennessee Repertory Theatre's Pump Boys and Dinettes, which brings the company's 2010-11 season to a riotous, rip-roaring close!

In the upcoming concert version of Funny Girl, set for April 29-May 1 at Franklin's Boiler Room Theatre, director Scott Logsdon has cast 12 very different, very funny and somehow uniquely qualified women to take on the iconic role of Fanny Brice, first brought to national, then worldwide, acclaim by the inimitable Barbra Streisand. We're giving you a chance to get to know all of Nashville's Funny Fannys, one by one, and here's the latest: Nancy Allen...

Nashville's Circle Players, now in its 61st season and the oldest community theatre in Middle Tennessee, has scored one of its biggest hits ever with the current production of Jason Robert Brown's 13. Who'd have ever thought that the musical tale of a 13-year-old Jewish boy from NYC who is transplanted to Indiana could be so enormously entertaining or - perhaps more importantly and more significantly - acted and sung so amazingly well? Seriously, who knew?

The dozen Fannys are, of course, my current 12 favorite singing actresses (I remind you, gentle reader, that I am contractually required to make that statement at least 12 times a day), and as you've gotten to know each Fanny one-by-one, we continue the series with a Q&A with one Heather Trabucco (who really is my favorite, but please don't tell Cori, Corrie, Sondra, Laura, Heather, Stephanie [Jones-Benton, the newest Fanny of them all], Catherine, Alex, Nancy, Lindsay or Erica, they'll take it personally). So, here's our latest Funny Fanny...read on and you'll love her as much as I do (maybe I need to re-visit this whole gay thing)...

Hank Williams is known the world over as the most influential singer/songwriter ever. Now, acclaimed performer/musician and Middle Tennessee native Jason Petty, along with his four piece band, is bringing the authentic and insightful story of Hank to life in Hank and My Honky Tonk Heroes for a special presentation at Barter Theatre in Abingdon, Virginia, April 21-May 21.

C.S. Lewis' classic The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe will be presented by David Lipscomb University Theatre as its spring children's production, April 21-23. Audiences are urged to join members of DLU theatre to celebrate Easter weekend with C.S. Lewis' classic allegorical tale of the resurrection story set in the land of Narnia. This dramatization faithfully recreates the magic and mystery of Aslan, the gentle lion, his struggle with the White Witch, and the adventure of four children who inadvertently wander from an old wardrobe into the exciting, never-to-be-forgotten Narnia.

Nashville Children's Theatre (NCT) will perform Robin Goodfellow on Saturday, May 7th at 11 am specifically for families of children with special needs.

In the upcoming Keeping Scores' concert version of Funny Girl, set for April 29-May 1 at Boiler Room Theatre, director Scott Logsdon has cast 12 different, yet very funny and somehow uniquely qualified actresses to take on the iconic role of Fanny Brice. First brought to national, then international, acclaim by the legendary Barbra Streisand, the role of Fanny Brice is a coveted role among musical theater performers. The buzz from rehearsals tells us that things are going swimmingly, egos are being kept at-bay and all the cast members gather around the campfire to toast marshmallows and sing 'People' at the end of the evening (thus proving untrue my contention they were singing 'Kumbaya' every night). The dozen Fannys, of course, are my current 12 favorite singing actresses (I remind you, gentle reader, that I am contractually required to make that statement at least 12 times a day), and as you've gotten to know each Fanny one-by-one, we continue that tradition, today offering up the case of one, Ms. Bonnie Keen (who really is my favorite, but please don't tell Cori, Corrie, Sondra, Laura, Heather, Joann, Catherine, Alex, Nancy, Lindsay or Erica, they'll take it personally). So, here is today's interview with a Funny Fanny who, interestingly enough, has a funny fanny...read on to find out what I mean...

Nashville's Actors Bridge Ensemble, named as First Night's Outstanding Theatre Company of 2010, today announces the creation of SIDESHOW: An Immersion Training Program for Emerging Professional Theatre Artists. Interviews and auditions for entrance into the new training program will be held May 7, from 9 a.m. to noon and 4 to 8 p.m. by appointment.

In the upcoming Keeping Scores' concert version of Funny Girl, set for April 29-May 1 at Boiler Room Theatre, director Scott Logsdon has cast 12 different, yet very funny and somehow uniquely qualified actresses to take on the iconic role of Fanny Brice. First brought to national, then international, acclaim by the legendary Barbra Streisand, the role of Fanny Brice is a coveted role among musical theater performers. Offstage things seem to be going all 'Kumbaya' - despite our best efforts to dig up some dirt. Let's face it, you gather all these divas together and there's got to be some turmoil backstage. Right? Today's Fanny kinda scares me, to be honest, and I just want to say right here and now that if I turn up missing after this interview comes to light, check the trunk of Sondra Morton's car. She'll be the brains behind my disappearance (she scares me). Because of all that, of course, Sondra is my favorite FUNNY Fanny. Yep, that's exactly what she is... my favorite...scout's honor. Read on...

At first glance, your initial response to Jamie Farmer is to think that she is strikingly beautiful. Her expressive face is framed by a head of gorgeous curls, giving her the look of some famous artist's model, the kind of legendary figure who sent soldiers off to war, inspired great art to be created or caused would-be kings to abdicate their thrones.

David Compton returns to a role he first played almost a quarter-century ago and Rona Carter plays a man who is transformed into an ass in Nashville Children's Theatre's upcoming production of Robin Goodfellow, playwright Aurand Harris' unique take on Shakespeare's A Midsummer's Night Dream. Opening on Tuesday, April 19, Robin Goodfellow runs at NCT through May 15.

Nashville Ballet today announces its 2011-2012 season line-up, expanding its offerings to include more performances than in previous years, thus showcasing a variety of artistic styles that exemplify the city's diverse dance and musical talents.