Jeffrey Ellis - Page 135

Dance Theatre of Tennessee presents a mid-winter series of Nashville premieres - and invites audiences to the 'hottest post-Valentine ticket in town,' according to company artistic director Christopher Mohnani - in Aspects of Love, 'a celebration of dance, music and love. Led by Mohnani, DTT presents an evening of premieres promising 'an evening of wonderful dancing and choreography together with memorable and familiar music that will have you wanting for more.'

In honor of Valentine's Day (and in a blatant rip-off of BroadwayWorld.com's similar query to the denizens of the Great White Way), we posed that very question to some of our favorite theater community-dwellers in yet another not-so-scientific survey. So, if you're thinking about putting together a playlist of favorite love songs - or if you're searching for the perfect tunes to play in the background while you set the scene for a romantic evening with your own Valentine, here are some suggestions...

Now in her third season with Nashville Ballet, Krissy Johnson is a definite audience favorite. The Louisa, Kentucky, native has studied at Performing Arts Inc. in Ashland, Kentucky, and holds a bachelor of arts degree from Point Park University, and before becoming a company members was a trainee and apprentice at Nashville Ballet. With the company's winter series - Director's Choice - just behind her (Krissy was one of the six dancers featured in the company's North American premiere of Twyla Tharp's The Story Teller), there's a very good chance she's spending some richly deserved time off this week.

With the North American premiere of Twyla Tharp's The Story Teller generating most of the buzz prior to opening night, Nashville Ballet's Director's Choice winter series provided a much-needed jolt of electricity to the city's midwinter arts calendar. But it was the exquisite pairing of Molly Sansone and Jon Upleger in Salvatore Aiello's completely sensual and mildly erotic Satto that truly turned up the heat in the company's annual salute to contemporary dance.

The American premiere of Twyla Tharp's The Story Teller, along with two of Nashville's favorite contemporary dance pieces, are part of Nashville Ballet's Director's Choice winter repertoire program, to be performed at the Tennessee Performing Arts Center's James K. Polk Theatre Febraury 11-13.

Love is in bloom at Street Theatre Company in February with a special two week engagement of the hit musical, I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change!, closing February13 at the theater, 1933 Elm Hill Pike.

Where you could possibly find five more charming and engaging performers than the cast assembled by director/choreographer Ryan Bowie for his winning revival of Ain't Misbehavin' - now onstage through March 5 at Clarksville's Roxy Regional Theatre - is beyond me! These five dazzling entertainers deliver a musical jolt of electricity that completely enlivens the dark, frigid days of winter, taking audiences on a musical and historical journey through the Harlem Renaissance via the life and career of Mrs. Waller's bouncing 250-pound baby boy, Thomas - better known as 'Fats.'

A slice of Broadway comes to Franklin for the fifth annual Broadway at Bethlehem benefit on Saturday, February 12, with the talents of Tennessee Rep/Broadwayworld.com favorite Martha Wilkinson, international performers Holly Shepherd and Jennifer Richmond, as well as popular Nashville-area artists Daron Bruce, Amanda Lamb and B.J. Rowell at the Bethlehem UMC Performing Arts Center, 2419 Bethlehem Loop Road, Franklin.

The American premiere of Twyla Tharp's The Story Teller, along with two of Nashville's favorite contemporary dance pieces, are part of Nashville Ballet's Director's Choice winter repertoire program, to be performed at the Tennessee Performing Arts Center's James K. Polk Theatre Febraury 11-13.

Corrie Miller stars as the irrepressible Annie Oakley in Boiler Room Theatre's 11th season opening production of Irving Berlin's Annie Get Your Gun, running February 11 through March 12 in Franklin.

Jonathan Larson's Rent is coming to downtown Nashville March 18-May 14 and producers are looking for the best singers in Music City USA to fill the show's colorful roles. Auditions are one-night only - Friday, February 18 - from 8 p.m.-midnight at the Printer's Alley venue, located in the former Boots Randolph Theatre (with parking available in the adjacent parking garage).

Dedicated to her craft, she is an endearing blend of serious actress and sweet young woman. During her time on the Nashville stage, she's played a wide range of roles for a variety of companies, including Circle Players' production of Noises Off, Towne Centre Theatre's Moon Over Buffalo and Steel Magnolias, and Blackbird Theatre Company's Twilight of the Gods. And in each of those roles, she's epitomized 'versatility' with an exceptional performance every time she steps onto the stage.

The Nashville Dinner Theatre in Printers Alley presents Neil Simon's classic American comedy, THE ODD COUPLE, starring Richard Moll of TV's Night Court, Patrick Kramer, Jaime Dudney (daughter of Barbara Mandrell and star of As the World Turns), Sandra Denise Baxter, Dennis Moser, Vance Nichols, Alex Lee and Jonathan Hayes. Directed by Joyce DeWitt and Kaine Riggan, the show runs thru March 5. Call 615-889-4000 for tickets or visit nashvilledinnertheatre.com.

Bob Fish directs John Mack Green, Kelly Northcutt Hayes and Nathan Leavitt in Charles Evered's Adopt A Sailor, opening Thursday, February 10, for a three-week run at Out Front on Main in Murfreesboro.

Nashville theater favorite Linda Speir takes on the role of Carrie Watts in Towne Centre Theatre's production of Horton Foote's The Trip to Bountiful, opening Thursday, February 10 and running through Saturday, February 26. Jim Himelrick directs the poignant drama at the Brentwood theater. In addition to Speir, whose resume includes roles with numerous Nashville area companies, Himelrick's cast includes Corey Caldwell, Bev Kassis, Beth Henderson, David Thoreson, Joe Shepherd, Bob Buchholz and Ed Warr.

Just in time for Valentine's Day, Chaffin's Barn Dinner Theatre presents 'Til Beth Do Us Part, a comedy by Jessie Jones, Nicholas Hope, and Jamie Wooten - the successful trio of playwrights behind Dearly Beloved and Christmas Belles - for a February 10-March 19 run at the venerable Nashville dinner theater. Directed by Martha Wilkinson, 'Til Beth Do Us Part features Lydia Bushfield, Warren Gore, Kim Nygren, Debbie Kraski, Tammie Whited and Charlie Winton.

Nashville's Blackbird Theater Company offers a second sneak-peek at its upcoming production of Tom Stoppard's Arcadia, featuring David Compton and Denice Hicks. Directed by Ted Swindley, this second production of Blackbird's inaugural season also features Amanda Card-McCoy, Jeff Boyet, Wes Driver, Britt Byrd and Scott Rice. Arcadia plays the Shamblin Theatre at David Lipscomb University February 25-March 12. For further information about Blackbird, visit the company website at www.blackbirdnashville.com.

If you were asked to name Nashville's Top Ten Favorite Musicals, what show would you name as number one? Perhaps surprisingly, when that question was posed to a group of Nashville theater folk, the number one-ranked show is Les Miserables (but perhaps it's not that surprising, since Victor Hugo's book was a huge hit in the American South upon its initial publication in this country), followed by A Chorus Line, Gypsy, Sweeney Todd and Into the Woods claiming the remaining slots in the Top Five.

Spring Awakening, the eight-time Tony Award winning Broadway musical - featuring 'the most gorgeous Broadway score this decade,' according to Entertainment Weekly - comes to Nashville's Tennessee Performing Arts Center for a four-performance run February 25-27.

Nashville's Studio Tenn theatre company concludes its inaugural season with Tennessee Williams' classic play The Glass Menagerie, running February 17-27 at Belmont University's Black Box Theatre. Williams' play is an award-winning portrayal of a disintegrating family during the depression and is the play that introduced him as one of the preeminent American playwrights of the 20th century.