Cumberland County Playhouse Welcomes Ron Murphy & Lauren Marshall Tonight

On August 22, Cumberland County Playhouse will present Ron Murphy & Lauren Marshall: From A(udra) to Z(eppelin), a one night only concert with one of the most eclectic music mixes you've ever heard. Producer Jim Crabtree came up with the idea for the concert when he heard Ron and Lauren performing some jazz tunes in the lobby. Said Lauren Marshall, "Jim approached us about doing a concert that would showcase the many different genres of music we enjoy. Ron and I both enjoy Zep; who doesn't? I'm a huge fan of that whole musical genre - The Beatles, The Who, The Rolling Stones. We thought, why not try to adapt the guitar-heavy sound of Led Zeppelin into our style (which for this concert includes a grand piano, keyboard, drums and bass)? It's been challenging, but oh, so much fun."

Resident Music Director Murphy and his wife Resident Actress Marshall are excited by this chance to stretch their wings, translating music they both love and admire into a style all their own. Lauren will get to perform an aria from one of her favorite operas, Gian Carlo Menotti's The Medium. "It's a chilling modern opera with a musical theme that makes me cry every time I hear it," said Marshall, "and I think it's particularly accessible because it's in English." And Ron will play some of his favorite pieces, including the Gershwin Preludes and a Ben Folds Five song called "Selfless, Cold and Composed." Says Murphy, "We have operatic arias, art songs, musical theater, jazz, pop and rock in our set list. And Lauren gets to sing classical arias in the same concert as gritty pop songs... how often does that get to happen?"

Joining the headlining couple on stage will be Weslie Webster, Brenda Frye, Daniel Black and Quinn Cason, along with bassist Tony Greco and drummer Chet Hayes. The concert is sponsored by Stan and Barbara Huff of Fairfield Glade.

Also at the Playhouse: Gypsy (rated PG, co-sponsored by Dirk C. Davidson, M.D./TN Plateau Oncology and Fairfield Glade Resort) through September 5, Shrek, The Musical (rated G, co-sponsored by Comfort Suites/Holiday Inn Express/Hampton Inn and Gernt Insurance/Grange Insurance) through August 31, and Smoke on the Mountain (Rated G, sponsored by Cracker Barrel Old Country Store), now HELD OVER through October 4. It Ain't Nothin' But The Blues (rated PG, sponsored by Cumberland County Bank) opened August 14 and runs through October 25. Tickets and information are also available for Southern Stars Symphonic Brass and other events. All CCP productions are made possible through sponsor support, with additional support from the Tennessee Arts Commission and the National Endowment for the Arts.