Devastating Floods Cause Theatre Closings; CHORUS LINE Will Dance On

Devastating flooding and the resulting destruction after this weekend's rains in Nashville forced many theatre companies to cancel or re-schedule performances and events. A record 14+ inches of rain that fell on Middle Tennessee Saturday and Sunday led to massive flooding throughout the area, with many members of the theatre community being directly affected.

On Saturday night, Tennessee Repertory Theatre continued its Ingram New Works Festival with the reading of Nate Eppler's Long Way Down at Nashville Children's Theatre, one of only two theatre events not canceled due to the inclement weather. Circle Players and Senior Center for the Arts' production of Titanic the Musical also performed that night at the Keeton Theatre in Donelson.

Among performances canceled were Street Theatre Company's The 25^th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Towne Centre Theatre's I Remember Mama, GroundWorks Theatre's The Conscientious Objector, Lakewood Village Theatre's Passage to Fey, Chaffin's Barn Dinner Theatre's The Butler Done It, Pull-Tight Theatre's Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Lamplighters Theatre's The Rainmaker and Amun Ra Theatre's Waiting for Godot. Sunday afternoon's performance of Charlotte's Web at Nashville Children's Theatre was also canceled.

Producers of the canceled shows are attempting to work out details for extensions in order to accommodate ticketholders, according to a survey of most of the companies.

Amanda Virgilitto Saad, spokesperson for the Tennessee Performing Arts Center, said that performances of the national touring company of A Chorus Line at TPAC's Andrew Jackson Hall will be presented as originally scheduled this week - May 4-9.

Saad advised that individuals with questions about ticket exchange, or for more information, to call (615) 782-4040 (single tickets); (615) 782-6560 or (800) 410-4216 (subscriber services); or (615) 782-4060 (group sales).

On a more personal level, many members of the Middle Tennessee theatre community were displaced by floodwaters, with many experiencing loss of homes and belongings. Volunteer opportunities across the city are being coordinated by Hands-On Nashville (www.HON.org), while social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter are being used by individuals to marshal support and help for friends who are victims of the devastation.

The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee has activated its Metro Nashville Disaster Response Fund, in partnership with the Mayor's Office of Emergency Management, to support relief efforts necessitated by flooding, which has impacted so many lives. Grants from the fund will be made to nonprofits supporting relief, restoration and clean-up efforts in the Davidson County area in the aftermath of the flooding and storms. Donations are being accepted now through The Community Foundation's website at www.cfmt.org, or by mail at P.O. Box 440225, Nashville, TN, 37244.

The Mayor's Office of Emergency Management has forged a partnership with The Community Foundation to simplify and expedite the process by which people affected by disaster receive help. The Community Foundation is accepting financial contributions from donors and will disperse them to nonprofit organizations helping people affected by disaster.

"Widespread and dangerous flooding is reaching almost every corner of Middle Tennessee. Millions have been affected. Some lives will return to normal quickly, others will take months or years to rebuild," said Ellen Lehman, president of The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee. "The Community Foundation is committed to do what it can to connect the generosity of people who want to help to the needs of their neighbors."

The Community Foundation has also activated its Tennessee Emergency Response Fund in response to flooding beyond the Davidson County area. Grants from this fund will be made to nonprofits supporting relief and restoration in areas of Middle Tennessee affected by the floods. Donations can be made to the fund at www.cfmt.org.

"We hope you will join in these efforts to rebuild lives in our very own community," said Lehman.

For more information, call The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee, Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at (615) 321-4939, or toll free at 888-540-5200. To contribute to disaster response efforts, please give online at www.cfmt.org or by sending donations to The Community Foundation, P.O. Box 440225, Nashville, TN 37244.

 

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