FUNNY MONEY Bows at Chaffin's Barn With All-Star Cast, 6/10

Nate Eppler directs an all-star cast in the Chaffin's Barn Dinner Theatre production of Ray Cooney's Funny Money, running June 10-July 17 at the veneral Nashville venue. Shows are Tuesday through Saturday evenings, with the buffet served from 6 to 7:30 p.m. and curtain at 8 p.m.

The farce is from the author of Run for Your Wife and There Goes the Bride and focuses on what happens when mild-mannered accountant Henry Perkins finds a briefcase full of money. Henry thinks his troubles are finally over when, in fact, they've only just begun. He and his confused wife are leaving for Barcelona when a police detective arrives, falsely accusing Henry of soliciting in the men's room in a local pub. Another detective arrives, thinking Henry is dead, since a murdered man and Henry's briefcase were found in the river. Henry's inept attempts to extricate himself lead to increasingly hysterical situations as he gets himself "out of the frying pan and into the fire."

The show is directed by Chaffin's Barn audience favorite, Nate Eppler, a playwright and actor. Nate's previous Barn acting credits include: The Odd Couple, Over the River and Through the Woods, Boeing! Boeing!, and Don't Dress for Dinner. Eppler has had several original plays premiere at Chaffin's Barn including Modern Love and Filthy Rich. His next play commissioned by the Barn, Rear Widow (co-authored with Dietz Osborne,) will premiere at Chaffin's Barn this fall.

Eppler served as a Playwright-in-Residence at the Tennessee Repertory Theatre and his play Long Way Down was featured as part of their New Works Festival this past spring. He received his training at the University of Memphis, New York University, and The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. As an actor, Nate has been awarded the Larry Riley Rising Star Award, The Memphis Theatre Award, and was named Best New Artist by both the Commercial Appeal and Memphis Magazine. He has been awarded for his work as a playwright with the Memphis Theatre Award for Best Play, the Chattanooga Theatre Centre New Play Award, and was named runner-up for the American College Theater Festival National Student Playwriting Award. He was commissioned by the Kennedy Center and the White House Historical Association to develop a play for young audiences.

The cast for Funny Money includes: Mike Baum (last seen in Rumors), Chris Bosen (last seen in Frankly My Dear), Adam Burnett, David Compton (last seen in Christmas Belles and Alone Together), Jenny Noel (last seen in There Goes the Bride), Dietz Osborne (last seen in Frankly My Dear), Johnny Peppers (last seen in Seeing Stars in Dixie) and Jennifer Richmond (last seen in Frankly My Dear).

Ticket prices are $50 for adults, with student tickets priced at $35 for dinner and show; $25 for children 12 and under. Show-only tickets are $33 for adults.

Reservations are required for Funny Money; call (615) 646-9977 to book your reservation. For futher details about Chaffin's Barn, visit the company website at www.dinnertheatre.com.

Jennifer Wallace Noel, Dietz Osborne, Jennifer Richmond and David Compton (clockwise from bottom left)