Nashville Theater Calendar 6/29/15

Sometimes it seems there is so much theater happening that it's difficult to keep track of it all. From personal experience, despite all the datebooks, smart phones, tablets, desktop computers and laptops...it's hard to keep everything straight in this wacky business of the show.

Thus, we are happy to present a new feature: The Nashville Theater Calendar, a comprehensive - maybe even exhaustive (lord knows we're exhausted from putting it together, gathering all the info from all over the interwebs!) - listing of theatrical openings for the 2015/16 season. We'll update the calendar every Monday, clearing out the shows that have closed and adding additional information on the shows still to come. Something's missing? That's an easy fix: just send us a message here, on Facebook, or by email at jeffreyellis37215@att.com.

This Week's Theatrical Birthdays: (June 29) actress/director/producer Stella Reed-Patterson, actress/director Pat McKinney Burton, actress Gillian Fitzgerald and actor Nick Mullins; (June 30) Tennessee Women's Theatre Project founder, 1996 First Night Award winner and 2012 First Night Honoree Maryanna Clarke and actor Brant Adams; (July 1) actress/director/playwright Hannah Church, 2014 First Night Honoree, director/producer/actor Robert Kiefer, actor Mikael Byrd, actress Kathleen Jaffe celebrates her 50th today, actress Janna Landry (Towne Centre Theatre's Gypsy) and actress Rachel Fogle Cantley (Into The Woods at Roxy Regional Theatre); (July 2) actress/dancer/choreographer Nancy Whitehead (Boiler Room Theatre's Nine, choreographer of ACT 1's Company), actress Leslie Eiler Thompson, actress Eleanor Mellen and Lipscomb University alumnus, actor - and 2011 First Night Most Promising Actor - Matt Raich; (July 3) Filmmaker/writer/social activist Molly Secours and Belmont University alum Devin Clevenger; (July 4) actor Dennis O'Brien (Circle Players' The Rocky Horror Show) (July 5) actor/director Bradley Moore (Take Me Out, The Normal Heart, American Idiot, August: Osage County), actress Natalie Lewis, and lighting designer Nathan Ray.

Opened April 24

Cumberland County Playhouse, Crossville: Singin' in the Rain, running through July 12 www.ccplayhouse.com "Singin' in the Rain is set in the Roaring Twenties when handsome, dashing Don Lockwood and his glamorous co-star Lina Lamont were the brightest stars in Hollywood. But times change, and 1927's advent of 'talking pictures' caused the crash of careers and fortunes, as audiences quickly lost interest." Jake Delaney, Katherine Walker Hill and Danny Boman star, along with a bevy of CCP favorites.

Opened May 22

Cumberland County Playhouse, Crossville: Smoke on the Mountain, running through October 10 www.ccplayhouse.com Smoke takes place on a Saturday night in Mount Pleasant, North Carolina, and the Reverend Oglethorpe has invited the Sanders Family Singers to provide an uplifting evening of song. The audience becomes the congregation as two dozen traditional and original hymns weave together with stories of witness from family members, along with a healthy dose of laughter. Though the Sanders Family try to appear perfect in the eyes of a critical congregation - who are skeptical about the whole notion of a "Saturday Night Sing" - one thing after another goes awry and they reveal their true and hilariously imperfect natures. The honesty, humor (sometimes unintentional!) and faith of this Southern mountain family and the church's new preacher connect strongly with audiences of all ages and faiths, who find themselves part of a very special afternoon or evening.

Opened June 11

Chaffin's Barn Dinner Theatre, Nashville: Nobody's Perfect, running through July 19 www.dinnertheatre.com Love Is All Around is a feminist publishing house and Harriet Copeland is in charge of their competition to attract new authors of romantic fiction called "For Women By Women." To defeat this gender bias, Leonard Loftus submits his novel under a pseudonym - Lullabel Latifa. He wins first prize and the once bashful statistician with a spectacular alter ego is suddenly a very worried man in the guise of a carefree woman. His wayward daughter and rascally old father hilariously complicate his frantic attempts to maintain the Lullabel character. To make matters worse, he falls for Harriet and the madness goes from there!

Opened June 12

Cumberland County Playhouse, Crossville: Mary Poppins, running through August 16 www.ccplayhouse.com Mary Poppins has captivated audiences for generations with its enchanting story, unforgettable songs and dazzling dance numbers. Mary Poppins is the story of a mysterious nanny who magically appears at the Banks household in Edwardian London to care for Jane and Michael Banks. Adventure abounds as she whisks them away to meet dancing chimney sweeps, shopkeepers and an array of colorful characters. NicoleBégué Hackmann will return to the Playhouse stage as Mary Poppins and Jake Delaney will play Bert.

Opened June 19

Roxy Regional Theatre, Clarksville: The 39 Steps, running through July 3 www.roxyregionaltheatre.org Mix a Hitchcock masterpiece with a juicy spy novel, add a dash of Monty Python, and you have the Roxy Regional Theatre's hilarious new offering, The 39 Steps, opening tonight at 8pm. Packed with nonstop laughs, this two-time Tony and Drama Desk Award-winning treat is adapted by Patrick Barlow from the 1915 novel by John Buchan and the 1935 film by Alfred Hitchcock. The London production, which has been running for nine years, only yesterday announced it will shutter on September 5.

Towne Centre Theatre, Brentwood: Footloose, running through July 11 www.townecentretheatre.com Footloose is the perfect summer musical, a story of American spirit. A carefree kid is transplanted to a conservative rural town where Rock 'n' Roll and dancing are forbidden. He takes on the authorities, makes all the right moves and wins the girl. A high energy, high intensity musical that dances onto the stage from the very first song and keeps on rocking until the end. The cast is led by William Warren Carver as Ren McCormack and Lindsay Carter as Ariel Moore. Also featured is John Ray as Reverend Shaw Moore, Katharine Boettcher as Vi Moore, Lyn Sheppard Middlebrook and Kari Smith (6/19 & 20) as Ethel McCormack, Ed Warr as Principal Clark, Seth McGraw as Willard, Meredith Mullen as Rusty, J. Baugh as Uncle Wes, Alyssa Miller as Wendy Jo and Alex Pineiro as Chuck Cranston. Rounding out the cast are Amanda Leigh Baugh, Clint Burmit, Max Craig, Jaden Holtschlag, Hillary Mead, Lorelei McDaniel, Laura Mee, Gunal Nepoleon, Parker Pennington, Annie Rice, Jasmine Rose, Quinton Tolbert, Madeline Yeary and Jimmy.

Opened June 20

Encore Theatre Company, Mt. Juliet: The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, running through July 11 www.encore-theatre-company.org Encore Theatre Company Youth Program proudly announces the upcoming hit The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn performed by an all youth cast and crew. Based on the original work by Mark Twain, adapted for the stage by Charles George, and directed by Marc Sloan, this family friendly and captivating production will feature some of the finest youth talent Nashville has to offer. Come on out to 6978 Lebanon Rd. to be a part of this classic American tradition as we explore America at its pre-civil war finest! Featuring Bryton Cole as Huck Finn and Mackey Bentley as Tom Sawyer, joined by an energetic young cast.

Opened June 26

Miss Jeanne's Theatre, Nashville: Red, White and Tuna, running through July 12 www.missjeannes.com The story's action begins as Tuna's citizens excitedly prepare for The Annual Fourth of July Celebration and Tuna High School Reunion. Before the fireworks display can be launched, the town must pick a Reunion Queen. Will the winner be Pearl Burras, local chicken farmer? Perhaps gun shop owner Didi Snavely will take the crown, or Smut Snatchers Vice President Vera Carp might be victorious, if her hairdo doesn't melt in the record-breaking heat. Poisoned potato salad, UFO sightings, and an attack cat are just a few of the many obstacles in the way of a successful town event.

Opening July 3

KB Productions, Nashville, at Darkhorse Theater: Trailer Trash Housewife, running through July 11. KB Productions is proud to present another play by Del Shores, starring Cat Arnold, Andrew Strong, LaQuita James, Beth Henderson,LaToya Gardner and John Todd. Directed by Clay Hillwig. Opening night includes a Meet & Greet reception after the performance with Del Shores. Only six performances; Tickets are available at www.kb-productions.eventbrite.com. Del Shores will be performing his new show, SINgularly Sordid on Sunday night at 8 p.m.

Opening July 9

Robertson County Players at Springfield High School: Fiddler On the Roof, running through July 18 robertsoncountyplayers.org Fiddler On the Roof directed by Lewis Walling, produced by Danny Atchley, starring J.R. Suter as Tevye and Lanie Shannon as Golde. Performances Thursday, Friday, Saturday,July 9 - 18 at 7 p.m. with a special matinee performance at 2 p.m. on Saturday, July 11, at Springfield High School Theater. Advance tickets $15 each - available now atticketsnashville.com.

Opening July 10

Street Theatre Company, Nashville, at Bailey Middle School: The Big Bad Musical, running through July 18 www.streettheatrecompany.org

Arts Center of Cannon County, Woodbury: Bring It On, The Musical, running through July 25 www.artscenterofcc.com

Murfreesboro Little Theatre: Avenue Q, running through July 19 www.mltarts.com A puppet-filled comedy follows a group of 20- and 30-somethings seeking their purpose in big-city life. Winner of the TONY "Triple Crown" for Best Musical, Best Score and Best Book, Avenue Q is part flesh, part felt, part fur, and packed with heart, the laugh-out-loud musical tells the timeless story of a recent college grad named Princeton who moves into a shabby New York apartment all the way out on Avenue Q. He soon discovers that although the residents seem nice, it's clear that this is not your ordinary neighborhood. Together, Princeton and his new-found friends struggle to find jobs, dates, and their ever-elusive purpose in life. Filled with gut-busting humor and a delightfully catchy score, not tomention puppets, Avenue Q is a truly unique show that has quickly become a favorite for audiences everywhere. Although the show addresses humorous adult issues, it is similar to a beloved children's show; a place where puppets are friends, Monsters are good and life lessons are learned.

Opening July 16

Gaslight Dinner Theatre, Dickson: Tuna Does Vegas, running through July 25 www.gaslightdinnertheatre.org

Sideshow at Actors Bridge and Actors Bridge Ensemble, at various locations, Nashville: Sideshow Fringe Festival 2015 www.sideshowfringe.com We're back for our fifth anniversary fringe bringing you both fan-favorite events and new original acts! Local talent and national acts converge for what promises to be the best adventure for our audiences yet!

Opening July 17

Blackbird Theater Company, Nashville, at Hillsboro Comprehensive High School: Myth, A Musical, running through July 26 www.BlackbirdTheater.com A world premiere musical set in the mythological world of ancient Greece, MYTH is the epic and original story of how and why the gods were cast from Mt. Olympus. The princess of Athens and the prince of Thebes are to be married. But an oracle portends doom. The mortals challenge the Fates. The gods intervene. And what follows is an impassioned tale of surprising romances, unlikely heroes, and, of course, the incomparable gods in all of their majestic, decadent glory. Written by Blackbird founders Wes Driver and Greg Greene, with music by Michael Slayton.

Center for the Arts, Murfreesboro: West Side Story, running through August 2 www.boroarts.org

Lakewood Theatre Company, Old Hickory: Play On!, running through August 2 http://lakewoodtheatreco.com/schedule/ This is the hilarious story of a theater group trying desperately to put on a play in spite of maddening interference from a haughty author who keeps revising the script. Act I is a rehearsal of the dreadful show, Act II is the near disastrous dress rehearsal, and the final act is the actual performance in which anything that can go wrong does...

Roxy Regional Theatre, Clarksville: The Music Man, running through August 8 www.roxyregionaltheatre.org

Opening July 23

Chaffin's Barn Dinner Theatre: All Shook Up, running through August 30 www.dinnertheatre.org

Opening July 24

Cumberland County Playhouse: A Chorus Line, running through August 28 www.ccplayhouse.com

Opening August 6:

Cumberland County Playhouse: The Fox on the Fairway, running through October 16 www.ccplayhouse.com

The Larry Keeton Theatre, Donelson/Nashville: Nunsense, running through August 22 www.thelarrykeetontheatre.org

Opening August 7:

Arts Center of Cannon County: Ghost, The Musical, running through August 22 www.artscenterofcc.com

Encore Theatre Company, Mt. Juliet: August: Osage County, running through August 22 www.encore-theatre-company.org

Pull-Tight Players, Franklin: Into the Woods, running through August 22 www.pull-tight.com The long-awaited film adaptation of this Broadway classic enchanted film fans last holiday season, and Pull-Tight is proud to present the smashingly original stage version, featuring the unabridged Sondheim score in all its witty and wickedly wonderful glory. The fairy tale characters may be familiar, but their fates are certainly not. Find out what happens after 'happily ever after' this August.

Opening August 13

Nashville Shakespeare Festival at Centennial Park: Henry V, running through September 13 www.nashvilleshakes.org

VWA Theatricals, at Darkhorse Theatre, Nashville: The Last Five Years, running through August 22

Sunday, August 16

The First Night Honors: The Most Promising Actors' Showcase

Opening August 18

Act Too Pro, Franklin, at The Franklin Theatre: Mary Poppins, running through August 23. www.acttoopro.com

Opening August 20

Circle Players, Nashville, at TSU Performing Arts Center: American Idiot, running through August 30 www.circleplayers.net

Opening August 28

Street Theatre Company, Nashville, at Bailey Middle School: Heathers the Musical, running through September 13 www.streettheatrecompany.org

Opening September 3

Chaffin's Barn Dinner Theatre, Nashville: Arsenic and Old Lace, running through October 11 www.dinnertheatre.com

Nashville Repertory Theatre at TPAC's Johnson Theatre: Rapture, Blister, Burn, running through September 19 www.nashvillerep.org

Opening September 4

Cumberland County Playhouse: The Foreigner, running through November 5 www.ccplayhouse.com

Opening September 10

Gaslight Dinner Theatre, Dickson: Barbra's Wedding, running through September 19 www.gaslightdinnertheatre.org

Opening September 11

Actors Bridge Ensemble, Nashville, at Belmont's Black Box Theater: Hearts Like Fists, running through September 20 www.actorsbridge.org A superhero noir comedy about the dangers of love. The city's heart beats with fear: Doctor X is sneaking into apartments and injecting lovers with a lethal poison. Lisa's heart beats with hope: Now that she's joined the elite Crimefighters, maybe she can live a life with meaning. And every beat of Peter's wounded heart brings him closer to death, but he's designing an artificial replacement that will never break. Can the Crimefighters stop Doctor X? Do Peter and Lisa have a chance at love? And who is the girl with a face like a plate?

Center for the Arts, Murfreesboro: Harvey, running through September 20 www.boroarts.org

Opening September 17

Studio Tenn, Franklin: Gypsy, running through October 4 www.studiotenn.com

Opening September 18

Encore Theatre Company, Mt. Juliet: The Mousetrap, running through October 3 www.encore-theatre-company.org

Lakewood Theatre Company, Old Hickory: Black Coffee, running through October 4 www.lakewoodtheatreco.com This little known mystery will surprise and delight Christie fans. Written in 1934, the story concerns a physicist named Sir Claude Amory who has come up with a formula for an atom bomb. In the first act, Sir Claude is poisoned (in his coffee, naturally) and Hercule Poirot is called in to solve the case with the twists and turns expected in a true Christie fashion!

Murfreesboro Little Theatre: Of Mice and Men, running through September 27 www.mltarts.com

Springhouse Theatre Company, Smyrna: Fiddler on the Roof, running through October 4 www.springhousetheatre.com Enjoy the memorable music and infectious zest for life found in the village of Anatevka as STC starts the season with one of the most beloved musicals of all time.

Opening September 22

Broadway at TPAC, Nashville: Dirty Dancing, running through September 27 www.tpac.org

Opening September 25

Cumberland County Playhouse, Crossville: Once On This Island, running through November 6 www.ccplayhouse.com

Opening October 2

Arts Center of Cannon County, Woodbury: 12 Angry Men, running through October 17 www.artscenterofcc.com

Opening October 8

The Larry Keeton Theatre, Donelson/Nashville: The Music Man, running through October 24 www.thelarrykeetontheatre.org

Nashville Rep at TPAC's Johnson Theatre: Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead, running through October 31 www.nashvillerep.org

October 8 & 10

Nashville Opera at TPAC's Andrew Jackson Hall: Puccini's Turandot www.nashvilleopera.org After composing La Boheme, Tosca and Madama Butterfly, what could Puccini possibly do for a final statement? The answer: TURANDOT. Containing some of the greatest operatic music ever written, TURANDOT is the culmination of Puccini's brilliant career. This grand-scale opera is full of thrilling choruses, thundering orchestrations, and a cast consisting of, well, most of ancient China! This magnificent work-which features Pavarotti's signature aria, "Nessun dorma"-promises to be a landmark event for the Nashville Opera and an evening not to be missed. Approximate running time: 2 hours, 25 minutes (includes two 20-minute intermissions)

Opening October 9

Pull-Tight Players, Franklin: The Foreigner, running through October 24 www.pull-tight.com This perennial favorite from playwright Larry Shue has become an American theatre staple and with good reason. The tale of a mild-mannered English science fiction proofreader who finds himself at a rural fishing lodge in Georgia and on the receiving end of a host of secrets and scandalous tales from other lodge visitors zings from comedy to action en route to a thrilling Act Two climax.

Renaissance Players, Dickson: Cheaper By The Dozen, running through October 18 www.renplayers.com

Opening October 15

Chaffin's Barn Dinner Theatre, Nashville: Alone Together, running through November 15 www.dinnertheatre.com

Opening October 16

Center for the Arts, Murfreesboro: The Addams Family, running through November 1 www.boroarts.org

Street Theatre Company, Nashville, at Bailey Middle School: The Last Queen of Wonderland, running through October 24 www.streettheatrecompany.org

Opening October 20

Broadway at TPAC, Nashville: Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella, running through October 25 www.tpac.org

Opening October 22

Cumberland County Playhouse: In-Laws, Outlaws, and Other People (Who Should Be Shot), running through December 12 www.ccplayhouse.com

Opening October 23

Encore Theatre Company, Mt. Juliet: Gin Rummy, running through November 7 www.encore-theatre-company.org

Opening November 6

Arts Center of Cannon County, Woodbury: Mary Poppins, running through November 21 www.artscenterofcc.org

Murfreesboro Little Theatre: My Fair Lady, running through November 22 www.mltarts.org

Street Theatre Company, Nashville, at Bailey Middle School: Bat Boy the Musical, running through November 22 www.streettheatrecompany.org

Opening November 10

Broadway at TPAC, Nashville: Bullets Over Broadway, running through November 15 www.tpac.org

Opening November 13

Center for the Arts, Murfreesboro: The Glass Menagerie, running through November 22 www.boroarts.org

Nashville Opera at The Noah Liff Opera Center: Philip Glass' Hydrogen Jukebox www.nashvilleopera.org Join us for an intimate voyage through the cultural landscape of America from the 1950's through the 1980s. Delving into such topics as life, death, the atomic bomb and potential annihilation, Eastern philosophy, sex, drugs, rock and roll, war, and significant political events, Hydrogen Jukebox is a kaleidoscope of societal phenomena. Above all, though, Hydrogen Jukebox tries to portray the American People-a collective of individuals searching a better way towards understanding, meaning, and happiness in hectic and often confusing times. This electrifying opera-featuring a haunting, dynamic score by Philip Glass and the prophetic poetry of Allen Ginsberg-promises to overwhelm your senses with a poignant experience that is at once passionately nostalgic and strikingly relevant. Approximate running time: 2 hours, 10 minutes (with one 20-minute intermission)

Opening November 19

Chaffin's Barn Dinner Theatre, Nashville: Yule Y'all, running through December 27 www.dinnertheatre.com

Gaslight Dinner Theatre, Dickson: Mr. Jingle's Christmas Clause, running through December 19 www.gaslightdinnertheatre.org

Opening November 20

Cumberland County Playhouse: A Sanders Family Christmas, running through December 22 www.ccplayhouse.com

Opening November 27

Chaffin's Barn Dinner Theatre Backstage, Nashville: Murder at the Howard Johnson's, running through December 27 www.dinnertheatre.com

Nashville Rep at TPAC's Johnson Theatre: A Christmas Story, running through December 20 www.nashvillerep.org

Opening December 3

The Larry Keeton Theatre, Donelson/Nashville: 1940s Radio Christmas Carol, running through December 20 www.thelarrykeetontheatre.org

Studio Tenn, Franklin: It's A Wonderful Life, running through December 20 www.studiotenn.com

Opening December 4

Arts Center of Cannon County, Woodbury: A Tuna Christmas, running through December 13 www.artscenterofcc.com

Center for the Arts, Murfreesboro: White Christmas, running through December 20 www.boroarts.org

Lakewood Theatre Company, Old Hickory: The Lion in Winter, running through December 20 www.lakewoodtheatreco.com Sibling rivalry, adultery and dungeons - Lion in Winter, by James Goldman, is a modern day classic. Comedic in tone, dramatic in action - the play tells the story of the Plantagenet family who are locked in a free for all of competing ambitions to inherit a kingdom. The queen, and wealthiest woman in the world, Eleanor of Aquitaine, has been kept in prison since raising an army against her husband, King Henry II. Let out only for holidays, the play centers around the inner conflicts of the royal family as they fight over both a kingdom, as well as King Henry's paramour during the Christmas of 1183. As Eleanor says, "every family has its ups and downs," and this royal family is no exception.

Pull-Tight Players, Franklin: Holmes For The Holidays, running through December 19 www.pull-tight.com The halls are decked with murder this holiday season at the Connecticut manse of stage actor William Gillette. But whodunit? His mother, Martha? Or one of his fellow actor friends staying at Connecticut Castle for the Christmas weekend? Gillette has played Sherlock Holmes on stage, but now he had better play him in real life before the murderer strikes again.

Renaissance Players, Dickson: A Christmas Story, The Musical, running through December 13

Springhouse Theatre Company, Smyrna: It's a Wonderful Life, running through December 13 www.springhousetheatre.comTraditions are a significant part of the way we experience the joy of the Christmas season. Make a visit to Bedford Falls one of your traditions as you share in the classic telling of the full- stage version of It's a Wonderful Life.

Opening December 11

Murfreesboro Little Theatre: A Coney Island Christmas, running through December 20 www.mltarts.org

Opening January 15, 2016

Murfreesboro Little Theatre: The Exonerated, running through January 24 www.mltarts.org

Opening January 22

Nashville Opera at TPAC's James K. Polk Theater: Mozart's Cosi Fan Tutte www.nashvilleopera.org It all starts with a bet. Two young men enter into a wager with an older bachelor to prove the indestructible fidelity of their beautiful fiancées. Lesson #1: Never make bets in which the human heart is involved. This comic opera is the peak of Mozart's brilliant exploration into the workings of love. Following closely on the heels of such masterpieces as The Marriage of Figaro and Don Giovanni, Cosi Fan Tutte is the ultimate statement on the dissimilarity between men and women when it comes to affairs of the heart. Approximate running time: 2 hours, 30 minutes (includes one 20-minute intermission)

Opening January 26, 2016

Broadway at TPAC, Nashville: Matilda the Musical, running through January 31 www.tpac.org

Opening February 5, 2016

Pull-Tight Players, Franklin: Southern Fried Funeral, running through February 20 www.pull-tight.com Pull-Tight is thrilled to feature this uproarious homegrown comedy from local playwrights Osborne and Eppler. Families reveal their real selves in light of a crisis, and the Frye family is no exception. You won't want to miss the true colors this zany Southern family paints the occasion with as they lay dearly departed Dewey Frye to rest.

Opening February 11, 2016

Nashville Rep at TPAC's Johnson Theatre: Good Monsters, running through February 27 www.nashvillerep.org

Opening February 12, 2016

Springhouse Theatre Company, Smyrna: Jane Austin's Emma, running through February 28 www.springhousetheatre.com Those who love Jane Austen, as well as those who simply love laughter, life, and... love, will be enchanted by this Paula K. Parker adaptation of one of Ms. Austen's most delightful works.

Opening February 16, 2016

Broadway at TPAC, Nashville: Motown the Musical, through February 21 www.tpac.org

Opening February 18, 2016

The Larry Keeton Theatre, Donelson/Nashville: Sunset Boulevard, running through March 5 www.thelarrykeetontheatre.org

Studio Tenn, Franklin: The Glass Menagerie, running through March 6 www.studiotenn.com

Opening March 9, 2016

Broadway at TPAC, Nashville: The Phantom of the Opera, running through March 20 www.tpac.org

Opening March 19, 2016

Nashville Rep at TPAC's Johnson Theatre: Chicago, running through April 16 www.nashvillerep.org

Opening April 8, 2016

Pull-Tight Players, Franklin: Rabbit Hole, running through April 23 www.pull-tight.com Celebrated author David Lindsay-Abaire's Pulitzer Prize-winning play explores the various ways a family copes with unexpected and tragic death, with a deft balance of humor, pathos and hope. Whether or not you have seen the acclaimed Oscar-nominated film adaptation, you won't want to miss this exciting addition to the season.

Springhouse Theatre Company, Smyrna: Tom Sawyer, running through April 24 www.springhousetheatre.com Join master storyteller Mark Twain as he leads us into the world of his most famous character -Tom Sawyer. Tom's adventures never fail to remind us of why great storytelling never grows old.

Opening April 14, 2016

The Larry Keeton Theatre, Donelson/Nashville: The Miss Firecracker Contest, running through April 30 www.thelarrykeetontheatre.org

Opening April 22, 2016

Murfreesboro Little Theatre: Lend Me a Tenor, running through www.mltarts.org

Opening April 26, 2016

Broadway at TPAC, Nashville: Mamma Mia!, running through May 1 www.tpac.org

Opening May 6, 2016

Murfreesboro Little Theatre: Backyard Bard: Romeo & Juliet, running through www.mltarts.org

Opening May 10, 2016

Broadway at TPAC, Nashville: The Bridges of Madison County, running through May 15 www.tpac.org

Opening May 31, 2016

Broadway at TPAC, Nashville: Disney's Beauty and the Beast, running through June 5 www.tpac.org

Opening June 3, 2016

Studio Tenn, Franklin, at Schermerhorn Symphony Center: West Side Story, running through June 4, www.studiotenn.com

Pull-Tight Players, Franklin: The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, running through June 18 www.pull-tight.com Trust us - your elementary school spelling bee was never like this! Take a group of neurotic, over-achieving grade schoolers with a dictionary in their hands and hope in their hearts, add a group of equally wacky moderators and stir for a delightful and sharply funny comedy that will have you rolling in the aisles. But don't get too comfy on the floor - you might just be picked to join the bee!

Opening June 7, 2016

Broadway at TPAC, Nashville: If/Then, running through June 7 www.tpac.org

Opening June 9, 2016

The Larry Keeton Theatre, Donelson/Nashville: Thoroughly Modern Millie, running through June 25 www.thelarrykeetontheatre.org

Opening June 10, 2016

Murfreesboro Little Theatre: Butterflies Are Free, running through www.mltarts.org

Opening July 8, 2016

Murfreesboro Little Theatre: Next to Normal, running through www.mltarts.org