Photos: First Night Nashville Theatre Honors - Preview Party

Eight of the leading lights of Nashville theater were announced Monday night as the Class of 2010 Honorees for the First Night Nashville Theatre Honors, to be presented Sunday, September 19. The Hard Rock Cafe Nashville's Reverb Room was the setting for the preview party and announcement of honorees.

The 2010 honorees include:

• Scot Copeland, producing artistic director of Nashville Children's Theater

• Paul Gatrell, chairman of the Department of Theater and Dance at Belmont University

• Kathleen O'Brien, president and CEO, Tennessee Performing Arts Center

• A. Sean O'Connell, actress/director/producer, co-founder of ACT 1 and GroundWorks Theater

• Robert A. O'Connell, actor/director/producer, co-founder of ACT 1 and GroundWorks Theater

• Mac Pirkle, founder of Southern Stage Productions and Tennessee Repertory Theatre

• Barry Scott, actor/director/producer and theater manager/director at Tennessee State University

• Shannon Wood, former stage manager for Tennessee Repertory Theatre and a co-founder and owner of Darkhorse Theatre

The eight will be honored in September with a gala production at the Troutt Theatre, featuring a cast of more than 100 of Nashville's best-known actors paying tribute to the honorees for their years of commitment to quality theater in Music City USA and their continued leadership and collective artistic vision. A crowd of about 80 gathered to hear Ellis make the announcement and to listen to some First Night memories from Melissa Bedinger Hade, Carolyn German and Matthew Carlton, all of whom were First Night Award winners during the recognition program's first incarnation.