SAVE THE DATE: Nashville Theater Calendar for September 23

Looking into the future, you'll find a number of new productions on tap for your entertainment pleasure, thanks to the efforts of theater companies all over Middle Tennessee. Here's our calendar to help you plot your course...

Through September 23 Avenue Q, presented by Nashville Repertory Theatre at TPAC's Andrew Johnson Theatre. Lauren Shouse directs - with musical direction by Jason Tucker - a cast led by Bradley Gale and Megan Murphy Chambers, along with Sawyer Wallace, Melinda Paul, Jonah M. Jackson, Sarah Aili and Natsuko Hirano. For more information, go to www.nashvillerep.org.

Through September 29 Man of La Mancha, presented by Actor's Pointe Theatre Company at God Why Church, Hendersonville. Greg Wilson directs Lane Davies, Talon David and Samuel Whited in the classic 1965 musical. For information, to to www.actorspointtheatre.com or call (615) 431-9630.

Through September 29 The Civil War in Concert, presented by Street Theatre Company at Holy Trinity Community Church, 6727 Charlotte Pike, Nashville.

Through September 29 Hairspray, presented by The Roxy Regional Theatre, 100 Franklin Street, Clarksville. The Tony Award-winning musical based on the cult classic John Waters film plays downtown Clarksville, with an affectionate look at hair-hopping Tracy Turnblad, her family and friends, during the tumultuous civil rights era in 1962 Baltimore. Ryan Bowie directs. For information, go to www.roxyregionaltheatre.org or call (931) 645-7699 for ticket information.

Through September 30 Disney and Cameron Mackintosh's Mary Poppins, presented by Springhouse Theatre Company at Springhouse Worship and Arts Center, Smyrna. Margaret Meek directs the stage musical adaptation of the classic Disney film, starring Crystal Kurek, Michael Adcock, Kristina James, Gregory Henry and Shannon Henry. For details, go to www.springhousetheatre.com or call (615) 852-8499.

Through October 4 Boeing Boeing, presented by Cumberland County Playhouse, Crossville. It's the 1960s, and swinging bachelor Bernard couldn't be happier: a flat in Paris and dating three gorgeous stewardesses without them knowing about each other. But Bernard's perfect life gets bumpy when his friend Robert comes to stay and a new and speedier Boeing jet throws off all of his careful planning. When all three stewardesses are in town simultaneously, timid Robert and Bernard's droll housekeeper keep forgetting which lies to tell to whom, and catastrophe looms. Boeing Boeing was a smash hit in New York and London as well as a popular 1965 movie starring Tony Curtis and Jerry Lewis. In the spirit of Fox on the Fairway, Suite Surrender and Lend Me a Tenor, this hilarious comedy promises to have you rolling in the aisles with laughter! For details, go to www.ccplayhouse.com or call (931) 484-5000.

Through October 7 Tuck Everlasting, presented by Nashville Children's Theatre, 25 Middleton Street, Nashville. Ernie Nolan directs (Davis Weinstein is music director) the world premiere of the TYA production of Tuck Everlasting, the recent Broadway show that features a book by Claudia Shear and Tim Federle, music by Chris Miller and lyrics by Nathan Tysen, based on the 1975 novel of the same name by Natalie Babbitt. Starring Rebecca Keeshin, Nan Gurley, Jennifer Whitcomb-Oliva, Bakari J. King, James Rudolph, Imari Thompson, Geoff Davin, Matthew Carlton and Jairus Maples. For details, go to www.nashvillect.org or call (615) 252-4664.

Through October 22 Newsies, presented by Chaffin's Barn Dinner Theatre, 8204 Highway 100, Nashville. Martha Wilkinson directs the popular Broadway musical that is inspired by the Disney film, with a cast that includes Chase Anthony Cooksey, Everett Tarlton (who choreographs), Christian Bare, Chase Michael Miller, Curtis Lemoine, McKenna Driver, Gerold Oliver, Kayla Petrille, Samantha Blake, Natalie Rankin, David Ridley and more. For reservations, call (615) 646-9977, or go to www.chaffinsbarntheatre.com.

Through October 26 Sweeney Todd, The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, presented by Cumberland County Playhouse, Crossville. This classic Tony award winning musical (also a popular movie starring Johnny Depp) is a tasty, thrilling, theatrical treat that has simultaneously delighted, shocked, and awed audiences for decades. An infamous tale, Sweeney Todd, an unjustly exiled barber, returns to nineteenth century London, seeking vengeance against the lecherous judge who framed him. The road to revenge leads Todd to Mrs. Lovett, a resourceful proprietress of a failing pie shop, above which, he opens a new barber practice. Mrs. Lovett's luck sharply shifts when Todd's thirst for blood inspires the integration of an ingredient into her meat pies that has the people of London lining up... and the adventure has only just begun! Attend the tale of Sweeney Todd and be blown away by the lavish sets, costumes, and top-notch talent that bring this exhilarating story to life. For more information, go to www.ccplayhouse.com or call (931) 484-5000 for tickets.

September 27-October 1 The Boys in the Band, presented by Jeffrey Ellis Presents at The Barbershop Theater, 4003 Indiana Avenue, Nashville. Jeffrey Ellis directs the Nashville premiere of Mart Crowley's landmark 1968 play about a group of gay men gathered for a birthday party on New York's upper east side. Starring Bryce Conner, Russell Forbes, Brad Hunter, Patriq James, Macon Kimbrough, Joshua Alan Lindsay, J. Robert Lindsey, Bradley Moore and Russell Forbes. For tickets, go to: www.eventbrite.com/e/the-boys-in-the-band-tickets-49892426591.

September 28-October 13 And Then There Were None, presented by Arts Center of Cannon County, 1424 John Bragg Highway, Woodbury. Agatha Christie's best-selling murder mystery will leave you guessing. Cyndie Verbeten directs an ensemble cast, bringing the classic whodunnit to life with a surprise ending. For details, go to www.artscenterofcc.com or call (615) 563-2787.

October 3-6 The Adding Machine, presented at The Tucker Theatre, Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro. Conner McCabe directs a student cast, with crew and design team made up of their classmates, in Elmer Rice's play, described as a "landmark of American expressionism."

October 4-14 Twilight of the Gods, presented by Blackbird Theater at the Williamson County Performing Arts Center at Academy Park, Franklin. Jason Tucker directs the revival of the play by company founders Wes Driver and Greg Greene. Tickets and other information are available at www.blackbirdtheater.com.

October 5-13 Stupid f-ing Bird, presented by ACT 1 at The Darkhorse Theater, 4610 Charlotte Avenue, Nashville. Mark Cabus directs the 2018-19 season opening production of ACT 1: Aaron Posner's Stupid f-ing Bird, inspired by Anton Chekhov's The Seagull. For tickets, go to www.tickets.ACT1online.com.

October 5-21 Hair, presented by Circle Players at the Z. Alexander Looby Theatre, 2301 Rosa L. Parks Boulevard, Nashville. Directed by Jason Lewis. For more information, go to www.circleplayers.net

October 5-21 Jekyll & Hyde, presented by Center for the Arts, Murfreesboro. Renee Robinson directs the Frank Wildhorn musical, with a cast featuring Mark David Williams and Alexius Frost. For more information, go to www.boroarts.org or call (615) 904-2787.

October 9-14 The Play That Goes Wrong, presented by the national touring company of the Broadway hit, HCA/TriStar Heath Broadway at TPAC Series, at Tennessee Performing Arts Center's Andrew Jackson Hall. Go to www.TPAC.org for details, or call (615) 782-4040 for tickets.

October 11-27 The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, presented by The Larry Keeton Theatre, 108 Donelson Pike, Nashville. Directed by Suzanne Spooner Faulk, musical direction by Jane Kelley and choreography by Cary Street. For more information, go to www.thelarrykeetontheatre.org; for reservations, call (615) 883-8375.

October 12-November 10 The Old Man and The Old Moon, presented by Cumberland County Playhouse, Crossville. A one-of-a-kind theatrical experience, The Old Man and the Old Moon will enchant audiences of all ages with spellbinding storytelling, ingenious puppetry, and a rousing Celtic-inspired folk score! The beguiling tale begins with the Old Man, whose job is to periodically fill the leaky moon with light. When his wife sails off in search of a mysterious song, he abandons his duties, throwing the world into chaos, as he searches for his lost love, his fading memory, and ultimately, himself. New York Magazine calls it "an all-ages journey into the frontiers of undiluted imagination." For

October 19-21 Hookman, presented by Gadabout Theater Company at The Barbershop Theater, 4003 Indiana Avenue, Nashville. Freshman year at college is hard when your roommate is weird, you're feeling homesick, and a hook-handed serial killer is slashing girls' throats. But if Lexi can discover what really happened to her high school best friend on that car ride to the movies, everything will be okay. In this existential slasher comedy, Lexi and her friends learn what it means to grow up - and it's not pretty. Hookman is a lethally sharp and witty examination of death, young adulthood and the power of the stories we tell each other and ourselves. Oh, and there's blood...lots and lot of blood.

October 23 Pinot & Puppets, presented by Next Chapter Society at The Barbershop Theater, 4003 Indiana Avenue, Nashville. Join us for a spooky evening benefiting the Nashville Public Library Foundation. Wear your costume to win prizes for the best dressed during this festive fall fete. Your ticket includes access to our open bar of local craft beer and wine, and some of Nashville's finest fare. Pinot & Puppets will feature a 30-minute performance of The Ordeal of Dr. Trifulgas, a creepy Jules Verne short story performed by the Nashville Public Library Puppet Truck.

October 24-November 4 The Phantom of the Opera, presented by the national touring company of the Broadway hit, HCA/TriStar Heath Broadway at TPAC Series, at Tennessee Performing Arts Center's Andrew Jackson Hall. Go to www.TPAC.org for details, or call (615) 782-4040 for tickets.

November 2-11 A Midsummer Night's Dream, presented Center for the Arts, Murfreesboro. For more information, go to www.boroarts.org or call (615) 904-2787.

November 2-17 Hello Dolly!, presented by Arts Center of Cannon County, 1424 John Bragg Highway, Woodbury. Directed by Matt Smith. In 1890s New York City, the bold and enchanting widow Dolly Levi is a socialite-turned-matchmaker. Her latest clients seeking assistance are the cantankerous "half-a-millionaire" Horace Vandergelder and a young artist named Ambrose, who is in love with Horace's niece, Ermengarde. Dolly's scheming soon involves Horace's employees as well as a New York hatmaker, as she tries to cover up her own secret romantic designs. For details, go to www.artscenterofcc.com or call (615) 563-2787.

November 2-December 22 Holiday Inn, presented by Cumberland County Playhouse, Crossville. Opening our Christmas season on the Mainstage is a new smash hit Broadway musical - Irving Berlin's Holiday Inn. Based on the classic film with music and lyrics by Irvin Berlin, Holiday Inn is a whole year of holidays in one wonderful musical! It features thrilling dance numbers, laugh-out-loud comedy, and a parade of Berlin hits including "Blue Skies," "Easter Parade," "Steppin' Out With My Baby," "Heat Wave," "White Christmas," "Cheek to Cheek",and many more! Jim has left showbiz behind to settle down on his Connecticut farm...but life just isn't the same without a bit of song and dance. Jim's luck takes a spectacular turn when he meets Linda, a spirited schoolteacher with talent to spare. Together they turn the farmhouse into a fabulous inn with dazzling performances to celebrate each holiday, from Thanksgiving to the Fourth of July. But when Jim's best friend Ted tries to lure Linda away to Hollywood, will Jim be able to salvage his latest chance at love? Don't miss this heartwarming, high energy, tap dancing extravaganza! For more information, go to www.ccplayhouse.com or call (931) 484-5000 for tickets.

November 9-25 A Gentleman Mind Reader, presented by Razorglass Productions at The Barbershop Theater, 4003 Indiana Avenue, Nashville. The Gentleman Mind Reader follows an evening with Christopher Ellis, a man who can actually read minds. Out of work and chasing the success of his now deceased grandmother, he is confronted with one final chance to prove his worth in a family "blessed" with clairvoyance. This one-man show is written and starring reformed magician Will Pryor.

November 13-18 Irving Berlin's White Christmas, presented by the national touring company of the Broadway hit, HCA/TriStar Heath Broadway at TPAC Series, at Tennessee Performing Arts Center's Andrew Jackson Hall. Nashville's own Jeremy Benton stars. Go to www.TPAC.org for details, or call (615) 782-4040 for tickets.

November 15-December 29 Elf, presented by Chaffin's Barn Dinner Theatre, 8204 Highway 100, Nashville. Directed by Martha Wilkinson. For more information, go to www.ChaffinsBarnTheatre.com or call (615) 646-9977.

November 16-December 23 A Sanders Family Christmas, presented by Cumberland County Playhouse, Crossville. THE FINAL SEASON: Celebrate and rejoice with the Sanders family one last time in this heartwarming sequel to Connie Ray and Alan Bailey's wildly successful bluegrass gospel musical Smoke on the Mountain! It's December 24, 1941, and America is going to war. So is Dennis Sanders of the Sanders Family Singers. Join Pastor Mervin Oglethorpe and the spirit filled Sanders Family as they send Dennis off with hilarious and touching stories and twenty-five Southern Gospel Christmas favorites.

November 23-December 22 A Christmas Story, presented by Nashville Repertory Theatre at TPAC's Andrew Johnson Theatre. Nashville Rep will pack away its sets and costumes for their annual holiday season offering of the play based upon the hit film after a decade-long run. For more information, go to www.nashvillerep.org.

November 23-December 29 The Game Show Show, presented by Chaffin's Barn Dinner Theatre, 8204 Highway 100, Nashville. For more information, go to www.ChaffinsBarnTheatre.com or call (615) 646-9977.

November 29-December 16 A Christmas Carol, the Musical, presented by The Larry Keeton Theatre, 108 Donelson Pike, Nashville. For more information, go to www.thelarrykeetontheatre.org; for reservations, call (615) 883-8375.

November 30-December 16 Miracle on 34th Street, Center for the Arts, Murfreesboro. For more information, go to www.boroarts.org or call (615) 904-2787.

November 30-December 16 Lips Together, Teeth Apart, presented by Rogue Stage Ensemble at The Barbershop Theater, Nashville. A beachside home on Fire Island proves a strange setting for two straight couples - sister and brother Chloe and Sam, and their spouses John and Sally - on the Fourth of July. Upon his recent death from AIDS, Sally's brother David bequeathed her the Fire Island house, surrounded by friendly, partying gay neighbors on either side of the fence. Terrence McNally's play is an indictment of ignorance and stagnancy in the fight against AIDS, as well as a powerful look inside dissolving marriages, lost hopes and dreams and the looming capricious nature of death.

December 7-30 Disney's Beauty and the Beast, presented by Studio Tenn at Jamison Theater, The Factory at Franklin. For tickets, go to www.studiotenn.com, or call (615) 541-8200.

December 13-23 Peter Pan and Tinker Bell: A Pirate's Christmas, at TPAC's James K. Polk Theatre. Nashville's own Diana DeGarmo plays Tinker Bell in the production that will introduce an English holiday tradition to Nashville audiences: Christmas Panto. Go to www.TPAC.org for details, or call (615) 782-4040 for tickets.