David Compton News

Chaffin's Barn, the venerable Nashville theatrical venue where you get top-flight productions served up alongside some mighty tasty roast beef, is on a roll this year. Coming off the success of its excellent production of 'Til Beth Do Us Part, Chaffin's mines their estimable comedy vault to bring back Larry Shue's Southern-fried and Georgia-bred classic The Foreigner - and audiences will be flocking to the Barn for a thoroughly delightful experience.

Derek Whittaker stars in the title role in the latest incarnation of The Foreigner, Larry Shue's classic stage comedy, opening at Chaffin's Barn Dinner Theatre March 24, running through April 30. The production is helmed by director Dietz Osborne.

Derek Whittaker stars in the title role in the latest incarnation of The Foreigner, Larry Shue's classic stage comedy, opening at Chaffin's Barn Dinner Theatre March 24, running through April 30. The production is helmed by director Dietz Osborne.

Feasting on the banquet that is the musical, magical prose of Tom Stoppard, the cast of Blackbird Theater Company's Arcadia delivers a pitch-perfect rendering of his intellectually stimulating play, under the fine direction of Ted Swindley. Certain to provoke thought and elicit a variety of responses, Arcadia is intricately crafted and imaginatively plotted, staged elegantly and confidently by the relatively new theater company in just its second production at David Lipscomb University's Shamblin Theatre.

Talk to cast members of Blackbird Theater Company's production of Arcadia and you get the idea that all this hard work we've heard so much about may actually be a whole lot of fun. And ask them why audiences should come see the show, which opens Friday night, February 25, at David Lipscomb University's Shamblin Theatre, and the answers you get may not be what you expect either.

At first blush, Beth Bailey - the anti-heroine of 'Til Beth Do Us Part, the new comedy from the crackerjack writing triumvirate otherwise known as Jessie Jones, Nicholas Hope and Jamie Wooten - is a Southern-bred, country-fried rube with questionable fashion taste and amazing organizational skills. Delve a little bit deeper and you'll find that she's a manipulative, conniving bitch of a 100% cotton barracuda. And played by Kim Thornton Nygren, she's one heck of looker with a flair for over-the-top pratfalls and expert timing.

Dedicated to her craft, she is an endearing blend of serious actress and sweet young woman. During her time on the Nashville stage, she's played a wide range of roles for a variety of companies, including Circle Players' production of Noises Off, Towne Centre Theatre's Moon Over Buffalo and Steel Magnolias, and Blackbird Theatre Company's Twilight of the Gods. And in each of those roles, she's epitomized 'versatility' with an exceptional performance every time she steps onto the stage.

Nashville's Blackbird Theater Company offers a second sneak-peek at its upcoming production of Tom Stoppard's Arcadia, featuring David Compton and Denice Hicks. Directed by Ted Swindley, this second production of Blackbird's inaugural season also features Amanda Card-McCoy, Jeff Boyet, Wes Driver, Britt Byrd and Scott Rice. Arcadia plays the Shamblin Theatre at David Lipscomb University February 25-March 12. For further information about Blackbird, visit the company website at www.blackbirdnashville.com.

Lydia Bushfield's 1940s musical revue, I'll Be Seeing You, opens the 2011 season at Chaffin's Barn Dinner Theatre this week, running January 6 through February 5. Directed by David Compton, the cast features Melodie Madden Adams, Nancy Allen and Jennifer Richmond as three World War II-era factory workers who discover their shared love of music during workday breaks from contributing to the war effort.

Playwright/director Ted Swindley helms a much-anticipated production of Tom Stoppard's Arcadia, presented by Blackbird Theater at Nashville's David Lipscomb University's Shamblin Theatre February 25-March 12. Swindley's cast includes Denice Hicks, Amanda Card-McCoy, David Compton, Jeff Boyet, Wes Driver, Britt Byrd, Scott Rice and Brad Forrister. Curtain is at 7 p.m. for all performances.

Thanks to the efforts of playwright Lydia Bushfield and a talented cast of actors and musicians, Chaffin's Barn Dinner Theatre takes audiences on a sentimental journey back to the American homefront during World War II with I'll Be Seeing You, a musical revue that features some of the best-loved tunes from that time. Wonderfully evocative, Bushfield's sweetly crafted - if somewhat overly earnest and perhaps a little mawkish - script tells the stories of three women keeping the homefires burning while their men are off to war, making the world a safer place.

'There are no small parts, only small actors,' goes the old theatrical saw that's tossed about willy-nilly to encourage budding thespians to take on roles they suspect might be beneath them and their lofty stature. But, of course, there's much truth to be found in the axiom and you will certainly see it brought to life in the efforts of the members of many acting ensembles, particularly those considered among the best in Nashville's 2010 theater season:

Lydia Bushfield's 1940s musical revue, I'll Be Seeing You, opens the 2011 season at Chaffin's Barn Dinner Theatre this week, running January 6 through February 5. Directed by David Compton, the cast features Melodie Madden Adams, Nancy Allen and Jennifer Richmond as three World War II-era factory workers who discover their shared love of music during workday breaks from contributing to the war effort.

Lydia Bushfield's 1940s musical revue, I'll Be Seeing You, opens the 2011 season at Chaffin's Barn Dinner Theatre this week, running January 6 through February 5. Directed by David Compton, the cast features Melodie Madden Adams, Nancy Allen and Jennifer Richmond as three World War II-era factory workers who discover their shared love of music during workday breaks from contributing to the war effort.

This holiday season, Tennessee Repertory Theatre will once again present the holiday cult classic A Christmas Story adapted by Phillip Grecian and based on the motion picture by Jean Shepherd, Leigh Brown, and Bob Clark.

Theater-goers in Nashville have a new holiday tradition to embrace this season with Tennessee Repertory Theatre's wonderfully staged and acted revival of last season's critically acclaimed stage adaptation of A Christmas Story. Adapted by Philip Grecian and based on the iconic 1983 movie script by Jean Shepherd, Leigh Brown and Bob Clark, all the beloved characters and their wacky situations (yep, that famous fishnet-stocking-clad lamp aka 'a major award' is onstage) are brought to life - and, rest assured, you'll have even more fun than you would hunkered down in front of the TV.

This holiday season, Tennessee Repertory Theatre will once again present the holiday cult classic A Christmas Story adapted by Phillip Grecian and based on the motion picture by Jean Shepherd, Leigh Brown, and Bob Clark.

Tennessee Repertory Theatre has extended its production of To Kill a Mockingbird adapted by Christopher Sergel from the classic novel by Harper Lee.

This holiday season, Tennessee Repertory Theatre will once again present the holiday cult classic A Christmas Story adapted by Phillip Grecian and based on the motion picture by Jean Shepherd, Leigh Brown, and Bob Clark.

Tennessee Repertory Theatre will kick off its 26th season with its production of To Kill a Mockingbird adapted by Christopher Sergel from the classic novel by Harper Lee. To Kill a Mockingbird runs October 2 - 23 at TPAC's Johnson Theater.