Jama Bowen News

There are so many starmaking turns-and some wonderfully engaging and endearing antics-onstage at Clarksville's Roxy Regional Theater in the company's revival of The Wedding Singer, that you cannot help but become a fan of the show, even if you've never seen the movie that inspired the onstage musical comedy.

Summer's here, and it's hotter than blue blazes in Tennessee, as theater companies from one end of the state to the other are hard at work to keep audiences engaged and entertained throughout what promises to be one long hot summer. But think of it this way, with yesterday's Summer Solstice-which means we've survived the year's longest day-everything will get just a little bit shorter, promising a respite from the heat and humidity. This week also marked the celebration of National Martini Day, so may we humbly suggest that you grab a shaker, add some ice, vodka and a whisper of vermouth and shake yourself up an ice-cold drink…

For two weekends only, beginning June 29 at 8pm, the music of Grammy and Academy Award-winning composer Stephen Schwartz will be celebrated, cabaret-style, in DEFYING GRAVITY at the Roxy Regional Theatre.

Now, we're the last to try to stir up trouble or to further flame the fires of jealousy or envy, but we thought we'd share with you some photographs of some of those lovely ladies who could delight their audiences just by standing there-but whom inspire and encourage us all with their superb onstage talents. So, here's our recommendation, take a look at these photographs, then find out on which stages you can find these women this summer, then make a reservation and go to the theater…

As a companion piece to the Roxy's current musical Captain Louie, which was also composed by Schwartz, Defying Gravity features songs from Wicked, Godspell, Pippin, Rags and more, performed by Josh Bernaski, Jama Bowen, Ryan Bowie, Hannah Church, Kaitlin Doughty, Regan Featherstone, Humberto Figueroa, Erin Keas, Travis Kendrick, Ashley Laverty, Sean Ormond and Rob Rodems, with Tom Thayer on piano.

Starting tonight, May 25, let the Roxy Regional Theatre's THE WEDDING SINGER 'take you back to a time when hair was big, greed was good, collars were up, and a wedding singer might just be the coolest guy in the room.'

Starting May 25, let the Roxy Regional Theatre's THE WEDDING SINGER 'take you back to a time when hair was big, greed was good, collars were up, and a wedding singer might just be the coolest guy in the room.'

Today, the spotlight falls upon Jama Bowen, who is currently onstage at TPAC's James K. Polk Theatre, playing Marion Thayer in Circle Players' revival of Titanic the Musical, the latest project for her in a very busy 2012 for the versatile actress.

Nashville audiences-and chattering, anticipatory theater critics-will be given the opportunity to weigh in with their own impressions of Pacific Overtures, thanks to an ambitious production from Blackbird Theater, the acclaimed company now in its sophomore season at David Lipscomb University's Shamblin Theatre.

In a town where everyone from your next-door neighbor to your favorite barista - from your dental hygienist to your manicurist, your seatmate on the bus, your friendly neighborhood bartender and maybe even the guy who does your taxes - is a songwriter, you'll find that there's never a shortage of opinions on the topic of favorite songs. Ask a cross-section of Nashville theater-types what their favorite love song is from the annals of musical theater and you're going to get a barrage of answers.

Beautifully conceived by an ambitious, driven director and artfully brought to life by a stellar cast of actors, Pacific Overtures-the musical by Stephen Sondheim and John Weidman-seems, at first, an unlikely choice for the sophomore season of Nashville's Blackbird Theater. Yet when you consider the company's prior offerings (which include Twilight of the Gods, an original play by Wes Driver and Greg Greene, the company's co-founders; Tom Stoppard's intellectually compelling Arcadia; and G.K. Chesterton's rarely produced Magic), it fits perfectly into the Blackbird canon. And, like those earlier productions, Pacific Overtures is another artistic triumph, the realization of a long-held dream by director Greene to bring his favorite work for musical theater to the stage.

Nashville audiences-and chattering, anticipatory theater critics-will be given the opportunity to weigh in with their own impressions of Pacific Overtures, thanks to an ambitious production from Blackbird Theater, the acclaimed company now in its sophomore season at David Lipscomb University's Shamblin Theatre.

Nashville audiences-and chattering, anticipatory theater critics-will be given the opportunity to weigh in with their own impressions of Pacific Overtures, thanks to an ambitious production from Blackbird Theater, the acclaimed company now in its sophomore season at David Lipscomb University's Shamblin Theatre.

I can now feel the tiny pin pricks of the needles piercing the flesh of the Jef Ellis voodoo dolls held about the neck by various members of the cast and crew as they exact their revenge while they continue reading this review. I say: Bring it on! Sticks and stones and all that...

Nashville theater mavens and the fans of internet-borne musicals (it's a sub-genre of some group, look it up!) are fairly a-dither in anticipation of this week's opening night for ACT 1's production of A Fann-Made, Permission-Granted, Unofficial Production of Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog (yep, that's the unwieldy name, thanks to the fine print, legal kinda stuff at the bottom of the page), as it takes over Darkhorse Theatre for six performances (Friday and Saturday nights only) November 18-December 3.

Nashville audiences will be treated to a stage adaptation of one of the internet's biggest pop-culture phenomenon as ACT 1 presents a Fann-made, Permission Granted, Unofficial production of Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog, running November 18-December 3 at The Darkhorse Theatre.

One of the new events added to the line-up for 2011 First Night, The Theatre Honors was The Women In Theatre Luncheon - which saluted the inaugural eight recipients of The First Night Star Award - held Tuesday, August 30, at The Listening Room Cafe in Cummins Station. Co-chaired by Corrie Miller and Neely O'Brien Green, the event was produced by Jeffrey Ellis, founder and executive producer of First Night.

Six of the leading lights of the theater world in Tennessee will be recognized as members of the 2011 Class of First Night Honorees August 27-September 4 as First Night, the Nashville Theatre Honors hosts a series of theatrical events to celebrate their achievements and accomplishments.