Kate Adams-Johnson News

David De Silva, the man behind the creation of one of pop culture's most enduring tales of the individual's creative struggle for self-expression - known the world over as the film and stage musical, Fame - arrives in Tennessee today for the opening of Circle Players' regional premiere of Fame Forever: Talent Springs Eternal, which opens at Middle Tennessee State University's Tucker Theatre for a one-weekend run.

With its four-week theater camp wrapping up last week, The Keaton Theatre is now focused on opening night for the Nashville premiere of Camp Rock, The Musical. Although with the onslaught of tech week, campers and counselors may find themselves yearning for yet another week of camp.

Danny Proctor, Helen Shute-Pettaway, Layne Sasser, Pam Atha, Dan Brewer and Gary Hoff were introduced Monday night as the six members of the 2011 Class of First Night Honorees during the First Night Preview Party, hosted by founder and executive producer Jeffrey Ellis at The Listening Room Cafe in downtown Nashville.

With its four-week theater camp wrapping up last week, The Keaton Theatre is now focused on opening night for the Nashville premiere of Camp Rock, The Musical. Although with the onslaught of tech week, campers and counselors may find themselves yearning for yet another week of camp.

In the cast, there's a blend familiar faces from local theater productions and a whole slew of newcomers. During the run-up to the show's opening night, we introduced you to members of Kate's cast - and now that the show is up and running, we're happy to introduce you to another cast member...Jessica Higgins...

In the cast, there's a blend familiar faces from local theater productions and a whole slew of newcomers. During the run-up to the show's opening night, we introduced you to members of Kate's cast - and now that the show is up and running, we're happy to introduce you to another cast member...Sandra Kennelly...

In the cast, there's a blend familiar faces from local theater productions and a whole slew of newcomers. During the run-up to the show's opening night, we introduced you to members of Kate's cast - and now that the show is up and running, we're happy to introduce you to another cast member...Melissa Silengo...

There comes a moment, very early on in Kate Adams-Johnson's A Chorus Line (which opened last night at The Keeton Theatre) in which, one by one, each of the actors is caught in the spotlight, with some portentous musical underscoring that heightens the emotional impact of the moment. But what's really telling about that sequence of illumination is how evocatively it telegraphs the stories of each of the actors in the cast. You can tell, almost imperceptibly, what it is that separates the pretenders from the contenders...

In the cast, there's a blend familiar faces from local theater productions and a whole slew of newcomers. During the run-up to the show's June 9 opening night, we've introduced you to members of Kate's cast - and next up is Mallory Gleason, who plays Cassie...

In the cast, there's a blend familiar faces from local theater productions and a whole slew of newcomers. During the run-up to the show's June 9 opening night, we've introduced you to members of Kate's cast - and next up is handsome, charming, talented and Caleb Reynolds who, clearly, knows his way around an interview.

In the cast, there's a blend familiar faces from local theater productions and a whole slew of newcomers. During the run-up to the show's June 9 opening night, we've introduced you to members of Kate's cast - and next up is an experienced, if rather young, actor fresh off his run in Circle Players' recent 13 The Musical, the peripatetic (and media savvy) Spencer Dean...

Over the past few years, I've often referred to Kate Adams-Johnson as the busiest director/choreographer in Nashville and, clearly, she has the resume and press clippings to claim that title without reservation. In January, she was recognized at Midwinter's First Night as one of the best theatrical choreographers in 2010, for her work on both Swing! and Titanic.

Director Kate Adams-Johnson, aka Nashville's busiest choreographer, is putting yet another cast through its paces in preparation for yet another opening night (this one's fast approaching on Thursday, June 9). Only this time, she's serious. Very serious. The show she's helming for this particular opening night, you see, is every dancer's holy grail: A Chorus Line. In the cast, there's a blend familiar faces from local theater productions and a whole slew of newcomers. During the run-up to the show's June 9 opening night, we've introduced you to members of Kate's cast - and next up is a relatively new actor on the Nashville theater scene, where he made quite the statement in Circle Players' recent 13 The Musical, the confident, composed Ryan Garrett...

Director Kate Adams-Johnson, aka Nashville's busiest choreographer, is putting yet another cast through its paces in preparation for yet another opening night (this one's fast approaching on Thursday, June 9). Only this time, she's serious. Very serious. The show she's helming for this particular opening night, you see, is every dancer's holy grail: A Chorus Line.In the cast, there's a blend familiar faces from local theater productions and a whole slew of newcomers. During the run-up to the show's June 9 opening night, we've introduced you to members of Kate's cast - and next up is relatively new face (although she's already made her mark on Nashville stages), the bright, lovely and clever Kathryn Clubb...

Director Kate Adams-Johnson, aka Nashville's busiest choreographer, is putting yet another cast through its paces in preparation for yet another opening night (this one's fast approaching on Thursday, June 9). Only this time, she's serious. Very serious. The show she's helming for this particular opening night, you see, is every dancer's holy grail: A Chorus Line. In the cast, there's a blend familiar faces from local theater productions and a whole slew of newcomers. During the run-up to the show's June 9 opening night, we've introduced you to members of Kate's cast - and next up is an actor who might be a new face to you: Adam Henry, smart, talented, charming and good-looking - and he gives good quote.

Director Kate Adams-Johnson, aka Nashville's busiest choreographer, is putting yet another cast through its paces in preparation for yet another opening night. Only this time, she's serious. Very serious. The show she's helming this time, you see, seems to be every dancer's holy grail: A Chorus Line. In the cast, you'll find a blending of familiar faces and newcomers. During the run-up to the show's June 9 opening night, we'll introduce you to Kate's cast - and next up is a relative Nashville theater newbie: Abby Horrell, who is so young (she's a rising senior at University School of Nashville) that even the movie version of A Chorus Line was out before she was born. But she's obviously talented and has a good head on her shoulders - plus she already knows how to answer the difficult questions...

Director Kate Adams-Johnson, aka Nashville's busiest choreographer, is putting yet another cast through its paces in preparation for yet another opening night. Only this time, she's serious. Very serious. The show she's helming this time, you see, is every dancer's holy grail: A Chorus Line. In the cast, you'll find a blending of familiar faces and newcomers. During the run-up to the show's June 9 opening night, we'll introduce you to Kate's cast - and next up is her longtime collaborator, the fearless actor/director/choreographer/raconteur Tim Larson, with whom she's worked on numerous musicals of the past few years, including the critically acclaimed Titanic, in which Larson and company sunk a ship.

Director Kate Adams-Johnson, aka Nashville's busiest choreographer, is putting yet another cast through its paces in preparation for yet another opening night. Only this time, she's serious. Very serious. The show she's helming this time, you see, is every dancer's holy grail: A Chorus Line. In the cast, you'll find a blending of familiar faces and newcomers. During the run-up to the show's June 9 opening night, we'll introduce you to Kate's cast - and, as you'll see, some of them have much to learn about being interviewed by 'Nashville's favorite theater critic.' Next up is Donna 'The Pride of Irvine' Driver...obviously, this ain't her first time at the rodeo...

Director Kate Adams-Johnson, aka Nashville's busiest choreographer, is putting yet another cast through the paces in preparation for another opening night. But this time, she's serious. Very serious. The show, you see, is every dancer's favorite musical: A Chorus Line. Kate's cast is a blending of familiar faces and newcomers and so over the next few weeks, you'll get to know the members of The Keeton Theatre's cast - as you'll see, some of them have much to learn about being interviewed by 'Nashville's favorite theater critic.' Next up is Chad Ray...who has quickly learned his way around a tricky interviewer on just his second show...

Director Kate Adams-Johnson, aka Nashville's busiest choreographer, is putting yet another cast through the paces in preparation for another opening night. But this time, she's serious. Very serious. The show, you see, is every dancer's favorite musical: A Chorus Line. Kate's cast is a blending of familiar faces and newcomers and so over the next few weeks, you'll get to know the members of The Keeton Theatre's cast - as you'll see, some of them have much to learn about being interviewed by 'Nashville's favorite theater critic.' Next up is Erin Spencer...who should know the drill by now...