Lauri Gregoire News

Sometimes it seems there is so much theater happening that it's difficult to keep track of it all. From personal experience, despite all the datebooks, smart phones, tablets, desktop computers and laptops...it's hard to keep everything straight in this wacky business of the show.

Sometimes it seems there is so much theater happening that it's difficult to keep track of it all. From personal experience, despite all the datebooks, smart phones, tablets, desktop computers and laptops...it's hard to keep everything straight in this wacky business of the show.

Sometimes it seems there is so much theater happening that it's difficult to keep track of it all. From personal experience, despite all the datebooks, smart phones, tablets, desktop computers and laptops...it's hard to keep everything straight in this wacky business of the show.

Here's a question you may have asked yourself about Tosha Pendergrast: When does she sleep? Mundane, perhaps - but it's a question that comes to mind when you realize that she's always working, whether she's teaching students at Lauri Gregoire's Bellevue Dance Center, choreographing her latest show (Dreamgirls opened just last week at Murfreesboro's Center for the Arts, Street Theatre Company's production of In The Heights opens in a couple of weeks), performing onstage (she was among the cavalcade of stars in the Music City Theatre Collective's debut production Showstoppers), doing television appearances (The Dance Network is calling) or just living life with her handsome and charming husband Benjamin Pendergrast (together they are the perfect couple, each devoted to the other)…

There are certain things audiences have come to expect in a new production from Studio Tenn, the Franklin-based, Nashville-nurtured professional theater company headed up by Matt Logan and Jake Speck: You know it will be beautifully designed, sumptuously mounted and impeccably cast.

It's already heating up in Nashville and it's not even summer yet! But Nashville area theater companies are hard at work to ensure that audiences have a lot to choose from in the way of live theater presented in cool, darkened theaters. Here are our suggestions for the most eagerly anticipated shows of the sultry summer season…

Despite being a veteran of five Studio Tenn productions already, Patrick Waller - who's clearly one of Nashville theater's favorite thespians - admits being a bit terrified by taking on a new role in the company's upcoming rendition of the iconic musical The Wizard of Oz, playing the Schermerhorn Symphony Center this weekend.

Gina D'Arco and Taylor Novak will lead the cast of William Inge's Picnic, in a revival of the classic play helmed by Jeffrey Ellis, for Nashville's Circle Players, which this season celebrates its 65th year of bringing live theater to audiences throughout Middle Tennessee. Picnic will run tonight, March 27 through April 4, and will be performed at the theater at Hillsboro High School.

In its 65th season, Middle Tennessee's oldest community theater company presents an exciting and challenging new revival of playwright William Inge's seminal 1953 Pulitzer Prize-winning play about repressed desires and haunting recriminations: Picnic. Opening tonight, March 26, at Hillsboro High School Theatre in Nashville, Picnic runs through April 4.

In its 65th season, Middle Tennessee's oldest community theater company presents an exciting and challenging new revival of playwright William Inge's seminal 1953 Pulitzer Prize-winning play about repressed desires and haunting recriminations: Picnic. Opening Thursday, March 26, at Hillsboro High School Theatre in Nashville, Picnic runs through April 4.

Gina D'Arco and Taylor Novak will lead the cast of William Inge's Picnic, in a revival of the classic play helmed by Jeffrey Ellis, for Nashville's Circle Players, which this season celebrates its 65th year of bringing live theater to audiences throughout Middle Tennessee. Picnic will run March 27 through April 4, and will be performed at the theater at Hillsboro High School.

Although it seems hard to believe, Thanksgiving is this Thursday and as we reflect on the people, places and things that have made us truly happy this year and makes us most thankful, in general, we're also considering what things theatrical for which we are especially grateful in 2014.

The Boiler Room Theatre (BRT), Williamson County's original and longest-running professional theatre company opens its second show of their 14th season with the frothy, fun, and energetic LEGALLY BLONDE the MUSICAL playing today, September 30th through October 4th at the beautiful, historic Franklin Theatre. Having won over audiences across the nation, Elle, Bruiser and friends will make their BRT debut for a limited engagement! Equal parts hilarious and heart-warming warming, this musical is so much fun it should be illegal!

CABARET comes to the Franklin Theatre this Saturday at 7pm and Sunday at 5:00pm. Directed by Sondra Morton, CABARET features Musical Direction by Jamey Green and Choreography by Lauri Gregoire. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast in action below!

The Act Too Players (ATP), Williamson County's premier training program for all youths interested in the performing arts will take the stage in January with the mounting of three musical productions: Disney's THE LITTLE MERMAID JR, ANYTHING GOES, and SONGS FOR A NEW WORLD. The productions will run from January 17th through January 24th at the historic Franklin Theatre located in Downtown Franklin, Tennessee.

The Boiler Room Theatre (BRT), Williamson County's original and longest-running professional theatre company, is excited to announce that it will stage Leslie Brisscue's Scrooge the Musical featuring a classic score and everyone's favorite holiday skinflint. This charming musical will have audiences singing each night as they leave the theatre. This production will run from December 6th until December 22nd with shows on Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sundays.

The Rocky Horror Show is BACK on the Boiler Room Theatre stage! After last year's rave production of this cult classic, the time warp is back for you and your friends to enjoy! Six Performances Only! October 26-November 3!

Now onstage in a thoroughly effective production directed by Sondra Morton at Franklin's Boiler Room Theatre, Parade is not your mama's or your granddaddy's musical comedy, to be certain.

Boiler Room Theatre revives its award-winning production of The Rocky Horror Show for six performances in October, running October 26 through November 3, including two midnight shows and a special Halloween performance.