Patricia Taber News

You won't find any dancing candelabra or see any anthropomorphic bombe chests bursting out in song in Nashville Children's Theatre's beautifully crafted adaptation of The Beauty and The Beast-written by producing artistic director Scot Copeland under the title Le Belle et la Bete-but what you will find is a heartfelt iteration of the timeless tale, one filled with romantic wonder and exquisite storytelling, based upon the "fairy tale" by Jeanne-Marie Le Prince de Beaumont.

Debuting February 28 at Nashville Children's Theatre-where it will continue through March 18-is producing artistic director Scot Copeland's original adaptation of The Beauty and the Beast (La Belle et la Bete), described as "an exquisitely theatrical adaptation of the French fairy tale by Jeanne-Marie Le Prince de Beaumont.

Debuting February 28 at Nashville Children's Theatre-where it will continue through March 18-is producing artistic director Scot Copeland's original adaptation of The Beauty and the Beast (La Belle et la Bete), described as "an exquisitely theatrical adaptation of the French fairy tale by Jeanne-Marie Le Prince de Beaumont.

Although the events of the story are nearly 50 years old, they resonate deeply-particularly for us Southerners in whose memories they continue to reverberate-and they offer younger audiences a sepia-toned look back at the not-so-distant past that we still must strive to overcome. In short, The Watsons Go to Birmingham 1963 is a theatrical event that is not to be missed and which, again, spotlights NCT's extraordinary accomplishments and its gift for compelling storytelling.

The year is 1963, and the Watsons, an African-American family, are taking a road trip from their home in Flint, Michigan, to Birmingham, Alabama. Fourth grader Kenny's older brother Byron has been hanging with a tough crowd and getting into trouble, so his parents decide to take him to live for a time with his grandmother down south. Soon, the whole family is crowded into the Brown Bomber, heading back to Alabama-and straight into one of the most shocking moments in American history

Nashville Children's Theatre (NCT) will be revamped-for one night only-for the 21 and up crowd on the evening of Friday, December 9, when the theater holds Big Kid Night, "because kids shouldn't have all the fun," featuring a performance of Junie B. In Jingle Bells, Batman Smells!, starring Brooke Bryant as the irrepressible first grader Junie B. Jones.

Nashville Children's Theatre (NCT) will be revamped-for one night only-for the 21 and up crowd on the evening of Friday, December 9, when the theater holds Big Kid Night, "because kids shouldn't have all the fun," featuring a performance of Junie B. In Jingle Bells, Batman Smells!, starring Brooke Bryant as the irrepressible first grader Junie B. Jones.

Truth be told, seeing Henry Haggard and Jeff Boyet playing first graders may be enough to ensure that you get yourself to Nashville Children's Theatre for the company's wonderfully entertaining production of Junie B. in Jingle Bells, Batman Smells. But the production holds so many delightful riches - not the least of which is Brooke Bryant's completely engaging portrayal of the title character - that it is certain to delight audiences of all ages who make it to NCT to revel in this holiday season respite that imparts a lesson while eliciting laughs, gasps and so much more over the course of an hour or so in the theater.

Based on the series of Junie B. Jones books by Barbara Park, Junie B. in Jingle Bells, Batman Smells! brings the saucy first grader back to NCT with all of her holiday excitement. Junie B. and her classmates were last at NCT in 2007, when the theatre performed Junie B. Jones and a Little Monkey Business to celebrate the theater's grand re-opening following its massive renovations.

Now onstage at the nationally renowned and venerated company's Ann Stahlman Hill Theatre through October 16, Holes features an extraordinary cast of some of the region's finest actors bringing the beloved tale to life with such vigorous energy that audiences of any age (not just the ones 'age 8 and up' noted in the program) will become engaged in the story, its twists and turns and revelatory moments sparking their very imaginations (and, I suspect, to the library to once again experience the book).

Nashville Children's Theatre (NCT) presents the stage adaptation of Louis Sachar's Holes, opening on Tuesday, September 20 and running through October 16. Based on the popular novel by Louis Sachar, who also wrote the script, Holes tells the tale of young Stanley Yelnats who is sentenced (despite his innocence) to the wasteland of Camp Green Lake. He and his fellow juvenile detainees are forced to dig holes in the hot desert sun day after day after day by the Warden. What is she looking for? And how is the mystery connected to Stanley's 'no-good-dirty-rotten-pig-stealing-great-great-grandfather' and a long-dead outlaw named Kissing Kate Barlow?

Hosted by Jennifer Richmond and Trey Palmer, First Night, the Nashville Theater Honors Gala was preceded by the Red Carpet Event just before the tribute concert on a rainy Sunday, September 4, at Belmont University's Troutt Theatre.

Jack's Tale, a musical based on the Appalachia folk tales of the Scots-Irish heritage, is the final production of Nashville Children's Theatre's 2010-11 season. Written by NCT producing director Scot Copeland and by musician Paul Carrol Binkley, this homespun adventure tale features actors who are also musicians. The cast floats between acting and playing music and sometimes both at the same time.

David Compton returns to a role he first played almost a quarter-century ago and Rona Carter plays a man who is transformed into an ass in Nashville Children's Theatre's upcoming production of Robin Goodfellow, playwright Aurand Harris' unique take on Shakespeare's A Midsummer's Night Dream. Opening on Tuesday, April 19, Robin Goodfellow runs at NCT through May 15.

David Compton returns to a role he first played almost a quarter-century ago and Rona Carter plays a man who is transformed into an ass in Nashville Children's Theatre's upcoming production of Robin Goodfellow, playwright Aurand Harris' unique take on Shakespeare's A Midsummer's Night Dream. Opening on Tuesday, April 19, Robin Goodfellow runs at NCT through May 15.

Nashville Children's Theatre (NCT) will host Telling Tales: A SHELebration Where the Sidewalk Ends on Thursday, June 2, 2011 - a brand new fundraiser event for grown-ups that features a varied collection of Nashville artists, leaders and performers paying tribute to Shel Silverstein.