Caroline Davis 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.

With almost 400 people in the audience, the leading lights of Tennessee theater were heralded with the presentation of the 2015 First Night Honors Gala, Sunday night at the iconic and historic Chaffin's Barn Dinner Theatre in Nashville. Hosted by Geoff Davin, Stephanie Jones-Benton and Erica Patterson, the event featured musical numbers by more than 100 performers in tribute to the Class of 2015 Honorees.

With almost 400 people in the audience, the leading lights of Tennessee theater were heralded with the presentation of the 2015 First Night Honors Gala, Sunday night at the iconic and historic Chaffin's Barn Dinner Theatre in Nashville. Hosted by Geoff Davin, Stephanie Jones-Benton and Erica Patterson, the event featured musical numbers by more than 100 performers in tribute to the Class of 2015 Honorees.

With almost 400 people in the audience, the leading lights of Tennessee theater were heralded with the presentation of the 2015 First Night Honors Gala, Sunday night at the iconic and historic Chaffin's Barn Dinner Theatre in Nashville. Hosted by Geoff Davin, Stephanie Jones-Benton and Erica Patterson, the event featured musical numbers by more than 100 performers in tribute to the Class of 2015 Honorees.

With almost 400 people in the audience, the leading lights of Tennessee theater were heralded with the presentation of the 2015 First Night Honors Gala, Sunday night at the iconic and historic Chaffin's Barn Dinner Theatre in Nashville. Hosted by Geoff Davin, Stephanie Jones-Benton and Erica Patterson, the event featured musical numbers by more than 100 performers in tribute to the Class of 2015 Honorees.

With almost 400 people in the audience, the leading lights of Tennessee theater were heralded with the presentation of the 2015 First Night Honors Gala, Sunday night at the iconic and historic Chaffin's Barn Dinner Theatre in Nashville. Hosted by Geoff Davin, Stephanie Jones-Benton and Erica Patterson, the event featured musical numbers by more than 100 performers in tribute to the Class of 2015 Honorees.

Birmingham Hippodrome was built in 1899 when Queen Victoria was still on the throne and has become one of the city's most famous landmarks helping to make and shape memorable theatre moments for generations of visitors.

Theater in Tennessee has never been busier nor has it been more diverse than what you'll find onstage this weekend throughout the Volunteer State. From frothy and fun summer musicals that are sure to make you think - like All Shook Up at Chaffin's Barn and A Chorus Line at Cumberland County Playhouse - to new plays from Shawn Whitsell (his latest, Songs For Our Sons, premieres at Darkhorse Theatre on Friday night) and emerging playwright Che Pieper (his new script based on the book The Man With the Light in His Window debuts at The Theater Bug this weekend)…the magic of live theater is all around you…even in this heat and humidity! So pull your seersucker suits and sundresses out of the closet, get all gussied up and make your way to the relative cool of a darkened theater for some midsummer magic!

And Sondra Morton, Jayme Smith and co. (that would be Act Too) stages their company's latest work at the historic Franklin Theatre - The Sound of Music - starring Kimberly Rye as Maria, Cameron Bortz as Rolf and the inimitable Matt Baugher as Georg Von Trapp. Check it out!

After four critically acclaimed seasons, Nashville's Blackbird Theater will produce what company founders call their 'magnum opus,' the new musical Myth, set for a world premiere run tonight, July 16, through July 26.

After four critically acclaimed seasons, Nashville's Blackbird Theater (winner of the 2013 First Night Award for outstanding theater company) opens what company founders Greg Greene and Wes Driver call their “magnum opus,” the new musical Myth, opening this Friday night, July 17, running through July 26 at the Hillsboro High School Theatre in Green Hills.

Pianist/composer Caili O'Doherty steps into the top tier of promising young jazz artists with the release on July 7 of her sparkling debut album, 'Padme,' on her ODO Records imprint. O'Doherty's prowess on acoustic and electric keys, her proclivity for writing airy, flowing melodies, and her clear vision as a leader are much in evidence on the new CD.

For two nights only, on April 17 and 18, they will speak, sing, dance, and shape-shift their stories to life as part of GRRRLS NIGHT OUT: an all-star fundraising performance for GRRRL scholarships, to be held at the Darkhorse Theater, 4610 Charlotte Avenue in Nashville.

?After four critically acclaimed seasons, Nashville's Blackbird Theater will produce what company founders call their 'magnum opus,' the new musical Myth, set for a world premiere run July 16-26.

This week the spotlight falls on two actors who are sharing the stage in the Nashville premiere of 2012 First Night Honoree Chambers Stevens' Twain and Shaw Do Lunch, directed by veteran director Melissa Carelli: Brian Hill and Michael Roark, arguably two of Music City's finest actors, onstage together playing literary lions Mark Twain and George Bernard Shaw, respectively.

In a delightful production helmed by veteran director Melissa Carelli, and starring a trio of very capable Nashville actors, Twain and Shaw Do Lunch treats audiences to an imagined afternoon affair in which the two literary lions-Mark Twain and George Bernard Shaw at the top of their parlor game-swap stories, trade quips and exchange bons mots.

Caroline Davis, taking on the role of Charlotte Shaw, has performed with various local theatre groups-ACT 1, Blackbird, Carrick, Circle, Groundworks, Rhubarb-"on occasion as an ice skater, a geisha, a monkey, a dog, a Marx Brother, a shepherdess (twice) and a dead person (thrice)."

Platinum-selling pop singer/songwriter/musician RYAN CABRERA has announced he is back in the studio, working on new music to be released this fall on Dynamite Music. This will mark the first release from the new boutique label--founded by Mitch Davis and Marco Liuzzo--in partnership with Caroline, the independent division of Capitol Music Group/Universal Music Group, and the first new music from RYAN since the release of his single 'I See Love' in May 2013.

Back by popular demand, Broadway Melodies returns to the West End Theater for an all-new comedy spectacular. The show will consist of three 20-minute musical sketch comedies. This month's event will include Shock'd by Aaron Salley, Sleuthical the Musical by Leah Thomas, and Disney Grew Up by Kirrilee Berger.

Back by popular demand, Broadway Melodies returns to the West End Theater for an all-new comedy spectacular. The show will consist of three 20-minute musical sketch comedies. This month's event will include Shock'd by Aaron Salley, Sleuthical the Musical by Leah Thomas, and Disney Grew Up by Kirrilee Berger.