Patrick Waller News

Martha Wilkinson is a force of nature—onstage, offstage, no matter where she goes, the woman is a force of nature and, throughout her career, she’s taken on some of musical theater’s most coveted roles proving along the way that she can do virtually anything. Now, in Tennessee Repertory Theatre’s staging of Little Shop of Horrors, Wilkinson adds yet another stellar performance to her resume, playing the campy musical’s offbeat heroine with the ease, grace and unerring comic timing that is her stock in trade. In short, Wilkinson’s performance as Audrey, the flower shop girl with a penchant for ending up with the wrong guy, is one of the best we’ve seen of the role and its one that yet again establishes her as Music City’s queen of musical theater. (more...)

Tennessee Repertory Theatre will present the America cult classic musical Little Shop of Horrors, music and lyrics by Alan Menken and book by Howard Ashman. Little Shop of Horrors runs April 28 - May 19 at TPAC’s Johnson Theater (with preview performances April 26 – 27). (more...)

Too Old For the Chorus (But Not Too Old To Be A Star), directed by a young whippersnapper named Martha Wilkinson (she’s artistic director at Chaffin’s Barn Dinner Theatre, which celebrates its 45th birthday this year, and she has a boatload of First Night Awards and enough glowing reviews to fill the fanny packs of every mall walker briskly making their way through Opry Mills) and featuring a top-notch cast of Nashville actors, is as gentle as the best stool softener and as kick-ass (when it needs to be) as a certain little blue pill favored by certain gentlemen in the age group (not me, but so I’ve been told). (more...)

In recognition of The Barn’s 45 years of bringing the magic of live theater to the stage, we continue our special series of Onstage at The Barn: Memories from The First 45 Years, with actress/music director/singer/songwriter/new mom Jaclyn Brown, who is one of the most accomplished multi-hyphenates to be found in Nashville, taking on a wide range of roles and responsibilities at Chaffin’s Barn (she served as music director for Too Old For the Chorus (But Not Too Old To Be A Star), the show now onstage in West Nashville. Today, Jaclyn adds the memories of her Barn experiences to the ones that we’ve been sharing for two weeks to celebrate the 45th anniversary… (more...)

Here's Bakari King singing "Marvellaphony Organoni" from Punchinello... (more...)

Laura Matula sings "Can You Unbreak a Heart" from Punchinello, music by Christopher Davis, lyrics by Frederick Richardson. (more...)

Theater audiences in Nashville will be treated to something new this weekend as the new musical Punchinello, based on the writings of Max Lucado, will be presented in a staged reading at Wallace Chapel at Christ Church Nashville this Friday and Saturday nights. (more...)

When Patty Duke played the role of Helen Keller in the Broadway premiere of William Gibson’s The Miracle Worker, she was ten years old, and when Madeleine Hall took the stage of the Franklin Theatre on Thursday night in the opening of Studio Tenn’s exquisitely crafted revival of the modern American theater classic, she too was ten years old. And it should be noted that as portentous as Duke’s debut came to be known, theater lovers still to come may very well consider Madeleine Hall’s beautifully crafted performance just as revelatory and just as noteworthy. (more...)

Emily Landham and ten-year-old Madeleine Hall star as Anne Sullivan and Helen Keller in Studio Tenn’s upcoming production of William Gibson’s The Miracle Worker. Studio Tenn, resident professional theatre company of the Franklin Theatre today announced complete casting for the production that debuts February 23 and runs through March 4. (more...)

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. (more...)

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. (more...)

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. (more...)

Tennessee Repertory Theatre kicks-off its 27th season of live, professional theatre with Arthur Miller's classic All My Sons. All My Sons runs October 1 - 15 at TPAC's Johnson Theater (with preview performance September 29-30). (more...)

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. (more...)

Arthur Miller's All My Sons, which debuted on Broadway in 1947, continues to resonate with contemporary audiences thanks to its timeless, heart-wrenching relevance and Miller's unequaled ability as a storyteller. Now onstage at TPAC's Andrew Johnson Theatre in an impressive production that opens Tennessee Repertory Theatre's 2011-2012 season, All My Sons is Miller's searing consideration of the relentless pursuit of the American Dream, selflessness be damned in the name of profit. (more...)

Tennessee Repertory Theatre kicks-off its 27th season of live, professional theatre with Arthur Miller's classic All My Sons. All My Sons runs tonight through October 15 at TPAC's Johnson Theater (more...)

Tennessee Repertory Theatre kicks-off its 27th season of live, professional theatre with Arthur Miller's classic All My Sons. All My Sons runs October 1 - 15 at TPAC's Johnson Theater (with preview performance September 29-30). (more...)

Studio Tenn launches its eagerly anticipated sophomore season in its new home at the Franklin Theatre, kicking off the company's second act with a sparkling revival of one of musical theater's best-loved shows: Guys and Dolls, the "musical fable of Bradway" based on a story and characters of Damon Runyon, with music and lyrics by Frank Loesser and a book by Jo Swerling and Abe Burrows. (more...)

Jersey Boys veterans Jared Bradshaw and John Hickman join Nashville's own Carrie Tillis and Laura Matula to head the cast of Studio Tenn's production of Guys & Dolls, opening August 18-28 at the Franklin Theatare, kicking off the company's second season - their first in their new venue. (more...)

Jersey Boys veterans Jared Bradshaw and John Hickman will join Nashville's own Carrie Tillis and Laura Matula to head the cast of Studio Tenn's production of Guys & Dolls, running August 18-28 at the Franklin Theatare, kicking off the company's second season - their first in their new venue. (more...)