Jeffrey Ellis - Page 141

Signs of a New Day is not a perfect play, by many measures, but the fact that it focuses on Looby - whose name almost every Nashvillian most certainly knows, but someone about whom they know precious little - elevates it to near-perfection. Thanks to German's extensive research and dedication to detail, coupled with her dramatist's keen eye and ear for what works onstage, the play gives Looby and his wife, Grafta Mosby Looby, the attention they so richly deserve. It is a moving work that challenges its audiences to continue the noble work of the Loobys and all of their contemporaries who risked their lives and livelihoods so that we all might live in a more just and equitable society.

You don't have to be a dog lover to enjoy The 101 Dalmatians Musical, but it doesn't hurt! Now onstage at the Tennessee Performing Arts Center's Andrew Jackson Hall, the national touring company of the musical by Dennis DeYoung and BT McNicholl delivers a production that is pleasantly diverting, tuneful and fun to watch. Add those adorable doggies to the mix and it just adds to the fun you have during the two hours you're caught up in Dodie Smith's story of animals and 'their pets,' starring the gloriously over-the-top Rachel York as Cruella DeVil.

As co-founder of Actors Bridge Ensemble, Bill Feehely has been responsible for bringing to Nashville audiences some of their most provocative theatre experiences as well as ushering some of the city's most noteworthy world premieres to the stage. Earlier this season, he was the narrator for Actors Bridge's staged reading of The Laramie Project: 10 Years Later, and next month he'll star in the company's collaboration with Belmont University Theatre on a new production of Arthur Miller's All My Sons.

Although both Russell and Hicks are clearly at the top of their game with their exquisite performances, - honed from years of experience in the theatre and underscored by their shared joie de vivre and their obvious understanding of the text - the rest of the ensemble are an uneven lot of veterans and neophytes and those in between. While there are moments of bliss to be found in the production, glimmers of the promise that is surely to be found, there remains a lack of passion and what results is a didactic presentation that fails to inspire.

That serendipitous encounter with Looby's photograph and the accompanying marker in the lobby of the community center/public library/theatre complex that bears his name, led German to further research which 'fired [her] up,' and has now, in turn, led to Signs of a New Day: The Z. Alexander Looby Story, her new play set for its world premiere Friday night in a production by Amun Ra Theatre, presented in the theatre that bears Looby's name, and continuing through February 6.

Led by the superb Mike Baum and Lydia Bushfield, it's a fast-paced comic tour de force for Wyckoff's talented players who deliver the goods with charm and wit. First presented on Broadway in the 1990s - to much critical acclaim and audience ardor - the script for Rumors is given the requisite tweaking by Wyckoff and company to make it relevant to 2010, updating some of the cultural references to make it more timely. Thankfully, Simon's script remains as sparkling and funny as ever and its look at rumor-mongering and the accompanying hoopla is as relevant today as it ever was, perhaps even more so now thanks to 24/7 media coverage.

It seems as if Maryanna Clarke is always in motion: As the founding artistic director of the Nashville-based Tennessee Women's Theatre Project, she always has multiple irons in the fire. As the mom of college student Kate (upon whom she dotes -- and of whom she is justifiably proud), she has all the responsibilites of motherhood on her shoulders. And as the wife of Chris Clarke (her theatrical partner-in-crime aka producer), she's got the wife role down pat!

Bobby Wyckoff directs the 2010 season opener at Chaffin's Barn - Neil Simon's Rumors - set for a January 7-February 6 run at Nashville's venerable dinner theatre. Produced by Janie and John Chaffin, Rumors features Mike Baum, Trin Blakely, Lydia Bushfield, Ben Dawson, Kelly Lapczynski, Christina Spitters, Judy Tamble, Derek Whittaker and Charlie Winton in Simon's hilarious farce.

Rehearsals are under way for the Nashville Children's Theatre production of The Diary of Anne Frank, the award-winning drama by Frances Goodrich and Albert Hackett, opening January 19. Tia Shearer stars in the title role, with other characters played by Evelyn Blythe, Rona Carter, Jamie Farmer-Oneida, Henry Haggard, Peter Vann, Samuel Whited, Holly Wooten and Bobby Wyckoff.

Martha Wilkinson and Patrick Waller, lauded by both the Nashville Scene and Nashville.BroadwayWorld.com as the best actress and actor in Nashville, will team up to star in a production of the Andrew Lippa musical john & jen, playing the Backstage at the Barn venue for a limited run February 4-20. Tim Fudge will music direct the production. Waller and Wilkinson have shared the stage together on several occasions, most recently in Tennessee Rep's award-winnng production of Sweeney Todd, in which they played Toby and Mrs. Lovett respectively. They've also appeared onstage together in Johnny Guitar at Chaffin's Barn Dinner Theatre and in The Underpants at Tennessee Rep.

Phil Perry is one of the nicest guys you'll ever meet - and one of the hardest working actors on the Nashville stage. He's one of those people who moves from show to another with ease, delighting his audiences with his performances and impressing directors and producers with his exemplary work ethic. But here's something I didn't know until now: Phil's not a native Nashvillian! He's from Ohio and he came here to go to school at Lipscomb University.

Nashville Shakespeare Festival invites you to journey to a magical island for a story filled with laughter, enduring wisdom and beautiful poetry when they present The Tempest at Belmont University's Troutt Theatre - the company's third winter production there - January 14-31. Public performances of The Tempest, directed by Claire Syler, NSF education director, will be held Thursday through Saturday evenings at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday afternoons at 2:30 p.m.

While the women in Nashville theatre might garner more critical attention, showier roles and sparklier costumes, the men, clearly, are no slouches themselves. Capable and committed, the men who assay roles on Nashville stages are a pretty impressive collection of actors who can take on the most traditional of roles one week, while tackling parts that require them to be more experimental and brave the next. In 2009, Nashville's best actors showed their range while strutting themselves in some of the best productions we've seen in years.

If, indeed, 'it takes a village,' and if, as the poets say, 'no man is an island,' then perhaps no art form is more collaborative than live theatre. With a village of artists backstage and offstage assuring that each production is mounted, then coming to life during each performance, the collaborative effort is renewed. And what audiences see onstage is the collaboration of artists, the people who comprise the acting ensemble, the folks who bring the stagebound script to life, sending it soaring into our imaginations.

While there were plenty of productions to be excited about during the 2009 Nashville theatre season, as with any year the most memorable theatrical moments were due to the many fine individual performances seen on local stages. Featuring a blend of both veterans and newcomers, the 2009 season proved once again that Music City has an impressive retinue of actors to call upon. Whether it's in an emotionally draining drama, a laugh-out-loud comedy or a joyously inspiring musical, there are actors here who can deliver the goods, time after time.

Art After Hours, the citywide gallery alliance of The Nashville Association of Art Dealers (NAAD), will host its first First Thursday of 2010 on January 7, from 5 to 8 p.m., providing art lovers and patrons an opportunity to explore Nashville's vibrant art scene.

With the strains of 'Auld Lang Syne' mere moments away, minds are apt to be caught up in reflection, remembering the year now ending as a new one awaits just over the horizon. Certainly that's what I've been doing lately, looking back over the past year in Nashville theatre as I pencil in dates in my new 2010 (Here's a question to ponder: Is it 'two thousand ten' or 'twenty ten'...think about it and get back to me) calendar for the shows set to open in the months ahead.

Martha Wilkinson, one of Nashville's most popular actresses, will take on the role of Diane, which won Julie White the Tony Award for her performance on Broadway. Wilkinson is joined in the reading by her husband, David Compton, as well as Marin Miller and Patrick Waller. Lauren Shouse, Tennessee Rep's artistic associate, will direct.

While she is one of hundreds of people who pursue their theatrical art in Nashville year after year, in many ways Denice Hicks might be considered 'the face' of Nashville theatre, so prevalent has been her influence and her presence among the city's best. As the artistic director of Nashville Shakespeare Festival, she leads one of the city's most vibrant professional companies, and she is widely considered one of the region's most capable individuals, lauded for her artistic vision, her impeccable timing and her seemingly boundless energy.

Nashville native Lane Wright has long been a mainstay on local stages, performing for virtually every Music City-based theatre company in a wide variety of roles. During this holiday season, he's been entertaining audiences at the Darkhorse Theatre as one of playwright/director Bob O'Connell's cowboys in Christmas on the Pecos, concluding its world premiere run this weekend. Coming fresh off his run as a communist spy in the Chaffin's Barn Dinner Theatre production of See How They Run, which came right after his performance in Boiler Room Theatre's production of Steve Martin's Picasso at the Lapin Agile - it's clear that he's one Nashville actor who always seems to be working.