Jeffrey Ellis - Page 133

First Night season in Nashville kicked into high gear on Monday night, August 16, as some of Nashville's best-loved actors released their 'inner Tyra' during the First Night Fashion Extravaganza at Macy's Green Hills. Some of the season's hottest Red Carpet Fashions were featured in the fashion show in advance of The First Night Nashville Theatre Honors, slated for Sunday, September 19, at Belmont University's Troutt Theatre.

Performed by Hillwig's large cast against the backdrop of Jim Manning's beautifully conceived and exquisitely realized set that magically transforms the Keeton's intimate stage into a panoramic view of dustbowl Oklahoma, the fiery Southwest and the lush, verdant fields and orchards of California, The Grapes of Wrath is a visual tour de force that other community theater companies - frankly, any theater company of whatever ilk - should aspire to achieve.

Limelight, in East Nashville, was transformed into a swanky Las Vegas casino and showroom when Street Theatre Company's It's Vegas, Baby! was brought back 'by popular demand' on Thursday, August 12. Local actors and playwrights Dietz Osborne and Nate Eppler emceed the festivities for the successful fundraiser for the Nashville theatre company. The evening featured a 'floor show' featuring some of the company's most popular performers in a wide variety of numbers onstage.

The company's mission, according to its co-founders, is 'To create entertaining, enlightening stage productions that reawaken audiences to the thrill of theater. Our shows will be intellectually challenging and imaginatively rendered, focusing on inventive original works, rarely produced plays by renowned playwrights, and one-of-a-kind special events-all of which celebrate the vitality and immediacy of the live theater experience.'

Lakewood Village Theatre's Texas-sized summer comedy, Southern Hospitality, opens at the theatre in Old Hickory on Friday, August 6, continuing through August 21.

In a stylish and immensely entertaining fashion, director Melissa Bedinger Hade and her capable and confident band of merry players deliver a pleasantly diverting late-summer offering of Moliere's The Imaginary Invalid to open ACT 1's 2010-11 season with vigorous aplomb at Darkhorse Theatre.

There comes a moment late in act two of the Chaffin's Barn Dinner Theatre production of Smoke on the Mountain Homecoming when now-married, about-to-give-birth daughter June Sanders Oglethorpe delivers a beautiful monologue in which she talks about her love for her family, her excitement at being a new mother, her devotion to her preacher husband's work and what it means to leave home and family for a new life adventure.

First Night season in Nashville kicked into high gear on Monday night, August 16, as some of Nashville's best-loved actors showed off their 'inner Tyra' during the First Night Fashion Extravaganza at Macy's Green Hills. Some of the season's hottest Red Carpet Fashions were featured in the fashion show in advance of The First Night Nashville Theatre Honors, slated for Sunday, September 19, at Belmont University's Troutt Theatre.

All the hottest Red Carpet Fashions from Macy's Green Hills, modeled by some of your favorite Nashville actors, will be in the spotlight just in time for you to pick out your own Red Carpet Look for the return of Nashville's favorite theatrical event: THE FIRST NIGHT NASHVILLE THEATRE HONORS (Sunday, September 19 at Belmont University's Troutt Theatre).

Circle Players opens its 2010-2011 season at The Keeton Theatre with Frank Galati's adaptation of John Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath, running August 13-29.

Blackbird Theater, the newest member of Nashville's burgeoning community of theater companies, makes an auspicious debut with the premiere of Wes Driver and Greg Greene's smartly written new script - Twilight of the Gods - now onstage at David Lipscomb University's Shamblin Theatre. Featuring a truly outstanding ensemble performance from the 13-member cast (with particularly impressive turns by Britt Byrd and Patrick Kramer), Twilight of the Gods might best be described as a murder mystery cum drawing room comedy cum intellectual discussion.

Limelight, in East Nashville, will be transformed into a swanky Las Vegas casino and showroom at Street Theatre Company's It's Vegas, Baby! is brought back 'by popular demand' on Thursday, August 12 at 7 p.m.

Jeffrey Ellis has been a fixture on Nashville's theater scene for many years - as a writer, reviewer, director and, of course, his many years with the First Night Awards. After a brief hiatus from theater, Jef's back and Nashville is glad to have him in the theater where he belongs. Writing for BroadwayWorld.com, Jef has kept the world informed of the theater life that happens in Nashville, from incisive reviews to interviews with some of Music City's best-loved local talent.

Rhubarb Theater Company presents 41, Trish Crist's comedy/drama opens at the Darkhorse Theater, Friday, July 23, continuing through August 7. According to the playwright, who does double duty as director, 41 is inspired by this summer's 41st anniversary of the 1969 Stonewall Riots.

An all-star cast takes to the stage in the latest work from the playwriting team of J. Dietz Osborne and Nate Eppler: Cinderella 8.0: Truly, Truly, Truly Outrageous, opening June 22 at Chaffin's Barn Dinner Theatre. The musical comedy is presented on the mainstage at Chaffin's Barn Tuesday through Saturday mornings, with the house opening at 10 a.m., with the show at 11 a.m. through August 7.

Eight of the leading lights of Nashville theater were announced Monday night as the Class of 2010 Honorees for the First Night Nashville Theatre Honors, to be presented Sunday, September 19. The Hard Rock Cafe Nashville's Reverb Room was the setting for the preview party and announcement of honorees.

Eight of the leading lights of Nashville theater were announced Monday night as the Class of 2010 Honorees for the First Night Nashville Theatre Honors, to be presented Sunday, September 19. The Hard Rock Cafe Nashville's Reverb Room was the setting for the preview party and announcement of honorees.

The company's mission, according to its co-founders, is 'To create entertaining, enlightening stage productions that reawaken audiences to the thrill of theater. Our shows will be intellectually challenging and imaginatively rendered, focusing on inventive original works, rarely produced plays by renowned playwrights, and one-of-a-kind special events-all of which celebrate the vitality and immediacy of the live theater experience.'

Tennessee Women's Theater Project has announced its 2010-2011 season, presenting two plays new to Middle Tennessee audiences, and the return of the company's annual Women's Work showcase of performing and visual arts at Nashville's Z. Alexander Looby Theater. A fourth production, last year's successful Warriors Don't Cry, will be touring Nashville area schools.

Exit The Body runs July 30- August 21, Thursday through Saturday evenings at 8 p.m., with Sunday matinees on August 8 and 15 at 2:30 p.m. Tickets are $20 for adults, $18 for seniors and $16 for students.