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Jeffrey Ellis - Page 95

Jeffrey Ellis

Jeffrey Ellis is a Nashville-based writer, editor and critic, who's been covering the performing arts in Tennessee for more than 35 years. In 1989, Ellis and his partner launched Dare, Tennessee's Lesbian and Gay Newsweekly which later became known as Query. Ellis is the recipient of the Tennessee Theatre Association's Distinguished Service Award for his coverage of theater in the Volunteer State and was the founding editor/publisher of Stages, the Tennessee Onstage Monthly.  He is a past fellow of the National Critics Institute at the Eugene O'Neill Theatre Center and is the founder/executive producer of The First Night Honors - the history of which can be traced to 1989 and the first presentation of The First Night Awards - which honor outstanding theater artisans from Tennessee in recognition of their lifetime achievements and also includes The First Night Star Awards and the Most Promising Actors recognition. Midwinter's First Night honors outstanding productions and performances throughout the state. An accomplished director, Ellis helmed productions of La Cage Aux Folles, The Last Night of Ballyhoo and An American Daughter, all in their Nashville premieres, as well as award-winning productions of Damn Yankees, Company, Gypsy and The Rocky Horror Show. Ellis was recognized by The Tennessean as best director of a musical for both Company and Rocky Horror. Since 2015, Ellis has been increasingly in demand as a director by a variety of Tennessee theater companies and he has helmed productions of Picnic (Circle Players), The Last Five Years (VWA Theatricals), The Miss Firecracker Contest, Cabaret, My Fair Lady, Daddy's Dyin'...Who's Got the Will?, South Pacific, Winter Wonderettes and The Wizard of Oz (The Larry Keeton Theatre), The Little Foxes (ACT 1), The Boys in the Band (Jeffey Ellis Presents), Singin' in the Rain (Arts Center of Cannon County) and The Secret Garden (Center for the Arts, Murfreesboro) and, in 2020, the 70th anniversary season production of La Cage Aux Folles for Circle Players. Later this year, he will be directing Beautiful: The Carole King Musical for Center for the Arts.




LEARN MORE ABOUT Jeffrey Ellis

First Show:

EVITA, starring Patti LuPone

Favorite Stories:



Hey, Jef, Here's My Headshot: DENICE HICKS
Hey, Jef, Here's My Headshot: DENICE HICKS
April 26, 2012

Who's who in Tennessee theater? Sometimes, without a program in your hand, it's difficult to know who's playing whom-hence, our newest feature: Hey, Jef, Here's My Headshot...featuring some of the Volunteer State's best-known-or soon-to-be-known all over the freakin' world-thespians. And have you ever wondered who the amazing photographers are who make them look so damn good? We're gonna tell ya...Today's actor/subject/model is the lovely and talented Denice Hicks, photographed by Jeff Frazier, whom you can contact via jefffrazier.com.

WONDERLAND Takes Cumberland County Playhouse Audiences Down the Rabbit Hole With Alice thru 4/28
April 26, 2012

Cumberland County Playhouse audiences can journey with Alice down the rabbit hole and through the looking glass, into a magical land in the Playhouse's production of Wonderland, a vivid show of song, dance, and theatre, running April 26-28.

Nathan Brown Directs CHURCH BASEMENT LADIES at Gaslight Dinner Theatre, Now thru 5/26
April 24, 2012

Church Basement Ladies will serve up fun, food and a "delicious musical comedy," April 24-May 26, at The Gaslight Theatre in Dickson. Written by husband and wife team Jim Stowell and Jessica Zuehlke, with music and lyrics by Drew Jansen, the musical comedy is based on the humorous novel Growing Up Lutheran by Janet Letnes Martin and Suzann Nelson.

Hey, Jef, Here's My Headshot: DELANEY AMATRUDO
Hey, Jef, Here's My Headshot: DELANEY AMATRUDO
April 21, 2012

Who's who in Tennessee theater? Sometimes, without a program in your hand, it's difficult to know who's playing whom-hence, our newest feature: Hey, Jef, Here's My Headshot...featuring some of the Volunteer State's best-known-or soon-to-be-known all over the freakin' world-thespians. And have you ever wondered who the amazing photographers are who make them look so damn good? We're gonna tell ya...Today's actor/subject/model is the lovely and talented Delaney Amatrudo, photographed by Ysabella Jones.

Ginger Newman's Production of SMOKEY JOE'S CAFE Closes Tonight at The Keeton Theater
Ginger Newman's Production of SMOKEY JOE'S CAFE Closes Tonight at The Keeton Theater
April 21, 2012

Smokey Joe's Cafe is a show features nine performers, who take audiences back to the 1950s and 1960s with their renditions of many wonderful hits of the rock and roll era. Four of the male singers come together to form a group reminiscent of the two famous quartets Leiber and Stoller wrote for-the Drifters and the Coasters-while other cast members deliver songs made famous by some of the most powerful figures in the world of music, including Elvis Presley, Dion and Big Mama Thornton.

Hey, Jef, Here's My Headshot: SPENCER DEAN
Hey, Jef, Here's My Headshot: SPENCER DEAN
April 20, 2012

Who's who in Tennessee theater? Sometimes, without a program in your hand, it's difficult to know who's playing whom-hence, our newest feature: Hey, Jef, Here's My Headshot...featuring some of the Volunteer State's best-known-or soon-to-be-known all over the freakin' world-thespians. And have you ever wondered who the amazing photographers are who make them look so damn good? We're gonna tell ya...Today's actor/subject/model is the handsome and talented Spencer Dean, photographed by Lauren Dean.

BWW Reviews: How a High School Production of CAROUSEL Changed My Way Of Thinking About Musical Theater
BWW Reviews: How a High School Production of CAROUSEL Changed My Way Of Thinking About Musical Theater
April 20, 2012

Thanks to the efforts of a cast of high school students under the direction of their artistic mentor Paula Y. Flautt (who's the fine arts director at CPA), I have to admit that Carousel is my favorite musical. It's always been my favorite among all the musical masterpieces created by the team of Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II, but I found myself so completely moved, so thoroughly enchanted by the production in CPA's Events Center (where it continues through Saturday evening)-which boasts stellar production values, an amazing live orchestra and a production design that rivals some of the best professional mountings we've seen in Nashville-that Carousel has supplanted Gypsy on my list of all-time favorites.

ART ISN'T EASY Benefit Cabaret to Feature Playhouse Favorites Singing for The Shanks Center for the Arts 4/28
ART ISN'T EASY Benefit Cabaret to Feature Playhouse Favorites Singing for The Shanks Center for the Arts 4/28
April 19, 2012

Weslie Webster and Ron Murphy will combine efforts once again to bring a special benefit cabaret for the Shanks Center for the Arts-Art Isn't Easy, set for Saturday, April 28-featuring some of Cumberland County Playhouse's finest performers for an evening of music, dance and more.

Hey, Jef, Here's My Headshot: MEMORY STRONG
Hey, Jef, Here's My Headshot: MEMORY STRONG
April 19, 2012

Who's who in Tennessee theater? Sometimes, without a program in your hand, it's difficult to know who's playing whom-hence, our newest feature: Hey, Jef, Here's My Headshot...featuring some of the Volunteer State's best-known-or soon-to-be-known all over the freakin' world-thespians. And have you ever wondered who the amazing photographers are who make them look so damn good? We're gonna tell ya...Today's actor/subject/model is the lovely and talented Memory Strong, photographed by Melissa Chipper (whom you can contact via www.Melissaschipperphotography.com).

BWW INTERVIEWS: The Leads of CPA's CAROUSEL Take On The Friday Five On Thursday!
BWW INTERVIEWS: The Leads of CPA's CAROUSEL Take On The Friday Five On Thursday!
April 19, 2012

Today, the spotlight falls upon Gabrielle Toldeo, Meg Perdue and Patrick Eytchison, a trio of particularly talented young actors who tonight will open in Carousel at Nashville's Christ Presbyterian Academy. Under the direction of the acclaimed Paula Y. Flautt, who has instructed, influenced, directed and mentored CPA students for the past 20 years, tonight's performance comes on the 67th anniversary of the beloved musical's opening night on Broadway!

After 20 Years, Paula Flautt's Vision for CAROUSEL Opens at Nashville's Christ Presbyterian Academy
After 20 Years, Paula Flautt's Vision for CAROUSEL Opens at Nashville's Christ Presbyterian Academy
April 18, 2012

Some 67 years after Rodgers and Hammerstein's Carousel first opened at Broadway's Majestic Theatre, director Paula Y. Flatt will unveil her vision for the show-which was named by Time magazine in 1999 as the best musical of the 20th century-in a new production featuring her students at Nashville's Christ Presbyterian Academy.

BWW Reviews: Travis Brazil's production of OF MICE AND MEN Brings Searing Drama to the Boiler Room
BWW Reviews: Travis Brazil's production of OF MICE AND MEN Brings Searing Drama to the Boiler Room
April 18, 2012

Since its publication in 1937, John Steinbeck's novella Of Mice and Men has inspired artists-there have been multiple film treatments, a Carlisle Floyd opera, ballets and stage productions based upon the tragic tale of migrant workers George Milton and Lennie Small-and it is now given a superb production at Boiler Room Theatre featuring stunning performances from the entire cast of actors under the confident and focused direction of Travis Brazil, who makes his area directing debut with this electrifying rendition of the timeless tale.

WONDERLAND Will Take Cumberland County Playhouse Audiences Down the Rabbit Hole With Alice
WONDERLAND Will Take Cumberland County Playhouse Audiences Down the Rabbit Hole With Alice
April 18, 2012

Cumberland County Playhouse audiences can journey with Alice down the rabbit hole and through the looking glass, into a magical land in the Playhouse's production of Wonderland, a vivid show of song, dance, and theatre, running April 26-28.

Ron Jewell Stars as Mark Twain in 4/21 Performance at Cumberland County Playhouse
Ron Jewell Stars as Mark Twain in 4/21 Performance at Cumberland County Playhouse
April 18, 2012

Mark Twain At Large is a one-man theatrical tour de force that introduces audiences to the 70-plus-year-old Twain on a stormy night in his Connecticut home. Racing in from thunderous rains, he invites the audience into his study for an intimate conversation filled with stories and anecdotes taken directly from Twain's writings. Jewell's performance has been hailed across the country as "personable and touching," as critics and audience members alike have delighted in his retelling of Twain's tall tales.

Nathan Brown Directs CHURCH BASEMENT LADIES at Gaslight Dinner Theatre
Nathan Brown Directs CHURCH BASEMENT LADIES at Gaslight Dinner Theatre
April 18, 2012

Church Basement Ladies will serve up fun, food and a "delicious musical comedy," April 24-May 26, at The Gaslight Theatre in Dickson. Written by husband and wife team Jim Stowell and Jessica Zuehlke, with music and lyrics by Drew Jansen, the musical comedy is based on the humorous novel Growing Up Lutheran by Janet Letnes Martin and Suzann Nelson.

Hey, Jef, Here's My Headshot: STEPHEN MICHAEL JONES
Hey, Jef, Here's My Headshot: STEPHEN MICHAEL JONES
April 18, 2012

Who's who in Tennessee theater? Sometimes, without a program in your hand, it's difficult to know who's playing whom-hence, our newest feature: Hey, Jef, Here's My Headshot...featuring some of the Volunteer State's best-known-or soon-to-be-known all over the freakin' world-thespians. And have you ever wondered who the amazing photographers are who make them look damn good? We're gonna tell ya...Today's actor/subject/model is the handsome and talented Stephen Michael Jones, photographed by Harry Butler.

MY FAIR LADY, BIG RIVER, SMOKEY JOE'S CAFE Headline Studio Tenn's 2012-13 Season
MY FAIR LADY, BIG RIVER, SMOKEY JOE'S CAFE Headline Studio Tenn's 2012-13 Season
April 17, 2012

Four well-known shows and the return of a holiday classic make up the 2012-13 season for Studio Tenn, the professional theatre troupe that calls the historic Franklin Theatre home. Artistic director Matt Logan and managing director Jake Speck made the season announcement during a lively afternoon event, which featured performances from the shows included in the line-up, at the historic theatre in downtown Franklin.

Hey, Jef, Here's My Headshot: JOY TILLEY PERRYMAN
Hey, Jef, Here's My Headshot: JOY TILLEY PERRYMAN
April 17, 2012

Who's who in Tennessee theater? Sometimes, without a program in your hand, it's difficult to know who's playing whom-hence, our newest feature: Hey, Jef, Here's My Headshot...featuring some of the Volunteer State's best-known-or soon-to-be-known all over the freakin' world-thespians. And have you ever wondered who the amazing photographers are who make them look damn good? We're gonna tell ya...Today's actor/subject/model is the lovely and talented Joy Tilley Perryman photographed by Roger Ashdown.

Out Front On Main opens Marsha Norman's 'NIGHT, MOTHER for April 19-29 run
Out Front On Main opens Marsha Norman's 'NIGHT, MOTHER for April 19-29 run
April 16, 2012

Marsha Norman's Pulitzer Prize Winning 'night, Mother, directed by Ryan T. Daniel, opens an April 19-29 run this week at Murfreesboro's Out Front On Main, performing Thursday through Sunday nights at 7:30 p.m. each evening

Hey, Jef, Here's My Headshot: C. ANTHONY JUST
Hey, Jef, Here's My Headshot: C. ANTHONY JUST
April 16, 2012

Who's who in Tennessee theater? Sometimes, without a program in your hand, it's difficult to know who's playing whom-hence, our newest feature: Hey, Jef, Here's My Headshot...featuring some of the Volunteer State's best-known-or soon-to-be-known all over the freakin' world-thespians. And have you ever wondered who the amazing photographers are who make thEm Look damn good? We're gonna tell ya...Today's actor/subject/model is the handsome and talented C. Anthony Just photographed by Bralyn Stokes.



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