BroadwayWorld.com Awards, First Night's Top 10 of 2011 Highlight Midwinter's First Night 1/8/12

Memory Strong, Kandace Williams, Circle Players' cast of Company and The Keeton Theatre's reveal of their 2012 season will highlight Midwinter's First Night, to be held Sunday, January 8, at The Keeton Theatre in Nashville, for the presentation of the BroadwayWorld.com Nashville Theatre Awards and the BroadwayWorld.com Tennessee Theatre Awards.

Produced and hosted by Jeffrey Ellis, who covers theater, opera and dance throughout Tennessee, will also present his First Night's Top Ten of 2011, recognizing the top shows, productions and performances of the year just past, along with Top Ten lists in "various esoteric categories," he promises. First Night favorite Ben Van Diepen is music director for the event.

Voting on the BroadwayWorld.com awards continues through the end of December, with the winners in each category to be revealed at Midwinter's First Night.

Strong and Williams will each star in cabaret performances during the event, with the cast of Company performing a number from that show that opens at the Keeton Theatre on January 6. The Keeton Theatre, under artistic director Kate Adams-Johnson and music director Ginger Newman, will present a medley of songs from shows to be staged at the theatre in 2012, officially unveiling the company's season.

Tickets for the event are $10 each and are available at the door (cash or check only). Heavy hors d'ouevres and a cash bar will be offered and door prizes will be awarded during the evening.

The first Midwinter's First Night, held last January 9, attracted almost 150 people to Street Theatre Company on a snowy evening in 2010. Questions? Call (615) 530-6178 for details.