First Night's Top Ten of 2017 Announced in Music City
By: Jeffrey Ellis Dec. 28, 2016
First Night's Top Ten of 2017 - critic Jeffrey Ellis' annual review of the best in Tennessee theater - were revealed tonight during a live Facebook broadcast at 7:30 p.m. (CST), with Actor's Bridge Ensemble and Studio Tenn/TPAC leading the nods in this year's listing of categories.
Among the various nominations outlined in First Night's Top Ten of 2017 are:
OUTSTANDING MUSICALS
7 Ways to Sunday, The Theatre Bug
1776, Center for the Arts
American Idiot, Roxy Regional Theatre
Annie Get Your Gun, The Larry Keeton Theatre
Assassins, Street Theatre Company
Chicago, Nashville Rep
Evita, Studio Tenn/TPAC
In the Heights, Street Theatre Company
Memphis the Musical, Arts Center of Cannon County
Oklahoma!, Music City Theatre Collective
Parade, Belmont University Musical Theatre
OUTSTANDING PLAYS
4,000 Miles, Music City Theatre Company
Emilie: La Marquise du Chatelet Defends Her Life Tonight, Tennessee Women's Theater Project
Failure: A Love Story, Actor's Bridge Ensemble
Fairytale Lives of Russian Girls, Actor's Bridge/Belmont University Theatre
Good Monsters, Nashville Rep
Hand to God, Actor's Bridge Ensemble
King Lear, Nashville Shakespeare Festival
Skinless, Verge Theatre Company
The Crucible, Blackbird Theatre/Lipscomb University Theatre
The Ice Treatment, Actor's Bridge Ensemble
OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL
Corinne Bupp, as Laurey Williams, Oklahoma!, Music City Theatre Collective
Robbyn "Vyrgo" Daniel, as Effie Melody White, Dreamgirls, Center for the Arts
Eden Espinosa, as Eva Peron, Evita, Studio Tenn/TPAC
Savannah Gannon, as Patsy Cline, Always, Patsy Cline, Arts Center of Cannon County
LaToya Gardner, as Delores Van Cartier/Sister Mary Clarence, Sister Act the Musical, Circle Players
Lilla Golgoczy-Toler, as Sunday, 7 Ways to Sunday, The Theater Bug
Ginger Newman, as Norma Desmond, Sunset Boulevard, The Larry Keeton Theatre
Melinda Paul, as Felicia Fontaine, Memphis the Musical, Arts Center of Cannon County
Tonya Pewitt, as Annie Oakley, Annie Get Your Gun, The Larry Keeton Theatre
Bekah Purifoy, as Nina, In the Heights, Street Theatre Company
OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MUSICAL
Matt Baugher, as Curly, Oklahoma!, Music City Theatre Collective
Ryan Bowie, as St. Jimmy, American Idiot, Roxy Regional Theatre
Ben Crawford, as Che, Evita, Studio Tenn/TPAC
David Cummings, as John Adams, 1776, Center for the Arts
Shawn Knight, as Amos Hart, Chicago, Nashville Rep
Patrick Kramer, as The Balladeer, Assassins, Street Theatre Company
Noah Rice, as The Emcee, Cabaret, The Larry Keeton Theatre
Michael Spencer, as Leo Frank, Parade, Belmont University Musical Theatre
Arik Vega, as Usnavi, In the Heights, Street Theatre Company
Scott Patrick Wilson, as The Beast, Beauty and the Beast, Lipscomb University Theatre
OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A PLAY
Rachel Agee, as Blondie, The Ice Treatment, Actor's Bridge Ensemble
Kim Bretton, as Margery, Hand to God, Actor's Bridge Ensemble
Evelyn O'Neal Brush, as Emilie, Emilie: La Marquise du Chatelet Defends Her Life Tonight, Tennessee Women's Theater Project
Britt Byrd, as Carnelle Scott, The Miss Firecracker Contest, The Larry Keeton Theatre
Megan Murphy Chambers, as Josie, Good Monsters, Nashville Rep
Brooke Gronemeyer, as Zinnia Wells, Skinless, Verge Theatre Company
Denice Hicks, as King Lear, King Lear, Nashville Shakespeare Festival
Shannon Hoppe, as Elizabeth Proctor, The Crucible, Blackbird Theatre/Lipscomb University Theatre
Martha Wilkinson, as Dottie Otley, Noises Off, Nashville Rep
Austin Williams, as Anya, Fairytale Lives of Russian Girls, Actor's Bridge Ensemble/Belmont University Theatre
OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A PLAY
Nat McIntyre, as Frank Wayne, Good Monsters, Nashville Rep
Taylor Novak, as Leo, 4,000 Miles, Music City Theatre Company
Blake Holliday, as Jason, Hand to God, Actor's Bridge Ensemble
Ross Bolen, as John Proctor The Crucible, Blackbird Theatre/Lipscomb University Theatre
Michael Adcock, as Delmount Williams, The Miss Firecracker Contest, The Larry Keeton Theatre
Jacob York, as Garry LeJeune, Noises Off, Nashville Rep
Derek Whittaker, as Lenny, Rumors, Chaffin's Barn Dinner Theatre
Chambers Stevens, as Chambers, It's Who You Know, Maverick Productions
Sean Martin, as Rev. John Hale, The Crucible, Blackbird Theatre/Lipscomb University Theatre
Alex Murray, as Dumptruck, Good Monsters, Nashville Rep
OUTSTANDING ENSEMBLE PERFORMANCE IN A MUSICAL presented by Julia Nettles
7 Ways to Sunday, The Theater Bug
1776, Center for the Arts
American Idiot, Roxy Regional Theatre
Assassins, Street Theatre Company
Chicago, Nashville Rep
Evita, Studio Tenn/TPAC
Oklahoma!, Music City Theatre Collective
Parade, Belmont University Musical Theater
Sparkley Clean Funeral Singers, Cumberland County Playhouse
Taffetas, Chaffin's Barn Dinner Theater
OUTSTANDING ENSEMBLE PERFORMANCE IN A PLAY
Failure: A Love Story, Actor's Bridge Ensemble
Fairytale Lives of Russian Girls, Actor's Bridge/Belmont University Theatre
Good Monsters, Nashville Rep
Hand to God, Actor's Bridge Ensemble
King Lear, Nashville Shakespeare Festival
Noises Off, Nashville Rep
Rumors, Chaffin's Barn Dinner Theater
Skinless, Verge Theatre Company
The Crucible, Blackbird Theatre/Lipscomb University Theatre
OUTSTANDING DIRECTOR OF A MUSICAL
Rene D. Copeland, Chicago, Nashville Rep
Matthew Hayes Hunter, Dreamgirls, Center for the Arts
Cori Anne Laemmel, 7 Ways to Sunday, The Theater Bug
Tim Larson, Sister Act the Musical, Circle Players
Matt Logan, Evita, Studio Tenn/TPAC
David Shamburger, Parade, Belmont University Musical Theatre
Cathy Street, In the Heights, Street Theatre Company
Jason Tucker, Assassins, Street Theatre Company
Cyndie Verbeten, 1776, Center for the Arts
Martha Wilkinson, Oklahoma!, Music City Theatre Collective
OUTSTANDING DIRECTOR OF A PLAY
Beki Baker, The Crucible, Blackbird Theatre/Lipscomb University Theatre
Lydia Bushfield, Rumors, Chaffin's Barn Dinner Theater
Maryanna Clarke, Emilie: La Marquise du Chatelet Defends Her Life Tonight, Tennessee Women's Theater Project
Rene D. Copeland, Good Monsters, Nashville Rep
Rene D. Copeland, Noises Off, Nashville Rep
Nate Eppler, The Ice Treatment, Actor's Bridge Ensemble
David Ian Lee, Skinless, Verge Theatre Company
Leah Lowe, Fairytale Lives of Russian Girls, Actor's Bridge Ensemble/Belmont University Theatre
Jessika Malone, Failure: A Love Story, Actor's Bridge Ensemble
Mitch Massaro, Hand to God, Actor's Bridge Ensemble
OUTSTANDING CHOREOGRAPHER OF A MUSICAL
Pam Atha, Chicago, Nashville Rep
Casey Hebbel, 7 Ways to Sunday, The Theater Bug
Shauna Smartt Hopkins, Taffetas, Chaffin's Barn Dinner Theatre
Curtis LeMoine and Lauri Gregoire, Oklahoma!, Music City Theatre Collective
Tosha Pendergrast, Dreamgirls, Center for the Arts
Tosha Pendergrast, In the Heights, Street Theatre Company
Emily Tello Speck, Evita, Studio Tenn/TPAC
Emily Tello Speck, Parade, Belmont University Theatre
Cary Street, Cabaret, The Larry Keeton Theatre
Taylor Tracey, Annie Get Your Gun, The Larry Keeton Theatre
OUTSTANDING MUSICAL DIRECTOR
Jaclyn Brown, Taffetas, Chaffin's Barn Dinner Theatre
Jo Lynn Burks, Parade, Belmont University Musical Theatre
Randy Craft, In the Heights, Street Theatre Company
Emily Dennis, Dreamgirls, Center for the Arts
Eric Fritsch, 7 Ways to Sunday, The Theater Bug
Timothy C. Fudge, Oklahoma!, Music City Theatre Collective
Stephen Kummer, Evita, Studio Tenn/TPAC
Ginger Newman, Annie Get Your Gun, The Larry Keeton Theatre
Mary Ellen Smith, Always, Patsy Cline, Arts Center of Cannon County
Jason Tucker, Chicago, Nashville Rep
OUTSTANDING ORIGINAL WORK
7 Ways to Sunday, by Cori Anne Laemmel and Eric Fritsch, The Theater Bug
Good Monsters, by Nate Eppler, Nashville Rep
Sparkley Clean Funeral Singers, by Lori Fischer and Don Chaffer, Cumberland County Playhouse
The Ice Treatment, by Nate Eppler, Actor's Bridge Ensemble
OUTSTANDING TOURING PRODUCTION presented by Bradley Moore
MAMMA MIA!
RENT: The 20th Anniversary Tour
BOOK OF MORMON
MOTOWN THE MUSICAL
MATILDA THE MUSICAL
SEX TIPS FOR STRAIGHT WOMEN FROM A GAY MAN
IT'S WHO YOU KNOW
Ellis' nods for the best performances and productions of the previous calendar year were announced by the team of co-hosts for Midwinter's First Night (Julia Marie Nettles, Jenna Pryor and Taylor Tracey, along with associate producer Bradley Moore), at which the winners of First Night Awards will be announced. Midwinter's First Night, to be held Sunday, January 8, at The Larry Keeton Theatre, will also feature live performances and "hijinks" starring the team of co-hosts and a coterie of local theater luminaries.
Tonight's reveal is essentially the announcement of nominees for First Night Awards recognition in the categories of outstanding plays, outstanding musicals, outstanding performances by actors/actresses and ensembles, outstanding directors, choreographers and musical directors. The history of First Night goes back to 1989 and the original presentation of the Dare Theatre Awards, which subsequently became known as the First Night Awards and is now primarily known for The First Night Honors, a Kennedy Center Honors-inspired presentation that was on hiatus in 2016, but will once again be the crowning point of the 2017 theater season next September.
Among performances slated for Midwinter's First Night will be songs presented by the Keeton Theatre cast of My Fair Lady; Murfreesboro's Center for the Arts' 9 to 5: The Musical; Expression City's Hairspray; and The Theater Bug's 7 Ways to Sunday. Memory Strong-Smith and Ashley Wolfe will also perform solo turns during the January 8 show.
Presenters for Midwinter's First Night include: Britt Byrd, Katherine Morgan, Michael Adcock, Cavender Lane, Erica Patterson, Patrick Kramer, John Frost Jr., Brittany Easley, Cassie Hamilton, Amanda Grace Creech, Brooke Gronemeyer, Wesley King, Sheridan Hitchcox, Brandon Hoyt, Shelby Jones, Lucy Turner, David Arnold, Cat Arnold and LaQuita James.
For tickets to Midwinter's First Night, call (615) 892-4044.
About Midwinter's First Night 2017:
Austin Jeffrey Smith, Taylor Tracey, Jenna Pryor and Julia Nettles will share the stage as co-hosts of 2017 Midwinter's First Night, set for Sunday, January 8, 2017, at The Larry Keeton Theatre in Donelson. Midwinter's First Night is the annual presentation of First Night founder and executive producer Jeffrey Ellis' First Night's Top Ten of 2017 and the announcement of winners of the BWW Nashville Awards, voting for which continues through the end of December.
The 2017 artwork, designed by David Arnold, is being revealed today "to whet the appetites" of theater-goers throughout Tennessee.
"Mad, bad and dangerous to know," Midwinter's First Night is the cold weather follow-up - the more irreverent younger sibling, if you will - to the more august First Night Honors. The history of The First Night Honors and Midwinter's First Night goes back to the 1989 debut of The Dare Theater Awards, which subsequently became the First Night Awards and evolved into The First Night Honors which bowed in 2010.
Festivities get under way at 7 p.m. on Sunday, January 8, at the Keeton Theatre and will feature performances by some of the region's best-known actors.
Tickets are $15 per person, at the door, or $12.50 in advance by debit/credit and are available by calling (615) 892-4044.
About the hosts:
Julia Marie Nettles is a former student of the American Musical Dramatic Academy and Belmont University, who has previously performed in Psycho Beach Party as Bettina Barnes with Music City Theater Company, as Whatsername in Circle Player's production of American Idiot, in Vagina Monologues with Music City Theater Company, The Producers with Boiler Room Theater, and in Legally Blonde with Keeton Theater, plus a host of others over the years. Julia cites her parents Dr. Darryl and Nancy Nettles as her biggest inspirations. So excited to be a part of Jeffrey Ellis's wonderful Midwinter's First Night extravaganza!
Jenna Pryor, a California native, has called Nashville home for six years now. When she's not waiting tables and dressing up as princesses for money, you've seen her in various performances at Chaffin's Barn, Music City Theatre Company's Psycho Beach Party (Chicklet) and The Eight (Vixen), Act 1's August Osage County (Jean), Sideshow Fringe's Matt and Ben (Ben Affleck/producer), as well as the regional premieres of the Renaissance's Players' Peter and the Starcatcher (Molly), and Circle Players' American Idiot the Musical. Other performances include Disney's Tarzan (Jane), Urinetown (Hope), The Last Five Years (Cathy), Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (Christine).
Austin Jeffrey Smith is a 2016 graduate of Cumberland University, with a degree in vocal performance. Since graduation he has been in several shows, including The Mouse Trap (playing Christopher Wren), Thoroughly Modern Millie (Jimmy Smith), Cabaret (Ernst Ludwig) and Annie Get Your Gun (Tommy Keeler). Austin is humbled and honored to be a part of Midwinter's First Night as a host, and hopes all will enjoy the show!
Taylor Tracey is so happy to be hosting tonight. First Night has meant a lot to her since joining the theater community in 2012. Some her more notable roles have been Elle Woods (Legally Blonde), Natalie (All Shook Up), Rizzo (Grease), Ado Annie (Oklahoma), Clara (Light in The Piazza), and Mary Jane (Big River) just to name a few. Her First Night appearances include performing a song from Legally Blonde in 2012, Sister Act for the 2016 Midwinter show, and most recently a few songs from Cabaret. Taylor would like to thank her family, friends, co-hosts and especially her son Matty for their constant support. A special shout out to Jef for believing in her and giving her this amazing opportunity. Enjoy the show!
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