HEATHERS, HAIRSPRAY and SPAMALOT On Tap at Murfreesboro's Center for the Arts in 2018

Hairspray, Spamalot, The Little Mermaid and Steel Magnolias are among the shows headlining the 2018 season at Murfreesboro's Center for the Arts. Those four shows are joined by ten more in the list of productions unveiled at Saturday's gala reveal event at CFTA, hosted by Bethany True and George Downer.

Located at 110 West College Street in Murfreesboro, the Center for the Arts is located in the historic former home of the town's Post Office, which in 1962 became the Linebaugh Library. Originally built by the U.S. Treasury Department in 1909, the history-rich structure became home to the Center for the Arts in 1995. Patience Long is executive director.

Shows included in the 2018 season are:

Hairspray (January 5-21) You can't stop the beat in this big and bold musical about one girl's inspiring dream to dance and overcome racial prejudice in 1960s Baltimore. Denise Parton and Brittany Griffin co-direct.

Spamalot (February 2-18) Spamalot retells the legend of King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table, with a definite twist thanks to the Monty Python troupe of individuals responsible for its Tony Award-winning success; it features a bevy of showgirls, along with an assortment of cows, killer rabbits and rude, smelly cheese-eating Frenchmen.

Pride and Prejudice (March 2-11) When the independent-minded Elizabeth Bennett meets the handsome but enigmatic Mr. Darcy, she is determined to not let her feelings triumph over common sense - but the truth seems even more difficult to divine in this stage adaptation of Jane Austen's literary masterpiece. Natalie Quinn directs.

The Miracle Worker (April 20-29) Donald Fann directs the classic drama about Annie Sullivan and her student, the blind and mute Helen Keller, which brings the struggle to free Helen from the constraints of her existence to life in the 1960 Tony Award winner for best play.

Nunsense (May 11-27) The Little Sisters of Hoboken are hosting a fundraiser after the discover that the convent cook, Sister Julia of Child, has accidentally poisoned 32 members of the order with a particularly sketchy batch of vichysoisse.

The Little Mermaid (June 8-24) In a magical kingdom under the sea, the beautiful young mermaid Ariel longs to leave her ocean home to live in the world above in this musical adaptation of a beloved Hans Christian Andersen tale.

Memphis the Musical (July 13-29) One fateful night on Beale Street, bumbling local DJ Huey Calhoun, a good ol' boy with a passion for rhythm and blues, meets the stunning Felecia Farrell, an aspiring singer, and the history of Tennessee's bluff city unfolds...

Steel Magnolias (August 10-19) Robert Harling's heartfelt salute to the women in his life comes alive in this raucously funny and ultimately moving tale of six Louisiana women who meet every Saturday morning in their neighborhood beauty shop to share recipes, gossip and camaraderie.

Jekyll & Hyde (October 5-21) Murder and mayhem ensue as the well-respected doctor and scientist Henry Jekyll creates a potion that allows his darker and more sinister nature to come to light in this renowned musical by Frank Wildhorn.

A Midsummer Night's Dream (November 2-11) In Shakespeare's comic masterpiece, several seemingly unrelated plotlines are all tied together neatly by one unifying event: the wedding of Theseus and Hippolyta.

Miracle on 34th Street (November 30-December 16) Meredith Willson's musical take on the film classic in which Kris Kringle must battle the naysayers to claim his place as the very real and very much alive Santa Claus.

Three bonus shows included in the 2018 season are:

Godspell Jr. (March 30-April 8) Prepare ye for the timeless tale of friendship, loyalty and love set to music by Stephen Schwartz and based on the Broadway hit.

Heathers, the Musical (August 31-September 16) High school misfit Vernoica Sawyer upends the evil regime of the Heathers - while finding a new boyfriend in the dark and possibly demented J.D. - in this musical adaptation of the cult film.

The Ryman Diaries (September 21-30) This fact-based drama depicts the life and times of Cumberland River boat captain Tom Ryman, the man responsible for building what became known as "the mother church of country music," Music City's famed Ryman Auditorium.

For further details these and other events at Center for the Arts, go to www.boroarts.org or call (615) 904-2787.

To post a comment, you must register and login.