Midwinter's First Night Promises Surprises and More

Theatrical surprises and sneak previews of upcoming productions of veteran director Tim Larson's Sister Act, from Nashville's Circle Players - Middle Tennessee's oldest community theater organization - and Center for the Arts' Dreamgirls, directed by 2012 Most Promising Actor Matthew Hayes Hunter, will highlight Sunday's Midwinter's First Night.

Nashville's iconic Chaffin's Barn Dinner Theatre, 8204 Highway 100, will once again host the celebration that will feature the presentation of the Broadway World Nashville awards for the 2014-15 season, as well as the announcement of First Night's Top Ten of 2016, critic Jeffrey Ellis' annual recognition of the best of the best of Nashville area theater presentations and performances.

Other guest stars for the evening include Nashville theater newcomer Ashley Wolfe, who made her local stage debut in Mel O'Drama's Cousin Cleetus Christmas show at Events on 3rd and 2012 First Night Honoree Chambers Stevens (the Los Angeles-based actor/writer/director and acting coach, who will be in town for his hometown debut of It's Who You Know, his latest one-man show), along with other surprise guests and performers.

Circle Players' Sister Act will be represented by LaToya Gardner, Rae Robeson, Abbie Memmert, Taylor Simon, Adele Akin, Amber Boyer, Katie Bruno, Sydney Hooper, Jamila Hunter, Anna Kaelin-Tucker, Ashley Morrison, Erica Patterson, Melinda Paul, Sarah Shepherd, Taylor Tracey, Elizabeth Turner, Susan Walsworth and Tamera Young. They will be singing "Raise Your Voice" from the show.

Robyn "Vyrgo" Daniel, Ra'Shaun Simon and Brianna Booker, stars of Murfreesboro's Center for the Arts' Dreamgirls, will perform "Move" from that show's score.

Co-hosting the event - and riding herd on First Night founder and executive producer Ellis - are Britt Byrd, Justin Boyd, Katherine Morgan and Taylor Novak, four of Nashville theater's most popular performers. They will keep the action moving throughout the evening after opening the show with a special number, written by actor/director Bradley Moore of Music City Theatre Company, and featuring 2015 First Night Honorees Kaul Bluestone, Darryl Deason and Martha Wilkinson, along with 2012 Honoree Stevens.

A very special part of the celebration will be the announcement of the First Night Class of 2016 Most Promising Actors, a group of some of the brightest young actors from throughout the region.

In addition to the 25 BWW Nashville awards, Ellis' First Night's Top Ten of 2016 will include lists of the best plays, best musicals, actors and actresses, directors and choreographers from the 2015 calendar year of productions in Music City. Ellis will also present such lists as The Top Ten Best Suck-ups of 2015, aka The Lisa Marie Wright Award; The Top Ten People Striving to Become the Next Martha Wilkinson; and The Top Ten Most Annoying Theatre Trends of 2015.

Tickets for the event are $15 per person and will be available at the door (payable by cash or plastic) or by phone prior to the event by calling (615) 300-2513.

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