THE FRIDAY FIVE (on Thursday!): RAGTIME's David Arnold

Inspired by BroadwayWorld.com's Friday Six, welcome to BroadwayWorld Nashville's latest installment of The Friday Five (on Thursday!): five questions designed to help you learn more about the talented people you'll find onstage throughout the Volunteer state. This week the spotlight shines one day early on David Arnold, who opens tonight in Circle Players' production of Ragtime the Musical, starring as Father.

David's resume is certainly impressive and he has played a wide variety of roles on various stages throughout Tennessee: He was Shrek in Shrek the Musical for Encore Theatrical Company in Morristown last year, he's been Audrey II for The Keeton Theatre's Little Shop of Horrors, he's been in both Fame the Musical and Fame Forever for Circle Players, and he was Buffalo Bill Cody in Annie Get Your Gun for Boiler Room Theatre.

Ragtime, directed by Tim Larson - who has helmed some of Circle Players' biggest and most successful muscials - runs through January 25 at Tennessee State University's Performing Arts Center. For tickets, go to www.circleplayers.net.

Circle Players presents the Tony-winning musical about three families from very different segments of society in pursuit of the American Dream in the early 1900s. Their lives become intertwined in a story of social justice, prejudice, wealth and poverty, despair, freedom and hope. It was a new century, an idealistic era when time and eternity converge on the bars and lines of ragtime music, and history is a bittersweet melody, born of pain, but full of defiant joy! Ragtime the Musical is presented in collaboration with the TSU Theatre Program and the National Museum of African American Music.

Get to know more about David Arnold, then make reservations (and be quick about it) to catch him in what promises to be a rousing rendition of Ragtime the Musical.

What was your first "live onstage" taste of theater? I performed several times onstage, singing in various bands and choral groups through high school and college. My first theatre experience was in college in a production of Gilbert & Sullivan's Rudigore.

What is your favorite pre-show ritual? A 32-ounce bottle of Smart water and a green tea and echinacea throat lozenge. As dusty as most theaters get, staying hydrated and keeping my throat lubricated becomes the top priority.

What's your most memorable "the show must go on" moment? Again a Gilbert & Sullivan show, The Pirates of Penzance: I was playing the Major General and it was opening night. I was very nervous about doing the patter song but was confident in being well rehearsed. I started out strong and going into the second verse I had a total brain flame out. I restarted the song and got stuck at the same place five times before eventually getting through the song. I never again had a problem with the song.

What's your dream role? Although there are several on the bucket list, Phantom of the Opera is at the top. A side note to that is a big thank you to Jeffrey Ellis for letting me perform a Phantom medley with the uber-talented Katherine Sandoval-Taylor at The First Night Honors 2013.

Who's your theatrical crush? My female crush is and will always be my lovely wife, Cat Arnold. My male crush is Hugh Jackman (duh).

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