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With 10 Shows Opening This Week, Nashville Audiences Have A Theaterpalooza In Store
By: Jeffrey Ellis Sep. 27, 2011
Audiences in Nashville and Middle Tennessee will have a wealth of new offerings awaiting them at the theater this weekend, as companies throughout the region roll out the red carpet for the opening of no fewer than ten new productions. Ranging from the tried and true (Arthur Miller's All My Sons from Tennessee Repertory Theatre, Belmont University Theatre's Dancing at Lughnasa, Lakewood Theatre Company's A Few Good Men and Annie at Towne Centre Theatre) to edgier fare (like The Rocky Horror Show at Boiler Room Theatre and David Mamet's American Buffalo at ACT 1) and newer, less familiar works (Trying from Tennessee Women's Theater Project and the debuting Sideshow Fringe Festival, a new endeavor from Actors Bridge Ensemble that features all manner of new offerings, including a 48-hour playwriting competition from which I'll be tweeting live reviews while the shows happen on Saturday from 6 to 7 p.m.), audiences have a full slate of offerings from which to choose this weekend.
While several of the productions will continue for subsequent weekends, others like Dance Theatre of Tennessee's season-opening series At 75...A Tribute to Elaine Thomas will shutter by weekend's end, and Blast, the latest incarnation of the Tony Award winning "special event," will load up the buses and trucks and head out for the next stop on its national tour after its eight-performance stand at the Tennessee Performing Arts Center's Andrew Jackson Hall.
Among the shows already opened that are continuing this weekend are Writer's Block at Chaffin's Barn Dinner Theatre, Chicago at Donelson's The Keeton Theatre, Holes at Nashville Children's Theatre, Lipscomb University Theatre's production of Ken Ludwig's Leading Ladies, Ring of Fire at The Renaissance Center's Gaslight Theatre, Beehive at The Roxy Regional Theatre and Cumberland County Playhouse currently has four shows in production, including Chicago, Smoke on the Mountain, Dearly Departed and Dreamgirls.
So how did this welcome, if mind-boggling and schedule-exploding, confluence of theater events happen? Call it happenstance or coincidence - call it whatever you want - but action-packed weekends like this don't happen very often. But how will audiences pick and choose from among this abundance of shows? We put that question (plus a few others) to several people connected to Nashville-area theater companies and here's what they had to say...
Why should people come see your show?
Lucy Kells, Tennessee Performing Arts Center, which plays host to Blast! this week: Blast! is wholesome, family entertainment that crosses cultures and generations. The musical talent, athleticism and high energy of the young performers is breathtaking. This show is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser, celebrating an American tradition in the same way Riverdance stages Irish dance and Stomp plays with percussion. Everyone has a great time!
Asa Ambrister, producer of Lakewood Theatre Company's A Few Good Men: Lakewood Theatre Company always strives to put on quality shows, with a mix of veteran actors and up-and-coming talent. A Few Good Men(September 30-October 15) is a show that "theatre people" love, and that the public enjoys seeing because of the name recognition in connection with the popular film.
Jessika Malone, program director, Sideshow Fringe Festival: Because it's unlike anything else happening.This is the place to see juggling, fire eating, aerial dance, acrobats, puppetry, a giant octopus on Belmont Boulevard (seriously, not kidding!). It's a smorgasbord of theatrical performances and it is without a doubt the best deal running as all of the outdoor performances are absolutely free and you can get an all-access pass for $25 which gains you entry to over $150 worth of performances over the weekend - nearly 50 in all!
Pat Patrick, Tennessee Repertory Theatre: Aside from being a true American theatre classic, All My Sons has themes coursing through it that are in many ways more pertinent today than they were in the late 1940s (when the play was written): personal responsibility, ethics, etc. As a society, we struggle harder than ever to figure out what the parameters of personal responsibility are. We are split politically over ideas related to the goals of the individual vs. the good of the community: are we only beholden to our own interests, connected to no one but whoever is in our own back yard, or are we part of a larger web of responsibility? If we do something that is good for ourselves, but other people we don't even know may suffer as a result, where does the moral compass fall? When heads of corporations place the highest priority on their personal bottom line, if employees are left without pensions or healthcare or even jobs, is that okay? After all, they're just pursuing our American definition of success - make as much money as possible, and by the way, don't be shy about it. This play, through the story of the Keller family, explores with gut-wrenching results questions of personal responsibility and integrity and the interconnectivity of all of us. Experiencing the powerful story Miller gives us in All My Sons allows people to reflect and discuss these themes and issues as they apply today. What an exciting prospect: A glass of wine and hearty discussion about theatre and how its themes are prevalent today!
Corbin Green, Boiler Room Theatre: Audiences will be blown away at the amount of talent we have put together for The Rocky Horror Show. And it's just stinking fun. Most people I know have seen Rocky Horror the movie, but to get to see it live is a whole other experience.
Megan Murphy Chambers, director, The Rocky Horror Show: Because it's The Rocky Horror Show! If that isn't reason enough: it's Halloween, and I personally believe your American citizenship should be revoked if you haven't experienced Rocky at least once. This production is going to be sensational, and I couldn't be happier with what I'm seeing every night in rehearsal. You won't want to miss out on the all the fun (and the skin, and the talent and the glamour...)
Maryanna Clarke, Tennessee Women's Theater Project, director of Trying: TWTP does shows you're not going to see anywhere else. We find little gems and put them on display for just a short time. If you miss a show you've heard of, chances are you'll have an opportunity to see it again sometime. That's not the case with the shows that appear on our stage. Where will you ever see shows we've presented in seasons past such as Kingfisher Days, or Nickel and Dimed, or Defying Gravity - or the show opening this week, Trying - again?!
Karen Himelrick, director of Annie at Towne Centre Theatre: I believe the biggest reason to come see our show is our leading lady: nine-year-old Abby Ekas. She gives 100 percent every minute she is on stage. I am so proud of her. We have lots of other talented cast members and a wonderful Sandy making her stage debut!
With all these shows opening or running, how do you get the butts in your seats?
Kells: We rely heavily on publicity from good folks like you, Mr. Ellis.
Ambrister: It is a constant effort to publicize on a limited budget for a nonprofit like Lakewood. We spread the word through the actors' families and friends, through social networking sites, newspapers, and BroadwayWorld.com, of course.
Malone: We're excited to host new audiences from "fringe" art forms that aren't necessarily your traditional theatre-goers. We're also hoping to engage the Belmont neighborhood through our partnership with the Belmont Hillsboro Neighborhood Association as well as the university community at Belmont. We've also reached out to the networks of theatre lovers via MNAC'S Artober promotion. By offering lots of our events for free, we are making sure cost is not a barrier in making our work accessible to a new, wider audience. We hope to see new faces at our events and familiar friends as well!
Patrick: Tennessee Rep believes connection and engagement is the way to increase audience participation. We make every effort for audiences to feel as connected to the product on stage as possible by providing opportunities to get commentary from casts, hear behind the scenes tales from building the sets and costumes, and so forth. Audiences not only feel more connected, but also the theatre experience as a whole is enriched... and hopefully, that leaves people talking about a positive experience and builds a relationship. We don't want "butts" in seats; we want minds in seats... people with thoughts, opinions and emotions in seats.
Green: I believe this is one of the most anticipated productions of our season and probably the area. There is quite a buzz going on. With direction by Megan Murphy Chambers, musical direction by Jamey Green, choreography by First Night Honoree Pam Atha, costumes by Billy Ditty, and set and lighting design by Anthony Poppolo ,this is destined to be a production that goes down in Nashville theater history. So people will come. And it's not Annie.
Clarke: I have no good answer to that. We get word out through the mailing list, we work the social media, put out flyers and bookmarks, run ads on WPLN, we hope that the folks who get our press releases will do something with them (thank you for always doing something with them!) - then we cross our fingers and pray a lot.
Chambers: By putting on the best show we possibly can, every single night. Like everyone else, we're doing our best to get the word out and generate buzz, and I'm a huge believer in good old-fashioned word of mouth. We've already got excitement building around this production (and rightfully so), and I believe that will only pick up speed after our first few audiences get to "Time Warp" with us.
Himelrick: Annie is very popular and our ticket sales are going great!
Will all these openings confuse audiences or energize them?
Kells: It should energize the community to know that Nashville has so many entertainment options.
Ambrister: A little healthy competition makes us all stay on top of our game. If I see a production on a rare night off, I am inspired to do better work, and can get ideas for future shows.
Malone: Hopefully all these openings will generate a buzz about the performing arts in our community. Nashville is bursting with creative people, we just need to work together to help cultivate wider audiences by considering new ways to get our messages to them. We'd be pleased to host a brainstorming session on this topic if any other groups are interested in participating in the future and the subject will be addressed in our Forum "What's New Nashville" on Saturday afternoon as part of our Sideshow Fringe Festival - we invite everyone to join in the conversation!
Patrick: It is an exciting prospect to have so much activity in the Middle Tennessee Theatre community. It speaks to the health of the theatre ecology as well as the interest of Middle Tennesseans. After all, if there were not a demand for theatre and spiritual nourishment in the community, there would not be as much activity within the arts community. It also speaks to the Mayor's Artober initiative.
Chambers: Personally, I'm thrilled that I live in a city with so much out there to see. The public is definitely inundated with options, but I'd much rather see Nashville brimming with talent and opportunities than wishing there was something good to go see. I say we keep putting it out there whenever we can, and support one another while we're doing it!
Green: People will always choose what excites and entertains them. I also think it's exciting to have so much theatre going on in this area. I remember when you could count the theatres on one hand and now you have to use both hands, your feet - and maybe some other parts.
Clarke: When you're at a party, with a huge array of food, you try to sample as much as you can, but there's always something you just can't fit on your plate or in your tum. When you hear someone talk about a particular delight that you missed, you may have some regret. Unlike the party, the food won't feel bad that it didn't get eaten - but the companies that get overlooked because of the embarrassment of riches available this weekend will suffer.
Himelrick: I think it is great that we have lots of choices of live theatre in this area. There is something for everybody! I think we have a growing number of people who try to see as many of the shows as they can.
But will audiences become fragmented?
Kells: Possibly, but it is important for the citizens of this community to have an array of choices with regards to the performing arts.
Ambrister: It does spread things out a little to have so many options, but Lakewood Theatre primarily serves the Old Hickory community and surrounding areas. That is our target audience, although we see patrons from a variety of areas in Middle Tennessee. We offer eight shows, with Sunday matinees, to give everyone several chances to make one of our performances.
Malone: I think audiences will exercise choice and that's a powerful thing - it's important for our community to offer cultural options and it seems like we're certainly stepping up to that challenge! Artober is definitely living up to its name!
Patrick: No more than usual. I think this community is very used to having many, many entertainment options... if you think about it, Nashville has more entertainment options than other cities of the same size, substantially more. It is just a part of living in a thriving entertainment hub; whether theatre, dance, music, sports, there are always a lot of choices in Nashville.
Green: Possibly, but there are a lot of people in the area. We chose to do Rocky Horror in part because it appeals to such a large group including those who may not be your "average" theatre-goer. Hopefully this will encourage them to attend more theatre.
Chambers: Possibly, but no more so than usual. I think viewers spend their time and money on what excites and interests them the most, no matter how many choices are out there. Rocky is a great example of that - we're expecting a lot of people who rarely (or never) see live theatre to attend simply because of its cult classic status. Not everyone is in the market for a show this crazy and unconventional, but, oh my, the folks that are...? We absolutely can't wait to blow their minds.
Clarke: The short answer is that the Nashville theater audience is already fragmented. Unfortunately, over the years, the Nashville theater community has not worked together to grow the theater audience. Nashville is growing - people who already have the theater habit are moving here from other places. But Nashville has no theater district -- those folks don't know where to find us. I attended a luncheon a while back where the new head of the Chamber of Commerce talked about the plan for attracting tourists and businesses to Nashville. When he talked about all Nashville's entertainment draws, theater wasn't even on his list - it was all music, music, music.
Himelrick: I don't know if our audiences are fragmented. I think if people like a certain show they will go see it. The lesser known shows may suffer from all the choices.
Would more sharing of information keep things like this from happening? Or do theater companies even care or worry about that?
Kells: It would be great if this was feasible, but it really just isn't as easy when events are booked so far in advance, based on a shows national touring schedule and availability.
Ambrister: It is wonderful that theatre in Nashville has grown to this extent. Actors will have many opportunities to practice their craft, and theatregoers can pick what suits them- from edgy, to family-friendly, to classic shows. Bring it on.
Malone: I think the sharing of information is great. I'd be happy to sit down with other arts leaders and discuss strategies about planning openings. We all know that there are so many considerations leaders must make when planning productions calendars and some overlap is simply unavoidable - but perhaps we can find ways to better champion each other and encourage audiences to hit more than one theatre event in a weekend. Actors Bridge has been working with several other theatres on a group package through NowPlayingNashville that would allow patrons to pay one price to sample work from many of the smaller arts organizations which gives the ticket buyer a deep discount to each event encouraging the patronage of many different groups. Perhaps there are other opportunities such as this one and we'd be pleased to explore them!
Patrick: Perhaps, but there are certainly other things to consider. Venue availability is a big one.
Green: We announce our seasons six months before they even go up. The opening date on this show has been planned for almost a year and a half. I think that information has been out there a while. I care but I cannot control what other theatres do. We will continue to communicate the best way we know how. That is one reason why we announce so early and run things by other theatres. They just don't always run things by us.
Chambers: Again, I think having a lot of entertainment options is a good problem to have. Do I wish there were more hours in the day so we all could get out and see more? Absolutely. In terms of communication, I believe all any company can do is choose a season that works for them, get the word out, and then get down to the business of producing excellent work. Speaking of which, I need to get back to my Transylvanians. Come on out to the BRT and take that jump to the left with us!
Clarke: Yes, I do care! We have a little bit less flexibility on dates because much depends on the availability of the Looby. But if we all sat down at the beginning of the year and talked about opening dates for 12-18 months out, we'd all be better served. Anyone got a place we can all meet in January?
On a different note, did you hear about the smARTS package being offered by NowPlayingNashville that includes TWTP, Actors Bridge, Street Theatre Company, GroundWorks and Dance Theatre of Tennessee? Now we just need to get the word out and sell some packages!
Himelrick: I think sharing info is good! Sometimes the way all the holidays hit in the calender will affect the dates we run our shows. That may be why we have lots of theaters have the same opening nights this year.
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