Photo Flash: Garden Theatre Continues 10th Anniversary Season with A TENNESSEE WALK

The Garden Theatre begins performances this week of its highly anticipated historical drama, A Tennessee Walk. Presented March 16 - 31, 2018 the award-winning play by Garden Theatre's artistic director Rob Winn Anderson shines new light on a seldom-told, true story of a circus elephant that was executed by a hysterical public.

In 1916 near Kingsport, Tennessee, a circus elephant named Mary is sentenced to die after killing a man during a parade. Mary's execution, demanded by the hysterical public, becomes a media event. At the same time, Bobbie Coleman, a young girl of twelve, is experiencing her own horror as tragedy besets her closest friend, Willa Fay. Fast forward eighty years, when a freelance journalist attempts to break Bobbie's silence and at long last find the out the truth of that fateful time.

Archival historical recordings, old Tennessee folk songs, and porches where tales unfold on firefly-filled nights all come together to reveal a mystery that has waited for almost one hundred years.

Director Aradhana Tiwari returns to the Garden Theatre, where she stages her fifth production. Tiwari is a professor at Valencia College where she teaches acting and script analysis.

The principal cast features Ryleigh Lawton, Elizabeth Murff, and Arielle Prepetit. Rounding out the cast are Tay Anderson, Bob Brandenburg, Brian Chambers, Johnathan L. Iverson*, Dennis Marsico, Matthew Rush, Aaron Sherry, and Timmy Walczak.

The production team includes set design by Vandy Wood, costume design by Olivia Hayhoe, and lighting design by George Jackson. The stage manager is Paige Gober.

Proudly presented by The Wine Bar at Tim's Wine Market - Avalon Park, A Tennessee Walk will be performed March 16 through March 31, 2018. The performance schedule is Thursday at 8:00 p.m., Friday at 8:00 p.m., Saturday at 2:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. and Sunday at 2:00 p.m., plus select Mondays at 8:00 p.m.

Tickets are on sale now for $29 with discounts available for students, seniors, and educators. Tickets may be purchased by calling 407-877-4736, at the Garden Theatre Box Office at 160 West Plant Street in Winter Garden, or online at gardentheatre.org. Groups of 10 or more can receive a discount on tickets and should call 407-877-4736 x208 or email groupsales@gardentheatre.org.

Additional support provided by Dr. Phillips Charities, Outdoor Living, and Toole's Ace Hardware. This project is funded in part by Orange County Government through the Arts & Cultural Affairs Program. This project is sponsored in part by the Department of State, division of Cultural Affairs, the Florida Council of Arts and Culture and the State of Florida. This project is funded in part by United Arts of Central Florida, home of OrlandoAtPlay.com and UAArtsEd.com.

Photos by Steven Miller Photography.

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