June 11 begins?a busy period for stage theater in the area, starting with “I Do! I Do!” at the Center for the Arts, right off the Square. The Center’s own Andrew Ford and the delightful Francine Berk take the spotlight?in this rarely produced, but charming, romantic musical comedy,?going through 50 years of a?marriage and all it has to offer.
Written by Harvey Schmidt and Tom Jones, who also wrote “The Fantasticks,” which just concluded at Murfreesboro Little Theatre, this?should be a good show, and for the older couples in the audience, one to reminisce. With a beautiful score, including the the standard “My Cup Runneth Over,” the play runs through July 22 at 7:30 p.m., and 2 p.m. Sundays.
Also beginning on Friday, July 11, at the Arts Center of Cannon County is the youth musical “Footloose.” I traveled the 20 minutes down John Bragg Hwy earlier this week and entered the Arts Center for the first time for several reasons: with Patterson Park, Lamplighter’s, and Tucker between seasons, and knowing many of the teenagers in this production from past shows here in town (such as “Seussical: the Musical,” “Grease” and “Fame!”), I knew this would be a show that just could not be missed. I believe I will be right.
This is going to be a musical that is well worth the price of gas to go to. With Katye Brock as “Ariel” and Drew Lewis as “Ren,” director Lana Spry has pulled out all the stops for this cast of 37. I was impressed with the hard work that seems to have been put forth.?
One up-and-coming actor in this play could very well be the show stealer, however. I watched his efforts in “Grease” at the Murfreesboro Center a few months ago, and I see an impressive rising star in Garrett Troutt. Watch for his talents in this show as well.
Dr. Darryl Deason is producing this show, which plays through July 27 at 7:30 p.m., Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights, and at 2 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. If this is your first trip to the Arts Center of Cannon County, it is east of Murfreesboro headed toward Woodbury at 1424 John Bragg Hwy. It is actually the same distance as Smyrna’s Lamplighter’s Theatre.
Next week, another of Off-Book Productions’ comedies begins at the Murfreesboro Little Theatre. “The Widow’s Best Friend,” (which I have been accused of being a number of times) opens Friday, July 18, and runs through July 27. Friday and Saturday shows begin at 7pm, with Sunday matinees beginning at 2 p.m.
This show was written by Alabama playwright Randy Hall and involves a small community of, er, “casserole ladies,” who attempt to plan and take control of the funeral arrangements of the husband of one of their own. Directed by Shane Lowery, (who has yet to direct a bad play, in my opinion), the stage stars some of the best known actors to grace the MLT stage. Nelda Pope, Nancy Clymer, Susanne Tenpenny, Lisa Davis and Kelly Hayes will be showing the audience the time of its life, along with Evan Scott, the young reporter caught in the middle of all the shenanigans.
After much planning and work by director Wayman Price, and a wonderful cast put together, it appears “Inherit the Wind,” which was?to start at Patterson Park Theatre on July 24, has “gone with the wind.” A main actor in the play had to bow out for medical reasons, and another bowed out the next day for personal reasons. There have been rumors that the director and cast will try this again in January 2009.
I hope so, as?it is, and will be, a wonderful production.
See ya at the show!
UPCOMING AUDITION
“On Golden Pond”
The Arts Center of Cannon Co.
6:30 p.m. Sunday, July 27 and Monday, July 28
Directed by Mary Wilson
Roles available for one boy age 13, three men ages 40 and up, and two women ages 35 and up. For more information, call (615) 563-ARTS
