Last night, April 1, began “Urinetown” at MTSU’s Boutwell Dramatic Arts Building, a.k.a. the Tucker Theatre. In a winding down of the 2008-09 theater season, the drama department is acting out its rendition of the Broadway musical that was on the New York theater stage from Sept. 20, 2001 through Jan. 18, 2004, and played for 965 shows, winning three Tonys and nominated for six more.
This comedy/musical satirizes capitalism, social irresponsibility and injustice, populism, bureaucracy, corporate mismanagement, and petty small town politics. How could the MTSU Drama Department have known last summer all the shenanigans that are going on right now with our government, our economy, and our social irresponsibility, from Congress to Detroit to AIG to Murfreesboro? Ironic? Perhaps, but this is one comedy about ourselves that I will definitely want to see. It runs through April 5; the curtain opens 7:30 p.m. nightly and 2 p.m. on Sunday.
Get Angry at Lamplighter’s
At Lamplighter’s Theatre in Smyrna, “12 Angry Men” continues for a second week; the screenplay of this production was listed by the American Film Institute in the top 100 best films of the last 100 years, and in 2007 it was selected for preservation in the U.S. National Film Registry by the Library of Congress. In the original 1957 drama, the story tells of a jury member who tries to persuade the other 11 members to acquit the suspect on trial on the basis of reasonable doubt. Knowing Lamplighter’s history of theater, this stage production put on by their terrific cast of actors will be an excellent two hours of good drama. Curtains open at 7:30 nightly and 4 p.m. on Sunday.
Patterson Stage Active Again
In an “all youth” production put on by Murfreesboro Little Theatre, “Into The Woods” will open curtains at The Theatre at Patterson Park on April 17 for two weekends. Look for more about this upcoming production in the April 16 issue of The Pulse.
“Twilight of the Golds”
Director Bob Fish and his crew of talent, including Amy Bernstein, Bryan M. Booth, Eric Douglas, Todd Seage, and Chiquita Turner, are in rehearsals at MLT currently, getting ready for “Twilight of the Golds” coming in May at the oldest continuous community theater in town . . . I can’t wait to see this one.
Bear Hollow Curtain Closes
“Outfront Productions” founder and director George W. Manus Jr. has resigned as Executive Director of the Bear Hollow Dinner Theatre in Monteagle. Bear Hollow has been struggling financially as of late (who hasn’t?) and has shut its doors for the time being, and Mr. Manus thought it best to stay in the good ’ole ’Boro and concentrate his efforts on his production company.
Kudos to you George! Stay in town! Keep the ’Boro actors in Murfreesboro, don’t take them out of the area! This also keeps me from driving 100 miles round trip to review. But it was worth every mile to see some great plays down south of here. Welcome home, George.
See ya at the show!
