THEATRE
Millennium debuts new home with Quilters
Millennium presents an All-Star cast of area favorites, from a variety of local theatres, joining together for the first time, to present the area premiere of the hauntingly beautiful musical Quilters, May 13 -- 23.
Quilters will be the first production in Millennium's new home at 100 West Fort Street (formerly the DAV Thrift Store), in Historic, Downtown Manchester, Tennessee.
Quilters will include a Pioneer Dinner on the Courthouse Square and will run concurrently with a Quilt Walk, featuring both historic and new quilts from local quilters and guilds. Area legends, The Grace Notes, will entertain patrons prior to the show with traditional, a capella Pioneer Gospel arrangements.
Quilters cast: Sarah -- Carolyn Bradford (Estill Springs) / Daughters -- Michelle Rowe (Winchester), Courtney Cox (Manchester), Gina Chapman (Fayetville), Annie Flanigan (Tullahoma), Donna Brock (Manchester), Samantha Terrell (Nashville) / Cornelia Corn-Cob Doll -- Alex Ivans (Coalmont) / Understudy -- Crystal McCullough (Tullahoma).
A pioneer woman and her daughters heroically face frontier life. Rather than a straightforward storyline, the musical is presented as a series of 20 short tales and tableaux, each based on a traditional quilt pattern, matched with a musical number. Each quilt block represent an issue such as girlhood, marriage, baptism, childbirth, spinsterhood, natural disasters, illness and death. The blocks are ultimately sewn together to form one giant, splendid quilt.
Nothing is big in this production. Its strength is its unassuming honesty and simplicity. It creates moods, more than it does drama, and its best moods are straightforward, like the people it celebrates
Tullahoma's Robert Allen is Directing and Designing, Nashville's Cary Street is Choreographing, Motlow's Richard Chilton is Assistant Directing and Stage Managing and (pending her agreement) Murfreesboro's Cathy Dodd Spencer will Music Direct. Emily Barnes is the accompanist. John Crawford will co-ordinate the orchestra.
Sewanee's Vicki Qualls will design the blocks and quilts.
This relatively obscure, unknown show was nominated for 6 Tony Awards -- including Best Musicalin 1984.
For tickets and additional information, or to submit a quilt for the Quilt Walk, or offer help with the massive amount of piecing, sewing and quilting for the show, please call (931) 581-9495.
SEUSSICAL THE MUSICAL AT CANNON
February 26 – March 7
School children in the Middle Tennessee area will get a chance to see
live theater in the next few weeks as The Arts Center of Cannon County presents Seussical the Musical. Based on the beloved characters and
stories of Dr.Seuss, this musical incorporates elements from at least 15
Dr.Seuss books and includes appearances by many of his most famous
characters. Seussical the Musical follows the adventures of Horton, the
elephant who one day hears voices coming from a speck of dust. He soon
discovers that within this tiny speck exists the smallest planet in the
universe!
And upon this tiny planet live a tiny race of creatures known as Whos!
Although ridiculed by the other animals in the Jungle of Nool for
believing in something he cannot see, Horton stubbornly persists in his
belief that the Whos exist. Jojo, the smallest child in the city of Who,
parallels Horton's journey as he is ostracized for the unpopular act of
thinking -- an activity not encouraged by the parents and teachers of
Whosville. But in spite of these obstacles, Jojo and Horton attempt to
do what they think is right, and together they sing the duet "Alone in
the Universe." However, their path will not be easy. Horton is sold to
the Circus McGurkus and eventually goes on trial before Judge Yertle the
Turtle before the other animals of the jungle come to understand, as
Horton has always known, that "a person's a person, no matter how small."
Seussical the Musical is directed by Tara Deason-Winton with Robert Hiers as music director, choreography by Kaleena DeVar and produced by Beth McCrary. This production features Justin Winton and Michael McGee as “The Cat in the Hat” Hannah Mansfield and Emily Conley as “Jojo”, David Winton and Robert Hiers as “Horton”, Allison Marcrom and Kayte Brock as Gertrude, and Karen Linton and Allison Barnett as Mayzie.
Also appearing are Hailey Warner and Sarah Kate Helton as Young Kangaroo, Daniel Hoover and Tim Winton as The Grinch, Ben George as Mr. Mayor, Clarissa Green and Kayle Hackett as Mrs. Mayor. Additional cast members include Madelyn Mansfield, Delaney Sain, Bryson Bell, Ashley Chapman, Addison Melton, Hannah Denninger, Bradi Mason, Alena Denninger, Tyler Tobin, Hannah Scudder, Karissa Cherry, Anica Gilbert, Katelyn Cherry, Kendall Winton, Conner Winton, Hannah McMurry, Erin Brown, Josie Fitzgerald, Mandi Davis, Abby Blondin, Leanna Blondin, Drew Lyons, Mason Leonard, Griffin Winton, Lance Chandler, and Dylan McMurry.
Performances open to the public are February 26, 27, March 5 and 6 at 7:30PM and February 28 at 2:00PM. Seussical the Musical is sponsored by Wild About Smiles Pediatric Dentistry and is part of the 2010 CenterStage Series. Ticket prices are $8 for adults and $5 for students.
The Arts Center is located on 1424 John Bragg Highway, just west of the town of Woodbury, approximately 20 minutes from Murfreesboro, Manchester, and McMinnville and one hour southeast of Nashville. Office hours are 10:00a.m. to 4:00p.m., Monday through Saturday. For more information check our website at www.artscenterofcc.com or call 615-563-(ARTS) 2787 or 1-800-235-9073.
If You Go
What: Seussical the Musical
Where: The Arts Center of Cannon County, 1424 John Bragg Highway,
Woodbury, TN 37190
When: February 26, 27, March 5 and 6, at 7:30PM and February 28th and
March 7 at 2:00PM
The play will also be performed February 23 – March 4 for area students.
Tickets: $8 Adults, $5 Students
Contact: (615) 563-2787 or 1-800-235-9073 or www.artscenterofcc.com
