Exciting events in musical theater and dance await Nashvillians this fall, but the performances are always a little more intriguing when local artists put themselves on the line. So it is with Actors Bridge Ensemble, which will present the world premiere of the original musical Warrior, Sept. 27-Oct. 7 at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum’s Ford Theater. This is the company’s fourth collaboration with noted songwriter Marcus Hummon (“Ready to Run”), who has taken to setting the event-filled and tragic life of world-class athlete Jim Thorpe to music and lyrics. Director Bill Feehely gathers a cast that includes Mark Luna in the title role, along with Tara Lacey, Michelle Prentice, Lisa Marie Smith, and others. Call 341-0300 for information.
Nashville Ballet opens its 16th season Oct. 5-6 in a collaboration with Nashville Chamber Orchestra. In three performances at TPAC’s Polk Theater, the Ballet—featuring five new company dancers—once again celebrates Tennessee’s unique musical idioms in a program that includes a revival of David Allan’s sleek “Reunions” as well as three new works: The world premiere of “Kith,” choreographed by Paul Vasterling to two songs, “My Softest Heart” (lyrics by Gretchen Peters, music by Conni Ellisor) and “Beloved Enemy” (lyrics by Beth Nielsen Chapman, music by Conni Ellisor); the world premiere of “The Bell Witch,” a Tennessee ghost story, choreographed by Ann Marie D’Angelo with music by Conni Ellisor; and “Harvest Home Suite,” choreographed by Heather Maloy, with music by Jay Unger and Molly Mason, and orchestrations by Conni Ellisor. Call 297-2966 for information.
Nashville Ballet will again be a key role player in TPAC’s Fest de Ville this year, presenting Peter and the Wolf Sept. 22-23. Featuring costumes and scenery by Norris Hall, this version of Prokofiev’s timeless musical fable dishes up bright colors, nonstop action, and a creative Tennessee twist on the Russian folktale about a young boy who finds unexpected adventure in the forest. On Oct. 21, Nashville Ballet will debut this season’s children’s ballet, The Legend of the Corn Husk Maiden, at Tennessee State University’s Humanities Bldg. Performed free for the general public, this delightful family event will be followed by a question-and-answer session with the performers. The Legend of the Corn Husk Maiden will also be performed throughout the season at Belmont University and at the new downtown public library.
There isn’t as much dance in Nashville as there used to be. Thankfully, we have Vanderbilt University’s Great Performances series around to bring in interesting, stimulating, and cutting-edge artists to help keep local dance appetites whetted. On Saturday, Sept. 29, noted choreographer Bill T. Jones and the Arnie Zane Dance Company come to Langford Auditorium, offering provocative works and razor-sharp technique that have gained audience applause and critical acclaim worldwide. Among other honors, Jones has been the recipient of a 1994 MacArthur Fellowship. Later in the season, on Thurs., Nov. 8, the Guangdong Modern Dance Company settles into Langford for an evening of its renownedly captivating performances. Guangdong is China’s first modern dance company, and it has played a major role in the export of contemporary Chinese culture. The troupe first toured the States in 1997, including performances at the Kennedy Center and the American Dance Festival. Call 322-2471 for information.
Of course, the fall wouldn’t be complete without considering the flavorful offerings sponsored by the Tennessee Performing Arts Center. On Sept. 18, Blast blasts into Andrew Jackson Hall for a week of performances. Winner of the 2001 Tony Award for Best Special Theatrical Event, Blast comes to town on the heels of triumphant successes in London, Boston, Chicago, Detroit, Washington, D.C., and on Broadway, where audiences were wowed by this unique form of music and theater featuring youthful brass, percussion, and visual ensembles who combine the energetic precision of drum and bugle corps with world-class musical talent. Their thrilling performances have gained critical praise as a deft, compellingly entertaining blend of synchronized athleticism, kaleidoscopic movement, and colorful showmanship. Blast will invite comparisons to both Stomp and Riverdance in the way it breaks new ground in combining music with theatrical flair. Call 782-6560 for information.
TPAC’s Polk Theater will be the site of one of this season’s more eccentrically appealing theatrical affairs. Sept. 20-29, the international interactive hit Sing-A-Long Sound of Music will descend upon Nashville, inviting audiences of all ages to celebrate the 35th anniversary of the classic film by joining in singing some of the best-known songs of musical theater, all subtitled for those who still don’t know the words. Attendees are also encouraged to dress up as their favorite TSOM character, item, or even just a line from the familiar Rodgers/Hammerstein score. The event debuts on Sat., Sept. 15, with an exciting media preview and opening-night benefit for Nashville CARES, Tennessee’s leading community-based AIDS service organization. Musical theater in a more traditional vein comes to TPAC Nov. 6-11, when Kiss Me, Kate invades Jackson Hall. This revival of Cole Porter’s beloved adaptation of Shakespeare’s Taming of the Shrew was the winner of five 2000 Tony Awards. TPAC has also added Cats to its schedule as a “subscriber special option” in the AmSouth Bank Broadway Series. The first national tour since Broadway’s longest-running show closed last year will play Nashville Nov. 27-Dec. 2.
On Nov. 30, Circle Players will open a three-week run of Lionel Bart’s tour-de-force all-time favorite Oliver! Triple threat Bart provided book, music, and lyrics for this adaptation of Charles Dickens’ classic novel Oliver Twist, featuring such memorable characters as Oliver, Fagin, Bill Sykes, Mr. Bumble, and the Artful Dodger. Directed by Stephen Henry. Call 254-0113 for information.
And hey, it would hardly be Music City if the storied Ryman Auditorium weren’t presenting a musical stage biography of a country legend. Stand by Your Man, the story of singing great Tammy Wynette, will run Sept. 13-Oct. 28 at the fabled old venue. Produced by Gaylord Entertainment and Carolyn Rossi Copeland, the script was written by Mark St. Germain and features Nicolette Hart as Tammy and well-known Nashville singer/songwriter Jim Lauderdale as George Jones. The production features a solid sampling of Wynette’s many hit songs. Call 889-3060 for information.
