We have, in the past, proudly presented many new works from the pens of local writers: Dr. Richard Gildrie’s Ben and the Virtues, which happily was turned into a musical by Richard and Dr. George Mabry; Dr. Steven Ryan’s The Strange Children, based on local author Caroline Gordon’s novel of the same name; Barry Kitterman’s […]
Theatre 101
The actors sat around a long table, scripts in hand, well-prepared to read Much Ado About Nothing with cuts already provided, thankfully, by Jim Ryan (Colin’s father). Back in the day, one would stop and start as actors marked out in their individual paperback copies of the Signet Classics what text was not being used. […]
A few Saturdays ago I jumped the gun, canceling our School of the Arts class, the matinee of Hans Christian Andersen and the second performance of My Way. Excuses notwithstanding, when I dug out of my cul-de-sac in the early hours of Saturday morning, I barely made it up the hill to find North Second […]
With Frank Sinatra and Fred Landiss, how can you go wrong? Landiss brought his coterie of friends and guests here last Friday to see My Way: A Musical Tribute to Frank Sinatra. Location is everything. They walked a few doors down from F&M Bank’s Franklin Room to make up a large part of the full […]
I have been unknowingly living with an inflated ego, in thinking I was one of the chosen few who could see the multitude of miracles offered in life. I’ve been sadly mistaken. It took a child’s baptism to make me see the light. I had invited myself to attend Tim and Maureen Harvey’s granddaughter’s baptism […]
After I saw Joe Wright’s film adaptation of Anna Karenina with Keira Knightly, I was blown away by it, just as I had been when I first saw Greta Garbo in the title role. I liked the Wright/Knightly version so much that I wanted to know more about Tolstoy’s people, not just Anna and Vronsky. […]
When the late great John Dexter, who had headed up the National Theatre of Great Britain, was called in to be the artistic director for the Metropolitan Opera, he was there to save what was then a sinking ship. Plans were already in place to produce two new productions, Verdi’s La Forza del Destino and […]
Gabby Hayes. That’s what Charles “Bunky” Boyd called me after seeing me sporting my new beard. I don’t shave on holiday, so it grows unaided and unimpeded. I would much rather he had said “Sean Connery” … but, at 67, we take what we can get. Bunky appeared in Showboat, playing the Paul Robeson role. […]
“What is so rare as a day in June? Then, if ever, come perfect days.” [James Russell Lowell] Last summer, like summer itself, seems long ago. But during that time of long days, light and hours of continual heat, the very talented and eager young theatrical hopefuls of the Parks and Rec summer program, along […]
A new beginning. The new year brings hope, promise and an opportunity for change, the possibility of a better year than last. Looking forward, we get nearer our goal, and Clarksville comes closer to having its own center for arts and education. More of our citizens have come to understand what that will mean: the […]
