The Laramie Project with Central High School
Fri., April 13 @ 7pm; Sat., April 14 @ 6pm; Sun., April 15 @ 5:30pm
In October 1998 Matthew Shepard was kidnapped, tied to a fence, beaten, and left to die alone on the outskirts of Laramie, Wyoming. Five weeks after this attack, members of the Tectonic Theatre Group traveled to Laramie to conduct interviews with the residents. They used these conversations to draft The Laramie Project, a narrative portrayal of life in Laramie the year after the murder. Sadly, many of the issues raised by Shepard’s brutal murder have not gone away in the twenty years since. Central High School’s theatre program is pleased to present an abridged version of this powerful play.
Stories in the Water with Latrelle Bright
Fri., April 13 @ 8pm; Sat., April 14 @ 7:30pm; Sun., April 15 @ 2:30pm
Stories in the Water explores deeply rooted relationships black people have with our most precious resource. From the shore of the vast ocean to the “community” swimming pool, a woman leads an expedition through the memory water holds. Leaving the safety of solid ground, water engulfs her, carries her across space time and delivers her home again.
The Feeling is Mutual with Sarah Ledbetter
Fri., April 13 @ 9pm; Sat., April 14 @ 9pm; Sun., April 15 @ 1:30pm
THE FEELING IS MUTUAL is a one woman show that creator Sarah Ledbetter really, really hopes you’ll like. It’s about gravity and other pesky inevitables. It involves dancing, talking, and thinking. It is somewhat challenging for the audience member in that it makes some pretty wild connections between different things, and is not always a display of virtuosity. It is, rather, a display of daring and sometimes mistaken efforts for the purpose of sharing with you, the audience, what it feels like to be dancing in front of a group of people who deserve to see something really beautiful happen.
Melanie with Myesha Williams
Sat., April 14 @ 11am; Sun., April 15 @ 4:30pm; Sat., April 21 @ 11am
Melanie tells a story of a strong lady who visits home after being adopted as a child. While reuniting with her grandmother, Melanie rediscovers a book filled with stories of her past grandmothers’ lives, reminisce unwanted feelings that she had as a child before adoption, and seek understanding for her upbringing. Melanie learns the expanded definition of unconditional love as she forgives her family and connect back with her roots.
Squaring Up: Project 1
Sat., April 14 @ Noon; Sun. April 15 @ 3:30pm; Sat. April 21 @ 1:30pm
Project 1 and Thistle & Bee hope to act as catalysts leading to a community that is aware of the human sex trafficking issue, and ready to take action to support services that help victims recover from the trauma. At the end of each performance, audience members are invited take part in an immersive artistic co-creation experience and a talk-back to process the performance and discuss how community members can work to help end sex trafficking in Memphis. Net ticket proceeds will be gifted to Thistle & Bee and the Lisieux Community.
The Cabin by Adam Remsen
Sat., April 14 @ 1:15pm, Sat., April 21 @ 3pm; Sun., April 22 @ 7:15pm
Quark presents The Cabin, an original play by Adam Remsen. Hilarity erupts as a brother and sister learn the dark secrets of their deceased mother's troubled past. Laugh yourself silly as two siblings delve deep into their family's unsettling history. This heart-wrenching family drama will leave you in stitches! A harrowing laugh riot!
The Sound of Cracking Bones with Jason Gerhard
Sat., April 14 @ 2:30pm, Sun., April 15 @ 7:30pm; Sat., April 21 @ Noon
The Healing Power of JC with Sara Kaye Larson
Sat., April 14 @ 3:45pm; Sun., April 15 @ 6:30pm; Sun., April 22 @ 4pm
The Curator with The Perry Library of Theatre
Sat., April 14 @ 5pm; Sat., April 21 @ 8:15pm; Sun., April 22 @ 5pm
THE PERRY LIBRARY OF THEATRE presents an original play by E. Warren Perry, Jr., The Curator. This one-act play grapples with the results of applying postmodernism and historical revisionism to a museum’s collection, to its logical and uproarious extreme. Set in a fictional southern museum, curator Dr. Ronald Saulsbury fights new museum influences and his axe-wielding young assistant to try to prevent the annihilation of every real artifact in the collection – and history itself.
Far Away by Caryl Churchill; Directed by James Kevin Cochran
Sun., April 15 @ 8:30pm; Sat., April 21 @ 7pm; Sun., April 22 @ 6pm
Joan wakes up in the middle of the night and sees something she’s not meant to see. She’s convinced to keep a secret that will forever alter the course of her life. Caryl Churchill’s brief and chilling Far Away paints a not so-far-away future where fear of “the other” rules supreme, and beauty, politics and violence strike an uneasy kinship. Confronting our deepest fears, Far Awaydepicts a chilling world where everyone and everything is at war, and not even the birds in the trees or the river below can be trusted. Whose side is the right side?
Sinners on a Southbound Bus with Danica Horton
Fri., April 20 @ 7pm; Sat., April 21 @ 5:30pm; Sun., April 22 @ 2pm
An evening bus ride from Montgomery to Dothan, Alabama; two men on the run– but was their action a sin or a virtue? This dark one-act explores power, morality, fear, and the ghosts we leave behind.
Please note: Strong language and violence. Not suitable for children.
Rebound with Jill Guyton Nee
Fri., April 20 @ 8pm; Sat., April 21 @ 4pm; Sun., April 22 @ 3pm
Call it a #Metoo moment. Call it the “Weinstein effect,” a recently coined term inspired by Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein’s lurid story and used to describe the watershed moment when women collectively stood up to sexual predators in positions of power and said, “no more.” Call it whatever you want. Now that Playhouse on the Square has completed its independent investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct at Playhouse on the Square — and possible abusive behavior by the theater’s founder Jackie Nichols in particular – women who’ve contributed to that investigation want their stories told. And want them to matter.
On Dec. 1, 2017, Angela Russell posted an explosive allegation on her Facebook page against Nichols. She accused him of sexually abusing her in the 1970s, while he was married to her mother, Diana, his first wife. The abuse allegedly happened over a three-year period starting when she was only 6 years old. In a statement published by The Commercial Appeal, Nichols flatly denied Russell's allegations.
Russell, now 49, is the owner of Underground Art, a 25-year-old tattoo studio in Cooper-Young. She says she’s been trying for decades to get Nichols to take accountability for what he allegedly did. Her claim is backed by a high school classmate who remembers hearing the story from Russell in the 1980s, and by other friends who say Russell told them about it in the 1990s.
A month after that post appeared on Facebook, a group of 20 Playhouse on the Square employees, spearheaded by two company members who are no longer with the organization, interrupted a board meeting to make a statement and present a list of demands.
“Playhouse stands on a national stage,” the statement read. “Our actions will be an example to other artists and organizations in Memphis and around the country. We want to send a strong message: ‘Not here. Not ever.’ The people in this room today have a responsibility to make that principle a reality.”
Demands included the “immediate suspension of Jackie Nichols pending a full investigation,” and for the board to “additionally look for other individuals or incidents that may not already have been brought to light.”
On January 5th, Nichols took a voluntary leave of absence. A week later, Jennifer S. Hagerman of the Burch Porter & Johnson law firm was named to investigate complaints against Nichols and unknown others, per the employee statement. A separate review of policies and procedures was also announced.
A little more than two months later, on March 13th, Nichols resigned his position as executive producer. A statement from the Playhouse board made no mention of the investigation and praised the outgoing leader’s unparalleled service to Memphis theater.
Playhouse’s refusal to release the Burch Porter & Johnson report has not been well received by some of the women who met with Hagerman. In addition to Russell, the Flyer has interviewed four other women who spoke to the investigators and alleged sexual harassment by Nichols: Louisa Koeppel, Alice Raver, and two women who asked to have their identity protected for personal and professional reasons. Here are their stories.
"My colleagues and I founded this company 49 years ago because we loved great theatre and we believed that our hometown of Memphis deserved a place where great theatre would thrive. In the last several decades, Playhouse on the Square has evolved from this simple notion into one of the most successful performing arts organizations in the country, with annual gross revenues approaching $3-million and more than 40,000 audience members attending our 16 yearly productions. Our education and professional training programs have given rise to multiple generations of performers, designers, administrators, and artists of all disciplines. From our home in Overton Square, we have driven a modern renaissance of Midtown and now anchor one of the most successful economic and community development projects of the last several years. I am proud of what we have built together.
Several years ago, I began a discussion with my family about what the next chapter of my career might include. My mentor and friend Andrew Clarkson believed that all of us have an obligation to 'learn, earn, and return;' that is, we should work hard to learn as much as we can about our chosen career path, make an honest living in that field, and then give back to the communities that make our success possible. I have reached the point in my life where it is important to me to share the insights I've gained and lessons I've learned with my colleagues and peers so that I may contribute to the professions that have given me so much happiness and fulfillment. Therefore, today I am resigning my position as Executive Producer of Playhouse on the Square so that I may devote my full energies and attention to consulting for the arts and nonprofit sectors.
I am more excited about where Memphis and its amazing arts community are going than I have ever been. I look forward to doing whatever I can to continue that momentum and I am excited about what the future holds... Thank you for the opportunity you have given me to serve, and for the many incredible moments — onstage and offstage — that we have shared together."
The Executive Committee of Circuit Playhouse Inc. today announced that Executive Producer Jackie Nichols is taking a leave of absence pending an investigation of a sexual misconduct allegation against him, which he denies. This allegation is unrelated to the operations of Playhouse on the Square. Our board of directors take this matter seriously and will appoint an independent investigator to investigate the allegation.On January 12th, POTS named the investigator, Jennifer S. Hagerman of the Burch Porter and Johnson law firm. It was also announced that a review of policies and procedures would be conducted.
THEATRE MEMPHIS' LOHREY STAGE
Ragged newspaper boys take on the newspaper industry in a nostalgic reminder of how we used to think organized labor was awesome...
•Disney’s Newsies August 24 – September 16, 2018
The shape-shifting, blood-sucking aristocrat hunter becomes the hunted...
•Dracula October 12 – 28, 2018
The original nightmare before Christmas...
•A Christmas Carol, November 30 – December 23, 2018
A beloved story about childhood, race, justice and its double in the American South —
•To Kill a Mockingbird, January 18 – February 3, 2019
The founding fathers sing about the weather (it's hot), death (it's sad), and an economic system built on molasses, rum, and slaves...
•1776, March 8 – 31, 2019
If a jerky celebrity has an accident at your party, maybe they should convalesce elsewhere. Think Stephen King's Misery in reverse — but funny-ish... Add glamor.
•The Man Who Came to Dinner, April 26 – May 12, 2019
John Waters' 16-magazine-inspired valentine to big hair, cool R&B, and an ultimate, kid-led triumph over white assholes.
•Hairspray, June 7 – 30, 2019
NEXT STAGE at Theatre MemphisMeanwhile, at...
The classic tale of an a not quite elderly British butcher meeting a no longer young waitress, receptionist, assassin etc. Uncertainty happens...
•Heisenberg — September 21 – October 7, 2018
A perennial favorite about teenage awkwardness and spelling...
•The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, November 2 – 17, 2018
Size matters? A new adaptation of the Louisa May Alcott classic...
•Little Women, February 8 – 24, 2019
Sarah Ruhl's Pulitzer finalist about a brazillain housecleaner who'd rather be doing standup comedy...
•The Clean House, April 5 – 20, 2019
PLAYHOUSE ON THE SQUARE
Gentlemen fall in love and become homicidal in the highly theatrical...
•A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder — August 10th – September 2, 2018
Speaking of love and murder, how about an epic mystery that begins when a boy finds his dog has become the victim of murder most foul?
•The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time — September 21 – October 7, 2018
The story of a little boy who won't grow up...
•Peter Pan — November 16th – December 30th, 2018
Until she does, of course.
•For Peter Pan on her 70th Birthday — November 30th – December 22, 2018
Life, love, and silliness go on and on and on in...
•Tuck Everlasting — January 18th – February 9th, 2019
But the line “Your wedding is my funeral” comes from another show called...
•Significant Other — March 1st – March 24th, 2019
And as long as we're talking about life old chum, whether it be everlasting and bittersweet or short, brutish and cruel, it's only a...
•Cabaret — May 3rd – May 26th, 2019
Also, kids have superpowers and we'd all do well to remember that.
•Matilda — June 21st – July 14th, 2019
THE CIRCUIT PLAYHOUSEPOTS@THEWORKS
Wolves, Wall Street and making money off...
•Junk — August 24th – September 9th, 2018
"Something something something," mumbled Jo lying on the floor...
•Little Women: The Broadway Musical — October 5th – October 28th, 2018
Much like Richard Nixon (and the current White House resident)...
•Junie B. Jones is Not a Crook — November 23rd – December 23rd, 2018
Lynn Nottage takes on deindustrialization in the Pulitzer Prize winning drama...
•Sweat — January 25th – February 17th , 2019
I can't even with...
•Madagascar: A Musical Adventure — March 15th – April 7th, 2019
Big Brother's watching. Listening. Mining your data. Etc. Shame we don't adapt Brave New World as often as we adapt...
•1984 — April 19th – May 12th, 2019
Elvis + Drag = Dang, what took you so long?
•The Legend of Georgia McBride — June 7th – June 30th, 2018
LOVE NEVER DIES September 4-9, 2018
This story of boundless love, full of passion and drama, follows Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Phantom of the Opera, one of the most successful musicals of all time, which has now been seen by more than 130 million people worldwide and is the winner of over 50 international awards. The ultimate love story continues in Love Never Dies, Andrew Lloyd Webber’s spellbinding sequel to The Phantom of the Opera.
The year is 1907. It is 10 years after his disappearance from the Paris Opera House and The Phantom has escaped to a new life in New York where he lives amongst the screaming joy rides and freak shows of Coney Island. In this new, electrically charged world, he has finally found a place for his music to soar,
but he has never stopped yearning for his one true love and musical protégée, Christine Daaé.
SCHOOL OF ROCK October 9-14, 2018
SCHOOL OF ROCK is a New York Times Critics’ Pick and “AN INSPIRING JOLT OF ENERGY, JOY AND MAD SKILLZ!” (Entertainment Weekly). Based on the hit film, this hilarious new musical follows Dewey Finn, a wannabe rock star posing as a substitute teacher who turns a class of straight-A students into a guitar-shredding, bass-slapping, mind-blowing rock band. This high-octane smash features 14 new songs from ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER, all the original songs from the movie and musical theater’s first-ever kids rock band playing their instruments live on stage. Vanity Fair raves, “FISTS OF ALL AGES SHALL BE PUMPING!”
LES MISÉRABLES November 27-December 2, 2018 (SEASON OPTION)
Cameron Mackintosh presents the new production of Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schönberg’s Tony Award-winning musical phenomenon, Les Misérables, direct from an acclaimed two-and-a-half-year return to Broadway. Set against the backdrop of 19th-century France, Les Misérables tells an unforgettable story of heartbreak, passion, and the resilience of the human spirit. Featuring the beloved songs “I Dreamed A Dream,” “On My Own,” “Stars," “Bring Him Home,” “One Day More,” and many more, this epic and uplifting story has become one of the most celebrated musicals in theatrical history. With its glorious new staging and dazzlingly reimagined scenery inspired by the paintings of Victor Hugo, this breathtaking new production has left both audiences and critics awestruck. “Les Miz is born again!” (NY1).
WAITRESS January 15-20, 2019
"THE WOMEN OF WAITRESS ARE CHANGING BROADWAY!" (Time Magazine). Brought to life by a groundbreaking all-female creative team, this irresistible new hit features original music and lyrics by 6-time Grammy® nominee Sara Bareilles ("Brave," "Love Song"), a book by acclaimed screenwriter Jessie Nelson (I Am Sam), choreography by Lorin Latarro (Les Dangereuse Liasons, Waiting for Godot) and direction by Tony Award® winner Diane Paulus (Hair, Pippin, Finding Neverland). "It's an empowering musical of the highest order!" raves the Chicago Tribune. Inspired by Adrienne Shelly's beloved film, WAITRESS tells the story of Jenna – a waitress and expert pie maker, Jenna dreams of a way out of her small town and loveless marriage. A baking contest in a nearby county and the town's new doctor may offer her a chance at a fresh start, while her fellow waitresses offer their own recipes for happiness. But Jenna must summon the strength and courage to rebuild her own life. "WAITRESS is a little slice of heaven!" says Entertainment Weekly and "a monumental contribution to Broadway!" according to Marie Claire. Don't miss this uplifting musical celebrating friendship, motherhood, and the magic of a well-made pie. www.WaitressTheMusical.com
ON YOUR FEET! February 12-17, 2019
From their humble beginnings in Cuba, Emilio and Gloria Estefan came to America and broke through all barriers to become a crossover sensation at the very top of the pop music world. But just when they thought they had it all, they almost lost everything. ON YOUR FEET! takes you behind the music and inside the real story of this record-making and groundbreaking couple who, in the face of adversity, found a way to end up on their feet. Directed by two-time Tony Award® winner Jerry Mitchell (Kinky Boots), with choreography by Olivier Award winner Sergio Trujillo (Jersey Boys) and an original book by Academy Award® winner Alexander Dinelaris (Birdman), ON YOUR FEET! features some of the most iconic songs of the past quarter-century — and one of the most inspiring stories in music
history.
FIDDLER ON THE ROOF March 19-24, 2019 (SEASON OPTION)
“An entirely fresh, funny, and gorgeous new production. A REASON FOR CELEBRATION!” – New York Magazine.
Tony®-winning director Bartlett Sher and the team behind South Pacific, The King and I and 2017 Tony-winning Best Play Oslo, bring a fresh and authentic vision to this beloved theatrical masterpiece from Tony winner Joseph Stein and Pulitzer Prize winners Jerry Bock and Sheldon Harnick. The original production won ten Tony Awards, including a special Tony for becoming the longest-running Broadway musical of all time. You’ll be there when the sun rises on this new production, with stunning movement and dance from acclaimed Israeli choreographer Hofesh Shechter, based on the original staging by Jerome Robbins. A wonderful cast and a lavish orchestra tell this heartwarming story of fathers and daughters, husbands and wives, and the timeless traditions that define faith and family. Featuring the Broadway classics “Tradition,” “If I Were a Rich Man,” “Sunrise, Sunset,” “Matchmaker, Matchmaker” and “To Life,” FIDDLER ON THE ROOF will introduce a new generation to this uplifting celebration that raises its cup to joy! To love! To life!
ANASTASIA June 4-9, 2019
Inspired by the beloved films, the romantic and adventure-filled new musical ANASTASIA is on a journey to Memphis at last! From the Tony Award®-winning creators of the Broadway classic Ragtime, this dazzling show transports us from the twilight of the Russian Empire to the euphoria of Paris in the 1920s, as a brave young woman sets out to discover the mystery of her past. Pursued by a ruthless Soviet officer determined to silence her, Anya enlists the aid of a dashing conman and a lovable ex-aristocrat. Together, they embark on an epic adventure to help her find home, love, and family. ANASTASIA features a book by celebrated playwright Terrence McNally, a lush new score by Stephen Flaherty (music) and Lynn Ahrens (lyrics) with direction by Tony Award® winner Darko Tresnjak.
HAMILTON July 9-28, 2019
HAMILTON is the story of America's Founding Father Alexander Hamilton, an immigrant from the West Indies who became George Washington's right-hand man during the Revolutionary War and was the new nation’s first Treasury Secretary. Featuring a score that blends hip-hop, jazz, blues, rap, R&B, and Broadway, HAMILTON is the story of America then, as told by America now.
There is a place, you see, where awfulness and earnestness combine to create something truly special — something ridiculous yet as endearing and truthful as a child's painting. And as comical as these abominations may be, they have the power of authenticity and are somehow more intrinsically human than any display of virtuosity can ever be. This thing of which I speak is a rare but real quality, found not only in the works of McGonagall but also in the cinema of Ed Wood, and in the recordings of Florence Foster Jenkins, a tone-deaf opera singer who, having no sense of rhythm or phrasing, presented herself as one of the greatest sopranos of the early 20th-Century.You can read all the rest here, though I regret that many of the videos have been removed since the original posting. Since this season's revival features the exact same cast as the original, I suspect I'll be just as happy with the result. Here's a video clip I made from 2009.