(Posted June 15, 2005)

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – What a terrific theater season we've seen here.

Tennessee Repertory Theatre's revitalized productions under the supervision of David Alford and Rene Copeland, continued quality from Nashville Children's Theatre and a host of intriguing shows from other professional and amateur groups have made this a season to remember.

People's Branch Theatre heads the class of 2004-05. Their eclectic and extraordinary season concludes with a production of Jean Giradoux's THE MADWOMAN OF CHAILLOT that should only be missed if you've decided to give up theatergoing for the rest of your life.

Jennifer Jewell heads a cast of top Nashville actors directed by Matthew Carlton. It's the perfect recipe of play and artists who went through an short, intense rehearsal period and came out of it with a funny, thought-provoking presentation of Giradoux's life-affirming social study.

The play centers around the efforts of Lady Aurelia (Jewell) to thwart men led by the President (Timothy Orr Fudge) who seek to drill for oil under the streets of Paris. This adsurdist premise allows us the edifying pleasure of examining a number of social mores while laughing ourselves silly.

Jewell endows her Aurelia with strength, passion and hope. She takes Giradoux's words and breathes life and love into them in a portrayal that reaffirms Jewell's status as one of the region's best actors.

Fudge commands the stage during Act I, filling his captain of capitalism with all the pomposity and cynicism the role demands. Counterpoints to this stuffed-shirt come in the form of a Ragpicker and a Mute played to perfection by Denice Hicks and Sam Whited.

The nefarious Prospector who teams up with the President is played with appropriate menace by Lane Wright. The young lovers Pierre and Irma are endearing as played by David Wilkerson and Carey Kotsionis. Add clearly presented multiple role performances from the delightful Mary Tanner Bailey, Wesley Paine, Phil Perry-Dixon and Dave Berry, and you have an ensemble that performs this play with the assurance and commitment that many actors would do well to emulate.

Carlton has shown great sensitivity to the rhythms of this show, and even adds a rhythm of his own for the MAZURKA DE LA VIE performed by the entire cast. The composition has a MAN OF LA MANCHA feel to it that I enjoyed.

The show's other elements are exemplary as well. Don Griffths has designed sets that give us a believable Paris cafe and Lady Aurelia's home; Hugh Thomas Rader's lights provide focus, mood enhancement and contrast as needed; and Sandra Payne's costumes fit the players and their roles perfectly.

People's Branch Artistic Director Matt Chiorini and his collaborators should look back on this season with great pride. The troupe has led an long-overdue creative revolution since its first production in 2000, and this year marked its strongest and largest output so far. What a wonderful thrill it will be to see where PBT takes us in the future!

To See The Show...