Staff Reports

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Actors Bridge Ensemble (ABE) has today announced its 2022 Season which will include THE VAGINA MONOLOGUES by Eve Ensler, TINY BEAUTIFUL THINGS by Nia Vardalos based on the bestselling book by Cheryl Strayed, ACT LIKE A GRRRL 2022 and the world premiere of THE CALLING IS IN THE BODY by Nashville’s Cynthia C. Harris, plus their monthly storytelling series, FIRST TIME STORIES.

The professional troupe’s COVID Safety Protocols have allowed ABE to return to in-person programming while caring first and foremost for the well-being of actors, designers and audiences, according to a press release. Consultation with medical advisors has given the company confidence that it can proceed with producing plays again in 2022.

“Our last in-person production was THE VAGINA MONOLOGUES at City Winery in February 2020. It feels fitting that our return is with this Actors Bridge classic, which Nashville keeps saying they still love to hear,” says Vali Forrister, ABE Producing Artistic Director. “We first produced THE VAGINA MONOLOGUES in 2000. While it’s not as controversial as it used to be, it continues to inspire and change people’s lives when they experience it.”

The proceeds from THE VAGINA MONOLOGUES will help support Act Like a GRRRL and offer teenage girls in financial need the tools to find their voices, speak their truths and develop the confidence to stand up for themselves and their beliefs.

TINY BEAUTIFUL THINGS was slated to be part of ABE’s 2020 season that was canceled due to COVID-19. Variety calls it a “theatrical hug for turbulent times” – exactly what Nashville needs right now.

Forrister will return to the stage for the first time in seven years (since ABE’s production of THE NETHER) to play the role of “Sugar.” Founding board member and program committee chair Pierre Johnson explains, “Vali spends so much time teaching, producing and administrating for Actors Bridge that she rarely gets time to be onstage. We think it is important for our students to see her in action.

“I remember the first time I saw her perform. It was in TALLEY’S FOLLY (by Lanford Wilson, which ABE presented in its 1996-97 season). I had been studying Meisner for a while, but it was in seeing Vali act that I finally understood what the technique was really all about. Some moments are burned in your memory. That’s one for me.”

ACT LIKE A GRRRL will perform at the end of June as the GRRRLS do every summer. ABE will wrap up its 2022 Season with the World Premiere of Cynthia Harris’ new play THE CALLING IS IN THE BODY which was initially sparked by a conversation between Cynthia and Vali exactly seven years ago.

“With this season, we are continuing to dig deep into the power of stories to make us feel less alone and help us feel more deeply known,” says Vali. “Our mission is to tell the stories Nashville needs to hear.

“Right now, those are stories of hope and belonging.”

Actors Bridge is both a professional theater company and Nashville’s longest-running acting school. It trains actors in the Meisner Technique and supplements that training with other courses. Beginning in March 2022, ABE will partner with the René Millan Acting Studio to provide classes in the Suzuki Method and Acting for the Camera.

Actors Bridge Ensemble 2022 Season

First Time Stories
Third Friday of the month, 6-8 p.m.

Dec 17
Jan 21
Feb 18
Mar 18
Apr 15
May 20

Venue: Actors Bridge Studio (4610 Charlotte Ave) Tickets: $5
Ticket Link: https://bit.ly/FTS-12-19-21

First kiss, first heartbreak, first bike ride, first time you broke the rules. The firsts in our
lives form compelling and touching moments of real-life theater. And, we all have an endless
supply. Now in its 10th year, FIRST TIME STORIES is a great way to meet new people, connect across shared experiences and radical differences. You may come in knowing no one, but you will leave with a room full of friends. That’s the power of stories.

THE VAGINA MONOLOGUES
by Eve Ensler
A benefit for Act Like a GRRRL

Director: Vali Forrister

Date: Wednesday, Feb 9 at 7 p.m.
Venue: City Winery Nashville (609 Lafayette St) Tickets: $25-40

Ticket link: https://bit.ly/TheVaginaMonologues2-9-22

Twenty years ago Actors Bridge Ensemble was the first to bring THE VAGINA MONOLOGUES to town in what has become known as a “very high-profile annual communal event in Nashville ” (Nashville Scene). The play introduces a wildly divergent gathering of female-identifying voices including a six-year-old girl, a 70-something New Yorker, a vagina workshop participant, a woman who witnesses the birth of her granddaughter, a Bosnian survivor of rape, and a feminist, happy to have found a man who “liked to look at it.” All proceeds benefit Act Like a GRRRL, a writing and performance program that inspires teenage girls to find their voice and speak their truths on stage and in life.

Presented by special arrangement with Dramatists Play Service, Inc., New York.

TINY BEAUTIFUL THINGS
Based on the Book by Cheryl Strayed Adapted for the Stage by Nia Vardalos
Co-Conceived by Marshall Heyman, Thomas Kail, and Nia Vardalos

Director: Leah Lowe

Dates: April 1-3 and 6-10, 2022 Venue: Actors Bridge Studio Tickets: $25-30
Ticket Link: https://bit.ly/ABE-TBT

Based on the best-selling book by Cheryl Strayed (author of WILD), TINY BEAUTIFUL THINGS follows the relationships between an anonymous advice columnist named Sugar and the many real-life readers who pour out their hearts to her. Nia Vardalos (My Big Fat Greek Wedding) adapts Strayed’s book into an enrapturing and uplifting play rich with humor, insight, and compassion. TINY BEAUTIFUL THINGS is about reaching when you’re stuck, recovering when you’re broken, and finding the courage to ask the questions that are hardest to answer. Contains adult content.

Presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf of Samuel French, Inc.

Act Like a GRRRL 2022 By the GRRRLS

Director: Vali Forrister

Dates: June 24-25 Tickets: $10-15

Celebrating our 18th year, Act Like a GRRRL is a devised theater piece created by a group of teenage girls who come together to tell the stories of their lives. Join us for wit, wisdom and inspiration from the cusp of adulthood.

About Act Like a GRRRL:
Created and developed by Vali Forrister in 2004, Act Like a GRRRL (ALAG) is an autobiographical
writing and performance program that empowers teenage girls to write about their lives, and
transform their thoughts into monologues, dances, and songs for public performance. As GRRRLS find their voice and speak their truths on stage, they develop the self-confidence and leadership skills to live more empowered lives. Participants report a significant increase in self-respect, academic excellence, improved relationships with family / friends, intolerance for bullying and hope for the future. Now accepting applications for ALAG 2022. Click here to learn more.

THE CALLING IS IN THE BODY
by Cynthia C. Harris

Director: Cynthia C. Harris

Dates: July 2022 (exact dates and venue to be announced in the spring) Tickets: $25-30

THE CALLING IS IN THE BODY is an exploration of memory, purpose, community and environment. Local playwright Cynthia Harris (HOW TO CATCH A FLYING WOMAN) again combines her passion for art and public health, as she explores a foundational relationship with early local HIV educator and radical trouble maker, the late and beloved Deidre Williams. THE CALLING IS IN THE BODY is part of Ms. Harris’ forthcoming THE MAGNOLIA TRILOGY. Ms. Harris is a member of our Directors Inclusion Initiative.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Producer Jeffrey Seller and Tennessee Performing Arts Center announce a digital lottery for “Hamilton” tickets will begin with the show’s first performance on Dec. 31 in Nashville at TPAC’s Jackson Hall.

Forty (40) tickets will be sold for every performance for $10 each. The digital lottery will open at 11 a.m. on Dec. 29 for tickets to the Tuesday, Dec. 31 performance. Subsequent digital lotteries will begin two days prior to each performance.

Regular-price tickets for “Hamilton” went on sale to the general public in November. Patrons are advised to check official channels and TPAC.org for late release seats which may become available at short notice.

How to Enter

• Use the official app for “Hamilton,” now available for all iOS and Android devices in the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store (http://hamiltonmusical.com/app).

• You can also visit http://hamiltonmusical.com/lottery to register once the lottery begins for Nashville.

• The lottery will open at 11 a.m. two days prior to the performance date and will close for entry at 9 a.m. the day prior to the performance.

• Winner and non-winner notifications will be sent between Noon and 4 p.m. the day prior to the performance via email and SMS (if mobile number is provided).

• No purchase or payment necessary to enter or participate.

• Each winning entrant may purchase up to two (2) tickets.

• Only one entry per person. Repeat entries and disposable email addresses will be discarded.

• Tickets must be purchased online with a credit card by 4 p.m. the day prior to the performance using the purchase link and code in a customized notification email. Tickets not claimed by 4 p.m. the day prior to the performance are forfeited.

• Lottery tickets may be picked up at Will Call beginning two (2) hours prior to the performance with a valid photo ID. Lottery tickets void if resold.

• All times listed are in central time zone.

Additional Rules

Patrons must be 18 years or older and have a valid, non-expired photo ID that matches the name used to enter. Tickets are non-transferable. Ticket limits and prices displayed are at the sole discretion of the show and are subject to change without notice.

Lottery prices are not valid on prior purchases. Lottery ticket offer cannot be combined with any other offers or promotions. All sales final – no refunds or exchanges. Lottery may be revoked or modified at any time without notice. No purchase necessary to enter or win. A purchase will not improve the chances of winning.

ABOUT THE “HAMILTON” THEATRICAL PHENOMENON

“Hamilton” is the story of America then told by America now.  Featuring a score that blends hip-hop, jazz, R&B and Broadway, “Hamilton” has taken the story of American founding father Alexander Hamilton and created a revolutionary moment in theatre—a musical that has had a profound impact on culture, politics, and education.

With book, music, and lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda, direction by Thomas Kail, choreography by Andy Blankenbuehler, and musical supervision and orchestrations by Alex Lacamoire, “Hamilton” is based on Ron Chernow’s acclaimed biography. It has won Tony®, Grammy®, and Olivier Awards, the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, and an unprecedented special citation from the Kennedy Center Honors.

The “Hamilton” creative team previously collaborated on the 2008 Tony Award ®-Winning Best Musical “In The Heights.”

“Hamilton” features scenic design by David Korins, costume design by Paul Tazewell, lighting design by Howell Binkley, sound design by Nevin Steinberg, hair and wig design by Charles G. LaPointe, casting by Telsey + Company, Bethany Knox, CSA, and General Management by Baseline Theatrical.

The musical is produced by Jeffrey Seller, Sander Jacobs, Jill Furman and The Public Theater.

The “Hamilton” Original Broadway Cast Recording is available everywhere nationwide.  The Hamilton recording received a 2016 Grammy for Best Musical Theatre Album.

For more information, visit www.HamiltonMusical.com and follow “Hamilton” on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

“Hamilton”
Dec. 31, 2019 – Jan. 19, 2020
TPAC’s Jackson Hall
505 Deaderick St.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Described by the Los Angeles Times as a “cultural phenomenon,” “Dear Evan Hansen” makes its Nashville debut Sept. 10-15 at Tennessee Performing Arts Center’s Jackson Hall. In advance of the one-week engagement, the production announced earlier this week that it will host a digital ticket lottery through Lucky Seat, offering fans the chance to purchase a limited number of $25 tickets per performance. Lucky Seat will begin accepting entries 48 hours prior to the first performance at TPAC in Nashville and will be accepted until 9 a.m. CT the day before the performance.

Fans who have been selected will be notified daily via email and can then purchase up to two (2) tickets at $25 each. The ticket lottery will continue on a rolling basis for every performance in the engagement. All entrants are encouraged to follow “Dear Evan Hansen” on Instagram (@dearevanhansen), Twitter (@dearevanhansen) and Facebook (@DearEvanHansen) for additional lottery news and information.

Entrants must be 18 years or older. A valid, non-expired photo ID that matches the name used to enter is required for pickup. Seat locations awarded by the lottery are subject to availability. Additional lottery requirements can be found at www.luckyseat.com/dearevanhansen.

“Dear Evan Hansen” features a book by Tony Award winner Steven Levenson, a score by Grammy®, Tony® and Academy Award® winners Benj Pasek and Justin Paul (“La La Land,” “The Greatest Showman”), and direction by four-time Tony Award nominee Michael Greif (“Rent,” “Next to Normal”).

Declared “One of the most remarkable shows in musical theatre history” by Peter Marks of the Washington Post, “Dear Evan Hansen” opened at the Music Box Theatre to rave reviews on Dec. 4, 2016.

There, it has broken all box office records and struck a chord with audiences and critics alike, including New York Times critic Jesse Green, who, in his May 2019 re-review of the show, declared it “more and more ingenious with each viewing. It is more hopeful than ever.”

In addition to winning six 2017 Tony awards and a 2018 Grammy Award, “Dear Evan Hansen” has won numerous other awards, including the 2017 Drama League Award for Outstanding Musical Production and for the off-Broadway production, two Obie Awards, a Drama Desk Award, and two Outer Critics Circle Awards and two Helen Hayes Awards. “Dear Evan Hansen” is also the winner of the Broadway.com Audience Choice Awards three years running and was just proclaimed the Best Long-Running Show and the Best Touring Production in the 2019 Broadway.com Audience Choice Awards.

The show produced by Stacey Mindich features scenic design by David Korins, projection design by Peter Nigrini, costume design by Emily Rebholz, lighting design by Japhy Weideman, sound design by Nevin Steinberg, and hair design by David Brian Brown. Music supervision, orchestrations and additional arrangements are by Alex Lacamoire. Ben Cohn is the Associate Music Supervisor. Vocal arrangements and additional arrangements are by Justin Paul. Danny Mefford is the choreographer. Casting by Tara Rubin Casting/Xavier Rubiano. Sash Bischoff, Adam Quinn and Danny Sharron are the Associate Directors. Judith Schoenfeld is the Production Supervisor. U.S. General Management 101 Productions.

For more information, visit DearEvanHansen.com, or find the show on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

“Dear Evan Hansen” is the first production featured in the 2019-20 HCA Healthcare / TriStar Health Broadway at TPAC season. (Performance schedule, prices and cast are subject to change without notice.) The Broadway season is supported by the HCA Foundation on behalf of HCA and the TriStar Family of Hospitals, and NewsChannel 5 is the media sponsor. Institutional sponsors for TPAC include Nissan North America and Coca-Cola. TPAC is funded in part by support from the Tennessee Arts Commission and the Metropolitan Nashville Arts Commission.

TPAC is an accessible facility that provides a variety of services including wheelchair accommodations, accessible parking, and assistive listening devices. Open captioning, American Sign Language, audio description, and large print and Braille programs are offered at the Sunday matinee performance of each Broadway series and Broadway special engagement. For more information about accessible services, contact Access@TPAC.org or 615-782-6577.

“Dear Evan Hansen” runs Sept. 10-15 in TPAC’s Jackson Hall (505 Deaderick St.) For tickets go to TPAC.org or phone (615) 782-4040. TPAC reminds ticket buyers that the only official place to buy tickets online is TPAC.org.