Amanda Lamb News

Annie, that spunky, optimistic and determined orphan who first appeared in the 'funny papers' of the nation's newspapers in 1924 - only to become one of the most beloved musical theater heroines ever to express her hope for 'Tomorrow' in song on Broadway - returns to that magical levitating stage of Chaffin's Barn Dinner Theatre in a colorful and sprightly new revival helmed by the multi-talented Martha Wilkinson.

Annie, the irrepressible orphan of newspaper comics-fame who has been delighting audiences onstage since the 1970s, makes her return to Nashville's Chaffin's Barn Dinner Theatre this summer, running July 28-September 3, in a new production of Annie directed by Martha Wilkinson, with music direction by Jaclyn Brown and choreography by Bakari King.

Tennessee's best and brightest stage stars took to the stage at Franklin's Boiler Room Theatre Monday night, June 6, for First Night: The Tony Concert, to kick-off the 2011 First Night season in Nashville. Performing songs from Tony Award-winning musicals, the concert featured performers from throughout Tennessee - from Nashville to Crossville to Clarksville.

First up is First Night: The Tony Concert, presented by Keeping Scores Concerts at Franklin's Boiler Room Theatre on Monday, June 6, at 7:30 p.m. Featuring some of Nashville's biggest and brightest theater stars performing songs from Tony Award-winning musicals, the concert is the kick-off of the 2011 First Night Season, culminating with First Night, The Nashville Theatre Honors, which will be presented at Belmont University's Troutt Theatre on Sunday, September 4.

In honor of Valentine's Day (and in a blatant rip-off of BroadwayWorld.com's similar query to the denizens of the Great White Way), we posed that very question to some of our favorite theater community-dwellers in yet another not-so-scientific survey. So, if you're thinking about putting together a playlist of favorite love songs - or if you're searching for the perfect tunes to play in the background while you set the scene for a romantic evening with your own Valentine, here are some suggestions...

A slice of Broadway comes to Franklin for the fifth annual Broadway at Bethlehem benefit on Saturday, February 12, with the talents of Tennessee Rep/Broadwayworld.com favorite Martha Wilkinson, international performers Holly Shepherd and Jennifer Richmond, as well as popular Nashville-area artists Daron Bruce, Amanda Lamb and B.J. Rowell at the Bethlehem UMC Performing Arts Center, 2419 Bethlehem Loop Road, Franklin.

If you were asked to name Nashville's Top Ten Favorite Musicals, what show would you name as number one? Perhaps surprisingly, when that question was posed to a group of Nashville theater folk, the number one-ranked show is Les Miserables (but perhaps it's not that surprising, since Victor Hugo's book was a huge hit in the American South upon its initial publication in this country), followed by A Chorus Line, Gypsy, Sweeney Todd and Into the Woods claiming the remaining slots in the Top Five.

A slice of Broadway comes to Franklin for the fifth annual Broadway at Bethlehem benefit on Saturday, February 12, with the talents of Tennessee Rep/Broadwayworld.com favorite Martha Wilkinson, international performers Holly Shepherd and Jennifer Richmond, as well as popular Nashville-area artists Daron Bruce, Amanda Lamb and B.J. Rowell at the Bethlehem UMC Performing Arts Center, 2419 Bethlehem Loop Road, Franklin.

Mining the depths and heights of their own life experiences to bring to life onstage a plethora of challening and compelling characters, dramatic actresses in Nashville were at the pinnacle of their talents in 2010. Thoroughly captivating their audiences night after night, they put their tremendous talents on display with no-holds-barred performances that have raised the bar for actresses who follow in their wake in the coming seasons. And these ten women gave what we considered to be the most noteworthy performances of the 2010 season...

Amid threatening weather forecasts and a winter storm bearing down on the South, more than 150 hardy souls gathered to celebrate live theatre in Nashville and Middle Tennessee with the presentation of the BroadwayWorld.com Nashville Theatre Awards and First Night's Top Ten of Twenty-Ten on Sunday night, January 9. Street Theatre Company's new venue at 1933 Elm Hill Pike was the setting for the event that featured performances by Joann Coleman, Ben Van Diepen, Ann Street Kavanaugh, Laura Matula, Michael Kitts and Bakari Jamal King.

Chaffin's Barn Dinner Theatre offers up two home-grown productions for the holiday season, with Martha Wilkinson's It's A Wonderful Wife, running November 18 through December 31 on the mainstage of the venerable dinner theater, and John Chaffin's The Late, Late Show in residence on the Backstage at the Barn stage November 23-December 31.

X Factor 2010 contestant Aiden Grimshaw attends Capital Rocks at Old Billingsgate on December 13, 2010 in London, England.

Chaffin's Barn Dinner Theatre offers up two home-grown productions for the holiday season, with Martha Wilkinson's It's A Wonderful Wife, running November 18 through December 31 on the mainstage of the venerable dinner theater, and John Chaffin's The Late, Late Show in residence on the Backstage at the Barn stage November 23-December 31.

The glitterati of Nashville's theater community took to the red carpet Sunday night, September 19, prior to the start of the First Night Nashville Theatre Honors. Held at the Troutt Theatre at Belmont University, the First Night Honors recognized eight leaders of the Nashville theater community for their lifetime achievements and contributions to the art form.

As Nashville's summer theater season continues to heat up, anticipation continues to grow for September's First Night Nashville Theatre Honors, the revival of the Music City theater gala that will benefit Reading is Fundamental (RIF) and sponsored by Macy's and BroadwayWorld.com. Set for Sunday, September 19, at Belmont University's Troutt Theatre, First Night 2010 will honor eight individuals for their sustained and continued commitment to theater in Nashville.

Martha Wilkinson directs a cast of Chaffin's Barn Dinner Theatre favorites in the upcoming Smoke on the Mountain Homecoming, the latest installment of the Sanders Family trilogy, conceived by Alan Bailey and written by Connie Ray. With Tim Fudge (who directed the last installment - Sanders Family Christmas - during the holiday season) as music director, the show runs July 22-August 28.

Martha Wilkinson directs a cast of Chaffin's Barn Dinner Theatre favorites in the upcoming Smoke on the Mountain Homecoming, the latest installment of the Sanders Family trilogy, conceived by Alan Bailey and written by Connie Ray. With Tim Fudge (who directed the last installment - Sanders Family Christmas - during the holiday season) as music director, the show runs July 22-August 28.

There comes a moment late in act two of the Chaffin's Barn Dinner Theatre production of Smoke on the Mountain Homecoming when now-married, about-to-give-birth daughter June Sanders Oglethorpe delivers a beautiful monologue in which she talks about her love for her family, her excitement at being a new mother, her devotion to her preacher husband's work and what it means to leave home and family for a new life adventure.

First Night season in Nashville kicked into high gear on Monday night, August 16, as some of Nashville's best-loved actors showed off their 'inner Tyra' during the First Night Fashion Extravaganza at Macy's Green Hills. Some of the season's hottest Red Carpet Fashions were featured in the fashion show in advance of The First Night Nashville Theatre Honors, slated for Sunday, September 19, at Belmont University's Troutt Theatre.