Michael Holder News

KPCC radio host and playwright/director Steve Julian's 2012 Hollywood Fringe Festival play Altarcations is described as 'pulling from real life stories to reveal the alarmingly darker nature of the church, its hypocrisy in shielding abusive priests, and the wisdom of redemption. Do we really need to see the Catholic church's underbelly, especially when we're inundated by new stories of priest abuse?'

KPCC radio host and playwright/director Steve Julian's 2012 Hollywood Fringe Festival play Altarcations is described as 'pulling from real life stories to reveal the alarmingly darker nature of the church, its hypocrisy in shielding abusive priests, and the wisdom of redemption. Do we really need to see the Catholic church's underbelly, especially when we're inundated by new stories of priest abuse?'

Led by an ensemble that includes the always superb Michael Holder in the titular role of Tommy, the "deaf, dumb and blind kid" who becomes a "pinball wizard," setting off widespread public acclaim and becoming a cause celebre in the process, Tommy in Concert also features the inspired pairing of Holly Shepherd and Ben Van Diepen as Mrs. Walker and Captain Walker. Despite the age difference of the two actors-not to mention their youthfulness in relation to Holder's casting as their onstage son-Shepherd and Van Diepen are believably cast as young lovers who marry in the early days of World War II only to find that first blush of romantic dreaminess devolve into the nightmarish consequences that set the show's plot in motion.

The Who's Tommy in Concert is the next offering from Street Theatre Company, continuing the sold-out success of its In Concert series, playing for six performances February 22-26. STC's 2011 In Concert offerings-Chess in Concert and Ragtime in Concert-were both included in First Night's Top 11 of 2011 Outstanding Theatrical Events.

On the day before Tommy in Concert bows at STC's venue (conveniently located at 1933 Elm Hill Pike), get to know Ben Van Diepen, who plays Captain Walker, better. Just coming off his gig as music director of Blackbird Theater's Pacific Overtures, he turns his attention now to Tommy in Concert.

In the days before Tommy in Concert bows at STC's venue (conveniently located at 1933 Elm Hill Pike), we'll introduce you to the principals who weigh in with their takes on the production. First up: Holly Shepherd, a Nashville stage favorite making her STC debut which follows her recent one-woman show that wowed sold-out crowds and her First Night's Top 11 of 2011-honored performance as Miss Hannigan in Annie at Chaffin's Barn Dinner Theatre…

Continuing the sold-out success of Street Theatre Company's In Concert series, February brings The Who's rock musical Tommy to the stage for an electrifying In Concert performance. Peter Townshend's tale of a young boy's journey from pain to triumph is a night of rock and roll musical theatre not to be missed. After witnessing the accidental murder of his mother's lover by his father, Tommy is traumatized into catatonia, and as the boy grows, he suffers abuse at the hands of his sadistic relatives and neighbors.

The Who's Tommy in Concert is the next offering from Street Theatre Company, continuing the sold-out success of its In Concert series, playing for six performances February 22-26. STC's 2011 In Concert offerings-Chess in Concert and Ragtime in Concert-were both included in First Night's Top 11 of 2011 Outstanding Theatrical Events.

Playwright Nate Eppler, Mas Nashville's FIVE, the Boiler Room Theatre, Lipscomb University's Hairspray, ACT 1's American Buffalo and the national touring company of Memphis, the Musical were the top winners at Sunday night's Midwinter's First Night at Nashville's Keeton Theatre, which also featured the presentation of the BroadwayWorld.com Nashville and Tennessee theatre awards.

Theatre of NOTE continues the celebration of its 30th anniversary with HAVE YOU SEEN ALICE?, written by Jacqueline Wright and directed by Adrian Alex Cruz .

Theatre of NOTE continues the celebration of its 30th anniversary with HAVE YOU SEEN ALICE?, written by Jacqueline Wright and directed by Adrian Alex Cruz .

Theatre of NOTE continues the celebration of its 30th anniversary with HAVE YOU SEEN ALICE?, written by Jacqueline Wright and directed by Adrian Alex Cruz .

Theatre of NOTE continues the celebration of its 30th anniversary with HAVE YOU SEEN ALICE?, written by Jacqueline Wright and directed by Adrian Alex Cruz .

Theatre of NOTE continues the celebration of its 30th anniversary with HAVE YOU SEEN ALICE?, written by Jacqueline Wright and directed by Adrian Alex Cruz .

Street Theatre Company scores yet another great big hit with its inspired production of Altar Boyz - the musical tale of four devout young Catholics and one very talented Jew, on a divine path toward pop music superstardom. Impressively sung and acted, STC's Altar Boyz is great fun from start to finish, as the earnest young men attest to their faith while delivering a fast-moving concert that sends up every boy band group ever to be created by some Machiavellian agent on the make.

Street Theatre Company's ALTAR BOYZ - aka Michael Holder, Taylor Casey, Bakari King, Humberto Figueroa and Alan Smith - made a special video appearance at First Night 2011, opening the show with their introduction of host David Compton.

The musical comedy and critically-acclaimed hit of the New York Musical Theatre Festival, ALTAR BOYZ, is a hilarious musical comedy about a fictitious Christian boy-band (with one nice Jewish boy) on the last night of their national 'Raise the Praise' tour. The Boyz are five all-singing, all-dancing heartthrobs from Ohio: Matthew, Mark, Luke, Juan and Abraham. With their tight harmonies and spectacular choreography, the ALTAR BOYZ will delight audiences.