Friday, July 10, 2009

Best Blog In Tennessee - A Summer Full of Fun


I'm not sure what the best blog in Tennessee might be, but it seemed a catchy headline to note that yes I have been most active in the non-online world this week so please pardon my absence and let me get you all caught up. Our town is bursting at the seams this summer with some live theatrical shows for the entire family so let me fill you in.

I have been most busy with rehearsals for the production of Roald Dahl's "James and The Giant Peach" for Rose Center's Summer Players program, which opens for three shows only, July 31, August 1 and 2. Showtimes are 8 pm Friday and Saturday and 2 pm on Sunday. I promise to put some cast photos up next week -- and this cast of young actors are fantastic. And yes, I'm still designing set pieces and am about to start making the Giant Peach itself plus the giant Octopus which will be large and appropriately aquatic. Some hints of the images are here, but you'd best just come see the show to see the Final Product. Call Rose Center at 423-581-4330 for tickets and find out how you can support the show through ads in our program too, but do that ASAP!!

The cast includes:


James -- Graham Christophel

Aunt Spiker - Page Winstead

Aunt Sponge - Emily Ray

Grashopper - Hannah Beth Moorehouse

Ladybird - Jamie Afghani

Earthworm - Eric Miller

Centipede - Chelsea Helton

Spider - Carli Rick

Tour Guide/Reporter/1st Officer - Erica McCoige

Mr. Trotter/Old Man/ Captain - Austin Pratt

Mrs. Trotter/2nd Officer - Sunny Edmonds

Sharks, Octopus, Tour Group and Tech Crew -
Josh Mattocks
Kylian Andrew
Sunny Edmonds
and some others to be announced

Assistant Director/Stage Mgr-- Autumn Leming

Plus my enormous thanks to all their parents who are working on costumes and sets and selling ads and planning concessions and selling tickets and are working as hard as the cast, AND all the staff at Rose Center, whose commitment to our community and promoting arts and education and other community services always astounds me and makes Morristown a better town.

Bringing to life on stage a Giant Peach and aquatic monsters and giant insects is terrific fun, and we all often laugh like crazed goofballs at times and I know they'll make the audience laugh just as hard. The creative energy we are making daily is practically beyond description. There is nothing better, plain and simple.

I am so thankful to the Rose Center for allowing me to direct this performance and I want to encourage you to support them to -- they've got some other fine performances coming up soon too, like the concert on July 17th with The Dirty Guv'nahs, Limo Wreck and Jenna and the Juvies -- ticket info and more is here on the Rose Center page.

Our town has a whole summer full of fun going on right now - tonight, the Morristown Theatre Guild, which is celebrating it's 75th Season, opens up their production of "High School Musical 2" -- check out their Facebook page here. Here again are some very talented local actors and tech crews making some fantastic entertainment. Here's a clip from the rehearsals and interviews with the cast:



Also opening at the end of July and running through August is Morristown's Encore Theatrical production of the musical "The Producers", and you can check out their Facebook page here. In fact, one of the cast of "The Producers", Susan Christophel, is the mother of the young fellow playing James in the Giant Peach, Graham Christophel. Our town is chocked full o' talent, people.

Come spend some fine summer evenings with us and you'll have a great time, we promise!!

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