Nashville Children’s Theatre brings Snuggery to Lipscomb University

Nashville Children’s Theatre brings Snuggery to Lipscomb University

“Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star,” written by Ernie Nolan, is this season’s Nashville Children’s Theatre “Snuggery” show and is being performed at Lipscomb University in the black box theater.  This is not the first year Lipscomb has hosted the NCT, but it is the first time the university have hosted the Snuggery, as well as the first time NCT has done a Snuggery show. The performance is geared toward kids 5-and-under, but is most certainly enjoyable for the parents as well. The show is comprised of two characters: Glimmer and Sparkle. The two are star-catchers and spend the entirety of the show searching for “Little Star.” The cast starts the show by inviting the young audience members as well as the adults to become star-catchers with them by giving them star-catcher kits and taking them through an interactive training that includes: dancing, singing, searching for stars and learning to be star-catchers. An interactive theater is a new concept and a fun way to get away from a screen for 45 minutes, said Eric D. Pasto-Crosby (who portrays Glimmer).  “I personally love how different it can be,” he said. “I thoroughly enjoy that (children’s reactions0 part, having to loop that in as we go through. You could easily go on autopilot, but they don’t allow you to.”  The dynamic between the two-person cast creates a new energy in the theater, according to Pasto-Crosby: “We go through all the ranges. We get sad, happy and it’s a full art, they experience with you…. It’s the same energy each time, but different dynamic”  The actors are wonderful at including the whole audience in the...

Colorful lighting, set bring Seussical to life

Colorful lighting and the whimsical set brought Lipscomb theater’s Seussical to life this weekend in Collins Alumni Auditorium. The production design team created an instantly recognizable world on stage while keeping technical elements from interfering with the performance of the cast. Andy Bleiler, set designer and technical director, said that he really wanted the set to stay faithful to the source material, so he based the set off of Dr. Seuss’ “Oh, the Places You’ll Go!” “The colors that we chose were really based on the ‘Oh, the Places You’ll Go!’ book,” Bleiler said. “If you look at the cover of that book and you look at the set, you’ll see they’re really, really close.” Bleiler intentionally chose muted colors so that the set would not clash with other visual elements of the show. “One of the intentions was to have the set be sort of a lighter version [of the ‘Oh, the Places You’ll Go’ colors], and that way the colors of the costumes, which are in a similar palette, could pop off of that,” Bleiler said. The set is built in two levels. The stage floor is the first level, and the second is a large stairway that goes across the back of the stage, forming a large arch. That stairway is covered with many colorful, arched doorways to add the classic Dr. Seuss touch. The stairway takes up a small amount of the stage, allowing the cast to have more room for acting and dancing. David Hardy, assistant professor of theater and lighting designer, had the challenge of lighting the already colorful stage. “Ironically, the intent was to keep it...
‘Leading Ladies’ offers cheap comedic fun

‘Leading Ladies’ offers cheap comedic fun

Let’s face it if you’re a college student you are most likely poor. Movies, which are fairly predictable, will cost $11. So why not try something surprising and new? And free? Starting this weekend, Lipscomb’s theater department presents “Leading Ladies,” a comedy written by Ken Ludwig. “Leading Ladies” follows two poor British actors, Jack Gable and Leo Clark. When they read about an old lady looking for her two lost nieces to whom she wants to leave the bulk of her fortune, Jack begins to form a plan. The men do their best to pass themselves off as women, but problems abound when they arrive and find out the old women, Florence, is not dead. Will she find them out? Love also complicates the issue. How will these men ever express themselves to their crushes while dressed in petticoats? Ludwig has written such classics as “Moon over Buffalo,” and “Lend me a Tenor.” The show is directed by Robyn Berg, a vital part of Nashville’s theater scene. Robyn understands the necessities for a comedy and has her own vision for the show. “Leading Ladies” moves at a fast pace and never gives the audience a chance to stop laughing. With two experienced seniors, Sawyer Wallace and Caleb Pritchett, playing the leads, this show has just the right personality to wow audiences. Tickets are free for the first 50 students who contact the box office. All other student tickets are only $5. The show runs Sept. 23, 24, 30 and Oct. 1 at 7 p.m. and Sept. 25 and Oct. 2 at 2:30 p.m. Don’t miss out on this opportunity...

[video] Ragtime takes audiences back in time with exceptional staging

Lipscomb University can be truly proud to present their rendition of the Broadway play “Ragtime.”  With stellar casting, elaborate costuming and outstanding sets, this production is sure to be a crowd-pleaser. Please upgrade your browser Based on the book written by Terrence McNally, this musical depicts the challenges of social and racial division in the early 20th century.  Stephen Flaherty composed the music and Lynn Ahrens wrote the lyrics. In the beginning of the play, three groups of people are introduced:  upper-class white families, working-class black families, and immigrants newly arrived in America.  All of them are searching for a life, and struggling with the moral difficulties of social division. The production requires a large, vocally talented cast, which Director Mike Fernandez has been gifted with.   The vocals are breathtaking and are complemented by the choreography.  In addition, the elaborate costuming does the work credit, emphasizing the social and racial divide being showcased. Perhaps the coup de gras of the entire presentation is the outstanding set.   The entire set is made of pipe and mounted on wheels so that it is moving, not only for scene changes but throughout most of the musical numbers. Other features include a swing that descends from the ceiling and a pulley that raises Harry Houdini above the stage.  The time and effort that have gone into the set, costumes and acting will not disappoint – Ragtime is a...

[video] ‘The Glass Menagerie’ opens

“The Glass Menagerie,” written by Tennessee Williams, opens this weekend. It is a part of Lipscomb Theater’s fall line-up of shows, the next of which is the musical “Ragtime.” “The Glass Menagerie,” directed by Beki Baker, includes a cast of Lipscomb students and opens tonight. For more information on what “The Glass Menagerie” is all about, watch below. Please upgrade your browser The Glass Menagerie Sep. 24-26 & Oct. 1-3 $5 – Students | $10 – Faculty | $15 – Individual More Info: 615-966-7075 or...