THANK YOU to everyone who attended!

Cast members included:

Marsha Nicholson — Truvy Jones

Falon Jones — Annelle Dupup‐Desoto

Jeanna Juleson — Clairee Belcher

Emily Burnett — Shelby Eatenton‐Latcherie

Cozset Jones  –  M’Lynn Eatenton

Chris Wilson — Ouiser (Weezer) Boudreaux

Set in a small town in Louisiana ‐‐ in the time of really big hair ‐‐ six women gather in Truvy’s beauty shop for gossip, friendship, and support. These women are true steel magnolias: southern belles who are flowery on the outside, but tough as steel inside.

The play is alternately hilarious and touching as it moves from the excitement of Shelby’s wedding to sadness as friends mourn her loss.

We’d love to have You become a part of our family. Bartlett Theatre is growing our corps of supporters for our Board and Subcommittees.

If you are interested, please e-mail your contact information to Greg Broy at bct AT bartlettcommunitytheatre DOT org or come see us soon!

Our volunteer group has an ambitious plan to present a handful of exciting shows annually but we need to bring on a few more community members who enjoy theatre. Previous experience with a community theatre is terrific but not required — we’ll help you get started!

We seek other volunteers who can help by attending our monthly meetings to help plan shows, or help in numerous other ways — by reading scripts, painting, building sets under supervision, gathering props, decorating the set, sewing costumes, ushering, overseeing auditions, assisting technicians while under supervision, take show pictures, write for our Web page, staff the concession stand, manage our growing inventory of supplies — just about anything!

Our season traditionally includes shows in January, May, and Fall.

Bartlett Theatre typically holds its planning meeting most months on the third Thursday, 7 to 8:30 p.m., upstairs at Bartlett Station Municipal Center, 5868 Stage Rd. next to the Bartlett Library.During months with performances the meeting is held at the Bartlett Performing Arts and Conference Center.

Show volunteers receive a complimentary ticket to Preview Night.

Joe Broy (left) and John M. Hemphill (right) returned from “Greater Tuna” to portray almost 20 colorful characters in this fast-paced comedy about Christmas in Tuna, the “third smallest town” in Texas.

Ann Marie Hall directed a script written by Jaston Williams, Joe Sears, and Ed Howard.

Christmas is coming and all comic calamity is about to break loose as the delightfully eccentric characters attempt to cope with seasonal traumas such as a disaster-prone little theatre production of “A Christmas Carol,” and a yard decorating contest that is being sabotaged by a mysterious Christmas phantom.

GREAT REVIEW BY CHRISTOPHER BLANK FOR THE COMMERCIAL APPEAL:
http://www.gomemphis.com/news/2009/jul/31/shakespeare-gets-his-groove-on-in-this/
SUPER REVIEW BY JON SPARKS OF LIVEFROMMEMPHIS.COM:
http://www.livefrommemphis.com/sparks/931-much-ado-at-bpac

PERFORMANCES: July 24 – Aug. 2, 2009

CAST:
Leonato = Parker Dinwiddie
Hero = Lee Bryant
Beatrice = Mary Buchignani
Antonio = Eddie Thornton
Margaret = Melissa Walker Moore
Ursula = Tracie Hansom
Hero’s attendant = Tzvetana Denkova
Beatrice’s attendant = Leslie L. Lansky
Don Pedro = Tony Isbell
Claudio = Sean Christian Taylor
Benedick = John M. Hemphill
Don John = Stephen Brown
Borachio = Christopher Tracy
Conrade = Graham Hunter Shelton
Dogberry = John Rone
Verges = Lindsey Roberts
Watchmen = Josh Caughlin, Paul Webb
Sexton = John Reed
Friar Francis = Ron Gephart
Balthasar = Michael Towle
Messenger = Josh Caughlin

CREW:
Director = Irene Crist
Producer = Greg Broy
Assistant Director = John Reed
Stage Manager = Edna Dinwiddie
Scenic Design = Bill Short
Lighting Design = Chris Swanson
Costumer = Candy Bartlett
Choreographer = Lindsey Roberts
Music = Original music composed by Bennett Foster
Properties = Sherry Nash, Shannon Murphy
Technical Assistants = Amanda Nash, Wayne Vick
Concessions = Suzy Hayden, Pat Caldwell
Assistants = Marie Broy, Sterling Church, Shelley Gray,
Josh Massey, Kate McTyre, Bob Williams

ABOUT THE PLAY:
Shakespeare’s classic play is reset in the late 1960s — the time of hippies, the Vietnam War, and the summer of Woodstock.

The play finds Beatrice and Benedick in a “merry war,” but their friends are determined that they are perfect for each other and work overtime to get them together, even though they both have sworn off marriage. Romance, comedy, music, and a few misunderstandings that are all worked out in the end make for an entertaining evening of Shakespeare, and will have the audience ultimately realizing that “All You Need Is Love.”

ABOUT THE DIRECTOR:
Irene Crist, an award-winning actress most recently seen in “Little Dog Laughed,” directs “Much Ado About Nothing.” She actually began working with Playhouse on the Square 30 years ago in this very same show. Since then Crist has been seen many times at Playhouse, Circuit, and Theatre Memphis. She has directed for DeSoto Family Theatre, Germantown Community Theatre, and on multiple occasions with BCT.

“I chose to set the play in the late ‘60s because at the time women were just starting to find their voices and the split between men and women and expectations was becoming clear. Lines were being drawn. The contrast between the young impulsive and erratic love of Hero and Claudio and the more mature love of a couple in their middle years like Beatrice and Benedick is played out beautifully in ‘Much Ado’.”

PERFORMANCES WHEN / WHERE:
May 14-17, 2009 (SOLD OUT)

At Bartlett Performing Arts and Conference Center, 3663 Appling Rd., 38133

SYNOPSIS:
In this comedy written by Jack Weinstock and Willie Gilbert, Daniel Corban is on his honeymoon in the Catskill Mountains of New York when his wife suddenly disappears. Frantic to locate her, he contacts Inspector Levine. While the two are discussing Elizabeth Corbin’s disappearance, in comes Father Kelleher who magically produces Elizabeth. Daniel denies that this woman is his wife, even though she can answer the Inspector’s questions about her husband down to the last detail. Is she his wife? Has Daniel gone mad? Is the Priest involved in a scheme with Elizabeth to get life insurance? What does the deli man, Sidney have to do with it? Is Daniel’s boss, Everett Parker, and his wife part of it as well? We find out with a surprise twist ending.

CHARACTERS:
Daniel Corban = Advertising Exec and Newlywed
Played by Steven Burk

Elizabeth = The Supposed Wife of Daniel
Played by Leslie Lee Lansky

Inspector Levine = Local police detective
Played by John M. Hemphill

Father Kelleher = Local Catholic priest
Played by Paul Webb

Sidney = Owner of local sandwich shop
Played by David McKay

Everett Parker = The Boss of Daniel Corban
Played by Tim Eddy

Mrs. Parker = Supposed Wife of Everett Parker
Played by Emily Burnett

CAST:
Bud Turpin = Jim Stanford
Raynelle = Madalyn Stanford
Ray-Bud = Chris Hart
Junior = Robert Sutton
Lucille = Bonnie Kourvelas
Marguerite = Carolyn Spratley
Royce = Steven Burk
Delightful = Kent Mathis
Reverend Hooker = Ty Sloan
Veda = Ruth Johnson
Norval = Nick Kourvelas
Nadine/Suzanne = Emily Peckham
Clyde = Gerald McGee
Juanita = Angela Lewter

CREW:
Director = Jason M. Spitzer
Set Designer = Daniel Mueller
Stage Manager = Fred Harpell
Costumes and Props = Marie Broy

THE STORY:
In the Baptist backwoods of the Bible Belt, the beleaguered Turpin family proves that living and dying in the South are seldom tidy and always hilarious. Despite their earnest efforts to pull themselves together for their father’s funeral, the Turpins’ other problems keep overshadowing the solemn occasion: Firstborn Ray-Bud drinks himself silly as the funeral bills mount; Junior, the younger son, is juggling financial ruin, a pack of no-neck monster kids, and a wife who suspects him of infidelity in the family car; their spinster sister, Delightful, copes with death as she does life, by devouring junk food; and all the neighbors add more than two cents. As the situation becomes fraught with mishap, Ray-Bud says to his long-suffering wife, “When I die, don’t tell nobody. Just bury me in the backyard and tell everybody I left you.” Amidst the chaos, the Turpins turn for comfort to their friends and neighbors, an eccentric community of misfits who just manage to pull together and help each other through their hours of need, and finally, the funeral.

“The Best Christmas Pageant Ever” cast members included:

THE HERDMANS:
Ralph – Luke Swann
Imogene – Kathryn Sterling
Leroy – Colin Pitawanakwat
Claudia – Harley Chapman
Ollie – Karli Williamson
Gladys – Hannah Grace Smith

THE BRADLEYS:
Father – Paul Webb
Mother – Emily Smith
Beth – Madeline Howard
Charlie – Austin Brown

THE KIDS:
Alice – Latanika Knox
Maxine – Anna Grace Rogers
Elmer Hopkins – Andrew Mohler
Hannah – Hannah Warner
Beverly – Holly Berry

THE GROWN-UPS:
Mrs. Helen Armstrong – Diane Mullins
Rev. Hopkins – Joseph Harrison
Mrs. Irma Slocum – Angela Lewter
Mrs. Edna McCarthy – Sissy Denkova
Mrs. Clark – Robyn Broomfield
Fireman – Geoffrey Lewter

SHEPHERDS: Brittany Petties, Corwin Clark, Emily Chandler, Jacob Mohler, Kate Dudek, Kennedy Petties, Kinsey Prine, Noah Lambert, Samantha Porter, Trace Blackwell, and Travis Clark

ANGELS: Anna Dunavant, Aubrey Speer, Bryanna Gray, Emma Webb, Haylee Powell, Kylee Nelson, Lauren Dunavant, Leah Swann, Lily Howard, and Lynnissa Green

BABY ANGELS: Amelia Lewter, Ava Lewter, Christian Petties, Halei Cross, Jaelyn Merchant, Julian Petties, Madison Broomfield, Madison Clark, and Mimi Herren