The Kat House » theatre

At the Theatre

Tish — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 14:37:54 +0000

I saw Clarence Brown Theatre’s production of Guys and Dolls last night, and it made for a very pleasant evening. I particularly enjoyed the Hot Box scenes, as I thought the dancers were fabulous! If you’re in the Knoxville area, you have until April 27th to see the play. You can order your tickets here.

Guys and Dolls is the final play of the CBT 2007-2008 season, but the 2008-2009 season tickets will go on sale soon. I plan to renew my season subscription. Here’s the lineup for the new season.

Ain’t Misbehavin’
The Secret Rapture
The Marriage of Bette and Boo
A Christmas Carol
The Triumph of Love
Love’s Labour’s Lost
Copenhagen
Flyin’ West
Tommy

Hope to see some of you at the theatre!

Night at Clarence Brown Theatre

Tish — Sun, 02 Dec 2007 23:06:35 +0000

I saw a production of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol at Clarence Brown Theatre last night. I had seen the play there two years ago, but this was an entirely different adaptation. As you know, I’m quite the theatre geek. I see plays all the time, and it is rare to find one that I don’t enjoy. But this play was absolutely fantastic – the best one I’ve seen in a very long time!

Though it wasn’t a musical per se, the play was filled with traditional Christmas songs. The set was incredible, and the actors were genius. My eyes welled with tears several times. The standing ovation at the end was well deserved.

Those of you who are in the Knoxville area should check it out. The play runs through December 22nd. You can find more information on the Clarence Brown Theatre website.

Lonely Theatre Dude

chattiekat — Mon, 08 Oct 2007 16:36:40 +0000

Last night I saw the Clarence Brown Theatre’s production of Major Barbara by George Bernard Shaw. It’s the story of a Salvation Army Major and her father, who is a self-made millionaire through the sale of war munitions. At the heart of the play is a conflict between religion and money – namely, which one can save a man’s soul? The play was enjoyable, but it wasn’t one of my favorites by any means. If you’re in the Knoxville area, there is still time to see the play if you’re interested.

At the show last night, I saw a guy a couple of rows ahead of me. He was tall, thin, with reddish-brown hair, wearing glasses, and maybe a few years younger than me. I had seen this same guy at the last play I attended, which leads me to believe he’s a season subscriber with tickets for the same nights I attend. He was dateless - at both plays. We dateless people stick out like a sore thumb, and we young folks stick out even more. Most of the patrons are from an older generation, but there are usually a handful of UT students and other young folks scattered throughout the crowd.

Anyway, this guy was a few rows ahead of me at both plays, and we never made eye contact. If I see him at the next play, I think I’ll say hello and introduce myself. It’s obvious that we have at least one thing in common – theatre. And judging from the way he looks, I’d venture to say that he’s also a geek – and maybe even a blogger!

Happy Thought for 8/1/07

chattiekat — Thu, 02 Aug 2007 01:54:18 +0000

Anyone who reads my blog on a regular basis knows just how much I love the theatre. I’m especially excited this year, because I have season subscriptions to both Clarence Brown Theatre and Oak Ridge Playhouse.

I have two plays coming up this month – Honky Tonk Angels and A Few Good Men. I can’t wait!

It’s a shame that there aren’t more theatre fans out there. For the most part, the younger generations prefer to veg out on the couch while watching episodes of My Name is Earl. I’m all for a good television show every now and then, but theatre is truly a beautiful art form that should be enjoyed by all. There is just something about a live performance that stirs up emotion like no television show can. When I’m at the theatre, I laugh. I cry. I am temporarily transported to a fantasy world where anything is possible, and for two or three hours, I experience true joy.

Another Theatre Opportunity

chattiekat — Sun, 08 Jul 2007 14:20:13 +0000

The Tennessee Stage Company is gearing up for their annual Shakespeare on the Square. The Tempest and Much Ado About Nothing will be performed from July 12th – August 12th in Market Square in downtown Knoxville. Bring an old blanket or a lawn chair. Performances are free, but a $5 donation is recommended. You can view the calendar of performances here. I plan to attend both plays.

Sunday Samplings #1

chattiekat — Sun, 08 Jul 2007 11:21:24 +0000

Weekly “link love” posts seem to be pretty popular around the blogosphere. Several of my friends, including Mike from Ordinary Folk, do weekly posts linking you to some of the cool things they have found over the previous week. Since I read a lot of blogs and find lots of cool things on them, I am jumping on the bandwagon! Each Sunday, I’ll give a sampling of some of the interesting things I’ve discovered.

Without further ado, here are the first Sunday Samplings.

Kaliblue blogged about Israel “Bruddah IZ” Kamakawiwo’ole, a Hawaiian musician who passed away 10 years ago at age 38. He became famous outside Hawaii when his album featuring a Somewhere Over the Rainbow/What a Wonderful World medley was released in 1993. The song was featured in several films, television shows, and commercials. I must admit that I had never heard of Kamakawiwo’ole, but I watched the video of his famous medley on Kaliblue’s post, and I was touched. This man had an absolutely beautiful voice, and as Kaliblue put it, A Beautiful Spirit.
Ever wondered where the expression “curiosity killed the cat” came from? Les Jones has the answer. This proverb has a theatre connection dating back to 1598!
We’re all sick of hearing about the iPhone, but Kiltak has posted something guaranteed to make you laugh. Check out iPhone: The Musical.
Pownce is a new project by the founder of Digg. It is still in beta form, so it’s by invitation only. Jonathan Phillips wrote a great review called Pownce: Kinda Like Twitter But On Steroids. Take a look to see what all the hype is about. And if you want to give Pownce a try, I have six invites. If you want one, leave a comment below.
My sister just made some homemade potato chips that are fried in Red Palm Oil. Her family was crazy about them, and if the photo is any indication, I would be too.

Weekend Wrap-Up

chattiekat — Mon, 02 Jul 2007 02:25:12 +0000

It has been quite an eventful weekend.

Friday was my 35th birthday. I spent the evening at Oak Ridge Playhouse for their first play of the season – The Pajama Game. The musical comedy revolved around a love affair between the Sleep-Tite Pajama Factory’s new superintendent and the leader of the grievance committee. When the workers decided to strike for a pay raise, the relationship was put to a real test. The music was fantastic, as was the acting. It was my first time attending a play at this venue, but I had a marvelous time!

On Saturday evening, I attended another play – Seussical, which is based on the works of Dr. Seuss. The musical incorporated bits and pieces of 14 different Seuss stories. It was put on the by the Erin Youth Players at Erin Presbyterian Church. I think I enjoyed this play even more than The Pajama Game. The music was amazing, and the kids, ranging from middle school to college age, were fantastic actors! This performance took me back in time, reminding me of how much fun it was to just be a kid. I found myself looking around during the play, and I noticed something really beautiful – every face had a smile on it. And those smiles stayed there from beginning to end! Children, parents, grandparents. Though the audience consisted of several generations, we were all kids that night. This particular play also had two local blogger connections, making it that much more special to me. My good friend Barry from Inn of the Last Home was the Music Director, and the actress portraying the Sour Kangaroo was the daughter of Lane of Masses of Everything.

I spent Sunday evening at the ball field. My Smokies played the Mississippi Braves. I am happy to say that the Smokies won 2-1 in the 10th inning.

By the way, thanks to all of you for the lovely birthday wishes!

Support A Fellow Blogger!

chattiekat — Thu, 14 Jun 2007 16:45:16 +0000

My good friend Barry is the Music Director for Erin Presbyterian’s production of Seussical, which runs from June 28 – July 1. Loving the theatre as I do (and loving Barry too!), I just can’t pass up the opportunity to see this musical! I’ll be attending the show on June 30th at 7:30 PM.

All you wonderful Knoxville bloggers should come out to support one of our own. Hope to see you at the show!

Theatre Talk

chattiekat — Sat, 09 Jun 2007 14:30:33 +0000

One of my biggest loves in life is theatre. I just renewed my season subscription to The Clarence Brown Theatre, and I am anxiously awaiting the first play. Here’s the lineup for the 2007-2008 season.

Honky Tonk Angels (Ted Swindley) – Three women following their dreams board a Greyhound bus bound for Nashville, trading in their disappointments for country music at the Hillbilly Haven. There they belt out tunes by Tammy Wynette, Loretta Lynn, Kitty Wells, Pam Tillis, and Dolly Parton.

Major Barbara (George Bernard Shaw) – Salvation Army Major Barbara thinks her millionaire munitions-dealing dad is evil. Her father thinks povery is evil. Idealism and cynicism, business and religion, wealth and poverty are the the subjects of Shaw’s thought-provoking satire about values.

Antigone (Sophocles; adapted by Jean Anouilh) – King Creon decrees Antigone’s brother is not to be buried. Determined he will have a proper burial, Antigone defies his orders. Anouilh’s WWII update of Sophocles’ tragedy deals with the conflict between loyalty to a higher power and loyalty to the state.

A Christmas Carol (Charles Dickens) – Dickens’ tale about the redemption that can come to those whose hearts are hard is back in a new adaptation.

The Life of Galileo (Bertolt Brecht; adapted by David Edgar) – Galileo’s proof that the earth moves around the sun shatters the belief held sacred for two thousand years. Brecht offers a masterpiece about social responsibility and the clash between science and faith.

Intimate Apparel (Lynn Nottage) – Esther, a lonely African American seamstress in 1905 Manhattan, chances romance with a stranger known only through his letters. This award-winning drama tells the story of a woman’s struggle to break free in an era when gender, race, class, and religious norms were as binding as a corset.

Stop Kiss (Diana Son) – Set in present day New York City, Callie and Sara meet, become friends, and develop – much to their surprise – an unspoken attraction. But when their first kiss provokes a terrible hate crim, their lives are changed forever.

Guys and Dolls (Damon Runyon; music/lyrics by Frank Loesser) – With one of the greatest musical scores in the history of American theatre, Guys and Dolls is a New York fable about gambling men and the women who tame them.

In addition to the season lineup, Clarence Brown also puts on a Reading Series which will feature four additional productions this season. The Reading Series is free of charge and open to the public. This year’s Reading Series includes:

Parade (Alfred Uhry) – The true story of the 1913 trial of Leo Frank, a Brooklyn-born Jewish factory manager who was accused of raping and murdering a 13-year-old employee, comes to life in this Tony Aware winning musical. The trial, sensationalized by the media, aroused anti-Semitic tensions in Atlanta and the state of Georgia.

I Just Stopped By to See the Man (Stephen Jeffreys) – Jesse Davidson, the last of the Delta blues singers, died 14 years ago. But the story is…he isn’t dead at all. When an English rock band comes to town, the leader, Karl, comes looking for the truth about his legendary hero and triggers a confrontation of mythic proportions.

The Prince of Homburg (Heinrich Von Kleist; translated by Bernard Sahlins) – The classic tale of the unfortunate demise of a young and reckless prince, a leader in the Prussian army, who disobeys an order in the heat of battle and has to live with the devastating consequences that arise from this impetuous act.

Crocodiles (Joshua Sobol) – What do you think will happen when an Israeli, two Palestinians, a soldier, a fashion model, a battle shocked war veteran, and an American Reality TV director meet on a beach in the Middle East? Crocodiles explores the surprising answer to that question.

The Clarence Brown Theatre also hosts Theatre Talk on the Sundays following the Fridays openings of their mainstage productions. Theatre Talk is held at 2 PM at Borders on Morrell Road. It is free and open to the public. Expert guests, cast members, directors, and designers make presentations that spark lively discussions about the plays.

As if that isn’t enough theatre for me, Barry has finally convinced me to purchase a season subscription to Oak Ridge Playhouse this year as well. Their mainstage productions will include The Pajama Game, A Few Good Men, Rodgers and Hamerstein’s Cinderella, Moonlight and Magnolias, and Grease.

I purchased First Saturday tickets to Clarence Brown and will be purchasing First Friday tickets to Oak Ridge Playhouse. Oddly enough, the very first play is on my birthday later this month! Yippee!

Odds and Ends

chattiekat — Sun, 05 Nov 2006 19:50:00 +0000

I got back to Knoxville late Thursday night. Words cannot express how happy I am to be back home.

I’ve gotten so far behind on my school projects that I’ve spent most of this weekend playing catch up. Just a few more weeks until the semester ends! I have no idea what made me think I could work a full-time job and take four college courses.

I watched An American Haunting this weekend. It is based on the true story of the Bell Witch of Tennessee. The story is much more fascinating than the movie depicts. I suggest that you read the book instead of wasting your time on the movie. According to the story, Andrew Jackson encountered the ghost at one point. The movie fails to show that; it instead focuses only on the ghost’s tormenting of the Bell family.

I also watched The Secret Lives of Dentists this weekend. I bought it for next to nothing at Blockbuster a while back. As you know, I adore Denis Leary, so I just couldn’t resist. The movie put me to sleep! Seriously, the only exciting thing about it was Denis. His character was just as big an asshole as Denis is. I’m giving it two stars on Netflix, which means that I “didn’t like it”. I now know why it was so cheap at Blockbuster!

Brico and I will be meeting in Atlanta on Thursday for the Barenaked Ladies concert. We’ll be staying overnight, but since he has to be back at work by noon on Friday, we’ll be getting up early and getting back on the road. We’ll be sure to have some photos and exciting stories to share.

I’ll be seeing another play here in Knoxville next Saturday night. It’s called The Laramie Project, and it’s about the reaction to the 1998 murder of Matthew Shepard in Laramie, Wyoming, widely considered to be a hate crime motivated by homophobia.

Have a great rest of the weekend!

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