The gay classic Love! Valor! Compassion! is headed for a limited run in Nashville this July. Terrence McNally’s 1995 Broadway hit play is being revived with an accomplished cast of Nashville actors for a limited run at Music Valley Event Center.
Love! Valour! Compassion! is the story of eight gay men who meet three times during a summer at a secluded Dutchess County lake house. Most of the men are longtime friends, but a new young visitor changes the dynamic of the group irrevocably. With humor and truth, the complex ensemble story weaves together a broad range of themes including infidelity, sibling rivalry, aging, and AIDS- as the characters skinny-dip, eat, laugh, love, and argue. The action culminates in the men rehearsing for an outrageous AIDS benefit performance of Swan Lake.
Director Seth Limbaugh leads the all-male cast comprised of Asa Ambrister, James Bealor, Taylor James Foster, Zach Parker, Tristan Penn, Bill Richeson, and Mic Rex (in dual roles). Fredrick Upp and Ambrister produce, with Don Breedwell contributing his talents as Lighting Designer.
The original 1995 Broadway production of Love! Valour Compassion! received multiple accolades, including a Tony Award (Best Play), Drama Desk Award (Outstanding Play), and Outer Critics Circle Award (Outstanding New Broadway Play). The show contains adult content including strong language, nudity and sexual situations, and is being offered to patrons 18 years of age and older.
Produced in cooperation with Murfreesboro-based nonprofit organization Radical Arts, Love! Valour! Compassion! will offer patrons dinner and show-only options for its July 7- 23 performances.
Radical Arts is an artistic endeavor promoting acceptance and equality that will further promote the enjoyment of and participation in the arts, primarily focusing on theatrical plays and musicals. It is the company's mission to bring the arts to the community in a positive, enlightening, and educational way.
Love! Valour! Compassion! runs July 7- 23, Friday and Saturday at 7 p.m. and Sunday at 1:30 p.m. Meal seating begins at6 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 12 p.m. on Sunday. Please note that a Saturday, July 8 performance is not being offered. Reservations are required for meals. Show-only tickets are available by reservation or at the door. Ticket prices are $15 for the show, or $38 for meal and show. The Music Valley Event Center is located at 2416 Music Valley Drive, Suite 150, in Nashville. Call (615) 902-9566 for tickets or further information.
Photo (clockwise from bottom left): Bill Richeson, Taylor James Foster, Mic Rex, Zach Parker, James Bealor, Asa Ambrister, Tristan Penn (center). Photo by Kellie Leming