April/May Arts & Entertainment Events Calendar

OUTvoices
01 April 2006

Please mail listings to calendar@outandaboutnewspaper.com

March 21 – May 06, 2006

Chaffin's Barn Dinner Theatre presents SMOKEY JOE’S CAFE

A musical featuring the hit songs of Leiber and Stoller

MainStage - Tuesday thru Saturday evenings:

Buffet from 6:00-7:30pm , show at 8:00pm

With (3) Thursday Senior Matinees:

March 23, 30 and April 06 - house opens at 11:00 , show at 12pm

Senior Matinees $25, Bring Your Own Lunch, beverages provided or order Chaffin’s Boxed Lunch when you make your reservation for an additional $5.00

And (1) Sunday Matinee:

April 23, buffet from 12:00 - 1:30 , show at 2:00pm

*Ticket Prices for Musicals Evening Shows and Sunday Matinee:

$ 50 per adult, $30 for children 12 and under (both prices include dinner, show and tax) Show only $38 (includes show, soft drinks, coffee and tea)

*Admission prices do not include gratuity for your waiterSmokey Joe’s Café is the effervescent musical revue that celebrates the prolific songwriting team of Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller. Their classic tunes defined the golden age of Rock 'n' Roll garnering hits for Elvis, The Drifters, Dion, The Coasters and Ben E. King - just to name a few.  The rollicking song and dance party at “Smokey Joe's Café” showcases over 40 classic tunes including: ‘Jailhouse Rock’, ‘Hound Dog’, ‘Love Potion #9’, ‘On Broadway’, ‘Kansas City’, ‘Spanish Harlem’, ‘Don't Be Cruel’ and ‘Stand By Me’. The Grammy Award-winning score featuring this extraordinary string of hits is guaranteed to put the bop in your “bop shu-wop shu-wop bop”!

March 23-April 22

Anything Goes

Gaslight Dinner Theatre

The Gaslight Dinner Theatre presents the largest production in its seven-year history with the Tony Award-winning musical Anything Goes March 23-April 22 at The Renaissance Center in Dickson. Anything Goes will feature the largest cast and biggest set of any show presented since the Gaslight Dinner Theatre opened in September 2000. Evening performances will be Fridays and Saturdays, beginning with a buffet dinner at 6:30 p.m. and the show at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $27 and include dinner, drink, dessert and the performance. Senior matinees for patrons 55 and older are Thursdays and Fridays, beginning with a buffet lunch at noon and the show at 1 p.m. Tickets are $17 and include lunch, drink, dessert and the performance. Anything Goes features the music of Cole Porter, with such memorable songs as I Get A Kick Out of You, You're the Top, It's De- Lovely, Let's Misbehave and the title song. The show starred Ethel Merman and opened at the Alvin Theatre on Nov. 21, 1934 , and became the fourth-longest running musical of the decade. A 1988 revival starring Patti Lupone earned 10 Tony Award nominations and won three, including Best Musical Revival. A 1936 movie version starred Merman and Bing Crosby. For more information on the Gaslight Dinner Theatre production of Anything Goes, call (615) 740-5600 or visit The Renaissance Center's web site at www.rcenter.org. To purchase tickets, call (615) 740-5570. The Renaissance Center is a fine arts and technology education and performing arts center at 855 Highway 46 South in Dickson, just 35 miles west of Nashville on Interstate 40 at exit 172.

March 31, April 1 and April 5-8

Take Me Out

Richard Greenburg’s 2003 Tony Award-winning baseball drama, “Take Me Out,” willopen the 2006CenterStage Series, with performances at 7:30 p.m.March 31, April 1 and April 5-8 in MTSU’s Tucker Theatre. “Take Me Out” is the story of Darren Lemming, the young, rich and famous center fielder of the world-champion New York Empires who is so convinced of his popularity that, when he casually announces he’s gay, he assumes the news will be readily accepted by everyone. But it isn’t. Instead, friends, fans and teammates react with disgust. Luckily, however, Darren finds unlikely support in the form of friendship with his new business manager—a brilliant but repressed guy who is ecstatic in his personal discovery of baseball. TICKETS for “Take Me Out” will go on sale March 27 at the CenterStage Ticket Office, located inside the Boutwell Dramatic Arts Building at MTSU. Office hours are noon-4 p.m. Monday-Friday. Tickets may also be purchased at the door. Ticket prices range from $4 to $8. MTSU students are admitted free of charge with a valid MTSU ID.

For reservations, please call (615) 494-8810.

OPEN CALL AUDITIONS FOR Nashville Shakespeare Festival’S MACBETH

Saturday, April 1
The Nashville Shakespeare Festival will hold an open call audition for the summer 2006 production of Macbeth on Saturday, April 1, 2006 at The Basement, 1604 8th Ave. S.   Auditioners should prepare one two-minute Shakespearean monologue.  Appointments will be given between 10am and 4pm.  Call (615) 255-2273 to schedule an appointment.

The Emperor and the Nightingale Children's Ballet - Free to the Public

Sat., April 1, 2006 10:30 am , 11:30 am  and 12:30 pm at the Downtown Library

Sat., April 29, 2006 10:00 am at the Belcourt Theatre  

Based on the Hans Christian Anderson tale, this hour-long program, free to the public, consists of the children’s ballet followed by an interactive demonstration with the dancers. The Emperor and the Nightingale is about the Emperor of China who lives in his glorious new palace, but learns one thing is missing... the beautiful song of the nightingale. It is this very bird that teaches the great Emperor that some things are not meant to be caged, and the strongest friendship can be found through freedom.

Nashville Ballet is pleased to present Celebrations of Spring featuring The Velveteen Rabbit and Messiah

Friday, April 7 at 7:30 pm
Saturday, April 8 at 7:30 pm
Sunday, April 9 at 2 pm

For the season finale, Nashville Ballet presents two beloved springtime classics. The Velveteen Rabbit is the timeless and magical children’s tale about a toy rabbit that longs to become real – and finally gets its wish. This colorful and whimsical all-new production, choreographed by Paul Vasterling, is updated with Southern flare, and The Nashville Symphony performs a commissioned score by Grammy nominated and renowned local composer Don Hart. Paul Vasterling’s Messiah presents dance choreographed to celebrated themes from George Frederic Handel’s masterpiece. The Tennessean hailed it “one of Vasterling’s most ambitious pieces.” Although long associated with the Christmas season, Handel originally performed Messiah at Easter. The Nashville Opera Ensemble chorus and soloists join The Nashville Symphony to accompany this ballet.

TPAC's Polk Theater

April 7 – 22

The Arts & Culture Alliance presents Knoxville’s Art & Antiques Gallery: A Last Hurrah!, a new exhibition featuring the works of nearly 20 artists from the Art & Antiques Gallery. The exhibit runs from April 7 – 22 at the Emporium Center and encompasses two- and three-dimensional media: oil, watercolor, pastels, acrylic, mixed watermedia, watermedia and collage, photography, handmade wood items, and stained glass. The opening reception on Friday, April 7, from 5-9pm, is free and open to the public, and complimentary wine and hors d’oeuvres are served. Knoxville’s Art & Antiques Gallery: A Last Hurrah!, is on exhibit from April 7 – 22 at the Emporium Center for Arts & Culture, 100 S. Gay Street, downtown Knoxville. Gallery hours are Monday-Friday 9-5pm and Saturday 10-3. For more information, please contact the Arts & Culture Alliance, (865) 523-7543, or visit our website at www.knoxalliance.com.

April 7

Night Kings II

Featuring Sergio Buchanan, the Reigning Mr. Esquire 2005-2006 & Stallion, the Stand-Out Awards Favorite Drag King Winner 2005-2006 & Special Guest Performance Makaya Chalet The Tall & The Vivacious & More

One Midnight Performance French Quarter Café 823 Woodland Street $6.00

The First 25 Ladies to wear Sergio’s favorite color “RED” will get a picture!

APRIL 7-9

U.S. CELLULAR® AND MOTOROLA PRESENT KNOXVILLE OPERA’S ROSSINI FESTIVAL

Spring is the prime time for outdoor festivals, and one of the region’s most exciting events is quickly approaching - Knoxville Opera’s Rossini Festival, taking place in downtown Knoxville from April 7-9.  One of the Southeast’s most alluring cultural attractions, the Festival provides a fun-filled atmosphere for visitors young and old. Now entering its fifth year, the event brings a taste of Europe to East Tennessee and celebrates the color, fun and excitement of opera and Italian culture. For a complete schedule of events or more information on the 2005 Knoxville Opera’s Rossini Festival, contact Knoxville Opera at (865) 524-0795 or visit the festival website at www.rossinifestival.org.

April 7-20

RAGTIME

With Special Guest Howard Gentry as Booker T. WashingtonThe 2007 Mayor's race has just begun to heat up, but Vice-Mayor and Mayoral candidate Howard Gentry is making time to play an American icon to help raise money for Nashville's Senior Center for the Arts. He will act (and sing) as Booker T. Washington in their production of RAGTIME, running April 7-20.This is Nashville's first local production of this huge Broadway musical which deals with the racial tension and overall social inequality of the early 1900's in America. Performances of RAGTIME will be Thursday - Saturdays at 7pm and Sundays at 2pm. Tickets include a full dinner and the show for only $20 Dinner seating begins one hour prior to these showtimes. Show-only tickets are also available for $15 The annual Purity Girl's Night Out performance is Thursday, April 13 at 7, which includes an all-you- can-eat ice cream and cake event along with the show. A Special Easter Sunday Brunch is also scheduled for Sunday, April 16. Those tickets are $25 Tickets may be purchased online at www.seniorarts.org, in person at the theatre at 108 Donelson Pike, or by calling (615) 883-8375.

April 8

AUDITIONS FOR THE Nashville Shakespeare Festival APPRENTICE COMPANY
The Nashville Shakespeare Festival is seeking young actors, directors, and stage managers ages 13 and up for its Apprentice Company.   Participants will receive 50 hours of professional actor training, then join the professional company for the 2006 Shakespeare in the Park production of MACBETH, directed by Denice Hicks.  Auditions will be Saturday, April 8 , 2006 at The Basement, 1604 8th Ave. S.   Please prepare one Shakespearean monologue , no more than 2 minutes in length .  Appointment required.   Call (615) 255-2273.  Some scholarships available.

April 9

The Cathey Stamps Birthday Bash with

Annie Mosher, Cheley Tackett, Tammy Fowler and a cast of musical friends at the Lipstick Lounge

Yes, it's that time of year again and you won't want to miss the celebration. Stamps is the driving force behind the Sunday Night Music Special as well as the rhythm specialist of choice for bands from across the country including Halcyon, Lindsey Hinkle, Kristy Lee, Jen Foster, Girls with Guitars and innumerable others. As she said recently, if she has to get older, she's not going alone and she's going to have some fun doing it. A great start is the combination of Fowler, Mosher and Tackett joining Stamps on stage, but you can bet there will be plenty of special guests joining the action.

8 p.m. $8 cover

April 13-22

Fences

The Murfreesboro/Rutherford County Center for the Arts is pleased to announce its upcoming production of August Wilson's FENCES directed for the stage by George W. Manus, Jr., April 13-16 and 20-22 with show times at 7:30pm Thurs-Sat and Sunday at 2pm. The Center for the Arts is located at 110 W. College Street in Downtown Murfreesboro, 615-904-ARTS or www.boroarts.org  Ticket prices are $5. for all opening night, then $10. general admission, $8. students/seniors 65+, and $5. children 12 and under.The play is a bittersweet tale of baseball, fate and family love set in the 1950s.   Fences is a portrait of garbage collector Troy Maxson (Anton Minter) and his family, with all of the play's action taking place on and in front of Maxson's porch.

Gay.com and PlanetOut Inc proudly present Rock Out’s Knock Out Tour featuring musical heavyweights Eric Himan and Levi Kreis. We will be making a stop in Nashville at Douglas Corner On Saturday, April 15, 2006.  

Eric Himan just been named to the 2005 OUT 100 list. With five independent releases under his belt and topping 10K cd's sold nationally, Eric has been making a name for himself in both the LGBT and music communities. Eric is known for his relentless touring schedule which keeps him on the road for approx. 200 shows a year. This young troubadour is following his musical dream as he spreads his unique brand of folk/pop to eager ears all over the country. His story has been covered by OUT, Instinct, Genre, The Advocate and even Curve Magazines. Eric has appeared on both LOGO and Q TV Networks. Sirius Out Q, This Way Out, and OutVoice have also done national radio features with Eric. In 2005, Eric was included in the 2005 HRC release "Love Rocks" with his song "No Urgency". Eric has been featured at over 30 Pride celebrations nationally. He has also spent time raising money and awareness for LGBT Youth and Community Centers.

 Levi Kreis was most recently seen on Donald Trump's Apprentice, where he composed and performed the winning song for the XM Challenge "Nothing". Since that episode, Levi has shared his coming out with the nation. He will be covered in the April edition of OUT magazine and has been featured on the Q TV Network. Levi's song "I Should Go" has just been picked up and is running on both Days of Our Lives and the Young and the Restless. Levi's captivating compositions and heartfelt delivery are winning folks over one performance at a time. Since the show, Levi has been THE top seller now at CDbaby.com.

www.erichiman.com

www.myspace.com/erichiman

http://www.gay.com/video/article.html?id=1251&navpath=/channels/video/

www.levikreis.com

www.myspace.com/levikreis

http://apprentice.tv.yahoo.com/trump/04/show/summary/week9_1summary.html

The RenaissanceCenter’s Mind Enriching Theatre series presents HONK! for one performance at 2 p.m. Saturday, April 15.

Tickets are $5 and the afternoon includes a visit from the Easter Bunny prior to the show and a children’s Easter egg hunt on the grounds of the center following the performance. The MET series production of HONK! is funded through a grant from the Tennessee Arts Commission.

Written by George Stiles and Anthony Drewe, HONK! is the story of Ugly, a duckling whose odd, gawky appearance incites prejudice from his family and friends. Ugly (played by Zak Risinger) is separated from his farm and relentlessly pursued by the hungry Cat (Bryan J. Wlas) as he tries to find his way home. Meanwhile, Ugly’s mother Ida (Anna Hammonds) sets out to find her missing duckling, leaving Drake (Nathan W. Brown) at home to look after the rest of the brood.

Along the way, Ugly encounters a variety of outrageous characters, including the pompous goose Greylag (Daniel Bissell), a hen named Lowbutt (Julie Abner) and her feline friend Queenie (Cheyenne Nelson), friendly Bullfrog (Bissell) and others, all while trying to avoid capture by hunters and Cat.

Through his journey, Ugly not only discovers his inner beauty and destiny, but also finds true love and acceptance.

Witty and hilarious, but also deeply touching, HONK! treats audiences to equal amounts of laughter and heartfelt moments. The show is packed with colorful characters and memorable songs that prompted The London Daily Telegraph to proclaim Stiles and Drewe “the brightest hopes for the future of the British musical.”

April 20, 2006 • 7 p.m.

April 22, 2006 • 8 p.m.

Puccini's Turandot

Tennessee Performing Arts Center - Andrew Jackson Hall

Featuring the Nashville Symphony

Seats $17-$80 • Call (615) 255-ARTS for tickets

Set in mythic China , suitors wishing to marry Princess Turnadot have to correctly answer her three riddles. Succeed and you win her heart, fail and the price is death. Everything changes when the mysterious Prince Calaf responds correctly. Turandot, Puccini's last opera, is considered one of the finest works ever written.

VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY ANNOUNCES MY MORNING JACKET, BEN FOLDS AND GOVT’ MULE TO PERFORM AT ANNUAL RITES OF SPRING MUSIC FESTIVAL THIS APRIL!

Vanderbilt University tradition for over 30 years, the Rites of Spring Music FestivalFriday, April 21 st and Saturday, April 22 nd

The tradition continually brings top musical acts to the university campus year-after-year. Committed to continuing the tradition, Vanderbilt University Concerts is excited to announce the addition of indie rockers My Morning Jacket, singer/pianist Ben Folds and jam powerhouse trio Gov’t Mule to this year’s line-up. The annual outdoor festival will take place on  “With several of the regional multi-day music festivals throwing in the towel, we are thrilled to continue to offer fans in the Southeast an opportunity to enjoy great live music from their favorite artists,” states Candelyn Oliverius, Senior Director for Student Services at Vanderbilt University.

Additional confirmed talent for this year’s festival includes; Cary Brothers, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah!, B Young, Blue Merle, Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, Hopsing Project, Hot Buttered Rum, Old Union and Zac Brown Band with more to be announced soon.

Both shows are open to the general public. Tickets will go on sale Wednesday, March 1 st at 10 am CST at all Ticketmaster locations, online at www.ticketmaster.com, at Grimey’s New & Preloved Music in Nashville (www.grimeys.com) or by calling 615-255-9600. Tickets can also be purchased with Cash or Check with no service fees included only at the Sarratt Box Office on the Vanderbilt campus. For more information call 615-343-3361.

Free parking is available at the Terrace Place Parking Garage, located off 21 st Avenue South on Terrace Place.

WHAT:             Rites of Spring Music Festival at Vanderbilt University

WHEN:              Friday, April 21 and Saturday, April 22, 2006

WHERE:            Alumni Lawn – Vanderbilt University Campus

TIME:               3:00 pm – Gates open; 4:00 pm to 1:00 am – Music (Both days)

TICKETS:          In advance: $25 – Day Pass; $40 – Weekend Pass

Day of Show: $30 – Day Pass; $50 – Weekend Pass

Evolution--Rites of Spring

April 21-23

www.ritesofspring.org

Birmingham's annual fundraising dance for HIV/AIDS organizations

Sloss Furnaces

http://www.slossfurnaces.com/media/html/home/sloss_story.php

2006 Clarksville Pride Festival
May 20, 2006 at the Fairgrounds

Clarksville Pride, Inc. has announced that they will again reserve the Clarksville Fairgrounds for the 2006 pride festival. Organizers say that they will reserve a much larger area than last year’s event featuring Michelangelo Singnorile, Calpernia Addams, Jade Esteban Estrada and others. http://www.clarksvillepride.com/

May 20, 2006 was selected as the date. “As it is Armed Forces Day, it offers us the chance to honor the gay and lesbian soldiers who have been forced to fight for our country in silence in a military that would gladly take their blood, but not their honesty,” said David W. Shelton, chairman of Clarksville Pride.

The date will be the first Pride festival in Tennessee for the season, and the committee has pledged to market the event as such. “We’re shooting for the moon with this year’s event,” Shelton said. “I can’t wait to see how things happen!”

LIVE FROM TORINO: SKATERS SET TO BRING OLYMPICS TO AMERICA

Tickets for the show at the Nashville Municipal Auditorium go on sale

February 24, 2006

Fresh off their performances in Torino, Italy, the world’s figure skating champions will come to Nashville, Tennessee on May 21, 2006

at 3:00 PM to bring their Olympic experiences direct to you, the fans as part of the 2006 John Hancock Champions on Ice tour.

The top skaters in the world, many of whom fulfilled their Olympic dreams by standing on the podium or participating in Torino, will be spotlighted in the tour, including five-time World Champion and two-time Olympic medalist Michelle Kwan, 2002 Olympic silver medalist Irina Slutskaya, U.S. Champion and two-time Olympian Sasha Cohen, three-time World Champion and 2002 Olympic silver medalist Evgeny Plushenko, three-time U.S. Champion Johnny Weir, reigning World Champion Stephane Lambiel, as well as other Champions from Olympic and World competition including Olympic gold medalist Victor Petrenko, Rudy Galindo and Surya Bonaly.

World Silver Medalists Tanith Belbin and Ben Agosto, who have emerged as ice dancing’s newest sensation and America’s sweethearts, will also be on the tour, as will the 2002 Olympic ice dancing champions Marina Anissina and Gwendal Peizerat. Also featured in the tour are the brilliant Russian world champion pairs team of Tatiana Totmianina and Maxim Marinan.

The tour also will feature some of its well-known and well-loved specialty acts with Irina Gregorian, Dan Hollander and the acrobatic duo of Vladimir Besedin and Oleksiy Polishchuk.

Tickets, priced from $67, can be charged by phone at 615-255-9600 and are

available at Nashville Municipal Auditorium Box Office, all Ticketmaster Outlets,

ticketmaster.com or by visiting www.championsonice.com. Service fee applies. Youth and senior discounts are available.